24 I had thought that miracles were necessary to convert these flying Savages; but I was mistaken, [237] for the real miracles of New France are the following: To do them much good, and endure many pains; to complain to God alone; to judge oneself unworthy, and to feel one's uselessness. He who has these virtues will perform miracles greater than miracles, and will become a Saint. Indeed, it is harder to humiliate oneself deeply before God and men, and to annihilate oneself, than to raise the dead; for that needs only the word, if one has the gift of miracles, but to humiliate oneself as one ought to,—truly, that requires a man's whole life.
25 Nous auons esté fort estonnez & infiniment resioüys, voyant que dans nos petites cabanes, & dans nos Habitations la discipline Religieuse y estoit aussi exactement gardée, qu'aux plus grands Colleges [238] de la France, & que la ferueur interieure est d'autant plus grande, que l'exterieur semble y estre plus suiette à beaucoup de diuertissements: c'est l'ordinaire de la bonté infinie de Dieu, qui selon les besoins multiplie la benediction de ses graces; & en effect à mesure qu'vn seruiteur de Dieu s'abandonne à sa saincte conduite, nostre Seigneur s'eslargit aussi dauantage, & respand plus abõdamment la pluye pretieuse de ses graces.
25 We were greatly astonished and infinitely glad to see in our little cabins, and in our Settlements, the Religious discipline as strictly observed as in the largest Colleges [238] of France, and that the internal fervor is so much the greater as the external seems to be subjected to so many diversions; it is God's ordinary practice, in his infinite goodness, that according to our needs he multiplies the gift of his graces; and, in truth, to the same extent as a servant of God gives himself up to his holy guidance, our Lord expands so much the more and sheds more abundantly the precious shower of his graces.
26 Ces pauures Barbares ont coustume de nõmer [186] tous les Prestres Patriarches, & portent grand respect aux hommes vertueux. Ils nous promettent de nous apporter leurs enfans, quand ils seront malades à la mort, pour les baptiser; en effect on en a baptisé quelques vns qui sont morts peu apres le baptesme. Ils sont bien predestinez à bon escient, & bien-heureux de sortir de la Barbarie, [239] & entrer aussi tost dans le Paradis. Quand on ne feroit iamais autre chose, quel bon-heur d'auoir esté instrument de la predestination de ces petites ames.
26 These poor Barbarians are accustomed to call all the Priests, Patriarchs,[48] and they show great respect to men of integrity. They promise to bring us their children, when they are sick unto death, to be baptized; in fact, some have been baptized who died shortly after baptism. They are indeed the elect, beyond a doubt, and so blessed as to go forth from Barbarism [239] and enter immediately into Paradise. If one should never do anything else, what happiness to have been instrumental in placing these little souls among the elect!
27 On en trouue de si ignorants de toute sorte de Religion, qu'on ne sçauroit trouuer vn nom pour leur faire entendre Dieu; il le faut appeller le grand Capitaine des hommes; celuy qui nourrit tout le monde; celuy qui demeure là haut. On fait tout ce qu'on peut: quelle obligation auront-ils à ceux qui les instruisent, & qui s'efforcent de leur faire cognoistre vn Dieu, pour le seruir le moins mal qu'ils pourront. Là il ne faut pas grande doctrine, mais vne profonde humilité, vne patience inuincible, & vne charité Apostolique pour gaigner ces pauures Sauuages, qui d'ailleurs ont vn bon sens commun. Que si vne fois on commence à les [240] gaigner, le fruict sera inestimable.
27 One meets men so devoid of every notion of Religion, that one cannot find a name to make them understand God; we have to call him the great Captain of men, he who feeds all the world, he who lives on high. We do all we can; what obligations will they be under to those who instruct them and who try to make them know a God in order to serve him as well as they can. Here deep learning is not needed, but a profound humility, an unconquerable patience, and an Apostolic charity, to win these poor Savages, who in other respects have good common sense. And if we begin once to gain [240] them, the fruit will be incalculable.
28 La pensée de sainct Francois Xauier nous passe mille fois par l'esprit, & a vn grand pouuoir. Si les hommes du siecle pour auoir des peaux de Castor, de la moulue, & ie ne sçay quelles denrées, n'apprehendent ny les orages de la mer, ny les Sauuages de la terre, ny la mer, ny la mort; quelle horrible confusion seroit-ce à des seruiteurs de Dieu, d'apprehender cela, ou quelques petits trauaux, pour tascher de gaigner des ames rachetées auec le sang pretieux [188] de Iesus-Christ, & empourprées de son sang de valeur inestimable? Se leueront-ils point au iour du iugement cõtre nous ces petits facteurs, & pescheurs de mouluë pour nous condamner, s'ils prennent plus de peine pour gaigner vne piece d'argent, que nous pour aider à sauuer les Sauuages. Ceste pensée pique si fort nos [241] cœurs, qu'on ne sent point son mal, ou si on le sent on ne s'en oseroit plaindre.
28 A thousand times the thought of saint François Xavier passes through our minds, and has great power over us. If the men of the world, in order to have Beaver skins, and codfish, and I know not what commodities, do not fear either the storms on the sea, or the Savages on land, or the sea, or death; how dreadful will be the confusion of God's servants for being afraid of these things, or of a few little hardships, in trying to win souls ransomed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and empurpled by his blood of inestimable value? On the day of judgment will not these petty traders and fishers of cod rise up to condemn us, if they take more pains to gain a piece of money than we do to help save the Savages? This thought stings our hearts so [241] deeply that we do not feel our sufferings, or if we feel them we do not dare to complain of them.
29 Il y a mille personnes en France qui sont fort inutiles, & qui n'ont nul employ; ils sont sçauans, & puis c'est tout, & cela ne sert de rien du tout à l'Eglise de Dieu; helas! en la Nouuelle France ce seroient des Apostres s'ils vouloient y venir employer leur talent; moins de sçauoir & plus d'humilité & de zele, feroit miracle icy, & ils gagneroient possible plus en vn an, qu'ils ne feront toute leur vie en France.