64 BE^BEUF AND HIS ASSOCIATES. [1634-35 



assemble at the house of the Jesuits, who explamed 

 to them the principal points of their doctrine, and 

 invited them to a discussion. The auditors proved 

 pliant to a fault, responding, " Good," or " That is 

 true," to every proposition; but, when urged to 

 adopt the faith which so readily met their ap- 

 proval, they had always the same reply: "It is 

 good for the French ; but we are another people, 

 with different customs." On one occasion, Brebeuf 

 appeared before the chiefs and elders at a solemn 

 national council, described Heaven and Hell with 

 images suited to their comprehension, asked to 

 which they preferred to go after death, and then, 

 in accordance mth the invariable Huron custom in 

 affairs of importance, presented a large and valuable 

 belt of wampum, as an invitation to take the path 

 to Paradise.-^ 



Notwithstanding all theu' exhortations, the Jes- 

 uits, for the present, baptized but few. Indeed, 

 during the fhst year or more, they baptized no 

 adults except those apparently at the point of 

 death; for, with excellent reason, they feared 

 backsliding and recantation. They found especial 

 pleasure in the baptism of dying infants, rescuing 

 them from the flames of perdition, and changing 

 them, to borrow Le Jeune's phrase, " from littlf; 

 Indians into little angels."^ 



1 Brebeuf, Relation des Hxirons, 1686, 81. For the use of wampum 

 belts, see Introduction. 



2 " Le seiziesme du mesme mois, deux petits Saurages furent changez 

 en deux petits Anges." — Relation, 1686, 89 (Cramoisy). 



" mon cher fr^re, vous pourrois-je expliquer quell6 consolation ce 

 m'etoit quand je voyois un pauure baptise mourir deux heures, une demi 



