130 INDIAN NOTIONS OF THE DELUGE. 



repair ; but fears were entertained that the 

 natives would be diverted from hunting furs to 

 idle ceremonies, and an effectual stop was put 

 to all further improvement, by the spirit of 

 opposition that then existed in the country 

 between the two rival Fur Companies. 



March 10. — The ringing of the Sabbath bell 

 now collects an encouraging congregation ; 

 and some of us, I trust, could experimentally 

 adopt the language of the Psalmist, in saying, 

 " I was glad when they said unto us, let us go 

 into the house of the Lord." — My earnest 

 prayer to God is, that I may exercise a spiritual 

 ministry ; and faithfully preach those truths 

 which give no hope to fallen man, but that 

 which is founded on God's mercy in Christ. I 

 often felt rejoiced in spirit in the prospect of 

 doing good amidst the wild profligacy of man- 

 ners that surrounded me, and of making known 

 the doctrines and precepts of Christianity, where 

 Christ had never before been named. Several 

 adult married Indian women attended the 

 Sunday School, with many half-caste children 

 to be taught to read, and to receive religious in- 

 struction, which gave me an opportunity of as- 

 certaining what the notions of the Indians were 

 concerning the flood and the creation of the 

 world. They appeared either to be ignorant, or 



