heaven.

These priests lived in an atmosphere of supernaturalism. Every day had
its miracle. Divine power declared itself in action immediate and direct,
controlling, guiding, or reversing the laws of Nature. The missionaries
did not reject the ordinary cures for disease or wounds; but they relied
far more on a prayer to the Virgin, a vow to St. Joseph, or the promise of
a _neuvaine_, or nine days' devotion, to some other celestial personage;
while the touch of a fragment of a tooth or bone of some departed saint
was of sovereign efficacy to cure sickness, solace pain, or relieve a
suffering squaw in the throes of childbirth. Once, Chaumonot, having a
headache, remembered to have heard of a sick man who regained his health
by commending his case to St. Ignatius, and at the same time putting a
medal stamped with his image into his mouth. Accordingly he tried a
similar experiment, putting into his mouth a medal bearing a
representation of the Holy Family, which was the object of his especial
devotion. The next morning found him cured. [ Chaumonot, Vie, 73. ]

The relation between this world and the next was sometimes of a nature
curiously intimate. Thus, when Chaumonot heard of Garnier's death,
he immediately addressed his departed colleague, and promised him the
benefit of all the good works which he, Chaumonot, might perform during
the next week, provided the defunct missionary would make him heir to his
knowledge of the Huron tongue. [ 1 ] And he ascribed to the deceased
Garnier's influence the mastery of that language which he afterwards
acquired.

[ 1 "Je n'eus pas plutot appris sa glorieuse mort, que je lui promis
tout ce que je ferois de bien pendant huit jours, a condition qu'il me
feroit son heritier dans la connoissance parfaite qu'il avoit du