put to death, inasmuch as it is a received maxim that the blood of the
martyrs is the seed of the Church. [ 1 ] He consoles himself with the
hope that the daily life of the missionaries may be accepted as a living
martyrdom; since abuse and threats without end, the smoke, fleas, filth,
and dogs of the Indian lodges,--which are, he says, little images of
Hell,--cold, hunger, and ceaseless anxiety, and all these continued for
years, are a portion to which many might prefer the stroke of a tomahawk.
Reasonable as the Father's hope may be, its expression proved needless in
the sequel; for the Huron church was not destined to suffer from a lack
of martyrdom in any form.

[ 1 "Nous auons quelque fois doute, scauoir si on pouuoit esperer la
conuersion de ce pais sans qu'il y eust effusion de sang: le principe
receu ce semble dans l'Eglise de Dieu, que le sang des Martyrs est la
semence des Chrestiens, me faisoit conclure pour lors, que cela n'estoit
pas a esperer, voire mesme qu'il n'etoit pas a souhaiter, considere la
gloire qui reuient a Dieu de la constance des Martyrs, du sang desquels
tout le reste de la terre ayant tantost este abreuue, ce seroit vne
espece de malediction, que ce quartier du monde ne participast point au
bonheur d'auoir contribue a l'esclat de ceste gloire."--Lalemant,
Relation des Hurons, 1639, 56, 57. ]




CHAPTER XI

1638-1640.

PRIEST AND PAGAN.