waste precious time in unprofitable theological disputation, and he replied in a letter, the brevity of which elicited a complaint from Ralé, who also affected to find it so illiterate as to be understood only, "by dint of reasoning," a charge which is unsupported by fact.

The dignified course adopted by the Protestant minister, whom Ralé to increase the lustre of his triumph denominates "the ablest of the Boston ministers," in spite of his alleged illiteracy, was not appreciated by the disputatious priest, who promptly returned to the charge, and although the letter which he had received was so brief, he undertook the undignified task of pointing out its blunders, "je relevois les defauts de la sienne." This letter, Ralé informs us, remained unanswered for two years, and then, he says, the writer, "without entering into the matter," was contented to reprove him for having "l'esprit chagrin & critique,- la marque d'un tem perament enclin a la colere." The boastful spirit of Ralé, so often exhibited in his writings, is illustrated in the closing paragraph relating to this affair. The Rev. Joseph Baxter was not a resident missionary on the Kennebec, but made temporary visits to that dangerous outpost, a portion of his time being devoted to missionary work farther west; but Ralé

would have his nephew believe that he drove Baxter away by overcoming him in theological disputation; for he says, "Thus ended our dispute, which sent away the Minister, & which rendered abortive the project that he had formed of seducing my Neophytes."

The fallacy of this claim is so apparent even in Rale's own account of the affair as to need no other refutation.' That Protestant missionary effort was productive of little result at this period is not strange. The difference between the two forms of worship, Roman Catholic and Protestant, is sufficient to account for this. The Roman ritual with its pomp and glitter, preserved in some degree even in

1 The letters of the Rev. Joseph Baxter to Ralé, which have been preserved, are reproduced in the Collection of Documents at the end of this volume, as well as a fac simile page of one of them, that the reader may form an idea of the justness of his adversary's criticism. The neatness and precision of the writing are an indication of a careful and welltrained mind. It would be strange, indeed, if the Latin of a New England minister in the early part of the eighteenth century, did not differ in some particulars from that of a Romanist taught in France, and by whom the language was in daily use; but however great the differences might have been, as the Puritan divine well said, an aptitude in conjugating Latin verbs had little to do in saving savage souls.

the wilderness, was attractive to the savages, and they regarded with contempt the simplicity so dear to New England Protestantism. It may well be doubted, however, if any of the missions among the savages at this time were productive of much sound spiritual fruit. The wild neophyte had no conception of the second of the dual prescripts, for if there was anything which he cherished in his heart of hearts, it was hatred of an enemy. Anything like mercy to a foe was, in his creed, unmanly and degrading; hence, the so-called Christian convert could gloat over the most cruel tortures inflicted upon a helpless prisoner, and immediately participate in religious exercises with apparent zest. This leads us to doubt the genuineness of many of the conversions, which the missionaries of this period claimed to have made, and to ascribe their belief in them to a fervor of sentiment, which gave a fictitious coloring to facts.

This seems not less probable when we consider a prevalent condition of mind, which seriously regarded strange portents, the agency of witchcraft in human affairs, and other unrealities quite as fanciful, a condition of mind not confined to any nationality or religious class, and revealing a credulity in some cases altogether fatuous. The mysterious solitude

of vast forests; the presence of a wild and uncouth people, suggestive almost of kinship to infernal powers; the lack of mental attrition with men possessing well-trained faculties, would, in themselves, influence minds friendly to speculation, and affect judgment in all matters in penetralia mentis.

If we may believe his converts, Ralé entertained a belief in omens and visions quite as fantastical as some of his contemporaries on the English side; but little of this nature respecting him has been recorded,1

This appears from the Journal of Rev. Joseph Baxter, of Medfield. He says under date of Oct. 27, 1717: "I preached at George Town. I had an account from Capt" Giles, of his being informed by ye Indians yt the Jesuit still predicted yt ye world would soon come to an end, yt it would be in 49 days." Some weeks before he recorded, that certain Indians had related to him a similar prediction, and April 23, 1718, "I discussed with Three Indians, one of them gave an account likewise of an apparition that the Jesuit at Norridgewock saw, who, Lying alone in his wigwam, awaked in the night, and saw a great Light, as if his wigwam had been on fire, whereupon he got up & went abroad, and after some time he returned to his wigwam & went to sleep again, and after a while he awaked, and felt as it were a hand upon his throat, yt almost choaked him, & saw a great light again, and heard a voice saying: "It is vain for you to take any pains with these Indians, your chil dren, for I have got possession of them. The Jesuit likewise said, yt there was a Letter brought to him,

and this comes from savage sources too unreliable for evidence. Knowing the superstition of the savage mind he may have bent it to a useful purpose.

Although peace between the French and English continued, the situation of the frontier settlers was painful in the extreme. They were continually harassed by rumors of savage outbreaks, and after getting their rude cabins erected, and the land about them cleared, many would abandon them and seek safer places of abode. Many of the savages were friendly and desired the English to settle near them. One of them remarked to Capt. Giles at Brunswick, that he did not understand what the French governor meant "by hindring ye English from settling here unless he is afraid yt we shall live too happy together."

A short time after, Capt. Westbrook, at the block house at St. George, showed a number of Kennebec

which was written in the name of an Indian yt was dead, wherein he declared yt he was now burning in a most horrible fire. He shewed this Letter to the Indians, but first tore off the name yt was subscribed, & did not let them know who he was. The letter was written in ye Indian Tongue. This Apparition, he said, was about forty days ago." A copy of this Journal made by the Hon. Joseph Williamson may be found in the archives of the Me. Historical Society.

Vide Journal of the Rev. Joseph Baxter of Medfield, archives of the Me. Historical Society.