206 DISTINGUISHED CHURCHMEN
nomadic and sedentary lives. Seeing that they are industrious and thrifty, it is no wonder that we find them on the coast well fed and living in villages, and not so helpless in getting a living as the poor nomadic Indians. Out of this raw material there has been wrought a wonderful change. As I have said, the people were good pagans, but, notwith standing their fine qualities, they were savages. They had no religion, properly speaking. They never prayed to God, Who preserves all things. They had some sort of belief in a separate Being, but they never sought His favour or help. In time of peril, such as that caused by an avalanche, they would cry out to the spirit which was supposed to animate that phenomenon, in the belief that the mysterious and malign power might be appeased. Witchcraft was at the bottom of their belief, and most of their doctors were mesmerists. We have seen these Indians with their ferocity and hostility transformed into Christians. In times past they never met but to fight. I remember not very long ago a thoughtful Christian Indian said to me, Bishop, did you observe anything remarkable in to-day s service? No, I replied, I noticed nothing unusual. But, Bishop, said the Christian Indian, didn t you see five nationalities of Indians kneeling together at Holy Communion ? Before Christ was known that was not so they never met but for war, and now the love of Christ has brought them together."
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