work to which they have devoted themselves, but it is
unfortunately true that the jarring interests of different religious
denominations have sometimes induced them to introduce into the field of
Indian theology that polemical rancour which so unhappily distinguishes
more civilized communities.

To fully understand the question of missionary enterprise, as bearing
upon the Indian tribes of the Saskatchewan valley, I must glance for a
moment at the peculiarities in the mental condition of the Indians which
render extreme caution necessary in all inter course between him and the
white man. It is most difficult to make the Indian comprehend the true
nature of the foreigner with whom he is brought in contact, or rather, I
should say, that having his own standard by which he measures truth and
falsehood, misery and happiness, and all the accompaniments of life, it
is almost impossible to induce him to look at the white man from any
point of view but his own. From this point of view every thing is
Indian. English, French, Canadians, and Americans are so many tribes
inhabiting various parts of the world, whose land is bad, and who are not
possessed of buffalo--for this last desideratum they (the strangers) send
goods, missions, etc., to the Indians of the Plains. "Ah!" they say, "if
it was not for our buffalo where would you be? You would starve, your
bones would whiten the prairies." It is useless to tell them that such is
not the case, they answer, "Where then does all the pemmican go to that
you take away in your boats and in your carts?" With the Indian, seeing
is believing, and his world is the visible one in which his wild life is
cast. This being understood, the necessity for caution in communicating
with the native will at once be apparent-yet such caution on the part of
those who seek the Indians as missionaries is not always observed. Too
frequently the language suitable for civilized society has been addressed
to the red man. He is told of governments, and changes in the political
world, successive religious systems are laid before him by their various
advocates. To-day he is told to believe one religion, to-morrow to have
faith in another. Is it any wonder that, applying his own simple tests to
so much conflicting testimony, he becomes utterly confused, unsettled,
and suspicious? To the white man, as a white man, the Indian has no
dislike; on the contrary, he is pretty certain to receive him with
kindness and frien