nce of Indian
life or knowledge of any Indian language, entered the lists against an
adversary who had spent half his days among savages, had gained the love
and admiration of the Norridgewocks, and spoke their language fluently.
Baxter, with the confidence of a novice, got an interpreter and began to
preach, exhort, and launch sarcasms against the doctrines and practices
of the Roman Church. Rale excommunicated such of his flock as listened
to him;[242] yet some persisted in doing so, and three of these
petitioned the English governor to order "a small praying-house" to be
built for their use.[243]

Rale, greatly exasperated, opened a correspondence with Baxter, and
wrote a treatise for his benefit, in which, through a hundred pages of
polemical Latin, he proved that the Church of Rome was founded on a
rock. This he sent to Baxter, and challenged him to overthrow his
reasons. Baxter sent an answer for which Rale expresses great scorn as
to both manner and matter. He made a rejoinder, directed not only
against his opponent's arguments, but against his Latin, in which he
picked flaws with great apparent satisfaction. He says that he heard no
more from Baxter for a long time, but at last got another letter, in
which there was nothing to the purpose, the minister merely charging him
with an irascible and censorious spirit. This letter is still preserved,
and it does not answer to Rale's account of it. Baxter replies to his
correspondent vigorously, defends his own Latin, attacks that of Rale,
and charges him with losing temper.[244]

Rale's correspondence with the New England ministers seems not to have
been confined to Baxter. A paper is preserved, translated apparently
from a Latin original, and entitled, "Remarks out of the Fryar Sebastian
Rale's Letter from Norridgewock, February 7, 1720." This letter appears
to have been addressed to some Boston minister, and is of a scornful and
defiant character, using language ill fitted to conciliate, as thus:
"You must know that a missionary is not a cipher, like a minister;" or
thus: "A Jesuit is not a Baxter or a Boston minister." The tone is one
of exasperation dashed with contempt, and the chief theme is English
encroachment and the inalienability of Indian lands.[245] Rale says that
Baxter gave up his mission after receiving the treatise on the
infallible supremacy of the true Church; but this is a mistake, as the
minister made three successive visits to the Eastern country