archaeological and textual records - eCommons@Cornell - Cornell ...

any Europeans, nor have they ever heard of the true God. As for the third, it is
a sort of conglomerate of several Villages of the Hurons, all of whom were
instructed in the Faith, and a number baptized by our Fathers, before that
flourishing Nation was overthrown by the arms of the Iroquois (JR 54:79-81).
While his Chapel was being built, Fremin called on various households. The
piety of the Huron villagers, many of whom had remained steadfast in faith even
without priests is recounted at length (JR 54:81). Fremin noted however, “as for the
Onnontioga, Tsonnontouens, and Neutrals, they have scarcely seen any Europeans,
and have never heard of the Faith” (JR 54:83). Reading this, one might infer that the
Seneca, or even the general Iroquoian way of life involved tolerance for different
ideologies and social practices, especially when it came to incorporated conquered
enemies into their villages. In contrast to seventeenth-century European engaged in a
variety of bloody struggles over religion, the Christians and the non-Christians of the
Five Nations appeared to be able to co-exist in relative peace. Fremin personally
admired this non-militant, yet devout adherence to faith, as he wrote:
What I have most admired in those Hurons who have been Christians
for several years is the public profession which they often made of their
Faith, without blushing for the Gospel, or fearing the insults and
mockery of the Pagans — a course which, among an entirely infidel
and Barbarous people, is more difficult than can be believed. The other
Nations were so well convinced of the firmness which they manifested
in their Faith that they no longer called them by any other name than
“the Believers” and “the Faithful;” and, among them all, two men had
gained for themselves so high a reputation for virtue throughout the
country, that everyone felt a veneration for them. (JR 54:83)
As mass was said from day to day in the newly built Chapel, Fremin observed
that the: “fervor of the Hurons passed even to their children, and these little savages
were seen persuading the children of the other Nations to accompany them into the
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