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The rest of the letter relays some of the more noteworthy interactions with new
and prospective converts to the faith. Much of what Garnier described involves the
baptism of sick and dying individuals. These “deathbed” conversions will be
examined in more detail later in this thesis. Of the living “believers,” it is again the
Huron who strike Garnier with their zeal: “The Hurons of the Mission of Saint Michel
are more desirous than ever to go to Quebec and swell the Church of Nostre-Dame de
Foy; and some of those who are not yet Christians have declared that they would then
embrace the Faith.” (JR 56:65)
Garnier ended his letter by saying that he still had a great deal of hope that
through continuing education, Christianity would continue to spread and would
ultimately prevail among the Seneca:
After all, I have observed that it is not so much depravity of morals that
prevents our Savages from being Christians, as the prejudiced impressions
which most of them have of the Faith and Christianity. I know nearly two
hundred families among them, who maintain inviolate the marriage-bond, and
rear their children in morality; who keep their daughters from undue freedom
of intercourse abroad, and from plunging into riots of sensuality; and who,
would be inclined to live very Christian lives if they had the Faith. (JR 56:69)
The Relation of 1672-1673 (JR 57), allows readers to pick up with Garnier and
his charges a year later. Unlike mission efforts in other Iroquoian territories, Garnier’s
account was optimistic. He reported high numbers of baptisms and even requests that
another priest join him since the Mission of St. Jacques (Gandagaro) was growing (JR
57:13-14). While tenuous politics among the French, English, Iroquois and Algonquin
fur traders remained in the background, Garnier’s ministry seemed to be thriving. He
wrote:
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