C Ihe Ladies c cu. V'VVAN - History and Classics, Department of

Two Idl, Week, 93Interior of All SaintsAnglican Church, Aklavik.n.d. AlfredJames ValeCollection, ACC/GSAP7559- 151.uous "Tik, Tak, Tok." Hymns were heartily sung in Eskimo. "Tusingait, tusingait,"seemed to be the favourite refrain. Archdeacon Whittaker, with aninterpreter, preached a short sermon on the duty of men, who should do hardwork and leave light work to the women, taking the line of "When I want wood Idon't send my wife, and, what I say to you, I say not only with my tongue but bywhat I do." We could not help thinking of that well-satisfied man who prayedwith himself while he declared that he fasted twice in the week and gave tithes ofall that he possessed.Canon Hester took a very different attitude when face-to-face with theEskimos. He had just come back from spending years among their tribes and wasso unused to speaking English that, often he would stumble and hesitate beforehe could find the words he wanted. He had a simple, childlike faith and hadidentified himself completely with the Eskimo. I do not for a moment think thathe ever felt he was their superior. He would try to enter into their minds, neverwould he attempt to impose on them an alien creed. For example, when he stayedwith them and an Eskimo, as part of the usual hospitality, offered his wife to themissionary for the night, he would say: "No thank you. We white men don't."Then he would await questions and seize the chance to talk quietly of the whiteman's beliefs.