heathen for their chosen task. They had headquarters at Quebec
or Montreal, but their true field of action was the wilderness. Having
the red man rather than the settler as their charge, they became
immersed, and perhaps preoccupied, in their heroic work. Thus the
erection of parishes was delayed. More than one historian has
upbraided Laval for thinking so much of the mission that he neglected
the spiritual needs of the colonists. However {8} this may be, the
colony owed much to the missionaries--particularly to the Jesuits. It
is no exaggeration to say that the Society of Jesus had been among the
strongest forces which stood between New France and destruction. Other
supports failed. The fur trade had been the corner-stone upon which
Champlain built up Quebec, but the profits proved disappointing. At
the best it was a very uncertain business. Sometimes the prices in
Paris dwindled to nothing because the market was glutted. At other
times the Indians brought no furs at all to the trading-posts. With
its export trade dependent upon the caprice of the savages, the colony
often seemed not worth the keeping. In these years of worst
discouragement the existence of the mission was a great prop.

On his arrival in 1672 Frontenac found the Jesuits, the Sulpicians, and
the Recollets all actively engaged in converting the heathen. He
desired that more attention should be paid to the creation of parishes
for the benefit of the colonists. Over this issue there arose, as we
shall see by and by, acute differences between the bishop and the
governor.

Owing to the large part which religion had in the life of New France
the bishop took his {9} place beside the governor and the intendant.
This was the triumvirate of dignitaries. Primarily each represented a
different interest--war, business, religion. But they were brought
into official contact through membership in the _Conseil Souverain_,
which controlled all details of governmental action.

The Sovereign Council underwent changes of name and composition, but
its functions were at all times plainly defined. In 1672 the members
numbered seven. Of these the governor, the bishop, and the intendant
formed the nucleus, the other four being appointed by them. In 1675
the king raised the number of councillors to ten, thus diluting the
authority which each possessed, and thenceforth made the appointments
himself. Thus during the greater part of Frontenac's regime the
g