ve my full permission to manage them as you think best
for the purpose of bringing them into the true fold; but in the mean
time their savage relatives may not understand your object in burning
them for the good of their souls, and may be apt in their ignorance to
revenge their deaths by cutting us to pieces."

"I understand your wise policy," answered the priest. "We will bide our
time, then, for commencing the conversion of the Indians. But I have
your permission to act towards the count and his family, and that
pestiferous heretic minister, as I may judge necessary for the full
establishment of the faith in our colony?"

"Certainly, certainly," answered the governor; "I willingly grant you
all the power you ask."

The priest returned into the church to hear the confessions of several
of his congregation, who were waiting to get absolution that they might
sin again without having too great a load on their shoulders; as also to
put out the candles, which he in his hurry had left burning. The
governor returned to the fort, while Tecumah went to pay his usual visit
to Monsieur Laporte. He naturally expressed his astonishment at what he
had seen and heard.

"Surely," he exclaimed, "sensible men do not really believe that, by the
words of a priest, Jesus Christ, sitting at the right hand of God,
really does allow His body to descend into the bits of paste which the
priest puts into the mouths of the people. The Bible, as you read it to
me, says that He is seated at the right hand of God, to make
intercession for us sinners, and that He acts as our great High Priest."

"I cannot tell what the poor ignorant people may really believe, though
it does seem astounding that they should be so imposed on by their
priests," answered Monsieur Laporte. "It was many centuries even before
the corrupted Church of Rome introduced the dogma or notion, which was
invented by a monk in the eighth century, when it was eagerly seized
upon by the Pope, who saw that it would enable him and his army of
subordinates to become sacrificing priests, which would give them
immense influence over the minds of people, if they could persuade them
to believe it. They had taught the great mass of the people to believe
in the power of dead men's bones and other relics to work miracles; in
the heathen notion of purgatory for cleansing the soul by fire; to
worship idols with the names of saints; to pray for the dead; and to
pray to dead men whom the