Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/246

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208 DISTINGUISHED CHURCHMEN

Diocese, travelling hundreds of miles over ice and snow in order to get at various tribes in the winter, well knowing that to be the best season to catch them. By that means he got acquainted with the languages of the Indians over a country more than half the size of England, and long afterwards, when the Bishop s correspondent visited some of the tribes situated 200 miles from the headquarters of the Diocese, he found they were still able to repeat the hymns which Mr Palgrave had taught them during his two or three weeks mission there. The Bishop characterised this as a remarkable incident, full of encouragement for those engaged in teaching in British Columbia. Unfortunately, the Mr Pal- grave referred to undertook some of his arduous winter journeys at the cost of getting his feet frozen. Lameness followed, and he has had to return to England. He left a wonderful impression upon the minds of the Indians."

"Which of the Indian tribes took most readily to Christianity ? "

The Bishop reflected for a moment. " The Zimshian," he replied. " Among that tribe there is not a heathen left, and the same can be said of the Haidas. In the other cases the heathen come to church and behave like Christians. You see we had not much to undo in the shape of an old faith although the people seem to have thought for themselves. One of our most thoughtful men remarked the other day, Bishop, do you know

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