He says that he had also planted two chapels on the outskirts of the village; one on the way to the fields, the other on the edge of the forest. These were dedicated respectively to the Virgin, with her image in relief, and to the Guardian Angel. The Indian women rivalled each other in lavishing upon these chapels all their trinkets and finery.
In the “Relation” of Father Jacques Bigot, from the Sillery Mission of St. Francis de Sales, in 1684, we read the following: —
“On the 29th of January we dressed anew an Altar much more
richly ornamented than the previous one. The Reverend Father
Superior of all our missions in Canada had given the most beautiful
ornament of this Altar, which was a very large image of St.
Francis de Sales upon satin. I had enriched it with a border of
gold and silver. I verily say that I never saw in France a more
beautiful image of the Saint, nor more enriched than this. Indeed,
to speak freely, I had scruples as to the expense we had incurred
for this when we were so poor that we had not even the necessaries
of life for our mission, not even for the most miserable. But my
scruples did not last long, judging that on so important an occasion
as this we ought to spare everything to insure the utmost efficacy
to implant sentiments of piety in these poor savages whom we wish
to win to Jesus Christ. Our image, thus ornamented, was set upon
a little satin carpet with a fringe of gold and silver. This carpet
was put on the top of the Altar of the Saint, and showed the
image in its whole size. At the base of the image was a splendid
circlet of china, ornamented with porcupine quills, which our
savages,” etc.
Without these altar furnishings the Jesuit was as a
workman without materials or tools. Father Le Jeune,
in the “Relation” for 1637, writes: —
“The heretics are greatly blamable for condemning and
destroying images, which admit of such good uses. These holy
representations are half of the instruction which one is able to impart to
savages. I had applied for some representations of hell, and of a
damned soul, and there were sent to me some on paper; but they
were too confused. The devils are mixed in with men in such a
