Modernization Theory is Hokum.

[ganulv]

were of a piece.

We are astonished to see how wild young men, accustomed to follow their own caprices, place themselves under subjection, with so much meekness, that there seems to be nothing so pliant as a Huron Seminarist.

Struggling to maintain a Jesuit presence amongst the Huron living as permanent guests of the Seneca and with 35 years of hindsight on his side, Father Garneir in his letter in the 56th Relation notes that:

The spiritual interests of these Missions depend largely on temporal affairs, and above all on the state of men’s minds regarding the peace with the French. The elders of the village of Gandachiorágon had declared to me, in a council called for the purpose, that they wished to adopt the custom of praying to God, and indeed some began to do so; and, although I could not yet see therein any great beginnings of faith, yet their example induced the people to give me a hearing, and procured for me entire freedom in visiting and instructing the sick. But rumors of the approach of a French army soon undid these small beginnings. The people’s minds being ill prepared, the demon used the opportunity to make them speak against the faith and against its preachers. An old man who came some years ago from [Cayuga],—a mischief-maker, but a persuasive speaker, able to do what he will with our [Seneca], and passing among them for a prodigy of wisdom,—is wont to demonstrate to them that the faith makes people die. He cites whole families who embraced it in times past, when the late Father Ménard, Apostolic Missionary, was sojourning at [Cayuga]—families, of whom, he says, not one soul is now left. He adds that the black-gowned men are here only as spies, and convey all information to Onnontio,—that is, to Monsieur the Governor; or that they are sorcerers, who effect by disease what Onnontio cannot accomplish by his arms. I know with certainty that my death has been proposed, on the ground that I am a spy, and more or less a sorcerer; and that our host himself, Onnonkenritaoui, the most influential Chief of this great Nation, has often proposed to his sister to kill me as a sorcerer, when she declared to him her great distrust of me because of her daughter’s frequent fits of sickness. As I do not retire as early as is their wont, and as I spend a considerable part of the evening praying in the Chapel, they are persuaded that I cannot be otherwise engaged during that time than in communing with some evil spirit, and plotting with him the ruin of their family. Thus, humanly speaking, my life depends on that little girl’s health; and I would run great risk of losing it, were she to die. I would also have equal cause for alarm if probable tidings reached us of the march of a French army to this country,—a number of men having assured me in advance that, in that case, they would certainly brain me.