The Journal of the Bishop of Montreal, during a Visit to the Church Missionary Society's North-West America Mission. By George Jehoshaphat Mountain London: Seeleys, 1849.
To our Chief Praying Father from Montreal--
We, the Cree and Ogibwa Indians, Members of the Church of England, wish to say a few words to our Chief Praying Father.
We thank you, Father, for having come this long way to visit us. Our Praying Father told us that you intended to come two years since; but that you were taken very sick, and could not. [Mr. Smithurst.] Our hearts are very glad that you have come at last, and we thank God for sending you. We shall, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, try to do what you tell us. We thank the English people in English country, across the great water, for sending us a Praying Father, and for paying a Teacher to teach our children. You see, Father, that nearly all our young people can read the Word of God. We now live very comfortably, and we owe all this to the good people in English country. If they had not pitied us, we should have been still Heathens. We pray [165/166] every day for our great Mother, The Lady Chief, Victoria, and for her relations, [The Royal Family.] and also for our Chief Praying Fathers, [The Bishops.] and for our Praying Fathers. [The Priests and Deacons.]
We hope God will take you safely back to your own home; and we pray Him to bless you for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Signed, on behalf of the Indians, by me,
HENRY PRINCE,
Acting for my Father Pigwys,
Chief of the Red-River Indians.