Christianity and Its Effects on the Moose Factory Cree Indians

S the ‘Tlorthtand ‘tead Pc Beside the Still Waters" Pliolo; RUTH IONS Summer 1975 Vol. 31, ‘no. 4 CHRISTIANITY AND ITS EFFECT ON THE EARLY MOOSE FACTORY CREEb Donald E. Pugh, M.A. It’s popular among some to attack European the Cree and readily acquired by one Indian from institutions as responsible for the destruction of the another. Barnley did his best to print a syllabic work aboriginal Indian way of life. Yet at Moose Factory, on a plaster of paris press, but was unsuccessful. His where the white, wooden frame structure of St. successor, the Rev. John Horden wrote so many Thomas Church still overlooks the turbid Moose books in syllabics that, in 1900, canoeists found Cree River, there is little evidence to indicate any syllabic messages at every Indian camping site, left disruption of the nomadic, trapping way of life by to pass on information to following canoeing parties. the Moose Cree because of the Church. Barnley’s success was apparent after his departure Moose Factory’s first permanent minister, the in 1847. A Cree man, lacking a minister’s services, Rev. George Barnley, was sent out in 1840 by the approached the Moose Factory factor in 1848 to Methodist Wesleyan society. Departing from request that his dying baby be baptized. Montreal in April, 1840, Rev. Barnley noted some In 1851 the Church Missionary Society of London, signs of Christianity. A Roman Catholic Chapel England sent John Horden to Moose Factory. frame had been erected at Temiskaming, and at Horden, ordained in 1852, made Bishop of Rupert’s Abitibi, many of the Cree wore beads and bowed Land in 1872, spent most of his years from 1851 to before a large black cross. At Moose Factory, 1893 visiting the Cree Indians at the Moose River Barnley established a schoolfor twenty students and basin’s widely scattered inland posts. encouraged cleanliness and industry. In a small It is difficult to estimate Rev. Horden’s success in church which preceded St. Thomas, Barnley reported spreading the gospel. As Rev. Horden complained in that he "much surprised and excited some interest" 1851, the Cree departed for their winter hunting among the the Cree with his gospel. Barnley, during grounds in the Autumn, and were beyond his reach his seven year ministry, travelled the James Bay for most of the year. Nevertheless Horden region and taught Cree syllabics. Syllabics, in established a church school at Moose Factory and troduced by Wesleyan, John West at York Factory, tried to reach the Cree by publication of the Bible consisted of a few symbols written phonetically to and prayer books in Cree syllabics. By 1858, 120. the Cree language, which could be quickly learned by birch bark copies of these books had been printed Three Generations - Abtibi Continued en page 10 9 CHRISTIANITY EFFECTS. .. EARLY CREE Continued and were so avidly read that visiting Bishop An basin. Bishop Horden’s success was due to his derson of Winnipeg found these books worn to the training twelve native assistants including Rev. last degree. With the completion of St. Thomas John Saunders. The Bishop schooled him at Moose Church, Rev. Horden received a regular Factory, so that Rev. Saunders became a deacon in congregation. His Cree sermons were good and were 1876, and a priest in 1879. From 1885 he worked from described by a British ship surgeon: "I was struck his headquarters on the C.P.R. at Biscotasing and with the earnest way they attended.... When the ran churches at Mattaganii Post, Flying Post, seats were filled they sat down very coolly in the Chapleau, and occasionally at Brunswick Post, passageways; the women and children keep one side where he was responsible for the initial construction the men the other." of the Church there in 1892. Rev. Saunders died in The Indian burials too were solemn, and the 1902 after 30 years of preaching. surgeon added, "All looking sorrowful after the Another student of Bishop John Horden’s was service, we walked to the Churchyard. They put in Rev. Thomas Vincent. A Cree, born at Osnaburgh in the earth in turns." 1835, Rev. Vincent became archdeacon of the Moose With a diocese of 200 by 500 miles, Rev. Horden diocese in 1883, and ran an Anglican Church at Fort couldn’t teach everyone. Nevertheless Bishop Albany with famous efficiency. Before his death in Horden was always enthusjastic in his reports to 1893, Bishop Horden had concluded that the Moose England. In 1882 he expressed satisfaction that "our Cree had been very responsive to religious in success has been very great, and except in remote struction and almost all were "nominally, at least, parts, heathenism has been almost entirely sup Christians." planted by Christianity." His church on Sundays was "a great sight crowded with Indians to its ut In 1891 Bishop J. A. Newnham, Horden’s suc most extent, and there are few individuals there who cessor, commenced missionary work at Moose cannot take intelligent part in the service." His Factory. He taught school daily, teaching Cree confirmation classes often included as many as forty- children to read and write in Cree syllabics and in five Indians who were never absent from class and English. His wife, Letitia, in 1895 comenced a four who viewed the church ritual with deep solemnity. bed hospital. In 1898 Rev. John Renison, later By the 1880’s, Bishop Horden boasted that he had Bishop of Moosonee in 1944, assisted Newnham, and made contact with every band in the Moose River was ordained in 1899. Newnhaxn, was transferred in Indian Feast in Matagam 10 "superstitious CHRISTIANITY EFFECTS. .. EARLY CREE Continued 1904 and was replaced by Rev. George Holmes, progress among the Cree. The actual extent that the Bishop until 1909. Bishop Holmes was responsible Christian ideas altered the behaviour of the Cree is for the donation of a building for the Anglican more difficult to say. Reports by judges, geologists, Church Boarding School which in 1905 taught sixty surveyors, and explorers all seem to indicate that to eighty Crees a week, and an Anglican Church was many old Cree beliefs were not given up, in spite of constructed at Moosonee in 1909. Bishop Holmes the Cree’s apparent acceptance of Christianity. was replaced by Rev. John C. Anderson in 1909, Judge E.B. Borron, who explored the Moose River Bishop until 1943. basin in the 1880’s, noticed the Cree’s fear of the All these clergy influenced the Cree. In 1905 Mary insane, and their practice of murdering the mentally Johnston, a nurse at Moose Factory, found that the ill by thrusting them under the ice at Moose Factory. Cree camped in front of the mission and sang hymns This fear went back to the aboriginal Cree belief in around the campfire each night. They all regularly the evil spirit of Windigo, who according to Cree attended the Church services. Explorer Charles legend, devoured and destroyed Cree hunters. Leith, on a canoe trip to Hudson Bay, also wrote that Ontario Land Surveyor Wiffiam Ogilvie, in 1891, also the Cree delighted in attending church services as noticed this fear and stated that the Cree murdered often as possible and sung vociferously. He noted the insame by strangulation. Dr. Morris in 1907, a that his guides observed morning and evening sportsman on his way to James Bay, found that the prayers in their tents and he had heard hymns sung Cree were still hanging skulls in trees, an effort to in Cree in many isolated native encampments. In propitiate the spirits of the dead animals. An many ways the church served as a social institution thropologist Skinner from New York also found the for the Cree who enjoyed the ceremony and form, Cree placing tobacco in the jaws of dead bears, and although they may not have understood the doc carrying out an elaborate bear feast to venerate trine. aboriginal spirits. Journalist Charles Tuttle, on a Yet it is difficult to assess the real influence of scientific expedition by ship to Moose Factory in the these dedicated ministers. Reports to England 1880’s, found the Moose Cree asking for additional financial support, almost Their medicine men are held in high esteem and always contained indications of favourable work and exercise great influence. This view is shared by Indians and Pets . Flying Post 11 4’°d bu,A1 . 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