“Towards the hour of noon on a beautiful clear day more than one hundred and fifty persons were gathered on the river bank in front of Fort Douglas.  Every eye was on the turn of the river at the point.  It was who should first see the voyageurs.  Suddenly two canoes bearing the Company’s flag came in sight.  There was a general shout of joy.  The trader of the Fort, Mr. A. McDonald, was a Catholic, and he had everything prepared to give them a solemn reception.  Many shed tears of joy.  The memory of their native land was recalled to the old Canadians who had left their homes many years before.  These old voyageurs who had been constantly called upon to face death had been deprived of all religious succour during the long years, but they had not been held by a spirit of impiety.  The missionaries were to them the messengers of God.

“The canoes landed in front of Fort Douglas, M. Provencher and his companion both invested in their cassocks stepped on shore and were welcomed with outstretched hands by this family, which was henceforth to be theirs.

“They were admired for their manly figures as much as for the novelty of their costumes.  M. Provencher and his companion, M. Severe Dumoulin, were both men of great stature and both had a majestic carriage.  They stood at the top of the bank and after making the women and children sit down around them M. Provencher addressed some words to this multitude gathered about him.  He spoke very simply and in a fatherly manner.  Madame Lajimoniere who had not listened to the voice of a priest for twelve years could hardly contain herself for joy.  She cried with happiness and forgetting all her hardships, fancied herself for a moment in the dear parish of Maskinonge where she had spent such happy peaceful years.

“The missionaries arrived on Thursday, July 16th.  M. Provencher having made known to his new family the aim of his mission wished immediately to begin teaching them the lessons of Christianity and to bring into the fold the sheep which were outside.

“While waiting till a house could be built for the missionaries, M. Provencher and his companion were hospitably entertained at the Fort of the Colony.  A large room in one of the buildings of the Fort had been set apart for them, and it was there that they held divine service.  M. Provencher invited all the mothers of families to bring their children who were under six years of age to the Fort on the following Saturday when they would receive the happiness of being baptised.  All persons above that age who were not Christians could not receive that sacrament until after being instructed in the truths of Christianity.

“When M. Provencher had finished speaking the Governor conducted him with M. Dumoulin into the Fort.  Canadians, Metis and Indians feeling very happy retired to return three days afterwards.

“There were four children in the Lajimoniere family, but only two of them could be baptised, the others being nine and eleven years of age.  On the following Saturday Madame Lajimoniere with all the other women came to the Fort.  The number of children, including Indians and Metis, amounted to a hundred and Madame Lajimoniere being the only Christian woman stood Godmother to them all.  For a long time all the children in the colony called her ‘Marraine.’