High priests of tribes such as Stone Eagle are the ones who truly hold the power of discourse among the Indians.
The reason they allow Western missionaries to preach is because they know that Catholicism is far too detached from Indian life to ever gain widespread acceptance.
Just like the paradise that all Europeans long for, to the Indians it's simply a strange place—no dense forests, no herds of buffalo to hunt, not even tobacco to smoke! Who would want to go there after death?
So as long as the missionaries don't hand out money or guns, Indians immediately bid farewell to their God.
But the "Indian Gospel" that Vigne just described is entirely different.
Stone Eagle could be certain that his clansmen would definitely accept what's in it—
Even the Holy Communion during Mass had become corn cakes, pine needle tea, and tobacco leaves!
