1757 January 26 (Wednesday). P.M. I took a walk to Mr. Zebulun Rice’s. He went before me without much Path, to See Monsieur Blanc. I carryed with me Dr. Douglass’s Historical Summary of Nova Scotia. Blanc gave me Some Account of the Fight at the Grand Pre in Menis but he said he was not there. N.B. He was more attentive to my Discourse of Religion — and what I insisted for was; that as Religion is the Service of God, it must be performed according to His own mind, if we would have it to be acceptable to Him: If then He has Seen meet to discover His Mind we must strictly observe it. Now since the Bible is the Mind of God, we must be very exactly Carefull to put nothing into our Religion that is not in the Bible; nor omitt anything that is there. When he told me that the people of Anapolis never Speak to one another about Religion but are free and Willing that each Party Should enjoy their own Way; the English go to their own Church and the French to theirs. I prayed him not to take it in ill part that I spake to him about Religion: If I had any Love to him I must. There was no such way to manifest my true and hearty Love to him as this. All that related to this present Life and World was un petit Affaire, but what relates to the Great God and to long Eternity is, un Grad Affaire. He gave very free Consent to this, and Seemed willing to attend. I told him I heard some of the French were afraid of the English and especially of ministers, lest they Should speak to them about religion; and more peculiarly did not love to have their Children to be among the English for fear they Should be influenced to turn Hereticks — but I prayed him not to be in Chagrin on this Score. He told me he was not afraid for either himself, or his Children. I might Speak freely. I told him “I wanted to know His Religion and the Manner of his performing and he should know mine; that we might see whether his or mine was most agreeable to the Bible: and we would throw away whatever, in either, was not agreeable to the Bible.” He was profoundly still. I insisted for his having a Bible; that it did not do, for the Priest only to have the Bible: the Priest must allow you to see for your self. Every Body must see for Himself in matters of Religion. We must not go along in the Dark. I added that I did not want any of my people Should trust me in that; but examine all I Said by the Bible.