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Although white Europeans are scurrilously portrayed in North American history as greedy land-grabbers, many came with the goal to share with the Natives the TRUE gospel of Jesus Christ. One example is David Brainerd, a missionary to the American Indians whose desire was "to burn out in one continual flame for God." He had a brief three-year ministry, during which hundreds of American Indians were converted. His main mission was for his hearers to accept Christ and live for Him, but he was also concerned with their well-being in general, believing that healthy communities would be more fertile ground for hearing the Gospel. This motivated him to build schools and to promote strong communities. 35 As Europeans settled the continent, bringing a new way of life, the Indians were not well-equipped to cope with the changes that were coming. In Canada, William Duncan set up the community of Metlakahtla for Indians who converted to Christianity. The shocking atrocities that he witnessed among the Indians themselves would have been enough to send a lesser man packing, however, he fought to banish cannibalism, rampant murder, superstition and witchcraft. The village that he founded for converted Indians was an example of industry, with houses, a school, church, and sawmill, all built by the people. 36
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