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1810–1889 - Silas Tertius Rand  

One of the most significant Baptist missionaries in Nova Scotia, Rand’s work bridges Baptist missionary efforts, Indigenous languages, and early ethnography. Rand began preaching in English-speaking Baptist congregations and, in 1847, accepted an appointment as missionary to the Mi’kmaq people of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Rand learned the Mi’kmaq language fluently, lived among Mi’kmaq communities, translated religious texts into Mi’kmaq in their own script, and focused on education, literacy, and translation rather than solely on assimilation. He also distributed Bibles and religious tracts, taught reading and writing, and advocated for Indigenous welfare. Rand’s greatest legacy is his pioneering work documenting Mi’kmaq oral tradition. He documented Mi’kmaq grammar and developed dictionaries. He collected and published Mi’kmaq myths, legends, and religious stories, many of which are still referenced by linguists and historians. He translated the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of John, and other parts of the New Testament. Although Rand demonstrated a sincere respect for Mi’kmaq culture through preserving invaluable linguistic and cultural knowledge and advocating for Indigenous welfare at a time when many missionaries were aggressively assimilationist, he nonetheless also worked within a colonial missionary framework aiming to convert and “civilize” Indigenous peoples.

  • The Jubilee Historical Sketch of the Nova Scotia Baptist Association (1849): A commemorative history of the Association prepared for its jubilee year. 
  • A short statement of facts relating to the history, manners, customs, language, and literature of the Micmac tribe of Indians, in Nova-Scotia and P.E. Island (1850): Rand’s early ethnographic overview of Mi’kmaq society and language.  
  • The Gospel according to Saint Matthew, in the Micmac language (1853): The first book printed in Mi’kmaq, produced for the Micmac Mission and set in phonetic characters.  
  • (Attributed) Ae Buk ov Samz in Mikmak (The Book of Psalms) (1854): A phonetic-script Mi’kmaq Psalms translation issued by the Phonetic Institute at Bath. 
  • Selections of Scripture in Maliseet (1863): A volume of biblical extracts in Maliseet prepared for mission use. 
  • The Gospel According to St John in the Language of the Maliseet Indians of New Brunswick (1870): Rand’s Maliseet New Testament portion (John) published by the British and Foreign Bible Society. 
  • A short account of the Lord’s work among the Micmac Indians … with some reasons for … seceding from the Baptist denomination (1873): A missionary apologia in which Rand explained that he withdrew from formal connection with the Baptist denomination, despite earlier ordination and support, because he opposed denominational control over missions and was frustrated by funding structures and institutional oversight. He came to believe that denominationalism distorted the gospel and hindered direct obedience to Christ, leading him to embrace a non-denominational, restorationist commitment to allegiance to Christ alone rather than church institutions. 
  • The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, with the Epistles and Revelation (1875): A substantial Mi’kmaq Scripture volume translated from the Greek.  
  • A brief statement respecting the Micmac mission (c.1880): A short defense and update on the mission’s aims and finances.  
  • The dying Indian’s dream: A poem (1881): A reflective evangelical poem themed around an Indigenous narrator’s vision.  
  • The Micmac Mission (1882): An open letter/pamphlet to the Christian Messenger summarizing the mission’s work and needs. 
  • Dictionary of the Language of the Micmac Indians (1888): Rand’s major English-Mi’kmaq lexicon covering Maritime dialects. 
  • Hymni recentes Latini: translationes et originales (1888): A Latin–English collection of hymns translated and composed by Rand.  
  • Legends of the Micmacs (1893/1894, posthumous; ed. Helen L. Webster): Rand’s collected Mi’kmaq oral traditions issued after his death.

Janusas, “Silas Rand and the Micmac Missionary Society, 1849-1865: The Failure of a Protestant Mission to the Indians.”; The writings of Silas Rand are available at the Acadia University Archives: Silas Tertius Rand Collection, 1834-1894. D1900.006, Acadia University Archives: Wolfville, Nova Scotia. 

Photo Credit: Silas Rand, “Silas Tertius Rand Collection,” Archival Collection, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, 1894 1834, Manuscript Collection, Acadia Archives (D1900.006).