The impetus behind this settlement was studied at the house-party in Banff, immediately after the visit to the far West. There Buchman had two main themes. The first was the need for a society totally controlled by God, through the free co-operation of individuals. The second was how a group, in any situation, could set to work to bring this about.

'What agency will save civilisation from suicide?' he asked. 'It is no use patching up old tyres. We need a new car.' This 'car' would be a nation as totally controlled by God as the totalitarian states of the dictators were controlled by men. 'The main thought at Banff was "Totality" - a Church, a University, a City, a Province, a Country, wholly Christian,' stated the house-party report. 'What vision, what imagination, what devotion, what discipline was needed for the realisation of such a great objective - this was the consideration of the house-party.'19

Buchman went into his second theme one morning, instancing how a group of seven dedicated people could operate in a city. They could sit down and listen to God so as to get the names of the seven most strategic, or the seven most tempted, or the seven most difficult people in the city. Then they could set out in a 'shoe-leather activity' to change these people. 'God works on difficult people,' he said. 'It's like a triangle. God at the top, you and the other person. To any group short of the basis of life-changing wave goodbye. Have you thought of a gangster changing? How many Communists do we know personally? Some of you will have unexpected companions on this business.'

Both elements were essential to his strategy: the proclaiming of a vision adequate to interest thousands, and the art of the 'fisher of men', who knew how to go patiently after the big and difficult fish with the right fly or bait.

While at Banff the Stoney Indians, a tribe of the Sioux people, made Buchman a blood brother. Only members of the British royal family may be made chiefs of the Stoneys, and up till then only six other whites had been made blood brothers. During the winter the squaws had made the ceremonial costume of soft white leather and beads, with the traditional feather headdress. Buchman's answers to the ritual questions, given on his behalf by Loudon Hamilton resplendent in a kilt, revealed a sad lack of tepees and cattle, made up for by the number of his braves and by the fact that he and they 'worked without money for God'. The Stoneys gave him the name A-Wo-Zan-Zan-Tonga - Great Light in Darkness - which Chief Walking Buffalo said had come to them as a thought from God. They pledged the tribe's help 'in sorrow or sickness, hunger or plenty, by day and by night,' and ended, 'Thus will you grow great in the hearts of those who now adopt you, and the Great Spirit will look with love and compassion on you when He calls you to the Happy Hunting Grounds.'*

(* Grant MacEwan, in his biography of Chief Walking Buffalo, Tatanga Mani (Hurtig, 1969), states that the Chief was introduced to Buchman in Banff by a white Canadian friend, was asked by this friend to make Buchman a blood brother, and thereupon organised an immediate ceremony. However, the present account is taken from contemporary eye-witness reports.)

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