AUGUSTA — The Kennebec Historical Society’s May public presentation, “Go and Set the World on Fire: The Tragic Story of How a Jesuit Mission to the Abenakis of Maine Went Up in Flames,” is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16 at St. Mary’s Church, 41 Western Ave.

“Go and set the world on fire” was St. Ignatius of Loyola’s famous call to the Jesuits to preach the gospel to the far corners of the world, according to a news release from the historical society. Fr. Sebastian Rale followed the call of his order’s founder and left France in 1689 to give his life to caring for the souls of native Americans. This he did for 30 years in a small mission village amidst the Abenaki people far up the Kennebec River. The village was called Narantsouack (i.e. Norridgewock.)

The presentation is free, donations will be accepted.

For more information, call 622-7718. ​