Question

"As our Indians perceive that much honour is accorded to the missionaries, and that they have given themselves in respect and reverence the title of Patriarch, some of these barbarians have often been seen meddling with, and affecting to perform, the office and functions of missionary, even to hearing confession, like us, from their fellow countrymen" Can someone explain this passage to me ?

Answer 1

This passage means that the missionaries are shocked and disappointed by the actions of the Indians who are performing duties that were previously only done by the missionaries such as hearing confession.

The narrator suggests that the Indians are behaving this way because they liked the respect and reverence that were given to the missionaries so they decided to give themselves a titled called Patriarch and start performing those functions.