THE CHURCH OF ROME. 
 
 
 FATIIHU CmXUH'V'S LECTUllE. 
 
 Tho tbllowiiiL^ are the reinarks of the Dailij Free Press of tho 
 lltli Xovoiubcr, on tho Io'jture<lelivoro(i in this city on tho previous 
 evoniiii; by Jlev. .\[i'. Chini([uy : 
 
 '• Papal Indulgences. 
 
 '• This was the suhject of Father Chiniquy's .second lecture, do- 
 livei'cd in tiie City Jliill lust nii^Mit, and if the j^Toatnoss of tho 
 audience lie any indication, it is one in which the citizens of London 
 must feel (jiiile a (K'e|) interest. Xo(h»ul)t tiic celel>rated contro- 
 versy l)Ct\veen Dean Hellniuth and \'icar-(ienei-al JJriiyere in tI:o 
 F/ye P/v.s.s last sununer. tended (;[uite asniuch to e.xcite this interest 
 as the characlei' of the ;'everend h'clurer, for it was but natural, 
 afler that rather sioriny et-clesiastical contest, that one million (or 
 less) readers would desire to hear the views of the matter entei*- 
 taine I hy a converted j)ricst. The hall was con -cquently crammed 
 in every pai'i. The 'jcture itself was an elu.juent and forcible 
 oxj)osilion of the practice oi the Romish Church in regard to Jn- 
 dulg'ences, from the stand-point ot' one wlio is professedly an 
 O]»ponent of that form of religion." 
 
 PROVINCIAL LIBRARY 
 VICTORIA, B. C* 
 
.Jr. LCTTEU FROM VIC ^ R-GEN. BKUYKRE. 
 
 [3 3 
 
 On (he ]2(h Novenilor the following letter (roiu Vkur-CIen. 
 Bruyero ai)i)earc(l in the Free Press : 
 
 ASSKIITION AND CoNTKADIfTION. 
 
 To the Editor of the Free Press. 
 
 Dear Sir, — T beg of you to allow me tlio ui-e of your coUimns to 
 etatc that the reninrkH made by the lecturer of last evening re- 
 garding the erection of a magmficent palace at kSaiuiwhieh, and tho 
 means employed lor the construelion of t^aid jialace, are an un- 
 qualified falsehood, and I have no he.'^itation in saying that all his 
 other assertions Iiostile (o our Church are of the same (haracter. 
 
 T make this statement tor the infoimation ol the Protestant 
 citiyenn ('f London, who Ioac justice and Ij-ir jil.'-y ; oilieiw ise 1 
 would hcorn to notice the utleian(eB of a de/^irded pi-icst, m Ik ni 
 the Chuich, for the lest of reasons, euspcndcd ihiice, and finally 
 expelled licm her boFcm, and who was aitciwauis igiu niiniousiy 
 e'ectcd from (heir communion by the rjesbyterian Svnod of 
 Chicago. 
 
 I leave to the dignitaries of the Anglican Chuich of this city tho 
 disgraceful occu])ation of giving aid and (omfbrt to an ajtostle (A' 
 lies and discord, who. as a Pre^bj-terian, repi.diatcs tlic validity ( f 
 their orders. Let them hug him to their bos<rm as long as they 
 like, but an intellii;cnt public will jiidpe whclhcr the interest of re- 
 ligion, morality and truth are picmotcd Ity Muh n^eans. 
 
 I have the honor to be, dear sir, your obcdieiil hOi \ ant, 
 
 J. J[. l]ii!Yt;uE, y. C. 
 
REPLY. 
 
 St. Anne, Kanicakkk Co., III., 2lHt Dcconibcf, 180'1>. 
 To the Iti'v. M. lirui/n:, V. G. : — 
 
 Eev. Sir, — I jmhlicly t.luiiilc yoii for your lottor in ih..,' Free Frc&s 
 of the llidi Novoinboi', wiiicli u iViciid Ikipi ^ctiLiuo. 
 
 To li'ive unractod the ultoution of huc-h a Ioii;ic*iun, atul ii holy 
 ili^^iiitary of lliu Infallible (Jhurch of lioiiii', i.s Hurcly luoro than 
 coiiid be o.\{)ocio<l by HUt-h a wruLch ay youiussiire the public 1 am ! 
 Tliou^h you know Ihal I deiservo only your acorn, you are so kind 
 ■ a.s to [)a.y some attention to mo — tlio ^<o many times tiu.spended and 
 excM>[inmiiiicaU;d Chini(](iy I lieally, many in Tiondou will be 
 jOidouH of iny good luck ; and when they will praitse your modesty, 
 your C'hrisitian lani^'unge, your profound scienco in the act of deny- 
 ing, and pour m;vtciile>.s logic, they will congratulate xue i'ov tlie 
 incomparable honor you t-.otd'er upon me. 
 
 It was my hope that 1 hikt given a [)rotty good bruahing to Jlomc, 
 but your :<[iicy remaricHgive mo the a.-).suranco that I have succood- 
 od beytjnd my moat sanguitio expectations. 
 
 Yt>ur im[>otent. wrath, my dear Grand Vicar, i.s the best j'cward 
 ofn\y humbki clfortH in unmasking tiiegioatest mystery of iniquity 
 the world has ever iseen. If you had denied only sinne tiiinga of 
 wliat I .said, perhaps your friend.s would have hu.-ipectc I that you 
 were right, and 1 w;i;s wrong, in thojic particulars; but your denial 
 •* in toLo" is such an evideut act of weakness, that every one will 
 understand that i have piercoii liome to the quick. 
 
 Asyoudeny everything ihat I liavosaid, it gives mo the choice 
 of tlu) matters which I will present again to the intelligent people 
 of London. Jt would be too long to go over the wliole ground of 
 my address. I will take only one of the errors of your infUULlo 
 Churcli — Indulgences. 
 
 Among the numberless absurdities taught by tho Church ofRome, 
 there is ono which seems to be above all the others. It is that the 
 Pope does grant to certain Altars or Priests the <jlorious pruiUyc of 
 gaudiij partial and pktianj induljences, aocmohcnihcij sa;/ th.'ir tuassen 
 in a state, of vwrtal sin, and with their souls covered with iidquitics 
 and Uirroponung hearts. That doctrine is so evidently anti-chrit>- 
 tian, that you have no alternative botweeu denying it bravely or 
 
 190120 
 
(•()i\(loinn'mu; your ("liiircli ; and tlioui;li yoii know very well tlio 
 ^uilt <)t'y(»iu' Cluircli, v »iir 1 »vt' foi-htji- is so yrrut, that you ain do- 
 toriiiiiieil, at any coHt, to eoiicual it — at least truii tlio cn'o.s of hor 
 ciit'iuios. 
 
 l\,'rliaj)s your hold di'nial> iiiii;lil dc. if you liad to inoct to-day 
 Boiiu- of iliofto i^ood Ikjiil'sI Protestants who ha\e no uU'H of the ox- 
 tent to which the ai't of duceiviiiii: is ean-ied under the lea(diini!:sof 
 youi' <'hiireh. But t(<-day, my dear Mi*. Hi-iiytre, no not for;;et that 
 you have t<» ih-al with one wlio knows all your l»i^' and small tricks 
 — all your reticence of mind, shrewd distinctions and explanations! 
 I have l-een 23 years a jirient of I{ome. It was enoUi;h U) ex- 
 amine all its dark cornersand its mysterious ways. No livin^j man, 
 perhaps, has studied the canons, tho laws, and the theolo/;ians of 
 lionic wiih more carneslne.-s than 1 have done. My lihrai-y was 
 composed (d' neai'Iy l-UO volumes of your choicest works ; and, he 
 sure of it, my dear (rrand Vicar, J will not ho i'ooi enough to say 
 a biii^i'le word a<iainst liome which 1 cannot prove. An error of 
 fact or princijde in me, wlien speaking of your superstitions and 
 youi" mummeries, would he su( ii a good rope in your hands to drag 
 me \>y the neck ! Then, please he on your guard, and do not lie too 
 prom i)t and loo free in your wholesale denials. l-or }'ou maj' bo 
 sure (d'it, when 3'ou will deny a thing that I have said, 1 will pro- 
 duce the authorities of your own best theologians. 
 
 When you and the greatest part of the priests of Caiuida and tho 
 United ►'Slates say wiili all your eloquence, that " m> plenary in- 
 dulgence can be gained excepr by a man who is sincerely repent- 
 ing, who has gone to confess and been reconciled to (jod," your In- 
 fallible Churcii, through lier best theologians, tells you tliat you 
 any an unqualitied falsehood. 
 
 The best theologian on Indulgences is called Bouvier, who was a 
 Bisho]) of Mans. His " Traite des Indulgences" was put into my 
 luuids by the Archblshopof (Quebec, as the most learned and reliable 
 guide on that matter. Well, that I.*rince of the Church ot Iconic, 
 who died only lately, and who, during his life, was one of the per- 
 sonal friends of the Pope — that learned prelate of Home says, page 
 78 : " L'etat do grace n'est pas uecessaire pour faire Tapplication 
 valide de I'lndulgoncc d'un autel privilegio. (The state of grace is 
 not necessary for the valid application of the indulgence of a privil- 
 eged altar)" 
 
 And at page 79 we read : "Mais s'il s'agit d'indulgences par- 
 tiellesou plenieres pour lesquelles la confession ou la communion 
 no soit pas prescrite, peut-on les gagner validement, a I'intention 
 des morts, etant soi-memc hors d'etat d'en protiter." Plusieura 
 Theologiens le nient, mais le sentiment le plus conimun est que l'e- 
 tat de grace, n'est pas requis dans ce cas. (Can we gain the partial 
 or plenary indulgences, for which confession and communion aro 
 not prescribed, for the dead, when we are ourselves in such a state 
 that we cannot be benefitted by them. Some theologians deny it : 
 but the most common opinion is that the state of grace is not re- 
 quired in that circumstance.) 
 
" Co sontirncrit ("it Hoiilcnu par Niivarro. Siinrez, Silviiis, (Johut, 
 Lucroix, iionicin.'i. Hilliuirt ot uih' intioiic d'autrt's. " (And iliut 
 doclriiu' is Hii|)|)(»i'to(l l>y Navarre, Suai'i'Z. SilviiH, (Joliat. Lacroix, 
 BoiiiclMa, Hilliiart and an iiitiiiite ninuln'r ot otliors.j 
 
 Ymii, Mr. Hruyt'iv, liavi- the ;;ift ot' Itravely dcMyitii,' that what I 
 hav(! i»aid is triu*. IJiit 1 intend to put a littk' tlitlii'uliy in ynnv way, 
 by Hcndiii;^ my voliiino ot' IVmvior to the l*ov. .1. Scoti, ofjjondon ; 
 and I invite all thi- l*r >tostantsand Jionian Cat holies to o-o anti see, 
 with their own eyes, who has said an un'/u<ih/it(i J\ilsi/tood — the 
 Hcorned, itilerdi<'ted, snspende I (■hini(|iiy. or my ^ood ul<l eont'rero 
 Bruyere, (J rand Viear ^A' lA)ridon ? 
 
 I hojie that, when you will have seen, with your eya-^, that your 
 Cluireh, lhi'oUi.ih her hest theoloi^ians, says positively what the ox- 
 conimuini-atcd [H'iest Chini(juy has said, namely ; " That a priest, in 
 a state of mortal sin, ean tjain plenary indulij^ences, when he says his 
 mass ata jirivilei^ed altai'" — you will purely tlien eeasc from over- 
 whelmin<^ me with your seorn. For it is evident that, if 1 have 
 Haid -'an unqualiticd falsehood." in jt^ivimjc that doetrine as the 
 doctrine of Rome, it is the Church of iiome lierself who has taujjjlit it 
 before you or I wei-e born. 
 
 Now, my deal' Vicrar (K'uei'al, let us come toyo ir tavorito subject : 
 "The suspensions, interdict.s, vsoommumcuthmH, for (/(nxlred.ion.'i, of 
 that infamous Chini(piy ! " 1 cannot suUi'iently thaid< you lor 
 having brvMight that Intei'ostinii; (piestion before our common friends 
 of London and Cana la. With [)leasui e i m'ot you on that ground ; 
 and when you assure the j»ublic that you have notliinii; but scorn for 
 me, it is a pleasure for me to assui-e you that I have very ditt'ereut 
 sentiments in my heart for you. 1 would give every drop of my 
 blood to talvO away the terrible darkness by which you are sur|'ound- 
 ed. I have been a blind man just as you are to-day. 1 understand 
 your misfortu!ic. 1 pity you. But I love you as oui" common Saviour 
 wants us to love eacii other. May that greac and merciful Saviour 
 ope»i your eyes, as lie has opened mine ! 
 
 Before I g'> any farther, 1 must confess before Cr.)d and men, with 
 a blush on my face and regret in my heart, that I have been, like you, 
 and with you, plunged twenty-three years In that bottomless sea of 
 iniquity, through which the poor blintl priests of Rome liave to swim, 
 day and night. 
 
 1 had to learn by heart, like you, the infamous questions which 
 the Church of Rome forces every priest to learn. 1 had to put 
 those impure, immoral questions to the old and young females 
 who were confessing their sins to me. Those questions, you know 
 it, are of such a nature, that no prostitute would dare to put 
 them to another ! Those questions, and the answers they elicit, 
 are so debasing, that no man in London — you know it — except a 
 priest of Rome, is sufficiently lost to every sense of shame as to put 
 them to any woman. 
 
 I was bound in conscience, as you are bound to-day, to put into 
 the ears, the mind, the imagination, the heart and the soul of females, 
 questions of such a nature, the immediate and direct tendency of 
 
6 
 
 which— yo\j know il — in to fill Iho mind, <ho niomory mid tho 
 hciii'U ot l)(,tii l1l•io.-l^^ nnd f'oninloM with lhoii;;hts, pliunloniH mid 
 UMnpf/rions of such ;v(icv.;T-.'.'iirix it:ituro, Ihiil. I do not know jiny 
 woron jwK-ijiiiitc to OA])ro,^.s tiusni. lV..i-isu sinti(iuily has ncvor.scon 
 nny insliliuion so p limiin,^- l.o both houl nnd hody as thoconlb.ssional. 
 I know ni»lhin<; inoro coi-iuptin^' than (lio hiw vvhicli lorccs h 
 CcniuUi to toll aii !ic,r thoii,L;lils, (icsiiv:^ and most. Kccrol. foolin'^s nnd 
 nctifjns to nn nriinnrriel priest.. 'J'ho c(Mil'o.<HioniiI is :; school of 
 perdition. You tn;i.y (\v\iy that, l-olbro the Prolostnnts, liiit. you 
 cannot, dtniy il I ct<>ro nio. 
 
 My <h'!ir 'i>lr. Hriiy.^ro, ifyoiicnl! tnc n ilc;jjr.i(lo.i nnu), u<lci;T;ulod 
 pricsf, hocau>o I hiivo lived hvcr.iy-ilnvo ye.'UM in the ntnio.>plioro 
 ol'iho (otife.-i'ionnl, yon jue riiihl. I \v;i.- n de^iiided mnn, jnHt as 
 yon nre >o!irse'l', in spi*o ol'your- duiials. It' you call nio a div 
 /?:raded p.rie-i, I ecau-o my hco'^. my r. )ul, my iiMi,!, n.s your own 
 is to-day, were plun_i>ed into those ilotrp water-: of ini(|n;iy which 
 Vow from tho confe.-i.-^ional, I confess "liuilty!" I was di!:;ra<Jod 
 nnd poihr.o 1 1-y the conie.-siwna. jusl as you an 1 a.l t.ho prioi»ts of 
 J^>ml' are. 
 
 It jia--. reijuir;';'. the wluVio hlo .d oi'the gi'oa* N'ictini who died on 
 (!alvary for inners, to ])arify ine. and 1 pray that, through tho 
 same h!(">i d, you may 1h) jtunticd al.-o. 
 
 But now t'lal. In' the irrea!, nien-y <>i' (Joii, I have leen taken 
 away from the ways of })n\iition in which you were walicingwith 
 mo, I have no ftuir to l.^^ conlronted williyou, orwilli any oftlKMO 
 \vhom yon call your Ixbl and most rosjioc'.ahlo priests ; and I pu- 
 ldi(dy (diailei'u*' you lo .".how that 1 have been found ;;uilly of 
 anything;- whicli cr.n mj'.icc ;m h.cnost man I in.- h before men. Yes, if 
 yon can ])rove that an inijuost has been ma.le ni^ainst n\o— that I 
 have been confronted with ny accu;-:ers and lieard in my own de- 
 fence, found guil-y, and the, a isponledor intcrdicle!, I consent to 
 be dra_i>;,j.:'ed by you before the -puliiic with arojte to my neck But 
 if you lin;l that tiic su-<pensions an'i in'crdicLs of whicdi you Kpoalc 
 have boon only the worlc of occlo.siastical tyranny and oppre.ssion 
 — if you see ilia! in no infiiamx the lawsof tlie most common equity 
 and justice have Ijeon foiliwoi, p;-n-'iai)s yo;i vv'ill ho hon;>-st enou<2;h 
 to exj)i'e.s-t your regret f )r havuig put youiv.eif afuongst my aland- 
 orcrs. 
 
 No prio.st of r.'o-'iia has ever been mo eon.-;t;a!.tly honored, (diorlsh- 
 od and re.-;p,eete',! by the lushopi, the priests aiid tho })eoj)le as I 
 was, witli only tiirei or four day.s of exception. It is a public tiict, 
 that I was brouL;!i in triumjih from one })!a e to the other, from 
 the rcmotoist part-' of J.owor (.'anada to tlie shores of Lake Huron 
 in Upper Camyia. 
 
 Thoro is not a groat city, not a .mil! t)wii — n )t a cathedral in 
 these two Provinces — •^o wh'o'n I liave. no', be.m invito 1 by the 
 bishops, to address the pa )plc. an i whoa 1. s}v)!ve. tho churyJies — 
 oven theimnionso ohuroh of iM ) itreal — 'vo:*e n )t largo onoag'i to 
 contain those eager to hoar mj ! I do ii )i. si/tiioso thing.s in fjoast- 
 ing, and as if I had deservoi those honors, hut only U) show you 
 
Jjow liiml won-! rnv diMri'oimt.ryrn.in— p.iopio, prio^t.-^ ami bi.shops— 
 (owunl^ ^u^ Tin) p (wciv^ f^iviMi (o, mu by tho liishopj, to proucli 
 ovcryu iicn uiul iKi.ii* i'ontuvMons, woro iuoim oxloii^ivo tiiuii llu).^o 
 of iiiiy olhor pri(>>t, nii'l j);irliciilarly duriii!^ the last yours of iii}' 
 miiiisliy in yty'ir (Jiinfi-li. Id IS.'):), al'tur I liul l)u(Ui u pri'vst 
 hhvi'iiUhmi yours — tWurU'i-n orilHtm pu-ssr I in tlu' diin-cso ol'iiuoboc 
 — wlu'ii I Ik; ])i-os(Mit Ar(iiui^lu)|t (tf (^iiolx'o, lint Very U"v. M, 
 liuillar^i' >n, wv-ni t'» il'ini.) I'.w Mio tir.-tt- linu;, ho tliisiroJ to htivo a 
 It'llci- ('r.»!ii tno ti) clio \*i>\K', fhtit ho niii^ht prvi>ont it hirnsoH" with 
 a lillU' l)() •!< on 'ronij»orarir.» whii-)i 1 li i i \>iiltoii ; a'l 1 on Iho ISth 
 Aiii^ust. is,")!), th.il hunio Ar«'lil)ishi)p, who is Htill livin;^, wroto n»o 
 (I'oiri li »ino : '• I ha\t' ])i\isonto I yoar K'ltor (» Iho S ivoroii^a 
 I^ontiiT. lie Iwn roroivoi it — I <lo not say with that cxqni.uto 
 kin lno-.s whii'ii is his clKUMct'or — hut rnoi-o than that; Ik^ has ro- 
 coivii I it with spi'i-inl ni ir!<s of'saii-(la 'tion n;i 1 ploa«uro. Ilohasrc- 
 quostovl in.) to trll yoa llrit Ins i^ivo-« yi)U his ap,)>torK'aMK<noilicti()n, 
 lor yoiH'.-oH'anii tho holy ••an^o of''I\)rnpv)iMn:'o wljich you j)roaoh. 
 I Ibfl happy to have oll'sro 1 /Voni you, to tho Vicar of. losus (!JMst, 
 a h ) »!•; w.ii'h h i> hroii^'ii I'r );ii his a'l:^ hI lip^ such sdouui Wi)rJs 
 of appi' »l) itioa, a'l I ni / ii.iai't is liilol with joy lor ha/in^ to 
 trarMtuil lIuMn to you." 
 
 As y.) I m 17 !>.* lo )i > .' 1 1 > 1 );iy a 'l)'U'uv.r, w'.iioh i-i suili a 
 go.> I tLMtiu) ):iy of Iho lii';;li f'laraytor 1 h'il in tho o^tirnition of 
 my sup.'riiUM, Iroiu tho day of my or linatioji in 1 S) J, to tho your 
 IH^n, [ pul Iha! vory (1 ) 'Uui-Tit at t!io onl of tlus lottor, whoro 
 fricn'U an 1 loo-* in ly seo it. An! t(» show to yo i. anl to all thojo 
 who ta!vo an intorost in tho^o inatt-ors, that the pri'sont Arciihisliop 
 of Canada, who is your Arcdiiushop, my doar Mi*. Briiyoi'o, ha(i not 
 yet h)-;t liis <jjo.»d o])inion of mo up to tho vory yoar that I loft Mio 
 Ch'uvh of R );ii .', (IS')!) I p ihlis'i a's ) au )jh jr lo -tor of his to aialy 
 that caniv) from (Vma 1 i to ta!\0 charijo of my fornalo soho)!. In 
 that letter ho !^uy^ tfi:i> ho sends m^a chalico t osay m ws, and other 
 cliiuvdi ornamonts, lor my (diapols. 
 
 ]\ I p.w'.i ip-i y > I will avc rn ), " lEivo y.)U n )L h.'dn intor I'ctod in 
 IHi")! hy tho BNh )p of M >!riv.j,!, a fo.vdays bjforo vou lofr, O.maJa 
 for tho rnitcl S'ato. ?" 
 
 Iwill toll \- / I, vcs, sir; !lv-> Hisliopof Montroal i)ri^bondoi to havo 
 BUSj)andod m.' Llicn. !>ul, 1 will ^iv'o it to you to Ju liJ^o if that fact 
 is n;)t oao "f tho m )it :>;! >;•'. )is of my lifo, an 1 ono for whi'!!i I must 
 bless 0,>! t'u'ovor. Vov my intoifrity has uo/or boon moro clearly 
 shown than in tha': i-irjiiui stance. 
 
 That shim interdict, which was a nullity by itself — for its want 
 of iorm,of jnsti't), a i I of fo. in. ba'ion, hal boon kopb by tho J>:shop, 
 and for go I i i-oa>orH, a socroL in Cinalii as woll as in tho Unitod 
 States. !>>■ hi.-, immo.liato and subso^uont acts tho J')ish()p had 
 j^ivcn me ovi Icii'csthat he was regrettin:; hi.s error, and was trying 
 to reo.iir it and make m ' I'orgot it. But not long after I had loft 
 the Church, to my surpri>e, tho Bishop of Montreal said tiiathohad 
 interdiclod mo, :nii that ho was inviting me to publish the I'oasons 
 of mv interdict. It was the host a])j) )rtuni!,y that the Providonco 
 
of (i(hI hud of!cri'(l nic (o prove my irmocctico and tin- incrediltU? 
 excess of fully und tyranny of tliis Hihliop of lionic Witliout 
 delay I aciejtted the <halU'ri<jf<', and jiuliliNhed throniih the French 
 Cuniidian press the following letter, which fni-ever eontounde<| the 
 
 f»oor Bishop. lie has never hi-tii alile to reply. thoiii,'h it was ho 
 mjtortanl for his honor, and tiie interests of his ChiU'ch, that iit^ 
 Hhoiild have rej»liid to it : 
 
 " To MONSKIONOP. Bot IMiKT. 
 
 * '-St. Anne, April IHth, tS57. 
 
 ^^ Mji Lord, — In your letter r»f the l!Mh Marih you a>sure the 
 puhliethat you have interdicted Tin-, a lew days before my leaving 
 Canada for the Tnitec Stales, and you invite ine toi^ivo the rcasonn 
 of that sentence. I will saHHfyyou. On the 28th Scjtteinher, 1S51, 
 1 found a letter on my tahle from you. tellini;me that you had huh- 
 pcnded ine from my (Hclesiastical offices, on account of a great 
 crime that I had committed, and of which I was accused. But tlie name 
 of uie accuser was not given, nor the nature oftlio crime. I ijnme- 
 diately went to nee you. ajid })rotestiiiir my innocence. I recpie.st- 
 cd you to give me the name of my ;t( i ii>ers. and to allow me to he 
 coi. fronted to them. prf>mising that i would prove my innocence. 
 You refused to grant my recpiest. 
 
 "Then I fell on my Unees, and with tears, in the name of God, I 
 rcfj nested you again togi-ant me to meet my accusers and ])rove my 
 innocence. You remained deaf to my prayer and unmoved hy my 
 tears; youre])ulsed me with malice ami airsof tyrajiny wliich 1 liad 
 thought impossihlt) in you. 
 
 " J)uring the twenty-fbur hours after this, sentiments of an inex- 
 Ttressible wrath crossed mv mind. J tell it to vou frankly, in that 
 tei'rihle liour, I would have jireferred to heat the feet of a lieathen 
 jiriest, whose knife would have slaughtered me on liis altars to 
 appease his infernal gods, rather than to itc at the feet of a man 
 Avho, in the name of Jesus-Christ, and under the mask of theCJospel, 
 Bhould dare tocfmimit such acrnel act. You liad taken away my 
 lionor — you had destroyed me with the most infamous calumny — 
 and you had rcfusedme every means of justification I 'Vou liad taken 
 imder your j)roteclion the cowards who were stabbing me in the 
 dark ! 
 
 "Though it is hard to repeat it, T must tell it here publicly: I 
 cursed you in that hori"ible day ! 
 
 " With a broken heart I went to the Jesuit College, and I show- 
 ed tlie wounds of my bleeding soul to the noble friend who was 
 generally my confessor, the liev. Father Schnieder, tlie Director of 
 the College. 
 
 "After three days, having providentially got some reasons to 
 suspect who was the author of my destruction, I sent some one to 
 ask her to come to the College without mentioning my name. 
 
 " When she was in the parlor, I said to Father Schnieder: • Y''ou 
 know the horrible iniquity of the Bishop against me — with the 
 
9 
 
 lyiii;,' woi'ds of'ii |in»Htitiit(' lie has (IcstiMycd mo; l»ut j»l('aso come 
 iitid Itctlio \vitiu'ss(»f !ijy iniKiri-nct'.' 
 
 " When ill tlio i>»vst'tui> <•!' tliiit uiifbrtiiiuilc lonialo. I t(»Iil lior ; 
 ' Yciiaroiri tlio |»r«'M'iicu ofdod Altnit^lity and t\V(» of liis piii'-ts. 
 Tlu'V will l»r (JM' wiliu'Hsrs ol" what you say ! S|i('al< (he Iniih. 
 Say ill tin' pfcx'iM r of'(i()d and of this vencrahit' |)ri('st, if 1 lia\o 
 cvor hi't'ii ^'iiilty of what you have uct'iisod ini' to the Mishop.' 
 
 ' At tlu'so woi'ds, the unfortunate fi'inale hurst into tears ; she 
 concealiMl her face in her hands, and with a voices half sutfoeamd 
 with her >i»hs, she answered: ' No, t^ir, vou aiv not y;uiltv of ihttl 
 mm I 
 
 " (\»nfess here anothertruth,' I said to her, 'Is it not true that 
 you had eomo to eonfess to nie incuvwilh the desire to toni[)t itie 
 tlian to recoiH'iU' yourself to (Jod ? ' 
 
 " She said, ' Yes, sir. that is the truth.' Then I said ai^'ain, '(.'on- 
 tinuc! to say the truth, and I will forgive you, and (rod also will 
 for;j;ive your iniquity, fs it not tlii'ouirli revenue for liavini^ failed 
 in your eriniinal (lesi<;n, that \(»a have tried tode.stroy me \)y tiiut 
 Jieeusati(»n to the Bishop ? ' 
 
 " ' Yes, sii". it is the only reason which has induced ine to aeeiise 
 you falsely." 
 
 "And all what I say here, at least in suhstatue, has heeii lieard, 
 vviittenand siijned hy tlu'Rij^^ht Jiev. Fatiier Schneider, one of your 
 |ti*iests. and the dii-ector of the Jesuit (\)llei;e. That veiierahle 
 priest is still liviii;:; in Montreal ; let the j)Coj»le of Canada i;-o and 
 interroiiate him. J^et the people of Canada aiso i;-otM the J?ev. Mr, 
 Bruss:;rd, wlit^ had also in his hands an authenticated copy of that 
 declaration. 
 
 " Your Lordship <i;ives to understand that 1 was disgraced l)y 
 that sentence, some days after wlien I left Canada for Illinoi-i, 
 Allow me to give my reasons for differing- from you in this inatt(M'. 
 
 " There isa canon law of the Ciunvh wliich says : ' If a censure 
 is unjust and undmnded, let tlie man ag-ainst whom the sentence 
 has heen pas>ed )tay no attention to it. For, hefore (Jod and hiw 
 Church, no unjust sentence can hring any injiuy to any one. Let 
 the one against whom such unfoun(led and unjust judgiuent has 
 been ju-onounced even take no step to annul it, for it is a nullity 
 by itself. 
 
 " You know very well tliat the sentence you liave ]»assed against 
 me was null and void for many good reasons- that it was founded 
 on a false testimony. Father Schneider is there ready to ])rove it 
 to you, if you liave any doubts. 
 
 *' The second reason I have to believe that you had yourself com- 
 sidcrod your sentence a nullity, and that I wa.s not suspended by it 
 from my ecclesiastical dignity and honors, is founded on a good 
 testimony. 1 hope : The testimony of your Lordship himself. 
 
 "A few hours before my leaving Canada for the United States, I 
 went to ask your benediction, which you gave me with every marie 
 of kindness. I then asked your J^ordship to tell me frankly if I had 
 to leave with the impression that I was. disgraced in h\:i mind ^ 
 
10 
 
 Yon fftwo mo (ho asfsuninoo of tlio contrary, 
 
 "Tiien I lold yon that I wanted to havo a pnbli • an 1 irrofiitaMo 
 t<v^1i!i)oiiy d!" your osloom. 
 
 " Voij ;in->\v(TC''l that you would ho- h!\|)]\y to <>'ivG nio one, and 
 yon !-aid,' What <h) yon want ? ' '1 wi>h,' 1 said, ' to have a chiilice 
 i'vom your hands to odor the holy sacrit'n (> ofilic niasn tin) ro.st of 
 jny lilo.,' ^'ou jHisworod, '1 will do that with j)loiisin'o,' and you 
 trjivji order lo (WH' of you)' ]>riosts to Inin^- yon a clialico that you 
 mi^ht <^n^o it to mo. l^ut that pri<'sl had not tho key of (ho hox 
 coiilaiiiinii- tho naorod vahO-; ; that, hoy ^va^ in tlio Iiands of another 
 ]>rio.st, wlio \vasni)sont for a few hours. 
 
 **• I had not tho time to wait, tho hour of tho do])artnro (»f tho 
 trains Ind <-omo ; I told yon : Ploaso, my lord, send that chalice to 
 tho fiov. Mr-. Th-assard, of Longnonil, who will forward it to mo in a 
 fow days tot'iiica-o. And tho next day, ono of y(>nr Socrotarios 
 wont to I ho liov. Ml-. Brassard, ^uvo him tho ohaliroyou IkkI projuis- 
 o 1 mo, wliioh is .still in my hamls. 7\nd liio .Rov. I\Ir. JJrassard in 
 t loro still livinu'. t,o Lu' tlu^ witness i>f what I say — ami to bring thftt 
 fad lo your memory if \-on have toi-i;-()iiim i;. 
 
 '•' Well, my I,(>rd, J do beiiovolhat a jiishoj) will never ^ive a 
 ciialice to a ju-iost to say mass, when ho knows ihal that priest is in- 
 toj'dicted. A?'d the best proof tha*^. ye. n !n;:iwvery well tha! I w;ih 
 not intoi-die'.ed. by your r;is!i and un.ust seiil(Uico, is that yon gave 
 mo tliatoljalioe as n token of your ostooin, an(i of my honesty, etc. 
 
 " Respectfully, C. CtiiNtQitv. 
 
 Ton thousand coj)ios of this ton-iblo exposure of the d^^', v of 
 
 the l)isho]) wore ])nblishod in Montreal! 1 iiad jusked ti-- Vi.u'io 
 ])Ooplo of c'anada to go to tho Eov. Mr. Sehnoidcr, and to ihe l\&v. 
 Mr. Bra.-sard to knuw tho trutli. The Bisjiop remained confound- 
 ed. It was proved that ho havl committed against me a moat 
 outrageous aet of tyranny and }HirHdy ; and that I was perfectly 
 innocent and iionoU, and that Ijo know it, in tiie very hour that 
 he tried to destj-oy my eharaoter. Probal)ly tho Hishop of Mont- 
 real had destroyed the copy of the dochiration of the poor girl he 
 had enrployod ; and thin'cing tliat this was tho only copy which 
 liad ieentaiuin of her doeiaration of my inuoi-onee :uid jioiiesty, 
 he thf>ught he could speak of the so-called iritordict, aftoi- I wiis a 
 Protestant. T'ut in that he was cruelly mistaken. 
 
 IJy tho gi'eai. mercy of (lod Ihroo other authentiealed copies had 
 loon kept ; one by the l?cv. Mr. SL-hncidor himself, anoJlior hy the 
 liov. Mv. ]h*ass;trd, and another l>y another ono whom it is not ne- 
 cessai-y to mention — ;uid then he had no suspjoion that the revela- 
 tion ot hi> urn liristian conduct, and of hisdotoi-mination to destroy 
 rne with the liiL-e oath (^f a ])rostitnte, wei-e in tho hands of too 
 many ])0()plo to bo denied. The Bishop of (-hieago, whom I mot 
 a few days after, toldmc what 1 M'as well aware of before : " that 
 jsncti a sentence was a perfbct nullity in every way, and that it 
 
11 
 
 Wii.-i a disi^r.u'o only for tlio.so who were \A'\\v\ onor.i^li to iramplo 
 uiulo!* ttiuir foot tho hiws of (ioil and mon to Mitisty tiu'ir lad 
 pas i )iis." And no doubt vou will bo ot'tiic saiiio iiiind. 
 
 IJiit to rdiow yoii lliat oven the Arcldii.^hop ol' (^iii.dH'"^ wlio i.s 
 tlio Sui)ei'ior of tlio Hisho]) (>{' Montreal as well as your own 
 S'i])orioi-, did not ]>ay at tention to thai, sentence of intei'iliet, and 
 that ho kncnv its nullity, 1 mast ijive another iMi}»or!ant f'aet. You 
 know that one of the la.vs ot'ilie iS>)ciety of S^ Michel. t'> which I 
 belon;4'ed from the 'Jud day afier my ordination in is;;:;, to th(^ 
 ycarisr)ii, is (hat a, pi'ie>t. wiio is flu-.})on I d. lo-ies hi-, jiodlion in 
 that, soeiotv. and that he eatmot any moi'v> eniov its ]n*ivilej;iM. 
 ]{ut iny name always remained amoni>- th(^ inomhers of tint n-iei'ul 
 hociety of iniituil [)roteut.ion ; and in 1<S5:) the Arelihish'p of (Que- 
 bec himself, wlio is tlie Piv.ddeni of that Ho/iety. noit mo -')'. from 
 the treasni-y of St. Mieliel Society, t(» he!]"> mi in a loni;; sie'cness 
 which Iliad eoiitracted, and the llw. Mr. Ca',.iu!t. the present .\d- 
 miiii-strulor of the Arch nio-c !• of Qnebc:', ac!<n '.vie Ilccs in a 
 letter (hited IJOth .Jan., l-)")'), mv ycivly e )nti*i!):i!ion i to the 
 80cie!y. i seiit tli.v^e tw >do MiiuenU also to f.'ne Iv ' •. J. Seot t. t hat 
 you may see with your own eyes that 1 had not lost, my good name 
 nor my li:)nour;d)!e po.^ition, :ind tha" I ha I not boon ready attaint- 
 ed by the un;ust. and criminal s(viteneo of the H'sliop of Montre il. 
 
 Jiui to sliow th It the Bi^hoji of Monti'eal him- df never thoui^ht 
 that his nnjnsL sentence had any eil'ecl, and lint le hlm-^'df never 
 lost his (rood opinion of mi.\ I also publish i'.n- voir p.n-iis;il. the 
 t'ac-simile (see folded • sheet) of the letter he o-ave mo the day 
 that 1 kd'i (Junatia. These are liis worls : 
 
 "October loth, 1851. 
 
 '• I cannot but t'uink you for what you have done in oar midst, 
 and in my gi'alitu<le towai'is you 1 wish you tiie mo;t abundant 
 benedict if)n.s of heaven, J^'very day of my Hie I will remoinbor 
 you. You will always bo in my heart. :ind f ho]te that in Homo 
 f jture day the I'l'ovidence of (Jod will give me some opj)ortunity 
 of showing to you all the i-'ratitndo I feel l'»r yon." 
 
 I ask you, will ever a Bishop say to a })rie>t, in a written 
 document, signed with his own hands: " 1 (>annor bat thank }'ou 
 f )r what you have done in oiii* mid>t'" — if that j>rle.Tt has been 
 an immoral, a bad prie.^t ? 
 
 Does not the Hisliop who writes su -h w>)rls aidcu'iwle ige that 
 liO was wrong in his previous hasty and unfavora.l>l? judgment ? 
 
 Will the intelligent Rev. Mi-. Bruyere, when he will be the Bishop 
 of J^ondon, write to a })rlest, *• I cannot but thank you for \vhat 
 you have done in our mi-ist. In my gratitude towards you 1 pray 
 (T,)d to pour his most abundant ble-sings u]ion yoa." if ho knows 
 that that priest is an immoral ani wleicel in in ? N" o, never ; nor 
 will you give a chalice to an interdicted pri(Mt to say mas, the rest 
 of his life. Is it ho that as longa^ a priest is in y >nv midst he may 
 be the most depraved man, a j)ub!ic .scandal, a mirderor of souls, 
 
12 
 
 yet llie Bisliop will like hitn, honour him and overloiui him with 
 every kind ofpuhlie and private marks ol' ros|»e('t. Jiut ^vhen he 
 leaves ihem to become a Protestant, then they pour out on him 
 their scorn anil abuse ? Ey theii" own confession have they not 
 done this to ir.e? If I was an immoral man when a jjriest of Jiome, 
 how is it that the Bishops liavekiiown it only after 1 had left tlieir 
 Church ? And if I were an immiu'al man when in their midst, 
 why is it that the Bishops from tlie be^inniiiu!; to the end of my 
 career ^ave ine so many public and private marks of esteem and 
 respect? Jf they have d.)ne so, are they not confessedly worse 
 than what they call me? 
 
 In 1838 the Bishop of Quebec t^ave me the im[)0i'tant })ari8h of 
 Beaupoi't. In 1842 he jjlaced me at the liead <»f a still more im- 
 portant jiarish, Xamouraska. 
 
 Jn 184!> the Bishop of Montreal, in a public document (See the 
 folded sheet) puts me in the most exalted jiosition that a priest 
 has ever <^()t — he calls me "the Aj)Ostleof Temperance of Canada," 
 and one of his be>t ]»i'iests. The same year he induces the Pope 
 to send me a maii'niticent crucifix, which is still in my hands. Jn 
 1850 he invites tiie peo])1e of Monti'eal, from his ])ul]>it, in his 
 cathedi-al. to come with the Hon. Judue Mondelet, to ])resent 
 me a golden medal, as a ])ublic token of his resj)ect and gratitude 
 for me. In 1851 — the day that I left Canada — he writes me that 
 what I liave done in his diocese, when workin.ii; under his eyes. Jias 
 tilled him with ii'ratitutie ! And the same man. after 1 have left the 
 Chui'ch ofJtome, says that 1 was an immor:d ]»riest — aii interdicted 
 and asu'i])e!u!ed ]»riest I — ;ind that on the testimony of a jn'ostitute, 
 who afterwards declared that she had made a false oatli to revenge 
 herself, because she had not been aide to ])crsuade me to commit 
 a ci'ime with her ! 
 
 I ask it ii'(jm you, my dear Mr. l^ruycre, which of us deserves 
 your scorn? Is it the bislutpwlio interdicts an innocent priest, on 
 the lyinc: declaration of a prostitute ? or the priest to whom every 
 acce;-is to nistice and self-defence had been refused, and who 
 afterwards proved his integrity ? 
 
 If what I declared of the infamous conduct of the Bisisop had 
 not been correct, and if the recantation of that unfortunate female, 
 in the presence of the Hev. Father Schnieder, had not been correct 
 also, how easy it would have been for the bishop to confound me 
 forever, by bringing that superior of the Jesuit College as awitn<?ss 
 of my imposture ! And how it would have been an imperious duty 
 in Father Schnieder, when lie saw his name publicly and on the 
 papers committed with a fact so degrading to the bishop, to come 
 forward and publish that what I had said was a forgery! Then 
 Chiniquy would have been forever and so easily confounded. But 
 such has not been the case. The poor bishop had to pay publicly 
 for his infamous conduct towards me, and he was left without any 
 means of escape; and if you are honest, it is not on Chiniquy that 
 you will turn your scorn ; it is on the man who, forgetting all the 
 laws of justice, of God and men, had united his efforts to those of 
 
13 
 
 a pcrjiirel prostiluto, lodo.stroy his iiinocoiit victim. Ami it" you 
 urc nolhoiu'st <'ii()Ui;-h to .st'C and iinder.staud this, wliat havo 1 to 
 care (jhoiit your scorn '•' 
 
 Sow let assay aaoliu-r uMrd aliout tho oilier inti'rdict l»y Bishop 
 U'Ji*.',u;aii. And i loll you holdly, that it'anythin<( can l)c considor- 
 O'l an h<jnor l»y any man, it is to have doorvod the wrath of ko 
 ])uhliciy di^praved a man. Tlioiigh ho never interdicted me, (he 
 only 'hroatened to do it) he fiumd tit to [lublish that ho had done 
 it. liut in his letter (iftheliOth Xi>voml>er, IS.jl), where he publieiy 
 gives tho reasons of that so-called sjontence, ho somewhat ileran^os 
 the plan you have, my dear M. Bruyere, to make my friends of 
 Canada helieve that it was on aecomiL of immorality. In that letter 
 the Bisho[) say^i : "His (»!».stinatc want of huhmi.ssion — hi.s ex- 
 ced.siveiv s iolent langua^'o and conduct — ohlige.s me to .suiipend 
 liim ! "" 
 
 1 thank and ble.ss my God who gave.s me the strength to say 
 •some great truths to that irost immoral and tyrannical Bishop. 
 He was such a wicked ina!\ that several prie.sts, among whom I 
 was (jne, wrote to the I'opo al)out his bad conduct ; and the 
 Arehbislioi)of .St. liouis, and many other Bishops, liaving brought 
 nh.o serious complaints against that man, liis diocese was taken 
 nway fr»jm his hands, and he got a bisho[)ric \i\ parti bus injideliam, 
 which, yon know very well, means a bishopric in the moon — and 
 tlie place is just tit for the man. 
 
 Tne sentence was never served on me in any way. The (yhureli 
 iillowed me to pay no attention to it ; and the subsequent ox- 
 communication having been brought by three priests, who at tho 
 time were beastly drunk, and not being signed by the Bishop nor 
 iiny of his Grand Vicars or known deputies, I was bound by the 
 laws of the Cliiirch not to pay any attention to it. The llev. Mr. 
 Desaulniers and Moses Brassard having come, some time' later 
 from Canada to iiupiiro ab:)Ut those matters and reconcile us to 
 the Bishop, declared before more than 500 people that we "'could 
 not be bhimeil for having })aid no attention to that sentence, 
 which was evidently and publicly against all the known laws of 
 the Church." 
 
 But I luive no bad feelings against that unfortunate man, who 
 <iied live vears au'o. It is the contrary. His abominable life, 
 his vices, his complete want of principles, which forced tho 
 Bishops of the United States to denounce him to the Pope — 
 who condemned him at tho end — have helped mo much, by the 
 mercy of God, to know what the Church of Il)me has been, 
 what she is, and what she will be till the great day that God 
 will open the eyes of her poor slaves, and bring them to the feet 
 of Jesus, who will make them free with his words and pure with 
 his blood. 
 
 Bishop O'Rjgan gave the deputation a written response, which 
 was published in Canada, at the time, in the leading paper^*. 
 
 The Bishop was waited u])on, on the 27th day of August, 1856 
 jand presented the following reply 
 
14 
 
 iKt. I siispciidi (1 Mr. (Jli;ni(i!'> (ii lln' l;»th (.'f tli'iB iiumlh. 
 
 '2<l It Mr. I'hiiiiiiuy Iiu^ Kjild .\Iiim8, since, ns you s i y, ho ii; iritgiilar ;i':nd tlu; 
 I'oj.o iilunr cjin ii sturo liiin in h^- (•(Hl;siii>iii' ami a.n erdutul I'luu lioiiH. 
 
 y.ii. I t!ik<! him iiway iVoni ??;■ .-Aurif, (ltsi>ito hiri pniyi is untl yt-urK, becanHc 
 ht^ h;is ndt livi n williiij.,' to iiv ' in p'ucf iiU-1 in iVii n idiip with thu Uuvd'a 
 M. L. iiud M. Ii. AithoiiLli I i'dmit tiivy w«.u; two liud i'iii..sLs, w hum 1 huvo 
 htcn I'urci (1 tn (.xpol iVi in iiiy i.i^ (.'csi.'. 
 
 •;;h. My ;; ■ <.n'\ ics.scn Kt l:,I;ii);.'; >,Ir. f'l;'nii"y ftn-:iy ('•■nm '^h'.-.'i nn'-, tr> mnd 
 him in his ni'w missi ■'., ko'iUi of liiinoiH, is to stop tlni l:iw-siiit Mr. ISpink ha-t 
 institiiti-d ; t^ainst liiin ; 'thuivli ! taniK't wiuiunt thiii lli.; hiw-Hiiit will bi? 
 Ht('p;M (i tor that. 
 
 .Mh. Mr. Chiniipiy i-; oni' ot (li' lust I'ricsts o( niy diocese, and I do not want 
 to d'privc .nyscltot his scrvic^K ; and no iicciisutions tigain.st tlic morals ol' that 
 gent I' mar have Ui'ii provrii i.ctoiv mc 
 
 t;Ji. iMr. (..'hiin'((iiy has di luiiuiic' an iiHimft, to prove his innoci nee ofcertaiu 
 aceiisatidns made iti^'ainst hiin, and hiy a^kt'd mi' the nam, s ol' his r.ceuserH to 
 cont'oiind them ; I iia.'e ret'isi-d it to iiiin. 
 
 7ih.'r<'ll Ml. ('liini(nyio eome luul m '.a me — to prepare himself I'or lli* 
 new mi.■;^i(in, and I w ill Kive him the letters Ik ne<'<ii>', to iro and lalior tlure. 
 
 'I'h'.'n wl' with'lr, w and piehcnttd the to\ej.'iiing lett-rto Father Chinicpiy. 
 
 Fiis. 15r.ei!Aia), 
 
 J. B. Ii. ijKMel.NF, 
 Ba: ii.I,>i:k ALi.Anf, 
 Lkon Maill,oi;x. 
 
 A^iiiti, v/licM yoii bi'oiio'it :io;:ii:ist nie ii .<outeiiee jms-sed, not by 
 tlui tSyiioil ()t'Chic;i!j;o, bui. l)y pui-t of a l:*re.-ibyteiy ul' only bcvou 
 men, you did not. know, 1. sapttose, tluiL tfitit sentoiieo was tbv con- 
 tuiiKicy, bticivusc I had wit i irawn from its connoction. Yon wore 
 also iL;-iu)iMnt oi' liic tact lii;"... i .-^nbiui'. fod that Hontence to the 
 Synod of the Cainitla rrosbyierian Ciiui'ch, which vciioral>Io body, 
 haviit;.^ duly in([nii'od into ail tlie c'iirmn.slaru'esof the case, did, 
 before ihe whole wofli, roctfive me inio fall standing, and con- 
 isidei" me woi'thy to be one oi' die ministers of Christ, which 
 posiliou, by (rods grave, 1 now occupy. 
 
 This is not the iirst time that a m:ui condemned by one tribunal 
 has been ab.solvod tmd ft)iiud innocent by another. In those eir- 
 ctitnsliinees no man of honor, nuieh less a Ciiristian, would say 
 wJKityou have :sai'Ji : " tii.il he lias iioihing but scorn for that con- 
 demned." 
 
 iieud the foHowi;tg declaration of tliat stmio Bi^hoj) to four do- 
 puiie.s sent U/ Iilm ly tlie pe:>ple oi' St. -Anno just two days lefore 
 our excommunictition. '^I'hat dechiration, signed by four liomau 
 Catholics, is under oath, before tho civil tribuiial of Kankakee; — 
 it is the best refutation of your slanderous letter against me. 
 
 Now, my dear Mr. Jiruyere, Leibro taking leave of you allow 
 me a fov/ friendly advices. 
 
 When you argue with a Protestant, even one whom you call an 
 apostate, as your old frieiul Ciiiniquy, never make a personal ques- 
 tion of a question of principle, it" you wish to make the people 
 think that you have tlie right side, and that the irrefutable ar- 
 guments .'ire in your favor. For the very moment you gi/e up the 
 arguments on the question, to dr.ig your adversary on tho un- 
 
16 
 
 gcntrcmnnly and nnc!iri.stinn ground of pcM-.-oiial injiiiics and 
 Klan(!oi'!^, yon lose your caii.Mi in (lie mind of an intolligcnt people. 
 A man who lias good reasons lo support his cause, and strong 
 arguments, has mni-r recourse to tliose peri-ionahlies and hard 
 nanu^s wliicli you liavt; nse(h 
 
 The (jiiestion letween _>'Ou and viw is not to know who lias eom- 
 initted most sins against the decalogue, hut whether it is true or not 
 that (he (/hureh ol' Home "lias c^ta^•Iisllell privileged altars where 
 priests, covered with sins, wiihout repentance, can say their musses, 
 and gai'i ]^icnary ami partial indulgences." 
 
 Your onl^ hiisincss was to ])rove the contrary, and tosliow that. 
 T have not given good authorities and logical argunients. .LA)r if 
 you cannot, destroy noi* wea!<en in any wtiy my statement, the 
 conclusion will he that, your church has gone out of the way of 
 tho gospel. 
 
 IMiough you could prove that when 1 was a priest of I'omo T 
 was as 4'riminal as David, and as weak as Sams mi ; a p.-i-jureras 
 Peter, or a blind persecutor as L'aul, this will iu)l at all prove 
 that 1 have not done well U) leave the Pope iji ordei- (o follow 
 Christ. It is just the contrary. Th.e more wicked I was in the 
 Cluirch of Pome, surrounded as I \\'•.\t^, and ns you are to day, by 
 tho most j)eMtiIontial atn\osphero, and liaving before my eyes tlie 
 oxjunple of a concealed, though most horrible corruption in hi^jk 
 (fuitrft'rs as well as among i;iy equals, the more imj)eralive was 
 the duty for me, and is it fur you, to go out of tluve vva3''s of 
 perdition. 
 
 Do you know, my dear Mr. Bruy*'re, to what I have been temptr 
 cd when writing this letter ? The tlioaght has come to my mind 
 to ])ui:lish, not ail (for it woidd be too (erriblej, but a pa!'t of 
 v/ha' I know of the inside, aiid almost incro lible corruption of Uonie 1 
 To give, tor instance, apart of tho history of rhatdlrand Vicar who 
 W!is guilly of an unmentionable crime, and was never Interdicted ; 
 oftluit other (lignitary whose con((ue>ts WiU'e so numerous in \ront- 
 veal tJKit the ground bcame too hot lor him, and who was not in- 
 terdicted but kindly invited to go to anothei- |)lace. Tiio history 
 of that good Bishop also who, tin* Hve years, kept a tine young 
 ni;\n in his hou-eashis eoioidential friend, and v/iu) had to send 
 that faiilil'ul servant, with 500/., to the Unite 1 Siates, when a very 
 interesting circnnistance proved that the tine young man was a 
 tineyounggirl ! " Uoiu soit qui mal y pense." 1 was also tempts 
 ed to give to the public some very interesting details from the 
 inein:)irs, not of poor Father Chiniquy (though iie has some 
 memoirs also), but from tho memoirs ofone of the m;)-it re.ip'.'C!.able 
 Bishops of P)ine, Bishop do Iticcy, whore it is so o.'ien sai(i and 
 proved " that tho nunsin Italy are the wives of priests." Happy 
 colibataires indood I I ha i some very intervisiiug thing < also whicn 
 you have knovyii, no doubt, ol'those thro.) go:) I jiriest^ in a Diocese 
 not many mile i from fj)n Ion, whomilo a vevy i n teivst: ng Vt>yage 
 with young ladio-f, and woro so kin lly trjate 1 by tho Holy Church 
 of lljmo, that o.io of them is now heari.ig tiie v^.^nfosd jus of the 
 
16 
 
 good nuns of the City of , ar.(l tlio two otliors are in a very 
 
 ox.'iKetl ]K)si(ioM in tlio i)i()(o>c ol . 
 
 My intention, after liavinLC given you the correct liiHtory oftlioHO 
 rospcctulde and venetaMe pi'ieMts of I'onie. wa.s to awiv you, in a 
 friendly way, without hitlernijss, why the Bishops wliould have 
 bjen 8o haicl a^^ainst nie, w hen tliey weie so kin<l t(; others ? I have 
 aho heen teinj)ted to say why the Venerable Superior of the 
 
 Seminary of- became a Traj)pisr, and why he lett the Trap})ist8 
 
 to lie the ('ha])lain of the s^owl nuns ot . It has also come to 
 
 niy niiml to say to the world why the liisiiop of Montreal wjis so 
 eager and ]>rompt to acce[)t the accusation of a perjured i)ro.stitute to 
 destroy unhand seal my lijis. I have been stnjng enough to resist 
 that tem|/tation, but ])leasedo not drag me any more on tiie burn- 
 ing ground of the morality of the L'oman Catliolic cicrgy ! / hiiom 
 toi)iurho\i that question to allow yon to attack me again without 
 punishing you severely. 
 
 No living man knows hetterthan I do the Clergy. I have been 
 fifteen yea I's traveling anu)ng them. I have seen the insii/e as well 
 as the outside of your walls. For many years J have l)een a serious 
 observer of men and things ; and every <lay I have j)ut down in my 
 book, no;es which would make many knees shake in the midst of 
 the Priests of Rome. I do not say that they are all wicked aiul 
 depraved. Thanks be to God, I have found among them men who 
 would have been almost as pure as Angels, if the confessional had not 
 been there as a snare to pollute their noble liearts. But 1 have known 
 enough to startle the world, if I had not more chai-ity for my old 
 friends of Home than many of them have shown tome, since God 
 in His infinite mercy has given me the light and the truth as it 
 is in Je^-us. If you honor me with an answer, I will be ])roud and 
 happy to meet you as a gentleman on some of those liigii grounds 
 of historical or theological truths and errors about which we 
 ditfer. But give up that unmanly and unchristian way (whicli 
 is too m.ich the use of iloman Catholic Priests) of s])eaking of 
 the real or supposed personal sins of an op))oneut. NVe are all 
 more or less great sinners, and are far too a[)t to see the straw 
 in the eyes of oui' i)Ooi- neighbor, wliile we do not sec the beam 
 which is in our own. 
 
 Though you have been a little hard on your old friend, in sa}'- 
 ing that you have no other sentiments but those of sc.-rn for him, 
 I ieel gratitied to you for having given me the opportunity of o.x.- 
 plaining many things which, 1 ho[)e, it will be good to my friends 
 to hear, as it has been pleasant for me to reveal. 
 
 Now, farevrell — aurevoir. Allow me to call myself your fellow- 
 sinner and your devoted 
 
 Brother in Christ, 
 
 C. CIIINIQUY. 
 
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