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32 X

1 ■ '■ t '

: THE

GOSPEL AND ROMANISM

IN CANADA.

-■-■ .

HISTORICAL SKETCH

OF THE

GRANDE LIGNE MISSION IN LOWER

CANADA.

•

'Jty the ^JSr. TIIBO-JJO'IiJi' LAU'LBt/li.

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HISTOKICAL SKETCH

OF THE

GRANDE LIGNE MISSION IN LOAVER
CANADA.

The revival of religion with which Switzerland was visited, about
1820, and in which theHaluaues acted so import int a part, awakened
a missionary spirit. The efforts of Christians for the conversion of
souls embiuced at first their fellow-countrymen ; then their neighbours
the Ilomaiiists of France ; and, at a later period, their attention was
also directed towards Canada. It was in the heart of a humble private
Christian that a deep concern for the conversion of the French
Canadians was first kindled. Impressed with the importance of sending
the Gospel to this people, he would say to his pastor and to his brethren,
" Do you pray for Canada ? Let us pray for Canada." This prayer,
so evidently the fruit of the Holy Spirit, was soon answered ; but in
a manner quite unexpected. The llev. H. Olivier, pastor of a Church
at Lausanne, left his native country in 1834, with the intention of
preaching the Gospel amoung the North American Indians. But on
his arrival at Montreal, seeing that the large French population of the
country (about a millica of people) were destitute of the truth as it
is in Jesus, he resolved to settle in that city ; and there he began to
preach in a school-house, kindly offered to him by the Methodists for
this object.

Mr. Olivier met with severe opposition from the enemies of the
Gospel, especially the priests ; but feeling confident that a wide door
of usefulness was opened, he was greatly desirous that some of his
brethren iu Jjausanne should come and join him. He wrote to his
friends in Switzerland, placing the subject before them, and urged
them to consider its claims on their Christian charity.

There was at that time in the Church of which Mr. Olivier had
been pastor, a lady distinguished for piety and Christian beneficence,
and earnestly desirous to do lier part toward the evangelization of the
unconverted. This desire became a decisive call after the death of
her husband and of her only child.

" After the death of the good husband and the dear child which
God in His love gave me, and in His love took away from me," wrote
Madame Feller, two or three years after her coming to Canada, " my
heart was filled with the desire of being devoted exclusively to the
service of the Lord. At first, I suppressed this feeling, because I
knew it to be contrary to the taste and wishes of my family ; and also
because I was afraid of deceiving myself in cherishing it. But after
some time I was convinced that it was the call of God, and resisted it
no longer; and during the seven or eight years which followed, I be-
sought the Lord continually to open before me the way, and to show
me what He would give me to do in his service."

With such feelings and dispositions, Madame Feller was predis-
posed to receive Mr. Olivier's call. The idolatry, ignorance, and abject
condition of a great portion of the Canadian people took strong hold
upon her heart. " This call," says she, " coinciding with the ex'Jiecta-
tion of my faith, and the circumstances in which I was placed, and
being in answer to a new testimony which I had sought of the Lord
I was convinced that it was His will that I should go to Canada, and
I accordingly replied to my friends that I would go." Mr. Louis
Roussy, a Minister of the Gospel, who had also been led to choose
Canada as his sphere of labour, resolved to start at the same time.

They sailed from Havre, and arrived at Montreal on the 31st of
October, 1835.

Mr. Roussy was invited to take the charge of a school on the
Grande Ligne'^ of Lacadie, about twenty-five miles S.E. of Montreal.
He thought that this situation would afford him a good opportunity
of laying a foundation for future usefulness in that neighbourhood,
and therefore accepted the call. Madame Feller spent the winter at
Montreal ; and, in conjunction with Madame Olivier, opened a school
for French Canadian Children. Much of her time was also spent in
visiting the Roman Catholics for the purpose of reading the Scriptures

• A Grande Ligne in Lower Canada is a road, generally straight, from
five to seven miles in length, and with farms abutting on each side of the
road.

and of conversing with them on the truths of the Gospel. By these
means she obtained an accurate knowledp;c of the Canadian character,
and was prepared for her subsequent efforts.

Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Olivier had found their health exceed-
infjly tricu by the climate ; and their physician advised them to return
without delay to Switzerland. As the immediate result of their
beginning, two persons had been brought to the saving knowledge of
Christ. They wore most reluctant to leave Madame Feller alone in
this trying field of labour. But God wonderfully sustained her in
this trial. She said " I had contemplated beforehand all the difficul-
ties of a missionary life, and I had not forgotten isolation, abandon-
ment, poverty, even death in the hospital. I could not then hesitate
a moment as to the course to pursue."

Mr. Roussy, keeping constantly in view the object of his coming
to Canada, and anxious to see souls brought to the Saviour, did not
confine his instruction to the communication of general knowledge, but
embraced, in addition, the truths and duties of religion. His ^pare
time was employed in visiting the people, and making known to them,
in a familiar manner, the way of salvation.

While Mr. Roussy was teaching school at Grande Ligne he was,
one day visited by a respectable old woman, accompanied by her son.
She had come from a neighboring settlement of the same parish of
Lacadie, and only a few miles from the place where the Mission
house now stands. The spiritual history of Mrs. Lore— for this was
her name — must bo recorded as one of the most striking instances of
the providential dealings of a prayer hearing and gracious God.

Her parents were living in Acadia (now Nova Scotia) near
Grand Prd, when the Acadians were driven away from their home-
steads, by English officers, and transported in vessels to other parts
of the continent — an episode so touchingly narrated by Longfellow in
" Evangeline." They were landed with many otners at the port of
Boston, and they settled in a small village a short distance from that
place. When yet quite young the children were sent to the common
schools and there read the Bible. When Mrs. Lore had reached the
age of twenty, her granS-mother seeing her attachment to the Bible,
and fearing that she might lose her religion, determined to bring the
whole family to Lower Canada, with a view to avert this calamity.
They settled in the Parish of Lacadie. As soon as they had reached
this country the young woman was forced to abandon the reading of

the Bihlo that had been {xiven to her in the United States ; oblin;ed
to go to confess, in a word to become a strict observer of the rules of
the Church of Rnnie, She wiis married to a Mr. Lore, u -jood
catholic, and lor twenty years she lived without the Gospel, without
bein;' illowed to read it, and also without confidence in the reli-iiouH
practices she had to perform. It was a most miserable life to her, so
much so, that those who knew her well would say that the tears she
had shed would be sufficient to turn a mill. Alter twenty years of
such a life, and alter the death of lier old parents, Mrs. Lore returned
to her precious book ajrain, and when she met our Missionaries she
had been readinr; it for twenty-eight years, in the midst of a continued
spiritual struggle. She saw the truth but dimly, and, surrounded as
she was, she found no one to whom she could open her mind, and
who could understand her. She was often heard to say to her child-
ren : " I shall have a mo?t fearful death, for I know that I have been
induced to practice what is not the truth ; the truth is here, pointing to
her Bible, and I have not followed it." She had such a high regard for
the Bible, that going once to Champlain Village, procured from Judge
Moore a copy of the Holy Scriptures for every one of her children.
When she lienrd of this strange school teacher, who read the
Holy Scriptures to the children in the school at Grande Ligne, and
in houses around, ^he hastened to sec him. After a few moments of
conversation, she exclaimed : " The Lord has heard my prayers; He
lias not despised my tears ; this is God's servant, I know it ; this is
the man of God whom I have asked of Him these many years." She
very soon found jiweet peace in believing— a peace that never was dis-
turbed during the eight months that she lived in this world after her con-
version. She was seen to come on foot to the meetings held at Grande
Ligne, to hear the preaching of the Holy Word. As the time of her
departure drew near, her Roman Catholic neighbors, accustomed to
.see infidels repent, and return at the last hour in s'lbniission to the
Church, they expected that she would also at last submit and accept
the offices of the Priest. In this they were greatly disappointed, for
not only did she remain firm in her faith, but with a clear mind and a
glowing heart she bore her aflfectionate testimony to her Saviour as
the all sufficient One at the hour of death. The whole of her family,
composed of eight children and many grand-children, after her ex-
ample, left the Church of Rome to embrace the Gospel. One of her
daughters being one day by the bed-side of a man to whom the

Missionary was cnrloavouvins to point out Christ crucified, she was m
struck with what he said tliat she ininicdiatcly (iskcd Mr. l?oussy if
ho would not come to her house on tlio fbllowinji Suiidny to speak to a
few persons she should invite there. Mr. Roussy was oxcoedinirly
rejoiced with this openiiii^, and went on the next Sahbrith to find a
lull house. They all listened with the deepest attention to the dis-
course so new and intcrestiiij» to them, and at the end of it, they
invited him to preach to them again. There and then was sown the
first good seed from which has sprung the ever progressing and
widening work of the Grand Ligne Mission.

The meetings were sustained and attended by some forty persons.
But the Priests, informed of these labors, began to preach violently
against Mr. Roussy — calling him a fool, an innovator, a heretic, and
all the insulting names that their hatred could suggest. Through
their efforts and influence he was soon dismissed from the school.
Ho was then fully at liberty to give himself to the propagation of the
faith ; and he began to travel more extensively, preaching the Gospel
wherever he could get access to the people, particularly iu St. Johns,
Sherrington and Napierville.

During this time Madame Feller was residing at St. Johns. She
had gone there after Mr. Olivier's departure, hoping to find an oppor-
tunity for usefulness ; but her endeavors failed of success through the
opposition of the Priests, and her attention was ultimately directed to
Grande Ligne. " Judging," she said, " it would be best to associate
my labors with those of Brother Roussy lor the advancement of the
kingdom of the Lord, I visited the different places where he was
received, in order to fix upon one where I iil^ht station myself. In
going to Grande Ligne twice a week, I f.icn saw that this was my
place. Several families had already abandoned Popery, and the adults,
as well as the children, needed a school. One difiiculty was the want
of a place of residence ; there was not a simple house where I could
be lodged. The family in whoso house preaching had been regularly
held, offered me a garret, which I divided into two appartments, that
it might serve for a bed-room and school-room."

Madame Feller became a resident at Grande Ligne in October,
1836. She immediately opened a school, with twelve children belong-
ing to families that had left the Church of Rome, and all, except one,
the grand-children of old Mrs. Lore. Soon the number increased to
twenty. Not content with instructing the children in the day, she

opened an oveninK "cliool for ailuitM, witli twelve scholars. In atMition
to the ref;nl,.r pupils, a considoniblc iMiinbor attended the concluding
excerciscs, whieii coniprincd readinj,' the Soriptures, conversation on
the passajres read, and prayer. So interestinj? were these services, that
they were often prolon-ed till midnight. It was a HOason of arduous
yet deliirhtful effort.

In the following June, 1837, the heat being insupportable in the
garret, the exccrcisefl were conducted in a barn. About that time the
Kev. J. Gilmour, pastor of the Baptist Church at Montreal, visited
the Station, and being deeply oflbcted by the inconveniences and
privations endured by Madame Feller, undertook to provide sumo
suitable accommodations. A small house was erected, chiefly by means
of contributions from Christian friends in Montreal, Champlain and
Plattsburgh. That building served for a dwelling, a school-house and
a place of worship, till the mission-house was commenced in the
autumn of 1838. •

A small church, organised in 1837, now numbered sixteen mem-
bers, and besides these converts, many showed favorable dispositions
towards the Gospel. But an hour of trial was drawing nigh. The
fire of persecution was soon kindled, and they were to suffer for the
truth's sake.

In the course of October the insurrection in Canada broke out.

The Roman Catholics around Grande Ligne took advantage of the

prevailing confusion, and commenced a series of outrages. Mr

lloussy was deliberately shot at, but was providentially preserved

A mob assembled around the house of Madame Feller at ni-ht, and

with frightful yells and imprecations ordered the Missionaries to leave

the country, threatening to set lire to their dwelling, and to murder them,

if they should refuse to comply. In the same manner they went to'

the houses of all who had renounced Popery, and commanded them

to abandon either their new religion or their country, under pain of

fire or sword. Such disorder prevailed in the country that the

Government could afford them no protection ; and hence, after serious

and prayerful consideration, they unanimously resolved to give up all

and flee to the United States. To human view, nothing could be

more sad and miserable than this fugitive band; but to the Christian

eye, their trial had ita bright side, as it was for the name of Jesus

they were reduced to such a pitiable condition. Christians in the

United States provided liberalh for the urgent wants of the perse-

cutod ones.

At the expiration of two months tlicy returned, and found that
their dweiiirifrs had heen preserved, but notiiin;" else. The labors f»f
the mission were resumed with increased suceess during the year
18;J8. But in tlio month of November civil war again l)rokc out
around them. Mr. Roussy was made a prisoner. Through the in
lluenco of Madame Feller, the angry rioters were apjHiased, and
pledged themselves that neither the Mi.ssionnrios nc their jiroperty
should be molested during the war. The pledge given was literally
redeemed. Wliilo all around them were pillaged, by the kind provi-
dence of God the mission family and property were untouched.

Tlie need of a normal .school, to train teachers and colporteurs,
was now deeply felt, as well as of a building suitable for sueli an in-
stitution. Without waiting for the means necessary for sueli an
und'irtaking — walking by faith more than by sight— the Missionaries
began, notwithstanding their poverty, to lay the foundation of a large
stone building, trusting to God for its completion. Whilj the found-
ation was still underground, the Rev. Mr. Kirk, of Albany, (now Dr.
Kirk, of Boston), came to visit these religious pioneers. On looking
over this unfinished foundation, he felt a call from the Lord to help
these poor beginners, and immediately resolved to do so. Mr. Kirk
accompanied JIadamc Feller to the United States to plead the cause
of the Mission before all denominations of Christians. His .Viirni
heart, his glowing elo(juence, his love of souls, gained to this cause a
great number of friends, many of whom, in spite of the denominational
iieelings which were afterwards raised, and so embittered the Mission-
aries' cup, have to this day remained steadfastly attached to the Mission.
His services to this cause were invaluable, and will ever be remembered
with gratitude and love by the Missionaries themselves, and by all
the converts who are acquainted with this laborious but glorious be-
ginning. Next to God, the Mission owe him everlasting gratitude.
Dr. Kirk repeatedly visited the Mission at Grande Ligue, and once
or twice visited other Stations of its field. He was present when the
good substantial building, erected mainly by his efforts, was conse-
crated to the service of the God of Missions. The discourses he
delivered ia French on that day and the following are still remembered
by those who were then present, with great delight. It may be that
when the shadows and imperfections of earth have disappeared in the
light of eternal day, his labours on behalf of this cause will shine as
one of the brightest among the numerous gems in hi ) crown of re-
joicing.

After the erection of the Mission-house, the good providence of
God was strikin<,'ly manifested in providing a teacher for the new in-
stitution. Mr. Normandeau, a priest of tlio Koman Catholic Church,
had been engaged as professor in the Seminary at Quebec for five years.
After a long season of doubt and anxiety on the subject of rcliu-ion,
being in the neighbourhood of Grande Ligne, he sought the aid of the
Missionaries, and by their instrumentality was led to receive the truth
as it is iu Jesus. He immediately engaged in the good work ; and he
has now been labouring for more than twenty years in an unassummg,
humble, but most effectual way, to promote the knowledge of the
Gospel among his countrymen ; and for the last seven years he has
been the pastor of a promising, tliough yet small, Missionary church,
in that very city of Quebec, where he formerly taught as a priest in
the Roman Catholic Seaainary.

The year ISil was one of the most remarkable periods in the
history of this Mission. During that year a new field was opened iu
St. Pie and its neighbourhood, a parish forty -five miles east of Grande
Ligne.

It was brought about by the following circumstances : The house
of a certain person having been burned, and, as was common in French
Canada (where at that time there were no insurance offices), two of
his neighbors went round the country to solicit aid on his behalf. On
this errand they came to Grande Ligne, and happened to stop at the
house of one of ihe new converts, and there met the Missionaries. In
the course of conversation these men told the Missionaries that in
their village (St. Pie) there had come back from the United States a
young man whose religious views were changed, and who professed to
follow only the doctrines of the Gospel. This young man had a copy
of the New Testament, to which lie constantly referred. Induced by
Mr. Roussy to take a copy of the Scriptures with them in order to
examine the Word of God, tliese men returned to St. Pie and shewed
this New Testament to the mother of the young man just spoken of.
After comparing the two copies of the Scriptures, and having con-
sulted an old Bible in the possession of an old North-Wester, they
wrote to Mr. Roussy : " We are quite perplexed about religious truth,
do come and instruct us." This Macedonian cry was immediately
answered. Mr. Roussy left Grande Ligne the same day by roads al-
most impassable. When he reached St. Pie the little band of anxious
inquirers were soon gathered around our ft-iend.

Old Mr. Anger, the Nortli-Westorii travollor, was not forsottcn,
and bis Bible, which ho got while in tlic (service of the IJuilsoii IJ:iv Com-
pany, was the text-book of authority, to which they constantly referred.
There was a reason for its being an authority above otiiers. These
French Bibles, scattered here and there in the country, and whose power
slumbered as it were until alivinu voice came to appeal to them— until
then the Priests had not contested theii- genuncss as true copies of the
Holy Scriptures, The old man liad been called by the Priests, and some
of the people after him as well, an old fool, an inlidel, u devil, because he
made no use of the services of the Church, and would not allow his sun
to be baptized only when of age, so that he could do it of his own prompt-
ings. After days and nights of religious intercourse, explanations, read-
ing and praying, Mr. Roussy had the happiness to se - ;ht persons leave
the Church of Kome to follow the pure doctrine of the Gospel. These
formed the nucleus of a most flourishing station.

We cannot but remark here how the Providence of God had
during so many y ...s, prepared the way for these persons to come to
the truth in tlie two first Stations of the Mission. One was sent in
exile with her parents-to sojourn in a Protestant country, from which
she brought with her the Word of God and the love for it ; the
otlier comes from the far West with a Bible to enlighten his old age ;
and both come to Canada in time to prepare the way for the Mission-
aries who come all the way from Switzerland to appeal to those Bibles
as to a focus of light and truth.

A short time after the opening of St. Pie as a Missionary station,
a violent persecution broke out against the converts of that pUce. The
priests of the neighbourhood had been for some time actively engaged
in exciting the enmity of their people against the Protestant Christians.
A number of young persons gathered before the Mission-house, and
when the Missionaries came out to speak to them, they were received
by a shower of stones. This was the beginning of serenades with
horns, pans, and other discordant instruments, and of violent scenes,
which lasted fourteen days, and which terminated with burning the
house of one of our brethren. Though very reluctantly, the JVIission-
aries had to appeal to the protectioa of the law, and to show that
whilst they suffered everything for Christ's sake, they might, when
they chose, be effectually protected against these outrages. But the
fire of persecution only se med to kindle all around St. Pie a new de-
sire for the Gospel, for the Missionaries were soon constrained to estab-
B

lish two out-stations, which numbered at least one liundred hearers,
who, with but two or three exceptions, left the Komish Church.

While the Lord was preparing a new field, IIo was also, in the
wondrous and mysterious workings of His love, preparing new labourers.
One of the leaders of the Canadian insurrection of 1837-'38 and
for several years a member of the Canadian Parliament, Dr. Cote' was
obliged to flee to the United States in order to save his life, as a price
had been set on his head by the Governor-general. Being a deist, as
most educated Frenchmen are, and having no hope beyond this woild
Dr. Cote was a prey to great internal anguish. His chequered life
appeared to him suspended on a few threads, whose frailty filled him
with apprehension. Death was to him the king of terrors. Dis-usted
with the superstitious worship of the Iloniish Church, his^hcart
yearned for something that he did not know. His mental sufferinga
became intolerable, and convinced him that his system of philosophy
deceived him. He resolved to read the Bible, of which he was very
Ignorant, though he had referred to it at times, to find weapons against
the priests. At first it brought him no relief. His mental state so
re-acted on his body, that his friends perceived it, and said that he
was losing his sanity. While in that state of mind, he met on the
frontiers of the State of New York a French Canadian family, mem-
bers of the church of Grande Ligae. The expression of peace which
ho remarked amongst them greatly impressed him; he said that he
did not possess it, and that he knew not how to obtain it. Havin-
heard from them that Mr. Roussy had been the instrument of their
conversion, he wrote to him, asking him to come and see him. In
relating the memorable change which followed, xMr. Roussy says that
" Aiter days of conflict, of earnest prayer, of a crushing sense of sin
and condemnation, Dr. Cote, filled with the spirit of adoption ex-
claimed, ' Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good will
to men.' We wept," continues Mr. Roussy, " but our tears were tears
ot gratitude, of happiness, and of love. AH was solemn around us;
the blessing of God was descending ; our cup was filled. Oh ! blessed
moment, to all eternity blessed 1 "

A short time after his conversion. Dr. Cote was allowed to return
to Canada, where he laboured in different stations, with great success
both as an eloquent preacher of the Gospel, and a^ a Christian
physician, until the autumn of 1850, when his Master called him
suddenly to a better world.

In the same year, 18-11, two young men, Mr. Cyr and 3Ir
Lafleur, ro.idmg in u village near Grande Ligne, were gradually
brought from Romanism to a saving knowledge of the Saviour. Shortly
atter their conversion they joined the church at Grande Li-ue and
entered the Missionary institution, as students ibr the Mini.t% hav-
ing as a teacher one who had been a priest in the church they had Icfc
After a few years of preparation at Grande Ligne, both were sent to
the theologieal .chool of Geneva, presided over by the well-known
Merle D Aub.gne ; and they have been since labouring in the Mission
field one as the editor of an Evangelical French paper, published in
Montreal, the Semcnr CamaUen, the other as a pastor and a teacher
a farst at St. Pie and out stations, as successor to Dr. Cote, and then
at Longueuil, and Montreal.

During the second five years of the mission's operations (1841
to 1846), some thirty persons were brought to the knowledge of the
Saviou,-, under Dr. Cote's ministry at Chazy (on the frontiers of the
btate of xNew York) ; and by the blessing of God upon his labors at
bt. 1 le, many more were converted ; so that upwards of 100 persons,
atiording satisfactory evidence of conversion, were received into church
tellowship in those places, and these, added to the converts at Grande
Ligne, and its neighbourhood, presented a total of about three hundred
souls, rescued from ignorance and sin, and introduced into that king-
dom which IS " righteousness, ^x^ace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

If we next glance at the success enjoyed in the five years, from
1846 to 1851, we find that the Missionaries and the supporters of the
mission had abundant reason to bless God and feel encouraged.
During that period about a hundred individuals were added to the
churches in different stations. New Missionaries raised up in the
country entered the field, and new instrumentalities were used, so that
a broader foundation for future usefulness was laid.

I" 1849 a station was opened at St. Mary, a parish twenty miles
east ot Grande Ligne, where remarkable conversions soon took place.
Ihe first two converts were living in the heart of the parish, close to
the church and to the Priests; one of them being the school teacher,
under the direction of the curate, and the other one of the trustees of
the church. The school teacher was a young married woman of re-
markable force of character and mind, and widely known for her piety.
When she first began to read the Scriptures, it only strengthened her
religious dispositions, and made her conscientious scruples liiore acute.

In her confessions she would often question the Priest as to the srrest
method of obtaining perfect snnotification. The Priest at last h.c^mo
nnnoyea at meeting ^vith so much zeal and conscientiousness, and told
her, \ ou need not be afraid of not doing enough to secure heavon-
you only do too much; you weary God with your constant devotions
and penances If all the world were like you there would be no hell."
^V hat satisfaed the Priest did not, however, satisfy this earnest seeker
after righteousness ; and longing for more light and more holiness she
returned with new zeal to the reading of the Bible. When the Priest
heard of it, he came to see his penitent, and said to her, " Now I
understand why j^u were so troublesome with questions of conscience.
1 ou read he Bible, that's what troubles you." " I beg your pardon,
Sir, said the teacher ; " the Bible i. the very best book that comforts
my soul, because I find there the perfect Saviour who has accomplished
lor me what I cannot do myself."

Shortly after this ^yoman left the Romish Church, and was
lollowed by her father's household and the church trustee already
mentioned. I„ the course of the year they were succeeded by some
tenfamihes, whcse withdrawal caused a great sensation in the whole
parish. The Priests saw that g'-eat efforts must now be put forth on
their part, in order to retain something of their influence over the
Ireneh Canadians who still remained in the church. For this purpose
they employed their most popular preacher. Father Chiniq J the
Apostle of remperenec in Lower Canada. The Bishops allowed him
to preach_ most intemperately against French Protestants, whose
doctrines, in the eyes of che Priesthood, were a rising evil, much more
to be fc ired by them than drunkenness.

_ Faithful to his orders, and doubtless also to his convictions, Mr.
Chiniquy did not spare the French Protestants, but spoke and wrote
and acted against them in every way possible. After a public dlscus-
^o„ with one of the Missionaries, Mr. Houssy, at St. Mary's, Mr
Chiniquy, in one of his discourses against "the new and detestable

:Tr^,/°'"''"^ '° *''' ^^''^'^ ^^^"^^^ foundations were laid, said,
Children of our Holy Church, you will not allow these walls to vh!^
any higher, if you are faithful to your mother." They endeavored
to be faithful m their own way ; but still the walls rose, and the Chapel
was completed; and Mr. Chiniquy, before a year had elapsed, had
been sent (the Bishops alono knew why) to a distant settlement of
French Canadians in the State of Illinois, in the United States, where
we shall have to notice him again prcscntlv.

In 1852 this Chapel was opened, and the Missionaries could not
but compare this dedication service with that of the Grande Ligne
Mission-house in 1840, and bless our Divine Redeemer for the alnu)st
incredible transformation which had been wrought among the French
Canadians during the interval. Twelve years before' the Grande
Ligne Chapel was filled chiefly by ilnglish and Anglo-American friends,
who were hailing with joy the opening of a ne^^' field, full of nromise ;
but now, a much larger chapel was tilled mainly by French Canadians,
who had been brought to the knowledge of Christ by the labours of
the Missionaries. Twelve years ago, the Ministers who filled the
pulpit and addressed the people on the occasion were all, without ex-
ception,- of foreign origin ; but now, of the six Ministers present, five
were Missionaries on the field, and three of the last named were
French Canadians by birth and education, and one of them had form-
erly been a Priest in the Romish Church.

Until 1850, the education of Canadian girls had been limited to
a few received in the Grande Ligne Institution, which was chiefly in-
tended for young men. The need of a separate school for young
women, and of more systematic teaching, was deeply felt ; and it was
resolved that an institution of this kind should be established at St.
Pie, under the direction of Miss Jonte, a French lady. After four
years of encouraging prosperity, and blessed religious results to the
pupils, who averaged twenty in number, the mission-house was acci-
dently burnt down. The institution was then transferred to Longueuil,
opposite Montreal, on the south side of the St. Lawrence, under the
superintendence of Mr. and Mrs. Lafleur, until 1864. During that
period it averaged thirty pupils, many of whom were converted d°uring
the '* American Revival." including some who had entered the school
as Roman' Catholics. Without any exception known to us, their
subsequent conduct has been honorable to their profession.

A word is due here, perhaps, as to the nature and the object of
these schools. An establishment to prepare young persons as teachers
of elementary schools, and as colporteurs and Bible readers, was
absolutely necessary in a country where general education had been
so sadly neglected. It was also desirable that young men looking
forward to the work of the ministry should begin their preparation
for It at home. Besides, there were a large number of French
Protestant families, isolated in the midst of a Romau Catholic com-
munity, and who must remain in ignorance if the Missionaries did

liavo been most j,rratityinM'. -^'n- results

.n.s,r„™„t,,li,j hu.dr.Ja of „|,i|dL were U^l til's^^tT

ot secu ar kno\vleJ..-e -inrl «,., j , . * ^ branches

&w„.ft„„„, . ,,eek,, religious .„d secular paps, wl ;,.*!

eight

lished, lu I80I, by the help of a few friends. A few years after it
was partly sustained by the funds of the Mission until 18(32. Durin-^
that period ,t was, no doubt, the means of spreading a goo.l deal of
religious truth in the country. It has, since 18G2 ceased to
connection with the Mission.

For a few years past we have extended our labours as far as the
ron lerso the States of Voriaont and New York. A certain numb::
Ir., r T '^''^ Sone to settle in those parts, where many
Fiench Canadian Koman Catholic fan.ilics reside. Living anion!
American Protestants, their prejudices had gradually given a^ay and
our brethren found them more accessible to the truth than their co-
religionists in Canada. The Itev. J. Letourneau was especially
bk.sed among them. After a few years of arduous labours he founJ
Welf .surrounded with numerous congregations eager to hear the
Uoid of Ood ; and with more than a hundred persons who professed
rnt^tW r 1 '"%^"''\"°^' Hf,> ,„j ,,„,^ ,^^^ Kingdom of Satan
unto the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Tl;« Central Station of that field was for several years the Town
of Enosburg-.it is now Montgomciv, in Vennon t

labour! of r'^ M- ^"'^ ■" "^""' "' '''^^' ^''"•^ "^'^^ 1'""^'-^ to tl'«
with 00 r ^^'-'°-'f «• One of our Colporteurs found access
Mthoneof our remarkable French Canadian gentlemen, Mr. B B
once tlie ed-^nr of a French political paper, in Montreal. 'After alt

n ess of rr;7""''"'"'"= ^'^''''''' '^^ "^"^^^^'y ^^J «ie genuine-

bu that he yielded unreservedly to its divine power. Livin. on a

nt of an Agncu tural Society for the improvement of the soil,

Cb •! "7,f ""^'T^^' « ^^"^^•^"l'^ old man. named Poissant, left the
thuieh of llome when lie was upwards of seventy years of a-e His
unb e s, d ,f, , j,,^^^ ,^,^,^^j.^^ ^.^ ^j^^^. comprehension of U

.o^n " Jt^^^f <^-«« to the cause of Christ as a Protestant,
soon increased his mflucnce as a Christian, and marked him out us a
dangerous enemy to tho Romish Church. On. evening as he wa^
quietly reading the Bible in the house of his son-in-law: with a Co"
porteur, the house was mobbed by a dozen masked men. He was
most cruelly beaten, and a few months after died from the effects of his
wounds; suffenng most intensely to the last, but with u faith and a

heavenly joy ssh\di mado him more than conqueror, throujih Him
who loved him and died f«.rhiin.

Another openin- was made in Quebec, in 1857, by the cruel
treatment of a Colporteur. The Gospel had been occasionally preache.i
in Quebec, the TJible had been read by a few, and a number of fan.i-
1168 had been visited by the Missionaries ; but still the City remained
quite closed a^aiust the truth. In 1857, u Colporteur was assaulted
in one of the streets, and beaten almost to death by a band of workin-
men, whose zeal had been kindled by the exhortations of the Priests"
Immediately after his recovery he desired to preach. The use of the
Lnj,d.sh Baptist Chapel was granted to him ; and to the astonishment
ot all, nearly a hundred French Canadians came to hear him. As ho
was a very illiterate man, and, though a good Colporteur, not at all
qualified to preach, other Missionaries were called to speak publicly
to those persons who came there from various motives, some from
cuncsity, others to amuse themselves, and a few from a real desire to
fand the truth. Mr. Lafleur and Mr. xNormandeau especially, visited
Quebec alternately, to preach the Gospel to those in.iuirers, who at
one time numbered more than two hundred-a large number for such
a place as Quebec. The result of this movement was the formation
ot a small Baptist Church, of living, devoted members, over which
Mr. JVormandeau, once a Priest, presides.

Towards the end of the year 1857 it was rumoured that Mr.
thimquy, whose history is now well known in this country had in-
curred the displeasure of his Bishop. In the beginning of 1858, a
letter ot b.s m answer to the threats of the Bishop, was published in
a trench paper in Montreal. This letter became the occasion of a
private correspondence between Mr. Chiniquy and one of the labourers
ot the Grande Ligne Mission, which continued for some months ; after
which the Missionary visited Mr. Chiniquy at St. Anne, Illinois, and
became intimately connected with his ensuing spiritual and ecclesias-
tical struggle, as well as with his final secession from the Church of
Koine. He also had the privilege to take some part in that remarkable
work of reformation among his fellow-countrymen settled in that
VVestera State of the Union.

. In the course of a year, nearly as many French Canadians left

the Roman Catholic Church in those parts as had left it in Canada

since the commencement of the Missionary work there twenty-four

. years ago; and the close connexion existing between this happy result

11111

.•iml the prcpiiralory labours wliicli liiiil jireeedeil it aiiiilit not to bo
overlooked.

From the position that Mr. Chini(niy had lield anioiiir the Cau-
a(lian Priesthood, it was fondly cxiiccted that he would be the instru-
ment in the hands of God to accomplish a great reformation in this
land. His very popular lectures on Temperance, which liad accom-
plishcd an immenso amount of good, had given liiiii a wide-spread
influence, especially on the people of country parishes, who almost
Avorshippcd him for the good he hud done them. No other man liad
such favorable antocodonts. Knowing tliis, Mr. Chiniquy determined
to come to Canada in the beginning of IS-'jO. Expecting to be more
iavorably received, he came in the garb of the Priest, but it only gave
the impression of a want of frankness, both to Pioman Catliolics and
to Protestants. After a flying visit to this country, wlicre he should
have remained to do a great work, he returned t(j St. Anne, Illinois,
and confiued his labors to those settlements around him. Less of the
combative element and more of a deep spiritual christian character
was necessary, even with his former influence, to efiet t the reibrmation
of which we thought we saw the dawn a few years ago.

In summing up tho tangible and visible results of these thirty
years of labour, we may .safely .ray that about three tliousand persons
have been rescued from the influence of superstition to follow tho
<}ospel alone, and that more than twelve hundred of these have become
the subjects of divine grace.

We could not show more than half of that number in our midst,
owing to the large emigration of our French Canadian Protestants to
the United States. This is a somewhat discouraging feature in our
Missionary eftbrts, but we comfort ourselves by the tliouglit that tliose
are only lost to us and not to the Church of God. Tlie nucleus
that remains in our midst is sufficient, if fiuthful, to enlighten a large
^)ortion of the country.

The Mission-work embraces some forty Parishes, every one of
which contains French Canadian converts. It has twelve Central
Stations, ten organised Churches, and employs about twenty laborers,
as Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists and Colporteurs.

And now this work began in faitli, nurtured with prayer, labor
and tears, and on wliich the Lord, whose work it is, has set the seal of
His approbation and crowned with His blessing, is commended to the
sympathies and the prayers of all who love the Master and His cause.
C

There is luueli to be done iu this land, and the work rcf,uircs
zeal, energy and dcvotednoss of no ordinary kind. Let the compact
between the heroic Carey and tlie unfaltering Fuller never be for-
gotten. While there arc the devoted servants of Christ who go down
into the pit ; let every one who professes to have been rescued from
Its darkness cheerfully and lovingly " take hold of the ropes."

This littlu seed from Heaven

Shall soon become a tree,
This ever blessed leaven,

DiiruHcd abroad must be,

Till God the Sou

Shall come again,
It must go on,

Amen, Amen !

MoNTRKAL. July, ISGO.