IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 I 
 
 1.0 ^UiK£ 
 
 ■tt lii 12.2 
 
 1.1 l.-"'^" 
 
 
 6" 
 
 /* . 
 
 I%olQgra[iiic 
 
 Sdmoes 
 
 CorporatiQii 
 
 '^ 
 
 
 "'U^ 
 
 >^^ 
 
 \ 
 
 4(^ 
 
 >. 
 
 23 WBT MAM STRUT 
 
 WnSTIR,N.Y. M5M 
 
 (7)*) 172-4503 
 
 ^4^ 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
v 
 
 :^ 
 
 
 ;\ 
 
 ► 'O 
 
 ;\ 
 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian InatHuta for Hinorical MIcroraproductlons / Inathut Canadian da microreptoductlona historiquaa 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notos tachniquaa at bibliographiquaa 
 
 Tha Inatltuta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat 
 original copy avallabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia 
 copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua, 
 which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha 
 raproduction, or which may aignificantly changa 
 tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 n 
 
 Coiourad covara/ 
 Couvartura da coulaur 
 
 |~~| Covara damagad/ 
 
 Couvartura andommagte 
 
 Covars rastorad and/or laminatad/ 
 Couvartura rastaurte at/ou palliculAa 
 
 Covar titia missing/ 
 
 La titra da couvartura manqua 
 
 Coiourad maps/ 
 
 Cartas gtographiquas en coulaur 
 
 Coloured inic (i.a. othar than blua or biacit)/ 
 Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) 
 
 Coiourad platas and/or illustrations/ 
 Planchas at/bu illustrations an coulaur 
 
 Bound with othar material/ 
 RailA avac d'autres documents 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 Lareliure serrie peut causer da i'ombre ou de la 
 diatortiort la long de la marge intArieure 
 
 Blank leaves edded during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certaines pagea blanches ajouttea 
 lore d'une restauration apparaissent dans la texte, 
 mala, lorsque cela 6tait possible, cea pages n'ont 
 pea AtA filmAes. 
 
 Tha 
 toti 
 
 L'Inatitut a microfilm^ la meilleur exemplaire 
 qu'll lul a At* poaaibia de se procurer. Les details 
 da cat exemplaire qui sent peut-Atre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographlque, qui peuvent modifier 
 une Image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dana la mAthoda normaia de filmage 
 aont indlqute ci-daaaous. 
 
 r~n Coloured pagea/ 
 
 n 
 
 Pagea de couleur 
 
 Pages damaged/ 
 Pages endommagtes 
 
 Pages restored and/oi 
 
 Pages rastaur^es et/ou peiliculAes 
 
 Pages discoloured, stained or foxet 
 Pages d6colorAes, tachetAes ou piqu6es 
 
 I — I Pages damaged/ 
 
 I — I Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 
 r~T| Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 
 The 
 poei 
 oft 
 film 
 
 Ori( 
 
 beg 
 
 the 
 
 sior 
 
 othi 
 
 first 
 
 sior^ 
 
 or 11 
 
 □Pages detached/ 
 Pages ditachtes 
 
 0Showthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 Transparence 
 
 Quality of print varies/ 
 Qualit^ inAgaie de I'impression 
 
 Includes supplementary material/ 
 Comprend du metiriel supplAmentaire 
 
 Only edition available/ 
 Seule Mition diaponible 
 
 The 
 
 ahal 
 TINI 
 whi 
 
 Maf 
 diff< 
 enti 
 begl 
 righ 
 reqii 
 met 
 
 Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata 
 slips, tissues, etc., have been refiimed to 
 ensure the best possible imege/ 
 Lc^; i»ages totalement ou partiellement 
 obscurcies par un feuillet d'erreta, une pelure, 
 etc., ont M fiim^es A nouveau de fa^on A 
 obtenir la meiileure image possible. 
 
 Addltionol comments:/ 
 Commentaires supplAmentaires: 
 
 IrragHlar pagination : [i] • Iv, [5] - 36, 35 p. 
 
 This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce document eat f ilmA au taux de rMuction indiqui ci-deasous. 
 
 10X 
 
 
 
 
 14X 
 
 
 
 
 18X 
 
 
 
 
 22X 
 
 
 
 
 2SX 
 
 
 
 
 »X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
lira 
 
 details 
 laa du 
 modifiar 
 par una 
 fiimaga 
 
 to« 
 
 Tha copy fllmad hara haa baan raproducad thanka 
 to tha ganaroalty of: 
 
 Library of tha Public 
 Archivaa of Canada 
 
 Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat quality 
 poaalbia conaMarlng tha condition and laglblllty 
 of tha original copy and In kaaping with tha 
 filming contract apaclf Icatlona. 
 
 Original copiaa in printad papar covara ara fllmad 
 baglnning with tha front covar and anding on 
 tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratad Impraa- 
 •ion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. All 
 othar original copiaa ara fllmad baglnning on tha 
 first paga with a printad or Illuatratad impraa- 
 •ion, and anding on tha laat paga with a printad 
 or illuatratad Impraaalon. 
 
 Tha laat racordad frama on aach microfiche 
 •hall contain tha aymbol — »> (moaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or tha aymbol ▼ (moaning "END"), 
 whichavar appliaa. 
 
 L'axamplaira film* f ut raproduH grica i la 
 g4n4roalt* da: 
 
 La bIbliothAqua daa Archivaa 
 publiquaa du Canada 
 
 Laa imagaa auhrantaa ont MA raproduitaa avac la 
 plua grand aoln, compta tanu da la condition at 
 da hi nattatA da l'axamplaira fiim4, «t mn 
 conformitA avac laa conditiona du contrat da 
 fiimaga. 
 
 Laa axamplairaa origlnaux dont la couvartura an 
 paplar aat ImprimAa aont fllmto an commanpant 
 par la pramlar plat at 1% tarminant aolt par la 
 darnlAra paga qui comporta una ampralnta 
 d'improaaion ou d'illuatration, aoit par ia aacond 
 plat, aalon la caa. Toua laa autraa axamplairaa 
 origlnaux aont filmAa an commandant par la 
 pramiAra paga qui comporta una ampralnta 
 d'Impraaalon ou d'illuatration at an tarminant par 
 la darnMra paga qui comporta una talla 
 ampralnta. 
 
 Un daa aymbolaa auhranta apparattra aur ia 
 darnlAra Imaga da chaqua microflcha, salon la 
 caa: la aymbda — ► aignifia "A SUIVRE". ia 
 aymbola ▼ aignifia "FIN". 
 
 IMapa. plataa, charta, ate, may ba fllmad at 
 diffarant raduction ratioa. Thoaa too larga to ba 
 antlraly included In ona axpoaura ara fllmad 
 baglnning in tha uppar laft hand comar, laft to 
 right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa 
 raqulrad. Tha following diagrama llluatrata tha 
 mathod: 
 
 Laa cartaa, planchaa, tableaux, ate, pauvant Atra 
 filmte it daa taux da rMuctlon diff Aranta. 
 LorM|ua la document eat trop grand pour Atre 
 reprodult en un aaul clichi, il eat f llmA k partir 
 da Tangle aupirlaur gauche, de gauche A droite, 
 et de haut an baa, en prenant la nombre 
 d'Imagaa nAceaaaire. Lea diagrammea auivanta 
 illuatrent \r mAthode. 
 
 f errata 
 dto 
 
 It 
 
 la paiura. 
 
 pon A 
 
 13 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 32X 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
REPORT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REV. E. LAPELLETRIE, 
 
 TO THE 
 
 -SYNOD 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PRESBTTERIAN CHURCH IN CANADA, 
 
 IN CONNECTION WITH THE 
 
 CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, 
 
 ON THE CRITICAL CONDITION OF THEIR FRENCH MISSION IN MONTREAL. 
 
 
 JUNE, 1850. 
 
 " The KiDgdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed." — Matth. XIIL 81. 
 
 " I pray to God that ye do no evil ; not that we should appear approved, 
 but that ye should do that which is honest, though wo be aa reprobates. For 
 we can do nothii^ agamst the truth, but for the truth." — 2 Corinth, XIIL 
 'lands. 
 
 Motitxtal: 
 
 PBIiraED BY LOVELL AND GIBf>ON, ST. NICHOLAS STREET. 
 
 1850. 
 
K; I 
 
 
 ■MX J: I, 
 
 > i' 
 
 
 
 
 
 :. J.r. :••-; 
 
 f . , 
 
 't.a".i_,;;jrv,ji ,r 
 
 ';Tn}i '^u-t 
 
 ^ ^ ■ 1'*'^^^ ^1 ■ 
 
 ^ » 
 
 M U,M I' 
 
 ^i '-t^ ;;; 
 
t - ¥ 
 
 a 
 
 I 
 
 ^!^<7i -M^lt ■-' 
 
 ' •.•/■r.| '< ^ 
 .9 -^nii r 
 
 Liy 
 
 t->f' 1 
 
 TO THE MEMBERS OP THE PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD IN CANADA, 
 f IN CONNECTION WITH THE CHURCH OP SCOTLAND. 
 
 Fathers AND Brethren, ' " 
 
 Most deeply do I lament the necessity which now com- 
 pels me to lay before you, individually, and will at the 
 next meeting of our Synod constrain me to lay before you, 
 collectively, the critical position of the French Mission nn- 
 der your auspices ; a position, which you will perceive, 
 from the annexed statements, has arisen in part from the 
 little interest manifested by our Church at large in this 
 most interesting Missionary work, and in a still greater 
 measure from the mismanagement of its funds, which the 
 French Mission Committee seems determined to alienate 
 altogether. 
 
 You are aware that our Church has acknowledged the 
 necessity which is laid upon her to promote Christ's King- 
 dom among the benighted French Canadians — a Missionary 
 Station was established by you in Montreal, for that pur- 
 pose, in the year 1841. That Christian work, with the 
 agency of but one Missionary, has been instrumental la 
 bringing to the knowledge of the saving truth several Ca- 
 nadians. It has called into existence in Montreal, a small 
 community of " living members of Christ's body ;" and it 
 has sowed the good seed of the kingdom of God throughout 
 Canada. Thus your French Missionary work has proved 
 itself to have had for its sole end the glory of God, and the 
 salvation of immortal souls. It might have been expected 
 that such a work would have awakened the sympathies of 
 every heart imbued with Christianity — imbued with hu- 
 manity. That it would have exerted a lively interest in its 
 favour, and would have engaged among us all who profess 
 to have at heart the advancement of the Kingdom of 
 Christ, to assist and to encourage its humble agent with 
 
IV 
 
 r { 
 
 M 
 
 their counsel and co-oporation. But instead of this, our 
 Church has proved herself unable, or rather unwilling to 
 support even one Missionary among the French Canadians ; 
 and there are some of us who show themselves determined 
 to get rid of that instrument of salvation, and to do so in 
 a manner which would render the work of God void among 
 us, and expose us to everlasting shame. 
 
 Fathers and Brethren, whatever may be said against me, 
 the Lord knoweth that I may say in truth : *' Lord, thou 
 knowest all things ; thou knowest that I love thee." I 
 love the work of my Redeemer — I desire the salvation of 
 all men as ardently as I desire my own — I love exceedingly 
 this branch of His Church universal to which we belong. 
 Accordingly, I cannot be a party to, nor will I be the vic- 
 tim if I can help it, of proceedings which if sanctioned by 
 our Synod, would stamp opprobrium upon our Zion and 
 destroy our French Mission in Montreal. These convio 
 tions and sentiments have constrained me to have that re- 
 port printed and sent, previous to the meeting of the Synod, 
 to those alone, (in the meantime) under whose considera- 
 tion I desire to bring the claims of that mission. I have 
 also been induced to adopt that line of conduct, because I 
 have been threatened by a member of the French Mission 
 Committee, that I would be prevented to give any report 
 to the Synod— that is to say, that I would be tried and 
 condemned " in a star chamber." 
 
 All this makes me wait with deep anxiety the decision of 
 the Synod on the proposal which I have appended to this 
 Report for your perusal. If it was not adopted, I must 
 confess, I would be placed in a very grievous position, al- 
 though I may assure you that I will adopt none but lawful 
 means to secure the fulfilment of the claims referred to. 
 But none such can I or will I forego. 
 The whole nevertheless respectfully submitted. 
 
 Emile Lapelletrie. 
 
 f?4 
 
 ih- 
 
this, our 
 willing to 
 anadians ; 
 etermined 
 do so in 
 »id among 
 
 gainst me, 
 lOrd, thoii 
 thee." I 
 Ivation of 
 ceedingly 
 e belong. 
 e the vic- 
 tioned by 
 Zion and 
 
 convic- 
 
 that re- 
 le Synod, 
 onsidera- 
 
 I have 
 )ecause I 
 
 Mission 
 ly report 
 'ied and 
 
 cision of 
 to this 
 I must 
 tion, a1- 
 t lawful 
 rred to. 
 
 )TRIE. 
 
 •a 
 
 
 
 TO THE 
 
 \'> ft li ')\y\\ him ..viv*'.'. :->\ <■. -iLinA .1 i«i i-^. *^h ni/,m\t^ 
 
 FRENCH MISSION COMMIHEE 
 
 or TU SYN^OD OF Tm } ■-»^u^ .'Uri-i.:i'u itaj 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CANADA, ;". 
 
 
 .,, j , 
 
 </ 
 
 IN OONNECnON Wrm THE 
 
 ESTABLISHED CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. 
 
 
 AN APPEAL 
 
 IN BKaAI.F OF TBS 
 
 .;■;(,;•: ■.•i-:;j /-, no 
 
 ERENGH mSfflON OF HONTBEAI, 
 
 rOK THB PDUFOSB OF 
 
 ESTABLISHING IT ON A PERMANENT FOOTING. 
 
 ij ..... 
 
 The Word of God declares positively, and proves by incon- 
 trovertible facts, that if ''ve desire to render ourselves equal to 
 the mighty task, to bring about order and to extend it in 
 society, there is but one means of doing so : we must employ 
 God's chosen method of doing it. We ought, in e first place, 
 to labour ^o promote Christ's Kingdom among t..^ benighted 
 as well as among ourselves, just because it is right to do so; 
 because it is Qod's will, and ought therefore to be followed up, 
 whatever obstOtdes may beset, or whatever darkness may sur^ 
 round our path. And, in the second place, we ought systema- 
 tically to carry on our mode of operations, and to adopt suc- 
 cessively those accessories which, in our opinion, are best adapted 
 to secure our success. We have complied with the first con- 
 dition of that means, but we have almost wholly overlooked the 
 second in the prosecution of our Missionary work among the 
 French Canadians; and when we have applied ourselves to it. 
 

 
 our views and opinions have been so difTorent and so conflicting 
 on that point, that this work is not yet permanentfy established, 
 nor do we seem to know generally wheref tohettt and how it will 
 be, or, if it will be established at all. And, as there is no se- 
 curity for the Missionary, nor any appearance of stability in 
 the Mission, how can we expect that it will excite sympathy 
 among the friends of the Gospel, and engage the Canadians to 
 connect themselves with it, or cause them to regard it in n fa- 
 vorable light ? I am sure, whatever may be the differences of 
 opinion which the Members of this Committee, and the Mem- 
 bers of our Synod entertain towards this Missionary work, and 
 of the obstacles which paralyze its progress, all must come to 
 the conclusion, that not until we have established this Mission 
 on a permanent footing will its prospects be secure. Conse- 
 quently, in this case, we are not of those who do not know what 
 they want — ^we have only to agree on the accessory means re- 
 quired to establish it permanently; and tohere^ wheUf and haw 
 those accessories will be applied to this purpose. 
 
 As our means then are very limited, let us examine, first of 
 all, where we could more advantageously and with strict eco- 
 nomy establish a French Mission on a permanent footing. It 
 vvill not be denied that the propagation of the Gospel cannot 
 be carried everywhere with the same success. There are people 
 whose circumstances vary and very oflten completely differ from 
 those of another. To meet those varied circumstances, and to 
 overcome those difficulties which present themselves, the mode 
 of operation must be adapted to them. For example, in the 
 country places of this Colony, the Church of Bome is flaming 
 with a superstitious devotion; the people scrupulously observe 
 all her idolatrous observances, and invocate with fervour, "the 
 hosts of heaven;" but in connexion with that exuberance of 
 zeal, there is a total absence of instruction and of true religious 
 knowledge. For them, religion consists exclusively in the acts 
 of worship ; that is to say, in the performance of a fantastical 
 mixture of rites, and of superstitious and idolatrous observances. 
 To observe these, it is for them as they express themselves : 
 *^ /aire son salut," 
 
) conflicting 
 established, 
 [ Kow it will 
 are is uo se- 
 stability in 
 « sympathy 
 Canadians to 
 d it in « fa- 
 ifferences of 
 id the Mem* 
 y work, and 
 aust come to 
 this Mission 
 ire* Conse- 
 t know what 
 y means re- 
 0n, and how 
 
 nine, first of 
 [i strict eco- 
 footing. It 
 Dspel cannot 
 re are people 
 y differ from 
 nces, and to 
 38, the mode 
 nple, in the 
 e is flaming 
 usly observe 
 srvour, "the 
 :uberance of 
 rue religious 
 y in the acts 
 fantastical 
 observances, 
 themselves : 
 
 Now, as ignorance and superstition cannot be counteracted 
 by arguments alone, unaccompanied with acts of charity, it i^ 
 next to impossible, to bring the Canadian peasantry who belong 
 to the Church of Bome, to a salutary conviction of the truth 
 as it is in Jesus, by reasonings merely; because either they are 
 unable to understand the simplest truths, or if they understand 
 them, they imagine that their ignorance is the cause of their 
 being unable to refute them, and their religious prejudices get 
 the masters of their understanding. Consequently, you must 
 gain their confidence by acts of charity before you can do them 
 any spiritual good. And this explains to us why the other 
 French Missions in this Colony, have all of them, been com- 
 menced in country districts, and are supported with Asylums. 
 That system, observe, is not a mere theory, a premeditated 
 plan, it is an imperious necessity which has brought it forth, 
 and without which success is almost impossible. In those Mis- 
 sion houses which we may call Missionary Asylums, they suc- 
 cour every form of human misery; they look after the poor in 
 all situations of life, and they employ all those means which 
 Christianity afibrds them, to prepare for the Gospel a free ac- 
 cess into the hearts of those whom they assist — and God has 
 already blessed their efforts. But, the pecuniary means requirect 
 to support such Missionary institutions are enormous. There 
 is no limitation to the expenses, they increase with the success. 
 As soon as means are limited their work of evangelization is 
 strangled. It would be impossible for us to adopt such a mode 
 of evangelization in one of our cities ; fortunately, it is not re- 
 quired as in the country, because the difficulties to be sur- 
 mounted are not the same. The Roman Catholics in our cities, 
 and particularly in Montreal, have less bigotry than the country 
 people belonging to the same persuasion. They do not worship 
 God in a manner so grossly superstitious as the others do; on 
 the contrary, they consider the religious observances and prac- 
 tices of their church as being superannuated, and they practise 
 them more by the fear of being accused of impiety than by sin- 
 cere devotion. Most of them regard as sacrilegious profana- 
 tions the plenary indulgences, the absolutions of the confes- 
 
I 
 
 lionali and all those prcatigious uaurpatlons of the Divine Au- 
 thoritj) which constitute the power of the Pope and of his 
 priesthood. And then, being no longer inflaenoed hj those 
 impure mixtures of vain imaginations, nor by those voluntary 
 devotions which are nothing but commandments of men; and 
 having always been unfortunately destitute of the privilege of 
 hearing a sound preached Gospel in their own language^ they aM 
 becoming querulous, indifierent to religion, and their mind* ai4 
 becoming more and more engrossed with their temporal wants | 
 and in their eagerness to secure comfort and ease, they ovsU 
 themselves of all kinds of means, but in most cases not of the 
 best description t and thrace it is, that iniquity abounds in this 
 dty, a snare in the midst of us which has caused the ndn «f 
 many. 1? 
 
 Now, although it is true that "every one that doeth.evtt 
 hateth the light, neither cometh to the light lest his deed* 
 should be reproved ;" still, I think that the circmnstanc^s re- 
 ferred to, and which, in my opinion most powerfully contribute 
 to the developement of our evil nature, may be effectually oouli* 
 teracted or beneficially modified at all events, by our makiiig 
 known to the people "that man doth not live by btead aloo* 
 but by every word that proceedeth out ci the mouth of th« 
 Lord.^ Of this, I am convinced, that if the worldljf ani 
 the indifferent knew the true character of the Almighty, his 
 perfections, his love, the comfort of his peace, and the jc^ of 
 his service, they would unless they are reprobate, worship Him 
 in sincerity and in truth ; they would love Him who gave him- 
 self a ransom for us, to redeem our souls from eternal perdition, 
 and they would cry out : " Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou 
 hast the words of eternal life." But, " how shall they coll on 
 Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they 
 believe iu Him of whom they have not heard ? and how shall 
 they hear without a preacher f* 
 
 Accordingly, it appears to me, not only inexpedient to re- 
 move the French Mission from the City to establish it in the 
 country, but it is decidedly impossible for us to do so. We 
 hay^ not the means required So establish a French Mission in a 
 
 •^ ' 
 
9 
 
 lie Divine Au- 
 >pe and of bii 
 need hj then 
 hose volontaiy 
 I of men; and 
 be priTilege of 
 Snage» they are 
 :heir mindt ai4 
 mporal wanto t 
 BM» they oTsil 
 ises not of iht 
 ibounds in thit 
 ted the rain «f 
 
 hat doeth.o?U 
 lest Ilia deed* 
 iiraiBtancds r«- 
 lUy contribate 
 Ifectnallycotili* 
 ly ooir making 
 y btead alon* 
 mouth of th« 
 worldly anal 
 Almighty^ his 
 indthejoy of 
 worship Him 
 irho gave him* 
 rnal perdition, 
 re go? Thou 
 1 they call on 
 ow shall they 
 Eind hour shall 
 
 )edient to re- 
 >li8h it in the 
 I do so. We 
 L Mission in a 
 
 country place on a Arm basis, and wcro wc merely to Uhder<' 
 take the preaching of the Gospel in the couhtry without those 
 accessories which I have just now mentioned, wo would fail. 
 Whilst in the City, our work of evangelization is founded, it has 
 grown, it bears fruit; we have only to e;stablish it on a perma- 
 nent footing to make it bring forth all the good which it seems 
 to promise. Indeed, we may emphatically say, that an imperious 
 necessity is laid upon us to continue the French Mission in 
 Montreal Expediency points out to us this place as the only 
 one whore a French Mission cannot be hid, and whore every 
 one, country people, villagers, as well as the inhabitants of our 
 cities have the opportunity afTurded them of becoming ac- 
 quainted with the saving truth; and wc, all the advantages re- 
 quired for making it known unto them. 
 
 Christian principles enforce the duty of faithfully applying 
 the funds placed at our disposal by the friends of the Gospel^ to 
 the object for which they were given; namely, to erect a French 
 li*rotestant Church and Mission House in Montreal. This wc 
 are bound in duty to do, unless we can show that through the 
 instrumentality of this Mission not one single sinner has been 
 turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto 
 God. But instead of that, since this Mission has been com- 
 menced, I have not only heen privileged, thefirsty to proclaim 
 the glad tidings of salvation to a v^f^^ great portion of the Ro- 
 man Catholics inhabiting this City and the country round about; 
 but it will ever be also among the ntimber of my most pleasing 
 recollections, to remember that I have furrowed this Province 
 in almost every direction for the purpose of sowing the seed of 
 the kingdom of G^ ; and that even many settlers in the bush, 
 and sometimes located in the most secluded settlements, have 
 been made, through my instrumentality, witnesses of the truths 
 which you wish to spread, and of the excellent work which you 
 pursue. God alone knows what has been, or what will be all 
 the results of my humble labours; but we know that the great 
 Head of the Church has crowned them already with consider- 
 able success; for this Missionary work has been the instn jient 
 of calling into existence a small French Protestant Church in 
 
m 
 
 this City; of which twenty-seven Roman Catholic conTcrts 
 have been members in full comuiunion, five of whom have en- 
 tered a blessed eternity, we hope, and seven others have removed 
 at some distance from the City or gone to the U lited States, 
 and fifteen still remain in connection with it. Besides these 
 twenty-seven Boman Catholic converts, the names of three 
 French Protestants, four Swiss, and of a native of Jersey are 
 on our communion roll ; of these, three Swiss are still in full 
 communion with us, which makes the whole number .' our 
 conununicants to eighteen persons. All the others are dead or 
 removed — none have been excommunicated. 
 
 Thus, it cannot be said, that the result is disproportioned to 
 the means employed, for, in the sight of God, and in the sight of 
 His people, one souly is more valuable than the wealth of the 
 whole world. However, let it* be well understood, I do not 
 mean to complain in 'saying all this, nor to make any dv.Ai:aud on 
 sympathy. I merely intend stating facts, and I crowd them 
 here one upon anotl.er, to make it the more manifest that Mon- 
 treal is the only place where we could establish a French Mis- 
 sion with so much hope of success. ^.t:£,*iim- 
 
 But further, in order to draw, in all its lengt! , the line of dis- 
 tinction between what ought and what ought \ >t to be done in 
 regard to the French Mission ; let us examine in the second 
 plaee^ when those pecuniary means, which we p( sess, could be 
 best applied for the object for which they were i ven. It is of 
 incdculable importance to a Missionary work, tl t there should 
 be, as soon as a small congregation is formed, e iie place con- 
 nected with it) which the converts can hold sacre , ~nd in which 
 they may ebcpand in freedom, the affectionate dispositions of 
 their hearts to their Gk)d and Saviour ; for those dispositions 
 are so sacred, that if instead of a suitable place, you provide 
 them with a most common one, you lower yourselves in their 
 estimation ; you lower the Mission and those who are connected 
 with it in the estimation of others, and you bring contempt 
 upon the Church to which you belong, and upon religion in 
 general. And then, of course, whatever may be the prudence, 
 zeal, and fitness in every respect of your Missionary, it will be 
 
u 
 
 conTerts 
 lave en- 
 'emoved 
 
 States, 
 Bs these 
 )f three 
 fsey are 
 
 in full 
 
 'our 
 
 deader 
 
 ioned to 
 sight of 
 I of the 
 do not 
 : and on 
 d them 
 A Mon- 
 3h Mis- 
 
 ) of dis- 
 pone in 
 second 
 ould be 
 It is of 
 should 
 :e con- 
 I which 
 ions of 
 isitions 
 provide 
 1 thiair 
 neoted 
 itempt 
 ion in 
 idenoe, 
 drill be 
 
 almost out of his power to extend the number and the respec- 
 tabiUly of his hearers. 
 
 It was this conviction which called forth my endeavours to 
 obtain the pecuniary me^^ns required to build a convenient place 
 of worship, and a Mission House in Montreal for the French 
 Mission ; and which has produced in me an earnest desire for 
 , the accomplishment of that object; and these dispositions I 
 feel myself quite justified to entertain. I do not belong to 
 I the Scotch Church by birth it is true, consequently, I do not 
 
 \ share the Clergy Reserves; but neither do I belong to it by ne- 
 
 cessity but by principles, and therefore, the interests of that 
 Church which I desire to see identified with those of Christ, 
 are, in the highest degree, a source of deep anxiety to me. And 
 as I entertain for the honour, for the peace and prosperity of our 
 Zion, the most fervent and sincere desires, I am exceedingly 
 anxious, that those who Lok at the French Mission House, 
 may have no further occasion for those unmistakeable shrugs of 
 the shoulder which indicate their pity or their contempt ; and 
 may no longer have it in their power to accuse us of having 
 forfeited our engagements. In short, I earnestly wish that the 
 French Mission should be an honour and a crown of glory to 
 the Scotch Church, and an instrument of great good to the 
 French Canadians. And, accordingly, my cry is : fulfil your 
 engagements ! Build up the French Mission of Montreal, in 
 Montrealy and as soon as possible — the sooner the better. But 
 how? This is the last thing to be considered. 
 
 My design is not, and has never been, to call forth necessities 
 that you will not be able to satisfy; neither do I wish to excite 
 hopes that you will be unable to realize; and if I could discover 
 that our Church would be subjected, through my suggestions, to 
 any painful and embarrassing pressure for funds, in supporting 
 the French Mission, I would refrain from making them. But, 
 as I am of opinion that there is a way of establishing the French 
 Mission on a permanent footing, which would exculpate us 
 from the charge of having forfeited our engagements, and would 
 be greatly beneficial to the French Mission in a pecuniary as 
 well as in a spiiitual point of view; I feel it my duty, both to 
 
12 
 
 Ir 
 
 f n 
 
 J 
 
 my Divine Master and to our Church, to lay before you my 
 views on the subject. They are these :— In order to fulfil our 
 engagements and to secure an appearance of respectability and 
 of solidity to the French Mission, it would be necessary, in 
 the first place, to remove the small house at present used as a 
 chapel, from its present site to the lot aside, fit it up upon a 
 ground floor and make a gallery in front; and then I would 
 gladly occupy it and pay Je20 annually to the Synod for it; 
 and, in the second place, the French Mission Committee shpuld 
 cause a neat brick chapel to be built, with a lodging under it 
 for a door-keeper, in the' room of the house removed. If a 
 chapel similar to the one lately built near the French Mission 
 property by the Methodists, was erected, it would not cost, in- 
 cluding the expenses on the Mission House, above JB400; and 
 in this way, the Synod would secure to the French Mission a 
 small but a sure and permanent endowment of JB20 annually, 
 which, added to the following items : j£12 interest from the 
 money lent on the Sorel Church, and £S which the French 
 Mission might contribute annually, would give in all £40 ; and 
 that annual endowment of £40 might be easily increased from 
 time to time. My tour on the Saguenay and in the district of 
 Gasp4 proves that this prospect is not a mere dream. But 
 even this £40 annually would give us another title to the 
 Clergy Reserves, which, in my opinion, should have been al- 
 ready granted to the French Mission not as a surplus^ hut as a 
 guarantee. If all that was done, I am convinced that this 
 Missionary work would respond more effectively to the object 
 for which it has been founded, and the Mission might soon be 
 placed on an independent footing, as far as regards pecuniary 
 means. 
 
 At all events, I think that we should adopt the plan which I 
 have just now submitted and in behalf of which I beg leave to 
 present to your Committee the following — 
 
 ■ .'-'?S 
 
 V 
 
 4^-^i '€ *:«5.'^ 
 
 1 4^/AH.-!te ^**:- 
 
10 
 
 m v^y} 
 
 h- 
 
 MEMORIAL. 
 
 .ft/ 
 
 * ^. 
 
 ^r 
 
 I 
 
 . M.M^ fur^.. J * ^ t 
 
 To the French Mission Committee of the Synod of the Presby- 
 terian Church of Canada, in connection with the Established 
 Church of Scotland, the Memorial of the undersigned, 
 
 H 
 
 Humbly Sheweth : jc^j ;ir;frf^ lU fj,vf?n5 J' ir*l unix 'di's. 
 
 That while your Memorialist rejoices in the many pleasing 
 evidences afforded us, that the French Mission of Montreal is 
 God*s work, and that, by '.he gi^cious influences of His Spirit 
 He hath awakened in the hearts of many friends of the Gospel, 
 a deep interest in it; so that we have obtained the pecuniary 
 means required to establish it on a permanent footing, your 
 Memorialist is compelled, at the same time, to make this pain- 
 ful declaration : ^ 
 
 That he cannot see, without apprehension, the French Mis- 
 sion continuing to be deprived of a place of worship which the 
 converts might hold sacred, and of a Mission House ; both of 
 which would give an appearance of stability and of respecta- 
 bility to the Mission, and be a security to the Missionary; and 
 for the erection of which the funds put at our disposal have 
 been given. 
 
 That your Memorialist being, however, under the strong per- 
 suasion that there is not p single Member of our Synod, ac- 
 tuated by the godless principle, as it has been so well said by 
 one, whose partiality to the Scotch Church cannot be questioned, 
 *Hhat all religions are alike indifferent, and we are under no ob- 
 ligation to relieve the spiritual wants of any beyond the pale of 
 our own communion.** r; 
 
 That your Memorialist considering also Montreal as being 
 superior to any other place as a French Missionary Station, 
 for the reason that it affords to more than the half of the whole 
 French Canadian population of this Province, the opportunity 
 to become acquainted with the saving truth; and unto us, all 
 the advantages required for making it known to them. 
 
 That if a neat place of worship, with a lodging under it for a 
 door-keeper, was erected in " lieu" of the present one, which 
 might be removed on the lot aside, and fitted up for the rcsi- 
 
14 
 
 Mi 
 
 dence of the Missionary, who might pay an annual rent of £20 
 to the Synod for it ; we would, in this way, fulfil our engage- 
 ments, and secure an appearance of respectability and of solidity 
 to the French Mission, as well as a small but sure and perma- 
 nent endowment, which might be enlarged by the following 
 items : £12 from the Church in Sorel, bought with the French 
 Mission money, and £8, which the Mission might contribute 
 annually, iwonld give in all, JS40 every year. 
 
 That under these convictiqps, your Memorialist has felt it 
 his duty, both to his Divine Master and to our Church, to bring 
 the:8ame under the consideration of your Committee. a'»«*6 .^ 
 ■V And your Memorialist prays that you may be guided, in your 
 decision, by the great Head of the Church; and that the French 
 Mission may respond more and more to the object for which it 
 has been founded by our Church. 
 
 
 Your devoted 
 
 
 Servant and Brother, 'v '•: - 
 
 E. LAPELLETRIE. 
 Montreal, February, 1850. 
 
 . rf •'' 
 
 ^V^^'^^ 
 
 -' Jii^jf'^ '^'rV;^./ '. ).:<it ■ ■ 
 
 
 
 
 ■;!j;;i;*i'jO.':S' ti^''-^^<M'iu'} ji-iUfH"'* 
 
 .>-"■.." 
 
 
 •i ;,-|!>V\W'.4 i-. i-^i' It j'i'l^ii^f! li^ 'S'ii'iuJ.iu. 
 
*"1 
 
 ^if>jm' 
 
 
 ■ 1 • A 
 
 FRENCn PRESBYTERIAN MISSION 
 
 '^ OF MONTREAL: ''* 
 
 s-tt: r'yi - .sin 
 
 jl ITS OBinCAIi OOmmOM, and THB SOUSCB FBOX WHEirCS THIS ABIBIB. 
 
 Because I have remained under the auspices of the Scotch 
 Church, as a Missionary of Christ, ** through evil report and 
 good report," and opposed so often the animadversions heaped 
 against her hy friends and foes; I have been considered by 
 some professing Christians as over sanguine, and by others^ 
 as making " a mock at sin." But, it is not difficult for me 
 to prove, that although I have entertained no spleen nor 
 ill-will against the Scotch Kirk; her moral wastes in this 
 Colony have given me no little concern. Every day, God 
 knows, I have, and do still mourn upon her miseries, and 
 I have prayed and worked for their removal. yawrj it? 6•Ji:v^' 
 Timidity, indecision, and indifference are the (mty characteris- 
 tics of the few works of charity done by us; there is even very 
 little discipline among us — no efficient control of ministers over 
 their flocks, or of the flocks over their ministers ! I have submit- 
 ted myself to this state of things, and allowed myself to be made a 
 tool for the welfare of our Zion; but it has been with grief, 
 and in the hope that, under the chastening rod of the Almighty, 
 our moral condition, as a Church, might be ameliorated. It. has 
 not been for the sake of pef^ce or of rest that I have done so; 
 and, consequently, I have never felt disappointed to be deprived 
 of both. I have remained under the auspices of the Scotch 
 Church, as a Missionary of Christ, merely for the sake of moral 
 progress. Yes, it is because I desire the progress of the truth, 
 and of spiritual life within, as well as without, that section of the 
 Church with which, in the Providence of Grod, I am connected; 
 and that I expected that the Scotch Church could not do other- 
 wise than fulfil her engagements towards the French Mission; 
 and, consequently, that I might contribute more to that pro- 
 
16 
 
 gress by remaining within than by going out ; those, 1 say, Wef e 
 the reasons why I remained in her communion and under her 
 auspices, as a Missionary of Christ, at the time of the Secession. 
 And it is notorious, that I have exerted myself in every lawful 
 way, to obtain the realization of my expectations. But, I am 
 sorry to be obliged to confess, that the indifference of the French 
 Mission Committee of our Synod has, in a great measure, 
 paralyzed my humble efforts. 
 
 It is a well known fact, that if our French Mission Com- 
 mittee had been in the least alive to the interests of Christ, 
 ^ong the French Canadians, there would probably have 
 been in Quebec a flourishing French Congregation ;* another 
 in Lotbinibre, near Three Bivers, enjoying the church, the 
 school-house, and the fifty acres of land, which Mr. Joly, 
 the Seignior of that place offered, on condition, that a French 
 Protestant Minister might be sent to them ; on the same 
 condition another French Congregation might have been formed 
 at the Saguenay, and the church, the school-house, the 72 
 acres of choice land, and the £40 offered by the people 
 there would be secure ; there would be also one or even two 
 self-supporting (or nearly so) French Protestant Congregations 
 in the district of Gasp6. And, what is very certain, the French 
 Mission money would not have been employed in purchasing a 
 Church in Sorel for the Synod ; about £400 would not have 
 been taken from it for sundry purposes, and the whole of the 
 collected money would not have been, as it now is, and has ever 
 been useless to the Mission ; and c(msequently, the Synod 
 would not have been required to be called upon to deliberate 
 as to the policy it must next pursue in reference with the French 
 Mission ; nor would the French Mission Committee have been 
 under the necessity, for the sake of relieving the Synod from 
 
 . * Here, I would fail in my duty, did I not admowledge with thanks, the . 
 interest taken in the French Mission by the Churches of Kingston, St. An- 
 drews, Perth, and St John's, Quebec ; and specially the praiseworthy eflforts 
 of the latter to establish a branch of the Mission in their City. If Dr. Machar 
 or Dr. Cook had been settled in Montreal, I would not be placed in the pain- 
 ful necessity to make these charges. ,^.lUi 1 M.iX CiXjh^i^iiA^^ .iJi.'ii 
 
 i 
 
 f'-l 
 
17 
 
 M 
 
 ■■.■5 
 
 the difficulties which will necessarily be the result of such a 
 spoliation, (unless there be an immediate restitution of the 
 whole) of endeavouring to sever, at once, the link by which 
 this Mission is bound to the Scotch Church ; but, on the con- 
 trary, the French Mission of Montreal would have obtained 
 long ago, the object for which the money has been given, 
 namely, a Mission House and a Chapel in Montreal, — nn ob- 
 ject, which I consider not only as important, but as absolutely 
 necessary to the success of the cause. This, I have endeavoured 
 to justify in all my reports, and lately in my appeal in behalf of 
 the French Mission. Still, in spite of all these considerations, 
 it is my earnest desire to continue in the communion of the 
 Scotch Church, not because my temporal interests are involved 
 in that connexion, — ^facts prove the contrary; but for the reasons 
 here above stated, and because the doctrines and Church gov- 
 ernment of the Presbyterian Chur«h appear .to me more in ac- 
 cordance with the Word of God, and better calculated, if car- 
 ried inito effect, to secure a religious harmony in society, than 
 the doctrines and Church government of any other Christian 
 denomination. •« < ; >!-: 
 
 However, although these are sufficient reasons for me to sub- 
 mit to the paralizing indiffisrence for the Missionary work, which 
 prevails in a peculiar manner in the Presbytery of Montreal ; I 
 can see no reason for yielding to that disposition, manifested just 
 now in our midst, to get rid of the French Mission of Montreal 
 under our auspices. Indeed, I am fully convinced, that to do 
 so would be to allow myself to be the herald and the scapegoat 
 of a public lie; it would virtually be a sanction of a most frau- 
 dulent conduct and of a public scandal. Consequently, whether 
 I am dismissed, or whether I remain in the same communion, 
 and under the same auspices as a French Missionary; I am de- 
 termined to protest against any spoliation of the French Mis- 
 sion property, and of its money, and to avail myself of all legal 
 means in my power to obtain redress, if required. I have the 
 right to do so; and, moreover, I am in duty bound to do it, as 
 may be easily proved by the following extracts from the Annual 
 
 c 
 
18 
 
 Reports of tlie French Mission Committee, printed under the 
 sanction of the Synod ; and by some public documents in ray 
 possession; I shall quote them in succession without note or 
 comment. 
 
 The first extract is from the first Annual Report to the 
 Synod : 
 
 " Soon after the rising of the Synod (1841), Mr. Lapelletrie \Ta8 licensed 
 to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Ohrist, and soon afterwards, (2d 
 September, of the same year), with the customary solemnities, ordained to 
 the holy office of the Ministry, and admitted a constituent member of the 
 Piesbytery of Quebec (now Montreal.) The services on that occasion were 
 ably conducted in the French language, by the Rev. Professor Campbell ; 
 and the Committee are not without the conviction, that salutary impressions 
 were left on the minds of many of the spectators of the Romish persuasion, 
 both of a religious nature, and as affecting the prejudices they entertained 
 respecting the object contemplated in establishing the Mission ; and that 
 some departed, persuaded that t]}c Synod were ammat«d with a zeal for 
 diffusing the knowledge of the Word of life, rather thaa making prpeelytes 
 to their own opinions. 
 
 The ordination of Mr. Lapelletrie to the pastoral charge of the little Jloek 
 which he had gathered around him, gave them the utmost satisfaction, and 
 greatly encowaged them in the path on which they had entered, of seeking 
 the Lord Jesus Christ in the simplicity of the GkwpeL From the time they 
 had left the bosom of the Church of Rome, until he who had been the means 
 of leading many of them to the knowledge of the truth, received authority 
 to dispense to them the ordinances of the blessed Gospel, they felt as if they 
 had been thrust behind the pale of the visible Church ; and it was to them 
 not a little gratifying, to be brought, by a solemn ecclesiastical act, into the 
 bonds of brotherhood with the members of a branch of the Church of Ohrist, 
 that maintained in purity the doctrines of his Gospel, and to whose Christian 
 sympathy they could look with hope, and on whose encouragement and 
 stipport they could rely vnth confidence." , , ' •, ,. 
 
 ♦ «. * * * *■*:■■ ■■•-■'<r''^ .•:i'»^'-; 
 
 The next extract is from the Second Annual Report to the 
 Synod : " ; j- 1 > ■,. h^' n% --t-.v. ^-^iCy^.r^r ■ .n^-o . 
 
 " In reporting their proceedings during the past year, the Committee ap- 
 pointed to conduct the French Protestant Mission in Canada East, acknow- 
 ledge with unfeigned thankfulness, that the great Head of the Church has 
 continned to crown their labours with considerable success. « ♦ ♦ * 
 »«♦«»» Your Committee feel great pleasure in reiterating the 
 
19 
 
 inder the 
 its in my 
 t note or 
 
 rt to the 
 
 as licensed 
 •wards, (2d 
 )rdained to 
 iber of the 
 osion were 
 Campbell ; 
 mprcssions 
 persuasion, 
 intertained 
 ; and that 
 a zeal for 
 proeelytes 
 
 little jlock 
 ction, and 
 of seeking 
 time they 
 the means 
 authority 
 as if they 
 9 to them 
 into the 
 of Christ, 
 Christian 
 nent and 
 
 ; to the 
 
 littee ap- 
 
 acknow- 
 
 mrdi has 
 « « 
 
 ating the 
 
 report of last year, tliat the discouragemeuts experienced by your Miasiuiiary 
 have not been of a formidable description. These difficulties liave principally 
 arisen from the untiyHtematixed operations of the Mission, which, iu this early 
 stage of its history, could not have been avoided. The greatest obstacle he 
 has had to contend with, arises from the want of a suitable place of woniiip. 
 This evil has been experienced to a greater extent than last year. Tha 
 house that had been for some time occupied as a chapel, has been resumed 
 by the proprietor ; and the congregation, since May last, has been obliged tu 
 meet in a school-roum, not very conveni^tly situated. Since this change 
 took place, there has been a ctmsiderable diminution in the number of casual 
 hearers. As it is from thoae who are inquirers after the truths of Qod that 
 we must expect the enlargement of his Church, every facility should be 
 given for the hearing of the word ' that giveth light and liberty.' Your 
 Missionary complains greatly of the obstruction to his labours, arising from 
 this cause And this, besides the many other advantages that would obvi- 
 ously result from the erection of a neat chapel, loudly demands that our 
 vigorous exertions be put forth to remedy (his evil llie ladies of the thiee 
 Presbyterian Churches in connection with the Church of Scotland, from the 
 proceeds of a Bazaar held for Missionary purposes, have generously contri- 
 buted £142 to the Mission, — ^but accompanied With the request, that the sum 
 «Aa// 6e appropriated to the er«c<eono/' a C/Aoptf/." • # # « 
 
 And the following is from the General Report given into the 
 Synod in the year 1845 : 
 
 " As stated in the unpublished Report of last year, your Committee pur- 
 chased a lot of ground, with a house erected thereon, in a central part of the 
 city, for the sum of £350, of which £220 were paid at the passing of the 
 deed of sale, and the remainder to be paid in equal instalments of 9 and 18 
 months. There has been also paid £25 of commutation dues, and about £26 
 for repairs and benches. The deed of property is in the name of the Con- 
 vener of your Committee, to hold the same in trust, and to be made over by 
 him to Trustees, whom the Synod may duly appoint. Your Committee 
 would recommend, that the Trustees be tiie Ministers of Montreal in con- 
 nection with the Church of Scotland, and one of the Elders (elected by the 
 Presbytery of Montreal) of the French Protestant Church, and tfieir succea- 
 tors in office. The first instalment was paid out of the handsome donation of 
 £143, from the Female Benevolent Societies of Montreal in connectitm with 
 the Church of Scotland, and the contributions received by the Missionary in 
 Canada West,"— which amounted to £90 8s. 3d. 
 
 The Synod having sustained that Reportr— "instructed the (French Mis- 
 sion) Committee to take all prudent steps to raise a fund sufficient to pay 
 oflF the debt on the French Church Property in the City of Montreal, and 
 
li 
 
 20 
 
 in particular, to depute tho Rev. Emile Lapellotrie, the Missionary, to solicit 
 contributions towards this otjeet in the United States. The Synod directed 
 that the Drench Church prcperty in Montreal be held in trust on behalf of 
 the Synod, by tho Ministers of the sovcml Congregations in Montreal, in 
 connection with this Synod, together with an Elder of the French Church to 
 be chosen by the Presbytery of Montreal, and their successors in office • and 
 that, in the event of any of the Churches in Montreal being without a Minis- 
 ter, the vacancy so caused in tho trust be temporarily filled up by an Elder 
 from that Church, to be appointed for that purpose by tho Presbytery of 
 Montreal *, and instructed tho Convener to be guided in the arrangement of 
 the details by legal advice." (Extracted from the Records of the Synod.) 
 
 Besides these minutes of the Synod, I received from the Con- 
 vener of the French Mission Committee, a general letter to the 
 Ministers and Members of the Protestant Churches in the Unit- 
 ed States of America, in which it is said : 
 
 " One of the greatest obstacles they have at present to encounter, (the 
 Frendi Mission) arises from tho want of a proper place of worship. About 
 a year ago the Committee bought a lot of ground with a small house upon 
 it, which serves as a temporary Chapel, for 1600 dollars. Upwards of 600 
 dollars still remain unpaid. The Committee of management feel that with- 
 out foreign aid they will be unable to liquidate this debt, build a suitable 
 house for worship, or extend the ministerial agency, which last point, is of 
 essential importance to the object they have in view." »♦**** 
 
 And, finally, I received a collecting book from the French 
 Mission Committee, in which it is certified that .* 
 
 " The Committee of management pledge themselves, that the contributions 
 shall be faithfully and economically applied to the object for which they 
 were givea" 
 
 Under those pledges and considerations, the friends of Christ 
 in the United State?, cheerfully answered our request by their 
 liberal contributions, and, 
 
 " They strove together with me in their prayers to God for us, that for the 
 gifts bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks might be 
 given by many on our behalf." — (Rom. xv. 80 ; 2 Cot. i. 11.) 
 
 Upwards of £500 was collected in the United States by me, 
 for the French Mission Building Fund. After this, I would 
 have been very glad to return to my family and to my field of 
 
r, to solicit 
 il directed 
 1 behalf of 
 Jtitreal, in 
 Church to 
 ffice ; and 
 it a Minis- 
 r an Elder 
 sbytcry of 
 ;eineat of 
 lynod.) 
 
 the Con- 
 r to the 
 le Unit- 
 
 iter, (the 
 ). About 
 use upon 
 is of 600 
 hat with- 
 suitable 
 int, is of 
 # « 
 
 French 
 
 ibutions 
 eh they 
 
 Christ 
 y their 
 
 for the 
 ight be 
 
 ►y me, 
 would 
 eld of 
 
 Inbour, but I was not allowed to do bo. The French Mission 
 Committee requested me to go to Europe, and sent me another 
 general letter of introduction,' from which the following is an 
 extract: 
 
 " The Presbytery of Montreal, as a Oommittee appointed by the Synod of 
 the Presbyterian Church of Canada in connection with the Ohurch of Scot- 
 land, to conduct the French Protestant Mission in Canada East, beg leave to 
 commend to their brethren of the Church of Scotland, and particularly to the 
 Committee of the General Assembly's on Colonial Churches, the Rey. Emile 
 Lapelletrie, and request that they will fJEivour him with their aid and best 
 advice for the qucccssfiil accomplishment of his important Mission. The 
 Presbytery leave* it to Mr. Lapelletrie, to give such details of the history and 
 prospects of the Mission as may be interesting to those who are friendly to 
 the general object they have in view, or are calculated to forward the special 
 purposes, for which, as their agent, he now proceeds to Europe. Simply 
 stating that thesd purposes are, 
 
 Ist. To receive the contributions of those who are friendly to the Mission 
 towards erecting a Chapel in Montreal, for the teorship of Ood in the French 
 language, and after the forms of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 2d. To procure one or two well qualified Missionaries to labour in Mon- 
 treal, Quebec and neighbourhood. 
 
 Sd. To establish, in so fior as he is able, a connection of correspondence and 
 aid between this Committee and individual Ministers and Churches in Bri- 
 toin, France, Switzerland, and other places, with a view to give unity, con- 
 sistency, and strength to the importai t work in which this Committee are 
 engaged." »»»«»♦»* 
 
 Along with that general letter, I received another collecting 
 book, in which it is written that, 
 
 " The Presbytery pledge themselves that the funds put at their disposal 
 uiill be faithfully applied to the object for which they are given,'* 
 
 And that book is sanctioned by the Convener of the French 
 Mission Committee, and by the Clerk of the Presbytery. 
 
 " The Qeneral Assembly's Committee on Colonial Churches, having con- 
 sidered the foregoing objects and other details," which I gave them, " agreed 
 to grant from their funds the annual siun of £50 for three years, in aid of 
 the Mission, and to recommend " me, "and the objects for which " I was de- 
 puted to Europe, " to the favourable consideration of their brethren, and of 
 all the friends of the Church of Scotland," re-stating that those objects were 
 — " To raise Funds for the Building of a Place of Worship in connection with 
 
22 
 
 th« Mianiuii at A/i»Ur«al, whirt J uH$a in /utur0 to labvur, niui tu «iigag« 
 a Frend) Prutuittaiit Misnionary fur Utu litutiuu ut QuuUsc."— (Extracted fruiu 
 u circukr tugued by) • 
 
 D. MAOFARLAN, D.D. 
 Convener of the Colonial Committee. 
 
 Th* late Defmtation/rotn the Church of Scotland to Canada-^ 
 
 ALEX. SIMTOON, D.D. 
 Miniater of Kirknewton. 
 
 JOHN M'LEOD, D.D. 
 
 Miniater of Morven. 
 
 ^■..■M iixU NORMAN M'LEOD, 
 
 Miniater of Dalkeith. 
 
 In the Report of the French Mission Committee given into 
 the Synod on the 14th Julj, 1848, my success in the United 
 States and in Europe, were thus acknowledged : 
 
 " The Freabjtery of Montreal, in procuring to the Synod a statement of 
 the present condition and proopects of the French Protestant Mission in 
 Canada East, beg leave respectfully to refer to the accompanying Reports 
 of Mr. Lapelletrie, detailing the work of his late Mission to the United 
 States, Britain and the Continent of Europe, in raising funds in behalf of 
 erecting buildinga connected mth aaid Miaaion, and which Reports are here- 
 with laid on your table. Your Committee also lay on yom' table a list of 
 the various sums received in collections and private subscriptions by Mr. 
 Lapelletiie, from which it will be seen that upwards of £600, Halifax cur- 
 rency, was collected in the United States, and in Scotland upwards of £900 
 sterling, besides some smaller sums from other coimiries. ***** 
 It is gratifying to notice that the Colonial Committee of the Church of Scot- 
 land have granted (to the French Mission) the sum of £60 sterling, annually 
 for three years." (Extracted from The Presbyterian for September 1848.) 
 
 The deliverance of the Synod on tlie above was : — " That the Synod re* 
 ceive and approve the Report ***** and ' that the Synod ex- 
 press their gratitude to the Christian people in Great Britain and other parts 
 of Europe, as well as in the United States, for their liberal contributions 
 TOWARDS BuiLoma A CuuBCU oa Mission Houss for the French Congre- 
 gation IN Montrbal." 
 
 £33 6s. 7d. more was obtained afterwards for the building 
 fund, from the sale of fancy articles sent from Scotland ; and 
 £83 16s. 7d, was collected by me on the Sagueoay, in the dis- 
 trict of Gasp6, and in passing through New Brunswick. 
 
 Finally, if we sum up the collections and private subscript, 
 tions given by the friends of Christ for erecting a French Pro- 
 
23 
 
 teaiant Church and Mission House in Montreal^ we will ene 
 that upwards of £2000 htin been collected fur that purpone. 
 Of these £2000 belonginpr to the French Mission building fund, 
 only about £420 158. I b. ''eye, has been expended on thQ 
 French Mission property in Dorcfmster Street, Montreal, the 
 rest has been employed tor other purposes unconnected with 
 the object for which, upon our responsibility, we had received 
 that money. Well may Dr. Mathieson exclaim : " we are in 
 the mire !" Shall we get out of it in getting rid of the French 
 Mission of Montreal ? No I but we shall, if we do so, not only 
 forfeit our engagements and our pledges ; but proclaim to the 
 world that, as far as regards our Missionary work among the 
 French Canadians, our conduct has been anti- Missionary, de- 
 ceitful and fraudulent. 
 
 For my own part, I protest I have spent my strength and 
 exposed my life for the sake of my Master's cause among that 
 people ; I have succeeded, with the blessing of God, and after 
 laborious and painful exertions, in making a small garden in 
 this spiritual wilderness ; and my conviction is, that Christ 
 ought not to be deprived by the French Mission Committee of 
 any part of the fruits of my labour among the French Canadians 
 of Montreal, but that its members should, on the contrary, 
 secure new and more abundant results by their prayers and 
 their exertions. But, if the French Mission Committee wishes 
 to get rid of the French Mission of Montreal, be it so ; but let 
 it be in a legal and constitutional manner. Let them give up 
 their Trusteeship on the French Mission Building Fund and 
 Property, and I pledge myself to have new Trustees appointedi 
 who will, in truth, " faithfully and economically apply the contri- 
 butions to the object for which they were given," as well as 
 those which may be received hereafter. But, for the honour of 
 our Church, I would rather prefer that my appeal would be 
 sustained, and my memorial adopted ; and that the French 
 Mission should continue under the auspices of the Scotch 
 Church. However, if the French Mission Committee and the 
 Synod decline to adopt either the one or the other, it will be- 
 
i i 
 
 24 
 
 come an imperative and sacred daty, on my part, to seek re- 
 dness elsewhere. 
 
 In the meantime, and as antecedent to providing for the exi- 
 gencies of our critical condition, and the necessities of the fu- 
 ture ; I beg leave to transmit to jju, an overture from the 
 Members and friends of the French Mission of Montreal, with 
 the request that your Committee would bring it under the con- 
 sideration of the Synod at its next meeting. 
 
 vm-^ ^o,f 
 
 u 
 
 M 
 
 OVERTURE. 
 
 " At Montreal, the 28th February, 1850 ; the Members and friends of the 
 French Presbyterian Mission of Montreal, b6ing assembled, unanimously ap- 
 proved of the following overture : — 
 
 Whereas the Scotch Presbyterian Chiffch of Canada in connection -with 
 the Church of Scotland, cannot get rid of the French Mission of Montreal, 
 under its auspices, in a legitimate and constitutional mode, unless it retraces 
 its steps, expunge^ from its minutes tiie resolutions and pledges which are 
 there extant, and which so long as fhey remain, are binding and operative. ' 
 
 Whereas moreover, all the monies given in trust to the said Presbyterian 
 Church on behalf of the said Mission, by the friends of the Gospel in the 
 United States, in Scotland, Ireland, England, France, Belgium and Holland, 
 OS well as in other places, have been given, to erect a French Protestant 
 Church and Mission House in Montreal, and that all other applications 
 would be a spoliation and a public scandal. It is humbly ovcrtured to the 
 Rev. the Synod of the Scotch Presbyterian Church of Canada in connection 
 with, the Church of Scotland, by the Members and fiiends of the above said 
 Mission ; that arrangements may be made immediately for the erection of 
 the said Mission House and Chapel in Montreal, or that the Synod cause the 
 restitution of the French Mission property, of its building fund, and of what- 
 ever sums have been taken from it, to the Committee of Direction appointed 
 by the Members and friends of said Mission, in order that they may realize 
 the object (or which those means have been givec. The Rev. R Lapelletrie, 
 the Pastor of said Mission, is respectfully requesti^d to lay the same on the 
 table of the Committee of the Synod of the Scotch Presbyterian Church of 
 Canada in connection with the Church of Scotland, appointed to conduct the 
 French Presbyterian Mission of Montreal, with the request that it may be 
 transmitted to tlie Synod at its next meeting, for their consideration." 
 
 .,■1 
 
 That overture, of which the above is a true copy, was signed 
 by 32 persons, and several others living in the country would 
 have signed it, I am sure, had I asked them to do so. > 
 
 ■■^f 
 
 m 
 
25 
 
 Copy of my motion^ in regard to that overture :— 
 
 Unto the Committee of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church 
 of Canada in connection with the Church of Scotland, ap* 
 pointed to conduct the French Protestant Mission of Montreal; 
 the Petition of the Bev. Emile Lapelletrie, the Minister of 
 said Mission, ^ 
 
 Humbly Sheweth : 
 
 That your petitioner lias been requested by the Members and 
 friends of the French Presbyterian Mission of Montreal, to lay 
 before you their overture on behalf of the said Mission; which 
 your petitioner prays your Committee to transmit to the Synod 
 for consideration. 
 
 - " . --' » - - ^ . 
 
 May it therefore please the Committee to transmit the said 
 overture accordingly. 
 
 >, According to justice, &c. 
 
 E. LAPELLETRIE. 
 
 Montreal, May, 1850. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 j 
 
 ' 
 
 .- •■ * ■.;. 
 
 
 
 *' 
 
 1 
 
 /:?%.., . 
 
 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 ' ■'•' 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
 . 1 
 
 - 
 
 •♦ ■• 
 
 
 ■• 
 
 • 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 ■i 
 J 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 *' 
 
 
 
 D 
 
 
 • ** ' ' 
 
 •> 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 ; 
 
 i . 
 
 ■• 
 
 : »• 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 - J--' --. ■'■■■ ■ 
 
 - .:--.■ - 
 
 * 
 
■/s'Tlt^i^w'. 
 
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SYNOD 
 
 ^ ' OF THE ■ ' ' 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CANADA, 
 
 •» " ■' IN CONNECTION Wrrn THK ' - ■■=" 
 
 ESTABLISHED CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, 
 
 AN APPEAL 
 
 IN BEHALF OF THE 
 
 FRENCH MISSION OF MONTREAL 
 
 In the former statements, which have been brought under the 
 consideration of the French Mission Committee of our Synod; 
 I have entered into lengthy details to prove, that necessity ia laid 
 upon us to advance the cause oF our Lord among the French' 
 Canadians in Montreal, as well as to establish that Missionary 
 work on a respectable and permanent footing. I expected that 
 those statements would be found to contain not only every in- 
 formation on the condition of that work, but would also charac- 
 terize the calumnious misrepresentations directed in private 
 against it by some individuals ; and would induce the Members 
 . of the Committee to put an end to that resistance which has 
 been exerted against the claims of that Mission, and stir them 
 up to a discharge of their engagements towards it ; but, once 
 more, I have been disappointed in those expectations. Conse- 
 quently, the conviction has been confirmed within me, that the 
 work of Missions is a weary task among us — that the French 
 Mission Committee is determined to get rid of the Mission of 
 the Synod among the French Canadians — and to alienate the 
 property and the building fund of the Freuch Mission of Mon^ 
 treat. 
 
29 
 
 I 
 
 That conviction had already been forced upon me by the de- 
 sire frequently expressed by that Committee, to appoint me 
 permanently in Chateauguay ; by the anxiety the Rev. Dr. 
 Mathieson has so often manifested to remove me from Montreal; 
 and lately, to have me settled over the people of Beauharnois — 
 a congregation) composed mostly of persons whose commercial 
 intercourse virith the French Canadians, would be injured by 
 my very presence; and finally, by the advice given me by the 
 Rev. *Wm. Simpson, of Lachine, at the February meeting of 
 the Committee — " to accept any good oflfer if it was presented 
 
 » 
 
 me. 
 
 Those opinions and advices, so inconsistent with our pledges 
 and engagements towards the French Mission of Montreal, could 
 not but grieve me much ; however, as no proceedings were 
 taken upon them, I continued to entertain a faint hope, that nc 
 arbitrary act would stamp that inconsistency; but now that 
 hope is " a hope against hope," as may be corroborated by the 
 following extract from a communication sent to me by Hugh 
 Allan, Esq. : 
 
 ■" At a special meeting of the Financial Committee of the French Mission, 
 on Thursday, 14th February, 1850 * , 
 
 The following resolutions were agreed to: — 
 
 ResolvecL, That taking into consideration the present state of the Mission 
 Fund, and the probability that exists, of the collections this year falling short 
 of the expenses ; the Finance Committee would strongly urge on the Presby- 
 tery the propriety of appointing Mr. Lapelletrie to the Church at Sorel, 
 where a congregation could readily be formed, and where, and in the neigh- 
 bouring villages, there is abundant scope for liia labours. The Finance Com- 
 mittee would also recommend that i sum be advanced from the building 
 fund for the pm-chase or erection of a Manse, in the neighbourhood of the 
 Church. Should the amount raised hy the congregation at Sorel, and the 
 proceeds from the Clergy Reserves be insufficient to support Mr. Lapelletrie 
 respectably, the Committee would consider them&elves bound to supplement the 
 same from the fund under their management." 
 
 But, no doubt, lest I should mistake their design, and put 
 any faith in those generous promises, they declare also, in the 
 same document, in answer to a request from me to borrow from 
 the building fund : . ■ - « 
 
:29 
 
 " That 83 the fund in question is not, and never haa been, under the con- 
 ti^l of the Finance Committee, they decline interfering in any way^ with the 
 management of it, or giving their sanction to its being applied for." 
 
 These paradoxical resolutions are certified by Hugh Allan, 
 Esquire, Chairman and Treasurer of the Finance Committee of 
 the French Mission. 
 
 Now, it seems impossible to me that any member of our 
 Synod can remain unconvinced, that this proposal is neither more 
 nor less than a confiscation, under the name of a generous offer to 
 
 This being the case, let the question before us be well under- 
 stood. It is evident that there are four parties interested in 
 this question : — The first, is the party for whom the funds were 
 giv'A; and, consequently, to whom they belong. The second, 
 the party who has given those funds. The third, the party who 
 has, under its own responsibility, received them in trust. And 
 the fourth, the party who is so anxious to get rid of the French 
 Mission of Montreal ; and who, at the same time, evince so 
 much eagerness to keep under their management, the property 
 and the building fund belonging to it. It is evident also, that 
 ths interest of the latter is in opposition to the interest of the 
 former; to the design of the second; and to the pledges and en- 
 gagements of the third. And all this is so evident, that com- 
 ment is unnecessary. 
 
 However, knowing by experience, the wonderful ingenuity of 
 the last party to shelter themselves, and their anxiety to identify 
 all parties with themselves, I must define that party: it is small, 
 but it is strong, because it is backed by the antipathy of some 
 to our French Missionary work, by the indifference of many 
 manifested towards it, and by the apprehensions of others. 
 That, I know, makes them bold enough to expect that few, 
 very few, will stand in tho side of justice in this circumstance, 
 either in this Synod or in a civil court, and that they will be 
 able to knock up the French Mission of Montreal, without serious 
 difiiculty, and to consummate the spoliation of its property and 
 building fund, under the sanction of the Church. I must con- 
 fess, that expectation has been almost my apprehension; and 
 
1! 
 
 '■'tK 
 
 II 
 
 m 
 
 80 
 
 thiSy as well as my unwillingness to impugn the conduct of any 
 one; for fear I should cause injury to no good purpose; explains 
 why I have sought, until now, to obtain the object in view, 
 wifJboat making special reference to any party; but as the party 
 in question have shewn themselves determined, in spite of all, 
 to get rid of our French Mission in Montreal, and to alienate 
 its property and building fund. I feel it to be my duty, what- 
 ever may be the consequences, " to bring them to light, and to 
 withstand them to the face." 
 
 One of the resolutions here above mentioned, from the Fi- 
 nancial Committee of the French Mission, undoubtedly points out 
 the members of that Committee as belonging to that party ; but 
 their declaration : 
 
 " Tliat the building fund of the French Mission is not, and never has been, 
 under their control, and that they decline interfering, in any way, with the 
 management of it, or giving their sanction to its being applied for." 
 
 Manifests plainly that they do not belong to the party 
 in question. The opinions expressed, and advices given, by the 
 Members of the French Mission Committee, in regard to the 
 French Mission of Montreal, would also seem to involve them 
 in the same category; but their declaration has always been, in 
 my hearing, the very same as the one from the Financial Com- 
 mittee. Besides, I am fully aware, that there is but one mem- 
 ber of the French Mission Committee, who knows exactly what 
 has been received for the French Mission, and what has been 
 expended, and how it has been expended; — that one, ahmef has 
 the French Mission property and building fund under his con- 
 trol. Indeed, he holds it, I have been told by the late Mr. 
 Roach, as his own property, so that were he to die before pro- 
 per trustees be named, it would be in his case, as it has been 
 I have also been told, in the case of another person who has 
 been well known to us, his family would enjoy, as their pro- 
 perty, what has been given for building a Church in Montreal, 
 for, and in the name of, a community of professing Chrxstians. 
 But, farther, every one will agree with me, that tho: ? who will 
 have nothing to do with the French Mission of Montreal, should 
 have nothing to do with its property and building fund — well, 
 
 
81 
 
 M 
 
 the person in question has given up the French Mission of 
 Montreal) but he keeps the purse; and in his exultation, I have 
 heard him, saying : ** I ain very glad of having nothing more to 
 do with the French Mission." Truly, I believe he is, just now, 
 — but we are not. On the contrary, we are both unwilling to 
 give up our connection with the Scotch Church, and the pro- 
 perty and money wrested from the French Mission of Montreal: 
 we want to enjoy both. And, I am sure, every honest person 
 will acquiesce with me, in saying: — that, to dispossess, or even 
 to deprive for any length of time, the French Presbyterian 
 Church of Montreal, known as the French Mission of the 
 Scotch Church, of its property and building fund, is an act of 
 downright dishonesty, which no pretext whatever can justify ; 
 and which, if sanctioned by our Synod, or by any Church, 
 would become " a leprosy in their forehead." 
 
 Of course, no one will deny that the Synod has a right to 
 buy a Church in Sorel with their own money — to establish a 
 French Mission anywhere at their own expense. They may 
 also, if they choose, withdraw from me my salary, as they have 
 withdrawn what is granted to all the other Members and to 
 some Missionaries belonging to our Synod, even to a widow — 
 the Clergy Reserves. The Synod may even get rid of the ob- 
 ligation and responsibility to superintend the French Mission 
 of Montreal, and after what has occurred, we wish they would i 
 but what we contend is, that they have no right to deprive me, 
 without cause of scandal, of my pastoral charge, and much less 
 the right to alienate the property and building fund belonging 
 to the French Presbyterian Church of Montreal. 
 
 . Consequently, the Synod cannot but reprove the inconsistency 
 displayed by the French Mission Committee, in the manage- 
 ment of the French Mission; to set aside the resolutions by 
 which the Financial Committee certify, "that the French 
 Mission building fund is not under their management," when 
 they are asked to lend me some money from it ; and " that it is 
 under their management," when the question is to sweep away 
 the French Mission of Montreal, and to alienate the property 
 
• ) 
 
 % 1 
 
 '' 1:1' 
 
 as 
 
 and money belonging to it. But, above all, I trust the Synod 
 will repudiate the proceedings cf the person who assumes to 
 himself, to the detriment of all parties, to be the manager and 
 even the proprietor of the French Mission property and build- 
 ing fund ; and, moreover, I trust, that the Synod will relieve 
 me from the necessity of adopting some other measure to obtain 
 redress, and that I may be enabled to do for our Church, and 
 for the French Mission, all that I sincerely desire. 
 
 It is unnecessary to go more into detail on this matter, as 
 you will perceive, I trust, that it is exceedingly important that 
 no time be lost in adopting a remedy to avert such proceed- 
 ings. ######* 
 
 But, there is another fact connected with the mismanagement 
 of the French Mission interests, which had escaped ray notice 
 until recently. That fact must also be laid before you. I am 
 sorry to say, at the outset, it is in keeping with the rest. In 
 the list cf the payments appended to the report of the French 
 Mission Committee, given into the Synod on the 14th July, 
 1848, and published in " T/ie Presbt/terian" (in September), 
 whilst I was in Gaspe, there is stated to have been given for my 
 salary in 1846-47, and the beginning of 1848, the sum of 
 j£354 5s. That statement, I had not the means to ascertain 
 if it was correct or not, except by asking my family an account 
 of what money they had received during my long absence from 
 Montreal; but that, I did not ask, because I entertained not the 
 least suspicion that Mr. Roach, to whom I gave my collecting 
 books at my arrival from Europe, with an account of my private 
 expenses, which were to be deducted from my salary, had a 
 perfect knowledge of the monies given by Dr. Mathieson to my 
 family, and that he would settle our accounts correctly. Ac- 
 cordingly, I did not even look over them at my return from 
 Gaspe. But, what has occurred since, and the complaints of 
 my family, that if it had not been for Mrs. Hannah's revenues, 
 they would have been left destitute during my absence, has in- 
 duced me at last to investigate, and to compare what they 
 state to have received with what is stated in " The Preshyte- 
 
J3 
 
 Wan" for September, 1848, to have been given. Uero is thd 
 result : — 
 
 Monies received by Mrs. Lapelletrie 
 during my absence : 
 
 In the year 1846, £105 
 
 Do, 1847, 65 
 
 Upon my arrival, 1848, .. 11 16 
 My private expenses, ... 102 19 
 
 £219 16 9 
 These ore all the Bums received for 
 my salary from 1st November, 1846, 
 to 21st September, 1848. 
 
 Monies stated to have been given : 
 
 In the year 1846, £120 
 
 Do. 1841 96 
 
 Do. 1848, 188 5 
 
 £354 6 
 This is stated to hare been given 
 for my salary from 1st November, 
 1846, to 2i8t September, 1848. 
 
 Now, instead of £854 6s., the following smns should have been given :>• 
 
 From 1st November, 1846, to 1st November, 1846, .£120 
 
 " " December, 1841, 120 
 
 ** " 21st September, 1848, 106 6 8 
 
 Received,. 
 
 £846 6 8 
 219 16 9 
 
 , .;. Still due to me, £66 9 11 
 
 "That statistical information has been communicated to the 
 French Mission Committee, and I now submit it to jou, indivi- 
 dually, without any remark. I shall only say, that as my family 
 did not receive all my salary from November, 1845, to Novem- 
 ber, 1846 J in the following year not the half of it; and that 
 from July, 1847, to June, 1848, a period of eleven months, they 
 did not receive a farthing; we have contracted some debts, 
 which, I trust, the Synod will enable me to liquidate as soon as 
 possible, in causing to be paid all that is due to me. 
 
 And now, let us return to the main object of these state- 
 ments : To prevent the possibility, in future, of admitting in the 
 management of the affairs of the French Mission, persons who 
 have an interest, whether of conscience or of policy, in opposi- 
 tion to the interest of that liiissionary Church: 1 intend res- 
 pectfully to bring under the consideration of the Synod, a plan^ 
 which has appeared to me most feasible, and as offering the' 
 
 £ 
 
It. 
 
 34 
 
 fuircst prospect of success in our Missionary work among the 
 French Canadians. It is this : — Firsts lot the following sums, 
 belonging to the French Mission building fund, be delivered to 
 the Committee of direction appointed by the Members and 
 friends of said Mission. The existing debt of £338 Hs. 6^d., 
 acknowledge4 in " The Preshjfterian" for September, 1848. 
 The £83 16s. 7d. collected on the Saguenay and in New 
 Brunswick ; the £525 sterling received from Scotland after my 
 arrival in Canada ; the JS35 sterling, given to Messrs. Baridon 
 and Jacquemart, by me, and not acknowledged in the expendi- 
 ture of the French Mission Committee ; and the £33 63. 7d. 
 currency, proceeds sale fancy work, from Scotland. 
 
 Secondly^ let that money be employed to fit up the house 
 at present occupied as a chapel, for my residence; to build a 
 proper place of worship on our building lot, and to luy a small 
 farm near Montreal, as a glebe, for the French Mintiion. 
 
 Thirdly y in order that I may get my share of the Clergy Re- 
 serves, I am willing, not only to carry on the French Mission of 
 Montreal, but also to preach every second Sunday at Laprairie, 
 in the afternoon, and in Sherrington every fortnight, provided 
 these congregations are willing to accept my services, and to 
 give me some remuneration for it. 
 
 And, Fourthly^ let my salary, as the French Missionary of 
 this Synod, ceasCf and the French Mission of Montreal be 
 known, in future, as the French Presbyterian Church of Mon- 
 treal, belonging to the Scotch Church, in connection with the 
 Church of Scotland. But then it will be right, that our rela- 
 tion with the Synod, involve neither control nor superintendence 
 over the concerns of these united congregations in any other 
 way, than it is exercised over the other congregations belong- 
 ing to our Synod. Only, for fuller security, we have no 
 objection that the Synod appoint one or two Commissioners to 
 our Committee of direction, to watch over our acts until this 
 plan be consummated. 
 
 After what has occurred, that plan seems to me, to be the 
 only one which the Synod can adopt. It fulfils the claims of 
 the first party, the design of the second, the pledges and engage- 
 
'15 
 
 ments of the third, and requires no money bxilonging to the 
 fourth party; and it ia but reasonable and very just, that those 
 wlio say: " wo are very glad of having nothing more to do with 
 the French Mission of Montreal," be constrained, by the Synod, 
 to say also : " we have nothing more to do with the French 
 Mission property and its building fund/' But further, not only 
 does that plan possess the fourfold advantage just now men- 
 tioned ; but, if adopted, would be a means of securing the suc- 
 cess of our Missionary work among the French Canadians, and 
 of opening to me a field of usefulness, much more important than 
 any other field of labour which I might occupy, without except- 
 ing Chateauguay, Beauharnois, or even Sorel. 
 
 In conclusion, I protest I have no ill feeling against any one 
 of those whom necessity has constrained me to point out in 
 these statements; nor do I entertain any other thing, than a 
 strong attachment to our Zion ; but while I deprecate that jio- 
 sition into which I have been forced, I cannot but deprecate the 
 conduct of those who have the management of the French Mis- 
 sion concerns in their hands; and above all, their desire to 
 alienate a depot, which ought to ba held sacred by us. At all 
 events, I trust, it will be evident to the Synod, that if I was 
 willing to advance my own interests by disingenuous means, I 
 would have told you nothing about the mismanagement of the 
 French Mission affairs, or I would advise you, just now, to 
 adopt such measures, that the past may be lost in oblivion. But, 
 my duty, as well as my desire is, to advance the cause of right- 
 eousness and of truth ; and, in this circumstance, ray path of 
 duty is well marked : I cannot preserve friends or patrons to 
 the detriment of truth, justice and integrity; I cannot adopt a 
 line of conduct which destroys all religion and all morality — 
 and that I would do, if I was becoming a party to the spoliation 
 of the French Church property in Montreal, and of its building 
 fun^. I cannot even consent to any compromise in this matter. 
 Compromises are essentially and radically wrong. They in- 
 volve the surrender of the exercise of judgment and conscience; 
 they involve a relinquishment of the right to reconsider in fu- 
 ture the decisions of the present, on questions prematurely anti-. 
 
•s 
 
 
 ' ! ^^' ' 
 
 ^\ 
 
 m 
 
 »nd fraudulent. Il.ving tbTZ^J '""'• "■"■'" "^'^^f" 
 
 placed on ,„ independent fooUn " ? f ^'* '"*' ""»'" •" '"' 
 <»»cern,, I eonclude. byZp^Tj:"' """"' ^""'"T 
 hnngmypropoMl under the eCr* ."" ^'"' ■»' ^"■>''. to 
 "«« n.ee.in^. .„a in .if, fo^ar:*";;? "' '"^ «'"»" «' ■•'; 
 
 PROPOSAL. • -^ / C; 
 
 In erder to fulfil tim ^i • - " - • 
 
 '->. ...a design 15 .i'^tCdf ^J.' f """"' »«'-- "^ Men, 
 'nbuted to establish it on a !,„„ T , "™ '" ff^^ousl;- eon- 
 «na .he pledges ,„d en^^S!'""' '"i '^™'"''"* '-""e. 
 bat important work; asldl ° ?/ ?" ^^"<^' °" behalf „f 
 Wity of admitting i„ theln ''*'" •" P™'*"! the possi 
 
 Mi-on, persons "wi: te ;„"£:? "f "'« "«•"'" »' '■■e'T^d 
 °f policy, in opposition to h T„ ' '"""■" '"■™"«cience or 
 Church. Thes/nod is re^Lf „"*"■'" "' "'»t Mieeiooar, 
 Wing p,a„ :_/, » "^P^^^f"!^ requested to adopt ,he J 
 
 Alie existing debt of... 
 
 'and 4 184^,''^^ ""--^-l fron, ScoN •— n.«. 
 by me to Mess« Barif '""■■"^' ""> 8'™" 
 making in auSsS'" e'"" '''""'''^'"'«' 
 
 " 33 G 7 
 
 In oil, currency,. " • 
 
 ,, • ^ ^' * ^1137 4 6i 
 
35 
 
 Secondly, let these £1137 48. 6^d. currency, be employed 
 to remove the small house presently used ns a chnpel by the 
 French Presbyterian Congregation in Montreal, from its present 
 site on the lot aside, to fit it up for my residence, to build n 
 proper place of worship, with n lodging under it for a door- 
 keeper in the room of the house removed, and to buy a small 
 farm near Montreal, as a glebe for that Missionary Church. 
 
 Thirdly, in order that I may get my share of the Clergy 
 Reserves, let my pastoral charge, in future, be thus extended : 
 to officiate in Montreal, in French, every Sabbath ; in Lnp- 
 rairie, in English, every second Sabbath; and in Sherrington 
 every fortnight, provided these congregations are willing to ac- 
 cept my services, and to give me some remuneration for it. 
 
 And, Fourthly, let my salary, as the French Missionary of 
 this Synod cease, and the French Mission of Montreal be 
 known as the French Presbyterian Church of Montreal, belong- 
 ing to the Scotch Church in Canada, in connection with the 
 Established Church of Scotland ; and let our relation with this 
 Synod involve neither control nor superintendence over the 
 concerns of these united Congregations in any other way, than 
 it is exercised over the other Congregations belonging to our 
 Synod. 
 
 May it please this very reverend Synod to take the premises 
 into their consideration, and to adopt the necessary measures^ 
 for giving effect to the object of this petition. 
 
 And your petitioner shall ever pray. 
 
 E. LAPELLETRIE.