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Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmis d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour gtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est film^ A partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants lllustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 j^ l iii''VI||[iHi' ' V||ii' ' si||iii^|ii ! 'i ' v; i| jii ' '^^^^^ fl:^ ► ► ► r t 14 r r ► •^^wmw^ A SEMI-CENTENNIAL Historical Sketch Grande Ljgne Mission r«a;) at thk JUBILEE GATHERING, Grande-Ligne, P.Q , Canada, Oct. I8tli, 1885, REV. THEODORE LAFLEUR. !^J ■ ; ■ «fc- MONTREAL : PRINTED BY D. BENTLEY & CO. 1746 NoTiiK Damk Strkkt. ^'^ .'2^ '-^^ i.iillUs A .4h, ,iiilk .,iik .aillk ,,iiik ,iiiik „iilk ,i;||!th,.i|l|)lii||l|h jj'ik.oitllh^illlhHillllhlillll^ A SEMI-CENTENNIAL Historical Sketch OK TIIK Grande Ligne Mission KRAI) AT Tllir JUBILEE GATHERING, Qrande-Ligne, Oct, 18th, 1885, BV REV. THEODORE LAFLEUR. MONTREAL : PRINTED BY D. BENTLEY & C I74(i XoTiiK Da Ml-: SriiKKr. O. a Scmi^^Ccntcnnial Ibistorical Shctcb Grande Ligne Mission, For the last Hfty years the [)rogre.s,s of science luis heeu so great, it lias given such a. powt-r to man over nature, that the latter may \ni said to have beconui llu' servant of man. The (liscoverv of the a|ii>liration of stciim-powci' has rcvolutioniztid the w^rld of travellers and laborers, ": has narrowed the s(>as, it has shruidc the continents, ami has brought much nearer together the whole family of man. Electricity which for ages seemed to exist only to frighten human kind by its lightning and thunder, has become the docile, luminous, and still mysterious servant ni' mau, the rapid vehicle of his thoughts across continents and oceans, and of his words from city to city. Some of the bolder sons of men even itro])hesy that ere long it will be the universal agent to warm and illumine our dwellings as it already gives a glaring light in some of our public places of lesort, and become the motor of all our industries. Thus luituic has become more and more the servant of man, because man has more and more submitted himsell' to the study of the ways of nature ; and there is just here a very remarkable fact, that though much of the science of our day is attriltuted to men wild soeiii t(t ignore Ciod, iiiid liis njmit revelation in Jesus 'Jhrisl, still those j^Teat discovevies have been made \>\ men who have been brought \\\> in nations where the idea of a personal God is ]taram(.unl, and where ehristinnity has moulded most minds. The (bid cf nature and of man has also durinj^' those vvonderlul years of development manifested his ])ower in a higher sphere. The Father of our sjiirits has also mysterious but sure means df eonimunications with his cliildren on this earth of ours, with this imperfect and fallible family which lie infallibly leads to its imniort.al destiny. Toward the end of the tirst ([iiarter of our century, following disastrous wars in Kuroj)e there was an awakening ol souls to religious concerns such as had not been known for ages. This work of conversion inspired such zeal that (Jhristians ardently wished not oidy to regenerate Christendom, but also to ca.iry the gospel to heathen lauds, to idolatrous nations some of which seemed only emerging from animalism. Leaving Cireat Britain aside, for she had had a great religious revival in the time of the Wesleys, this revival a])peared in iMiroj^e after a century of shallow, dry, and worldly infidelity in France, Avhile Switzerland had a forimd, indifferent and jiartially rationalistic church, and when (lernuiny was still under the blighting influence of a destructive jihilosojuiy, viz: i)antheism. A missionary spirit sprung' up in the bosom of I'rotestant and even Ronum Catholic Christianity. A few i)ioneers like Carey ])receded their brethren on foreign missionary fields, and were soon followed by the Marshman, l^oardman, Judson, Moffat, Urvoix, Oiuulis, tl.r Mnn.vim. \nvi\nvu with ivn.w.,! /t-al. 1111(1 a si'uw of others. To spiritnuli/Hl j.rotcslMnt rlnislians, .Uvj.lv a.-.|iiainr.M| '^"^l ""I'ticl with ..vanudieal truths, th. dark, i.noram, a.ul superHtitioas pations of Ko.nan Catholir ChriHtianity inuscMU(Mliis.diasatitd.lofVvanndixatiouwithahuoHtaHmu,.h necl as pa-auis,,, itself. Hence the ^a-eat ettorts put forth hy tlie EvanoehVal Societies «,f Geneva and of France, in that «li>vction. ai.lcd l.y large contribution.s from Kngland.' We owe our (irnt French Missionaries among the h'oman (.'athohcs of Canada to that mighty revival wave. AfK-r tlu-ir -•.version fnau formal Protestantisn. to ,1... spiritual reality olthegospel, Madame Feller and Mr. IJoussv were .,uite ready to devote themselves to a uussionary li.Id, l.ut they had not yet deeded where they would go, when Mr. H.nri Olivier pastor of a irench church iu i.a.sanne, made up his mind t,i come to " ' madi I as a missionary to tjie Ind lan.^ arrived iu Montreal in tl Ha vinwns miuht think, th(> funeral ol a new boi'n infant, for those ^vl liini, to lead his first stei)s, to interest him and were already there, decided to work and in were readv to nui 'se trs to help you, and fi-iaily to repl, tile bell anouncinL;' the l»irtli of ice vou. ess at iill other on wTi't' new enterprise destined i( 8 grow lliroimli (lilliciillics and .stiuggli's, and that in spite of an oi)i>o.sition -which lias at its disposal ininiense resources, and is kept up hy an activity which never sleeps. After the departure (jf her i'riends the Oliviers, Madame Feller continued for some time in the city the work she had pursued with Madame Olivier, namely, teaching a few chililren the alphabet and visiting from house to house Roman Catholic families, to read the gospel to them, the truths of which were veiled hy the teaching of the priest as much as by the ignorance of the people. That M( irk did not last more than a few months, for the priests and the nuns succeeded in closing all doors against her efforts. In tlie meantime Madame Feller had become acquainted with the people, with their character, their ways, their religious ideas, and thus had prepared herself for the larger work she would have some day to do. The nifiterial was not ready in this place but the insti'ument was for some other place. Montreal was virtually closed to the gospel; it was oidy a. good deal later that her doors would be ojiened with some measure of success. Monsieur lioussy remained but ten days in Montreal and then left for Grande- Ligne to take charge of a jnimary school entirely Itoman Catholic. After his school hours he would devote his tinu' to making the gospel known around him. The parish jtiiest having heard of this had the school closed by his sole authority, none of the parties interested having the courage to nud« JM i* ww^»^' «fni» m'lt ^-arv- lie Iiiitl lict'ii aide t(i \ isit a iiuiiiltcr of laiiiilics, ami in mu' of tlu'iii had touiid a person all ]»repared to receive the truth in a saving nuuinei', through .Jesus Christ alone. She knew sometliing of the gosijel, liaving hud a l)il)h' in her youth while hving in ihe neigh])orhood of Boston, a book she always ke]»t as a ])reci(.us treasure, though nominally a eatholie. Madan;e Lore iiaving received the message of the gosjtel with dee]) gratitude and exulting Joy, liecanie the means (tf bringing her whole family, which was a large one, to acee])t it also, and it was in the house of one of her daughters, Madamv^ Leveque, in the Grande-Ligne settlement, that Mr. Roussy began to ] (reach the gospel, and in the same house that Madame Feller began her great work with \ery small means. It is that ])oor house, roughly l)uilt with logs, as they constructed houses in the country then, with no architectural merit l)ut that of having lasteil till now, that has been the cradle of this work of the Grande-Ligne, which has already a ruime in a large ])ortion of the world, and a re])Utation that cannot but grow, and deserve, M'c trust, more and more its providential name, of great line marked by the finger of (Jod for tlu' work of his servants. It was that house, already inhabitetl by a family, which became foi' a time the abode, the school-ro(tui, the ujiper room oi that mighty worker, and the radiating centre of lu-r great soul. It was here the missionary work fairly began. The Oliviers and Madame Feller had tried to commence in Mont- real, Mr. Itoussy and Madame Feller attemjited in vain lo initiate it in St. Johns ; in the city and in the large village 10 there were too miiny vif^ilant guardians, jiriests and nuns to allow such a work to 1)0 established. All tliat the mis- sionaries could (io was to luirv in 8t. dolms tlic nireache(l in a certain place it is at times as stirc an indication that it is the will of God that one should not obstinatcdy \V(»rl< there, as it was that Paul should not persist in going to preach in Asiii when forbidden by the 8])irit [u go tliei'c. Jesus had told his disciples that when not received in a city they sli(»ulil go into another. The time had not arrived for those cities, it might never come. It is ])ro]»erly here that the history (tf the Grande-Ligne Mission begins; a narrative of arduous work, of ditiiculties and privations, of suft'ering not so much of the body as of the soul, yearning in anguish at times for want of means to keep up the work idready begun, and still more to extend it further, as it was the great desire of the inmost soul of the missionaries. Pushed by circumstances, our two missionaries came to unite their eftbrts in the same ])lai;e. It was just one year after tlieir ;irri\;d in ("nnada. a yciir in which tliey s])ent some time in feeling ilieir Wii\ in the dark, praying incessantly for light and direction. They at lust hiid Ibund their standing point and field of action. They estab- lished themselves in this ])lace, rathei poor, oi cheerless, aspect, where the farms were cleared only near the road, in 11 the midst of a people aenerally iK.c.r, the missionarie,. being p..or themselves, hut rieh in htitl., in courage, and it may he .said, in holy illusinn.s. At the outset the missionaries helieved with all their heart that the French Canadians were as a people very re- li.^ious, duuhtless JH-eause they apj.eared so, and wh.-n nm iH'xIered hy their priests, would li.ten with rapture to the truth unfolded to them hy those strangers. The missionaries helieved that if once they could persuade every head <.f „ family to have the gospel in their homes, all, .",r almost all, would heartily accept the divine message. They did not yet know that a great many who seemed to attend mass very devoutly, were very far from being rehgious and exemplary 111 their life. How different from the heautifullv cultivated country which they had left to come here! There with the general protestant education is found general protestant morality, and almost universal veracity in all the ^^•alks of life. In a physical point of view they could from time to time contemplate a feint resend.lance t.. their fetherland by ascending the little elevation on which the new church now stands, and fi-om which one sees on the other side of the blue h-ne of the Richelieu river the magnificent i,anoranui of the Eastern Townshii)s and Green Mountains of the State of Vermont. I fancy that many a time their hearts must have swelled as they cast their eyes castwar.!. j'.nl 1 know they were chietly pre-occupied with thoughts of the heavenly home, and desirous above all to be able to say before the Heavenly Father in the great day: "Here we ar,« with the childreii m 12 wliicli tliou liiist t^i\('ii us." Tt Wiis tliiil Iwily |tr('-n('('ii])iitiii]itist MinisttT, jui.stdr in Montreal ciune to visit the missionaries iil ( Ji.intU'-Li^iK', and beiiiL; l■ot(^stant French Mission, at all hazards C cletermin..,! („ visit it, and there he soon tonnd h>ht and comfort in words of real diristipn sympathy and love Lpired l.y the truths of the eternal gosj.el. But to the missionaries It was a great surprise. A priest was coming to them to en- quire after the truth, a memher of that haughty priesthood so full of disdain for the missionaries and their adherents. What! so soon! They had assuredly j.raye.l often and fervently for the conversion of some .,f the nu-mbers of that nnoH-mus class, hut they h,.d not supposed that their prayers would he so soon ansM-ered. One may fancy with what feelings th(>y welcomed hin.. They hnl iUv hai.].iness of seeing him r,L main with the.n and so.ui herom.' an invaluable worker in their Institute, as an instructor, and elsewhere in ..ther capacities, as a, ]»reacher and as a writer. Besides tliis remarkable conversion, and acjuisition <;f a man accustomed to teaching, in a new school for which they l t(. the youn.u amonu tlie new converts, and to edifying i)reachinu-. Doctor C6te brought to the pn.pagation of his new convictions all the ardour and zeal of his ptjlitical life, a little sobered down by a few years more on his head, and by the solemn sense that he had become a co-worker with God for the liberation of souls. In his incessant activity, inteiTupted 17 at times l.y fits of sickness, there was a far oft' intinmti„n us it were that this powerful exuberance of life might not last a great while. L,mg before he could come back safely on Canadian soil, Dr. C6to had begun to preach with success in the United States. At Svvanton he had gathered his old infidel associates to make them publicly acquainted with his recent convictions and his conversion by the gospel. From there he went from time to time to hold meetings at Chazy in the State of New York, where after a while he established a permanent place of worship. Occasionally he would make dangerous visits of evangelization in Canada, f.n- there was a price set on his head. Having become free by the Act of Amnesty he came to settle at St. Pie where a remarkable work of refornuition was begun by a New-Testament bi-ought there from Grande Ligne. After a mighty work of evangrel. ization which extended to the new settlements (clearings in the forest) of lloxton, Milton and Shcffbrd, it was dedded that the new convert should become the resident pastor at St. Pie. He was not to remain long there in (|uiet, for sick- ness forced him to seek for several months a warmer climate. He spent a winter in Florida. He had only just returned to resume his missionary work when the Baptist Home Mission Society requested him to leave it again to accompany Madame Feller on a long collecting tour in the United States. This chronic disease of the mission, the poverty of the Treasury, wiU often oblige the missionaries to leave their field of la1)or to seek the necessary means to sustain the other la])orers and the primary schools as well as the Institutes, where we B 18 educate our protestant youth, the chiklreu of the recent converts, and a tew Roman Catliolic chihh-en. Ordinarily it falls to the lot of those who have an abundance of money to travel in the country and abroad, but the missionary travels when he is too jjoor to remain at home. He may consider himself a hai»i)y being if in this arduous work he is not touched with that indescribable feeling of misery, which is akin t(j tliat of a bashful mendicant, keeping his pride low and his courage up, and is a worse trial to his soul that all the labor and fatigue which that occupation entails. That first trip with Madame Feller in 1845 v^-as prosperous onough as to money matters but the heart began to suffer because here and there it Avas refused the rich sympathy which it was accustomed to meet everywhere. The mission- aries had always been baptists, that was well known among the friends of other denominations, but when it became evident that they could not l)e anything else, many of the old contributors kept back, not only their money contributions, but also their cordial sympathies. This was the more natural, in as much as since 1840 a Missionary Society, called "The French Canadian Missionary Society " had been formed in the interest of pedol)aptist principles. What tearing down of the heart strings, especially for Madame Feller, as in her first trips with Dr. Kirk she had been so largely welcomed by christians of all denominations ! Her correspondence at this time bears the painful traces of it. This crisis was not without influence on Madame Feller's precarious health afterwards; and of this she retained an habitual sad look 19 where one could see deep yearning, for a I,etter state of thin., m chnstendom. In our old n,i,,i„nary it wa, the voice of oon,e,enee making itself hearf above that of the heart. One cannot but deeply regret that our theological knowledge ha, not yet reached high enough to harmonize tho,c two voices "• the soul, in the individual christian and an,ong cln-i,tia„ cliurclies. Dr. Cote made a third collecting tour in the United State, m 1848, after which it was decided that he would devote his whole time to the work of collecting. But apart fronr it, bemg a most arduous ta,k, keeping him away from his iamily most of the time, the strong desire to preach the go.,pel asserted it, right in the heart of the preacher. With the consent of the Board of Director, he left St. Pie in 1849 to taKe charge of the ,tation of Ste. Marie de Monnoir, a new field of evangelization where the go,pel had penetratcl i„ a .■emar] organization equipped for solid educational work. It has schools and churches of Canadian converts, several preaching stations, and a good str.ff of workers. In the nature of things it cannot but spread, and soon its adherents will be numbered by thousands. This would be the natural result of this vantage ground were it not that two tendencies were already at work to diminish the appearance of those results. There are already 28 two different currents to draw away from us our converts, one toward Erglisli churches in our midst, favored hy the fact that French Canadians easily learn the Jlnglish lanpiness it ^.ive them to see clear Lausanne again, with all its family associa- tions and christian friends, all in the midst of such beautiful scenery ! One may imagine IVLadame Feller's j,.y, after a separation of twenty-four years, to meet Mr. and Mrs! Olivier, and to be able to tell them of the progress of the work they had begun, progress through ditliculties, sufterings and priva- tions at times, and still most encouraging. In the midst of those legitimate joys our old missionary did „ot forget her dear Canada, where she had l)een the sj.iritual mother of so many children, and before long her heart began to yearn to return to the field of labor. .She came back by Liverpool and New York in September 1860, accompanied by Miss Cuendet, an accomplished missionary lady from Switzerland, who devoted several years of her life to teaching in the Feller Institute at Longueuil, and left only because her health gave way. She has remained a loving and praying friend of'' the mission. • When Madame Feller reached New York she found that metropolis of commerce in a deploral^le state of depression, of failures of large houses and banks in consequence of the' beginning of civil war. The prospect of gathering funds for the mission was very poor indeed, and only through the love and devotedness of the ladies' associations of New York, Brooklyn and Philadelphia was she enabled to bring a few hundred dollars for the crying wants of the missionary work. mm 32 In the meantimo that work was progressing, so encoura- gingly, that in a brief historical sketch of the mission pub- lished in London, while there, Mr. Latleur could write the following items : — " The work of the Grande-Ligne mission now extends over some forty parishes, every one of which contains french Canadian converts. Their number amounts to about 3000 converts, of whom 700 are in church fellow- ship. The mission comprises twenty stations, it employs some twenty laborers, eight ministers, six of whom are the fruits of the mission ; others as evangelists, colporteurs and teachers." Those figures surpassing the ones we could furnish to-day, will appear natural when we say that we had then several stations beyond the limits of the country, in the northern part of Vermont, of which one church alone numbered one hundred and forty-five members, one church in Quebec given up to another mission, and other fields, now occupied by other missionary agencies following up the same work. Notwithstanding successful collections iu Great Britain, on his return in 1861, Mr. Lafleur found the treasury of the mission empty and the work suffering for want of funds, partly owing to the fact that contributions received from the United States were in depreciated currency, on account of the war of secession, so that we were forced to borrow money repeatedly to prevent a complete collapse of our missionary enterprise. Mr. Lafleur returned to his old position at Longueuil, where he remained until 1864, when he was called to Montreal for evangelistic and pastoral work, retaining the pastorate of the 33 gatho, the fragments of a little flock formed by Mr. Cyr wl.ik edmng the ^«,.„,. C«„a the many conversions among the piipils, the Feller Institute had one day the ha^jpiness of rescuing a nun, a young American woman who had been brought up as a protestant in New York, and then by going to school in the convent of the Sacred Heart, had been induced to become a catholic, and then to take the vows of a nun. Knowing of a French Protestant school in the village of Longueuil, she escaped from the convent and came to seek refuge under our roof. There with ecstacy she eiyoyed her old i)rotestant liberty, read her Bible anew, dropped the dark garments of the slavish faith into which her imagination had lured her, gave us the bunch of rosaries and crosses she wore, as relics of an abandoned superstition, and after a few days sojourn at Grande-Ligne she left with an old uncle, a retired Methodist minister who had come for her from New York. Trembling with emotion he said to us : "you are doing the M'ork of angels. May God bless you more 41 and more." The young lady married a few years after and settled in Ehaway, N. J. As a good opportunity presented itself of selling the property at Longueuil, the committee availed themselves of it ^^'it]l the purpose of building soon at Grande-Ligne. In tlie mean time the girl's school was transferred to Grande- Ligne under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Roux. For the lirst winter they had a mixed school of forty-five pui)ils. It had been thought that the projected wing to the building could be built soon so as to accommodate a larger number o^ scholars, but that was accomplished oidy in 1880. Pendina that date the missionaries did not neglect what they always considered their primal duty, namely to bring souls to Christ; so that as soon as among the pupils appeared signs of the' work of the spirit. Mi Eoussy being unwell and already suffer- ing of the disease that was ere long to take him away from us, they asked Mr. Therrien, from Burlington, to come and spend some time at Grande Ligne and preach during the week. Mr. Lafleur also came from M(uitreal from time to time to help them. All had the happiness of witnessing a considerable number of conversions. In the course of the winter forty-three persons were converted, baptized and added to the church. Our old missionary Mr. R„ussy, said on that occasion that since the beginning of the mission there had never been a revival of such intensity The fact was reassuring for those who had fears that a mixed school was fraught with much danger. A year elapsed in finding the way to begin building a 42 large wing to the old mission liouse. This solid and somewliat imposing structure was completed in the year 1880 and was dedicated on the 22nd of October. Mr. Roussy was still living, but already much enfeebled by sickness. It was a good and blessed holiday in which our old missionary joined us with all his soul. But like all our festivities here below it had a sad feature. It was with a faltering step and a very pale countenance which clearly predicted a near end, that he who was once so robust, came in the large lecture room to join us in the service of dedication. One building was up and the other was going down, a house made with hands and the other a marvellous structure, mysteriously raised to be the temple of the living God, now decaying, but to be raised again by the eternal spirit in a more aerial form for a more spiritual sphere. It is nevertheless sad to con- template that ruin so long the sanctuary of the living God, and the vessel to carry salvation to others. Our brother feL asleep in the Lord in the month of November at the age of 68, the same age as that of our great missionary to whom lie was as a devoted son, a fond admirer, and a zealous helper at all hours. On the sad event Principal Roux wrote these words to tlie writer : My dear friend, it has come to the worst, in a moment, the robust and marvellous machine was stopped, the spirit motor had left it, notliing remained but the lifeless and dis- figured form of a great son of God. On seeing him die I felt struck at the heart, and fainting I threw myself on a sofa near 43 by. I cannot possibly realize the truth that we will no longer meet him going from one room to another in tliis house. Three days after a large number of friends from Montreal and St. Johns, and french Canadian converts from all parts came to attend the funeral. There were also present great many Roman Catholics. It was a solemn and impressive service, in which several of the missionary ministers took part. The body was laid by the side of Madame Feller's grave. There repose the remains of the two pioneers of this work. They rest from their labors and their works do follow them, while their results remain among us as seeds of a glorious harvest. A few weeks after Mr. Lafleur was asked by friends of the mission to preach in the First Baptist Church of Montreal a memorial discourse of Mr. Eoussy, taking for his text Heb. xi, 4, and from which we make the foUowing extracts : "Mr Eoussy was but little personally known in the wide christian public interested in the work of the Grande-Ligne mission, but he was known everywhere among the French converts. During the first years of his labors in this country he was occasionally called to accompany Madame Feller in her visits to Montreal, and only once in the United States. But wherever he went he was naturally more or less over- shadowed by the great individuahty, who in liis eyes could never be made too much of. Though he could read and write Enghsh readily, he never could bring his rebeUious French tongue to pronounce it in such a way that it would appear English. He had withal rehiring habits, and felt very uneasy 44 wlion anythiiij^ like worldly etiquette seemed to be reciuired. He hud the iiatiival |)oliteiiess of the hear', r>irnt.s7u7»f/(,' of the true French <;eiilleinaii, and never did anything that savored of vulgarity. I ventnre to rewdl a tradition always kei)t up in Mons. lioussy'.s family, and which his distinguishe countenance, anil his haltitual demeanor would justify, it is that he was the direct descendant of Count de Iloussy, who had to lice from the Province of Chanqiagne during the persecution against the Huguenots, and founded the, family of that name in Geneva. It was in the circle of intimate friends that his worth was known, where his loving heart gave out all its treasures, when his unselfishness was most conspicuous, and when his Joy and happiness had all the naivety and buoyancy of childhood. Often have we thought of him as of the Apostle Jtum, the loving and beloved disciple. Thosf^ amiable traits of character eminently fitted him for the worl. he had undertaken, and made him a centre of attraction wherever he M'as located. When Madame Feller was no longer there, Mr. Euussy remained as the loving representative of them both and of the work of the mission. His excellent memory, both of the mind and of the heart, fitted him to keep up those pleasant and profitable relations. Mr. Iloussy was preeminently an evangelist. He was endowed with health, great physical strength, a warm heart, a vivid and large imagination, and great natural eloquence, coupled with comprehensive views of missionary enterprise. His patience and perseverance were simply unlimited. Bold and severe in his pulpit utterances against sin, vehement at times, he 45 was (lifFident wiien it came to personal pastoral oonversation, his touder lieart, his four of Inirtinfj the feelings of others, rendered him huhitiiully imfit for dinicult duty whicli requires so much tact, self-denial and moral courage to perform. Mr. Koussy's mind seemed to he always encircled with a halo of glorious ho])es. We well remember his ir,.'»i)ing out the wliole of this Province (Queluu;) in districts to be evan- gelized, just as if one had only to go and make the truth known for its being accej.ted. His great faith in the Sovereign grace of God led him to ignore man's resistance, which the divine Master recognized when he said, that s(mie men made the counsel of God of none effect concerning them,— and these words full of tears, "and ye would not come unto me." It is true nevertheless that vioM'ing deeply the magnitude of opposing forces, the inei ia of humanity at large is apt to breed weakness of attei ut. That weakness Mr. Eoussy entirely ignored. To our . ind the stronger servant of God is the one who measures the greatness of the opposing forces and who nevertheless undertakes the task, hearing in his soul the words of the Master: Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. With scanty resources, Mr. Eoussy would still attempt great things relying on special providences to meet pressing emergencies. If the tokens were not forthcoming, it would never disturb his faith in the principle. While faithfully preaching total depravity, Mr. Eoussy had great confidence in human goodness. In all his reports of conversions one will almost in- ' viably find that he qualifies 46 converts persons of good character. In a recent conversation with him on liis youthful days, speaking of his early desire to instruct the ignorant, he said with a charming naivety : " I never was a Lad boy." That Ave fully believe without attempt- ing to "reconcile the statement with his strong expressions on total depravity. Mr. Koussy was brought up a protestant by a deeply christian mother ; spoke of his conversion when as yet quite young, and though it could certainly not be of the type of Saul'" conversion, Mr. Roussy's strong and vivid imagination would nevertheless see other conversions in that striking contrast from darkness to light. Mr. Roussy's mind was never called to pass through the ordeal of changing one form of faith for another, liut only to seize on the more spiritual teaching of the doctrine he was taught from infancy. The Revival of 1820 which gave to France and Switzerland Empetaz, Gaussen, Merle d'Aubigne, Malan, Bost, the Monods and many others, also inspired Mr. Roussy. His burning zeal led him to undertake a work of colportage in France which he pursued for two years. While thus engaged, a theological school for evangelists and missionaries was formed at Lausanne. Our friend went there to prepare himself for missionary work. His theological studies were hurried and superiicial, and soon to be broken up to accompany Madame Feller to Canada. During the first twenty years of this missionary enterprise, no new preaching station was estal)lished, no church organized, no school opened, no chapel l)uilt, that Mr, Roussy did not originate and foster. We have briefly alluded to his encounter at St. Marie de 47 Monnoir with the apostle of Temperance, Father Chiniquy. This conflict with the astute and eloquent priest abundantly shows how much progress the gospel must have made to call in such a champion to oppose it. On what side was the victory ? On neither. Mr. Eoussy had the great current of the gospel truth with a few partisans on his side, and Mr. Chiniquy had the great mass of the people all predisposed for him and M'hich he retained by the adroit success of words of an able advocate who well knew how to strengthen the pi'cjudices of the people against the new religion. Each of the combat- ants wrote a pamphlet to show that he had the best of the contest ; and a great many persons were only more perplexed than before as to the real truth in the matter. The last twenty years of his life have been spent at Grande- Ligne, as pastor, missionary, and religious teacher. He also gave a great deal of his time in acting as a homeopathic physician, and as such did not spare himself for l^oth catholics and protestants. This place was to him sacred ground, and very beautiful, as Mount Zion was to the Israelites. This mission to which he had consecrated his life Mas the constant object of his thoughts and of his love. Nearly thirteen years before he had received a great shock in the death of Madame Feller who was to him and indeed to many others the personification of that mission. Mr. Roussy came to this country a young man of prepos- sessing appearance, of gentle manners and lasting affections. He never married and never returned to his beautiful native land. Sometimes he would speak of returning home to feed 48 his eyes with that hixury of Swiss scenery which was his birthright and for which others pay so much ; then his eye would sparkle, or on a suddenly pale cheek a tear would glisten and all was over ; his soul had had a glini])se of the heavenly home, which nerved liim to continue his work in his adopted country for God's sake. He speaks to us by his life devotion to a work of habitual self denial. His life speaks to us of Ijenignity, kindness, love ever abiding, patience, and sweet communion with God. His words of comfort, of kindness, will be remembered long in nuiny a humble home ; and liis works of evangelization speak to us over a large area of this Province of Quel)ec. His written words are not numy, and but very inadetpiately represent the power and the resources of his mind. The reason of it is in his want of early training to exact thought, sobriety of images and htness of expression whicli did not readily come at the end of his pen. Only under high mental pressure did his mind seize on strong and exact language for his thoughts which M^ere of no mean order. One naturally looks to the close of such a life, as letting in something of thj glory of hope which had tilled the soul in some luminous hours ; we crave for a Mount Nebo for those who have been favored with some scene of Transfiguration ; but that is seldom granted ; in fact it seems to be more the privilege of those disciples who during their lifetime were left to walk in the hazy atmosphere at the foot of the Moun- tain and who need more light at last to enter the dark passage. Our friend died quietly without manifostutiou of any great joy, 49 without any remarkable saying, but only to a friend who asked him if his trust was still in Christ, he simply answered, " What else could I do ? " He proceeded only a few months in the field of i-est another missionary, Mademoiselle Sophie Jonte, who had consecrated forty years of her life to this work without remuneration. With her strong frame and good mind she was an incessant worker, in superintending household work or in teaching. She had an admirable talent as a house manager, with an astonishing economy which at tim.es was something of a trial to those who were a little too dainty. That true sister of charity has proved that it is not necessary to be cloistered, nor to make vows of celibacy to live a holy life, and a life of devotedness to others. They are numerous those who retain of her a pleasant and grateful remembrance, and who still see that good face, recaU her active life, the decided character, the human being that would get angry sometimes, but whose soul was so deeply pious, and whose conscience was so delicate, that one word, one look w,.uld stop the angTy movement, and bring a tear of humiliation to tell it was all over. In a large frame, under a heavy envelope of bone and muscle dwelt a strong mind and a kind heart, easily moved to a good hearty laugh which shook the whole' mass; and deeper emotions were just as easily provoked. No wonder she was loved by so many who came in contact with her. They are no longer there those great workers; others have entered in their work. With more facilities,' with better appliances, will they do more and better ! Will 50 they do as much, and as well ? It will be for other historians to tell. A new and spacious house had nuw been built at Grande-Ligne for the accommodation of jiupils, still for the establishment and development of our work, two more buildings were needed; a church edilice in Montreal, and another at Grande-Ligne. A proverb says that everything arrives in time for him who knows how to wait. That it conies at last may be true, but in the best time, we are unwilling to admit. The building came rather kite for the Montreal station. What long and weary years to wait ' Finally after many difficulties, in being shifted from one place to another, all at once encouraged by the very generous co-operation of a few english and french brethren of Montreal and elsewhere, we succeeded in erecting a pretty and con- venient place of worship which was dedicated in February. 1883. During that time, by the i)eisevering work and the economical management of brother Brouillut, a neat and comfortable parsonage was built at Roxton Pond not far from the chapel. Both form a solid establishment, in a station where the work 's progressing from year to year. In the meantime several students of the Grande-Ligne Institute, having in view the work of the ministry, or of teaching in the school at Grande Ligne, were pursuing a complete course of study in McGill College. The first was Mr. J. C. Bracq, who after a classical course in Montreal, went for a theological course in Newton Theological Institution, Mass. Afterwards, Messrs. Parent and Masse, who both 61 a tis I completed their course with distinction in 1884. They are now stationed respectively, one, Mr. Parent, as pastor at Ste. Marie de Monnoir, and the other, Mr. Masse, at Grande-Ligne as teacher in the Institute. For the past two years and a half Messrs. Alfred Leheau and Arthur St. James, after having gone from the Grande-Ligne Institute to spend a scholastic year in Woodstock Institute, then two winters in Montreal, following the french theological classes of Professor Coussirat, and occasionally preaching in some of the stations on Sundays, are now employed on the missionary staft'; Mr. St. James is pastor at Clarenceville, where he preaches in english and in french, and Mr. Lebeau is acting as evangelist in different ports of the field. After a few years of missionary work among the french in Burlington, Mr. Therrien came back to the french work in Canada, wi^ere he began first in Montreal by replacing Mr, Lafleur during his absence in Europe in the interests of the mission in the winter of 1879-80. In the spring of 1880 he was called to the pastorate of the Church at Grande-Ligne. We are happy to say that his fears as to his ability to fill that post have not been justified, for he has done so to the entire satisfaction of his brethren, and with an evident blessing of God on his labors. During the winter tluit followed his installation there was a cheering revival among the pupils and in the congregation. His first care in assuming the duties of that position was to re-organize and raise up the church, \,hich was in a rather poor condition owing to the long illness of the aged pastor, Mr. Eoussy. 52 Another groat task was looming before him, that was the nrgent necessity of erecting a church buihling, a task lie under- took with zeal, hut also with a prudence that calculated ])efore- haiid the difficulties to meet. One of the most cheering results of that difficult enterprise is the large amount contri])uted by the church members, and other french Canadian converts from llomanism. Our Grande-Ligne Ijrethren took their time to raise their pretty and commodious edifice, which to our mind has but one defect that of being made of wood instead of stone. More expense was of course the main reason for this. It was not given to our brother Mr. Eoussy who years before, had given the ground to build upon, to oce this temple with the eyes of the flesh. It would be pleasant to indulge the thought that from a higher sphere, in a more aerial form lie was present at the dedication services. What a beautiful occasion for those who were preseni ? What feelings of gratitude for the past, and what blessed hopes for the future of this work. On the platform of the pulpit were two con- verted priests, one converted forty-five years ago, the other quite recently, only a few months ago. The latter was to be the first candidate to be baptized in ije baptistry of the new church, on the following Sunday. Are these all the priests that have been converted in connection with this mission work ? No, there is another of whom we have said but little. His name was Hubert Tdtreau. He labored several years in the employ of this mission, but without much zeal, though with very decided protestant I I I I I I I I I I I I I 'StJJi fW WWli ^ v mrtr ^r -M wvmvw v wir^trv v w <■■ » tr'w vw-irw FRENCH BAPTIST CHURCH, — L'ORATOIRE, MANGE STREET, MONTREAL. ROUSSY MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH, QRANDE LIQNE, P.Q. '■M.M.m.m.M^-mn^-mr^-^rm.m.M^m.m.m.m.m.m.M.m.m.m.M.m.m.m.x-m.-m-mr-m: TtnKMj^m I I I I i ( I I I ( 1 i I ( I I I i i 1 < 1 ( ( 53 principles. His want of uiieru:y preveiitLMl him t'luiii lnHoiniiii,' a very usfful imin, though lie luul a j^'ooil mind, ami was jjretty well trained intellectually, lie often wrote short, l)iit scn.sihle articles fur our french prutestant itaj)ers, and when called to preach would give a good discourse of fifteen or twenty minutes leaving the iin]»ression after the short service was over, that he had got rid of a duty which reminded him of the mass said in bygone days. He died a few years ago in Montreal, a member of the French l^aptist Church. From what has Ijeen said of the relations of Mr. ('liini([uy with Mr. Latieur, when the ajwstle of temperance began to entertain doubts about the scriptural apostolicity of the Eoman Catholic Church, it would seem natural for this mission to claim Mr. Chinitpiy as one of its converts ; but this we have never done, as our missionaries may have been only one of many instrumentalities to enlighten the noted priest, and to help him out of his ditiiculties with the Koman hierarchy. After a year or two of api)arant indecision between different denominations, wishing perhaps like Pere Hyacinthe to join none of them, he finally cast his lot with the large and influential I'resbyterian body. No one will ever accuse him of a want of energy and activity. His zeal is more unquestionable than his prudence, and as tri his sincerity very few will be found to doubt it. But why so small a number of conversions among the priesthood ? A brief answer to this question seems here unavoidable. During Jesus Christ's lifetime on earth it M-as asked : " Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed 64 on liiin ?" We answer, very few. Let iis say at the outset, that neither in Canada, noi in France, nor indocMl anywhere, tliut we know of, is it required that a man shouhl have a special vocation for the christian ministry ♦^o enter the priest- hood. He is supposed to be a Christian from infancy, and if lie makes up liis mind to renounce the joys of family life, while also shirking its onerous duties, after a course of study in a seminary he is ready to he received in the })riesthood; that is to enter a generally comfortable position, especially in Canada. The priest becomes a member of a fictitious family, a brotherhood where the most insignificant of men, coming from the lowest rank of society, will lie placed above society, and l)ecome a mediator between God and man. It is easy to conceive how such a position will of necessity feed the clerical pride, which in most men will jirove a suthcient compensation for all other self-denial. It often happens that an ignorant and vulgar jjriest is called to receive at the confessional the most intimate secrets (^f men of the highest aristocracy, and of the most noble women. Statistics have shown, much as statistics may seem difficult in such a matter, that among jniests, one in ten take seriously the charge of their ministry, being more or less religious. It is useless to speak of the gospel to the nine others, they have, to their own minds, more imi)ortant matters to attend to. As to the truth, if lie ever comes in contact with evangelical protestants, whatever he may learn from them contrary to the teachings of his own church, he will disi ose of in the attempt to reconcile, what is most spiritual 55 in that church with the gospel. Tlien he will cite with comfort to himself, men Yike Feiielon, Bossuet, Newiii:m, Dollinger, as great christiiui individnalitics, got/l eiitholics and and learned men, whose resi)lendent expfjsition of the truth ■covers with its radiance all the defects of the doctrine and practices of their church. Thiidv also of all the glory of that great church in which he has received his first religious impressions. That is why he will remain in the catholic church, the church of an infallihle Pope, of the Jesuits, and full of superstitious teachings. The ])resent position is too good, the prospect too magnificent to allow him to leave them. The religion in which ]»riests have been morally nursed has not made them manly enough to face opposition, jjov^rty and ridicule for the sake of the truth only dimly seen and ap- prehended. Besides, the confessional and its revelations have undermined their faith in the ])ower of religious truth to regenerate humanity. In the winter that followed the dedication of the church at Grande-Ligne, the Feller Institute was visited by the most remarkal )le Revival we have ever beheld in the mission- ary schools since tlie beginning of tliis work. There were hours when it seemed that the Divine 8[)irit was ruling all the life and thoughts of the inmates. Following that revival thirty- four persons, most of them pu])ils r»f the Institute were baptized after a clear profession of their faith in Christ. This happy band of fine youths have a great future Ijcfore them to glorify God. This scene was the most magnificent and blessed consecration that this new^ temple ciuild have. 56 We iiiUHt now briefly reciijiitiilute the results tietmilly known of this work of fifty years, and indicate other results <[ulte as real but known only in an a])]»rMxinmte manner and are like the penombra of this focus of li<,dit and divine life. During those fifty years of lalior this mission has been the means of bringing about five thousiiud persons to the kiiowltnlge of the gospel and who are now scattered o\'er Canada, and especially over that ])art of the United States called New England, but also many in the far West. Of this number about three thonsand have passed several years in our Institutes and have gone to spread something of the know- ledge of spiritual life they have received among us. In that space of time between tliree and four thousand have become church Tiiembers. We are very far from having that number now, and that for many reasons. First, as we have already intimated, the extent of our missionary field has been limited by our having abiindoned several far away stati(nis such as Quebec, Leslie, and the north of Vermont, this owing in part to the fact that other missionary societies have since entered in this work of french evangelization with stations in those neighborhoods. All of those societies have come to existence in the wake of the Grande-Ligne mission, the pioneer that has furnished the proofs that French Canadians may be brought to evangelical Christianity, in spite of what some engli?^ protestants had said to Madame Feller when she fi^ her work : " Madame Feller, you will never convei tenuii Canadian in your life." This clearly shows how difficult that work appeared in the eyes of our english brethren. " I full} 57 acknuwlclnje my incapacity in this re.spect" replied Madame Feller, "l,„t (Jod wh„ has sent ni. hen- will d., it hy the power of his w,.rd un.l spirit, and you will see it some day." We all see it to-day on a pretty lar-e scale. We cheerfully acknowledge that once the proof given, even on a small scale, those brethren of another language and nationality helped' this work generously, with the business like way which characterizes then., and zealously if not always judiciously. Our labors have incited otber denominations to form other missionary societies, with larger means than ours, at least one of them, employing more missionary agents, receiving in their schools a larger numl,er of pupils, embracing in their colportage and evangelization a wider field, and spending twice or thrice the amount of our budget. lUit there are at least three points on which the old mission seems to us to have kept up an incontestable superiority. One is that the standard of education in its institutes has been of a higher grade; the second, is the fact of having had more frequent and more remarkable revivals; and the third, of having formed churches and centres more considerable and more essentially french in their nature. There is another immense result of which few reports say anything, and of which nobody speaks, and which in the last great day, when everything shall come clearly to light, may prove of vast import. In our jiresent complicated societv, religious opinions, and still more religious lives, act and react on each other in a deep current which modifies the minds and the souls of men in spite of the differences of form. Thus 68 evangelical Protestantism, wherever it comes in contact with Eomanism, modifies it largely and profoundly. It may not be acknowledged, but it is felt and shows the effect of its presence. The influence of our missionary work on Eoman Catholics has been very deep and wide on thousands who have remained in the church where they were born, and to which they no longer belong by their inmost so\il. They have thus been enlightened and spiritualized by our labors and influence. It is well known that the most pious and purest of Catholics live in Protestant countries. If all our missionary work had not produced more than this, it would not have been done in vain. But we have seen that it has accomplished much more. We have really labored for the whole north of this continent. While we have done this the Grande-Ligue Mission has retained a good footing in this neighborhood. There are in connection with this society six organized churches, each one having a church building either in stone, brick or wood ; pretty, comfortable, or at least becoming, according to localities. They are at Montreal, Gronde-Ligne, Ste. Marie, St. Pie, Poxton and South Ely; besides a solid estal)lishment of education at Grande-Ligne, altogether forming seven centres from which radiate instruction, secular and religious, and evangelical light and influence. By the gi'ace of God we shall maintain the liglit of divine life in those seven churches which are our seven golden candlesticks, and we shall often invite the Son of man to visit them either for inspiration, encouragement or rei)ro()f. We shall also ask for them tutelary angels, stars to enligliten 59 them and to lead them lieaveuward. They need not l)e of the first magnitude, l)ut of tliose tluit will never be blotted out, but shine for ever and ever. The members of those churches have been during those fifty years recruited from almost every class of society, but especially among the middle class and among farmers. We have to-day members of our congregations that would be an honor for any church to have. We have but to continue to evangelize and impart instruction to tliose who have joined us, and in the near future we shall be a power in this country that will be no longer ignored. We have a histoiy of fifty years of labor, of struggles, of warfare with the adversary of all human liberties, with the inveterate enemy of the personal study for one's self of the gospel of Christ, because the knowledge of that gospel undei-mines his authority. From the time of the Great Reformation he accuses of pride whoever attempts to question that assumed authority, as if the man, or the society of men who arrogate to themselves the ])ower to command other men, were themselves the only luimble ones. We have also had to wrestle with the habitual j.overty of our resources. To live in poverty like the Master whih, endeavoring to make others rich, is quite bearable; but In live in anxiety, under a load of debt in order to carry on a large missionary enterprise is to bear a burden that weakens power to work one's legitimate influence, and makes th.. most blessed labor irksome. Few of the old missionaries would begin anew with the prospect that is now behind them. 60 Often l)y th(3 ministry of his children, the Lord has brought us deliverance in a most striking manner, and that especially borne on the heart and in the hands of christian women who had thus showed thev meant to continue the work begun by one of their nol »le sisters who had come from another country. Among many others, mention must be made of Mrs. Comuiodore Ifead of Philadelphia, Mrs. Brinsmade of Newark. N. J., Mrs. Caroline Street of New Haven, Conn., Miss Jenny iJolles of Hartford, who have given their thousands at one time. Mrs. R. I. Brown and Mrs. T. C. Doremus of New York, Mrs. Green of Providence, who not only have given themselves largely and repeatedly, but have caused others to give. And how many others who through the ladies associations have given repeatedly from year to year, the tens, fifties and hundreds. May those who still live to read this imperfect sketch, please to accept this meagre mention as a token of our deep and sincere grauitude. For those who have gone before to the better world they have a better reward. I have reached the end of this summary retrt)spect of a work which the Lord has owned and blessed in s])ite of its imperfections, which has done good notwithstanding its poor, short-sighted and imperfect agents. May the lilessing of God so rest on what has been done, that it shall be the seed to evangelize, instruct, and save multitudes that have not yet been reached. THlilODORE LAFLEUE, E pelical Society of La Grande Llane. vanqelica Officers for 1886. REV. A. G. UPHAM, President. JOSEPH RICHARDS, Sec-Treasurer. REV. T. LAFLEUR, Rec-Secretary. (Committee REV. T. LAFLEUR. REY. T. RIENDKAU. GEO. B. MUIR. REV. A. L. T HERRI EN. JAMES CORRISTINE. A. A. AVER. JOHN KENNEDY. All Contributions for the Mission to be addressed to JOSEPH RICHARDS, 114 St. Peter Street, Montreal. FORM OF LEGACY. I give and b«i„eatl, to tho £vau„elical Society of la Grand Lig„e, Province of Quebec, Canada, the sum of to be aH,ro,„.iated to the benevolent use and purpose of said Society, under the direction of it, Board of Directors. .a