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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. 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 filmte A des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seui cliche, ii est fiimi A partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. ' ^ 1 2 3 6 m r «^ MASKINONGfi. LETTERS From two Priests, a Lawyer, a Notary and a Nun, A>D THE ANSWERS TO THESE LETTERS. BT PROTESTANT MISSIONARIES. (Translated from the French. ) Published by the Orande Ligne Mission, Province of Quebec^ Canada, MAY, 18 93. ,m n iBontreal: D. BnruT ft Co., PaiRnB*. 1746 Nona Dami Strkr. ;Wf •■■fi *t8 ■-♦11 /nBti PREFACE. -ne- The following pamphlet contains letters which were addressed to different persons in Maskinong^ with a view to winning them back to the Roman Catholic Church, from which they had severed their connection. It also contains the replies to these letters, which were by request written by missionaries of the Grande Ligne Mission, and a resume of the whole correspondence by Rev. T. Lafleur. For prudential reasons, we abstain from publishing the names of the writers, but should anyone doubt the authen- ticity of the letters contained in this little book, he could satisfy his mind on this matter by applying to the Secretary of the Grande Ligne Mission, Mr. Lafleur, who holds on file the original letters, or certified copies of them. It is only fair to say that no more than three or four of the letters were written with a view to publication. "We have nevertheless thought it best to alter neither their form nor matter, although we felt that both could be much im- proved. mm 4 In one of the last letters written by one of the priests there is a lengthy argument in favor of Matthias' apostloship, to which argument no answer was made, The reason for this is the fact that the discussion dwelt so long on the question of authority, and having been suddenly interrupted by the priest, no time was givea the other side to take up that point again. We desire to have it understood that in order to prciserve as much as possible, the spirit of the letters and their true " inwardness," we have retained many expressions which can hardly be accepted as good English. A. L. THERRTEN. Montreal, December, 1892. INTRODUCTION. It may be well to give here a word of explanation as to the origin of the difficulties which resulted in a schism among the Roman Catholics of Maskinongf^, and which occasioned the work of religious reform which followed it. The parish of Maskinong^ is situated about 75 miles from Montreal in the diocese of Three Rivers, and is traversed by the branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway, running between Montreal and Quebec. The centre of population in that parish having shifted from the old to the new village, situated on the banks of^the Maskinong^ river, it was, after years of deliberation, resolved to build a new church in the latter village, a mile and a half from the old one, in which has stood for generations and still stands the old parish Church. But on what side of the river was the new Church to be built? Such was the vexing question. The Bishop, the parish Priest, and the Church Wardens oscillated in their decision. Fmally, however, it was decided that the church should be built on the North-east side of the river, and the Bishop accordingly planted a cross and consecrated the ground on that side, declaring solemnly that the church would be built there and no-where else. For reasons better known to themselves than to us, however, the Bishop, the Priest and the Marguilliera changed ■« 6 their mind, and began to build on the other side of the river, Whereupon, several of the parishoners, on the North side, unwilling to attend church across the river, and believing that they had been unfairly dealt with, began to build at their own expense a wooden chapel, with the expectation of obtain- ing when it was finished, the service of a priest, and to thus form a separate parish. They were however, disappointed in this, for the Bishop positively refused to grant them a priest. They, nevertheless resolved to meet in their chapel on church days at the ordinary hour to say their prayers and sing hymns. A certain Bedemptorist father, with more zeal than wisdom, undertook to put a stop to this state of things by an attempt to frighten the rebellious, as they were called, into humble submission to the ecclesiastical authority. On a beautiful June Sunday morning, he entered the chapel while the people were assembled for worship, and exhorted them to follow him to the old church where he was holding special services. On their refusing to obey his orders, he very dramatically, with uplifted crucifix, cursed the chapel in the nai%e of God and the Holy Catholic Church. Contrary to his expectations, however, a goodly number, though not as many as before, continued to assemble themselves in the Chapelle Matidite (cursed chapel) as it has since been called. In this emergency. Rev. Adam Burwash, then laboring under the auspices of the Baptist Home Mission and Grande Ligne Mission Societies, visited these people who were thus defying the authority of the church. He told them they could rest tleir resistance on a firmer basis than that of " ' clerical injustice, even on the Gospel of Christ, and offered to explain it to them. They at first refused to listen to him, saying they were Roman Catholics and wished to remain so. But a few weeks later, they themselves invited him to read and explain the Gospel to them at the usual Sunday morning gathering in their chapel. Since then the Grande Ligne Missionaries have preached in the chapel every Sunday, save one, to a congregation varying in number from about 20 to 100. A number of those who thus attended the meetings having accepted the truth of the Gospel, on the 25th August, 1892, in the presence of a large congregation mostly composed of Roman Catholics,, eleven (ten men and one woman) made a public confession of their new faith by baptism. This produced a very deep sensation throughout the country, many lifting their hands in holy horror on hearing of this, to them, most sad and sacriligious act on the part of heretofore'good and honorable Catholics. It is to these converts that the following letters were addressed. 8 Correspondence between a Nun and her Brother. 476 Champlain St., Detroit, Mich., Sept. 5th, 1892. My dear and beloved Brother, In a Canadian pappy which came to me, I read with a depth of sorrow which soon found vent in a burst of tears and sobs, the account of the sad and frightful events of the 35th August in Maskinongd. Alas ! among the deluded ones who then renounced their faith to accept the Protestant re- ligion I was forced to recognise the name of my beloved brother, so dear to my heart. Seeing you had gone so far as to voluntarily renounce the religion of your fathers and to sever your connection with the Catholic church, I thought it would be useless to write to you, that you would hardly deign to read my letter. But I find it impossible to remain silent any longer. The thought of you haunts me all the day long, it keeps me awake nights, and when I do sleep you ap- pear to me in dreams. This proves to you, my dear Peter, how much I love you, and how bitterly I regret the sort of baptism you have received. I know you do not at all believe in the teachings of Protestanism, and that stubbornness only has led you to take the step you have taken. I am sure that when you seriously think upon it, you are far from being approved by your conscience. If others older than yourself had not encouraged you by their counsels, their unfaitTiful- ness and their example, never would your brave heart so profoundly Catholic have weakened and refused to suffer in- justice for God's sake. Pray tell me, where are those who do not suffer here on earth ? A few months, a few weeks, perhaps a few days only, and you will find by the remorse of 9 conscience you are sure to experience that we Catholics are not, after all, the most unhappy people. Let me ask you a great favor. It is to write to me soon and promise me sincerely that you will do nothing to entice Elzi^ar. The confidence I place in you leads me to believe you will prevent him from going to your chapel. He is young and what a sad life would be his should he become an unbe- liever. Counsel him rather to live and to die a fervent Catholic, notwithstanding the troubles which arise from divergent views in parochial affairs. It would be a great relief to me should I learn that you do not wish your brother, nor your wife, nor your dear children to follow you. Believe me, my dear Peter, do as I ask you to, and God will perhaps reward you by putting it in your heart to leave the parish, even the diocese, to go far from your friends where you eventually would return to that religion which you have heretofore so sincerely professed. I pray niuch for you, for although you have gone deep into error, I am not alto- gether discouraged. But how I do long to know through a letter from you how you feel about these matters. Are the troubles in the Parish subsiding ? Do you foresee a reconcilliation between the two parties. Much love from me to your wife, and to my dear mother. Tell Anna to write often. Your loving sister. Sister M. Esther. 10 u Maskinong^, September, 1899. My dear Sister, — One would need to have a hard heart not to have been touched by the words of solicitude and tenderness con- tained in your letter of i8th inst. It is not so long since I shared your ideas and sentiments that I should now find it difficult to see things from your point of view, and to under- stand the sorrow you experience from your knowledge that I have abandoned the religion in which we were both brought up. I can scarcely expect to convince you by one letter of my sincerity in taking the step I have taken. Let me assure you nevertheless, that I have acted intelligently and in loyalty to my conscience and the truth of Jesus Christ. No one could be more suprised than I was in reading the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ not to find in it the teachings of the Catholic Church, but to find, on the contrary^ the teachings of those Protestants whom I had been taught from my infancy to despise and regard as heretics. My dear sister, believe me, I have not forsaken God, nor Christ, nor the commandments of God, nor have I turned my back on any of the Christian graces which Christ has taught us to acquire and bidden us to exhibit in our lives. There are many things taught in the Roman Catholic Church which I still retain because I believe them to be true. But the teachings of that Church on the fundamental doctrines of salvation are so much at variance with the teachings of God's Word, that in loyalty to my conscience, and to assure the salvation of my soul, I have felt compelled to leave that Church. By so doing, I have only followed the example of the Apostles, and the millions of their followers who left the religion of their fathers to embrace Christianity. Like them 11 r n I have left a corrupt form of religion to adopt Christianity in its purity and primitive form. I am sorry to see in your letter the following words : "I know you do not at all believe in the teachings of Protestants, and that stubbornness only has led you to take the step you have taken, etc." My dear sister, have you ever known me as deceitful, dishonest and hypocritical ? How can you be- lieve me capable of an act as evil as would be that which you allude to, had I not been influenced by honest and sincere convictions ? Banish such a thought from your mind, my dear sister, it can but work mischief in you, and it is profoundly unjust towards your brother, who loves you nevertheless. Believe in my sincerity, believe also that I am happy, for I can assure you before God that I never was as happy, and never before enjoyed the communion of my Savior, as now. I know it will be difficult for you to believe this, but it is none the less true. The misdeeds of the clergy, it is true, have to a certain ex- tent, opened my eyes, but they were by no means the immed- iate cause of my leaving the Roman-Catholic Church. The real cause is the study of the Bible and the preaching of the Gospel. These have brought to me a light the existence of which I had never suspected. My dear sister, you speak of remorse of conscience which you think I am sure to experience sooner or latter on account of the step I have taken. But I am sure that if you knew what I know you would never have expressed such a thought. How can one experience regret for making sacrifices for the love of truth ? It is true that in my ignorance I was strongly attached to the Church with which you are connected, but in leaving it I have only followed the dictates of my conscience enlightened by the Word of God. On him I have founded V] •: 12 my hope, to him I look, His law I endeavor to obey, and for Him I desire to live and die. In regard to our brother Elz^ar, I can say that I have done nothing to influence him. The new sentiment he has, he obtained from the same source that I did mine. He also reads the Word of God, and very largely shares my views, but he can testify to the fact that he has not imbided these views from me^ though I would be far from thinking I had done wrong if that were the case. As to his plans for the future, he expects to go West and join our brother there. I thank you, dear sister, for your prayers on my behalf, and I assure you, you are not forgotton in mine. My prayer is that you may come to know the way of salvation as it is revealed to us in God's Word, and that you may cease to place your confidence in things which can be of no help to you, and place it in Him who is " the way, the truth and the life," and who said, " None cometh unto the Father but by me." Regarding the division in the parish, \t has ceased to occupy my thoughts. I have something far more important to think of now. Since you ask me about it, however, I may say that the wounds are far from being healed. God bless you, dear sister, and grant you His " peace which passeth all understanding." Your loving brother, P. Desserres. 13 Correspondence between an officious Notary and Mr. I, Marchand of Maskinonge^ P. Q. I. Marchand, Esq., Maskinong^, Q. Dear Sir, — Would you kindly tell me what extraordinary reasons you may have had for leaving the Catholic Church — the piinciple reason ? "^ I am very much interested in you. Your brother in Christ, St. £., August 29th, 1892. Dear Sir,- Maskinong6, P. Q. In answer to your letter of August 29th, allow me to say that under the " extraordinary " directions of Providence and by the Grace of God, I was led to read the Holy Scrip- tures, and that through these I became convinced that the priests of the Roman Catholic Church do not teach the truth of the Gospel. I discovered that their doctrines are, most of them, doctrines of men and not of Christ. Moreover, through this blessed book, I have found peace with God, and the assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ, our only and per- fect Saviour (Acts 4, 12.) This peace and this blessed as- surance I never experienced as long as I was in the Roman Catholic Church. B r-i' , I' ' 11 ! I 14 Such Sir, is my principal reason for leaving the Church of Rome, to unite with the true Catholic Church, the Church of Christ composed of all true believers in Him. When I shall have learned who you are, and should you desire it, I shall be glad to give you more information on this subject. Yours truly, I. Marchand. , M h li !l I. Marchand, Esq., Maskinonge, Q. Dear Sir, I received your letter of the ^rd instant, and I gladly answer it, but rest assured that in doing so, I h?ve no other purpose save that of doing you good. 1. You say that under the extraordinary directions of Provi- dence and through the Grace of God you were led to read the Holy Scriptures. 2. That the priests of the Church of Rome do not teach the truth of the Gospel. 3. That you have found peace with God, and assurance of salvation. Those are the principal reasons for your abjuring the Catholic faith. On the first point, let me say that I am sur- prised to hear you say that it is through the providence and grace of God you were led to read the Scriptures. The 15 Catholic Church does not prohibit the reading of the Bible, on the contrary, she teaches it, and it is the foundation of our religion. It is absurd, however, to claim that every man can read the Bible and interpret it for himself, and thus to make his own religion. As you claim to have read the Scriptures assid- uously of late, you must have discovered through them, that neither Providence nor the Grace of God lias led you to read them. Our Lord has distinctly said to His Apostles, " Go and preach the Gospel, he who heareth you heareth me, he vyho despiseth you despiseth me." He does not say, Go and read the Gospel. How can you then venture to affirm th it Providence and God's Grace have led you to do contrary to the command of Christ ? On the second point, let me remind you that our Lord said : " Go and preach the Gospel, and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." If the Lord is with His Apostles, they must of necessity teach nothing but the truth of the Church of Christ. It is absurd, therefore, to seei laymen with no divinely authorized mission to fulfil, no special grace to help them, assume the right to question the teachings of the priests, to correct the Church founded by Jesus Christ, and beiicv^ that they can substitute for it a better institution. To the third point, I answer that as the foundation on which you build is chimerical, your position connot withstand the breath of fair discussion. Your peace and your assurance are another and still more fatal chimera. You apprehend no danger because you are like a blind man walking on the verge of a precipice. Moreover, your peace and your assurance are not worth discussing, and the reasons you give for your new faith are such as to lead one to suspect their genuineness. You may rest assured that I shall seek for fuller information. ^ 16 ■111!- if I . Ij I thank you for what you have given me. I asked for your principal reason, and you gave it to me. I am convinced, as I was beforehand, that you had no good reasons to give, and there cannot be any. As for me I am proud to be an earnest member'^of the Church of God. I only wish that on the day of the great call we might all be prepared to meet our Savior, and to]live with Him for ever. As to the name " Catholic," which you deny the Church of Rome, to appropriate it to yourself, I do not think it worth while discussing for I do not believe you are in earnest on this matter. But if you desire it, I can give you the precise date of your church's foundation. I should not say " your church " for there is but one church. I mean your religion. Long had our Lord gone from the earth when you thought of beginning your reformation. It has, therefore, not been established by Him, since His mission upon earth had then long been fulfilled. Be not aggrieved with me, my friend, but reflect seriously, and if I can help you as a brother, I shall be too glad to do so, and shall count it as one of the best actions of my life. Yours truly, -i ■ i St. E., Napierville Co., Sept. 9th, 1892. !:i 17 Maskinonge, Sept 20th, 1892. Mr. D.- St. E. Q. Dear Sir, — I thank you for your letter of Sept. 9th. It contains things I have heard time and again, which I once believed myself, but the falsity of which has been revealed to me since I open- ed my eyes to the light of the Gospel. The position you take, and that of the Church of Rome in general, is exactly that in which stood the Jewish Church, the Sanhedrim, which claimed to be the infallible religious authority, having come down in direct line from Moses and the Prophets, and which execrated the common people because they refused to be guided by the doctors of the law, and because using the faculties God had given them they judged for themselves the teachings of Christ. ** This generation is cursed not knowing the law," said the priests in those days. And that because the said " generation" believed in Christ and followed Him. The priests of our days manifest exactly the same spirit towards those who refuse to accept human traditions, and endeavor to follow the teachings of Christ, as set forth in the New Testament. Seeing the common people turning away from the eccles- iastical authority which " lorded it over God's heritage " at Jerusalem, to accept His teachings, Jesus said, "I thank thee, O heavenly Father, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes." You compare me to a blind man walking on the verge of a precipice, and through arguments which, to my mind, " could not bear the breath of fair discussion," you attempt to per- suade me that the peace and assurance I enjoy are nothing but " fatal chimeras." \ ! ■) ill 18 Well, my dear sir, permit me to say that I also see my like- ness in a blind man, but that of the 9th chapter of John, the m in born blind, whose eyes Jesus opened. Read this chapter and you will see that the Jews and Pharisees manifested to- wards this man and towards Jesus the same spirit which we see manifested by the priests of our days towards those who read the words of Christ, and accept them for their rule of faith. Say what you please in regard to my j)eace and my assurance, dear sir, I say like the man born blind, " One think I know, whereas I was blind now I see." Neither you, sir, notwithstanding the regard I owe you for your good in- tentions, neither the pretentious authority of your Church (which, I may say, is voi " the only true church of Christ " nor any human argument, can persuade me that the eyes of my soul have not been opened to the light of heaven. All arguments used to convince me to the contrary I regard as mere sophisms. Allow me now to answer hastily some of the points I find in your letter. I am always suprised, since I opened my eyes to the light, to see the blindness of otherwise we'' educated men, and to hear their absurd reasonmg on the subject of religion. Your letter furnishes me with another example of this. Time does not permit me to answer all the points you touch in it. I will confine myself to some of them. I. " Our Lord clearly said, ' Go and preach the Gospel, who heareth you heareth me,* etc. He does not say to his Disciples, Go and read the Gospel." It is not the first time I have met this strange argument, but I am surprised to see an intelligent and educated man using it. Because Christ told his Apostles to go and preach, etc., you conclude therefrom that he does not encourage the reading of the Bible. And ^ ^ 19 yet " you say that your Church recommends it. If these things be true, it follows that your Church and Christ are at variance on this subject. That the teachings of Christ in the times of the Apostles should have been continued orally by men who had lived with Him, and who had received on the day of Pentecost a miraculous effusion of the Holy Spirit, is per- fectly rational. But that this oral teaching was to be con- tinued after them by men who never heard Christ, and who never received this miraculous effusion of the Spirit, " to guide them into all truth," and that this oral teaching should be considered authoritative and infallible, is a very different thing. It is also a thing which is not in harmony with good sense and with the historical facts in the case. Christ knew the imperfection of the human mind, its inability without an ever recurring miracle to preserve intact the truth through oral teaching only. He, therefore, in His wisdom, moved the " holy men of old " to write out the things He had taught personally and through His Apostles, and thus give fixedness to His teachings. Instead then of resting upon the the shifting sands of human tradition, the truth rests upon solid rock of divire inspiration. And since Christ caused His words to be written, it must be that He also desired them to be read. But we do not have to rely upon mere conjectures as to this, we have the express words of God Himself. See Psalm i, 2. Isa. 34, 12. ; Matt. 4, 4. ; John other passages. 5, 39. ; Acts 17, II ; and rom .nd You say that the Church of Rome does not prohibit the reading of the Holy Scriptures. In a sense perhaps she does not, although it can be shown she has done so by decrees of councils. But in another sense, she does forbid the reading of them, for she places all possible obstacles in the way of ^r ii 'I I ! I. i hi I !■ i 20 those who wish to become acquainted with them. Does she encourage their reading? If you answer in the affirmative, I ask, why are our Roman Catholic people, and even our priests themselves in Canada, save rare exceptions, still in such ignorance of the Holy Scriptures ? How is it that I, faithful Catholic as I was, should have arrived at the age of 65 with- out knowing the very elements of the Gospel ? I have learned more of it in the last nine months than I had learned through- out my entire previous life. You must be aware that the Catholic Church do^s not encourage the reading of the Holy Scriptures, and that the most she does is to tolerate it. You must also know that one of the principal objects for which the tribunal of Inquisition was established by Pope Innocent III, in 1225, was the prevention of the reading of the Scrip- tures, and that two successive councils, those of Toulouse in 1229, and of Taragone in 1234, declared as heretics and de- livered over to the inquisitors, any laymen in whose hands the Scriptures were found. You say, " It is absurd for any man to claim the right of reading and interpreting the Bible for himself, and thus to make his own religion." This remark is specious enough, but there is no weight in it. For example : you will acknow- ledge that a purely traditional faith cannot be a saving faith. The faith that saves must be personal, the fruit of personal conviction. These convictions, it is evident, each man must form for himself, or else they could not be his own. In order to form them, he must use his intelligence, his judgment, and his conscience. It is true, that left to himself alone, he could not arrive at the knowledge of saving truth, but with the Will of God revealed to him in the Bible, and assisted by the Holy Spirit, promised to " every one that asketh," he can. It is not necessary that he should have a full knowledge of all truths. " This is eternal life that they should know th^e, i 21 .1'' i' It all the only true God, and Jesus-Christ whom thou hast sent," said Jesus. To know Jesus by faith, then, is to have eternal life. But, you will say perhaps, " The Church alone has the right to teach us, and we ought not to come directly to the Holy Scriptures, for we cannot understand them." If I cannot understand Jesus and the Apostles who speak to me in the Gospel, can I better understand the Church ? More- over, inasmuch as the bishops and priests are not infallible, as they themselves acknowledge, how can they teach me the truth in an infallible manner ? And inasmuch as I must after all receive the truth through my own mind and heart, whether it comes to me from the Church or from the Bible, it seems to me far better to look for it in the Bible, which is acknow- ledged by Catholics as well as Protestants as the Word of God. Secondly, the fact that those who accept the Bible as their authority in things pertaining to morals and religion are agreed on the great fundamental doctrines of salvation^ proves that one can arrive by this means at practical unity, and the further fact, which you will hardly deny, I think, that there are thousands at least of Protestants, whose piety can- not be doubted, whose faith is full of good works, whose devotion never was surpassed by that of the " saints " of any church, and whose character is formed after the pattern of our divine Master, shows that that which the priest of Mas- kinong^ said two weeks ago from his pulpit cannot be true, viz : that all those who are out of the Roman Catholic Church are " dammed." It proves also that by reading the Scriptures one can arrive at such a knowledge of the truth as will regenerate and sanctify his soul. " A bad tree cannot bear good fruit," said Jesus. Dear Sir, there are other things I should like to say, but my letter is already too long. Should another opportunity be ■j:\ 22 m I'll » i!^i''ii ' .-■! i:'h given me, I should be too happy to take up the other points which I find in your letter and to consider them in the light of Scripture. As for me, I hereafter wish to be guided by the Word of God only, and I believe with St. Paul that " the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." (Romans i, i6.) I. Marchand, Esq., Maskinonge, Q. Dear Sir, — Your letter of Sept 26th was duly received. On reading it I notice the oft repeated affirmation that the unsoundness of my arguments was disclosed to you by the Holy Scripture, but I would have liked to have had you quote texts in opposi- tion to those I quoted if you could do so. If you can prove that I am wrong, why have you not done so ? You merely say that the unsoundness of my arguments was revealed to you through the light you received from the Bible. This method of discussion is clever but not convincing. Who can say that you have, or have not, received super- natural light ? This does not deserve to be discussed. You, at any rate do not act like the generality of persons who have received new revelations from heaven. Instead of boasting of their privilege as you do, they rather blush when spoken to about it; whilst those who erroneously arrogate to themselves this privilege, are apt to do as you do. There.fore, I suspect that the light you claim to have received is only an illusion and a snare, for you do not manifest the spirit of one divinely enlightened. «'• 23 As to the rest of your letter, after sifting out that which is meaningless, and of ro account in a discussion like this, I found that what remained reduced itself to zero. I will there- fore not take the trouble of answering it. Moreover, Mr. Marchand, I do not believe that it was you who answered my letter. It is impossible that in nine months time you should have sunk so deep into error. Were it so, I should certainly despair of saving you. The person who wrote that letter must be one who would deceive others out of material interest, but I have too much confidence in your intelligence and honesty to believe you capable of such an act. You must still hold in remembrance the teachings you re- ceived on your mother's knees, the good advice of your father, the beautiful day of your first communion, the advice your parents gave you on their death bed, the day when you followed their remains to their last resting place, the prayers which were said for the repose of their soul, etc. Now will you venture to mark out for yourself a new path, and walk in an opposite direction ? Will you dare to turn your back upon your an- cestors, your religion, and the Church of your fathers ? Will you dare to separate yourself now from them ? Do you not fear you will hear their sobs reproaching you for your conduct ? Could you look them in the face should they appear to you ? Are you not afraid that the separation you now place between them and yourself may be eternal ? I must close, hoping you and your associates will soon in- vite roe to attend the joyful celebration of your return to the Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church. I pray God that this may be soon. I can give you no better advice than that of reading the copy of the letter you favored me with, dated i& 24 M Sept 26th. I am sure you will see yourself that it is a tissue of falsehoods, and that you cam lOt too soon, leave a way so pernicious. Pardon me if I write somewhat ;>everely, and rest assured I have no other object in view than your own personal good. Yours truly, October 3rd, 1892. % Mr. I Hi ■■ HI' i iinii Pi^i ■i'll ; !' ' liijij < ilii'i iill-' ii:!!ti St. E., p. Q. Dear Sir, You must have misread my answer to your letter previous to your last, for you reproach me for not quoting texts in sup- port of my reasons, when I know I have quoted several very much to the point. You say that the question of one's enlightenment by the Holy Spirit through the Scripture? is unworthy of notice, and that my claim to have been so enlightened is " an illusion and a snare." I am surprised that you should treat so lightly, so serious a question, and so sacred a reality. What ! you consider as rashness the honest belief that one can read and savingly understand the words of Christ reported by the first Christians and by some of the Apostles, and also the letters of these same Apostles ! The same words that Christ addressed to the multitudes, and the same letters written by the Apostles to great churches composed mostly of the com- 25 mon people ! And why ? Because I have not with me a priest authorized to explain them ? Why these words explain them- selves, and ultimately I should have to understand the priest's explanation. I do not see the light through his eyes, nor do I hear music through his ears, I have to understand with my own intelligence. You say that I speak boastingly of the light I received from the Gospel. No sir, I do not boast, but I am profoundly grateful to God for sending me this light. I cannot say, however, that I am grateful to the priests of Rome who have so long kept me in ignorance of this blessed treasute of spiritual truth. You do not believe the letter I sent you is my own, that the nine months which have elapsed since my separation from the Church of Rome cannot have sunk me so deeply into error. What if it is another who wrote my thoughts, and ex- pressed my convictions better than I could have done my- self? The letter is none the less mine inasmuch as I approve of its contents ; after reading it, and sign it with my own hand. If, as you say, I am intelligent and honest, that which I sign must carry a certain weight and convince you that I have not entered thoughtlessly this new way, nor without good reasons acted as I have, against all my tem- poral interests. You would feign have me return to the religion of my in- fancy. But, sir, the religion of my infancy was not my own, it had been imposed upon me by my parents. That of my maturer years, on the contrary, is that which I have intelli- gently chosen for myself, as Mary at Jesus' feet chose the good part which was never to be taken away from her. (Luke 10, 42). 26 lllil^ \m: iliiii li! I'- ll: ■*ll'; I'i! In changing my church connection as a consequence of a change in my convictions, I have not acted differently from the Apostles who forsook the religion of their fathers to become christians. If my good parents had known the Gospel which the Church of Rome kept hidden from them under the rubbish of human tradition, they would also have followed that Gospel Honest as they were in their con- victions, they would have done as I have done, • I am not afraid to meet them on the day of judgment by the Son of •God, before whom will tremble those who have hidden His words. It was He who reproved the doctors of the law of his own time for taking away the key of knowledge, who entered not in themselves and hindered those that were en- tering. (Luke II, 52). Read those passages carefully, Sir, and no longer cherish the hope of ever bringing me back to that Church which has proved unfaithful to the teachings of Christ and His Apostles. Although you seem to have little faith in the work of the Holy Spirit in the souls of men, you may, nevertheless, be also enlightened and change your man- ner of reasoning. Yours truly, I. MARCHAND. I Correspondence between a Priest and his Father, Sept 2nd, 92. My dear Father, — I send you an article from Le Trifluvien^ which informed me of the state of affairs in M a&kinong^. If the account it gives is correct, allow me to say that the new baptism you received has not nullified the first, and that this new baptism |lil::r' 27 instead of being on you ** the mark of the christian " is on the contrary a stain on your brow. It seems to me that an old man with snowy locks, heretofore a sincere Catholic, and having always shown so good an example to his children, might have spared them this grief, and avoided a scandal which calls for the vengeance of heaven. Wrath, stubborn- ness, and the lack of prudence are at the bottom of it all I know, but you are none the less guilty for all that I love you still, but I cannot approve you and I loathe the act of which you are guilty. Do reflect, and go no farther in the error of your ways. Should you persist, however, let me say to you, that we shall meet in the next world when God will reveal to your son who loves you, that you have not done that action from your heart, but out of revenge only. Do not expect to see me again. Perhaps you will be just as well pleased that I keep away ; but to me, it will be a great sacri- fice. May you live long to repent of your sin, and to save your soul. This is the only and last wish which your son, as a priest, can offer you. Your son, Maskinong^, P. Q., Sept. 8th, 1892. My dear Son, — I cannot tell you how deep is the grief which your letter has caused me, especially the lack of respect which characterises it, and the liberty you take of judging me spiritually, a right which belongs to no man. You speak of the grief I have caused my family. I easily understand their grief, when I m !!!'■! I : ! 1 I !!!:■ ''Pi' Ijlli li :':'!; PUP ' 11' m ii; 28 remember their ignorance of the faith I profess. But, I can say that I also greive, though for a very different reason. It is because I have not had the privilege of bringing up my dear family in the knowledge of the truth, and in th