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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd A partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. rata elure. a 3 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 V,\\^ /fir . FRANCOIS 3^E:PIN O o ^"* ^' r» A NARRATIVE or TWE LIFE AND EXPERIENCE or ^ FRANCOIS PEPIN, WHO WAS FOE MORE TUAN 40 YEARS A MEMBER OP THE PAPAL CHURCH ; EMBnACINO AN ACCOUNT OF HIS CONVERSION, TRIALS, & PERSECtTIONS, IN TUnNING TO THE PURE RELIGIOjV OF THE BIBLE. 2 ADDRESSED rARTICULARLY TO HIS BRETHREN OF THE ROMlSH eilCTKCH. Oh magnify the Lord with mo, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord and he heard mc, and delivered me from all mf fea^.— Psalm X2Xiv. 3, 4. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY REV. GEO. TAYLOR, 0/ the Michigan JlnnuaL Con/trmce qf the M, is,. C. DETROIT: GEOROE B. POMEROY & CO., PRINTERS A PUBLISHERS, 32 A\D 34 WOOOWARD AVE., OPPOSITE THE POST-OFFICB. 1854. "^"^ Satered mc^raifig to the Act of Ce Bgrw*, is (Be jnt 1854. ky FRANO0I3 PEPIN, t» th« Offce of tjio Jistjict Coupt of the I'mtetJ Statwfor the Pi«- trict of aik'bJsaa, INTRODUCTION. 1 h"«- In complying with the request of Mr. Pepin to xn-itQ an "introduction" for the following narra- tive, I would take the liberty to say I have twice declined the honor. Not, however, from an unwillingness to contribute a trifling encourage- ment to one who, I have reason to believe, de- sires, above all things, to go good and to glorify God, but for the two following reasons : First, I have desired that some more competent hand than mine should aid him in introducing his book to the world; and, secondly, from the intimate and con- ipicuouB relation I am made to sustain to the nar- rative, and from the deep interest I have mani* fested and still cherish for the French enteipnze, I Uavo fm«d to trust myself, lest that, by a display Vi INTRODUCTIOl?. of seeming egotism, I might excite the reproaches of the public, which might, consequently, detract from the value of the work. Yet, with my pro- fessed love to him, I could not resist a third appli- cation. I trust therefore that the reader will exercise the indulg'ence which the circumstance may seem to require. In the first place, the reader is informed that the work puriX)rts to be a nairative of th« past life and experience of a Roman Catholic, including an account of his {)arent the Spirit of the Lord fell upon him with Pentecostal power. The cii-cumstances reported as connected with, and following his conversion, (as matters of religious experience) rn-e as nearly peifectly coirect as it is possible to record such proceedings, as observei-s of the same. The circumstance of his refusing to draw the brick for a " devil's church,^ was related at the German M. E. Church, in my presence, at a service of » love feast," when by an address in his broken English, to Mr. W. W. Howland, he ac- knowledged the wickedness of the act, and with a heart ovei-flowing with gratitude, he rejoiced in the change which had come over him. It was an event which will be long remembered by all present on that occasion. It is with no small degiee of pleasure that I give i t I i INTRODUCTIOK. il my testimony, also, t4> tlio circumstances connocted n^ith the re\ival which followed his couver»ion; of the di*>clu8ure& m ices, called '' Lcs Pricren de la 18 THE " devil's church." Masse," tlie prayei"s of the Mass, and for scvTal yoan constantly assisted in sinewing tlieni. Beiii>' thus in fi-equent association with "tliem, witnesdng their solemn and earnest devotions, and witli tlem chant- ing the solemn requiem year after year, aid hearing them constantly represent the Protestant religion as the devil's religion, I soon became an unchaiitaLle and unfeeling bigot. A prejudice against Protestan- tism was thus early so deeply rooted in my heart that, no insults or abuses committed against their false religions (thus called) seemed to me to be un- christian or wicked ; and to persecute them, I really supposed was doing God's service. Such, indeed, wxtc my opinions of the wickedness of Protestantism only two yeai-s l:>efore my renuncia- tion of Romanism, that when the members of the German Methodist Episcopal Church were building their house of worship in Beaubien street, Detroit, I conscientiously refused to draw a load of brick from the river, lest I should sin against God, and when the small favor was solicited by Mr. W. W. Howland, (one of the Trustees) I impiously answered him " I would not help to build the " Devil's Church." But when the church was completed, and at its dedica- tion, I w^as there a new man, with new conceptions of religious tmth, (for God had converted my soul ;) I found that veiy church to be the "house of God and the gate of Hea\en." But to return to my early experience. Although my prejudices were so deeply rooted against e^•ery system of religion but that of the Church of Home, rny nimd was frequently ti'oublod by tlie strange inconsistencies I witnessed, the unkindness aud the apparent dishonesty of some of the priestSj and by « 4 i UY PREPARATION FOR FIRST COMMUNION. 19 tliG fact that tlioir teachings and thoir deportment Beomed to be often at variance with each other. Great pains were taken to clothe the services of Confession and the Eiicliarist with deep solemnity, and at a very early age I had learned to cherish a most exalted veneration for them; but circumstances connected with my preparation for " First Communion," awaken- e the church for penance and confession, whei'e for lioui-s together we kneeled upon the bare floor, counting our beads and repeatedly kisbing the pavement. On one of these humiliating occasions, having grown weary by the fatiguing exei-cise, raising my- self from the floor I inquired of a lad by my side, if he supposed the girls were nearly through confess- ing ? One of the ])i'iests observing it, approached me in great rage, seized me by the arm, smote me in the face with the palm of his hand, and with severe vio- lence prostrated me on the floor, commanding me to continue my penance. Though, notwithstanding such provoking and abusive treatment, I was still obliged to believe that this was the only way to establish the salvation of my soul, and to escape the miseries of hell. And here I would inform the reader that mine was not an isolated C4ise, but that hundreds of children are thus unkindly treated, under pretence that for such penance the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ will love them the more. Oh, how difforont from the counsel and example of our Saviour, who said, '' SulFer the little children to come unto me ;" and who *' took ihem in his arms, laid his hand upon them and blessed them !" How dif- A/ . 22 eJEKTlENESS OF THE ftAVlOUR. fereiit from thai first fiwcet sentence I read from tlie blessed gospel, when, by the providence of God it fell into my hands as heredter st.'ited. It was Matt. xi. 28, 29, and 30 : " Come unto me all, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart ; and ye sliall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is hght." Roman Catholic reader, does not the above account remind you of some circumstances connected, and despaired, as I Lave done : and ai-e, as I was, too, DOrBTS AKH WONDERS. 25 Rtiang^m to the way of ascnne ! It is my onrncRt pmyer to G(xl, our Hoaveniy Father, tliaf, shouUl nny 8uch persons reaeaco and salvatioii. Although, as I liavosiild, my tenacity for the Roman Chiu-ch continued, and though the fii-st least thought of leading her had never entered my heart or my head, still, the contradictions spoken of, which 1 had fre- quently discovered, led me to watch the nrieste more })a^ticularly. And, despite all my veneration for their sacred office, and faith in the purity of their charac- ter, circumstxances did occasionally transpire, by which I was compelM to fear that some of them we! e both avaracious and dishonest, — seeking, and inventing schemes to extract from the poor, the fruits of theS toil and industry. In February, 1834, while at Kingston, U. C, Bishop McD eng-a^-ed my services to sing at cliurch, on the foUowmg tei-ms: I agi-eed ix) teacli two children, b'^ two lessons per week, and sing in church witli them for six montlis, for the sum of fifty dollai*s. At the time appointed to close the contract we met together, and, at liis suggestion, a written agreement was executed. The Bishop drew the instrument himself, and quite hastily requested me to sign it. I presented it to a friend who could read Englisl), for examination, wlio discovered that the Bishop had written thirty imt^rA of fifty dollars. Wlien he saw that I hesitated, lie inquired why I did not sign it, I asked him if it was possible that 26 MY CONFIDENCE IN CONFESSION SHAKEN. a Bisliop could both lie md cheat The Bi^^llup .in-rst. sUraping the floor, demaiidoon Father D with a sincere heart to confers my sins, and as 1 could speak but little Eng- lish, I beggeointed, and offended, that I arose from my knees, called him a base im- iX)stor, and left the confessional. The im})osition thus practisee of salvation but through these means, I was compelled by necessity, again and again, to go, although its constant t^Midency was to excite in me lH)th doubts and dis- gust, 1 will detain tlie reader with but one more of these dark exiiibitions of iniquity, to which thousands WHY I CONTINUE A ROMANIST. 27 are daily submitting, vainly fiiipposing that tliis, and this alone, is the way of salvation,. , This ci*o\vning act of priestly hypocrisy and Inutlsh- ness, transpired at Fort Maiden (now Amhei-stburg), C. W., A.D. 1839. While seriously and sincerely confessing my sins before Father V he interro- gated me upon subjects of the most beastly nature — presenting questions so vulgar and obscene, that decency forbids description, and at which, wicked nian as I wav^, 1 was so disgusted and enraged, that I called him a bljK'ko-uard in the confessional, and refusing a blessing from so base a man, I prefeired to leave the throne of grace unpardoned. But the worst features of his degiuded conduct w^ere not de- veloped until I learned the heartrvshocking intelligence from my wife that he pursued the same bea.stly course with her iiX), o<*cupying the solemn season of confes- sion in conversation on such uncha^ste, lewd, and de- basing subject'j, which none but the most abandoned to profligacy could possibly t'lke pleasure in. And yet, reader, t w^is still a Roman Catholic. Protestantism was still devil's religion to me ; and I did still firmly believe that salvation could be found no where but in the Church of Rome. I doubt not but that thousands who constantly go to confession, have been and often are, treated in the same wicked manner ; and though they, as we were, are often dis- gusted and ofrendee and salvation are all here. Dear reader, jXfrmit me'^once more to pray that our gracious God will bless^^these reflections upon this " ravaterv of iniouitv." that mv French frinnrlK mnv see the light I have seen, confess to God alone, and from \m lloly Spirit x^Qm pardon and peace. o 8 DIVINE GRACE. Oh, how groat a debtor I am to grac^ ! though long I lived in this darkness, and under this yoke of superstition, " the lin-^s have fallen to me in plea^nt places, and I have a goodly heritage/' Where shall my wondering soul begin : — How shall I all to heaven aspire ? ** A slave redeemed from hell and sin ; A brand plucked from the eternal fire. How shall I equal triumph raise. And sing my Great Peliverer'e praise ?'* of It CHAPTEIl III. JlftiainTea to Detroit, Michigan .—My fahh in the Doctrine of the Infarlllbihty of the Church.— The contradictions of Custom awa- ken alarm. — Peculiajrities of the Iri»h and I'rench. — The Scapu- lar Imposition. — The firat decline of my coufldeoco in tbo Church's InfaUibility. In the year one thousand eight hundred and fortr, I removed to Michigan, U. S., and settled in the city of Detroit. I cannot refiain from regarding this re- moval as being providential, and by which God in great mercy brought me under a variety of influences, all of which kid an imj)ortant tendency to enlighten my mind, and prepare my heart for the reception of his truth and gi"eat salvation. And while the result has crowned me and my own family with so many precious blessings, I trust that many of my countr}'- men, who ar« now under the galling yoke of priestly domination and suj^erstition, will soon become shai-ers of the same inestimable treasure. However, when I settled in Detroit I was veiy far from even a bending toward Protestantism ; I had indeed no other faith, no other hope but the Church of Rome. The doctrine of the mfallibility of the church was my great prop ; I bowed obsequiously to this dogma, and in this all the disgusting develope- iriAnfft of Ufi fnllftpv T \\nA cr>^n !iui<:imfv1 ir\ fiinlr ami become oblivious. How could I chooso but to arrive 80 STRANGE INCONGTiriTIES. r at sucli ,1 conclusion ? The Pope occnpied tlie place of God, and had the keys of heaven and hell; and I believed that he could instruct the Bishop, and they the Priests, and then their teaching must be abso- lutely true, whatever disagreement I fancied might be discoverable in their deportment. Just so much was I tlien a slave to superstition. But in the proo-ress of events mv faith in this stroDg-hold of Poj>ery was destmed soon to be fear- fully "shaken. First, I found myself exceedingly per- plexed by the discovery of strange incongmities, amounting to point blank contradictions, betv/een the customs of the church in Detroit and Lower Canada, One of these strange anomalies, was the fact that while the priests in Quebec would not pardon a penitent short of from three to six weeks' confession and penance, th< seof Detroit would dispense pardons at the first confc sion. The dilTerence. also }»etwcen the respect paid to different saints, (to St. Peter and St. Patrick in par- ticular,) astonished me very much. To me, a Saint was a holy being, and in our one true church all w^ere equally good and worthy of veneration, and to speak profanely of either, wa^: equally wicked in my mind. Bi t in Detroit I found that the Saints of different nations w^ere made a subject of ridicule, especially between the Irish and the P'rench, which facts in themselves produced in my heart feehngs of horror; but the most painful effects upon my mind were the glaring inconsistei. .tjs in the church's pro- fessed infallibility. The severest blow to my faith in this rocJc of Po- pery, resulted trom tlie introduction of the cek^brated Scapular; and from tlu§ cv(>ut IdatQ the commeucQ- THE SCArULAfe. 31 \mnt of tlic actual decline of my coniidoucQ In the traditional rites of the church. A priest visiting the city in A. D. 1842, and addressing the church upon this important rite, infomuM:! us that the " Blessed Virgin and Mother of God" came down to a Nunery and presented to the holy sisters a piece of cloth about two inches square, (liaviiig some sacred initials on it) and directed them to manufacture its resemblance for distribution among the people. We were directed to wear them suspended by a cord round the neck, and that whosoever would wear them and repeat two "Ave Maries" daily, " Oh Mary, you neve^ sinned, j)ray for me,'^ that no accident whatever befalHng us should do us any injury. That falling from a build- ing we should be preserved, or into the water we cotdd not drown, or should anyone shoot the deadly bullet from the rifle at us, it would glance off and do us no harm. He discouised eloquently upon the surprising benefits of this precious relic, and declared that an Individual who wore one, having resolved upon committmg suicide by drowning, leaped into a river three times and floated upon the water, and that after the third attempt lie divested himself of the Scapular, plunged in, and was drowned. The Nuns of the city collected a large number of worn out pantaloons and coats, from which they manufectured them in great quantities, and multi- tudes flocked to receive them. Among the rest, with my companion, I went to obtain this gracious and jni: aculous preservative from accident ; and some four- teen hundred bowed down before the Bishop and devoutly received the precious ftivor. There was one act whicli added maierially to tlic eliarm of this, as fit doesto many of the relics bestowed ; it was ita 11 02 THE FALLACr OF Tire SCArrUR DEMON^STRATED. being profesfieJly glvon without money and witliouf, price. But it is expected that once a year when Mass is said for the blessed Saints of the Holy Society of the Scapular, every recipient of the favor will present a fi-ee-will otiering of some two shillino-s or moi*e for the spiritual benefit of > the holy society. On the occasions alluded to, a similar free-will otlering was solicited, and a lar^-e table was literally covere^l to a heap with quarter^and half dollars and other silver coin. The confidence of many In the Scapular remains unshaken to thi8 day, while they wear them and trust in them with deVout sincerity ; but with others, as with my own ftimily, it has long since been re- garded as a worthless imposition. Tlie follacy of this reputed preserve?', was demonstrated in a very few years. One of my neighbors, Mr. L — --, who re- ceived it by my si(le, was missing from his family for some three montk^, when it was announced that a human body had been found floating in the river. Those who had friends missing, hastened to the spot to see if they could recognize their la^t o^xes, and among the rest Mrs. L went in search of her absent liusband. The boily was in such a state of decom}K)sition that no human feature could be dis- covered; but as the corpse was being moved, Mi's. L requested that they would look for the Scapu- lar, stating that she should know her husband could she e<^ it, which they did, and found one by which she recognized tlie body of lier drowned husbancl. Thus the very tiling in which he had religiously t rusM:d to save him f.om accident, possessed no otlicr virtue than to testify that he had Ijeen drowned. When these facts came to our ears, the imposition ♦ OilOSS SUPERSTITIONS OP ROMANISTS. 33 object in which I oL tni^^^^^ f ^« 'ejoice that by divke Jacf r 1 , ^''"'"'■' ''^"*^ ^ '".^ -ay foL idrto^'^::/^^ --f ''«d ^^ Set";; £; x't ' ur&r^ ^'-- p- '- their p..a3.e,.s, in'thjf co JLmron S J^d P"'\/'^ atonement of Chii-f ,,^'""""^"^^'"1^(3, orjnthe wonder more that I e\%v .1>a„i n - °^ ^'^'^«' ' even by the Sdi ^"otte 'S" P " f^'^^^r «adei. may not be aware of the sL^.d .^'^^ 'f dence which is clierished hi .l! ^"P^'^V^'^"^ "^^Jifi- Roman Cliurch in hei. n ..7 /^f '^jembeis of the tl^e vast Huant^riC : i2a ^"' °' of this'e e . nt"^ „ 1 5' '"T''"'''"' «°^ P^°«"-Mg «uper«ti SL;re; i ;:':.'! j^^??'*^ ^'i* *j^« «^o,,i »eque„tl3-" the e iV mud ^^ ''""'?''' ""^ <='>»-; T -^ i-iicn.. lb inuui more iit^p moir/^ ^i? 'j. • ■ * Lower Canada than in DetroT But , Til '*/"' floekinr t„ ♦) P • '''• multitudes of peonle flockmg to t^he pnesls with their bottles, juj Id u THE PRETENDED HOLY WATER. kegs, for tlieir usual supply. Surprising as it niav seem to my Protestant friends, there was a time when I almost excelled my brethren in my confidence in the ^ irtue of this consecrated preservative. In the inonth of May, 1839, having just entered the married life, and having expended all my little treasure in building a small tenement for a residence, I became much alarmed, and anxious for its safety, on account of a most tei-rific storm, mingled with feaiful lightning and thunder. The tempest, which took place on the eleventh of the month, lasted from five o'clock P. M., till eight A. M. next day. With my neighbors, I fled to my beads and holy water, and at every re- peated flash 1 repeated my sprinklings and ci'ossing therewith, until 1 had exhausted the bottle and used up all my store, and really supposed that I owed my preservation to the water, and regarded it with increased veneration. A siiiiilar imposition to the 8capi,lai' was at- tempted, but did not meet with equal success. During the period of my Scripture reseai-ches, a priest addressed us on the Sabbath upon the Society for the Pi'opagation of Faith ; he spoke of its exist- aiice elsewhere, and of the gi-eat loss we sustained by not supporting the society in Detroit. He read the constitution, and commented upon it very elo- quently, and informed us that by paying four cents per week we might become members and shai-e the gTcat benefits of the faith. He also informecl us that he should visit us from house to house, and that ai3 he had noAv fully explained the nature and bene- fits of the organization he wished no questions asked when lie called, but the names and contributions of the people. Accordingly, in a few days he called on as it may LS a time onfidence . In the e luariiecl 'eaRure in I became 1 account lightning ce on the ck P. M., ^libors, I every re- '. crossing and used )wed my it with was at- success. U'ches, a 5 Society its exist- iustained He read ^ery elo- )ur cents lare tlie I us that iud that id bene- tis asked tions of ailed on THE SOCIETY OF FAITH. 35 me, handed me the constitution and requested me to sign. I began to interrogate him on its design, when he said, '' that 1 might be partaker of the faith, Imt that if 1 did not wish to sign the constitution he AN'ould go." I refused to gi\ e up without an explan- ation, and wished him to tell me how inuch faith he sold tor four cents per week, and if he sold it by the pint, by the yard, or by the pound. He grew"^ \'ery much excited, and demanded the papor, when I charged him with imposition, and read from the Bible that " Jesus Christ is author and finisher of our faith," that '' by grace ye are saved, that not of vourselves, it is the gift of God." And I further advised him to go home and cease to practise his imposition.^ upon the people, or that I would follow him round the city with the Bible in my hand, and w^ould ex- pose him to the people. I did follow^ him through two or three blocks of buildings, but he did not call any -here, and finally returned home, and I heard no ]nore of the Society of Faith. B2 « CHAPTER IV. My zeal in the Temperance Reform.— How I prevailed on Bishop L. to move in the enterprise for the benetii of my French Brethren. —How I was excluded from the Society because T opposed the Money-making projects of the Priests.— My grief and per- plexity.— Why I mingled with the Protestants.— A barrel of beer at the house of the President of the Temperance Society. In the year 1841, when Bishop L. arrived in Detroit, the cause of Temperance had begun to excite con- siderable attention. I liad for sometime previous enhsted myseU' in this good cause, and while 1 beheld much of the evils of iiitemi)erance, I had seen also a ^-«:reat amount of good resulting from the enterprise. I had also discovered to the grief of my heart, that my Romanist brethren were given to habits of drink- ino" too freelv, renderino- themseh'<'s beastlv and their families poor and miserable ; aneranc»\ and aigurMl tlie necessity of a t(^m])erance society among our people. The Bishoj) professed to be pleased with the suggestion, and very soon called a I Bishop L. I Brethren. T opposed ;f and per- . barrel of ce Society. Detroit, cite con- previous 1 beheld en also a iterprise. art, that of (Irink- rtnd their nie was king was larreling, . I was rrino- niv estant re- Hie. So make his i]^oianc*\ e society ?d to ].)e called a MY ZEAL IN THE TEMPERANCE REFORM. 37 meeting to consult upon the propriety of such an organization, whicli resulted in tlie immediate forma- tion of a Tonii)erance Society, .i constitution was prt;]»arod and presented, hut some difterence of opin- ion arising JUS to whether heer and cider were intoxi- cating drinks, or if tliey contained alcoliol, a commit- tee, com[)osed of nn\self and two otliers, Avere a[)pointed to procure ]»rofessional testimony upon this point. We accordingly obtained the o])inions of Doctoi's Pitcher, Russell and Hougliton, to the eftect that they Avere intoxicating, and coiisequentl}- the use of them was excluded from our pledge. It was in this temperance society which 1 had labored so nuich to establish, that my first disagree- ment Avith the Bishop transpired. 1 *^had been asso- ciated with the Protestants in their temperance operations, and had partool; of their zeal, and wished to imitate their example. But my zeal, which among Protestants would ha^ 3 been commendable, v,as among the Romanists, intolerable. My tirst oftensive act Avas an effort in a speech to stir up our i)riests and leading n to more zeal by showing that the Protestants Avere actually doing more good by their temperance efforts, than Ave Avere doing by all the ser\ices of the church. My second and most serious offenc s Avas by my opj)osition to one feature of the constitution Avhich'l thought was unnecessary and in(N:>nsistent. As other temperance societies ysoro ititi'oducMiig benefit features into their organizations, so i( was ])ro]>()sed that every member .^^houW pay four cents a week int(^ours, which should create a fund f<>r tlieir benefit. But the benefits were to be, the })urcliasing of a service of mass for every member that should die. This was repre^sented B 3 J] 8 MY FIRST OFFENSIVE ACT. a Nory hlossod fo.'ilino in tlio organization, that all of us should be sharors in tlio prcH-ious iKMiotils (jf the prayers of the priest at i.ui* death. The idea of their assistance in the 'veovcrv '»f theii" souls froin puro:a- torv was, to many, an ini]»ortanr eonsi'lcration ; Imt, to ine it Avas pre]K)Strrous. it seemtMl to u\e that a teniperanee society and the church were two diti'e rent things an. This, of course, silenced my tongu<', an should be apprised of the excellence of this book, he might rec< aimend it to the people, and by it, do them nuich good. So I hastened aAvay to the Bishop, shoAved him the book, and began pointing out its excellencies ; Avhen, to my surprise, he j^i'ofessed to ha\e been for a long time ac([uaint<'d with it, cond(Mnn<'d it in unmeasunMl (vrms, as the Aery Avorst of books, and ilemanded that it should be returned to the OAvner immediately. Like a fr'thful son of the church, I returned the book to^ "h.- >Avner, though not Avithout reluctance and regret* % 4 "^ es of the , and in- bad got in it. I [ read on and 30 : ire heavy ■oke upon . lo-vvly of \; for my :ifiil senti- .vith great dng more a religion, men love >l)yterians, 5, were, to is book at ant. But the prac- 'at, I con- ied of the iiend it to od. So I the book, len, to mv long time inMl (vrmrt, 3d that it ?lv. Like le b(3ok to md regret. T AM FORBIDDEN BY THE BISHOP TO READ IT. 43 This book was the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and this was my first acquaiu- tiiiice with till" Book of (xod — the Word of Life. But, thoun-h deprived of the ble.^sed book, the spirit of its pagx^s seemed to follow me, like an angel of mercy, and both night and day, its hallowed sen- timentsopei-ated upon my heart, creating a longing for a more intimate acquaintance with its eounst^ls. Not many months after, while at Amherstburg, in (.\nnada, \ had an opportunity to purchase a Testa- ment of a colporteur, which I did for the sum of one shilling and sixpence. But nevei' did thief lay hold of foibidden fruit with more trembling and feaiful- ness, than 1 disei-ved that thev could not be the i)eot)le of God, for who e\er heard of ladies officiating at ehurch .' But in our Bible perusals we were soon led to correct these our hastv conclusions, when we read in Luke, 2 chap. 50 ver^e, that when tlie Saviour was jM-ei^ented at the teuiple of Jerusalem, and Simeon had closed his rejoicings in God : '' There was one Anna, a prophetess, entered at that instant, and she gave thanks likewise to the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." We read too, in 1 Coi., XI, o, what St, Paul wrole about women and their privileges in the church of God. Here we were con- RCHES. . without hurcli of in tlioni, is was an rkucfN^. to but what t I'omote ow ^van- : Protes- were all loubts if of God. Episco- Baptists e heard, lu'ce.s we iispicioii. ttention, 7 wlieii a i' both a hat tliev iv heard ir Bible iir hastv »6 ver^e, ^'iiple of Lyings in entered e to the ked for 1 Cor., d tlieir ere con- « ^m MY DESIRE TO f IND THE TRUE RELIGION. 47 viiiced that according to the Apostles' teaching, wo- men might take a part in tlie worship of God, when adorned with that chastity of attire which be- coraeth their sex. And here again our perplexity increased, and what could be truth or what was error, were to us alike ponderous (questions. Month after month passed away, during which we took no^ part m relio-ious worship anywhere. We still continued to read the vScriptures," and every circumstance like the above excited our eagerness to learn the truth as God had taught it to his people. We gamed much light on the subject of practical pieiy, and while with reflection I viewed it, we were waiting at the " Pool of Bethesda," but had no friendly hand, when the waters were troubled to aid us, to step in that we might be healed. How amazingly both the wisdom and mercy ot God are manifest in the events. We were attracted by no displays of pomp or ceremonies, by no exliibition of correct or most consistent creeds; but God by his own spirit, prepared our hearts for the embrace of His salvation, that in our lives and death we might glo- rify Him. I had now one desire abo^e all others, and that was to find the true religion of the Son of God for the salvation of my soul 1 w^anted too, just such a i-eligion as I found described by the lives, teach- iniTs, and death of Jesus Christ and his Apostles; but I had no earthly teacher. The reader may imagine better than I can describe the painfulness of this hour of darkness. I have heard, 1 have read nothing, so graphically debcriptive of my case, as the following stanzas by Rev. C.Wesley, Methodist Hymn Book, page 252 : I !■ 4S LIKEe DE8CRIMIVE OF MY CA6E. *' A poor blind child I wander here, If haply I may feel thee near. dark ! dark ! dark ! I still must say, Amidst the blaze of gospel day . Thee, only thee, I fain would find, And cast the world and flesh behind ; Thou, only thou, to mo be given, Of all thou hast in earth or heaven." ,n [a 4 4! m. 1 1 say, I; CHAPTER VI. My continued distress of mind. — IIow unexpcctedl)' I A\ent to the Second AI.E. Ciiurch. — How the power of the Holy Ghoist fell upon me. — My conversion. — More light from the Bible. — 3Ty fears resulting from former .superstitions — The beuetit of good counsel. — My Roman baptism with oil, ^alt. and cream. — My Christian baptism with pure water. It was in the inontli of December, 1849, while labor- ing undei' the state of mental H;iispense and i^olicitiide, spoken 'f ill the preceding chapter, that a Sabbath dawned upon the Avorld, the memf pretended in- struction given here, but darkened counsel by Avoirb^ without knowledge. But the Sabbath must be spent oome way, and to relie\ e its o-loomy tediousness we tarted once more to hear the Latin songs and wit- ness the unscriptural dosition during prayer, I found my companion similaiiy affected and wee|.ing at my side. The sermon which followed, with hynn, prayer and all parts (»f the ser\ice seemed to be all ad dressed to me, descri])ti\e of my case, and perfbrmei in my behalf. These w(Me uiuisual emotions to our hearts; thev could not be imao-iuarv, for we had no idea, or anticipation of sueh intluences, but as with the strano-ers at Jerusalem on the day (A Penticost, the Hoi v Ghost had fallen upon us while we listened to his ])reached words. I waited not to enquire concerning the apostolic deseent of the authority of the minister, but recognized in him tlie messenger of peace, as an angel of light to guide my fearful stepr,. I felt that at the '' Pool of Bethesda" the Son of God had met me to bid me to be whole. The re- r:«olye was here made, '' This people shall be my peo- ple, and their God sliall be my God," and jiassing out of the house, as m\ eompanioii took hold on my arm, I said to her, *' this is my home," and she havino' been simultaneously blessed with myself, answered, '' and mine too. We now hastened to oiu' home and read God*s STTLL ITXDER TTTE TTTRALDOM OF SUPER^TTTTOX. 51 3d \vl:at iiied, III. 11 (V imi- [ by the 4 soknin . Such once fell hut Ihat leart. al- so Iv, and y )>rayor, woe| ing h livnii, be all ad orfbrmei ns to our had no as with *enticost, 1 listened enquire hority of senger of ful stepn. ? Son of The re- my peo- l ])assing Id on my and she I myself. >ad God*f5 4 Holy Woid with renewed eagerness and delight, re- joicing as did tht^ shephei'ds of old, who led by the '' siar in llie <'ast'' liad found lln.^ [>r()Miis<'d Saviour. Til ' pa;;tor ha vino; advertise'] a ola.it; meeting in the ha.^omenf (^f lli'' (hurcli for Moii'lay c. ening, I niad«» niv way lo the spot at an <'aily hour, and plaeing inysolf in a eons])icuons ])osition, was soon ol)seiA>Ml hy tiie h^adt'i', Hon. Ivoss Wilkins, by whose pious eounsels 1 was still moiv enlightened and eneouraged lo l>elie\e in the Son of God to th*^ sahation of my soul. May trod abundant I \' reward him and the pastor of tiie ehuivh, through wliose patient and per- severing eounsels and assistane<', I and my dear fem- ily have been ma^ystem, f>-^ the relio-iou of ed from my new spiritual • <•« THE BENEFIT OF GOOD COUNSEL. 53 Liiipleas- sts l:old heir in ould be [ a lock inx' tlie li 1 saw was the avoided directly earnest plunge If in the I to me r, where .t ol* the :zled bv i'lv, over ig upon tantisni, >*e stone, ly liopes n of my )t trifles ; erest in- t to God ived, for ucted to ! to tlie 1 of the spiritual guide were in frequent N'isitB to my house for th« purpose^ of e\])laining 1o us the word of Clod. Mrs. p. and nivseh' being }>rovided with BibK-; in the French language, and Mr. T witli one in Eno'lif-h, we directed his attention to many oi' tho^^e difheult ]M.rtions of the Scri^.tures, \\hi«.]i to u:\ were inexi)licable. ENery visit ga\e us increasing hght, especially did we [)rotit by an e\|>hniation of the ten commandments, and the great myster\ in the ;i.\th cliapter of tlie (h)' p '1 of St. John, concerning tiie eatino- th<' b«»dy and drinking the I'lood of .le-^u-o Christ. Tiiis n'lysterious chapter, by which the doc- trine of transubstantiatioii is sup|)orted by the Kouian C'hiu'cli, ap])eared to me in its proper light as soon a>'« 1 liad ac([uired a knowledge of saving taith. 1 read indeed, in \ eise 511 : '^ Exce])t ye eat tlie flesh of the Si>n of Man, and di'ink his blood, you have no life in vonf but again, I read in G:id \erse: " It is the Spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh proflteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you fhef/ are s})irit auvl ilfey These, with the light shed u])on tliis subject by the :]5th vnrsi^: '-And .lesus said unto lliem, 1 ain tlie bread of life; he that cometh to nie, shall never hungei', and he that believeth o\\ me shall never thirst,"* set the (piestion for e^■er at rest in my heart. And now amid all the contending fears wdiich pressed like an incubus upon me, my soul laid hold of the piomis(\s, and my experience at this tiuK^ is bettpr expressed b}' a sacivd poet than I can describe it: ** 111 hope, agaiust all human hope, Self (lespevate, I l-elieve, Thy quickeniug word shall raise me up, Thou wilt thy spirit give. 54 MY nOUf5E BECOME?!- A TTOUSE OE PRAVEn. The thing surpasses all my thoughts ; But faithful is my Lord, 'J'lii'ougli unbelief 1 stMggcr not. For r»o(l liath spoke the word. Faith, mighty Faith, tlio promise >ecs, Ami looks to that alone: Laughs at impossibilities. And cries — it shall be done," Now T Logan to rralizo, that while "with open face I Lclh'kl as in a glas^i, tlio glory of God, I was changed into the saint- image, Ly the Spirit of the Lord." This wa;^ the Llessed result of heeding the counsel of him whom God had e\idently sent to turn me awav from idols, to 8er\e the living God. And heie was' the demonstration of the truth of the BiLle, in the realization of t ^ fulfillment of that first sweet promise I read. I had read as from the life of the Sa\iour: " Come unto nie all ye that labor and are lieavy laden and I will giNe you rest." My coni]>an- ion, Vho cheeii'ullv ioiiied with me in penitential jM'ayer, soon realized the peace of nund and an e\ i- d*^nce of liei' acceptance with God. From this time, my house became a h(»use of prayer, and often was found to Le tlie gate of heaven to our souls. The chang<' of oui' lit Roman Catholic, there was no change of wickedness they could pi'onounce against me : and because the laws of the United States are so struigent upon the subject of the defamation of character, it is but little the priest ever dar<^ to say before the public by way of denunciation. But in private, and in the confess- ional, they can, and often do vent their spite freely, by which as by a '' main spring," tlif depoit.ment of multitii le.^ are ivgnlated with reterencr^ to such thinov. * Amono- other I'eports it was soon very p-oiierallv circulated that the Protestants had given mi> six- hundred dollai's to renounce tho Fioman faith and embi'ace theirs; but evon this hatl a viuu't' salutary eti«3ct than was intended, as it appeared lik** a tacil. acknowledgment that Francois F*epin was, after all, a man of som«^ importance, tor as some of them said afterwai'ds, it was not everv Kt)manis( that could pel SIX hundred dollars for his religion. \\\ relurn, I a\ailed mvself of the benefit of the !iccnsation by proclaiming that the report was an allegory, for the difference ni the value of the Protestant over the Hi 68 I AM ASSAILED IN THE STREETS. Roman religion, wa. moro than thai amount, in S ". me I more precious than silver ov gold-Ure benefits purcha.e.l l.y th. i>reciou-, hUA 'A Jesu« ^'f ua n.xt a..ailed while pa,-,.ing quiellv along the St,- e^ l>N'n,cn>bers of the French Church wagj^-.g I eir heads, throNvino' their n.ouths and faces nto aU kin't of' hideous forms hy contorUons. nnd^ca hug mehv every vile epithet nnagniable. ilic U'ai e, -1 hus\-eceived tVon, persons ^vho called them- V . .. stiaas, ^vas such that if recei^■ed frcnn any : u ce V In 1 ^ a Romanist, 1 would have retalm ed souiCe\wi-" J ,i,y ^\^^; reyengetuUy, I'Ut t uaa now i.u% ,„..,,• i,„„,,, yoke of Christ, who was nuvk and h.x.l) ot ea.t ,n,l how truly in hin> 1 fouu.l rest to my soul. I wa i loed s.; o-racioush sustained n. these persecu- •;^tt^tti^tesIcouldnotbuthel.evethatGo had nterposed for my good m a verv special man Oul instanc in particular will onyutc. the ad.ro this tact, while it will sIk.v the great bene- tU • havina- faith iu God. An nulixKlua , Mr. B. llrme'fr.>n, day u. -1-- ^-nt five to «x days m l„ecossion, follow ing n.. from street to s reel a« he was .on ,loy,..l with a drav, on a vanrty ot erra ids, wer my prayer. The hour of court ha\'ing arrived, in company with my counsel and witnesses, 1 repaired to the office of justice, where we met Mr. B. the defend- ant, who as soon as he saw me, began to re})eat his foul epithets and abuses until arrested by the Court, who inquired, " if he knew there was a jail in town for the purpose of taking care of such men as he was?" And turning to me h(? said, Mr. Pe])in, sve do not need you, nor your counsel, nor your itness- es, — this man is witness enough against imnself; and turning to liin^ he said, '' now, Mr. B. if yoit can gi\'e the necessary bonds to keep the peace with Mr. P. hereafter, you can go too; but if not, the Policemen will take you to jail." The result of this ])rosecution had more than one advantage, for ^^'hile it sa\'ed the cause of the Protestant from reproach, it did also for a time sa> e me from pul>lic ])ersecution During the winter of 1849-.50, the Second M. E. C.^hur(di to which [ ha0Nver of God to an extraordinary degree, so that scarceh- an individnal Avas known to enter the chnivh irit of o:race. During the progress ot the meet- inosed that a mei^ decla- ration oi- protession of the taith of the Protest- •iiitswas all that was necessary, and consequent!), thono'h the^- weiT^ nominal Protestants, they were not cliristians. But some of them were truly con- N-erted, aud we be-an to believe, what the pastor had ahva.lv ]>ubliclv declared, - that God wa^ about to raise up a people tbr himself among the trendi, and that in a slioA tim. a French Protestant. Church would be l)uilt, and tlu' ],eoi»le would hear the gospel nreached in theii- own tongiu'." ' lunw heo-an loteel that God had called me to ihe ^reat work, and b^■ Nisiting trom house to house and^bv assisting the pastor in private meetings ap- nointJdtbr our p(«<.ple, which were conducted m the French lan^ruage prh.ally, (rod oft.n hlessed me an^iug t<. olher-^. Tl,. nieeiiii-sspok.'U of were fmiitul <.t denion- stration thai 1 wa- iioi alone iii being pi'rsecuted tor reading the Bible anture instructions of the ])riest, she Ncntured to correct him. Incensed at her impudence, he innnediately inquired how she knew what the Bible t audit ; and learniua' she had one in her possession refused to ]»ard')n her till she should return home and desti'oy it in the tire. She went home, and weei)ing at the tlKjught of the loss of the precious ti-easure, yet trend Jino- in fear of the u.n|>ardonable sin of disobedience, she connnitted it to the flan)es, and roturnint»- to tho j>riest, informed liim she had destroyed it, and he in I't^urn ga\e her absolution. Slic informed us iu ])ublic meetino; while sobbing aloud, >}ie made ap]»lication tbr another Bible; that she had searceh- passed a iiio'ht since the destruction of her bouk, Init she had (h'oamed of its sacred contents. But the- ol)ject of her \ isit. a> related to mx truui- ly, had another development. At the tiiii<' of the Inu'uing of the Bible sh<' li\"'l in , Imt now fiaving remo\<'(1 lo riro:;;" l-b-, ,,]|.> eallcl nii a ])iiesi at, Andieistlturg, C. W.. to seek th*' eoiisoli'tion^ of pardon by humbl" confession of •>iu. But now her burdened heart wa^^ })ressed down under a double 62 A THHILLIxVG INCIDENT. weiglit of grief, for i\\o pri.>i ret\is(Ml her tlu^ Mesfs- inoMinless yho .slioiiM p;!} hiiu on^ dollar in apointment and distress, for the sapient Father, to wliom slu^ applied, kn^'W how to demand liis thiie-lionored riuhi, :\\u\ \w refused iier the bless- ing for less than lw<> d.>!iars. Vhu^ with a burdened and breaking heart, she wa> turned emi>t.y a.A\ay from the tlu-one of graec and ealling upon us to relate her tale of distress, we a\ailed ourselves of the opportu- nitv of directing her to Him who says, '' Come buv Avine and milk, with' >ui ni^^uey and without price." She was at first a^^tonished :«t the change which had come over us, but was onuforted by ounsels, attended the cluuvh ser\ ic«- witli us, and related her troubles, was supplied with another Bible, which neither Priest nor Po]>e will ever dei>rive her ol again. Mrs. D., her husband, and live daughters, have become constant readers of the Bible, and are striving by its counsel--, to love and serve the Lord; and tlieir' son having entered into marriage with a Protestant ladv, has 'turned awa}- from Priests, Beads, and Penances, to be guided by the word of God alone. CHAPTEK YIII. Organization of the fn";!t French ('hiss. My call to Uibor for ray cuuntryuien My ttlort in Detroit. A nii--:iouary ijrocuroil. My tanphiyment a."? a Bil»U' coliiorturcr I'or^'.ccutioii-i icnowcd. My hist etfort to induce Bishop L. to lead nic back if i had erred fiU)ni the right way. (.^viotatiou from the Canada, (!hri,-tiaii (Juardiaii. licr r>UV 71 The I'eader will recolk^-l thai hi a former eliapter I alhided t(> the fact tliat the idea of oroaniziiii)- a Frencli Pi'otestaiit Chiircli and of hiiildiugaii edifice foi' their worship where, in our own tongue, our peo- ple iviiglit hear the pure gospel preaeheal Church, Ke^^ E. H. Pilcher and others 1 have heard, partici- pated; but for lack of a suitabL^ person to take charge <.)f such a mission, the project lingered till the sum- mer of 1851. But the work of God among the French continued to ])rogress, and as tlie numl)er of those who pi-eferred to perform their devotions m their own language increased, in the spring of 1851, the pastor organized the first Methodist Class of Frencli Protestant Christians which ever met in De- 64 ORGANIZATION OF A FRENCH CLASS. troit in that, capacity, to worship God At tj,i. con- tPiiiplalod conuneuccn.eut ot our nitaut chinch, 1 ' '"1" . , , t„ „,,, v,.wtor mv own peoiihar foel- .■omiimnioflted to my pastoi, m} o»n i iug« ana impressions with reference to my K^, o aive nn-s.4t to the work ot laboring to sa^e m) eolmt Ttten bv spreading the Bible and preachmg S! Gospel to 'thim. This commt.n.eation, though o'lven with much delicacy and reluctance, wa. tavor- ably received, by my pastor. The oroanizatiori of the Vrench Clas.« «a3 ,,i the dme for n>y . fet . public ^,^^ waB brought about by notice bemg "^^^^^^^J^S tliecitv uud the country aw""^ where the French e^ded, that Franeok Pepin would publ.clv relate 1 , cxperieree and the circumstance, which led to ln= c,\ rsion from Romani.m to be a Methodist A lav...e number of French people v.ere p esen* and God wa. evideutlv with us, mid at the clo.e ot the .;°vice the cla. was f.rme,! and some more than uventv -vaA,' inf. ^v name, as uiemberB on probation • Our .listUHl [■ . ..-h nieelings were regularl>- kept ,, r,mi il.is luoe lill the month 01 May wluM , mrder direclion of the Missionary Society ot the M. F Chureli, Rev. Thomas Carter, from Jsew\orl., arrive 1 and took charge of tl.' Bocieiy as a trench Mission, and which has e-.ntinued uud.-r his care until As soon as Mr. C". (.nler..d upon the work of n,^ ,nission; an,1 the snbjc.H of building us ^;^^<^l^T. inib.iv^iM , , :',... I .,..,..,. <.w.-,.ne\v then' attacks atti ibute all the as the result cam*-' aple in lui\e noth- nig to do with m(\ As a natural cons(Mpience, the more bio'oted of them renewed their attacks upon me in the streets, and clian^'ing me with selling my religion for money, and tlie'jjke. At every opportu- nity afforded to converse ^vith the more intelligent of them, I would remind tJiem of the ditlerence'ln the deportment of the priests and th(^ Good Hhepherd, who, having lost one sheep, " left the ninety and nine in the wilderness and searche.l after it until lie found it." 1 would in.pn're, if the Bishop knows that I have strayed from th(* right way, why does he not come after me, oi* send ibr me, and seek to lead me back again ? But lliough, (knowing their hab- its,) I had reason to belitne that the p.riests were informed of my wish, they never once gave me a hearing, or by kind christian counsel, sougiit to recov- er me; but e\er and anon new reports C(jncerninr»* mo floated among the Romanists ranks, which I'^had rea^son to believe, originat^^l with the priests. Again and again I heard of their warning the people to have no intercourse with me, but to avoid me as an evil man. 'Jliese things were grie\'oiis to me, and although 1 had neither doubts or fears concerning my present religious experience, or the church to which I belonged, still I thought it a duty to place myself within the intiuence of their instruV-tions, and ftivor them with an opportunity to convince me of what they call my error and sin. CG CHALLENGE TO THE BISHOP. yi ' I thereforo addressed a l(3tter to tlio Bishop pro- posing to hear hiin if he would give me an opportu- nity to reply, which he did nr.t accept; but a gentle- man from Toronto, C. W., answered nie, ])roposing a controversy l>y private letter, or through the pages of the Canada Evangelist. But as I sought not con- troversy with strangers, and confessing myself inca- pable of doing so through the press in the English language, I of coui-se declined, for my only object was to remove the last hinderance out of the way of my old religious teacher, that if he could, he might bring me back to the faith. As a variety of reports have" been circulated with reference to my insolence in addressing the Bishop as I did, T beg leave to in- troduce it to the reader just as it wns published in the above named paper, and with the remarks with which the Editor saw fit to accompany it. 61* CHALLENGE TO THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF DETROIT. By a recent convert from Popery, We have the satisfaction of laying before our read- ers the following letter written by a French Canadian who is pretty w^ell known in this neighborhood, hav- ing resided for a considerable time in this township some years ago. Having been converted from the erroi's of Popery to the " truth as it is in Jesus," he is now engaged by a Missionary Society as a Bible Colporteur in Detroit and vicinity, and occasionally extends his tours for spreading the scriptures to this side of the river, visiting Windsor, Sandwich, and ^^B CHALLENGE TO THE BISHOP. 67 hop pro- opportu- a gentle- )posing a pages of not con- self inca- Englinh ly object e way of 10 might f reports insolence ve to in- lished in irks with this and adjoining townships. He is very zealous in the Bible cause and lias been a successful instrument in doing much g(^od in this department of Chrietian effort. The priests in Detroit and also in this \icini- ty, have used the greatest influence against him, but notwithstanding all, Jiis labors have been blessed, ar/^ our prayer is tliat they may be more and more maao a blessing. We are pleased to learn that a F^^nch Protestant Church is about to be built in the city of Detroit. We may state tliat the proposal contained in the letter was not accepted by the Bishop. :holic TO BTSIIOP LEFEYER, BISHOP OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OF THE DIOCESE OF DETROIT. Right Reverend Sir: — our read- Canadian ood, hav- township from the Fesus," he IS a Bible casionally 'es to this sach, and Having been educated in the Church in which you minister, and for a long time laboured under its influence, I feel constrained to write this letter to you, — seeking light — if I am in darkness, — and desiring to know the truth if I am in error. You know me. I have conversed with you on religion and about the Bible. Not beino* satisfied I with my family, left your church, and have since been greatly blessed in Christian fellowship, with an- other portion of God's people. 68 CHALLENGE TO THE BISHOP. I learn, that one of your priests, lias piiWiely fore- warned Ills hearers to have nothino* to do with me, and to hold no conversation witli me. Many of my countrymen, "vvlio speak my nati\'e languao-o, and who were once friendly, now avoid me, — as if I was a pestilence. This, it seems to me, is not Christian, and not in accordance with God's law of love. Now, I have this to pri^pose. I will attend at what church you mav direct, and ho;)r what you have to say, wherein I am Avrono-; and all I want, is the privilege of replyiii,:^; — if I think ]>ro]xT — and shew- hig the " reasons of the taith that is in me." If I am right, you are wrong. If you are right, I am wrong, and I want to know it before it he too late. The Great Sliepherd left the ninety-nine sheep that lie considered safe, in order to i'(>cover the one that was lost. Will not you, an under Sheplierd, imitate his exam])le, and try and i*eco\er me. I am open to conviction. All I want is a fair hearing and the freedom of stating publicly, my objections to the Roman Church, for you to remove if you can. I r*m an unlearned man, but, I love God and the truth. Respectfully your Brother in CTirist .Tesus, FRANCOIS PEPIN. MR. PEPIN'S CHALLENGE. In our last numlier we ])ublished a challenge to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Detroit, to a public discussion, by F. Pepin, a convert from Popery, and mi m EXTRACT FROM THE CANAD 4 Pr . v.. v^J^iiDA E\ ANGELI8T. (JO from a gentleman in ToroS f^' ■"'"''''^ ^ ^^tter the challenive, and desirW t^ ^'T'-"^ ^ ^««Pt of sy with Mi-rPepin, S e,K ' f !"**' " ^"''Over- the pages of Ihi ^^4^^" t'' \f «' T *^<'"g'» witer requests that tll^ i';,, J" .f ^* ^^'ter tie all pereonalitr, and vet hi ! f ^ ^'''^ avoidance of i?Binnation tlllt . ii,? p 1 1' ''f "'''' ^^^ ""^air t'-ve situation of Bible Cdl'f^ ™' ^'^ *^« ^''^ra- pem^rsion makes the ex2w/? T" ^*«^ ^^ the trudi suspicious." ^^ °* ^"^ ''<^^'"'e to know motiverS'ctal,?ourT'''''^\^^ "^«««n«ry greatly mistaken. Mr Pe2 r?""'^^"' *^''''' ^^ '« Porteur much less than h!'^".- 1*"*",'™' now as Col- former occ„],atio„ ^' '^'^' ^^^«" P»''auing his 0.- through the ais TZ'T^ '™'*"-« ^^ W following? considiS^wiJfi.u^'^r^^^'' "'« '^o it could "not be com "Lll o ''"•'^'.° '° ^^'^that 1st. Mr. PeJr^.p'\"" ^l"-'' footing. '^■h.oh he speali in a bXn manu"? O ^""^'""^' pondent on the other hanrl ;, ™ ""''^ Our corres- is the English ton-^ue ' "'^^^'^ ^'^^^ular Bfclwp was to a Zbli ' di., •' "'''"'"«« ^o the episto ary corrosnon „ discussion, au-in. Of some of tliese tliino-s you Ivdve heard before, and some are entnvly ne^v, and you liave no autliority but my Jnnnble declaration as a proof of their existence • but you may depend tliat 1 haxo said but little, but what many othc^rs have seen tlie like, althouo-h they have not yet declared it. But let the reader remem- bei-, whether he be a Roman Catholic or a Protest- ant that I speak with a clear conscience, that trod will judo-e me concernino- this narrative; and if IhaN-e wickedly spoken falsehoods, 1 havQ no hope of pardon from an}' j^riest or earthly confcvssor. The Methodists do not belieNo that any but God can i)ar- don the sinner, and that dying without his pardon, as the Bible teaches, none can see the Kinmlom of (jrod. ^ Then believe mo when I say I have spoken for no other ^ object, but to ghr'ity God for the li(vht of his salvation, which I have found by readino-lhe Bible- MV UliASONS FOR PUDLI.SmXO. T3 and if It may ,,l,.„o God, I m\^]d be an instmniont 11 lus haiids, of Lading my count.ynion, wlio are blinded, deceived and abused, to follow the priests no longer; to read the Bible for themseh-es, and pray to God alone, that iii the end, tliey may come to ever- lasting Lfe. I have bronglit out this book because it has Ioik, been nnpressed upon my heart as a dutv wliieh I ovJl- to you and t(. the «-orld, to proclaim the wonders of redeeming grac<:. an,l the loxe of God ^vUch I feel in my soul. Oh tliat God would arise for the deliverance of my countrymen from tlio oppressions of ]^».erv, and bring them into the light and libertv of his dear children, "les, I do indeed, sometiine's feel to say witii bt. 1 ar,!, I could wish mvself afflicted bv the permis,sion of God, even to be ' accounte,! accursed tor my bretheren, ra,y kinsmen, according to the flesh" Perha,,s I shall yet die in this 'cause a martyr for the truth. My enemies who say I have oi'saken the true church, have more than once souglit o do me bodily injury, and threatened to kill me: "Itl !•"''• '",'''•'" P™3"™S^vith mv Saviour, tather torgno them, they know not "what thev (10. •• Dear reader, suffer a word of exliortation. Cast a«ay your Beads, cast away your Sc.-,pular; bow d'Wii no more to images, but go into vour chamber, and pray to your Father who seethin secret, and ne wiJl iiear you pray, and reward vou openlv." Oh bear with me while I inquire, what would /ou say should \Ai Pep ice jou at tlie left hand, and of God, if the Judge jealous God," and will .sa\ am a not give my hono/ to another 74 ': w- APPEAL TO Mr FORMER TEACHERS. this rayorfwU ■"; o o^S lit ^'"'^ ^"-'f a-.d beg-in .vithout d lay. 1!.' tt hv -T"'" '"" '' God and to God alone. ° •' " ^'^y *" -fre you a Roman Catliolic Pr\o^t> le «"eh you ,vill hate me, and tb b-xk t, C' ^ fnend, pause I beseeoli vr,„ „ i , ■^'"' '">' couch sion I do w 1 \ ' "-^ '"•■''^^ »"' a '-asli notlove TOursvstemo^ V:°"'"''= akhouirh I do your soul S"f''f""-\t«'>^''i„., I do love tian, I must love vou • Z^T'r'''""^ "' " C^"''^' -s and pt«i Se.';:^ he, r iri s ™r^'- of God's Row \V. ] ' "^'^•^'•'■''"g t" tlio teachings you die Whe.? o ' o'"^"'' '° ^" ^-^ H<.aven wlJn you be numWd iiT^'''\'" -? ' ^''' ^^"^'W the Kingdom oTh a -0 f ,"' '■"';' *'" ''""'>• '" your idoh o-lvn ■^"''" *""i '"''•■■'V from pe5fif":/aP^^^^^^^^^ ^1-eiVe the nofa;£;::£';-St/fe£r pneste, no „or the Pope himse f ^v' th a iZ. ''" Who sh.!nV any thing to the ch::^: TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. 75 of God's elect? Tt ;« rui ^i ^ • ho that co,Kf.:,.neU; itt ISr^tf'l ^^^ '^ band of God, m- ho also „,aketh interccsiou for T<. " 2:at.t?,^,l^;:™g;^^^7ie.iu:^he .'elf, reallv nf^ ' , ? ''' ,•'"""' 3'0"''- tnuh an.] sah"!,.!;;^"-''' ^ '°'''''"''^^' '"*'' ^'"■' "g!'' ^^ Ciiiistian rea^li-r, you ha^•e now seon ..omo of tl„ l,-„,oi ' /^--'''iniiwn; bo thankfu that " thp hnes haNo fal on to yon in j.loasant plaeos a„d that of m- f- n I. f ,. 'lone tor ,ny soni, for the souls 01 m) tan il_\, tor many of tlie Fronch iu DotmJt m me.cy and ,n power, and delher this peopk? Will you not p,ty the Romanist wherever vo^L one, praj.ng- that their " idols may soo boC^ the mole.s and to the bats," and tl at al th ^oZ of the earth njay soon know but the one toocl Td S; S: "'' *'"' "'" *'- P-r'« "-y love 3 witf"^'', "'*" ■''''''''"■ '''•'"'•' commend to you the words and sontunent of the followin