The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-03-09
For the Central Presbyterian.
PETERSBURG, VA, Feb. Oath 81

PETERSBURG, VA, Feb. Oath, 81.
MeSsrs EditorS,-A friend has laid
upon my table a most remarkable book.
1t is entitled, 1.-THE PRIEST, THE Wo-
MEN, AND THE CONFESSIONAL 1t is
written by Father Chiniquy" priest
converted from Romanism, and is issued
by A. Craig & Co., Publishers, Chicago,
LII. say it is most remarkable book,
for while we have, every now and then,
what purport to be the revelations of
converted monks, and escaped nuns,
filling us with horror at the recital of
deeds of darkness within walls conse-
Grated to religion; yet it is seldom that
we have the testimony of one so COM
petent to serve as witness and APP
parently SO trustworthy in all respects.
AS to the competency of Father
Chiniquy" to testify, there can be no
doubt. Born in Roman Catholic COM
munity in Canada; of Roman Catholic
parents and ancestry; thoroughly edu-
Gated in Roman Catholic schools, with a
view to the Priesthood was ordained
priest in 1888, and continued for
twenty three years in the priesthood,
being in high repute both amongst the
hierarchy and the common people of his
church, receiving many distinguished
marks of honor for his labors in the
cause of temperance, and enjoying the
fullest confidence of all with whom he
was associated. Such man must know
whereof he affirms. If any one is com
petent to tell us of the nature, influence
and fruits of the Confessional, he is.
But what shall we say of his trust
worthiness? Can his statements be relied
upon2 Well, [ must say that while
the facts recorded in his book are such
that it is inexpressibly painful to believe
them, and it would be great relief if
their impression could be shaken off as
one would some hideous nightmare, yet
the more the case is examined the more
does the honesty of the witness impress
itself upon you. For up to the time when
he left the Church of Rome, no one seems
to have stood higher for personal integ-
rlty and virtue than he. Those nearly
fifty years of unblemished reputation
are certainly greatly in his favor. Then
the circumstances of his conversion to
Professionalism are such as favor the honesty
and ingenuousness Of the man. No mer-
cenary motive could have influenced him.
He had everything to lose in worldly
point OF view, and nothing to gain by his
remuneration of Romanism. He had been
honored with the important mission of
planting large colony of Roman Catho-
lies in Illinois. He was meeting with
remarkable success, when through con-
tact with Professionalism he became cor
WINGED of his error, and at once renounced
the system in which he had been trained
from infancy and gave himself to the
work OF Protestant Evangelist
His narrative bears the marks Of truth
upon it. On page "a he says ~ am
now more than seventy-one years old,
and in a short time shall be in nv
grave. 1 shall have to give an account
of what l now say. Well, it is in the
presence of my great Judge, with my
tomb before my eyes that declare to
the world, etc. going on with revela-
tons which it is not my purpose to
spread upon these pages. The picture
he paints is horrible. He corroborates
his own statements by the published
statements of others, eye-witnesses like
himself A touching feature of the work
is the declaration" made TO the Lord
Rishon of Montreal o;onad -, foSt-, ., -