The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-08-07
CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES IN CANADA.


the story with the charm of the poet
and the enthusiasm of the historian.
Not even in Carey and Judson, those
brave heroes and consecrated mission
aries of my own Baptist denomination,
was there seen more complete conse-
Grafton than in the spirit of these early
French missionaries, who lived and
labored on the inhospitable soil of east
ern Canada. Their labor was in the
spirit of the first Crusades. These men
purged, to some degree at least, the
Church of Rome, which the Ref0rma-
ton found sunk in spiritual corruption
and death. On the 18th day of May,
1912, little flotilla moved by sails ap-
preached the island where stands to-day
in her queenly beauty and glory the city
of Montreal. On board were Mont
magny, Mais0nneuve, Vimont, Mad
emoiselle Nance, Madame de la Peltrie,
who was accompanied by her servant
Charlotte Barre, and several others of
kindred spirit. Some time previous
Maisonneuve reached Quebec. This
place was at that time in danger of
utter destruction by the Iroquois, but
Montreal was in still greater danger.
To GO there was to put ones head into
the lions mouth. 1t was, however, a
grand place for mission. Here two
great rivers-the noble Ottawa and the
majestic st. Lawrence met. Here
was the key to vast system of inland
navigation. Attempts were made to
dissuade Maisonneuve from leaving
Quebec, but his noble words were, Il
have not come here to deliberate, but to
act. 1t is alike my duty and my honor
to found colony in Montreal, and l
would go if every tree were an Iro-
quois." On the 18th of May their boat
glided along the green and lonely shore
which is now covered by the activities
of a busy city. 1t landed on a point of
land known later as Point Calliere.
The glory of the early spring was seen
in the blooming flowers and heard in
the song of many-plumaged birds.
Springing ashore, this company fell
upon their knees, while their enthusi-
astic and devotional songs awoke the
slumbering echoes of primitive fields
and forests. An altar was erected,
which was decorated with the skill and
taste of these refined and cultivated
women. Before the shrine Vimont,
clad in the rich robes of his office, rails
ed aloft the Host in reverent silence.
When the sun sank behind the western
forest the fire-flies glowed in the dark
ening evening. These were then caught
and formed into shining festoons, with
which the altar was decorated. In
scenes such as these and in spirit of
apostolic and missionary zeal the city
of Montreal had it's birth. This was
the romance of history and the chivalry
of faith.
Seven years passed great changes
have taken place. The Hurons have in
large numbers professed Christianity
the Iroauois are in bitter hostility.
The story is long and interesting.
We are at st. Ignace. The Iroquois
have overcome the helpless Hurons,
and have vowed vengeance upon the
faithful missionaries. The ground at
st. Louis is strewn with corpses. A
spectacle of horror greets the eye at st. |
Ignace. Jean de Brebuef and his supe-
rior Lalemant are bound to the stake.
Look at that Brebuef! He is the
founder of the Huron mission, its great
est hero and its noblest MARTYR. He
came OF the same race as the English
earls of Arundel, and never did nobler
blood flow in the veins of its mailed
barons than the blood of that conse-
Grated missionary. He is exhorting the
Indians to save themselves from ever
lasting flames, and they cut away his !
lower lip. They then thrust a red-hot |
iron through his tongue, but his tall
form was erect and defiant. He gave
no signs of pain; he stood like rock. I
Lalemant, pale and emaciated from !
penance and fasting, was led before
him, his naked body covered with strips |
of bark smeared with pitch. He threw
himself at Brebuef's feet The Indi- |
ans ignited the bark, and the flame en-
veloped the suffering Lalemant. A
necklace of hatchets red-hot was hung |
around Brebuef's neck. He still stood |
and exhorted them to repentance. He |
had baptized them with cold water:
they baptized him with boiling water. |
Still he stood, brave as a lion and low
ing as friend. In wrath they cut !
strips of flesh from his limbs, and de-
voured them before his eyes. Still he
stood unmoyed by suffering, and ex-
horted them to repentance. They laid |
open his breast, and came in admiring |
as we'll as enraged numbers to drink |
the blood of so brave a foe. They |
hoped thereby to catch his spirit and
imbibe his bravery. Atlast-I scarcely |
dare to repeat the story in detail-:a |
chief tore out his brave heart and de-
vOured it." For seventeen hours the |
gentle I,alem9nt aDduYad thOuub ,,by,