The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-15
A FANATICS CONVENT.
DIR. JACQUES PRIME RELIGIOUS
Ixsrfrurfox IN MONTREAL.
R.,hsro,s Rites Practiced in the Ciois'er--
Dire Forms OF Self
Torture

of the city OF Montreal, IN the hnN'' -
srrnncb Catholics and French Catholicism
xyomen immured I'm a private a"e'aiie
eaued a convent. their lives devo'ea 10
so-,,,ro ana seif-sacrifice, cut OF rom
sbe world. sleeping in collins sha '.e.,,ss
shernselves In chains, small commune
,s,,,relv cut OF from human ties such IL
The private convent OF Or. Jacques
me latter is q French physician, a'
one time having good pracuee ~ ,,, 49,
treal but years ago he became 's'tsa
with what cannot be calieu oe's 80
nan a religious mania Always %
..S. n,hra,ic turn OF mind. Or. Jacques
gas become insane on one point tia' -
a. fc,,oa religious institution "heio
1910, Tired of the world could eAPia'e
,he,r Gins and find heaven In scouIsiheS
and penalties. q. Montreal
nv nr' Jacques has now come unoer tno
Examination Of the Roman Cathohc az"
thorities. and Cardinal Taschereau anu
Archbishop Fabcr, at the head Oh 'le nv
oese of Montreal. have decidedto suppiess
the convent, which is situated In Amherst
street 1919
Dr Jacaues for years past has iabored
under the Illusion that mysterious voice
tounseied him 70 start religion insutu~
fion. AT first he did not dare to ask the
permission OF the authorities OF the Cath.
olic Church. who laughed at his plans ana
pronounced them impracticabie. Dr.
JACQUES Travelled through the greater part
of Europe, all the time watching for IDEAS
that would favor his scheme here
He returned TO Montreal In 1856, when
the great smallpox epidemic was raging
IN Montreal and the people were dying by
thousands. He went heart ana soui lHt0
khe work Of saving the people, and, II Is
said attended himself 1900 cases free OF
charge.
Among the families Or. jacques met
was one named Aubin from 81. Jerome
who had come 20 Montreal with letters
of recommendation TO Or. Jacques. Ihey
all took the desease. and the six girls In
the family made a vow that u Their nfes
were spared they would turn nuns. This
was an opportunity for which the doctor
had long been looking and he immediate
~ founded his convent This was some
eight years ago. and since that time the
entire family have been inmates OF this
peculiar Institution.
The sisterhOod is composed Of the six
Aubin girls, and tbeii father and mother
set as caretakers and drudges for all
kinds Of work. while Dr. Jacques poses
ps the spiritual head Of the institution
hhe eldest of the three sisers is the moth
y
in the name Of religion, red habit with
a white veil.
Perpetual silence is enjoined except
during one hour Of thea day. The nuns
arise at 4 o'clock in the morning and re-
tire at 6P. NJ. At half-past In the morn
ing they pray for an hour before the
cross, and at half-past they attend In
procession the st. James Catholic Church,
IN the immediate neighborhood, TO reolte
the usual prayers and attend the usual
devotions, returning an hour afterwards.
During the entire day they pray and
sing hymns even while attending the
necessary housekeeping duties, which are
Jew In number and as simple as possible
The food is Of the plainest possible de-
ecripeion. and the table utensils are of
wood.
In the second story OF the convent
which Is a very modest wooden building.
are the kitchen, the dining room and the
s'lIall OF Exercies." which is decorated
With flowers. quotations from the Scrip
lures crosses, holy pictures. and all the
Accessorie Of a private chapel At one
ide stands a wooden column four feet
high. decorated with chains. scourges,
crown Of thorns. and other instruments of
discipline. The Holy Writ lies on a
decorated stand, and n lamp is kept
burning day and night in imitation of the
chapel Of Notre Dame de Lourdes.
On holy days and feast days, when.
according TO their ideas. the Lord has
more reason to be offended at the be-
bavior OF man than usual. the greatest
self-sacrifice and discipline is INDUCED In,
and one of the Sisters is chained for a
whole day and night to the pillar, fasten-
ed by the neck. the hands and the feet,
while she wears the crown of thorns on
her head. The Sisters take turns in this
discipline.
Twice or thrice each week they scourge
themselves with a whip. composed Of five
lashes. with little nails at the end, in
memery of the five wounds OF our Lord
on the cross, and they are compelled TO
Administer TO themselves 80 lashes in hon.
or OF the 30 years which our Lord passed
on earth
The dormitory is Immediately under the
roof and IS divided into small cells. This
ts probably the most horrible portion OF
the house. In each cell there is an empty
coffin. which serves as bed for the Sis
Ger, and the only covering consists OF
rnortuary cloth. a little bench. with
pitcher and washbasln. go to make up
the rest OF hte furniture. in addition 10
another small bench, which serves as a
chair.
Except I'm case of illness each one Of
these girls. the youngest as we'll as the
oldest, sleep on the bare wood without
support for her head When they are
seriously ill their coverlet is put between
them and the hard wood. At the end Of
the passage which divides the cells is a
large cell for penitent girls--women Of
che world who wish TO pass few days In
retreat and 10 eNpiate sins committed
One of It's ornaments Is a skull, and while
there the penitents are compelled to wear
haircloth next TO their skin so as 10 con-
tinually remind them Of their shorteom-
ings.
The cell OF Or. Jacques. the spiritual
head and founder of the institution re-
eembes that OF the others. but contains.
besides, little pillow stuffed with grass
collected by him at N0tre Dame de
Lourdes. In France, and ornamented on
top with picture Of the holy face paint
ed by Carmelite nun at that place. This
pillow is supposed 20 have been blessed bv
Pope Leo XIII. The institution is sun
posed TO contain several relics OF wonder
ful power. the pincipal ore Of these being
a medallion of the holy face imported
from the Convent OF the Precious Blood
OF 81. Hyacinthe. This picture at differ
ent times is supposed 10 sweat blood
Besides the apartments already men
toned the building contains COURTYARD
most Enthusiastically built The rear wall
Is arranged like the side OF rock. and
contains a niche IN which the statue OF
the Madonna is visible Each evening a
concealed lamp placed on the top OF the
niche throws a pale glamour over the face
OK the statue. A little further on is n
grotto, the interior Of which has been
made into little chapel. containing the