,this file was produced from images generously made available by the ,canadian ,institute for ,historical ,microreproductions4 ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,the ,,venerable ,,mother ,,mary ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation ,,by ,a ,,religious ,,of ,,the ,,ursuline ,,community ,,introduction4 ,the materials for the following ,biography have been gathered principally from ,the ,life of the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation by her son1 and from ,the ,history of the ,ursuline ,monastery at ,quebec1 by a member of that community1 the former published in #afgg2 the latter in #ahfc4 ,the ,life of the ,venerable ,mother by her son1 is founded partly on her own communications regarding the graces with which she had been favoured1 and partly on her correspondence with himself extending over the thirty years which she passed in ,canada4 ,with the genuine information thus received1 he intersperses1 under the name of ,additions1 further details which had either come under his personal observation1 or been gleaned from perfectly reliable sources4 ,his work is therefore a sure and invaluable guide to the biographer4 ,the accounts of her inner life referred to1 were written by the ,venerable ,mother at two different epochs1 and each time in obedience to an imperative command from her confessors4 ,the first written in #afcc1 the #cdth year of her age1 fell into the possession of the ,ursulines of ,st4 ,denis1 near ,paris1 who on hearing that ,dom ,claude ,martin was engaged in writing his holy ,mother's life1 obligingly sent him the precious document4 ,the second1 written in #afed1 was forwarded to him from ,canada4 ,the ,annals of the ,quebec ,ursulines also afford rich material to the historian of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 their pages containing constant references to and quotations from her letters both spiritual and historical1 as well as from the ,annual ,reports of the ,jesuit ,missioners1 and other contemporary documents of the highest authenticity and the deepest interest4 ,the historical statements in the introductory chapter1 rest chiefly oh the authority of the ,abb ,ferland in his ,cours d',histoire du ,canada1 #ahfa1 and of ,bancroft in his ,history of the ,united ,states1 #ahda4 ,the historical facts incidentally introduced in the course of the work can be verified by reference to the ,abb ,ferland or any other ,canadian historian1 or to the ,letters of the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,it only remains to be noticed that the words saint1 saintly1 and others of similar import are used throughout solely in their popular acceptation1 and not with any intention of anticipating the decision of the ,church regarding the sanctity of the ,venerable ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation or of any other of ,god's servants mentioned in these pages4 ,in like manner1 the record of miraculous occurrences1 visions1 and other extraordinary supernatural favours1 is understood to rest as yet only on human authority1 and therefore to claim no more than the degree of credibility which attaches to any well authenticated human statement4 ,april #cjth #ahhj4 #bjhth ,anniversary of the death of the ,venerable ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,,contents ,,introductory ,,chapter4 ,a ,glance at ,canada1 as it was in the days of the ,venerable ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation4 ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,the ,,venerable ,,mother4 ,,first ,,period1 #aeii ,,to #afca4 ,,her ,,life ,,in ,,the ,,world ,,chapter ,i4 ,her infancy1 childhood and youth--,early call to union with ,god4--,charity to the poor4--,purity of soul--,inclination for the ,religious ,life4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,her married life4--,rule of life4--,love of prayer--,perfect fulfilment of duty4--,patience under trial--,zeal for her household4--,influence4--,death of her ,husband4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,her ,first year of ,widowhood4--,life of solitude in the ,world4--,vision of the application of the ,precious ,blood to her soul4--,increased purity of conscience4--,charity to the sick poor4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,she quits her solitude4--,new evidence of her purity of soul4--,humiliation and dependence in her ,sister's house4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,she is called to a high degree of ,divine ,union4--,new invitation to the perfection of ,interior ,purity4--,infused knowledge of the nature of the works of ,god4--,austerities4--,love of contempt4--,active life4--,makes the vows of poverty and obedience4--,heavenly favour4--,temptations4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,supernatural favours4--,lights on the mystery of the ,incarnation4--,vision of the ,most ,adorable ,trinity4--,submission to her ,director4--,temptations renewed4--,lights on the ,divine attributes4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,second ,vision of the ,most ,adorable ,trinity4--,she is elevated to a sublime degree of ,divine ,union4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,she resolves to embrace the ,religious ,life4--,decides finally on the ,ursuline ,order4--,temptations4--,disappearance of her son4--,his return4-- ,enters the ,convent4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,saint ,angela1 ,foundress of the ,ursulines4--,her ,early sanctity4--,zeal for the instruction of the ignorant4--,lays the foundation of her great work at ,dezenzano--,vision of the ,mysterious ,ladder4--,removes to ,brescia4--,goes to the ,holy ,land4--,to ,rome4--,to ,cremona4--,returns to ,brescia4--,founds her ,order4--,her holy ,death4--,parting ,counsels4--,prediction of the stability of her work4--,diffusion of the ,order4--,archconfraternity of ,st4 ,angela4 ,,second ,,period1 #afca ,,to #afci4 ,,the ,,venerable ,,mother',s ,,religious ,,life ,,in ,,france4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,her ,novitiate4--,holy joy4--,virtue tested4--,love of common life4-- ,humility4--,obedience4--,trials from her son4--,offers herself as a victim for his salvation4--,third ,vision of the ,adorable ,trinity4--,receives the ,holy ,habit4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,supernatural favours4--,infused knowledge of the ,holy ,scriptures and of the ,latin language4--,facility for imparting ,spiritual ,instruction4-- ,temptations4--,loses her ,director4--,interior desolation4--,fidelity4-- ,consolation4--,profession4--,renewed ,trials4--,reassuring direction4--,new difficulties about her son4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,she is named ,assistant-,mistress of ,novices4--,prophetic ,vision of her vocation to ,canada4--,spiritual maxims and instructions4--,spirit of silence4--,forms many ,saints4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,increase of zeal for the salvation of souls4--,divinely directed to pray for their conversion through the ,heart of ,jesus4--,her vocation for ,canada is revealed to her4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,madame de la ,peltrie4--,early ,piety4--,charity4--,desire for the ,religious ,state4--,obliged to marry4--,loses her ,husband4--,zeal for ,souls4--,is inspired to devote herself to the ,canadian ,mission4--,her vocation confirmed in a dangerous illness4--,opposition4--,death of her ,father4-- ,services of ,monsieur de ,bernires4--,goes to ,paris4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,the ,mother of the ,incarnation declares her vocation for ,canada4-- ,contradictions and ,humiliations4--,her confidence in ,god4--,esteem for her vocation4--,submission to the ,divine ,will4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,madame de la ,peltrie invites the ,mother of the ,incarnation to accompany her to ,canada4--,the ,venerable ,mother's answer4--,madame de la ,peltrie at ,tours4--,the ,mothers of the ,incarnation and ,st4 ,bernard selected for the ,mission4--,opposition from relatives4--,the ,venerable ,mother's vision of the trials awaiting her4--,monsieur de ,bernires4--,farewell ,letter4 ,,third ,,period1 #afci ,,to #afgb4 ,,the ,,venerable ,,mother',s ,,life ,,in ,,canada4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,embarkation4--,alarm from a ,spanish ,fleet4--,danger from an ,iceberg4-- ,arrival at ,tadoussac4--,first night in ,canada4--,reception at ,quebec4-- ,visit to ,sillery4--,the ,louvre4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,the ,mother of the ,incarnation recognises ,canada to be the country shown her in her prophetic vision4--,opening of the ,schools4--,study of the ,indian languages4--,small-pox among the ,pupils4--,arrival of two ,sisters from ,paris4--,union of ,congregations4-,building of new ,convent4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,work at the ,louvre4--,progress of the ,pupils4--,piety4--,lively ,faith in the ,real ,presence4--,refinement of feeling4--,zeal4--,teresa the ,huron4-- ,agnes4--,little ,truants4--,banquets at the ,louvre1 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,renewed ,trials of the ,venerable ,mother4--,madame de la ,peltrie removes to ,montreal4--,great ,poverty of the ,ursulines4--,apprehensions4--,the ,venerable ,mother's confidence in ,god4--,fidelity to grace4--,exactitude to duty4-- ,active ,life4--,first ,elections4--,removal to the ,new ,monastery4--,return of ,madame de la ,peltrie4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,the ,mother of the ,incarnation a victim for the ,conversion of her son and her niece4--,conversion of both1 followed by the cessation of her interior sufferings4--,arrival of new subjects from ,france4--,mother ,st4 ,athanasius ,superior4--,first ,profession at ,quebec4--,destruction of the ,hurons4-- ,charity of the ,ursulines to the ,survivors4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,the ,monastery consumed4--,charity of the ,hospital ,sisters4--,sympathy of the ,hurons4--,serenity of the ,venerable ,mother4--,lodgings in ,madame de la ,peltrie's ,house4--,poverty4--,monastery ,rebuilt4--,a ,pretty ,picture4-- ,removal to the ,new ,monastery4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,early ,life of ,mother ,st4 ,joseph4--,her zeal for the ,indians4--,virtues4-- ,last ,illness4--,happy ,death4--,apparitions after ,death4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,the ,seminary ,re-opened4--,the good work partially checked4--,genevive and ,catherine4--,appointment of ,bishop ,laval4--,threatened ,invasion of the ,iroquois4--,heroism of ,daulac and his ,companions4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,trade in ,intoxicating ,liquors4--,awful ,manifestation of ,divine ,anger4-- ,repentance4--,prosperity4--,the ,marquis of ,tracy ,viceroy4--,expedition against the ,iroquois4--,advancement of the ,colony4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,new ,sisters from ,france4--,illness of ,mother of the ,incarnation4--,she is ,re-elected ,superior4--,lingers for ,eight ,years4--,illness and ,death of ,madame de la ,peltrie4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,last ,illness of the ,mother of the ,incarnation4--,her ,blessed ,death4-- ,universal regret for her loss4--,her ,virtues4 ,,appendix4 ,evening ,devotion of the ,mother of the ,incarnation in honour of the ,sacred ,heart of ,jesus4 ,evening ,devotion of the ,venerable ,mother in honour of the ,immaculate ,heart of ,mary4 ,a few ,parting ,words on the ,old ,monastery of ,quebec4 ,a ,,glance ,,at ,,canada ,,in ,,the ,,days ,,of ,,the ,,venerable ,,mother ,,mary ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation4 ,early in the sixteenth century1 reports of the progress of discovery in ,america began to make their way to ,france1 and1 as a natural result1 to arouse emulation4 ,for no one had the stirring tales a greater charm than for the reigning ,sovereign1 ,francis ,i41 whose spirit of rivalry1 thirst of glory1 and love of adventure1 they were especially calculated to stimulate4 ,it would have been as repugnant to the nature1 as it was inconsistent with the policy of the ambitious monarch1 to permit the ,kings of ,spain ,footnote3 ,in #adib1 ,christopher ,columbus discovered the islands of the ,western ,hemisphere1 and took possession in the name of the ,spanish ,sovereigns1 ,ferdinand and ,isabella4 ,at his third voyage1 in #adih1 he added to the first discovery1 that of the ,continent of ,south ,america4 and ,portugal ,footnote3 in #aejj1 ,alvarez de ,cabral1 a ,portuguese navigator1 took possession of ,brazil for his royal master1 ,emmanuel1 ,king of ,portugal4 ,amerigo ,vespucci had discovered its coast in #adih4 to monopolize the glory and the advantages anticipated from possession of the western world2 such an idea was not to be for a moment entertained4 ,if their banners waved over its ,southern ,continent1 that was no reason1 he argued1 why ,france should not unfurl her fair white lilies in the ,northern4 ,footnote3 ,the mainland of ,north ,america was discovered in #adig by the celebrated ,italian adventurers1 ,john ,cabot and his sons1 under a commission from ,henry ,,vii of ,england1 who1 however1 did not avail of the discovery4 ,i should like1 he exclaimed with characteristic impetuosity and originality1 ,i should like to see the clause in ,adam's will which authorizes these1 my royal cousins1 to divide the ,new ,world between them6 ,as there seemed1 however1 little chance of his being permitted to adjust the rival claims by a reference to our first father's last testament1 he resolved1 as a more practical solution of difficulties1 to take the law into his own hands1 and by getting possession of a share of the spoils to secure at least nine points of it in his favour4 ,in justice to his ,most ,christian ,majesty1 it must be admitted that although self-interested considerations had no doubt a large part in his decision1 other and worthier views influenced him4 perhaps even more strongly4 ,if his proud title of eldest son of the ,church was to be more than an empty name1 it devolved on him1 he felt1 to take prompt measures for introducing ,christianity into some part of the newly discovered idolatrous ,west4 ,spain and ,portugal had anticipated him in one direction1 it was true1 but the world of ,canada still presented a vast field for his zeal in another4 ,the existence of that barbarous1 heathen land was now an ascertained fact1 ,what nobler use could he make of his royal resources than to introduce into it the two-fold light of faith and civilization8 ,none1 assuredly4 ,over far-off ,canada1 therefore1 he determined that1 fortune favouring1 the banner of the ,lily should ere long float4 ,and1 truly1 it was well worth the seeking1 that fair1 too long neglected gem in ,nature's coronet1 the distant land over the ,western sea4 ,cultivation has no doubt done much for the ,canada of ,francis ,i41 still even in the undeveloped beauty of those remote days1 its natural features were strikingly fine4 ,prominent then1 as now1 was the noble river flowing through its midst--its own beautiful ,st4 ,lawrence1 the river of ,canada1 as the ,french sometimes styled it by pre-eminence2 a recognised monarch ,footnote3 ,the ,st4 ,lawrence has a course of nearly three thousand miles1 and varies in breadth from one mile to ninety miles4 ,it annually discharges to the ocean about #d1bgg1hhj millions of tons of fresh water1 of which #b1aab1abj millions of tons may be reckoned melted snow-- the quantity discharged before the thaw comes on being #d1eab millions of tons per day for #bdj days1 and the quantity after the thaw begins being #be1efj millions per day for #abe days1 the depths and velocity when in and out of flood being duly considered4--,martin's ,british ,colonies4 in the world of waters1 embracing in its wide-spread dominion1 rapids and cataracts1 and tributary streams1 with vast lakes like seas1 and a little world of islands like fairy realms1 ,footnote3 ,among others1 the ,thousand ,islands1 happily described as picturesque combinations of wood1 rock1 and water1 such as imagination is apt to attach to the happy islands in the ,vision of ,mirza4 the whole enclosed within romantic shores1 worthy to form the framing of so magnificent a picture4 ,then1 as now1 the valley of the ,st4 ,lawrence was rich in every variety of natural beauty1 but with this difference1 that at the arrival of the ,french the superb panorama was more or less enveloped in an apparently interminable forest1 to which the predominance of the pine imparted in some places an air of solemnity1 and even gloom4 ,since then1 the axe has done its work in the inhabited portions1 opening up a landscape of singular loveliness in some parts2 of stern1 wild grandeur in others2 nevertheless1 enough of the lordly old woods still remains1 to justify their claim to a place among the characteristics of ,canadian scenery4 ,lovely in their summer garb of many-hued green1 relieved by a carpeting of myriads of flowering plants1 they are glorious beyond telling1 when after a few frosty nights at the close of autumn1 they assume every imaginable variety of shade1 from glowing scarlet and soft violet1 to rich brown and bright yellow4 ,champlain1 the founder of ,quebec1 describes the ,canada of his day as beautiful1 agreeable1 and fertile2 producing grain of every kind2 abounding in valuable trees2 yielding wild fruits of pleasant flavour1 and well-stocked with fish and game4 ,later observation was to add to the catalogue of its natural riches1 mines of iron1 lead and copper4 ,the early colonists1 too1 have recorded that the river banks were covered with a profusion of vines so productive1 that it seemed difficult to trace all their luxuriance to the unaided hand of nature4 ,as a partial counterpoise to its many advantages1 ,canada is exposed to extremes of temperature1 alternating between heat nearly tropical1 and cold approaching polar4 ,owing to the clearing of the forests1 and other causes1 the winter is now somewhat less harsh than in the days of the first settlers2 it is1 however1 still a very severe one4 ,and yet1 even under its stern reign1 ,canada is not without natural charms1--its giant river fast bound in icy chains2 every stream1 and lake and rivulet in the land a sheet of sparkling crystal2 every trunk1 and branch1 and twig glittering in the sun as if sprinkled with diamond dust2 every valley1 hill and woodland1 every mountain slope and far-stretching plain wrapped in a soft mantle of spotless snow4 ,yet1 with all its gifts and resources1 ,canada had reposed for long ages in lonely grandeur4 ,the chronicles of the ,old ,world told of many a generation gone by4 ,they traced the rise and fall of many empires1 and the succession of many dynasties4 ,they recorded the advance of art and science4 ,they contained long lists of names inscribed1 some in the annals of human greatness1 some on the pages of the ,book of ,life4 ,they spoke of the glorious triumphs of the ,church1 and enumerated the nations gathered within her fold1 and still1 on that fair land of the ,west1 no step had trodden but that of the ,red ,man2 on its broad1 deep river no boat had ever bounded but his own light canoe2 through its length and breadth no ,deity's name had resounded1 save that of some senseless pagan idol4 ,truly it was time1 as ,francis ,i4 concluded1 that the ray of faith and civilization should beam on it at last4 ,in #aebc1 he sent out his first expedition1 under the command of ,verrazani1 a ,florentine1 who1 sailing along the coast from #bh degrees to #ej degrees north latitude1 formally took possession of the whole region in the name of his royal patron1 and called it ,la ,nouvelle ,france4 ,but while ,france was thus adding to her glory in the ,new ,world1 her arms received a severe check in the ,old4 ,when ,verrazani returned in #aebe1 he found the nation mourning the disastrous results of the battle of ,pavia1 and too much absorbed by grave interests at home1 to be disposed to concern itself about lesser ones abroad4 ,deprived of the support of his royal protector1 then a prisoner at ,madrid1 he could neither utilize nor follow up his first observations1 and for ten years more we hear nothing of ,canada1 except that mariners from ,france1 and other ,european nations1 carried on a successful fishery on its coasts1 where as many as fifty ships from ,europe might sometimes be seen together4 ,the ,french called the country the newly found lands1 an appellation which survives in that of the largest island4 ,it is stated on the authority of certain old chroniclers1 that the islands off the mainland had been known more than a century before the era of ,columbus and ,cabot to sailors from the ,basque ,provinces1 who named them ,bacallos1 their term for cod-fish4 ,the name ,canada seems to have been vaguely applied at this period sometimes to a part1 sometimes to the whole of the region watered by the ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,one derivation of it supposes the arrival of the ,french to have been preceded by a visit from the ,spaniards1 who1 searching for precious metals1 and finding none1 expressed their disappointment by the frequent repetition of the words aca nada1 nothing here4 ,according to a more probable etymology1 the term may be traced to the ,iroquois word ,kanata1 a village1 or assembly of huts1 which word the early ,european discoverers mistook for the name of the country4 ,nothing daunted by the failure of his first attempt at colonisation1 ,francis authorized a new expedition in #aecd1 and intrusted the command of it to ,jacques ,cartier1 a well-known navigator of ,st4 ,malo4 ,in addition to his experience as a seaman1 ,cartier possessed a profoundly religious spirit1 and in risking the long voyage1 with its certain dangers and uncertain1 success1 he seems to have been wholly influenced by zeal for the conversion of the savages4 ,he has given us an insight into his ideas in his own quaint style3 ,considering1 he says1 the varied benefits of ,god to man1 ,i note among others how the sun pours his genial rays on every part of the globe in succession1 excluding none from their beneficent influence1 and my simple mode of reasoning leads me to infer that our great ,creator intends for all his creatures a share in the illumination of faith1 no less than in the cheering light of the orb of day4 ,the sun comes to us from the ,east1 as did our holy faith2 may we not conclude1 that as he passes thence to the ,west1 the beams of the ,gospel are meant to follow in his track1 and pour their brightness in that direction too4 ,cartier set sail on the #bjth of ,april1 #aecd2 reached ,newfoundland in safety on the #ajth of ,may1 and sailing along the coast as far as the ,bay of ,gasp1 planted near its entrance a lofty cross bearing a shield with the lilies of ,france1 and a suitable inscription4 ,the chief result of this first voyage was the discovery of the great river of ,canada1 and the opening of communication with the natives4 ,the season being somewhat too advanced for farther exploration1 ,cartier returned to ,france in the month of ,august1 accompanied by two young ,indians1 destined as a future interpreter to their countrymen4 ,re-entering the river on the #ajth of ,august of the following year1 he named it the ,st4 ,lawrence1 in honour of the saint whose feast the ,church celebrates on that day4 ,the island at its mouth1 now called ,anticosti1 he named the isle of the ,assumption4 ,he finally anchored off ,stadacona1 where ,quebec now stands1 and on the ,feast of the ,nativity of the ,blessed ,virgin in the next month1 the ,holy ,sacrifice was for the first time offered on the ,canadian shores4 ,cartier next visited the ,indian settlement of ,hochelaga1 situated on an island formed by the ,st4 ,lawrence and a branch of the ,ottawa4 ,the discovery of this vaunted hamlet1 with its picturesque surroundings1 had been among the most cherished of his day dreams1 nor was the reality unworthy of the dream4 ,from the summit of an isolated mountain at the extremity of the island2 his view embraced in front a wide expanse of fertile land2 around him stretched forests of oak1 with here and there a waving field of silken-tufted ,indian corn2 at his feet lay the hamlet1 built in the form of a circle1 and fortified in ,indian fashion by three graduated rows of palisades1 and to crown the whole1 girding the island like a broad silver belt1 as far as the eye could reach1 shone the sunlit river4 ,enchanted with the beauty of the scene1 and delighted too with the courteous greeting of the savages1 their simplicity1 their generosity and their ardour for instruction1 he breathed a prayer1 that a land so fair and a people so gentle might be marked ere long as the heritage of ,france1--above all1 as a portion of the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,in his enthusiasm1 he called the mountain on which he stood1 ,mount ,royal1 whence the name ,montreal4 ,footnote3 ,nearly three centuries and a half have gone by since ,jacques ,cartier surveyed ,hochelaga and its environs for the first time from the heights of ,mount ,royal4 ,could he view the same locality from the same stand point to-day1 how great would be his wonder at its transformation6 ,the mountain itself is now covered1 both base and acclivities1 with flourishing corn fields1 fruitful orchards1 and handsome residences1 above which1 to the very summit1 trees grow in luxuriant variety4 ,on the site of the ,indian hamlet of the olden time1 is a large1 wealthy city2 its streets and squares adorned with remarkably fine buildings2 its busy ways thronged with an active1 industrious1 thriving population2 its port crowded with shipping and bordered with commodious quays2 its vast river spanned by the great tubular bridge1 and traversed through its length and breadth by vessels of every build4 ,the environs are in keeping with the city1 combining natural beauty with the refinements of art and the improvements of industry4 ,nestling among rich woodlands1 are gay villages1 rural churches and pleasant villas1 while thickly interspersed through fertile1 well cultivated grounds1 are pretty cottages1 substantial farms and happy peasant homes4 ,the living picture acquires additional animation from the constant movement of long rows of railway carriages1 ever sending up light streams of transparent vapour which curl among the bright foliage1 with a grace of their own1 then fade away heavenwards4 ,could ,jacques ,cartier see it all1 he might well wonder at time's changes6 ,at ,stadacona where he spent the winter1 he had the consolation of instructing the natives in the holy faith1 by the aid of the two ,indian youths1 who1 as already noticed1 had accompanied him to ,france on his first return voyage1 and spent the interval between that and his second expedition in learning the ,french tongue4 ,so eager were these simple people to receive the truth1 that he had to promise to take measures for their admission to the ,sacrament of regeneration at his nest voyage4 ,the extreme rigour of this first winter rendered it a season of terrible suffering to the ,french2 sickness1 broke out amongst them and death thinned their ranks4 ,cartier had therefore no alternative but to conduct the discouraged survivors back to ,france early in spring4 ,he determined to bring with him also some specimens of the natives whom he wished to present to the ,king4 ,the practice of the time seemed to give a tacit sanction to the act1 but it is much to be regretted that in carrying out his object1 ,cartier should have had recourse to stratagem4 ,donacona1 one of the chiefs1 was decoyed on board the ,french ship1 with nine other savages1 and borne away from his home in the wilds1 which poor though it might be1 was more precious to him than all the grandeur of the ,french ,king's capital4 ,to pacify his people1 he promised them before sailing away1 that he would return after twelve moons1 but save in dreams1 he saw his beloved woods no more4 ,with the exception of one little girl1 all the exiles died in ,france1 where1 however1 they were well treated1 and had the happiness of being instructed in the faith and received into the ,church4 ,on returning to ,canada for the third time in #aedj1 ,cartier found it difficult to resume his former intercourse with the natives1 whom the disappearance of their chief had rendered distrustful and suspicious4 ,besides1 he occupied only a subordinate position in this new expedition1 the principal direction of which had been committed to the ,lord of ,roberval4 ,the division of authority seems to have worked badly4 ,cartier had spent a year of inactivity in ,canada before the ,viceroy was prepared to join him1 so seeing no prospect of success1 he left for ,france1 just as ,roberval reached ,canada4 ,without the co-operation of his lieutenant1 the leader could accomplish little2 his expedition may indeed be said to have resulted only in corroborating the reality of the discoveries reported by the navigator of ,st4 ,malo4 ,the purport of ,cartier's fourth and last voyage1 was to bring back to ,france the miserable remnant of the adventurers who had accompanied ,roberval4 ,though an apparent disappointment1 the failure of the first attempt to colonize ,canada was in reality a blessing4 ,a few persons of good position had1 it is true1 joined ,roberval's expedition1 but it is equally certain that a considerable proportion of his recruits had been drawn from among the convicts of the ,french jails4 ,had the colony been then established1 the mixture of such an element must have tainted its very source1 and exercised an utterly demoralizing influence on its future4 ,but ,god had designs of special mercy on ,canada1 so the day of her visitation was deferred1 only that it might rise at a later period with a steadier1 a clearer1 and a more enduring light4 ,although ,jacques ,cartier failed in his immediate object1 he succeeded in exploring a considerable part of the country1 and as the first to open a way for missionaries to the hitherto unknown region1 his claim to the gratitude of ,catholic hearts should ever be recognised4 ,he died at his peaceful home of ,limoilou in ,brittany1 leaving the wilds of the ,west once more in undisputed possession of the native tribes4 ,during the next sixty years1 the ,french took no active steps for the colonization of ,canada4 ,their attempts under ,henry ,,ii and ,charles ,,ix1 to form settlements in ,brazil and ,florida1 seem to have diverted their attention from ,new ,france1 but they never quite forgot it1 nor utterly relinquished the hope of one day founding a ,state on the ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,merchants from ,dieppe and ,st4 ,malo continued to visit its shores1 and from time to time1 slight1 ineffectual attempts at settlement were made4 ,it was not1 however1 until #afjh1 that an expedition of any importance was organized4 ,monsieur des ,monts1 a ,calvinist of wealth and rank1 then received from ,henry ,,iv1 the authority necessary for the purpose1 and as an indemnity for consequent expenses1 he also obtained the monopoly of the fur trade for one year4 ,a company of merchants was immediately formed1 and the command of the expedition given to the illustrious ,samuel ,champlain4 ,quebec1 the ,stadacona of ,cartier1 was decided on as the most advantageous site for the projected settlement1 the destined cradle of the ,canadian nation4 ,there accordingly1 ,champlain unfurled the white ,banner on the #crd of ,july1 #afjh4 ,in the ,algonquin tongue1 ,kebec signifies a strait1 the ,st4 ,lawrence flowing at this point in a narrow channel between two high banks4 ,the intended capital ,footnote3 ,quebec is now considered the military capital of ,canada1 ,montreal ranking as the commercial metropolis1 and ,ottawa as the legislative4 of ,canada could not have been more judiciously located4 ,it possesses a magnificent harbour1 navigable for the largest vessels1 and capable of containing the most numerous fleet4 ,the great river at its base forms a commodious highway of communication with the very heart of the continent1 while in consequence of the narrowing of the waters in its immediate vicinity1 the citadel commands the passage4 ,quebec is thus the key of the great valley of the ,st4 ,lawrence1 the advanced guard1 as the ,abb ,ferland calls it in his ,history of ,canada1 of the vast ,french empire1 which1 according to the project of ,louis ,,xiv41 was to extend from the ,straits of ,belle ,isle to the ,gulf of ,mexico4 ,the colony was not1 however1 to be established on a firm basis1 until it had passed through much tribulation4 ,its early annals were to record an ordeal of trials1 sickness1 privation1 hardship1 destitution1 alarms from the terrible ,iroquois1 molestation from the ,english1 and finally1 all but total extinction4 ,they were to tell how the growth of the young nation had been checked1 and its very existence threatened1 by the bad faith of self-interested companies2 worse than all1 how1 destined as it was for a bright star in the firmament of the ,church1 and a beacon light to the benighted heathen1 its grand end had been temporarily frustrated by the frequent appointment of ,calvinists for its patrons1 and a mingling of the same sectarians among its small population4 ,then the page of triumph would come1 and on it would be inscribed1 how1 like its own flower-enamelled meadows1 bursting into bloom and beauty from beneath their pall of snow1 ,canada had emerged from its long moral winter1 neither paralysed by the chill1 nor depressed by the gloom1 but glowing to its inmost heart with warm young life1 and throbbing in every pulse with irrepressible energy and vigour4 ,happily for the result of the undertaking ,champlain1 its guiding spirit1 was eminently qualified for his position4 ,wise1 as energetic2 persevering1 as enterprising2 brave in reverse1 as unassuming in4 success1 he laid his plans with consummate prudence and carried them out with unwavering constancy4 ,disinterested1 honourable and patriotic1 he suffered no secret view of personal advantage to narrow his mind or mar his usefulness4 ,looking on his work as the work of ,god1 and therefore believing implicitly in its final success1 he threw his whole heart into it1 devoting to it time1 talents1 wealth and life1 and pursuing it with a courage that never quailed and a heroism of self-sacrifice that never faltered4 ,profoundly religious1 his great aim was to establish it on the solid foundation of faith and piety4 ,for this end1 he looked carefully from the beginning to the moral elements of the little society1 and as far as his control extended1 admitted among the early colonists only persons of irreproachable character4 ,as soon as affairs appeared sufficiently promising1 he invited missioners to the spiritually destitute land4 ,four ,franciscans answered the appeal1 and on the #beth of ,june2 #afae1 to the great joy of the ,catholic inhabitants1 ,mass was celebrated in ,quebec for the first time since the days of ,cartier and ,roberval4 ,in #afbd1 ,st4 ,joseph was solemnly chosen ,patron of ,canada1 which from its birth has claimed devotion to the ,holy ,family and to ,st4 ,anne1 as its devotion by excellence4 ,the following year1 the ,recollet ,fathers were joined by a little band of ,jesuits1 who came to fertilize the soil with martyrs' blood and win for themselves the martyrs' palm4 ,their arrival gradually prepared the way for the realization of the pious governor's first and dearest wish1 the establishment of missions throughout the country4 ,on these we shall touch in a future page4 ,indefatigable in his zeal for the colony1 ,champlain made frequent voyages to ,france in its interests1 undeterred by the inconveniences and even positive dangers then often attendant on travelling1 and although he was subjected to constant petty annoyances from the selfishness and parsimony of the ,company1 the jealousy and rivalry of the traders1 and the coolness and indifference of noble patrons1 he never relaxed in his exertions1 because ever sustained by trust in ,god and faith in his work4 ,at great personal risk1 and with incredible fatigue1 he explored the country in all directions1 observing1 and afterwards describing its physical features1 as well as the character and customs of the savages4 ,from time to time1 we even find him in arms against the dreaded ,iroquois1 but notwithstanding his superhuman efforts1 the colony could make but little progress while its destinies remained in the hands of mercenary agents1 who were utterly regardless of its interests1 and intent only on enriching themselves at its cost4 ,after ,quebec had been founded fourteen years1 it still contained only fifty-five inhabitants1 and its growth in all other respects had been proportionally tardy4 ,hope1 however1 began to brighten1 when in #afbg1 the ,canada ,company was superseded by that of the ,hundred ,partners1 with ,richelieu at its head4 ,this association was to hold ,canada1 as a feudal seigniory under the ,king1 and with the right of soil1 was to possess a monopoly of trade4 ,in return for these privileges1 it contracted the obligation of amply supplying the country with colonists1 including a sufficient number of artisans and labourers4 ,it was also bound to provide for the support of a specified number of missioners1 and in general1 to promote the welfare of the colony4 ,unfortunately1 five years elapsed before it was ready to enter on the government of the province1 which meantime was brought to the very verge of ruin1 partly by famine1 and partly by foreign invasion4 ,much about the time of the transfer of ,canada to the new ,company1 the ,huguenots raised the standard of civil war in ,france1 and being aided by ,england and ,holland1 their revolt soon assumed a formidable aspect4 ,to complicate the difficulties of the mother country1 a band of ,french ,calvinists in the service of ,england determined to seize the favourable opportunity of invading her possessions in ,america4 ,these were headed by ,sir ,david ,kerkt and his brothers1 who procured the command of a small fleet of ,english vessels1 and after devastating the coasts in the vicinity of ,quebec1 sent a summons to the ,governor to surrender the town itself4 ,not having received supplies from ,france for three years1 its resources were nearly exhausted1 nevertheless1 as ,champlain4 was in4 hourly expectation of succour1 he bravely determined to resist the summons and maintain his ground to the last4 ,before long1 the people were reduced to a daily allowance of five ounces of bread2 a little later1 they were compelled to subsist on roots and herbs1 yet still1 even after hearing that the vessels containing the much needed supplies had been intercepted by the ,english1 the resolute ,commander never faltered4 ,he encouraged his companions in misfortune by word and example2 exhorted them1 to patience2 cheerfully shared their privations1 and strained every nerve to improve their condition4 ,but although they struggled through the trying winter and spring1 it was but too evident that without relief they could not hold out much longer2 when therefore the last hope was blighted by the wreck of two ships laden with provisions1 the ,governor1 recognising the inutility of further resistance1 accepted the only alternative left him1 and at the second demand1 surrendered the heroic little town1 which amidst almost incredible difficulties had withstood the invaders an entire year4 ,it was on the #bjth of ,july1 #afbi1 that the ,english took possession1 and the following month1 ,champlain and his people embarked for ,england1 whence1 according to the terms of surrender1 they were to be conveyed to ,france4 ,one ,french family alone consented to remain in ,quebec1 and that only until after the next harvest4 ,thus it would seem as if a single step had brought us from ,canada's cradle to her grave1 for in what light can we look on those vessels bearing ,champlain and the colonists from her shores1 but as the tomb of the hopes lately so bright and buoyant8 ,it happened however that when ,kerkt seized ,quebec1 he was ignorant of the triumph of ,richelieu at ,la ,rochelle2 unconscious therefore that the ,french ,calvinist party was utterly crushed1 and the long protracted civil war at an end4 ,on landing at ,plymouth in the following ,october1 he learned to his dismay that peace had been concluded between ,england and ,france two months before the seizure of ,quebec1 the restitution of which had now become1 simply an obligation of justice4 ,but although its restoration was at once decided on1 the measure was1 not carried out until #afcb1 when by the treaty of ,st4 ,germain-en-,laye1 ,france secured a formal recognition of her right to ,canada1 including ,nova1 ,scotia and ,cape ,breton ,island1 or as they were then called1 ,acadia and ,isle ,royal4 ,as it was evident that the interests of the country could not be in better hands than those of the great and good ,champlain1 happily for its future destiny1 the government of the province was once more confided to him4 ,it was hard to have to begin his work anew1 but he set about repairing the wreck around him with all his old energy and devotedness4 ,while intent as ever on the material interests of the colony1 those of religion were still his first concern4 ,fortunately1 there was no longer a dominant ,calvinist party in the country1 to thwart his zealous projects1 and molest the ,catholics in the discharge of their duty to ,god4 ,the era of ,calvinist rule had passed2 that of ,catholic triumph had dawned4 ,one of the ,governor's first acts was to build a church which was dedicated to our ,blessed ,lady in honour of her ,immaculate ,conception4 ,the facility thus afforded for the practice of religion was eagerly availed of by the new band of exclusively ,catholic colonists4 ,all approached the ,sacraments at fixed intervals2 morning and evening prayers were said in common in private families2 the precepts of ,god and the ,church were strictly observed4 ,stimulated by good example some who had been careless about religion in ,france devoted themselves earnestly to it in ,canada4 ,so admirable was the order which ,champlain established that some years later a missionary wrote3--,murder1 robbery1 usury1 injustice1 and similar crimes are heard of here only once a year1 when1 on the arrival of the ships from ,france1 a newspaper account of them accidentally finds its way among us4 ,and1 again1 ,our churches are too small to contain the congregation2 we have the consolation of seeing them filled to overflowing4 ,by the grace of ,god1 virtue walks here with head erect2 it is in honour2 vice alone in disrepute4 ,the infant ,church of ,canada seemed1 indeed1 to have revived the golden age of the ,church of the ,apostles4 ,under the direction of the ,governor1 the ,fort was in some respects not unlike a monastery4 ,the soldiers approached the ,sacraments regularly2 instructive books were read aloud at meals2 duty was punctually discharged1 and the well spent day was closed by night prayers said in common1 and presided over by the ,governor4 ,he it was who introduced the custom1 ever since religiously observed1 of ringing the ,angelus three times a day4 ,he watched so carefully over the public and private interests of both ,french and ,indians1 that all looked on him as a father1 and although continually appealed to for decisions between rival claimants1 his integrity was never called in question4 ,uniting in his own person the functions and the authority of ,governor1 ,legislator1 and ,judge1 his power was necessarily great1 but never was he known to abuse it4 ,it was his maxim that the salvation of one single soul is of more importance than the subjugation of an ,empire1 and that the only object which kings should have in view in the conquest of idolatrous nations1 is to lay them as trophies at the feet of their ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,this maxim is the key-note to his life2 its practical influence was manifested in his zeal for the conversion of the ,indians1 and for the diffusion of a solidly religious spirit among the ,french population1 and assuredly it is not the least of his claims to the gratitude of posterity1 that the ,canada of his formation has ever clung to her faith with so tenacious a grasp1 that still she wears as her crown of highest honour1 and proclaims as her proudest boast1 the glorious title of ,catholic ,canada4 ,the writers of his time are unanimous in ascribing to ,champlain all the qualifications suited to the founder of a colony1 and when1 after a connection of thirty-two years with the country1 he was summoned to his reward1 on the #beth of ,december1 #afce1 he was followed to the grave1 as well he might be1 by the heartfelt regret of the whole colony1 who looked on his death as the greatest of all calamities4 ,after his demise1 his widow founded the ,ursuline ,convent at ,meaux1 and there made her religious profession4 ,during her residence in ,canada1 she had endeared herself both to ,french and ,indians by her unvarying kindness and affability4 ,seeing their faces reflected in a small mirror which1 according to the fashion of the day1 she wore at her girdle1 the poor savages were much delighted to find that she carried them all1 as they said1 in her heart4 ,she learned the ,algonquin tongue that she might teach the children their ,catechism1 and to the end of life retained a lively interest in the ,canadian ,mission4 ,champlain was succeeded in the government of ,quebec by ,monsieur ,charles de ,montmagny1 a man distinguished alike for courage1 ability1 piety1 and zeal4 ,his first act on landing was to kneel at the foot of a cross erected on the road to the town1 and there invoke the blessing and protection of heaven on the colony intrusted to his charge2 thence he proceeded to the church to assist at the ,te ,deum4 ,his second act on the same morning was to visit an ,indian wigwam1 and stand sponsor for an invalid who desired baptism1 the greatest honour and sweetest consolation1 he said1 which he could have desired at his arrival in ,new ,france4 ,his great aim from the beginning was to walk in the steps of his predecessor1 and thus develop and consolidate the work so happily commenced4 ,he maintained the moral and religious tone of society1 by following up ,champlain's plan of excluding disreputable and vicious characters4 ,one of his first concerns was to build a ,seminary for the education of the ,huron youth1 an object which he knew to have been very dear to the heart of the late ,governor4 ,he also constructed a stone fort1 strengthened the fortifications at ,three ,rivers1 and traced a correct plan of the city1 which as yet1 it must be owned1 existed only among the visions of hope4 ,the ,quebec of the ,mother of the ,incarnation was1 indeed1 widely different from that for which in after years1 ,england and ,france contended1 and ,wolfe and ,montcalm bled and died4 ,at the time of which we write1 it consisted of little more than a few rudely-constructed huts1 and contained scarcely two hundred and fifty inhabitants1 but we have dwelt thus long on its origin and early history because of its connection with the life and labours of the ,venerable ,mother1 which give interest to every least detail concerning it4 ,we have now reached the date of its annals when ,heaven was pleased to bless it with her presence2 but before entering on her biography1 a glance at the ,indian portion of the population will be necessary to the completion of our little sketch of ,canada as it was in her days4 ,all the tribes dispersed over the territory comprised in the basin of the ,st4 ,lawrence1 were at this period divided into two groups1 the ,algonquin and ,huron-,iroquois1 classified according to their respective languages4 ,to each of these mother tongues belonged dialects more or less numerous1 according to the sub-divisions of the tribes who spoke them4 ,the ,algonquins were scattered under various names over perhaps more than a half of the territory south of the ,st4 ,lawrence and east of the ,mississippi4 ,several branches of the same widely-extended family were also to be found wandering in ,canada to the north of the ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,the five confederate tribes of the ,hurons inhabited the peninsula included between ,lakes ,huron1 ,erie1 and ,ontario4 ,the ,iroquois stretched from the borders of ,vermont to ,western ,new ,york1 and from the lakes1 to the head waters of the ,ohio1 ,susquehanna1 and ,delaware4 ,they1 too1 formed a confederation of five tribes1 and are commonly known as the ,five ,nations4 ,the ,hurons and the ,iroquois are said to have received their names from the ,french--the former in allusion to the ,french word hure1 a head of hair1 these savages being distinguished by a singular mode of dressing theirs2 the latter from their frequent repetition of the word hiro1 ,i have said it1 the ordinary termination of the warriors' harangues4 ,when the early missionaries began to study the ,indian dialects1 they were much astonished to find them characterized by remarkable richness and variety of expression1 as well as regularity of construction4 ,notwithstanding gradual alterations1 they still retain much of their traditionary character1 being1 in fact1 less liable to change than written language1 because of the ridicule with which the ,indian visits any attempt at innovation on the point4 ,one peculiarity of the ,american tongues is their singular power of extending the primitive signification of words by the addition of new syllables to the original term4 ,taking the verb for his starting point1 the ,indian is enabled1 by prefixing1 inserting1 and adding syllables1 to form at last some word which will not only express the action in question1 but include at once1 subject1 object1 time1 place1 and modifying circumstances4 ,if he is shown an article with which he is unacquainted1 he will ask its use1 and then adding word to word at pleasure1 he will at last give it a name comprising perhaps an entire definition4 ,for sake of sound1 the chain of words is sometimes linked by syllables of no particular significance4 ,strictly speaking1 the ,indian tongues consist only of the verb1 which may be said to absorb all the other parts of speech4 ,declensions1 articles1 and cases are deficient2 the adjective has a verbal termination2 the idea expressed by the noun takes a verbal form2 every thing is conjugated1 nothing declined4 ,the conjugation changes with every slight variation in the action spoken of4 ,for instance1 the same word will not express two similar actions performed1 the one on the water1 the other on the land2 or two similar actions1 the one referring to a living2 the other to an inanimate object2 there must be a separate conjugation for each4 ,the forms of the verb thus vary to infinity1 and hence arose the immense difficulty to the missioners of learning the languages4 ,a second peculiarity of the ,indian dialects1 is the abundant use which they allow of figurative language1 a result of their total want of terms expressive of abstract1 and purely spiritual ideas4 ,to clothe these in words1 they must have recourse to figures1 chiefly metaphor and allegory1 hence arises so much of what an ,american writer calls the picturesque brilliancy of the savage tongues4 ,to express the term prosperity1 for example1 the ,indian will employ the image of a bright sun1 a cloudless sky1 or a calm river4 ,to make peace1 will be to smooth the forest path1 to level the mountain1 or to bury the tomahawk4 ,to console the bereaved by the offering of presents1 will be to cover the graves of the departed4 ,unconsciously1 the ,indian habitually speaks poetry4 ,he knows nothing of written characters1 so his method of writing is by hieroglyphics1 or rude pictures traced on a stone or a piece of bark4 ,in the ,huron and ,iroquois1 the words are almost entirely composed of vowels1 both languages being deficient in consonants1 and totally wanting in labials4 ,the ,algonquin is also deficient in several letters1 among others the consonants f1 l1 v1 x1 z4 ,in the ,indian tongues1 many of the sounds are merely guttural1 and produced without any movement of the lips4 ,ou1 as sounded in you1 is of this description2 to distinguish it from the articulated sounds1 the early missioners marked it by the figure #h4 ,the religion of the native tribes of ,north ,america was a species of pantheism4 ,they believed that in every visible object dwelt good or evil spirits1 who exercised a certain influence over human events1 and they tried to propitiate them by sacrifices and prayers4 ,faith in dreams constituted the foundation of almost all their superstitions4 ,the dream was to them an irrevocable decree which it was never allowable to slight4 ,it1 therefore1 formed the starting point of their deliberations1 and the basis of their decisions4 ,rather than reject the warning of a dream1 they would have consigned to the flames or the waves the produce of a successful hunting or fishing expedition1 or of a rich harvest4 ,the most intelligent held as a theory that dreams are the speech of the soul1 which through them manifests her innate desires1 these desires remaining for ever unknown1 unless thus revealed4 ,to carry out the dream was1 therefore1 to satisfy the soul's cravings2 to slight it was to excite her desires afresh4 ,they believed that after death the soul wandered for a time in the vicinity of the body which it had quitted1 and then departed on a long journey to a village in the direction of the setting sun4 ,the country of the dead differed but little in their imagination1 from the land of the living1 and accordingly1 looking on death merely as a passage from one region to another nearly similar1 they met the summons with indifference4 ,the deceased warrior was placed outside his wigwam in a sitting posture1 to show that although life was over1 the principle of existence still survived1 and in that position he was buried1 together with his pipe1 manitou1 tomahawk1 quiver1 and bent bow1 and a supply of maize and venison for his travels to the paradise of his ancestors4 ,the mourning for near relatives lasted two years4 ,among the ,huron-,iroquois and ,algonquins1 liberty was uncontrolled4 ,each hamlet was independent2 so was the head of each family in the hamlet2 so was each child in the family4 ,this mass of independent wills could be ruled only by persuasion and promises of reward1 and of these the chief was lavish4 ,sometimes there were many4 rulers1 or captains1 as they were called1 in one hamlet1 especially the larger ones2 sometimes the government of the village was committed to a single chief4 ,among the principal tribes1 the latter office was in general hereditary1 though occasionally conferred by election4 ,public affairs were discussed in council with great formality1 and votes taken by straws or small reeds1 the majority theoretically deciding the question1 but the conclusion was not carried out unless all agreed4 ,the rebellious were generally won over by presents or flattery4 ,the savage tribes were divided into several great familes1 each distinguished by the name of some animal chosen by the chief as his totum or distinctive mark4 ,among the ,iroquois1 for instance1 the highest family was that of the ,tortoise2 the second of the ,beaver1 and the third of the ,wolf4 ,in battle1 the totum was borne as the standard4 ,the criminal code was not elaborate1 yet it sufficed to maintain order in the small republics4 ,murder1 robbery treason and sorcery were the crimes understood to entail its penalties4 ,instead of being punished by death1 murder was expiated by a very large number of presents1 to provide which1 not only the assassin1 but every family in the village was laid under contribution4 ,the punishment of the criminal was thus multiplied by the reproaches and sarcasms of all the unwilling sharers in the atonement4 ,among the ,algonquins1 stealing was of rare occurrence2 the ,hurons1 on the contrary1 prided themselves on their feats in that line4 ,they stole for the mere pleasure of stealing1 and so accomplished were they in the art1 that they could purloin an article under the very eye of the owner1 using the foot for the purpose1 quite as dexterously as the hand4 ,if the thief could be identified1 the person robbed might despoil him of everything he possessed1 supposing always he was not strong enough to defend himself4 ,if he belonged to another village1 goods to the value of those lost might be taken from any one in his village1 and kept until the robber had made restitution4 ,traitors and sorcerers1 as objects of special dread1 were always liable to heavy penalties4 ,according to the savage code of honour1 war was the only road to glory2 it was in consequence frequent1 and once begun1 lasted for years1 national hatred descending as a legacy from generation to generation4 ,stealth and cunning entered largely into the tactics of the ,indians2 to lie in ambush was their delight2 to surprise the enemy1 their grand triumph4 ,the assailants advanced in single file1 the last carefully strewing leaves on the footprints of those who had preceded4 ,when they had discovered the enemy1 they crept on all-fours until near enough for the attack1 then suddenly bounding up1 and yelling fearfully1 they rushed forward to the onslaught4 ,if the enemy were on his guard1 they withdrew noiselessly2 if retreat were impossible1 they fought with desperation4 ,the number of foes overcome1 was marked by that of the scalps hanging as trophies of bloody triumph from the girdles of the savage victors4 ,their arms were a species of javelin1 a bow and arrow1 the latter tipped with a sharp bone or flint1 and the dreaded tomahawk or head-breaker4 ,but more important to the warrior than all besides was his manitou1 or the symbol of his familiar spirit1--some fantastic object represented in a dream1 or selected according to his peculiar taste2 a bird's head1 it might have been1 a beaver's tooth1 or the knot of a tree2 whatever1 it was1 the warrior would as little have thought of going to battle without arms1 as without it4 ,they treated their prisoners with great cruelty1 partly it is said from the superstitious belief that the manes of their fallen companions were soothed by the sufferings of the captives4 ,the prisoners who were not sacrificed1 were adopted into the tribes in place of the slain1 and treated thenceforth as members of the family4 ,the savages of ,north ,america were well formed and finely proportioned4 ,they considered painting the face and tattooing the person1 so great an addition to their personal charms1 that jealous of the adornment1 they denied it to the women4 ,the skins of beasts formed their ordinary attire2 their shoes were of the same material1 but prepared for the purpose by a particular process4 ,the women were likewise clad in skins1 which on festive occasions they ornamented elaborately4 ,they often displayed much taste and skill in embroidering ornamental works on bark or skin4 ,the dwelling was the wigwam1 easily constructed and easily removed4 ,long poles fixed in the ground and bent inwards at the upper end1 were covered outside with bark1 and inside with mats2 a loose skin was attached for the door1 an opening left at the top for the chimney1 and the house was built4 ,in the larger hamlets1 such as that of ,hochelaga1 described by ,cartier1 the dwellings ran along a sort of gallery1 sometimes nearly two hundred feet long and thirty wide2 in these several families could be accommodated4 ,a raised platform was introduced into some1 as a kind of upper story1 serving for sleeping apartments4 ,before the arrival of the ,europeans1 the savages were subject to but few maladies1 and these they cured by natural remedies1 the indigenous medicinal plants1 abstemious diet1 and vapour baths of their own invention forming the basis of all prescriptions4 ,of persons skilled in the medical art1 there was no scarcity1 every cabin generally containing several4 ,but not always satisfied with natural remedies1 the patients had frequent recourse to the juggler or medicine man1 to discover the magical source of their illness1 and avert evil consequences4 ,the medicine man was likewise consulted on the issue of future events1 and his mysterious predictions were received as so many oracles1 his wondrous spells looked on as so many talismans4 ,the husband's duty was to hunt and fish1 leaving his venison at the cabin door1 and his fish at the water's edge1 to be thence removed by his wife4 ,he had also to construct and repair the canoe1 and provide wood and bark for building the hut1--that was all4 ,most of his time was passed in listless lounging1 or in games of hazard at which he often staked his whole possessions4 ,his wife was mistress of the wigwam1 and on her it devolved to draw the water1 hew the wood1 dress the food1 prepare the ground to receive the grain1 sow and gather in the harvest1 weave the mats1 make the rude garments of the family1 and in their frequent journeys1 to bear the house on her shoulders1 not figuratively1 but very literally4 ,her lord was supposed to carry nothing but his arms2 if particularly condescending1 he might of his own accord deviate from the rule without compromise of dignity4 ,among the ,north ,american ,indians in general1 woman was considered a being of an inferior order1 created only to obey the caprices of man1 yet by a strange contradiction1 the children belonged to the mother1 and recognising only her authority1 looked on their father merely in the light of a guest permitted to occupy a place in the cabin4 ,in return1 the squaw loved her offspring with passionate fondness1 not manifested perhaps by demonstrative caresses1 but not on that account the less tender1 vigilant1 or enduring4 ,at home or abroad1 she never parted from her nursling4 ,when she travelled1 she lifted her black-eyed babe to her shoulders1 gaily-decked cradle and all1 and so they journeyed on happily together1 her great love divesting the burden of all weight4 ,when she worked in the fields1 she laid it at her feet among the sweet wild flowers1 or she swung it from the bough of some pleasant shady tree close by1 but never under any circumstances did she entrust it to other care than her own4 ,parental love indeed often degenerated into weakness among the ,indians1 and proved one of the great obstacles to the formation of schools by the missionaries4 ,unable to bear separation from their little ones1 the parents soon recalled them home4 ,as the children grew1 they were left to do pretty much as they pleased4 ,they received no moral instruction1 but in order to excite their emulation1 they were duly initiated in the illustrious deeds of their ancestors1 in whose footsteps they were supposed to follow4 ,for the correction of their faults1 the mother employed prayers and tears1 but never threats or punishment2 these1 their independent spirits would not have brooked4 ,the severest chastisement ever inflicted was a dash of cold water in the face4 ,the naturally unexcitable temperament of the ,indians served as an antidote to the defects of their rearing4 ,reason early taught them the necessity of self-control1 and so it happened1 that at the age when the character is formed1 they presented a strange combination of good and bad qualities4 ,first among the virtues of the savages was fortitude4 ,fitted by their stern nature and their early habits to support privation and pain1 they would exhibit the very stoicism of endurance under the extreme of both4 ,without a word of complaint they would bear the pangs of hunger for ten or fifteen days1 sometimes in compliance with a superstition1 but very frequently from necessity too4 ,they would glory in dying without a groan amidst inconceivable agonies4 ,they seemed insensible to cold1 heat1 fatigue1 sickness1 and every other species of physical suffering4 ,to inure themselves early to the torture of fire1 boys and girls of ten and twelve would place a live coal on their joined arms1 the palm of courage being1 of course1 for the one who bore the pain longest without letting the coal fall4 ,hospitality they exercised in the style of the patriarchs4 ,by day and by night1 the guest1 whether stranger or friend1 was welcome to the best place in the wigwam1 and to the choicest portion of the family stores4 ,if a stranger1 he was visited by all the notabilities of the village1 and at the subsequent entertainments given in his honour1 was treated with marked distinction4 ,the ,indians were ever ready to divide their possessions with those in greater need1 and especially prompt to relieve the widow and the orphan4 ,their life is so void of care1 remarked an old writer1 and they are so loving also1 that they make use of those things which they enjoy as common goods1 and are therein so compassionate1 that rather than one should starve1 all would starve4 ,with a courtesy of which they might have been supposed incapable1 they paid visits of condolence1 as a matter of course1 to all in affliction4 ,when they offered their sympathy on the occasion of death1 the departed was never named1 lest so direct an allusion might wound the sensitive feelings of the bereaved2 he was spoken of only as the one who has left us4 ,they were remarkable for their reverence for the sepulchres of their kindred1 and would travel miles to visit some tomb in the woods1 where1 according to their traditions1 the bones of their ancestors had been deposited4 ,when the graves were within reach1 it was a practice of some of the tribes to keep them in the neatest order1 the grass closely mown1 and the weeds and brambles carefully removed4 ,the ,hurons honoured their dead by a special festival1 celebrated every ten or twelve years at some hamlet decided on in general council4 ,on this occasion1 each family brought to the place appointed the bones of the relatives who had died since the last celebration4 ,these remains of mortality had been previously washed1 then wrapped in beaver skins ornamented with shell work or embroidery4 ,a common grave was ready to receive them1 and on its preparation1 no pains had been spared4 ,it was lined throughout with rich furs1 and partially filled with various presents1 including articles both of ornament and of use4 ,the venerated remains were respectfully laid on these2 then followed1 layer after layer1 another supply of presents1 a store of provisions1 and finally1 a covering of bark1 the whole surmounted by a mound of earth4 ,over all a roof was raised1 to protect the precious deposit from the cold and snow of winter1 and the rain and heat of summer4 ,so greatly did the ,indians prize domestic peace and harmony1 that to maintain it in their little communities1 they often carried forbearance and self-control to the last extreme4 ,so many good qualities combined assuredly prove the accuracy of the remark of ,washington ,irving that although there seems but little soil in the ,indian's heart for the growth of the kindly virtues1 if we would penetrate through the proud stoicism and habitual taciturnity which hide his character from casual observers1 we should find him linked to his fellow-men of civilized life by more of those sympathies and affections than are usually ascribed to him4 ,much in the same spirit1 ,father ,smet writes--,the ,indians are in general little known in the civilized world4 ,people judge by those whom they see on the frontiers1 the mere wrecks and remnants of once powerful tribes4 ,among these the 'fire-water' and the degrading vices of the whites have wrought sad ruin4 ,the farther one penetrates into the desert1 the better he finds the aborigines1 and the more worthy and desirous to receive religious instruction4 ,among the evil impulses of the ,red ,man's nature1 pride and revenge were predominant4 ,fostered and strengthened by indulgence1 as well as by the peculiar nature of early training1 these passions finally acquired so great a dominion1 that to gratify either1 the savages would have sacrificed all they held most dear4 ,they were fond of praise too1 and although they declared themselves indifferent to general opinion1 their constant fear of provoking an unfavourable one1 rendered them1 in truth1 its slaves4 ,in their dealings with the whites1 they were often found false1 treacherous1 and regardless of promises and treaties1 although in domestic intercourse they were not in general deceitful4 ,in extenuation1 it must be remembered that from their earliest years1 they were not only initiated in stratagem by the necessity of self-defence1 but taught to look on every exhibition of craft and cunning as a triumph of skill and a worthy subject of admiration4 ,and again1 it is but too true that the example of the more enlightened ,europeans was not always calculated to inspire them with respect for truth4 ,another ground of accusation against the ,indians was their barbarity to the vanquished4 ,this originated partly in policy and superstition1 but from the era of ,european aggression1 savage cruelty needed no other stimulus than the desire of revenge4 ,in the long journeys of the ,indians1 whether for war or the chase1 the sun1 moon1 and stars answered the purpose of time-piece and compass4 ,distant periods they calculated by the solar year1 but for short intervals they reckoned by lunations4 ,they had observed and even given names to the principal constellations4 ,among the ,iroquois1 the ,pleiades were called the ,dancers2 the ,milky ,way1 the ,path of ,souls2 the ,great ,bear had a name corresponding with that which we give it2 the ,polar ,star was designated as the star that never sets2 it served to guide them in their long marches through the forests and across the great prairies of the west4 ,when the sky was clouded1 they were led through the woods by certain infallible signs--indeed by a species of instinct--besides which1 their memory of places was so wonderful that1 after once visiting any locality1 they ever after retained a perfectly distinct recollection of it4 ,they preferred water to land travelling1 possessing thorough command of their light bark canoe1 which they could direct with ease and security amidst the most formidable rapids4 ,if they came to an absolutely impassable spot1 they raised the slight vessel on their shoulders and carried it until they reached the next navigable point4 ,christianity produced a wonderful change in these wild children of the woods1 developing all that was good in their nature1 correcting what was evil1 and softening down much of what was harsh1 but when the ,mother of the ,incarnation arrived in ,canada1 it had made but little progress4 ,as early as #afae1 it is true1 ,pre ,caron1 a ,recollet1 had penetrated to the ,huron land1 and1 during the succeeding years1 he and his religious brethren had laboured at intervals for the conversion of its inhabitants1 but although their zeal was ardent1 their success had been only very partial4 ,unlike the tribes of whom ,jacques ,cartier speaks1 these manifested so strong an opposition to the dogmas of the ,catholic faith1 that it was evident many years must elapse before they would be disposed to embrace it4 ,although the most intelligent of all the ,north ,american tribes1 and the most susceptible of ordinary instruction1 the ,hurons appeared absolutely inaccessible to religious teaching4 ,the plan of the missioners in the northern continent was to try and gain access to some ,indian village1 and1 this point attained1 to build a cabin and as soon as opportunity offered1 announce the ,word of ,god to all who would receive it4 ,gradually a little congregation was formed around them1 but the tie between the converts and their heathen relatives was not severed1 both continuing to associate2 neither was the original name of the village changed2 it merely received in addition that of the particularly saint who had been chosen as its patron4 ,in ,south ,america1 on the contrary1 it was the practice of the missioners to prepare settlements1 or reductions1 as they were called1 to which they attracted their neophytes1 whom they induced to live in community4 ,in the year #afcd1 the three ,jesuit ,fathers1 ,brboeuf1 ,daniel1 and ,davost1 succeeded in establishing themselves in the village of ,ihonhatiria1 in the land of the ,hurons1 and there1 in a very poor little chapel dedicated to ,st4 ,joseph1 they planted the seed of that interesting portion of the early ,canadian ,church1 the ,huron ,mission4 ,in a year after1 they were joined by ,pre ,jogues4 ,when the ,venerable ,mother arrived1 five years had passed over that precious seed1 and it had given scarcely a sign of life1 nor did it for long afterwards4 ,the efforts of the ,fathers were everywhere thwarted--prejudice1 superstition1 ignorance1 and vice all rose in arms against them4 ,they were accounted sorcerers2 the breaking out of the dreaded small-pox was attributed to their magic arts1 and they once owed their escape from a sentence of death only to the intervention of a friendly ,indian4 ,but the blood of a martyr was to fertilize the seed of ,christianity in the ,new ,world1 as in primitive times it had so often done in the ,old4 ,pre ,jogues was seized by the ,iroquois1 and after enduring torments which only the ingenuity of savage barbarity could have invented1 he wonderfully escaped alive from their hands4 ,in #afdf he was sent to found a mission in the heart of the ,iroquois land itself--a mission which was to be dedicated to1 and appropriately named after1 the holy ,martyrs4 ,i shall go1 he said1 on receiving the order2 ,i shall go1 but ,i shall not return4 ,the words were prophetic2 his own blood was the first to water the mission of the holy martyrs1 and1 as might have been anticipated1 its eloquent voice pierced the heavens4 ,it had scarcely sent up its pleadings1 when the work of conversion among the ,hurons began in earnest4 ,missionary stations multiplied rapidly4 ,the ,christianized villages of ,st4 ,joseph1 ,st4 ,louis1 ,st4 ,ignatius1 and ,st4 ,john smiled in the desert like green spots amidst the barren sands4 ,at the central station of ,st4 ,mary's alone1 three thousand ,indians received hospitality in the course of one year4 ,undeterred by the certainty of privation and suffering1 new missioners continued to swell the ranks and aid the work4 ,with indefatigable zeal and unwearied patience1 they catechised1 exhorted1 consoled1 encouraged4 ,the morning hours1 from four until eight1 were reserved for their private devotions2 the remainder of the day belonged to the neophytes4 ,like ,st4 ,francis ,xavier1 ,pre ,brboeuf would walk through the villages and their environs1 ringing a bell to summon the warriors to a conference4 ,seated round the good ,father under the pleasant shade of their own ancient forest trees1 they would drink in his words and joyfully accept his doctrines4 ,when ,i escaped some particular danger1 a brave would remark1 ,i said to myself1 ',a powerful spirit watches over me4' ,now ,i know that my ,protector was the great ,god of whom you tell us4 ,the first desire and aim of the converts was to bring as many of their nation as possible to the faith2 and so wondrously rapid was its diffusion1 that within two years after the martyrdom of ,pre ,jogues1 the whole ,huron nation was converted4 ,the harvest had taken long to ripen1 but in compensation it was so rich1 that only the golden garners seemed fit to receive it1 and to these1 accordingly1 the ,almighty ,master of the vineyard was pleased speedily to transfer it4 ,the ,iroquois had long maintained a deadly enmity to the ,hurons1 and frequent bloodshed had necessarily been its consequence2 but1 no longer satisfied with partial vengeance1 they resolved in the year #afdh on carrying on a war of absolute extermination into the ,huron territory itself4 ,they chose for their incursion the season when all the ,huron warriors were absent on the chase1 and no one left in the hamlets but women1 children1 and aged men4 ,the village of ,st4 ,joseph1 with its venerable pastor1 ,father ,daniel1 at once fell a prey to their terrible fury4 ,the following year the villages of ,st4 ,louis and ,st4 ,ignatius shared the same fate1 and all the inhabitants1 men1 women1 and children1 were slain4 ,fathers ,brboeuf and ,lalemant were included in the general massacre1 but their deaths were marked by an exceptional refinement of barbarity4 ,in explanation of the bitter hatred of the ,iroquois to the ,french1 we learn that about a year after his arrival in ,canada1 ,champlain had provoked their hostility by entering into an alliance with the ,algonquins and ,hurons1 their traditional foes4 ,the step was taken in choice of the lesser of two evils1 for unless conciliated1 it seemed but natural to expect that the ,algonquins1 as the nearest neighbours1 would prove the most dangerous enemies4 ,wise as may have been the motive1 the act led to disastrous results4 ,after the almost total annihilation of their nation1 a part of the surviving ,hurons descended the ,st4 ,lawrence to ,quebec1 in the environs of which their posterity is still to be seen2 another portion was adopted into the nation of the conquerors on equal terms1 and the rest dispersed4 ,many of those admitted into the enemy's tribe were ,christians1 and not only did they preserve their faith in exile1 but they were the happy means of drawing to it many of their new allies4 ,several years after1 missioners were amazed and charmed at finding a little band of fervent ,christians in the very centre of heathen vice and barbarism4 ,the exiled ,hurons who sought an asylum in ,quebec were located in the ,isle of ,orleans1 to which they gave the name of ,st4 ,mary's1 in memory of their old and still dearly-cherished home4 ,our limits do not permit us to dwell on the heroism of the missioners in the daily1 hourly sacrifices of their crucified lives1 ending for very many among them in death by a cruel martyrdom4 ,the record fills one among the many beautiful pages in the annals of the sons of ,st4 ,ignatius4 ,commenting on their glorious work1 the historian1 ,bancroft1 remarks that the history of their labours is connected with the origin of every celebrated town within the limits of ,french ,canada4 ,not a cape was turned1 he says1 not a river entered1 but a ,jesuit led the way4 ,this1 however1 is but secondary merit2 their true glory is in having led the way to heaven for innumerable souls who will for ever bless their charity1 and sing praise to ,him who inspired it4 ,before the arrival of the ,venerable ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation1 missions for the converted ,indians had sprung up under their direction in and about ,quebec and along the ,gulf of ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,the most remarkable of the former was that called ,st4 ,joseph of ,sillery1 in honour of the patron of ,canada1 to whom it was dedicated1 and of ,monsieur de ,sillery1 ,footnote3 ,after having been ,ambassador for ,france at the ,spanish and ,papal ,courts1 ,monsieur de ,sillery was appointed ,prime ,minister of ,louis ,,xiii4 ,he finally renounced the world1 and embraced the ecclesiastical state4 its munificent founder4 ,a few savage families lived happily in this peaceful hamlet1 fervently discharging their duty as ,christians1 and insensibly falling into the spirit and usages of civilized life4 ,these converts were chiefly from among the ,algonquins proper1 and the kindred tribe of the ,montagnais4 ,as the desire for the conversion of the ,indians strengthened1 so did the conviction that the work must begin with the systematic religious training of the children4 ,thanks to the zeal and charity of the lamented ,champlain1 a step had been taken in this direction for the benefit of the ,indian boys2--that a similar advantage might be extended to the girls1 had long been the prayer of all who sighed for the coming of the ,kingdom of ,god among the heathens of ,canada4 ,and ,god heard the prayer1 and in his own time ,he sent ,his mercy and ,his blessing to the heathen land in the person of the ,venerable ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation1 whose wondrous call1 and faithful co-operation will engage our attention in the following pages1 a tribute of filial love and reverence to her saintly memory4 ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,the ,,venerable ,,mother ,,mary ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation ,,first ,,period1 #aeii-afca4 ,,her ,,life ,,in ,,the ,,world4 ,,chapter ,i ,,her ,,birth1 ,,parentage1 ,,infancy1 ,,childhood ,,and ,,youth4 ,the world of nature is no doubt very beautiful in itself1 and very wonderful in its works1 yet infinitely surpassing it1 both in intrinsic loveliness and in magnificence of production1 is the world of grace4 ,it is in that world that the saints are formed1 and compared with the grandeur of the work of grace in the sanctification of a soul1 all the splendours of this material universe fade to nothing4 ,when grace forms a saint1 it restores the beauty1 and renews the purity which were the dowry of the soul before the fall4 ,for this end1 it has to transform man from a terrestrial into a heavenly being1 elevating what is low in his fallen nature1 correcting what is evil1 spiritualizing what is earthly1 improving what is good2--re-forming1 re-moulding1 and in a manner re- creating4 ,considering the subjects on which divine grace has to act1 and the opposition which it has to encounter1 this1 its work in the saints1 may well be called the most wonderful of all works1 and its triumph the grandest of all triumphs4 ,unseen and unheeded though it may be1 that divine work is ever silently but surely and steadily progressing in the spiritual world over which grace rules4 ,we can see it in its development1 if not in its actual operation1 and if so minded1 can estimate its magnitude by examining its results in the annals of the saints4 ,those annals are of a singularly diversified character4 ,they comprise the history of once rebellious souls won by the sweet attractions of grace from every part of the empire of ,satan1 and by a strange contrast1 they at the same time record that of faithful souls1 who1 upheld by its strength1 never swerved from their allegiance to ,god4 ,they tell of saintly penitents1 dating their first correspondence with its inspirations from the eleventh hour1 and of docile hearts1 obedient from earliest childhood to its voice4 ,they show us1 side by side1 profaned temples re-consecrated1 and holy sanctuaries never sullied2 scentless flowers restored to fragrance1 and garlands of purity from which not a blossom or even a leaf had ever fallen4 ,in different ways both manifest the magnificence of the riches of divine grace4 ,in different ways1 both prove that whether grace changes a sinner into a saint1 or preserves a saint from sin1 it is pre-eminently the worker of wonders4 ,if the catalogue of holy penitents forms a dazzling page in its record1 so does that of the privileged few who never lost their baptismal innocence4 ,while the one is traced in characters of mercy1 the other is written in letters of light4 ,while the one reveals the grandeur1 and the other the sweetness of the work of grace1 both concur in proclaiming the triumph of its omnipotence4 ,in obdurate wills subdued1 the conquests of grace are often hard to win4 ,in the docile souls of the early sanctified1 its task is easy4 ,into these1 its inspirations sink as the soft dew into good soil2 and with the same result4 ,finding in them no impediment to its action1 no check to its liberality1 it is free to pour out the wealth of its exhaustless treasury1 and so it leads them from virtue to virtue1 from height to height1 even to the sublimity of perfection and the consummation of divine union1 when1 resplendent with heavenly light1 and dazzling with interior beauty1 they excite the admiration1 nay1 perhaps even the wonder of the angels4 ,to this bright page of the annals of the work of grace belongs the name of the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation1 whose history is about to engage us4 ,as we follow the progress of the great work of ,god in her soul1 noting1 on the one hand1 the rich abundance of heavenly inspiration1 and1 on the other1 the perfection of her fidelity1 let us not be satisfied with simply admiring the one1 but let us set ourselves in earnest to imitate the other1 according to our measure and degree4 ,she was born in the historic city of ,tours on the #bhth of ,october #aeii4 ,with the very gift of life itself1 she received an accompanying protecting grace in the blessing of good1 religious parents4 ,her father1 ,florence ,guyart1 was noted among his fellow-citizens for piety1 integrity1 and uprightness1 but although richly endowed with the treasures of virtue1 he was but indifferently provided with those of fortune1 his business as a silk-mercer supplying him barely with a competency4 ,her mother1 ,jeanne ,michelet1 was of the noble house of ,babou de la ,bourdaisire1 to which ,france was once indebted for some of her eminent ecclesiastics and statesmen1 but at the period of the birth of her holy child1 she ranked--like the royally descended ,virgin of ,juda at the birth of ,christ--only among other obscure individuals of the middle class4 ,the predestined infant received baptism on the day after her birth1 in the church of ,st4 ,saturninus1 and with it the name of ,mary1 a happy presage1 as one of her biographers remarks1 of her life-long1 most tender devotion to the ,blessed ,virgin1 as well as of the singular favours which that generous ,mother reserved for her well-loved child4 ,it was her happiness to be surrounded from earliest infancy with none but holy influences1 and to breathe from her very cradle an atmosphere of purity4 ,the first words which she heard1 the first she tried to lisp1 were the sweet names of ,jesus and ,mary4 ,the first bent she received was an inclination to virtue2 the first and only examples she witnessed were examples of piety4 ,thus passed the years preceding the dawn of reason1 her beautiful soul expanding under the combined action of the baptismal grace1 and of favourable external influences1 like a bud of rich promise in the bright spring sunshine2 then the clouds of infancy cleared away1 and the light of reason shone4 ,her good mother seized the all-important moment to direct the child's opening mind to the knowledge of ,god1 and her fresh1 pure heart to ,his love1 a grace for which the ,venerable ,mother returned ,him very earnest thanks in after life1 remarking that early impressions of religion are a most precious favour1 and a strong predisposition to future sanctity4 ,truly it was a picture to delight the angels1 that ,christian mother so carefully directing the first feeble steps of her little child along the road that leads to ,god1 and that docile child eagerly watching the guardian hand1 and steadily treading the path to which it pointed1--the sure and blessed path of holiness1 from which throughout life's long journey1 she was never even once to swerve4 ,the crowning grace of this privileged infancy was1 however1 yet to come4 ,our ,lord1 whose ,spirit breatheth where ,he will1 had chosen that little child to be in an especial manner all ,his own1 and ,he desired to secure possession of her soul while yet it looked so lovely1 all glistening with the baptismal dew in the morning light of its young purity4 ,but as the gift of the heart1 to be acceptable1 must be voluntary1 her concurrence in ,his designs of mercy had to be asked4 ,neither1 however1 to visible or invisible guardian angel would ,he intrust the invitation1 which1 to crown ,his infinite condescension1 was to come from ,himself in person4 ,she has left us a touchingly simple description of the extraordinary favour referred to1 which she always looked on as the first link in the chain of her vocation to the mystic life1 and prized accordingly4 ,i was only about seven years old1 she says1 when one night in sleep1 ,i seemed to myself to be in the courtyard of a country school with one of my young companions4 ,my eyes were fixed on the heavens1 when suddenly ,i saw them opened1 and our ,lord ,jesus ,christ descending towards me through the air4 ,as ,his most adorable ,majesty drew near1 ,i felt my heart all on fire with ,his love1 and eagerly stretched out my arms to ,him4 ,the most lovely above the sons of men1 beautiful and attractive beyond description1 lovingly embraced me1 and then ,he asked1 ',wilt thou be mine8' ,i answered1 'yes1' and having thus received my consent1 ,he re- ascended in our sight to heaven4 ,when ,i awoke1 my soul was so ravished with joy at this unspeakable favour1 that in my childish simplicity1 ,i detailed the wonderful particulars to all who would listen to me4 ,the sweet words of our ,blessed ,lord remained ever indelibly engraven on my memory1 and so completely did they absorb my attention1 that although ,i saw ,his sacred ,humanity1 ,i afterwards retained no distinct impression concerning it4 ,it was an important crisis in the child's spiritual life1 that heavenly vision1 for on its results depended the bent and colouring of her future career4 ,by her ready compliance with the invitation of divine grace1 she subjected her whole will unreservedly and for ever to the dominion of her ,lord1 and thus left ,him free to carry out ,his yet unrevealed designs for her personal sanctification1 and the salvation of innumerable souls bound up with hers4 ,henceforth1 ,his divine inspirations would find no impediment to their action in the docile heart of that little child4 ,according to ,st4 ,bernard1 the embrace of ,god means ,his ,holy ,spirit4 ,to embrace a soul1 and to give her ,his ,spirit1 are then in ,god identical acts4 ,by the embrace noted in the vision1 the ,holy ,ghost took possession of the heart of ,his chosen ,spouse in quality of her ,director1 and although unacquainted as yet with the secrets1 and even the name of the interior life1 she found herself guided along its paths by that divine ,master1 as steadily and securely as if she had been led by a visible hand4 ,in her doubts1 she consulted ,him with great simplicity1 and never failed to receive the light which she needed for her practical direction2 light so clear and vivid1 that it sometimes carried with it the force almost of demonstration4 ,this supernatural guidance1 commenced thus early1 and continued through life1 may be ranked among the most eminent of her great spiritual privileges4 ,but although the first1 it was not the only favour conferred on her by our ,lord at ,his most gracious visit4 ,other precious1 practical effects of that visit were to disengage her heart from the amusements in general so eagerly sought by children of her age2 to confirm her desire of virtue2 to develop her love of retirement and prayer2 to intensify her hatred of sin1 and strengthen her resolution to guard with jealous care the holy treasure of her baptismal innocence4 ,the embrace vouchsafed her by our ,lord1 so embalmed her soul with sweetness1 so inflamed her heart with love1 that she ceased not thenceforth to run after ,him in the odour of ,his perfumes1 and so readily did her thoughts and affections turn to ,him1 their ,centre1 that it would seem as if in vanishing from her sight in the vision just referred to1 ,he had taken both back to heaven with ,himself4 ,her delight was to resort to the most solitary places and the least frequented churches1 that she might enjoy with less interruption the sweets of communion with ,him4 ,struck by the humble and respectful attitudes of pious persons whom she met in the church1 and believing that ,god must certainly grant the petitions of those who prayed with so much reverence1 she at once set about imitating them2 and no doubt1 even indifferent observers must have been impressed by the sight of a child between nine and ten years of age spending long hours on her knees before the tabernacle1 her little hands devoutly joined1 her soul absorbed as if in ecstasy1 and her very countenance wearing a seraphic expression4 ,she spoke of her childish wants1 with simple confidence to our ,lord and ,his ,blessed ,mother1 and every day she asked that dear ,mother that she might see her at least before death4 ,from constant association with ,him who is the joy of the angels1 and the sweetness of the saints1 her naturally bright disposition grew the brighter1 and her engaging amiability and artless courtesy1 the more striking and attractive4 ,she early manifested a singular reverence and love for religious instruction4 ,having heard that ,god speaks through the preachers of ,his word1 she conceived so profound a veneration for their office and their person1 that when she met one of them in the street1 she would have followed him to kiss the traces of his steps1 had she not been restrained by the fear of observation4 ,without understanding much of what was said in sermons1 she still loved to listen to them1 and on her return home1 would repeat what she had retained1 adding her own simple ideas and reflections4 ,as she grew older1 and therefore better able to take in their meaning1 her heart1 she says1 seemed to her like a vessel into which the word of ,god poured in the manner of a liquid into a vase4 ,like the brimming vase1 her soul so overflowed with heavenly emotions1 that unable to contain their abundance1 she was constrained to give them vent in prayer1 or in humble efforts to impart some of her treasures to other souls4 ,this early inclination for receiving and communicating religious instruction1 was a pre-disposition for the grand work which the future reserved for her1 and when1 after the lapse of many years1 her destiny had associated her with the generous missionaries who bore the knowledge of the name of ,christ to infidel lands1 she recalled the aspirations of childhood's days1 in which1 as she says1 her heart had followed the ministers of the ,gospel to the scenes of their labours1 and her mind had been more engrossed by their noble deeds1 than by the events actually passing around her4 ,daily more intent on excluding from the solitude of her soul every distracting thought and care thus the better to dispose it for the permanent abode of the divine ,guest who will have the heart to ,himself1 she withdrew more and more from all intercourse with creatures1 except that required by charity and courtesy4 ,seeing in the recreative reading provided for her by her parents1 an obstacle to recollection and a waste of time1 she totally laid it aside1 substituting for books of mere amusement1 those which treated of spiritual subjects4 ,as she advanced in years1 the love of ,god which inflamed her soul sought a vent not only in her almost uninterrupted communications with the divine ,object of her affections1 but in exterior active works of charity towards her neighbour4 ,the tabernacle and the poor were the two magnets that attracted her heart1 and next to the hours spent before the altar1 none yielded her such pure delight as those passed among the lowly1 suffering members of her dear ,saviour4 ,she found no company so congenial as theirs2 no occupation so agreeable as the humble services which their desolate condition required4 ,she fed1 clothed and consoled them1 and even sometimes partook of their poor fare1 reserving for her own share their remnants and refuse4 ,she would have been glad to suffer in their stead1 and says1 that but for the uprightness of her intention1 she might sometimes have erred by excess of liberality towards them4 ,going one day1 as usual1 on a mission of charity1 she inadvertently passed too near a cart which some workmen were in the act of loading4 ,not seeing her1 they raised the vehicle so suddenly1 that her sleeve was caught in the shaft1 and after being lifted into the air1 she was dashed back violently to the ground4 ,the terrified spectators concluded that she must have been killed1 but she had not received the least injury1 a favour for which1 as the ,almighty revealed to her1 she was indebted to her love for the poor4 ,after some years1 we hear of the first notable imperfection of her childhood and youth1 and nothing perhaps gives a more accurate idea of her innocence1 than the gravity which that imperfection assumed in her estimation4 ,the singular degree of supernatural light vouchsafed her1 the sublimity of interior purity to which she was called1 and the height of the virtue to which she had already attained1 explain the reproaches of the ,holy ,spirit1 and her own keen remorse for an infidelity which appears trivial to us because of our want of enlightenment in the ways of ,god4 ,in her childish recreations1 it had been her favourite amusement to copy the devotional practices which she had witnessed at ,church2 to kneel1 to prostrate1 to clasp her hands1 to raise her eyes to heaven1 to strike her breast2 in short1 to repeat as a pastime what she had seen done at prayer4 ,in ordinary children1 a fancy for such diversions is often considered a happy presage of a future vocation to the ecclesiastical or religious state1 but in her enlightened eyes1 these childish follies seemed inconsistent with the gravity and reserve becoming one so favoured as she had been4 ,viewed in this aspect1 they appeared to her1 not as sins certainly1 but as imperfections2 light vapours1 it is true1 but vapours still1 and therefore capable of intercepting to some extent the rays of the eternal ,sun of justice4 ,it was not until her sixteenth year that her early pastimes struck her as reprehensible1 and then1 with the new light1 there came a second to the effect1 that although deliberate sin alone forms necessary matter for confession1 an imperfection like that recorded might lawfully find a place in the self-accusations of one1 destined as she was1 for an exceptional degree of purity of soul4 ,no positive duty however1 required the sacrifice of natural feeling involved in the latter course1 therefore she hesitated for awhile to adopt it1 thus for the first time balancing the repugnances of nature against the inspirations of grace4 ,but the ,spouse of souls will admit no reservation in those whom ,he has chosen to be all ,his own1 and we learn from herself1 that by this infidelity1 she interrupted for a time the fulness of the flow of divine liberality in her regard1 and checked the freedom and rapidity of her progress to ,god4 ,to all but herself1 however1 that progress was very apparent1 furnishing matter of wonder and admiration1 no less than of edification4 ,only two convents existed at that period in the city of ,tours2 one of ,carmelites1 quite recently founded2 the other of ,benedictines1 governed just then by a near relative of her mother's4 ,this latter monastery she frequently visited1 and as might have been expected1 the oftener she breathed its atmosphere of peace and prayer1 the more she longed to make it the place of her rest for ever4 ,her inclination for the religious life gradually settled into a desire so strong and irrepressible1 that even before she had reached her sixteenth year1 with its renewed call to perfection1 she had confided her wishes to her mother4 ,while rejoicing at the intelligence1 and giving the project every reasonable encouragement1 that good mother suggested1 that although the step was undeniably a holy and a happy one1 it was very important too1 consequently1 that it would he better to delay it until time and reflection had more fully manifested its wisdom4 ,had the youthful ,mary been at that time under regular spiritual direction1 there can be no doubt that she would have been advised to follow her attraction for the cloister1 but she knew nothing whatever about direction1 imagining that spiritual communications even to a confessor were limited to the accusation of sins at confession4 ,being very timid1 she did not venture to press the matter1 so her mother1 hearing nothing more of it1 naturally concluded that her inclination for religion had been the result of some passing fit of fervour1 or perhaps only a childish fancy1 forgotten as soon as formed1 an idea apparently so much the more reasonable1 as her natural gaiety of character seemed to dispose her rather for the world than for a convent4 ,the seeming mistake was in reality a step to the development of the particular designs of ,god over ,his faithful servant1 for although ,his general design is alike in all the saints1 the especial destiny of each varies1 and while the great outline of sanctity is universally the same1 there are minute shades of difference in the characteristic virtues of individuals4 ,the saints form the beautiful garden of the ,church1 redolent of every variety of sweetest fragrance1 and enamelled with every shade of fairest tinting4 ,the day was to come1 when the ,mother of the ,incarnation would be bound to her ,lord by the vows of religion1 but before becoming a guide for ,his consecrated ,spouses1 she was to pass through married life and widowhood1 that she might first furnish an example of perfection in both conditions1 and thus serve as a model for woman in every state4 ,her ultimate destiny involved a species of apostolate among the savages of ,canada1 and for this1 the novitiate awaiting her in the world would prove a more effectual preparation1 than would the novitiate of the cloister4 ,there she would have ample opportunities of practically learning the lesson of the cross1 and at the same time of consolidating the virtues which were to be the distinguishing characteristics of her sanctity4 ,her zeal and charity would find a wider field1 and her gentle patience reap a richer harvest1 her union with ,god would be strengthened1 while tested1 by exposure to the distracting cares of life1 and her purity of soul would shine out with brighter lustre amidst hitherto unknown difficulties and dangers4 ,and so1 when in after years1 the voice of the ,spouse would bid her arise1 and leave her home and country1 and follow ,him to the distant land which ,he would show her1 she would be prepared to answer1 ,my heart1 ,o ,lord1 is ready2 my heart is ready and my work is done6 ,the first page of the history of her life1-which we are about to close1 has not been without its practical teaching4 ,it is the page of the young2 happy those who study well the record6 ,they will discover1 that it is good for a man when he hath borne the yoke from his youth4 7,lam4 iii4 #bg74 ,they will learn to admire the heavenly beauty of a pure soul1 and fascinated by its unearthly charms1 they will resolve to close their own hearts against sin1 excluding even the smallest1 as a security against the entrance of the greater4 ,they will learn to appreciate the happiness of knowing and loving our ,lord1 like the blessed child who found her sweetest joy before the altar1 and they will surely ask her to beg for them a share in her love of ,jesus and her spirit of prayer1 courageously checking the propensity for idle talking and still idler reading which1 are so great an obstacle to recollection4 ,studying her love of retirement1 they will pray for grace to resist worldly influences1 and following her to the miserable homes of the destitute1 they will aspire to become1 like her1 angels of comfort to the desolate and sorrowing4 ,thus will their childhood and youth be saintly1 as1 were those of the model now presented to them4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,her ,,married ,,life1 ,,with ,,its ,,trials ,,and ,,virtues4 ,mary ,guyart was just entering on her seventeenth year1 when her parents proposed to her a matrimonial alliance apparently calculated to insure her happiness4 ,such an engagement was utterly repugnant to her inclinations2 it was inconsistent with the high hopes she had cherished of consecrating herself wholly to ,god in religion2 its duties and solicitudes seemed a decided obstacle to the cultivation of that spirit of prayer and recollection which had become as her life-breath4 ,drawn daily more and more forcibly to an interior life in ,god1 she shrank with her whole soul from a position which must necessarily immerse her in he distracting occupations and harassing cares of the world4 ,but accustomed to look on her parents as the representatives of ,god1 and therefore seeing only ,his will in the impending project1 she submitted with the respectful docility habitual to her1 and none but the interior witness of4 the sacrifice to obedience1 could have suspected the cost at which it was offered4 ,she simply assured her mother of her readiness to obey1 adding the1 almost prophetic promise1 that if ,god should bless her with a son1 she would dedicate him to the ,divine service1 and that if ,he should ever restore her own liberty1 she would consecrate it also to ,him alone4 ,her only object now became to prepare so fervently for the holy sacrament of marriage1 that she might receive with it the abundant supply of grace needed for the due fulfilment of the difficult and responsible obligations soon to be hers4 ,few indeed have ever brought to it more admirable dispositions than did that reluctant1 yet in one sense1 willing bride1 therefore it followed1 that although the absence of pomp and show may have divested the ceremonial of all charm for worldlings1 the perfection3 of her interior preparation rendered it one of rare beauty in the eyes of heaven4 ,she wore no costly attire1 it is true1 but in compensation1 her soul was arrayed in that fairest of garments1 her white baptismal robe1 free still from spot or wrinkle1 as on the day when it was first assumed4 ,she displayed no sparkling gems1 but many a virtue shone instead with a glorious light1 before whose lustre that of flashing diamond and gilded coronet fades away1 and as she thus stood before the altar in all the freshness of her innocence and the radiance of her spiritual beauty1 must she not have won the smiles4 of angels8 ,must she not have attracted the complacency of the angels' ,lord8 ,the duties of her new state came to her marked with the sign of the cross1 nevertheless she set about them with an energy and devotedness which clearly manifested the singleness of her views1 the purity of her motives1 and the enlightened character of her piety4 ,knowing that perfection is in the accomplishment of ,god's will1 and believing that as long as she faithfully complied with the duties of her condition in life1 she should walk in the sure1 straight path of obedience to that holy will1 she took immediate measures for the discharge of its fourfold obligations to ,god1 her husband1 her servants and herself4 ,the spirit of prayer conferred on her at the early visit of our ,lord1 had been ever since developing itself more and more strongly1 and her first precaution in arranging her role of life1 was that no worldly interests should ever be permitted to interfere with her spiritual exercises1 whence alone she could derive strength to fulfil her daily duties and courage to bear her daily crosses4 ,yet she never allowed them to encroach on domestic arrangements1 her well-regulated piety having taught her1 that when these latter required the sacrifice of her love of prayer and solitude she was doing ,god's will more perfectly in substituting active work for the enjoyment of immediate communion with ,himself4 ,prolonged meditations1 holy ,mass1 the sacraments and the word of ,god1--these were the four sources whence she drew the waters of grace to refresh and invigorate her soul4 ,the holy ,communion was above all1 her joy and her life4 ,as she herself tells us1 it replenished her with sweetness1 enlivened her faith1 fortified her inclination for virtue1 strengthened her confidence in ,god1 intensified her love of her neighbour1 and supported her under the weight of the cross4 ,in one of her letters of after years1 she remarks that a single communion well made1 is sufficient to sanctify a soul1 since it unites1 her to the ,saint of ,saints1 adding1 that the reason why it does not produce this result1 is1 that the soul after having given herself to our ,lord1 in return for ,his having given ,himself to her1 too soon revokes the offering in practice1 nature shrinking from the total renunciation of self which the divine ,sanctifier requires as a preliminary to ,his action4 ,it was not so1 her son remarks1 with the holy ,mother4 ,bringing to the heavenly ,banquet a disengaged heart1 an almost annihilated will1 and an entire abandonment to the ,spirit of ,god1 she not only co-operated with1 but facilitated the operation of the sacramental grace1 which meeting in her no obstacle to its freedom of action1 bore her with marvellous rapidity along the path of solid virtue4 ,of such ,communions it was1 that she says1 ,the more frequently ,i received the sacraments1 the more ardently ,i desired to receive them1 because the more clearly ,i saw that they were to me the source of all spiritual blessings4 ,the love and reverence for ,god's word which she had manifested from earliest childhood1 had but gained strength with years4 ,to listen to it was still her delight1 as it had been in her young days4 ,she loved it for its own sake1 irrespectively of the manner in which it might be announced1 looking on every preacher as a herald of the great ,king1 charged with the divine message of salvation4 ,she says that her assiduity in attending sermons was rewarded by a great abundance of light and love1 an increase of attraction and facility for prayer1 and a renewal of fervour in the practice of the virtues of her state4 ,with the enlarged experience of the spiritual life acquired at a later date1 she recognised that ,he who never tries ,his creatures beyond their strength1 had imparted to her in these benedictions of ,his sweetness1 the particular graces needed to support her under the crosses with which it had been ,his will to surround her in the troubled days of her married life4 ,her veneration for the preachers of ,god's word extended to all the ceremonies of ,divine worship4 ,enchanted with their beauty and grandeur1 and at the same time supernaturally enlightened to understand their mysterious signification1 she was filled with gratitude to her eternal ,benefactor for the signal favour of having been born of ,catholic parents1 and thus made a child of the one true ,church long before she could appreciate1 or even comprehend the blessing4 ,she was always eager to be among the first to enter the church1 that securing a place where no part of the sublime ceremonial could escape her1 she might be free to meditate on1 and enter into the spirit of all4 ,the uprightness of her motives1 and the holiness of her dispositions in entering the marriage state1 ought1 we naturally imagine1 to have secured her at least the average amount of its happiness4 ,but for the purification of her soul and the perfecting of her virtue1 ,god permitted that her garland of bridal flowers should soon be turned into a wreath of thorns1 and thorns all the sharper1 that they were pointed by the hand to which she might have expected to look as her shield against trouble4 ,it is difficult to explain this singular phase of her diversified career4 ,her husband is represented as eminently endowed with the richest gifts of mind and person2 he fully appreciated the value of the treasure which he possessed in her1 and did ample justice to her admirable qualities1 impressed most of all1 perhaps1 by the calm patience which no annoyance could ruffle2 the steady love which no trial could shake2 the ,christian heroism which gathered new courage from each new shock2--yet it is nevertheless quite certain that the bitter sufferings of her married life originated1 though unintentionally1 with him4 ,they rendered her duty in his regard all the more arduous1 yet it was not on that account the less perfectly fulfilled4 ,in uniting her destiny with his1 she believed that she was carrying out an arrangement of the admirable providence of ,god2 hence from the first moment of their union1 she looked on him as holding to her the place of ,god4 ,in thus adopting the supernatural principles of faith as the guide of all her relations towards him1 she cut off the thousand sources of trouble and temptation which are sure to arise whenever nature1 and not grace1 holds rule1--so it happened1 that among the sorrows of her wedded life1 domestic disunion1 at least1 never found a place1 and it followed too1 that her spiritualized affection stood tests1 which purely human love would not have borne4 ,she was never known to fail in the respect or obedience due to her husband2 her constant study was to promote his comfort2 her unceasing aim not only to defer to1 but even to anticipate his slightest wishes1 and all was done with the winning sweetness and rare prudence which were among her characteristics4 ,nature had indeed dealt bountifully with her1 and grace developing1 refining and spiritualizing the gifts of nature1 had produced one of those dispositions1 which1 to include all praise in a single word1 are sometimes termed angelic4 ,her temper was sweet and gentle1 but it was a gentleness as much removed from languid apathy and insensibility1 as from impulsive quickness and impetuosity4 ,it was the serenity of a soul which1 possessing ,god1 is happy in ,him1 and has no desire beyond ,him1 and it excluded neither firmness in decision1 nor courage and resolution in difficulty1 nor promptitude and energy in action4 ,her nature was so placid and docile1 that we never hear1 even in her childhood1 of the least of those ebullitions of anger or manifestations of self-will1 usual in ordinary children4 ,it was so enduring and forgiving1 that while inoffensive herself1 she was incapable of taking offence1 and absolutely inaccessible to resentment4 ,it was so kind and tender1 that sympathy for the troubles of others1 especially the poor1 was among the very first of the features which her childish disposition revealed1 and which1 like all her great qualities1 strengthened with time4 ,there was nothing rigid in her piety1 repulsive in her manner1 austere in her ideas1 or contracted in her mind4 ,she served the ,lord with joy1 and so1 her interior peace was reflected in an external cheerfulness1 tempered ever by a sweet1 modest gravity that imparted dignity to her demeanour and commanded universal respect4 ,her heart's history might be epitomized in one word1--self- sacrifice1--and truly it was the quality of which she had most need4 ,her charity has drawn an impenetrable veil over the precise nature1 as well as the painful details of the trials which lasted all through her short union with ,mr4 ,martin4 ,alluding to them in later life1 in one of her confidential letters to her son1 she says ,the only comfort of my married life was that ,i was able to consecrate you to ,god before your birth1 and that your father1 who possessed a good heart1 and had the fear of ,god1 not only sanctioned1 but even approved of my devotions4 ,regarding certain occurrences with which you are acquainted1 and which are to be imputed to inadvertence1 he regretted them most heartily1 and often asked my pardon for them with tears1--tears1 she might have added1 not only of self- reproach1 but of admiration for the meek endurance of the gentle sufferer4 ,to the perfect fulfilment of her duty to her husband1 she added the exact discharge of her obligations to her household4 ,mr4 ,martin was at the head of a silk manufactory which gave employment to a number of workmen1 and these at once became the objects of the zeal and charity of their good mistress4 ,her first aim was to secure influence over them1 that she might gain their hearts1 and then bring their hearts so won1 to ,god4 ,for this end1 she attended to their wants as carefully as if they had been her own children1 devoting her chief solicitude to the concerns of the soul4 ,dreading beyond all evils1 an offence against the ,god whom she loved supremely1 she induced them to go regularly to confession1 that its protecting grace might be their preservative from sin4 ,to animate them to virtue1 she gave them occasional exhortations1 repeating the instructions which she had heard in sermons1 and adding her own reflections2 but prudent in her zeal1 she took care not to intrude her lessons at unseasonable times1 generally selecting for them the hours of meals1 and by this means at once feeding the souls of her hearers with the word of ,god1 and cutting off frivolous1 or perhaps sinful topics4 ,a living model of the virtues which she inculcated1 she encouraged her dependents even more by example than by precept1 to love and serve ,god faithfully4 ,always calm and self-possessed1 affable and kind1 she practically illustrated the beauty of peace and union4 ,patient and self- controlled1 she taught the heroism of ,christian endurance4 ,as solicitous for the interests and as intent on the happiness of others1 as if her own heart had not been wrung with anguish1 and oppressed with care1 she exemplified the unselfishness of true charity4 ,enlightened and judicious in her views1 orderly and systematic in her arrangements1 active and energetic in the practical details of business1 she taught by her conduct1 more forcibly than by any words1 that piety is good for all things4 ,it need not be added that she won the love of her domestics1 who looking on her more as a gentle mother than as a mistress1 sympathized in her sorrows as if they had been personal1 and manifested on all occasions their compassion for her afflictions1 their admiration of her fortitude1 and their reverence for her person4 ,knowing that well-ordered charity begins at home1 she took care never to devote herself so entirely to the salvation of others1 as to neglect her own soul4 ,in order to secure time for the requirements of both1 she avoided unnecessary visits and idle amusements1 and having fully complied with her domestic duties1 she retired to her oratory1 there to find in prayer and spiritual reading repose from past fatigues1 and courage for new labours4 ,thus passed her first probation in the world4 ,the death of her husband brought it to a close at the end of only two years1 but they were years so rich in every virtue of her condition1 that the married woman who would lead a sanctified and useful life1 is sure of attaining the holy end by following her example4 ,she was indeed the model of a faultless wife2 so assiduous in prayer1 that it would seem as if she considered prayer her only obligation2 so devoted at the same time to the interests of all connected with her1 that it would appear as if her domestic responsibilities were her absorbing concern1 and through all1 so utterly forgetful of self1 that chance observers could never have suspected how those cheerfully discharged duties involved the living sacrifice of her bleeding heart4 ,in this second page of the life of the ,venerable ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation1 we read a continuance of the work of grace in her soul4 ,we meet the same virtues with which the opening page has made us familiar1 but now expanded on a wider sphere1 and strengthened by severer conflicts1 and still1 at every step1 we note for our own instruction the action of the ,spirit of ,god1 and her docile correspondence1 the two necessary and inseparable agents in the sanctification of man4 ,in the biography which he has left us of his saintly mother1 her son particularly directs attention to the solidity of the foundation which she prepared for the edifice of her future holiness4 ,guided by the ,divine ,director1 who since early childhood had undertaken the formation of her soul1 she adopted as the four fundamental principles of her spiritual life1 fidelity to the duty of prayer1 careful avoidance of every deliberate sin1 the frequent reception of the holy sacraments1 and punctual attendance at divine service1 as well as at sermons1 and all public observances and ceremonies of the ,church4 ,by thus steadying the foundation1 she ensured the permanent stability of the building1 and by similar means only will any one else secure the same end4 ,prayer and the sacraments purify the soul2 purity of soul prepares for union with ,god2 union with the ,church at once forms and cements the bonds of union with ,god4 ,sanctity1 as so often observed1 is primarily the work of grace1 but grace will come to us only through the appointed channels4 ,if we cut off the channel1 we cut off also the supply1 deprived of which1 far from advancing in the ways of ,god1 we shall but languish and lose ground4 ,unless the ,lord build the house1 they labour in vain that build it4 7,ps4 cxxvi4 #a74 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,widowhood4--,,life ,,of ,,solitude ,,and ,,prayer4 ,the young wife was but nineteen when a new scene in life's great drama was opened before her by the death of her husband4 ,although1 through ,god's permission1 he had caused her very bitter sorrows1 her naturally warm heart was not the less grieved at the separation4 ,she had fully appreciated his good qualities2 had found excuses in her charity for his shortcomings1 and had loved him with sincere affection1 but as she had seen and accepted an arrangement of the divine will in the formation of the marriage tie1 so did she recognise and adore a dispensation of the same ,almighty will in the4 breaking of the bond1 and this one consideration sufficed to reconcile her to the trial1 and to give rest to her soul4 ,at the period of her widowhood1 her prospects were no doubt cheerless enough4 ,her pecuniary affairs had been left in a state of great embarrassment2 she had an infant of six months old to provide for1 and as she remarks1 her comparative youth and inexperience seemed to unfit her for a struggle with the difficulties of her position1 but here1 as ever1 her beautiful trust in ,god supported her1 and with a firm1 filial reliance on ,his promise to be with those who are in tribulation1 she took up her new crosses with resignation and abandonment so perfect1 that neither loss of fortune1 nor anticipation of absolute poverty1 nor anxiety for the fate of her little child could disturb her serenity or shake her confidence4 ,the virtue and amiability which she had evinced during her first matrimonial engagement1 soon procured her new and far more advantageous offers1 while the capacity and integrity which had marked her business transactions1 led to very promising proposals for re-embarking in commerce4 ,prudence seemed in favour of acceptance2 natural inclination was opposed to it4 ,in weighing the question1 however1 it was not to natural inclination that she appealed for a decision2 this never had been her guide1 nor should it now4 ,if it were1 the remembrance of the miseries of her married life would have been quite sufficient reason to deter her from risking a repetition of them1 but faith had taught her to see in those past crosses1 only valuable opportunities of practising virtue and acquiring merit1 therefore she gave the apprehension of their renewal no place in her deliberations4 ,the interior attraction which sweetly but irresistibly urged her to devote herself all to ,god1--this it was which determined her to embrace a life of entire seclusion in the world1 as soon as her affairs should be arranged4 ,in forming her plans1 she can scarcely have refrained from casting a wistful glance at the attractive solitude of the cloister1 but knowing that its entrance was for the present closed to her by her duty to her child1 she resigned herself to wait for the promised land1 until she should first have crossed the intervening desert4 ,referring to this period in one of her after letters to her son1 she speaks of the transports of her gratitude at finding herself free to follow her call to solitude1 where without distraction or division she could think of and love her ,lord1 while she watched over the babe whom ,he had committed to her keeping4 ,the death of her mother-in- law1 in about a month after that of her husband1 removed the last obstacle to the accomplishment of her project4 ,connected with the early months of her widowhood1 is a wondrous supernatural favour1 granted her as if to confirm her late determination1 and mark it with a sensible sign of heaven's approval4 ,we shall record it in the words best suited to so sublime a subject1--her own4 ,on the eve1 she says1 of the feast of the ,incarnation1 #afbj1 ,i was on my way to business1 which ,i recommended to ,god by my ordinary aspiration1 ',in thee1 ,o ,lord1 ,i have hoped2 let me never be confounded6'--when suddenly1 my progress was unaccountably arrested1 and while ,i stood motionless in body1 the action of my mind was equally suspended1 all recollection of the affairs ,i was engaged in vanishing instantaneously from my memory4 ,then the eyes of my soul were wondrously opened in one moment1 and all the sins1 faults and imperfections of my life revealed to me in general and in particular1 with indescribable distinctness4 ,at the same time1 ,i saw myself plunged in a bath of blood1 and ,i knew that it was the blood of the ,son of ,god which had been shed for the very sins now so clearly represented to me4 ,if the ,almighty in ,his great goodness had not sustained me1 ,i think ,i should have died of terror1 so horrible did even the smallest sin appear4 ,oh6 what words can express the emotion of the soul at seeing the ,lord of infinite goodness and incomprehensible sanctity insulted by a worm of the earth1 and a ,man-,god shedding ,his most adorable blood to reconcile sinners to ,his ,father6 ,above all1 who can describe her feelings at finding herself personally stained with sin1 and recognising that the ,incarnate ,god would have done for the expiation of her individual guilt1 what ,he has done for the atonement of the transgressions of all men in general6 ,at that moment1 my heart seemed wholly changed into love for ,him who had shown me this signal mercy1 and it was filled at the same time with indescribable1 and even unimaginable sorrow for having offended ,him4 ,this feeling of loving sorrow was so overpowering1 that ,i would willingly have thrown myself into flames1 if thus ,i could have appeased it1 and strangest of all1 its force was full of gentleness4 ,it sweetly bound my soul by its very charms1 and led her on a willing captive4 ,a strong interior impulse urged me to confess my sins1 and on returning to my usual condition1 ,i found myself standing opposite the little church of the ,feuillants who had lately established themselves at ,tours4 ,i entered1 and seeing one of the ,fathers standing in the middle of the chapel as if he had been expecting my arrival1 ,i on the spot confessed the sins which had just been discovered to me1 too intent on making reparation to ,him whom ,i had offended1 to notice that ,i might easily have been overheard by a lady who had entered the church in the meantime4 ,when ,i had finished1 the ,father gently told me to return the next day to his confessional1 and ,i left without observing at the moment that ,i had not received absolution4 ,this omission was supplied at my renewed confession next morning4 ,during the first year that ,i remained under the direction of this ,father1 ,i confined myself entirely to the accusation of my sins1 thinking that nothing else should be introduced at confession1 but having heard a pious girl say that it was not right to practise corporal austerities without permission from the confessor1 ,i applied for it to mine1 and he then regulated the amount of these1 as well as the number of my confessions and communions4 ,i returned home1 changed into another creature1 and that so completely1 that ,i no longer recognised myself4 ,i discovered with unmistakable clearness the ignorance under cover of which ,i had hitherto thought myself very innocent1 my conduct very harmless1 and my whole spiritual condition blameless4 ,after our ,lord had opened my eyes1 ,i saw myself as ,i was1 and ,i had to own that my justice was but iniquity4 ,she always looked on this heavenly favour as one of the greatest she had ever received1 and its date as synonymous with that of her perfect conversion to ,god4 ,it would be difficult1 says her son1 to lead a more exemplary life than hers had been2 by the word conversion1 we are not then to understand1 a transition from a state of sin to a state of grace1 but a resolute determination to bid adieu wholly to the world1 that she might give herself all to ,god and live only by ,his love4 ,to mark her entire separation from the world1 she assumed a peculiarly grave style of dress1 dismissed her servants1 gave up her house1 and returned to her father's1 where free from all care arid responsibility1 she found herself as she desired1 alone with ,god alone4 ,she chose an apartment in the upper story as the most retired1 and between this and the adjoining oratory1 she passed most of her time in prayer4 ,she was never to be seen except at church or at home2 paid no visits and received very few2 spoke but rarely1 and then concisely4 ,she took her frugal meals at her father's table1 then retired to her solitude1 as she says herself1 like the dove to its nest4 ,it was at this time1 that in addition to her other most severe austerities1 she gave up the use of linen1 substituting serge4 ,knowing the danger of inaction1 she occupied the intervals between prayer in embroidery1 choosing this employment because it left the mind free to converse with her ,lord4 ,but although her life was thus hidden in ,god1 it was no part of her piety to forget the interests of her neighbour4 ,in her present straitened circumstances1 she could no longer open her hand in alms as had been her wont in better days1 but the sick poor retained their old place in her heart1 and among these she still could always find ample exercise for her charity4 ,accordingly1 she sought out the most revolting cases of disease1 and made appointments with the sufferers to meet her at her home1 where kneeling before them while they sat1 she washed and dressed their loathsome sores1 contriving to stoop closely over their ulcerated limbs1 so that nature might be crucified in every sense1 and crushed in every feeling4 ,and as the soul's interests are more precious far than those of the miserable body1 so was it her chief concern to instruct the ignorant1 to encourage the weak1 to rouse the sinful to repentance1 and animate the good to higher virtue4 ,thus passed the first year of her widowhood3 at its close1 the tenor of her life was altered1 that in a new sphere1 she might have the opportunity o practising new virtues4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,purity ,,of ,,soul4--,,life ,,of ,,humiliation ,,in ,,her ,,sister',s ,,house4 ,it would seem as if the holy widow had now attained the very position for which her heart had so long sighed1 a life of close and constant communion with ,god1 and1 at the same time1 of active charity to her neighbour1--a life combining every facility for her own sanctification1 with abundant opportunities of promoting the salvation of other souls also4 ,but scarcely had she realized its advantages and tasted its sweetness1 when at the end of one short year1 she was called on to relinquish it1 by a married sister1 who1 knowing her talent for business1 begged her assistance in the management of a large commercial establishment of her own4 ,the proposal was naturally most distasteful1 but seeing in it a road to the suffering and humiliation for which her soul thirsted1 as well as an opportunity of practising her favourite charity1 she made the sacrifice in her spirit of habitual self- immolation1 only stipulating for freedom in her spiritual exercises1 and permission1 to return home every evening4 ,our ,lord was pleased to mark ,his approval of her decision1 and to reward her generosity1 by raising her to a higher degree of prayer4 ,this partial return to the world suggested the idea that she might now perhaps be induced to accede to the unanimous wish of her friends1 and engage once more in married life4 ,the subject was therefore before long renewed1 and one day she was so hard pressed with a variety of arguments connected with the interests of her son1 that she paused a little to consider whether the opinions of so many wise and disinterested advisers ought not to weigh somewhat against her own lights4 ,the hesitation was only momentary1 and yet on reflection1 it seemed to her to have involved so serious an infidelity1 that in subsequent general confessions of the greatest sins of her life1 she ranked this first1 as the one most deserving of her regret1 and the possible cause of her severe interior sufferings4 ,she knew that in its own nature1 the fault in question was inconsiderable1 but she understood equally well that its attendant circumstances gave it a certain degree of gravity for her1 whom the ,almighty had so favoured4 ,short as her hesitation had been1 it appeared like disloyalty to ,him whom she had promised to take for her only ,spouse should the bonds of her earthly union be ever broken1 and that with her capability of appreciating the sublimity of a vocation to a life with ,god alone1 she should have deliberated for an instant between ,his invitation and that of the world1 seemed to her a fitting subject of life-long sorrow and self-condemnation4 ,the infidelity to grace was aggravated in her estimation by its accompanying ingratitude1 and this in itself was a reproach1 keenly painful to a heart so tender and loving as hers4 ,here again1 we are struck with wonder and admiration at her purity of conscience1 and here again we breathe a prayer for light to see ourselves as ,god sees us2 for grace to understand the malice of sin as the saints understand it4 ,it is because their hearts are so pure1 that the spiritual vision of the saints is so refined4 ,blessed are the clean of heart1 for they see ,god and in the light of that eternal ,sun of ,justice1 they discern minutest stains1 invisible to souls obscured by the clouds of sin1 or dimmed by the mists of self-love4 ,again1 it is because the hearts of the saints are so pure1 that their love of ,god is so sensitive4 ,blessed are the clean of heart1 for they see the ,divine attractions as clearly as is given to man in his mortality1 and seeing them thus clearly1 every slight infidelity to a ,god so beautiful and so good1 assumes importance in their eyes1 and excites a corresponding sorrow4 ,the young widow's momentary irresolution left her only the more firmly determined to renounce the world at once and for ever1 and in order to render that resolution irrevocable1 she bound herself to1 ,god by a vow of perpetual chastity1 being then twenty-one years of age4 ,about this time she was placed under the spiritual care of the ,reverend ,father ,dom ,raymond of ,st4 ,bernard1 and to this enlightened master she was first indebted for the great blessing of regular direction in the paths of the interior life4 ,her position in her sister's house was unaccountably strange4 ,she had been invited there1 because her clear intellect1 sound judgment1 and natural aptitude for business promised to render her an invaluable assistant in the management of a large concern1 and yet1 instead of being at once placed in her own sphere at the head of the family1 she was permitted without question or remonstrance to establish her quarters in the kitchen1 as if considered suited only for menial work2--treated meantime in the most imperious manner1 not only by the master and mistress of the house1 but by the very servants2 looked down on by all1 as if she had been not even a stranger or a hireling1 but an outcast4 ,the ,spirit of ,god inspired her1 she says1 to conceal her natural abilities1 that she might pass for an ignorant woman1 fit only to wait on the servants1 and this lowly condition had such powerful charms for her humble heart1 that she actually feared excess in her attachment to it4 ,in proposing this apprehension as a conscientious doubt to her director1 her great fear was that he would oblige her to emerge from her abject position1 and assume her rightful place in the family4 ,her insatiable desire of crosses and humiliations was not satisfied even with the ingratitude of her brother and sister1 nor with the insolent behaviour of the domestics2 she sought for new sufferings1 and among others1 contrived to burn herself while employed in cooking4 ,she attended the servants in sickness1 reserving the whole care of them to herself1 and voluntarily rendering them the lowest services4 ,among other instances of the kind1 she at one time dressed the infected wound of a workman whose foot had been nearly severed in two by a terrible accident1 and whose deplorable condition rendered him absolutely unapproachable to all but herself4 ,although gangrene threatened1 and amputation seemed inevitable1 she persevered in her work of mercy and self-denial1 until she bad effected a cure4 ,her brother and sister1 she looked on as her best benefactors1 accepting their unkindness as the greatest of favours1 and obeying their directions with scrupulous exactitude1 and this life she led1 and this death to self she practised1 not for a week1 or a month1 but for three or four successive years4 ,oh6 how richly traced in heaven's own colouring1 must have been the daily record of those years kept by her faithful guardian spirit6 ,how mighty the change wrought in her spiritual condition1 as one after another they passed away1 each leaving behind an accumulation of grace made fruitful2 each marked by new1 and always more wondrous supernatural favours6 ,it is not1 however1 by her supernatural favours that we are to estimate her sanctity1 but by her practice of solid virtue1 nor are we to forget that if by an exceptional vocation1 she was led into the higher paths of the mystic life1 she walked long1 steadily and to the end in the common road1 to which1 as ,christians1 we are called no less than she was4 ,nevertheless1 that singular favours should have been granted her1 is exactly what we should have been1 led to expect from our acquaintance with the history of the saints1 which has taught us that it is ever ,god's way to be liberal with ,his creatures1 in proportion as they are liberal with him4 ,there had been no rapine in the holocaust of this1 ,his faithful servant4 ,she had never refused ,him one gift ,he craved2 withheld one sacrifice ,he asked2 was ,he to be outdone in generosity8 ,oh1 far from it6 ,in presence of the magnificence of ,his gifts to her chosen soul1 we have but to bow down as we bend before the sun when its ray dazzles us4 ,the reverential wonder which they inspire1 is1 after all1 but a homage to the great ,giver1 and if while we admire and venerate her exceptional privileges1 we at the same time study and try to copy the imitable portions of her example1 we shall reap profit from both passages of her life4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,preparation ,,for ,a ,,higher ,,degree ,,of ,,divine4 ,,union4--,,active ,,life4--,,interior ,,trials4 ,we cannot have studied the lives of the saints without observing1 that while infinitely generous of ,his graces to all ,his faithful servants1 their almighty ,lord from time to time chooses certain individuals among them as recipients of a more than ordinary measure of ,his liberality4 ,we read of a privileged few1 to whom ,he is lavish of what may be termed exceptional marks of ,his love4 ,these chosen souls1 ,he inundates with celestial gifts1--revealing glimpses of ,his glory and beauty1 transforming them into ,himself1 so as in a manner to divinize them1 and even sometimes imparting visible external marks of their sublime spiritual exaltation4 ,it would seem as if ,he desired to manifest to men in their persons1 the immensity of ,his goodness1 the infinitude of ,his condescension1 and the magnificence of ,his riches4 ,they are the specially favoured among the favoured3 they form a class apart1 in which ,god1 wonderful in all ,his saints1 is wonderful surpassingly4 ,in that exceptional class1 suited as it would seem to us rather for angels than for mortals1 a place was destined in the divine designs for the subject of our history1 ,marie ,guyart1 but before those all-gracious designs could be realized1 certain preliminaries were needed4 ,to the thoroughly purified soul alone it belongs to fly without impediment to ,god1 as the needle flies to the magnet1 and admirable1 nay wonderful as was the interior purity to which this-singularly favoured being had attained2 it had yet to undergo further processes of refinement before she should be disposed for the privilege awaiting her4 ,our ,lord continued therefore to draw her more and more forcibly to the perfection of the virtue1 revealing to her in the meantime1 that when it had reached the required degree1 a great1 but as yet unspecified grace would be her reward4 ,to stimulate her zeal1 ,he gave her a vision1 of a soul free from even the slightest shadow of defect1 and the sight was one so entrancing1 so enrapturing1 that she said1 if men could only see it1 they would willingly renounce all things for the bare enjoyment of the glorious spectacle4 ,charmed with the celestial beauty of such a soul1 and thirsting ever more to share its happy privilege of flying to ,god without hindrance or delay1 she was carefully on her guard against the most trivial imperfection1 and when betrayed into one1 never desisted1 until by sighs and prayers she had obtained forgiveness1 which she knew by the cessation of reproach of conscience4 ,the sanctity of ,god was represented to her under the semblance of a vast sea1 with whose limpid waters no defilement however small was allowed to mingle1 all such being instantaneously rejected4 ,overwhelmed at--sight of the disproportion between the purity of the human1 soul1 and the holiness of the great ,god with whom she aspires to be united1 she could only exclaim again and again1 in the depths of her self-annihilation1 ,o ,purity6 ,o ,purity6 ,hide1 absorb me in ,thee1 ,o mighty ,ocean of ,purity6 ,at another time1 the same ,divine attribute was shown her as a spotless mirror1 reflected on which1 the least of her infidelities seemed magnified into a mountain4 ,the profound impression of the ,sanctity of ,god thus imparted1 so greatly increased her delicacy of conscience1 that she reproached herself for her smallest failure1 as if it had been a fault of magnitude4 ,she says that her union with ,god was never interrupted by necessary conversation1 even though it might have lasted the whole day1 but that if she spoke a useless word1 or yielded to a distracting thought1 she at once found the interior bond weakened1 and received a reproach from conscience4 ,once1 after she had committed an imperfection1 an interior voice whispered to her1 ,if an artist had painted a fine picture1 would he be well pleased to see it soiled and stained8 ,another time1 the same interior monitor asked1 ,if you had a costly pearl or diamond1 would you like to have it thrown into the mud8 ,the words seemed to give her a new insight into the sanctity of ,god1 and they filled her with unutterable confusion4 ,so profoundly did the love of interior purity strike root in her innocent soul1 that she accepted1 and even desired the most vigorous punishment for the slightest fault1 never admitting the idea that there could be a disproportion4 ,her view of the divine presence had now become so habitual1 that by a marvellous privilege1 it was never interrupted4 ,if duty obliged her to speak with her neighbour1 her communication with ,god was not in consequence suspended4 ,if she wrote1 her mind was equally intent on her subject and on her ,lord1 and as often as she paused to renew the ink in her pen1 her heart profited of the momentary interruption1 to say a loving word to ,him4 ,if the whole world had been present1 she says1 nothing in it could have distracted her soul4 ,she had received an infused knowledge of the nature of the works of ,god1 their relations with their ,maker1 and the end of their creation2 all therefore served to unite her to1 instead of distracting her attention from ,him4 ,to make reparation to the outraged sanctity of ,god1 and to honour the ,passion of her ,lord1 as well as with the specific intention of disposing her soul for the yet unrevealed favour awaiting her1 she redoubled the austerities already so rigorous4 ,she allowed herself only as much sleep as was necessary for existence1 taking that on the ground1 with no covering but a hair-cloth4 ,after a while1 the bare floor appeared too luxurious a couch1 so she spread a hair-cloth over it1 and on that she stretched her weary limbs for a short part of the night4 ,this mortification she looked on as the severest she had ever endured1 the weight of the body and the hardness of the boards combining to press the sharp surface into the flesh1 so that constant pain permitted only short and broken sleep4 ,a considerable portion of the night was divided between prayer and corporal mortifications4 ,she was familiar with instruments of penance of every kind1 and used them with an unsparing hand4 ,ingenious in devising means of crucifying her senses1 she mixed wormwood with her food1 and between meals1 kept the bitter herb a long time in her mouth1 until forbidden1 through regard for her health1 to continue so mortifying a practice4 ,she succeeded however in so completely destroying the sense of taste1 as to be finally unable to distinguish one description of food from another4 ,many years after she went to ,canada1 this fact was decidedly ascertained by an unmistakable test4 ,yet she says she was never ill1 but on the contrary1 always vigorous1 always cheerful1 always ready for new mortifications1 and so impressed with their value1 that she would have counted the day lost1 on which she had suffered nothing4 ,in daily ,communion1 she renewed the strength so severely taxed by her appalling austerities and her fatiguing labours for her neighbour4 ,that humiliation of mind might keep pace with subjection of the flesh1 she one day brought her director a written confession of the sins and imperfections of her whole life with her name affixed1 beseeching him after he had read1 to attach it to the church door1 that all might know the extent of her infidelity to ,god4 ,repeated rebuffs from her confessor served only to manifest the sincerity of her humility2 she received them with her habitual love of contempt1 and although the paper was burned1 instead of being exhibited as she desired1 her fidelity to inspiration was rewarded by a new flood of graces4 ,among the rest1 she learned by revelation the exact nature of the celestial favour previously promised only in general terms1 our ,lord condescending to intimate to her explicitly1 that she was destined for that highest degree of divine union1 accorded1 as we have just seen1 only to a privileged few even of the saints4 ,although the wondrous promise was not to be realized for the present1 the prospect of its accomplishment at a future day1 filled her with holy joy1 nerving her at the same time to new efforts for the removal of every obstacle to the consummation of her hopes4 ,after she had spent three or four years in the house of her brother-in- law in the manner already noticed1 ,divine ,providence permitted that he should open his eyes to her capabilities and his own injustice4 ,by a tardy concession to her merits1 he asked her at last1 to undertake the management of his affairs1 foreseeing that they could not but prosper in her hands4 ,besides holding the rank of an artillery officer1 he was charged with the commissariat of the whole kingdom1 and under favour of these two appointments1 he embarked in a variety of enterprises which obliged him to maintain a very large establishment2 including numerous servants and vehicles4 ,his charitable sister1 in undertaking her new duties1 still retained the old1 from which her heart refused to part1 because of their attendant humiliations4 ,she got through all1 and satisfied everybody2 meantime so perfectly maintaining her union with ,god1 that she seemed like one of those celestial ,spirits of whom our ,lord declared that they ever behold the face of the ,father in heaven4 ,she tells us that she spent the greater part of the day in a stable which served as a store1 and that sometimes she was still on the quay at midnight1 sending off1 or receiving goods2 that her ordinary companions were carters1 porters and other workmen2 that she had to look after fifty or sixty horses2 that during the frequent absences of her brother and sister1 she had their personal affairs to attend to in addition to the rest1 and still1 that as this multiplicity of occupations had been undertaken only from a motive of charity1 ,god permitted that instead of proving an obstacle to the spirit of recollection1 it tended on the contrary to nourish and strengthen it4 ,she says that when she found herself so overwhelmed with business as scarcely to know where to begin1 she besought our ,lord's help1 reminding ,him that without it1 all must remain undone1 and the appeal was never made in vain4 ,looking back in later life to this period1 she remarks that the trials and hardships which she had to encounter during her residence with her brother-in-law1 were especially arranged by ,divine ,providence as a most suitable preparation for her future work in ,canada4 ,sighing for the consummation of the divine union promised her1 and ever seeking for some new gem with which to adorn her soul1 she resolved to bind herself by vow to the evangelical counsels1 adopting as an obligation1 what had hitherto been only a voluntary practice1 and thus in a manner anticipating the time when she should realize the dearest wish of her heart1 by consecrating herself to ,god in religion4 ,her vow of obedience regarded her director1 her sister1 and her brother-in-law1 and in its connection with the two last1 was attended with difficulties known only to ,god4 ,as to poverty1 she possessed nothing but what was given her by her sister1 contenting herself with bare necessaries4 ,the interests of her son1 she abandoned to divine ,providence1 aspiring with her whole heart to that perfect poverty of spirit which desires but ,god1 and is content with ,him alone4 ,in recompense of this new proof of love1 her generous ,master granted her the precious gift of ,his own divine peace1 and to enhance the treasure1 ,he brought it to her ,himself1 as on another memorable occasion1 ,he had brought it to ,his apostles4 ,it was not that her soul had hitherto been a stranger to ,god's peace2 on the contrary1 in writing many years later of the favour now conferred1 she says she had not supposed it possible to enjoy here below a more perfect interior peace than she habitually possessed1 but that after our ,lord had whispered to her heart1 ,peace be to this house1--so profound1 so imperturbable1 so transcendent a peace was imparted1 that she never for a moment lost it1 although her multiplied afflictions might well have shaken it1 had it not been steadily anchored on loving conformity to the will of ,him who had established ,his empire in her soul4 ,the gold of her virtue had been well tried in the crucible of tribulation1 but as yet1 it had not been subjected to the fiery ordeal of temptation2 through this1 for its more entire refinement it was now to pass4 ,all at once her ordinary enjoyment of her spiritual exercises was succeeded by utter disinclination4 ,the sweetness and patience which had scarcely cost her an effort in her intercourse with her neighbour1 gave place to a sensitiveness and irritability which would have caused her many faults if she had not been closely and constantly on her guard4 ,her childlike submission to her director appear intolerable yoke2 her dependence on her sister a positive degradation4 ,the humiliations so freely embraced1 and so long and dearly prized1 seemed in her altered views1 inconsistent with self-respect4 ,the corporal penances hitherto lightened and sweetened by the unction of ,divine love1 now assumed their worst sharpness1 and excited her strongest repugnance4 ,importunate scruples were added to temptation1 and while thus violently assailed on many sides1 she seemed not to receive light or comfort from any4 ,her only support in these terrible interior trials was in the remembrance of ,god's promise to be with those who are in tribulation 7,ps4 xc4 #ae71 and truly ,he was with hers in hers1 and by ,his almighty grace brought her so triumphantly through them1 that amidst her complicated sufferings1 she never failed in her fidelity to her ,lord2 never omitted the smallest duty or fell into the slightest impatience4 ,he who does not permit ,his creatures to be tried beyond their strength1 granted her relief when she least expected it4 ,in the restored light1 she clearly saw that the object of the tempter had been to lure her from the path of perfection to which ,god had called her1 and on which1 as we have seen1 she had already made gigantic strides2 and she discovered with equal distinctness that the ordeal through which she had passed was a necessary preparation for the higher graces to come4 ,by her example on this occasion1 as well as by her subsequent instructions1 she teaches that however strong may be the pressure of temptation1 however impenetrable the darkness of aridity1 the afflicted soul should not omit any of her accustomed exercises1 whether of obligation or of mere devotion1 or lose her trust in that divine grace which never deserts her in her conflicts1 but powerfully1 though perhaps imperceptibly supports her in every difficulty4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,supernatural ,,favours--,,vision ,,of ,,the ,,most ,,adorable ,,trinity4--,,renewed ,,interior ,,trials4--,,new ,,heavenly ,,favours4 ,as the released torrent rushes on with increased impetuosity after a temporary restraint1 so did the emancipated soul of the holy ,mother bound to ,god with ten-fold ardour1 now that the pressure of temptation1 and the darkness of doubt had been removed4 ,as a reward for her fidelity in her late trials1 our ,blessed ,lord one day showed her ,his ,heart and her own so entirely united1 so completely fused1 that they seemed to form but one4 ,after this grace1 her love of ,god appeared to change its character1 and to become altogether divine4 ,her heart was no longer her own1 for it had been made the possession of the ,heart of ,jesus4 ,absorbed in transports and ecstasies of holy love1 she grieved that even the short time which she allowed to sleep1 should interrupt the recollection of the only ,desired of her soul3 ,she aspired with ever increasing ardour to the mystic union so long promised and so long delayed4 ,it was to be1 as it were1 the culminating point of the ,divine favours2--meantime she was permitted1 if not to reach the summit1 at least to ascend to mysterious heights on the holy mountain1 and there behold wonders not destined for sight of mortal eyes2--wonders which she herself confesses to be inexplicable by human words4 ,miraculously strengthened to bear the overwhelming flood of splendour1 her soul was elevated even1 to the vision1 of the most august and adorable ,trinity4 ,she saw the relations between the ,three ,divine ,persons2 their unity1 their distinction1 their operations within and outside themselves4 ,she saw their operations also in the nine choirs of angels1 and understood how the human soul is created to the image of ,god4 ,it took but a moment1 she says1 to receive the impression of all these wonders1 whereas the effort to describe them requires time1 for human language cannot express in a word1 what the mind can grasp in an instant4 ,the ecstasy lasted five hours1 at the end of which she found herself still kneeling exactly in the spot of the church where it had commenced4 ,she describes herself during that time as absolutely lost in those unfathomable splendours2 capable only of passively receiving the impression of the purely intellectual vision unfolded to her with indescribable clearness and singleness of view4 ,writing of this great favour towards the end of life1 she says that it was then as vividly present to her in all its circumstances as at the time of its occurrence1 adding in her own simple way1 that great things like this are never forgotten4 ,it has been observed that the terms in which she speaks of the most abstruse mysteries of faith1 are too clear1 top precise1 too strictly in accordance with the teaching of theology1 to have come within the natural lights of a woman of ordinary education2 therefore while the style of the narrative has excited the admiration of the learned1 it has left them without a doubt as to the ,divine source of her inspiration4 ,for a long time after the vision1 her soul was so completely concentrated in the most adorable ,trinity1 that she had no power to detach her thoughts from the ineffable mystery4 ,we might anticipate that the wonderful favour just recorded1 would be the last prelude to the elevation of ,god's chosen servant to the promised high degree of ,divine union1 but such is the incomprehensible purity of the all-holy ,god1 that even after so many delays1 so many trials1 so much fidelity1 so much love and devotedness1 ,he did not yet find her sufficiently free from the dust of the earth1 sufficiently disengaged from every creature1 sufficiently detached even from ,his own sensible gifts1 to be worthy of that mysterious union which requires the purity of an angel4 ,the work of preparation was accordingly to go on2 the arduous work of self-annihilation1 of interior crucifixion1 of total sacrifice of every feeling1 and absolute death to every inclination4 ,our ,lord showed her her soul as it would appear when adorned with the required degree of holiness1 and she confessed that ,he did her but justice in still deferring the hour for which she sighed4 ,it is the remark of her son in the ,life of his holy ,mother1 that temptation is among the most efficacious means employed by the ,almighty for the purification of ,his creatures1 for as in that state1 the soul is pursued by a vivid and constant apprehension of committing sin1 she lives in an habitual hatred of1 and watchfulness against it1 which are but too apt to relax when the presence of evil is less apparent1 and the necessity for combating it less urgent4 ,through this grievous1 suffering1 the servant of ,god had once more to pass4 ,it appeared to her1 she said as if she had suddenly fallen from paradise into purgatory4 ,she found herself not only deprived of all consolation1 but filled with alarm at the remembrance of past favours1 which seemed to her to have been unreal and delusive4 ,the thought of ,god was1 as usual1 ever present to her mind1 but it brought no comfort1 for with it came an afflicting doubt of the sincerity of her love for ,him4 ,far down in the depths of her soul1 it is true1 reposed the solid peace founded on submission to ,his will1 but it was a matter of difficulty to realize the existence of that submission4 ,nature had once more asserted its sensitiveness to humiliation and contradiction4 ,in short1 so profound was her anguish of soul that she could scarcely support herself4 ,this sore affliction1 lasted for some months1 then gradually abated1 and as it did1 she learned to realize the sweet use of sorrow4 ,trial1 seconded by her own fidelity1 had done its work4 ,faith had triumphed over sense4 ,like a two-edged sword reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit 7,heb4 iv4 #ab71 it had cut away the last remnant of natural life1 and left behind only the supernatural4 ,long disengaged in mind and heart from all things on earth1 she was now so detached even from the consolations of heaven1 so singly centred in ,god alone1 that she could rejoice in her spiritual poverty1 and thank the ,lord for seeming to have withdrawn1 the favours which in her humility1 she considered exposed to defilement in passing through her heart4 ,the ,almighty who delights in manifesting ,himself to the humble1 was pleased to reward her fidelity by a lively impression of ,his adorable attributes1 and a clear knowledge of the mysteries contained in the first chapter of ,st4 ,john4 ,during a holy week1 she says1 our ,lord granted me new lights regarding ,his ,divine attributes4 ,i contemplated the ,unity of ,god1 and in the ,unity1 ,i beheld ,his ,eternity without beginning or end2 ,his immense ,greatness2 ,his adorable ,infinitude2 and in an ecstasy of admiration1 ,i could only exclaim1 ',goodness6 ,o ,immensity6 ,o ,eternity6' ,i understood how all things have their origin in ,god1 from whom emanates whatever is beautiful and good1 and ,i cried1 ',o more than ,good6 more than ,beautiful6 more than ,adorable6 ,thou art ,god6 ,thou art the great ,god6' ,sinking into the very depths of my lowliness1 feeling in ,his mighty presence as if ,i had been the veriest worm1 still ,i could not refrain from telling ,him of my love2 still ,i could not but rejoice that my ,god is so great2 still ,i exulted that ,he is ,all1 and that ,i am nothing1 for if ,i had been anything1 then ,he would not have been ,all4 ,o ,breadth6 ,o ,length6 ,o height6 ,o ,depth6 immense1 adorable1 incomprehensible to all but ,thyself6 my ,centre6 my ,beginning6 my ,end6 my ,beatitude6 my ,all6 ,unable to satisfy her desire to die1--if that were possible1 in order to render homage to the perfections of her ,god1 she substituted the slow martyrdom of still more rigorous austerities than she had yet practised1 and1 after this new sacrifice1 her mind1 she says1 was so filled with light as to be in a manner dazzled1 and as it were blinded by the grandeur of the ,majesty of the ,most ,high4 ,thus purified by trial1 sanctified by grace1 adorned with virtue1 resplendent with ,divine love1 elevated above earth and self and all their influences1 her happy soul presented no farther1 obstacle to the designs of her all- gracious ,lord3 it was ready for the ardently1 desired union with ,him1-- and now1 at last1 the promise so long made1 and the expectations so long cherished1 were about to be realized4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,second ,,vision ,,of ,,the ,,most ,,adorable ,,trinity4--,,realization ,,of ,,the ,,divine ,,promise4 ,a second vision of the most august ,trinity was granted to ,marie ,guyart1 just two years after she had been favoured with the first4 ,she was then in her twenty-seventh year1 and seven years had elapsed since the memorable vision of the application of the precious blood of ,jesus to her soul4 ,in this second vision1 the will was more strongly affected than the intellect2 the heart absolutely consumed with the burning fire of love2 the mind1 as before1 inundated with floods of light4 ,this grace gave1 as it were1 the finishing touch to the beauty of her soul1 seeming to supply what had hitherto been wanting to its perfection4 ,while her spirit was absorbed1 and in a manner annihilated in the contemplation of the three most adorable ,persons of the ,trinity1 the ,eternal ,word1 according to ,his promise1 united her to ,himself in close1 mysterious bonds which there are no human words to describe4 ,footnote3 ,the lives of ,st4 ,francis of ,assisium1 ,st4 ,teresa1 ,st ,catherine of ,sienna1 ,st4 ,gertrude1 and some other saints furnish instances of supernatural favours similar to that now granted to the ,venerable ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation4 ,he that is joined to the ,lord1 is one spirit 7#a ,cor4 v4 #ag74 ,often had she sighed for this hour1 and with the ,spouse in the ,canticles besought the ,lord to show her ,his face1 and to let her hear ,his voice-- that face so comely1 and that voice so sweet4 ,now at last1 possession had replaced hope1 so now she might entone the canticle of triumph1 ,i found him whom my soul loveth3 ,i hold him3 and ,i will not let him go4 ,my beloved to me1 and ,i to him who feedeth among the lilies4 ,till the glorious dawn of eternity break1 and the shadows of time retire1 7,cant4 iii4 #d1 ii41 #ag47 when ,i shall see ,him as ,he is1 face to face1 and know ,him even as ,i am known 7l ,cor1 xiii4 #ab74 ,she seemed to have passed into a new state of being4 ,ardent as her love of ,god had been before1 it now rose to heights hitherto unknown4 ,her whole soul appeared to be transformed into love4 ,her life became one unbroken act1 one uninterrupted hymn of ecstatic love4 ,in the busy streets1 in distracting business1 amidst household cares and duties1 at all times and in all places1 she gave vent to her irrepressible transports in the sweet song of ceaseless praise1 silently entoned within her own heart1 and audible only to her heavenly ,spouse and ,his angels4 ,even in sleep1 she could scarcely be said to discontinue it1 for while she slept1 her heart watched1 and at each interruption to her short repose1 it resumed the strain1 returning to the actual exercise of love with the first moment of full awakening consciousness4 ,sometimes fearing that her emotions might betray themselves exteriorly1 she relieved their uncontrollable impetuosity by committing them to writing1 afterwards burning these effusions4 ,a few of them1 however1 by chance escaped destruction1 and have happily reached us4 ,from these1 as well as from the account of her manner of prayer written at the command of one of her confessors1 we learn something of the holy ardour which consumed her4 ,o ,love6 she cried1 how sweet ,thou art6 how captivating are ,thy charms6 how light ,thy bonds6 ,sometimes ,thou woundest1 sometimes ,thou enslavest1 but still art ,thou ever sweet4 ,as ,i am all ,thine1 so art ,thou all mine1 mine for ever1 ,o my most desirable ,life6 ,and what do ,i desire of ,thee1 ,o my ,all8 ,i desire ,thy love1 and ,thy love alone4 ,o ,love6 ,o great ,love6 ,thou art all1 and ,i am nothing1 but it is enough that the mighty ,all should love the poor nothing1 and that the miserable nothing should love the great ,all6 ,o great ,god6 mayest ,thou be blessed by every tongue and love by every heart6 ,the impossibility of satisfying her holy eagerness to be inseparably united to her ,god1 caused her inexplicable suffering4 ,it was death to her that she could not die4 ,i long1 ,o ,lord1 she would say1 to be free from the prison of the body1 that ,i may fly to ,thee1 and behold ,thee in all ,thy beauty and ,divine attractions4 ,o ,love6 when shall ,i embrace ,thee6 ,when shall ,i see ,thee without cloud or veil6 ,knowest ,thou not that ,i love but ,thee8 ,come then1 that ,i may expire in ,thy sacred arms4 ,to a soul which loves ,thee1 it is a martyrdom to be separated from ,thee1 and meantime to see ,thee offended by so many of ,the creatures who are insensible to ,thy goodness1 and indifferent to ,thyself4 ,oh6 take me from this scene of sin and misery where there is nothing but sorrow and affliction of spirit4 ,my heart sighs for ,thy eternal mansions2 for ,thy incomparable beauty2 for the consummation of that blissful union1 of whose sweetness ,thou grantest us a foretaste here below4 ,while the sensible sweetness lasts1 we are happy in ,thee1 our ,treasure1 our ,life1 our ,love1 but no sooner are we left to ourselves1 than we feel once more the full force of our poverty and misery4 ,who will grant to my soul to burst its prison bars and ascend to ,thee6 ,may ,i be all ,thine1 as ,thou art all mine6 ,o ,sacred ,heart of ,jesus6 be ,thou the ,altar of sacrifice on which my heart shall be immolated6 ,o ,furnace of charity6 enkindle in it that celestial flame in which ,i desire to be consumed4 ,can it rest on an ,altar of fire and not be set on fire8 ,but notwithstanding her desire to be dissolved1 that she might be with ,christ1 she loved her ,lord's will too purely to wish for death or life except in conformity to it1 therefore she offered herself to bear the burden of existence until the day of judgment1 if ,god could be thus more glorified1--satisfied if meantime she accomplished nothing more than to teach some simple soul to know and love our ,blessed ,lady4 ,her chief relief and support was still1 as ever1 in daily ,communion1 which uniting her really1 though invisibly to her ,lord and ,treasure1 consoled her in some degree for the delay to the eternal union for which she languished4 ,she says of this most adorable ,sacrament1 that it is a fathomless and shoreless abyss of grace1 and that eternity's light alone will reveal the ineffable wonders which ,god discovered to her soul at the time of her sacramental union with him4 ,we know from the testimony of the saints who have endured the martyrdom of ,divine love1 that the greatest of its pains proceeds from the inability of the soul to lore ,god with an ardour proportioned either to her own desire to love ,him1 or to the extent of ,his claims on her love4 ,this suffering the ,venerable ,mother experienced in its fullest intensity4 ,from1 her insatiable desire of a more perfect love1 sprang a fixed impression of her utter powerlessness to do any thing for1 or give any thing to the great and generous ,god who had given her ,himself1 and with ,himself all things4 ,thou hast made me for ,thyself1 ,o ,god6 she would say2 for ,thyself who art ,love2 why then should ,i not speak of love8 ,but alas6 what can ,i say of it8 ,i cannot speak of it on earth4 ,the saints who see ,thee in heaven1 silently adore ,thee1 and their silence speaks4 ,why1 ,o ,lord1 cannot we burn like them with silent love8 ,if ,thou art their love1 ,thou art also ours4 ,they see ,thee as ,thou art1 and in this are more favoured than we on earth1 but when we are released from this prison1 we shall behold ,thee like them2 we shall praise1 embrace1 possess ,thee like them2 we shall be absorbed in ,thee as they are1--in ,thee who art my ,love1 my only ,love1 my great and glorious ,god1 my mercy and my ,all6 ,while her soul was thus rapt in a continual ecstasy of love1 her bodily strength wasted away under the action of the consuming fire4 ,in one of the many phases of the martyrdom of love which it was her privilege to pass through1 it pleased her ,lord that the body should suffer more than the soul1 enduring in its turn a real agony1 and that so violent1 that she says she must have died if it had lasted a few days4 ,while these miracles of grace were being wrought in the soul of this admirable woman1 no external sign gave indications of the work going on within1 for she took care to enfold her treasures under the mantle of humility4 ,always devoted1 laborious and active1 she seemed altogether intent on her harassing duties1 yet1 multiplied and fatiguing as these were1 she found time to attend to the spiritual interests of her brother's numerous workmen1 sometimes calling them round her to teach them the ,christian doctrine1 sometimes profiting of conversation at table to speak to them of ,god and the concerns of their souls4 ,reverencing her as a saint1 they submitted to her like docile children1 gave her an account of their conduct1 adopted her advice1 bore her reproofs1 and carried obedience so far as to rise from bed to say their night prayers1 if by accident she discovered that any one had retired without complying with the duty4 ,solicitous for their temporal1 as for their eternal welfare1 she interceded for them with her brother-in-law when they had incurred his displeasure1 and attended them in sickness with truly maternal devotedness4 ,although her close attention to the presence of ,god never interfered with the fulfilment of her duties1 it incapacitated her from following up the thread of any conversation unconnected with them4 ,her brother-in-law perceiving this1 sometimes amused himself by asking her a question referring to something that had been said1 but her confusion on these occasions was so evident1 that in order not to increase it1 the subject was quickly changed4 ,finally1 these vehement transports and exhausting languishings of divine love were succeeded by a profound and permanent calm4 ,her soul sweetly reposed in ,god1 its ,centre--that ,centre was within herself1 and there she enjoyed a peace surpassing all understanding4 ,in the account written by her confessor's command of the special favours she had received from ,god1 she observes in reference to this highest degree of divine union1 that the soul elevated to it1 enjoys as far as possible here below1 the felicity of the blessed4 ,storms1 she says1 may sweep over her inferior part1 but they do not reach the interior temple where the ,spouse reigns1 and she rests tranquilly in ,his presence4 ,it is alike to her whether she is immersed in embarrassing cares1 or buried in most profound solitude4 ,amidst the turmoil of life and the distraction of business1 she is alone with ,god in her heart1 enjoying ,his sweet company1 conversing with ,him familiarly1 transformed as it were into a paradise1 of which ,his smile is the light and the bliss4 ,vainly would she endeavour to explain what passes in that interior heaven1 for the subject is too sublime to come within the reach of weak1 defective human language4 ,she is so elevated above the world1 that all its combined splendours appear to her but as a contemptible atom of dust4 ,thus does the ,almighty 'raise the needy from the earth1 to place them with the princes of his people1' and in doing so1 ,he only exalts ,his own glory1 and shows forth ,his magnificence4 ,the intimate union with ,god1 here described1 became henceforth the ,venerable ,mother's habitual condition4 ,it must however be noted that she does not speak of this privileged state as excluding temptation and suffering1 but only says1 that violent and frequent as may be their assaults1 they do not disturb the inner region of the soul where ,god has established ,his ,kingdom in peace4 ,the superior part remains tranquil1 although the inferior may be troubled and agitated1 just as the ocean depths repose in peaceful calm while its surface is lashed by the angry tempest4 ,by noticing this distinction1 it will become easy to reconcile the apparently contradictory statements which attribute to the ,mother of the ,incarnation uninterrupted interior peace1 with intense and almost continuous interior suffering4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,entrance ,,to ,,the ,,ursuline ,,novitiate ,,at ,,tours4 ,from her early years1 the desires of the ,venerable ,mother had turned to the cloister1 as we have already seen4 ,her engagement in married life had seemed at first to oppose an insuperable obstacle to their fulfilment1 but ,god who had destined her for religion1 removed the impediment1 leaving her free by the death of her husband to follow her first impulse1 as soon as duty should allow her to separate from her little son4 ,that time had now come2 the child had attained his twelfth year1 and could dispense with her immediate care4 ,so far1 she had faithfully fulfilled her obligations towards him1 watching over his infancy and childhood with tender solicitude1 training him in the ways of ,god as she had been trained herself2 forming his tender heart to piety1 and giving his first habits the right bent4 ,the impression of her holy instructions and example was never effaced1 and when in advanced years he referred to the period of their early companionship1 it was in terms of most profound veneration for her virtues1 and boundless admiration of her truly celestial life4 ,like the storm-tost mariner nearing the haven1 or the weary traveller approaching home1 she sighed with redoubled ardour for the end of her pilgrimage1 now that the end was 'nigh4 ,it was but natural4 ,lovely as the tabernacles of the ,lord had looked in the distance1 their beauty was immeasurably magnified by the closer view4 ,if then she had felt even in the days of her exile1 that those are blessed who dwell in the house of ,god1 can we wonder that she should have absolutely longed4 and fainted for ,his courts1 now that their portals were about to be thrown open for her admission8 ,but although the hour of emancipation had come1 she was yet ignorant of the particular ,order to which ,god called her4 ,the perusal of the works of ,st4 ,teresa had inspired her with a strong attraction for the ,carmelites1 whose particular profession of prayer and recollection exactly harmonized with her own inclination and practice4 ,on the other hand1 the ,general of the ,feuillants1 anxious to secure so precious a treasure for his own ,order1 offered in the most flattering manner to receive her1 promising to relieve her of all future anxiety regarding the education of her son4 ,this latter condition was of such vital importance1 that the proposal filled her with joy and gratitude4 ,besides1 to the ,carmelite spirit of prayer and solitude1 the ,feuillantine ,sisters added the practice of great austerities1 thus presenting a two-fold attraction to the holy widow4 ,yet it was not to either of these ,orders that ,god called her1 nor was it indeed to a purely contemplative life that her own thoughts had originally turned4 ,on the contrary1 her earliest inclination had been for the ,ursulines1 although strangely enough1 she had no acquaintance whatever with them1 and could not even have told where they were to be found4 ,she merely knew in a general way1 that the special object of their institute is the salvation of souls1 and that its mixed life of action and prayer closely resembles the public life of our ,lord on earth4 ,these two considerations had always strongly influenced her in its favour1 nevertheless1 the more austere ,orders had not lost their charms1 so1 as ,god had not yet clearly manifested ,his will1 she waited calmly until circumstances should reveal it beyond a doubt4 ,at length ,divine ,providence interposed4 ,about this very period1 it happened that the ,ursulines established themselves at ,tours1 and as if to facilitate her introduction to them1 it further chanced that after a short time they removed from the house they had first inhabited1 to one quite near the residence of her brother4 ,some secret attraction seemed to draw her in the direction of the new convent1 which she never passed without experiencing an indescribable emotion1 and a strong impulse to linger round the precincts4 ,in this monastery there lived a saintly religious1 who had been led to exalted virtue through much the same paths as those which she had herself trodden4 ,these two souls1 alike privileged by grace1 were destined as mutual helps to perfection1 and for the furtherance of this great design1 the wondrous providence of ,god had so arranged events1 that without premeditation on either side1 both should be associated in community life4 ,their acquaintance originated in a visit which the holy widow had occasion to pay at the convent4 ,at the first interview1 each felt that she was understood by the other1 yet although1 their intimacy soon ripened into a saintly friendship1 ,marie ,guy art could never prevail on herself to speak of her perplexities to ,mother ,francis of ,st4 ,bernard1 wishing as ever to leave herself altogether in the hands of ,god4 ,meantime ,mother ,st4 ,bernard was elected ,superior of the new monastery1 and no sooner had she taken office than she felt inspired to make overtures to her friend to join the community4 ,having obtained the necessary permissions1 she sent for her1 and in a few kind words offered her a place among the sisters4 ,the generous proposal did not take the holy woman by surprise1 for as she was entering the house1 a strong presentiment had seized her as to the direct purport of the visit4 ,full of joy and thankfulness1 she humbly expressed her gratitude1 and asked leave1 before replying1 to consult ,god and her director4 ,the latter was a man eminently versed1 as already noticed1 in the science of guiding souls4 ,the better to try her vocation1 he received the application with apparent coldness1 and seemed for a while to have given up all idea of her quitting the world1 so her state of indecision continued4 ,but one day1 while she was in prayer1 all doubts as to her future course were suddenly and completely removed4 ,her temporary inclination for the more austere ,orders instantaneously vanished1 giving place to an ardent1 fixed desire to join the ,ursulines1 and that as speedily as could be accomplished4 ,her director recognised the voice of ,god in the urgent inspiration1 and exhorted her to obey it without hesitation or delay4 ,but it was not to be expected that ,satan would relinquish the prize without yet another struggle4 ,the career of the future ,ursuline was to bring great glory to ,god through the salvation of many souls2 clearly1 then1 his interest demanded a last strong effort to deter her from the life to which her ,master called her4 ,the artifice employed was so much the more dangerous1 as it wore the semblance of good4 ,the tempter represented her flight from the world as a violation of her duty to her little son1 suggesting that so unnatural a neglect of her sacred maternal obligations could not but compromise her own salvation1 as4 well as the highest and dearest interests of her child4 ,to the stratagems of ,satan were added the persuasive entreaties of some of her friends1 and the violent opposition of others4 ,the two-fold conflict was a hard one1 but1 aided by divine grace1 she conquered nature once again1 as she had so often done before1 and ,god was pleased to reward her fidelity by so effectually changing the views of her sister and her brother-in-law1 that in the end they not only consented to her departure1 but even promised to take care of her child4 ,one more ordeal remained1 and it was1 indeed1 a severe one4 ,she had not yet acquainted her son with her intention1 but he seemed to have an instinctive presentiment of some event of more than ordinary consequence to him4 ,he noticed that he had all at once become a general object of silent sympathy4 ,the compassion which he read on every face communicated its saddening influence to his little heart2 the low tone in which people spoke in his presence1 excited his suspicions4 ,oppressed by the sense of some painful mystery1 he took refuge at first in solitude and tears1 and before1 long1 unable to bear up against the weight of melancholy1 he made up his mind to go away altogether from the scene of his troubles4 ,a fortnight before the time appointed for his mother's entrance to the convent1 he managed to escape unobserved from the school where he was then a boarder4 ,the discovery of his flight1 seemed a signal for general censure of his mother4 ,the world declared that she alone was to be blamed for the disaster--she alone to be held accountable for its consequences4 ,it was difficult to bear1 and that1 too1 at a time when her whole soul was rent with anguish1 when every feeling of nature re-echoed1 while every instinct of grace obliged her to resist the mighty pleadings of maternal love4 ,the terrible interior combat was immeasurably aggravated by her efforts to maintain external composure4 ,in her great sorrow she turned for comfort to her friend at the ,ursulines1 and had scarcely concluded her sad account when her director1 ,dom ,raymond1 happened also to call at the monastery4 ,from the habitual charity of this good religious1 she naturally expected his especial sympathy at this trying moment4 ,great1 then1 was her dismay to find that far from attempting to assuage1 he seemed determined1 on the contrary1 to irritate the wound4 ,well convinced by experience of the solidity of her virtue1 he seized the present apparently inopportune occasion of testing it anew4 ,assuming great sternness of voice and manner1 he told her it was easy to see that her virtue was only superficial1 since she manifested so great a want of submission to ,god's will1 and of faith in ,his providence1 adding that her excessive attachment to a creature clearly indicated the ascendancy which nature still retained over her4 ,kneeling before her censor1 the humble mother listened to the harsh reproof in profound silence1 but a sigh escaped her1 and this ,dom ,raymond declared to be a distinct confirmation of his late assertions1 ordering her to depart at once from the house of ,god1 which was not meant to harbour souls so imperfect as she was4 ,she immediately rose1 and1 with a low inclination to her director1 left the convent4 ,perfectly amazed at the heroism of her virtue1 the ,reverend ,father and the ,mother ,superior returned thanks to ,god for having permitted them to witness so wonderful an example1 and1 without informing her of it1 sent messengers at their own expense to seek her son1 those whom she had herself employed not having discovered any trace of him4 ,by a singular coincidence1 the flight of her boy occurred during the octave of the ,epiphany1 when the ,church reads the history of the loss of ,jesus in the temple1 and it also happened that he1 like the ,divine ,child1 was twelve years of age at the time of his disappearance4 ,these circumstances greatly consoled the poor mother in her bereavement3 she united her desolation with that of the ,mother of ,sorrows1 and hoped that1 like her1 she would recover her son at the end of three days1 and so it actually happened4 ,precisely at that time he was brought back by a person who had accidentally met him at ,blois4 ,he then owned that he had planned to go to ,paris1 where he hoped to be received by a partner of his uncle's1 resident in that city4 ,the child's return removed the last obstacle to her departure2 and now the day was fixed irrevocably1 notwithstanding the renewed entreaties of her relatives2 notwithstanding the tears of her father2 notwithstanding the agony of her own soul at the parting from her only child whom she loved most tenderly4 ,she recalled the declaration of our ,lord that he who loves father or mother1 son or daughter more than ,him is not worthy of ,him 7,st4 ,matt4 x4 #cg71 and the words inspired her with invincible courage4 ,no sooner was her final decision taken than uncertainty and perplexity vanished utterly4 ,for the preceding ten years it had been her aim indirectly to prepare the little ,claude for the separation which she knew must one day come4 ,believing that the less she had accustomed him to external demonstrations of affection1 the less also he would miss her presence and feel her loss1 she had made it a rule from the time he was two years old1 never to fondle or embrace him1 carrying self-denial in this particular so far as to discourage even his1 own childish caresses and endearments4 ,yet though grave1 he found her ever kind and gentle2 though reserved1 sweet-tempered and inaccessible to caprice2 though undemonstrative1 solidly devoted to his interests and tenderly alive to his wants2 so it happened after all that he loved her fondly1 and all the more so1 perhaps1 that unknown to himself1 his love was founded on reverence4 ,how shall the mother summon courage to bid him adieu8 ,where find words to say that although he should ever dwell in her heart1 her home and his could be one no longer8 ,that1 already deprived by death of one parent1 he was now by her own voluntary act to lose the second too8 ,poor mother6 great is thy sorrow1 yet not as that of another ,martyr-,mother1 whose story of anguish thou knowest well4 ,it was at the foot of the cross that she bade adieu to her ,son2 there1 too1 must thou bravely stand by her side to say farewell to thine4 ,the virtue of the cross will strengthen thee as it strengthened her2 and when thy sacrifice is accomplished1 thou wilt find a balm for thy wounded heart by uniting it to the broken heart of ,jesus on the cross1 and of ,mary standing in its shade4 ,summoning the boy to her side1 she said1 ,my son1 ,i have a great secret to tell you4 ,i have hitherto concealed it1 because you were not old enough to understand its importance1 but now that you are becoming more sensible1 and that ,i am on the point of taking the step to which this great secret refers1 ,i can no longer hesitate to confide it to you4 ,when your father was taken from us1 ,god immediately inspired me with the resolution of forsaking the world and embracing the religious life4 ,i could not carry out this intention at once1 for you were too young to dispense with my care1 but now that this is no longer the case1 ,i must follow the call of ,god without farther delay4 ,i might have gone away without forewarning you1 for when salvation is in question1 as in the present instance1 ,god's command must absolutely be obeyed1 but to spare you a painful shock1 ,i determined to tell you my plans1 and ask your consent to their accomplishment4 ,god wishes this parting1 my son1 and if we love ,him we must wish it too4 ,if this separation afflicts you1 think of the great honour which the ,almighty does me in calling me to ,his service4 ,remember too what a happiness it will be for you to know henceforth that your mother is occupied day and night in praying for your salvation4 ,this being so1 will you not give me leave to obey ,god1 who commands me to go away8 ,awed and bewildered by the solemnity of the address1 the child could only say1 ,but ,i shall never see you again8 ,not so1 my son1 replied the courageous mother2 on the contrary1 you will see me whenever you like2 ,i am only going to the ,ursulines1 who you know live quite close1 and you can come to me there as often as you please4 ,in that case1 he said1 ,i am satisfied4 ,an oppressive weight seemed to have been taken from the mother's heart2 now she could breathe freely4 ,i should have found it very hard to part from you1 my child1 she said1 if you had refused1 because ,i do not like to give you pain1 but as you are contented1 ,i shall leave you tranquilly in the hands of ,god4 ,i bequeath to you no worldly wealth1 for as the ,lord is my inheritance1 so do ,i desire that ,he should be yours4 ,if you fear and love ,him1 you will be rich enough4 ,i entrust you to a heavenly ,mother who will amply make up to you for my loss1 for her power to serve you is far greater than mine4 ,love that dear ,mother1 the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary2 be faithful to her2 call on her as your ,mother2 turn to her in all your wants1 reminding her that you are her child1 and that she is bound to take care of your interests1 and be sure that she will never forsake you4 ,i have placed you in the charge of my sister1 who has promised me to love you and watch over you4 ,show her always the same affection and respect as you have shown me4 ,serve ,god faithfully2 keep his commandments2 love ,him1 and ,he will love you and provide for you in whatever position you may be placed4 ,adieu1 my son4 ,then she directed him to kneel at her feet1 and repressing every appearance of emotion1 calmly made the sign of the cross on his forehead1 and gave him her solemn blessing4 ,it was the last caress and the last farewell of this heroic woman to her only child2 henceforth he was to be the child of providence1 and she was to be as if his mother no more4 ,god1 jealous of her undivided love1 would admit no rival in her heart2 over that1 ,he designed to reign sole ,sovereign4 ,this most painful scene over1 the remaining trials seemed easy to bear4 ,she bade adieu to her weeping relatives1 and even to her aged father1 without betraying a symptom of the agony which rent her soul1 and then1 on the #beth of ,january1 the feast of the conversion of ,st4 ,paul1 in the year #afca1 she left her sister's house1 accompanied by numerous friends4 ,the little procession was headed by her niece whom she had asked to precede her with a crucifix1 the standard which she had ever so faithfully followed1 and to which she was now proving the truth of her allegiance by the severing of every human tie1 and the sacrifice of every human feeling4 ,at her side walked her little son1 silent and tearful1 but quiet and resigned4 ,she alone of the whole party manifested no agitation2 her step was firm2 her demeanour calm1 her countenance beaming as if with light from heaven4 ,yet the superhuman victory was not achieved without mortal anguish2 every tear of the weeping child at her side made her heart bleed afresh2 every sob seemed to lacerate her soul1 but she says1 in alluding afterwards to her emotions on the occasion1 ,much as ,i loved my son1 ,i loved my ,god far more4 ,at the door of the monastery1 she smilingly repeated her farewell to the child and the rest of the party1 and a moment after1 was joyfully and lovingly welcomed by the ,mother ,superior of the ,ursuline ,convent4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,saint ,,angela ,,and ,,the ,,ursulines4 ,it was in the sixteenth century that the ,ursuline ,order took its rise4 ,the epoch was one peculiarly disastrous in the ,church's history4 ,luther's heresy was working evil on a gigantic scale4 ,it had spread from nation to nation with the rapidity of a pestilential contagion1 blighting with its deadly venom all it touched1 and everywhere marking its progress by a wide track of spiritual ruin and desolation1 as well as of political anarchy and social disorganization4 ,each new success of its unholy work1 necessarily inflicted a new pang on the heart of the sorrowing ,spouse of ,christ4 ,day after day1 she had to weep afresh over some new profanation of her sanctuaries1 some new desertion of her faithless children1 some aggravated treason against her ,god4 ,nor was it only the ravages of heresy that she had to lament1 but perhaps still more1 the disloyalty of too many among her still nominal adherents4 ,while a vast number of her disciples revolted openly against her authority1 others who recognised it in words1 rejected it in practice4 ,where the light of faith had not been utterly extinguished1 the fire of charity had but too often cooled4 ,the lower classes were ignorant1 the better instructed careless2 both more or less indifferent4 ,worse than all1 the very guardians of the fold had in too many instances proved false to their sacred trust1 so intent on the advancement of their own worldly interests1 as to concern themselves very little for the protection of their perishing flocks4 ,the ever spreading torrent of corruption and infidelity1 looked1 as though in its fully gathered strength1 it might one day inundate the world4 ,where could an efficacious barrier be found to its farther progress8 ,the question was a momentous one1 involving the honour even of ,him who had given ,his life- blood to purchase the very souls of whom ,satan was thus making an easy prey4 ,all unknown to each other1 two faithful children of the mourning ,mother were just then occupied in studying the grand problem1 and both succeeded in discovering the solution4 ,yet a few years1 and they would give the world the practical result of their researches in the institution of their respective ,orders1 the ,jesuits and the ,ursulines4 ,with the latter1 the name of the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation is so closely interwoven1 that a few words on the rise and progress of the ,order1 naturally find a place in her biography4 ,saint ,angela ,merici1 the ,foundress of the ,ursulines1 was born on the #blst of ,march1 #adgd1 therefore was considerably advanced in life when ,luther took up arms against the ,church4 ,dezenzano1 her birth-place1 stands on the south-west bank of the picturesque ,lago di ,garda in the ,venetian ,states1 about seventeen miles from ,brescia4 ,it is ever the saints whom ,god employs to do ,his work1 and in the present instance1 neither the work nor the instrument was to be an exception to the rule4 ,angela entered on the path of sanctity almost at the same time as on the path of life1 and as she advanced in years1 kept ever redoubling her pace1 until at last she may be said to have flown1 rather than walked along the blessed way4 ,from her earliest days she evinced a dread of sin1 a love of prayer and solitude1 and an inclination for the severities of penance1 very unusual in children4 ,ever cherishing a supreme1 absorbing desire to live for ,god alone1 she perpetually added fuel to the heavenly fire by frequent communion1 prolonged prayer before the ,blessed ,sacrament1 and similar holy practices1 unhappily at that time but little observed4 ,after her admission to the ,third ,order of ,st4 ,francis1 she placed so little limit to her austerities1 that she might with strict truth have been called a living victim of perpetual penance4 ,her life became one almost unbroken fast1 and she was often known to pass a week at a time without any other food than the heavenly manna of daily communion4 ,to such perfection did she carry her spirit of poverty1 that after making the simple vow in the ,third ,order1 she would live only on alms1 taking her rest on a mat or a bundle of faggots1 with a stone for her pillow4 ,thus1 as years went on1 her ever increasing beauty of ,soul1 seemed even more than her remarkable external attractions1 to give literal significance to her name1--,angela1 the ,angel4 ,but her personal sanctification1 although her first1 was not her only aim4 ,god had called her to work for other souls as well as her own1 and her apostolic vocation began early to assert itself4 ,the deplorable decay of faith and piety among nominal ,christians of her day1 weighed heavily on her heart4 ,not content with simply lamenting the growing evil1 she longed for the power to check it4 ,but how could she8 ,how could a feeble woman arrest an impetuous torrent8 ,again and again she asked herself the question1 and again and again1 clearer than the heaven's light1 came the answer2--if the vices of the adult generation were traceable in a great degree to the want of early ,christian training--as who could doubt8--was it not manifest that the only check to the transmission of its irreligious spirit1 was the careful education of the young8 ,yes2 let the ignorant be taught1 and little by little ,god's work would be done4 ,success might at first be small1 but it would be certain4 ,each mind enlightened1 would be a heart converted1 and even one was worth labouring for4 ,the single child trained to piety1 would at a future day become a religious mother1 capable of imparting to her own family the holy impressions which she had herself received2 the circle of good would go on extending for ever1 and only ,god could see its final limits4 ,thus ,angela reasoned1 and without delay she determined to carry out her conclusions4 ,it was about her twenty-first year that she began her labour of zeal and love1 by assembling the little children of ,dezenzano for catechism1 and instructing a vast number of adults in the ,christian doctrine4 ,her assistants were four in number1 and like herself members of the ,third ,order of ,st4 ,francis4 ,it was but a diminutive plant that sprang at first from the seed then deposited in the garden of ,god1 but the blessing of the ,most ,high rested on the feeble seedling1 and in that divine sunshine it throve and grew1 until at last it expanded into a great tree1 of which the historian ,time can tell no tale1 save that although ages and storms have passed over it1 its heart is fresh1 its growth is steady1 and its roots are firm to-day1 as in the early years1 when sown by the hand1 and fostered by the care of ,angela1 it gave its young promise of luxuriance and stability4 ,though she did not live to witness the full realization of that promise1 she was permitted to foresee its accomplishment in a celestial vision granted her much about the period of the opening of her apostolate at ,dezenzano4 ,one day1 while praying with great earnestness for ,divine guidance1 a high ladder1 like that shown to ,jacob1 suddenly appeared before her4 ,one end of it rested on the ground1 the other touched the heavens4 ,down this ladder1 a resplendent band of virgins slowly descended1 moving two and two with perfectly regularity1 and accompanied by angels4 ,their number was very great2 their garments were rich2 their crowns were studded with gems of wondrous beauty1 and they sang a sweet canticle1 to which their angelic guardians responded in choir4 ,overwhelmed with astonishment1 she looked and listened1 utterly unable to comprehend the mystery4 ,at last she recognised in the procession a beloved companion recently deceased1 who told her to take courage1 for that she was the instrument chosen by the ,almighty to establish at ,brescia a society of virgins similar to those she then beheld4 ,the revelation was too convincing to leave room for doubt1 yet so profound was the saint's humility1 so deep her sense of her own unworthiness and incapacity1 that she permitted full forty year to pass without taking any decided measures for its accomplishment4 ,the vision1 however1 served to add new fire to her zeal for the ,divine honour1 and to intensify her already ardent love for her neighbour4 ,she became absolutely indefatigable in her efforts for the diffusion of religious instruction1 the reconciliation of enemies1 the consolation of the afflicted1 and the conversion of sinners1 sparing neither time1 fatigue1 nor even frequent journeys in furtherance of these and similar objects of charity2 working among the poor from preference1 but never refusing her help to those also of the better class who sought it4 ,but holy and profitable as was the work at ,dezenzano1 she knew all along that it was only preparatory to the greater work at ,brescia4 ,take courage1 ,angela1 said the prophecy1 for thou shall found a company of virgins such as these at ,brescia4 ,the prediction was explicit as to her future destiny1 but vague as to the period of fulfilment4 ,to that there might be still1 as there had already been1 a long delay1 but she believed that in ,his own time1 the ,almighty would provide for its accomplishment1 and for that time she waited tranquilly1 devoting herself meanwhile to her humble labours at ,dezenzano as entirely as if she had not known full well that ,dezenzano was not her ultimate destination4 ,and in ,his own time ,god did interpose4 ,by means apparently the most simple and natural1 his ever- watchful ,providence prepared the way at last for her removal to ,brescia1 using as its instruments1 two distinguished inhabitants of that city1 whose names her historians have handed down to us1 ,jerom ,patengola and his virtuous consort ,catherine4 ,it happened that this pious couple had some years before become acquainted with ,saint ,angela1 in one of their annual visits to their large estates near ,dezenzano1 and finding the intimacy highly conducive to their spiritual interests1 they had cultivated it assiduously4 ,in #aeaf1 it pleased ,god to deprive them in rapid succession of their only children1 two daughters1 in whom their hearts and earthly hopes were centred4 ,in the excess of their anguish1 they turned for comfort to their saintly friend1 beseeching her to come to them without delay4 ,they had been kind benefactors to her little society1 gratitude therefore1 as well as charity1 pleaded their cause with her sisters and her spiritual advisers1 who all agreed that such claims were irresistible4 ,looking on the decision as a manifestation of the ,divine will1 she accordingly left ,dezenzano where for twenty years she had pursued her mission of love1 and proceeded to ,brescia1 the city of the promise1 having first secured that the work at ,dezenzano should be continued by her sisters whom she intended to rejoin as soon as possible4 ,her visit to ,brescia proved a source not only of immense consolation to her sorrowing friends1 but of spiritual benefit to the whole city4 ,to win all to ,god by prayer1 instruction1 and example1 was still as ever1 the aim of her life4 ,attracted by the reputation of her sanctity1 as well as of her natural abilities and supernatural enlightenment1 persons of every rank came to her for advice1 and all withdrew benefited by her counsels1 filled with admiration of her wisdom1 and edified by her equally striking charity1 sweetness and humility4 ,it was about this period that she received an infused knowledge of ,latin1 which she could understand1 speak and translate without having learned it2 also of the holy ,scriptures1 on the most difficult passages of which she could comment with wonderful ease and unction4 ,her original intention had been1 as we have seen1 to return to ,dezenzano1 as soon as her work of charity in ,brescia was completed2 she had not however been long in the latter city1 when she became convinced that ,god willed her to remain there4 ,the memorable vision of bygone years had assuredly never at any time faded from her memory2 it must on the contrary have formed the constant subject of her communications with ,god1 but after her removal to ,brescia1 it pursued her with an almost painful persistence4 ,not once only1 but continuously1 uninterruptedly1 it stood before her in all the distinctness of its first vivid colouring1 and all the minuteness of its smallest details1 so that whatever her occupations1 alone or conversing with others1 in the church and in her room1 at all times and in all places1 she seemed ever to see the mysterious ladder with its glorious throng of gem-crowned virgins and dazzling angels2 she seemed ever to hear the words of the yet unrealized promise1 ,take courage1 ,angela1 for thou shalt found a company of virgins like to these at ,brescia4 ,concluding at last that this almost importunate voice from the past1 must be intended as a warning to guide her movements in the present1 she prayed with all the earnestness of her soul that the ,almighty would manifest ,his designs1 and enable her by ,his grace to carry them out most perfectly4 ,in answer to her prayer she clearly understood that ,god willed her to remain at ,brescia1 and she accordingly established herself in a retired lodging in the town1 there to continue her career of zeal and usefulness2--but many years more were to elapse before the foundation of her ,order4 ,pilgrimages to consecrated spots seem to have been one of her favourite practices of piety4 ,two years after her arrival at ,brescia1 she made one to the tomb of the ,venerable ,mother ,hosanna ,andreassi1 a religious of the ,order of ,st4 ,dominick2 who had lately died at ,mantua in the odour of sanctity4 ,six years later1 in #aebd1 her ardent love of our ,divine ,redeemer prompted her to undertake a journey of devotion to the ,holy ,land4 ,on the way1 ,god was pleased to test her love of the cross by a most severe affliction4 ,just as the vessel touched the port of ,canea in the island of ,candia1 which she was the first to discern1 she was in one instant struck with total blindness1 to the inexpressible sorrow and consternation of her companions4 ,the trial was a peculiarly painful one1 and it served to display the heroism of her virtue in a clearer light than ever4 ,she accepted it in the spirit of the saints1 and refusing the kind offers of her friends to accompany her back to ,italy1 she completed the journey to ,palestine1 now attended with so much additional difficulty4 ,in the ,holy ,land1 she redoubled her habitual most rigorous fasts and other austerities1 and as if to compensate for being denied a sight of the blessed places which she had come so far to see1 she poured out her heart's love over them with a seraphic fervour which sensibly affected the spectators4 ,on her journey homewards1 her patient submission was rewarded by the recovery of her sight at the very place where she had lost it4 ,this favour was granted her while she prayed with great devotion before a celebrated image of the ,crucifixion1 exposed to public veneration in one of the churches of the town4 ,after a narrow escape from shipwreck1 she reached ,venice1 and so strong was the impression of her sanctity produced in that city by the reports of her companion pilgrims1 that she was earnestly entreated to fix her abode there1 and take charge of some of its institutions of charity4 ,tempting as was the offer1 she resolutely declined it1 for she knew that ,god's will called her to ,brescia1 where after an absence of six months1 she returned1 to the great joy of the inhabitants4 ,but before again settling down to her old manner of life in this home of her adoption1 she had yet another journey of devotion to accomplish4 ,next to the consecrated land of ,palestine1 ,catholic ,rome had ever presented the strongest attractions to her faith and piety4 ,she longed to pray at the shrine of the ,princes of the ,apostles2 to kiss the soil1 bedewed with their blood1 and as a faithful daughter of the ,church1 to kneel at the feet of ,god's visible representative1 and beg his blessing on her projected work4 ,the publication of the great ,jubilee of #aebe1 by ,pope ,clement ,,vii41 supplied a fitting opportunity of carrying out her pious wishes4 ,in company with one of the numerous bands of pilgrims who thronged the ways1 she proceeded to the holy ,city1 and here1 not only had she the consolation of receiving the benediction of his ,holiness1 but she was honoured by an invitation from him to remain permanently at ,rome1 and accept the superintendence of some of the public institutions for the sick poor4 ,this offer she humbly declined like that at ,venice1 and for the same reasons1 and returning once more to ,brescia1 resumed her life of retirement1 mortification and charity4 ,at the end of nearly four years1 she was unexpectedly compelled to leave the city once again4 ,the ,duchy of ,milan was at this time passing through a severe political crisis4 ,it had long been the theatre of a disastrous struggle originating in the pretensions of the ,french ,kings1 ,louis ,,xii4 and ,francis ,i41 to the reversion of its crown1 and as a portion of the ,duchy1 ,brescia had been more or less involved in the troubles of the times4 ,in #aebi1 the date which we have reached1 the war had lasted for many years1 and with varied success2 ,louis and ,francis had each in turn won and lost the prize4 ,one ,duke of ,milan1 ,ludovico ,sforza1 had died a prisoner in ,france2 another1 ,maximilian1 had resigned his claim2 a third1 ,francis1 had fled from his dominions4 ,in #aebe1 ,francis ,i4 of ,france had been totally defeated at ,pavia by the confederate princes1 at the head of whom was the ,emperor ,charles ,v41 but this event had not pacified the distracted country1 as might have been hoped4 ,the victorious imperial troops continued to overrun the north of ,italy1 and serious apprehensions were entertained1 that in the flush of success1 they would lay siege to ,brescia4 ,rather than risk a renewal of the horrors of the first siege in #aeab1 many of the inhabitants determined to abandon the city without delay4 ,among others1 ,angela was induced to accompany a family of her acquaintance to the neighbouring town of ,cremona4 ,here she was visited as usual by numbers of persons of all conditions seeking advice or consolation1 and among others by the fugitive ,duke of ,milan1 ,francis ,sforza1 who in his reverses had sought an asylum at ,brescia1 and thence followed the refugees to ,cremona4 ,he had already met the saint during his stay at ,brescia1 and her gentle counsels had materially helped him to meet his afflictions in the spirit of ,christian resignation4 ,angela was happily instrumental to many signal conversions at ,cremona1 but her active career was suddenly arrested by an illness which brought her apparently to the gates of death4 ,there seemed little human probability that so utterly exhausted a frame could resist so violent a malady1 but she had yet a work to do1 and ardently as she sighed for her heavenly country1 her exile was to be prolonged until that work had been accomplished4 ,contrary to expectation1 she recovered under circumstances deemed miraculous1 and in thanksgiving for her wondrous restoration1 made a pilgrimage in company with other devout persons to a renowned sanctuary of our ,blessed ,lady in the environs4 ,on the conclusion of peace in #aecj1 she returned to ,brescia after six months' absence4 ,although in her humility and self-distrust she still shrank as much as ever from the responsibility of founding a religious ,order1 she could not conceal from herself that the time had come1 when1 for various reasons1 decisive measures should no longer be deferred4 ,urged onwards by the counsels of her director1 as well as by the voice of inspiration1 she therefore determined at last to take the definite1 though only preparatory step1 of assembling a few companions whom she could gradually initiate in her views and form to the intended institute4 ,accordingly1 about the end of the year #aecc1 she proposed to twelve pious ladies of the town to associate themselves with her in a life of prayer and good works1 to which they readily agreed4 ,she then explained to them the nature and object of the future foundation in which they would one day be expected to co-operate with her1 at the same time suggesting the necessity of a certain course of preliminary training under her personal direction4 ,with one accord they placed themselves wholly at the disposal of the saintly ,mother1 who devoted herself with all the ardour of her zeal to imbue them thoroughly with the true spirit of the holy state to which they aspired4 ,she allowed them to reside with their families as before1 but required that they should assemble every day in a common oratory for prayer and instruction1 and employ their time in the particular works of charity appointed at the daily meetings4 ,these were held at first in a room given to the saint by the ,canons of the ,church of ,st4 ,afra2 it adjoined the church1 which enabled her to spend a considerable portion of the night in prayer before the ,blessed ,sacrament4 ,being soon found too small for a general oratory1 a more commodious one was substituted through the generosity of a pious widow4 ,for two years more1 no farther progress was made4 ,angela was sixty-one1 and the prophetic vision of full forty years before1 was but a vision still4 ,when would it become a reality8 ,soon now1 for our ,lord ,himself was about to interpose1 and by mingled reproach and reproof1 to conquer the irresolution of ,his humble servant4 ,condescending to appear to her in person1 ,he reprimanded her for her hesitation1 thus at once overwhelming her with regret and confusion1 and dispelling every lingering shadow of doubt as to ,his designs4 ,a moment's hesitation after this would have seemed too long2 she commenced her preparations at once1 and on the feast of ,st4 ,catherine1 ,november #beth1 #aece1 just one year after the establishment of the ,society of ,jesus1 she inaugurated the infant institute at ,brescia4 ,on the same day1 she was joined by fifteen additional members1 making with the original twelve1 the twenty-seven pillars on which the edifice was to rest1 she being herself the foundation stone4 ,too humble to attach her own name to the ,congregation1 she decided on4 giving it that of the ,holy ,virgin and ,martyr ,st4 ,ursula1 who had previously appeared to her in a celestial vision1 and encouraged her to carry out her inspiration4 ,in the design of ,saint ,angela1 the life of the ,ursuline was to be a union of prayer and action4 ,she was to employ nearly as much time in the functions of ,mary as if belonging to the contemplative orders1 and to devote herself besides to the instruction of the ignorant1 and first1 and before all1 to the education of the young4 ,with these1 the duties forming her specific end1 she was to combine the special practices now attached to the ,sisters of ,charity4 ,considering the spiritual apathy then so generally prevalent1 it was not to be expected that persons needing instruction would go far to seek it1 therefore1 to adapt her work to the exigencies of the ages ,saint ,angela decided that instead of retiring within convent walls1 the members of the ,society should continue to live in their own homes1 whence they could more easily go in pursuit of the ignorant1 and where too they would have wider opportunities of1 doing good by the silent influence of example4 ,in these critical times1 said the holy ,foundress1 let us place models of virtue in the midst of the corrupt world itself1 and oppose living barriers to the ravages of heresy and the inroads of vice4 ,the ,sisters were to continue to meet at their oratory for spiritual exercises1 conferences1 and necessary business arrangements2 their dress was to be dark in colour and plain in texture1 but no particular form was made obligatory4 ,foreseeing the social changes which time would effect1 ,st4 ,angela with her characteristic prudence empowered the ,sisters to modify the manner of life now adopted1 as future circumstances might render it desirable4 ,she arranged in detail the internal organization of the ,society1 and her regulations bore ample evidence to her wisdom1 intelligence and heavenly enlightenment4 ,the ,rule drawn up by the holy ,foundress1 and accepted by the ,sisters1 received the unqualified approval of the ,bishop of ,brescia1 and on the #ahth of ,march1 #aecg1 she was unanimously elected first ,superior of the ,society1 notwithstanding her earnest petition to be allowed to labour until death in the lowest rank1 which she said was the only one suited to her4 ,it is a tradition among the ,ursulines1 that on the eve of the election1 the glorious ,st4 ,ursula again appeared to her during one of her frequent ecstasies1 and consoled her by the assurance that she had taken the institution under her special patronage1 that it was agreeable to ,god1 and that it would be perpetuated from age to age1 even to the end of the world4 ,in little more than a month after its foundation1 the number of the members had increased from twenty-seven to seventy-two1 all filled with the spirit of their holy ,mother2 all inflamed with liveliest zeal for the glory of ,god and the salvation of their neighbour4 ,they were to be seen teaching the ignorant1 relieving the poor1 visiting the prisons and hospitals1 and diffusing all around the good odour of ,jesus ,christ1 and so great was the veneration which the ,society inspired1 that it was usually designated as the holy ,company4 ,far from opposing1 the authorities both civil and ecclesiastical favoured its progress1 and the highest dignitaries of the city gladly assisted at the spiritual instructions given on certain days in the oratory of ,saint ,angela and her ,sisters4 ,the first great aim of the new ,superior was to train her fervent novices to perfection1 inspiring them with thorough detachment from the world1 an ardent desire of ,god's glory1 and a tender charity for their neighbour4 ,her second object was to procure the solemn approbation of the ,holy ,see for the ,society2 but this she did not live to receive1 having survived the foundation only three years4 ,in the spring of #aeci she gradually sank into a state of utter physical exhaustion1 which she correctly interpreted as a certain1 though not1 perhaps1 an immediate1 forerunner of dissolution4 ,she lingered until the commencement of the following year1 when1 increased debility warning her that the end could not be far distant1 she summoned the leading members of the ,society to receive her last counsels4 ,happily the golden words had been previously committed to writing1 and thus the treasure has descended to her spiritual daughters of all generations4 ,she concluded her impressive advice to the ,directresses by making them the bearers of her final farewell to all the ,sisters4 ,tell them1 she said1 that ,i shall ever be in the midst of them1 and that ,i shall know them better1 and help them more efficaciously1 after my departure1 than when on earth4 ,tell them not to grieve at our temporary separation1 but to look forward to our meeting in heaven1 where ,jesus reigns4 ,let them raise their hearts and hopes to that blessed home1 high above this passing world1 seeking their ,treasure and their ,friend in ,jesus alone1 who sits at the right hand of the ,father in the kingdom of eternal peace4 ,her ,last ,testament1 as it was called1 was addressed to the ,sisters in general1 and reserved by her own direction to be read to them after her death4 ,as a compendium of her lessons of holiness1 and an effusion of her sweet spirit of charity1 it may well be considered a legacy worthy of such a ,mother4 ,it concludes by the consoling declaration that the ,society is assuredly the work of the hand of the ,most ,high1 who will never abandon that work while time endures4 ,and now the earthly task of the dying saint was accomplished4 ,after lingering yet a few days among her sorrowing children1 she received the last rites of the ,church in presence of the whole ,ursuline family1 numbering one hundred and fifty members1 and1 after the solemn ceremony1 exhorted them to charity1 obedience1 humility1 observance of rule and love of ,god4 ,o ,jesus6 she said in conclusion1 bless this company of virgins irrevocably consecrated to ,thy service4 ,grant that as they increase in numbers1 they may also grow in grace1 in fervour and in wisdom before ,thee and before ,thy servants4 ,at her own desire she had been clothed in the habit of the ,third ,order of ,st4 ,francis1 and that she might die in the practice of her beloved poverty1 she had herself removed1 tradition says1 from the poor bed she had occupied in her illness1 to the rush mat on the ground which had formed her ordinary resting-place in health4 ,her dying words were fervent acts of the theological virtues1 but she seemed to dwell1 by preference1 on the act of charity1 returning to it continually4 ,yes1 my ,god1 ,i love ,thee6 she said4 ,why cannot ,i love ,thee infinitely8 ,holy ,virgin6 ,blessed ,spirits3 lend me your hearts to love ,jesus4 ,how long shall ,i be banished from ,thy presence1 ,o ,lord8 ,who will give me wings to fly to ,thee1 the only ,object of my love8 ,break the chains of my captivity4 ,receive the soul which languishes for ,thee2 which can no longer live without ,thee4 ,then1 with ,jesus on the cross1 she exclaimed1 ,father1 into ,thy hands ,i commend my spirit6 ,they were her last words1 no sooner spoken than she gave up her soul to ,god--peacefully1 says her historian1 as a child composing itself to sleep in its mother's arms4 ,she died on the #bgth of ,january1 #aedj1 at half-past nine in the evening1 aged sixty-six or sixty-seven4 ,her precious remains repose in the ,church of ,st4 ,afra1 at ,brescia1 and are in a state of wonderful preservation4 ,they are clothed in the brown habit of ,st4 ,francis1 with its white cord4 ,the apartment in which she breathed her last has been kept with religious veneration in exactly the same condition as when she occupied it during life1 except for the introduction of a few engravings representing the principal events of her history4 ,on the wall1 opposite the window1 is an inscription1 in gilt letters1 to the following effect3--,this poor room was the resort of the most learned theologians and the most gifted ecclesiastics1 who departed from their conferences with ,st4 ,angela1 amazed at the lights which she had communicated to them4 ,her portrait1 preserved at ,brescia1 and said to be a true likeness1 is of great beauty2 it was taken after death4 ,her statue at ,st4 ,peter's occupies the first niche on the upper row at the left of the ,confession of ,st4 ,peter4 ,although of colossal dimensions1 its elevated position apparently reduces it to life-size4 ,it is a common tribute of love and veneration from all her children throughout the world4 ,the name of ,angela was enrolled on the catalogue of the saints in #ahjg by ,pope ,pius ,,vii4 ,in the foregoing outline of her history1 no attempt has been made to portray the beauty of that inner life1 which is to the saint what the perfume is to the rose4 ,many elaborate works have already done justice to the subject1 which does not enter into a passing notice like the present1 intended only to trace to its origin the ,order illustrated by the virtues of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 as well as of its holy ,foundress4 ,on the #ith of ,june1 #aedd1 ,pope ,paul ,,iii4 granted a ,bull approving and confirming the ,institution of ,st4 ,angela1 but1 as already noticed1 she had then been called to her reward4 ,after her death1 the institute spread rapidly through many towns of ,italy4 ,among the first to adopt it was ,dezenzano1 the scene of her early labours4 ,in ,milan1 especially1 it found an efficacious patron and protector in the great ,st4 ,charles ,borromeo1 to whose zeal it is immensely indebted4 ,in #aefh he introduced it into his diocese1 where it spread so wonderfully that1 in the capital alone1 it counted eighteen houses and six hundred sisters4 ,we have seen that the saintly ,foundress gave an anticipated sanction1 for such modifications of the primitive ,rule as might be found necessary in the practical development of the great work which she had lived to establish1 but not to perfect4 ,the first modification was introduced by ,st4 ,charles4 ,anxious to consolidate a work whose utility to the ,church he clearly foresaw1 he procured from ,pope ,gregory ,,xiii4 a ,bull renewing and ratifying the first approval of the ,rule1 authorizing ,ursulines to make the three simple vows after a probation of one or two years1 and permitting them to live in community4 ,he also organized the schools1 and introduced a mitigated form of cloister1 the ,sisters not being allowed to leave the house without a particular permission4 ,this branch of the ,society is known as the ,congregation of ,milan4 ,but although the ,ursuline ,order took its rise in ,italy1 its perfect development is to be sought in ,france1 a country connected with the name of its glorious ,patroness1 ,st4 ,ursula1 as ,italy is identified with that of its blessed ,foundress1 ,st4 ,angela4 ,it was to the ,french shores that the royal maiden was steering her course when she and her retinue fell into the hands of the savage ,huns1 and1 in defending the crown of their virginity1 won1 in addition1 the diadem of martyrs4 ,here1 then1 we naturally expect to find a numerous company rallying round the standard of ,st4 ,ursula and ,st4 ,angela2 nor are we disappointed4 ,before the great ,revolution1 ,france numbered fully three hundred and sixty houses of the ,order2 many of those then suppressed1 have not been restored1 yet she still counts at least one hundred and thirty1 and it is her especial boast that1 while in other lands the ,ursuline has lived and laboured for her ,master's cause1 here she has not only lived and laboured1 but died a martyr's death for it4 ,the first house of ,french ,ursulines was established at ,avignon in #aeid by two ladies named ,de ,bermond4 ,this branch of the ,society1 known as the ,congregation of ,avignon1 adopted the ,rules of the ,congregation of ,milan1 and quickly spread through other parts of ,provence4 ,a few years later1 the ,institute of ,st4 ,angela was introduced into ,paris by ,madame ,acarie1 now venerated as the saintly ,carmelite1 ,blessed ,mary of the ,incarnation4 ,though not the second foundation in order of date1 the ,paris house occupies a prominent position in the annals of the ,ursulines1 as their first monastery4 ,as we have already more than once observed1 the ,sisters were not originally cloistered1 bound by vows or monastic observances1 or even irrevocably consecrated to their manner of life1 but the time was come when by the adoption of these essential obligations1 the ,society1 as ,st4 ,angela herself had called it1 would receive its full development by being converted into a regular monastic ,order4 ,this alteration in the form1 changed nothing in the substance of the ,saint's original institution4 ,whether a member of a simple confraternity1 or of a religious order in the restricted meaning of the word1 the ,ursuline was at all times equally bound to devote her life to the instruction of the young1 and to work out her own sanctification by the practice of the evangelical counsels4 ,the instrument of the great work in question was ,madame ,st4 ,beuve1 a pious and wealthy widow1 who at the request of her relative1 ,madame ,acarie1 consented to accept the title and responsibilities of ,foundress of the house at ,paris1 on the express understanding that it should in due time be formed into a monastery4 ,in this object she finally succeeded to her entire satisfaction4 ,the reigning ,pontiff1 ,paul ,v41 approved the design1 and on the #afth of ,june1 #afab1 issued a ,bull converting the ,congregation into a ,monastery1 under the patronage of ,st4 ,ursula and the rule of ,st4 ,augustine4 ,his ,holiness1 moreover1 ordained that for the greater stability of the order1 the religious should add to the three ordinary solemn vows1 a fourth of the instruction of the young4 ,the ,bull of ,pope ,paul ,v4 was confirmed in #afbf by ,urban ,,viii4 ,the convent in ,paris1 so interesting to ,ursulines from its associations1 le grand couvent de ,st4 ,jacques1 as it was called from its locality1 was among those destroyed in the first ,revolution1 but1 by an inscrutable permission of ,divine ,providence1 it is not among those restored4 ,still1 even in its ruins1 it not only lives in the hearts of ,ursulines1 but may be said actually to survive in its numerous foundations and their offshoots4 ,between its establishment in #afab1 and the death of its venerated ,foundress in #afcj1 eleven houses of the ,congregation had sprung up in the north of ,france4 ,its subsequent diffusion was equally satisfactory4 ,congregations of ,ursulines were established at ,bordeaux and ,lyons1 under the respective dates #afje and #afaa1 and1 within a few years after their foundation1 were erected into ,monastic ,orders by ,pope ,paul ,v42 from these1 numerous filiations have also sprung4 ,there are other ,congregations of ,ursulines1 but the three named are the most numerous4 ,although the spirit and the essential end of ,ursulines are in all cases the same1 the various ,congregations differ more or less on certain points1 and each retains the name which distinguishes it from the others4 ,notwithstanding the suppression of numbers of its houses1 the ,order of ,st4 ,angela now registers about three hundred1 the greater portion in ,europe1 some in ,oceanica1 and a large number in ,america4 ,the history of the ,mother of the ,incarnation will shortly introduce us to the first in the ,new ,world4 ,of late years1 the old tree seems to have renewed its vitality1 so vigorously is it putting forth fresh branches4 ,in ,belgium alone1 thirty houses have been founded by one priest in our own times2 and although1 unhappily1 the work of suppression has been steady in ,germany1 the dispossessed communities have not perished1 but only removed to other countries4 ,the increase of devotion to ,st4 ,angela keeps pace in our day with the extension of her ,order4 ,pope ,pius ,,ix41 of revered and cherished memory1 gave a considerable impetus to this devotion1 by raising the saint's festival to a higher ritual rank1 permitting the universal celebration of her office1 and proclaiming her the ,patroness of ,christian mothers1 and the ,protectress of young girls4 ,the establishment of the arch- confraternity which bears her name1 has greatly contributed to the same end4 ,it was commenced at ,blois in #ahfc by the ,abb ,richaudeau1 a zealous patron of the ,order1 and is widely spread wherever ,ursulines are to be found4 ,its objects are the honour of the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary1 the triumph of the ,church1 the deliverance of the suffering souls in purgatory1 and the extension of the work of ,st4 ,angela by word and example1 or the apostolate of woman4 ,it is enriched with indulgences1 and the holy sacrifice of the ,mass is offered on the first ,tuesday of every month for the associates4 ,during the three and a half centuries of its existence1 the ,ursuline ,order is calculated to have given to the ,church more than one hundred thousand religious1 by whom multitudes of young girls of every grade have been trained to piety4 ,only the angels have kept the record of the multitude of saints whom it has given to heaven1 some bearing the palm branches of victorious martyrs1 all clad in virgin robes1 and swelling the celestial canticle which only the ,spouses of the ,lamb are privileged to sing4 ,,second ,,period1 #afca-afci4 ,,her ,,religious ,,life ,,in ,,france4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,sister ,,mary ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation1 ,,an ,,ursuline ,,novice4--,,virtues ,,and ,,trials ,,of ,,her ,,novitiate4--,,third ,,vision ,,of ,,the ,,blessed ,,trinity4--,,her ,,clothing4 ,marie ,guyart was in her thirty-first year when she commenced her career as an ,ursuline4 ,even without her own testimony1 we could easily have understood1 that after her long and severe probation4 in the world1 the novitiate of religion must have appeared to her like a very heaven of peace4 ,she compared her entrance into the sanctuary to the opening of the gate of a terrestrial paradise1 and dwelt with holy joy on the happiness of having exchanged a life of embarrassment1 responsibility1 and care1 for the blessed condition of a simple novice1 whose only affair is to sanctify her soul by the observance of her rule4 ,it was not long before her superiors had an opportunity of testing her virtue1 and satisfying themselves that it was genuine4 ,she had been for years accustomed1 as we have seen1 to the severest rigours of corporal mortification1 but1 having now embraced community life1 in which singularities even in devotion are inadmissible1 it had become necessary to restrict her penances to those in ordinary practice4 ,to persons unacquainted with her spirit1 the question may naturally have occurred1 whether it would cost her much thus to alter the whole tenor of her external life1 and submit unconditionally to the rule in the matter of austerities1 as of all else4 ,but those who knew her well could have predicted1 that as attachment to her own will and judgment had never mingled1 however slightly1 with her penitential works1 she would renounce them1 in compliance with the ,divine will1 as readily as she had embraced them from the same motive--and so it was4 ,knowing that the sacrifice of obedience is more acceptable to ,god than the sacrifice of victims1 she at once submitted1 not only without a remonstrance or a hesitation1 but even without a thought or a feeling contrary to the will of her superiors1 thus early establishing her religious perfection on the solid virtues of humility and obedience1 its only secure foundation4 ,a great love for common life became henceforth one of the marked characteristics of her spirit as a religious1 and1 except either by the actual direction1 or with the immediate sanction of authority1 she never to the end of life departed from its rules4 ,in her later instructions1 she remarks1 that in good works of our own selection1 there is generally a mingling of the human spirit1 and1 therefore1 a proportionate deficiency of the ,spirit of ,god1 whereas in the observance of the established ordinances of religious life1 there is no room for the intrusion of the human spirit1 seeing that the will is not free to choose between them1 but must simply submit to each and all without distinction4 ,although in every respect so superior to her sister novices1 she took her place among them with a sweet1 child-like simplicity that charmed and edified all who witnessed it4 ,forgetting her age1 her talents1 her experience1 her profound knowledge of the spiritual life1 and her extraordinary communications with ,god1 she conversed with1 and accommodated herself to the youngest sisters as if she had really been the least1 and the most ignorant of them all4 ,it was her delight to apply to them for information regarding the practices and ceremonies of religion2 she was always pleased and grateful when they taught her something new1 and ever ready to admit her ignorance and apologise for her mistakes4 ,it was but natural that her mature years and her reputation for sanctity should have elicited a certain degree of deference from her youthful companions1 but nothing confused her more than any external manifestation of the feeling4 ,the more her sisters would have distinguished her1 the more she tried to pass unnoticed in the crowd1 and far from considering herself an example to the others1 she was never tired of admiring their spirit of self-denial and exactitude to regular observance1 which she looked on as a lesson to herself4 ,she made it her especial study to carry out even the least direction public or private1 of her mistress of novices1 the perfection of the accompanying interior spirit elevating these trivial acts to the height of sublime virtue4 ,while her external life exhibited in every feature a living model of that beautiful work of grace1 a perfect novice1 her heart was filled with so deep a joy1 that it almost seemed to her as if no trouble could reach her more2 no storm ever break on the peaceful haven to which the hand of ,god had at last guided her4 ,but it was not so2 the cross was her portion1 and even now1 its shadow flung itself across the sunbeams4 ,it happened that after giving her up so bravely1 her little son repented of his heroism1 instigated to rebellion by various persons who persuaded him that he had done a very foolish thing in permitting his mother to become a nun1 and that he ought to go boldly to the monastery1 and demand her restoration1 an advice which he was not slow to adopt4 ,the new building being at that time in progress1 his plan was much facilitated1 for the doors were left open for the workmen1 and thus he easily managed to enter the otherwise inaccessible inclosure1 making his way1 now to the choir1 now to the refectory1 now to the parlour grate1 and everywhere announcing his presence by the plaintive cry1 ,give me back my mother6 ,give me back my mother6 ,she tried to appease his childish grief by little presents given her for the purpose1 but the tempest was allayed for the moment1 only to burst out afresh with renewed vigour4 ,once a relative of hers wrote some pathetic verses on the desolate condition of the forsaken child1 and gave them to him to present to his mother2 she read them with exterior composure1 but every word pierced her heart4 ,his companions1 who loved and pitied him1 determined at last to take the law into their own hands4 ,it is because you have no mother1 they said1 that you are deprived of the indulgences and gratifications which we enjoy1 but come with us to the convent1 and we shall make such a terrible noise1 that they will be forced to give you back yours4 ,we shall insist on getting her1 even if we have to break down the doors4 ,forthwith the self-constituted champions formed in battle array1 and armed1 some with sticks and some with stones1 they proceeded to besiege the monastery1 if not strictly according to the rules of war1 at least with resolute hearts determined never to yield until the fortress had surrendered4 ,many of the spectators laughed as the belligerents passed along2 many more looked grave and applauded the children's spirit4 ,great was the clamour when the little army reached the monastery1 but the inmates were not left long in ignorance of the object of the invasion1 for high above the din and uproar rose the familiar cry of a now well-known voice1 ,give me back my mother6 ,for once1 that much tried mother's courage almost faltered4 ,immovable in her own resolution to make her sacrifice to ,god at the expense of every feeling of nature1 she feared that the forbearance of the sisters must be by this time exhausted1 and that rather than submit to continual disturbance from her son1 they would recommend her to return to the world1 and resume the care of him1 which she says would have been very reasonable on their part1 but an inexpressible trial to her4 ,we are not told by what arguments the doughty warriors were induced to abandon the siege2 all we know is that the fortress surrendered neither itself nor its saintly inmate1 whom our ,lord ,himself soon after consoled and fortified by an interior assurance that notwithstanding all obstacles1 she would make her religions profession in this house4 ,her troubles about the child were not yet1 however1 at an end4 ,before her entrance to the convent he had been remarkably good and docile1 but now1 so completely had his temper been soured by the irritating remarks of injudicious advisers1 that he had grown idle1 self-willed and absolutely reckless4 ,this was the worst pang of all2 she dreaded more than any other misfortune1 that of his offending ,god2 the news of his death would have been a light sorrow in comparison4 ,to avert this greatest of evils1 she offered herself as a victim to the ,almighty1 consenting to endure any suffering it might please ,him to inflict1 provided only her boy were preserved from sin4 ,the contract was ratified in heaven1 and it bore its fruits on earth2 fruits of sorrow to the mother1 of future sanctification to the son4 ,some time after1 at the request of the ,archbishop of ,tours the ,jesuits agreed to take charge of the child1 and removed him to their ,college at ,rennes4 ,those who had most severely censured his mother1 now altered their opinion1 and declared that in the step she had taken1 she had but obeyed the voice of ,god4 ,about two months after her entrance to the novitiate1 ,marie ,guyart was admitted to another of those supernatural communications1 which the ,almighty seemed to delight in imparting to her pure and humble soul4 ,it was a third vision of the most adorable ,trinity1 differing from the two preceding in this1 that while in the first1 she had been illuminated as to the nature of the mystery and in the second1 closely united in heart to the ,word1 in this1 her soul was chosen as the abode and possession of the three ,divine ,persons1 in highest fulfilment of the promise of ,christ1 ,if any man love me1 he will keep my word1 and my ,father will love him1 and we will come to him1 and will make our abode with him 7,st4 ,john xiv4 #bc74 ,it was the greatest favour she had yet received1 as our ,lord was pleased to signify to her4 ,while it elevated her to new heights of love for a ,god of such infinite condescension1 it lowered her1 as did all similar graces to deeper depths of self-contempt and interior annihilation1 with an increased desire to prove her love for her ,divine ,benefactor by suffering for ,him ever more and more4 ,a few days after this ecstasy1 she received the holy habit1 and with it1 the now well-known and widely revered name of ,mary of the ,incarnation4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,infused ,,knowledge ,,of ,,scripture4--,,interior ,,sufferings4--,,religious ,,profession4--,,new ,,trials ,,from ,,her ,,son4 ,so great was the joy of the fervent novice at finding herself clad in the livery of her ,divine ,master1 that she tells us she at first sometimes instinctively touched her veil to make sure that her happiness was no delusive dream4 ,proportioned to her gratitude1 was her fidelity to her heavenly ,spouse4 ,the only change observable in her after she had received the habit1 was a daily progress in the perfection of which she was destined to be so bright a model to religious persons4 ,her virtues she could not conceal for they betrayed themselves by their own sweet fragrance4 ,neither could her humility altogether hide certain supernatural privileges1 granted her perhaps as much for the benefit and comfort of others1 as for her own advantage4 ,among these were an infused knowledge of ,holy ,scripture1 the capability of understanding it in ,latin without previous study of the language1 and a singular facility for speaking on spiritual subjects4 ,so familiar was she with the ,scripture1 that its words of life seemed to occur to her quite naturally on all occasions4 ,whether her object was to lighten the burden of the suffering1 or to brighten the joy of the happy1 she was never at a loss for some appropriate sentence whereby to recall the thought of ,him who is the only true ,comforter of our sorrows1 as well as the only unfailing ,source of our bliss4 ,it was in prayer1 not by study1 that she acquired her truly wonderful acquaintance with the ,sacred ,writings4 ,in the fulness of the light imparted by the ,divine ,instructor1 she was enabled to penetrate so far beyond the literal meaning1 alone apparent to ordinary readers of the inspired words1 that she sometimes feared lest the abundance of knowledge should lead to curious speculations of the understanding1 and that her union with ,god in simplicity of soul1 might in consequence be even slightly impeded1--but the dread of such a danger was necessarily a security against it4 ,she had a very particular devotion to the ,divine ,office1 and in her trials of interior desolation1 sometimes found in the chanting of the ,psalms1 a relief and consolation which no other exercise could impart4 ,very truly might she have exclaimed with the ,psalmist1 ,how sweet are ,thy words to my palate6 more than honey to my mouth4 ,o how have ,i loved ,thy law1 ,o ,lord6 7cxviii4 #ajc1 #ig74 ,a sister novice once asked her to explain the passage of the ,canticles1 ,let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth1 which she had happened to meet in her prayer-book4 ,their mistress was present1 and to mortify her1 as she declared1 ordered her to take a chair and proceed4 ,no sooner had she commenced1 as desired1 than her subject transported her as it were out of herself4 ,a torrent of sacred eloquence flowed from her heart to her lips4 ,she spoke with a fluency than amazed her hearers1 and at the same time1 with an unction that penetrated1 and a charm that fascinated them4 ,suddenly she stopped1 as if the remainder of the effusion were meant to be reserved for the ear of her ,lord alone4 ,her sisters dared not interrupt the colloquy1 which only the angels were privileged to hear4 ,but this ray from ,thabor1 served as usual but to light her back to her ordinary abiding place on ,calvary4 ,again her soul was plunged into an apparently fathomless abyss of desolation1 and inundated as by a deluge of temptations2 temptations to despair and blasphemy2 temptations to pride and vanity2 temptations against faith1 against charity1 against obedience1 and against the angelic virtue1--sometimes assailing her one by one1 sometimes overwhelming her all at once4 ,she was in constant apprehension of having consented to the enemy's most extravagant and most impious suggestions4 ,the passing comfort which she derived from her director's counsels1 was counteracted by the after dread of having deceived him4 ,even this1 her only sensible succour1 was taken from her when she seemed to need it most1 ,dom ,raymond of ,st4 ,bernard1 who had helped her through so many difficulties2 being appointed ,superior of his ,order1 and obliged in consequence to change his residence4 ,the spiritual guide into whose hands she nest fell1 increased her perplexities by assuring her that she had hitherto been ill-advised1 and pronouncing her heavenly favours delusions4 ,finally1 as the climax to her trials1 she seemed to have lost trust in the superintendence of ,providence1 that strong anchor of the troubled soul4 ,it was the most painful form in which despair had yet assailed her1 and as an apparent encroachment on one of the attributes of ,god1 the supreme ,object of her love1 it caused her intense affliction4 ,if she could but have bathed her soul in the dew of ,divine consolation at prayer1 how much it would have refreshed her6 ,but she seemed to feel only a loathing for the things of ,god2 meditation1 in particular1 had become her torture1 for it appeared as if there especially1 the torrent of temptation was let loose4 ,her understanding was obscured1 her memory for spiritual things weakened1 her imagination troubled1 her heart sad4 ,from the constant strain on4 her mind1 and the unceasing struggle to do violence to nature1 she contracted an habitual headache which added to the difficulty of her external duties1 yet through all her multiplied troubles1 she never lost either the view of ,god's presence1 or her interior peace2 she never formed a desire for the diminution of her crosses1 nor ever omitted any observance of rule1 and so admirable was her self-control1 that only the ,mother ,superior and her director were aware of her state of mental anguish4 ,her one only aim was to maintain her patience2 to avoid every deliberate imperfection1 and to conform to the will of ,god even without the sensible support of knowing that she did so4 ,the terrible interior trial lasted for more than two years almost without intermission1 and then the ,divine ,consoler of the afflicted came ,himself to her aid4 ,as she prayed before the ,blessed ,sacrament with entire abandonment of her will to the will of ,god1 she seemed interiorly to hear the words1 ,they that sow in tears shall reap in joy 7,ps4 cxxv4 #e74 ,she had never before1 she says1 understood the whole import of those words1 although in the daily habit of repeating them in choir1 bat now they struck her with their full force1 revealing to her for the first time1 hitherto hidden springs of encouragement and consolation4 ,the cross was not removed1 it is true1 but a great increase of esteem and love for it was imparted to her4 ,thus strengthened1 she embraced it with her whole heart1 satisfied to bear it to the last moment of existence1 if thus she could at last attain the eternal joy to which those blessed words pointed1 as to a star of hope illumining the close of life's long path of tears4 ,the cross was not removed1 but it was so far lightened by her love for it1 that in her renewed courage she could say with heart1 as with lips1 ,thy yoke1 ,o ,lord1 is sweet1 and ,thy burden light6 ,i am not tired of suffering1 my ,god6 ,i am not tired of suffering6 ,as the time for pronouncing her vows drew near1 she fully expected that her sisters would reject her1 on account of her numerous imaginary disqualifications1 but conscious only of possessing in her a treasure of virtue1 and a precious gift from heaven1 they gladly admitted her to holy ,profession on the #beth of ,january1 #afcc3 she was then in the thirty-third year of her age4 ,on the eve1 her interior sufferings vanished as if by magic1 giving place to indescribable raptures of ,divine love and heavenly sweetness4 ,after the ceremony1 she retired to her cell to give vent unobserved to the ecstasies of her joy and gratitude1 and there it was revealed to her1 that henceforth she must incessantly fly in ,god's presence on the six wings of her three vows1 and of the virtues of faith1 hope and love4 ,this respite from the cross is compared by one of the writers of her life1 to the clearing of the sky between two storms2 it lasted but eight days1 and then the tempest burst forth afresh and with redoubled violence4 ,she might perhaps have doubted the reality of her vanished joy1 had it not left a substantial trace in her renewed ardour for the cross1 and her heightened aspiration after the perfection of utter detachment from self and every creature4 ,the sermons of the following ,lent were preached in the cathedral of ,tours by a ,jesuit of great eminence1 ,father ,george de la ,haye1 with whose saintly and enlightened spirit the ,ursulines were well acquainted1 from his frequent exhortations to themselves4 ,full of compassion1 for the prolonged sufferings of ,sister ,mary of the ,incarnation1 the ,mother ,superior was inspired by her own charity to procure her an opportunity of conferring with this experienced director4 ,before forming a conclusive judgment on her state1 he required to see a written account of the graces she had received through life1 and of the manner of her correspondence with them4 ,the humble servant of ,god consented to prepare it1 on condition that she should at the same time be allowed to write a confession of all her sins and imperfections4 ,such was the origin of the first account of her life by herself1 so frequently referred to in these pages4 ,after mature consideration of the document1 and fervent prayer for the light of heaven1 the ,father assured her unhesitatingly that her method of prayer had been inspired by ,god1 and that she had all along been guided by ,his ,spirit alone1 a decision which filled her soul with indescribable peace4 ,shortly afterwards1 her interior trials were instantaneously and totally removed4 ,summing up the advantages of these at a later period1 she says that they are a source of self-knowledge and a stimulus to self-correction2--that in the abundance of spiritual consolation1 the soul is carried on by an ardour which she mistakes for virtue1 whereas1 when the inferior part is deprived of all sensible succour1 she discovers that she is full of human life and feeling1 which she must begin at last in real earnest to mortify and crush4 ,viewing interior suffering in this light1 she conceived so great a love for it1 that if permitted to choose between spiritual enjoyment1 and her multiplied most bitter crosses1 she tells us she would have selected the cross4 ,shortly before her ,profession1 she had the great grief of hearing that in consequence of her son's recent insubordination1 his removal from the college at ,rennes had become inevitable4 ,one of his aunts accordingly brought him back to ,tours1 where removed from the influence which had led him astray1 he quickly reformed4 ,to complete his mother's obligations to ,father de la ,haye1 that good religious charged himself with the boy's future education1 and with that object took him to ,orleans1 where under his own immediate direction the child continued his studies up to the class of rhetoric4 ,this he was sent to follow at ,tours in a ,jesuit college lately founded1 and then ,father de la ,haye recalled him once more to ,orleans for the completion of his course of philosophy4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,mother ,,mary ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation ,,is ,,appointed ,,assistant ,,mistress ,,of ,,novices--,,prophetic ,,vision ,,of ,,her ,,vocation ,,to ,,canada--,,spiritual ,,maxims ,,and ,,instructions4 ,in the second year after her profession1 ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation was appointed assistant ,mistress of novices1 a striking proof of the high estimation in which she was held by her superiors4 ,much about the same time1 she had the remarkable vision of her vocation for ,canada1 which she thus describes4 ,one night1 after conversing familiarly with our ,lord2 as usual1 before falling asleep1 ,i seemed as in a dream to see a strange lady in a secular dress standing near me4 ,her presence surprised me extremely1 as ,i could not imagine how she had come to my room4 ,taking her by the hand1 ,i led her from the house in great haste1 through a very rugged1 fatiguing road1 without knowing in the least where it was that ,i wanted to conduct her1 or of course the way to our destination4 ,we advanced steadily through multiplied obstacles1 until at last we came to an inclosed space1 at the entrance of which stood a venerable looking man clothed in white1 and resembling the ordinary representations of the ,apostles4 ,he was the guardian of the place1 and motioned to us to enter1 signifying by a gesture that we had no alternative but to pass through1 this being the only road on our way4 ,it was an enchanting spot2 the pavement appeared to be composed of squares of white marble or alabaster1 united by richly coloured bands of brilliant red2 its only roof was the canopy of heaven2 its greatest ornament and charm the stillness which reigned around4 ,to the left1 at some distance1 was a beautiful little white marble church1 with a seat on the top occupied by the ,blessed ,virgin holding her ,divine ,infant4 ,from the eminence on which we stood1 we could see a vast region beneath1 thickly interspersed with mountains and valleys1 and covered with a heavy mist in every part except one1 the site of a small church4 ,the ,mother of ,god was gazing fixedly at this desolate land to which there was access only through one rough narrow path2 she looked as immovable as the marble on which she was seated4 ,i relinquished the hand of my companion to hasten to her1 stretching out my arms eagerly towards her4 ,her back was to me1 but ,i could see that as ,i approached1 she bent to her ,divine ,child1 to whom1 without speaking1 she communicated something important4 ,i felt as if she were directing his attention to this poor1 forsaken country and to me1 and ,i longed to attract her notice4 ,then with ravishing grace1 she turned to me1 and sweetly smiling1 embraced me in silence4 ,a second and a third time1 she repeated the same movements1 filling my soul at each new embrace with an unction which no words can describe4 ,she looked about sixteen years of age4 ,i could never depict the enchanting beauty and sweetness of her countenance4 ,my companion was standing at the distance of two or three steps1 as if preparing to descend to the forlorn-looking land1 and from where she stood1 she had a side view of the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,i awoke with an impression of extraordinary peace which lasted some days1 but the vision was yet a mystery whose meaning ,i could not divine4 ,a grand work of zeal lay before the ,mother1 but until it should please ,god to reveal ,his future designs1 her aim was to acquit herself perfectly of the duties assigned her by providence in the present moment4 ,the most important of these was to form the novices to religious life by conferences on its spirit and its obligations1 and at the same time to prepare them for the special function of the ,ursuline institute1 by instructions on the ,christian doctrine4 ,she had a natural facility for expressing her thoughts on every subject1 but when spiritual things were her theme1 she surpassed herself1 her abundant and most appropriate quotations from ,scripture adding immeasurably to the weight of her words4 ,her talent for writing on pious subjects equalled her facility for speaking of them4 ,it was while second ,mistress of novices1 that she composed her catechism1 one of the most complete works of its kind1 combining1 with admirable dogmatic instructions1 equally valuable practical lessons of conduct4 ,habitually1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation spoke little1 and when obliged to break silence1 never used many words4 ,this habit which she had contracted in the world1 she retained all her life1 perfecting it more and more as she advanced in sanctity4 ,her words1 though few in number1 were comprehensive in meaning1 as may be seen in the following specimens of the maxims which she most frequently inculcated4 ,a soul1 she said1 which would follow her call to the perfection of the spiritual life1 must prepare first to pass1 gradually through spiritual death with all its varied and prolonged agonies4 ,those who have not endured the ordeal1 can scarcely calculate the degree of interior crucifixion1 or1 the amount of self-abandonment required4 ,many desire1 and would gladly accept the gift of prayer1 but few aim at1 and labour for the spirit of humility and self-abnegation1 without which there can be no true spirit of prayer or recollection4 ,devotion unsustained by mortification is of a doubtful character4 ,mortification and prayer cannot be separated4 ,they have a close connection1 and are a mutual support4 ,the gift of prayer and fervent devotion is not for the great talker2 it is impossible that the heart and lips should be uselessly occupied with creatures1 and at the same time employed with ,god4 ,interior purity is an essential condition for ,divine union4 ,as the sea casts out corrupted matter1 so ,god1 the infinite ,ocean of perfection1 rejects souls dead in sin1 uniting ,himself only to those who live by grace and resemble ,him in purity4 ,there is no greater obstacle to the progress of the soul than curious speculations in prayer1 and the desire to know more than ,god intends4 ,we may exceed in the desire of knowledge1 but never in the desire of love4 ,the most sublime life is that which combines the external practice of the virtues of the ,gospel1 with interior familiarity with ,god4 ,we make ,god our debtor1 if ,i may say so1 when we cast ourselves into ,his arms with child-like confidence4 ,we should lose ourselves lovingly in ,him1 for although it is true that we are nothing1 while ,he is all1 we shall for that reason be more easily and more happily lost in ,him4 ,the ,eternal ,father has made known to a certain soul that whatever she asks of ,him through the most ,sacred ,heart of ,his ,son1 ,he will grant her4 ,every day we must begin anew to love ,god1 persuaded that the day before we did not love ,him truly2 seeing only defects in the past1 and work to do in the present and future4 ,i cannot imagine1 she would sometimes say1 how a soul can seek her pleasure in intercourse with creatures1 when she can at all times converse with the ever-present ,creator4 ,i wonder1 she remarked on other occasions1 how1 having ,god for our ,father1 we are not always perfectly contented4 ,the reason is that we are too much occupied about ourselves4 ,even to the end of life the holiest souls experience the assaults1 of corrupt nature1 which furnish a constant occasion of interior humiliation4 ,the practical experience of our weakness is the true teacher of contempt of self and compassion for others4 ,the nearer the soul approaches to ,god1 the more clearly she sees her nothingness4 ,i cannot understand1 she said1 how a religious soul who desires to love ,god and to be loved by ,him1 can fail in obedience or find a difficulty in it1 knowing as she does that it is the certain means of fulfilling the will of ,god4 ,there is no shorter road to the perfection of the interior life1 than the universal retrenchment of all reflections1 not only on annoying subjects1 but even on such as do not lead to ,god and the practice of virtue4 ,the effect of over-eagerness to finish one action1 in order to hasten to another1 is that both are done imperfectly4 ,our afflictions are not chance accidents1 but graces from ,god1 to detach us from creatures1 and unite us to ,himself4 ,it seems strange that we rebel against trials1 since everything that ,god sends is good and desirable8 ,resignation in suffering is a mark that the soul is near to ,god and ,his mercies4 ,peace reigns in the heart1 which1 through holy self-hatred1 endeavours to destroy the very last vestiges of corrupt nature4 ,she had a hatred of all vices1 but especially of deceit1 and was accustomed to say that when the mouth opens to a falsehood1 the heart closes to ,god4 ,another of her sayings was1 that her temptations had been to her useful practical lessons1 teaching her how to govern others1 by having taught her first to command herself4 ,she often inculcated that to suffer and pray is the only means by which1 in the present life1 we can honour the ,church ,triumphant1 and help the ,churches ,militant and ,suffering4 ,from these few examples we can form an idea at least of the solidity of her lessons1 which she never intruded1 always maintaining a strict reserve unless pressed to speak by charity or obedience4 ,not only the novices1 but even many of the elder religious delighted in listening to her spiritual instructions4 ,among other matters1 she explained the ,psalms and the ,canticle of ,canticles in a style at once so sublime and so clear1 that both beginners and proficients derived profit from her words4 ,among the numerous novices formed to the interior life by her example and counsels1 some became eminent for holiness4 ,as her son remarks1 the beauty of the copies is the highest tribute to the perfection of the original1 and the solid virtue of the disciples1 the best proof of the excellence of the teacher4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,increased ,,zeal ,,of ,,the ,,mother ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation4--,,revelation ,,of ,,the ,,devotion ,,to ,,the ,,sacred ,,heart ,,of ,,jesus1 ,,and ,,of ,,her ,,call ,,to ,,the ,,canadian ,,mission4 ,from her first years1 zeal for the salvation of souls had been a special characteristic of the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation4 ,her early delight had been1 as we know1 to travel in spirit over infidel lands with the holy missioners1 and unite in heart and intention with their labours4 ,now that the dream of her childhood was about to become a grand reality1 the holy fire acquired a ten-fold vehemence1 as if her ,divine ,master would thus predispose her for the revelation of ,his designs4 ,she seemed actually to burn with desire that the only ,object of her love should be known and adored by every creature1 and1 unable to endure the thought of the triumph of ,satan over ,jesus1 she gathered the poor perishing souls of all unbelievers into her heart1 and1 presenting them to the ,eternal ,father1 reminded ,him that ,he had promised the dominion of the nations to ,his ,son1 who ought no longer to be deprived of the inheritance purchased at the dear price of ,his own most precious blood4 ,the zeal of ,god's house absolutely consuming her 7,ps4 lxviii4 #aja71 she continued to traverse heathen lands in spirit1 praying for a voice strong enough to proclaim to the extremity of the earth that her heavenly ,spouse is worthy of the love and homage of every human heart4 ,the worst torments of the martyrs would have seemed light to her if by them she could have gained these straying souls to her ,lord4 ,she besought ,god to inflict on her the last excess of pain1 and that until the ,day of ,judgment1 if thus she could extend the ,kingdom of ,christ4 ,she might literally have said with the ,psalmist1 ,my zeal hath made me pine away 7,ps4 cxviii4 #aci71 for1 the inflamed ardour of her soul reacting on her bodily strength1 she was reduced to such great exhaustion1 that it was feared she would have died4 ,still the prayer seemed unheeded1 though still it went on redoubling in earnestness1 until at last the ,eternal ,father made known to her that if she would obtain her petition1 she must present it through the ,heart of ,his ,divine ,son4 ,thus was the devotion to the ,sacred ,heart of ,jesus made known to the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation long before it was revealed to the world through another of its fervent clients4 ,all through her remaining life1 she cherished a most ardent devotion to that ever- adorable ,heart4 ,she offered nothing to ,god1 she asked nothing of ,him1 except through it4 ,she made it her refuge in difficulty and her consolation in suffering2 her repose in weariness1 her treasure in poverty1 her all1 for love of which she despised herself and renounced all things created4 ,at the time of her vision1 her director had remarked that the country shown her might perhaps have been ,canada1 which was then exciting some attention4 ,it was a new light2 she had never before heard of ,canada2 neither had she for a moment imagined that ,god intended her to labour for souls otherwise than by the interior practices of zeal and charity to which she was accustomed4 ,all doubt was removed when1 in a repetition of the vision1 ,god revealed to her that it was indeed ,canada which she had seen1 distinctly telling her at the same time that she was the instrument chosen to build a house there for ,jesus and ,mary4 ,now1 at last1 she knew her destiny4 ,oh1 my great ,god6 she exclaimed1 ,thou art omnipotent1 and ,i am all weakness2 if ,thou wilt assist me ,i am ready4 ,do in me and by me ,thy most adorable will4 ,in every phase of her vocation to ,canada1 we are struck by the visible intervention of the wonder-working1 ever-watchful ,providence of ,god4 ,thus it happened that at this very crisis1 she received for the first time a ,report of the affairs of the ,church in the infant colony4 ,it was the one for #afce1 the year following the regular establishment of the ,huron ,mission1 and was sent her by ,father ,poncet1 a ,jesuit4 ,without having the least idea that their destinations were similar1 he informed her of his own vocation for that mission1 sent her a miniature pilgrim's staff which he had brought from ,loretto1 and invited her to join the great work4 ,as she knew that the good ,father was absolutely ignorant of her spiritual state1 the whole affair greatly surprised her4 ,how would her wonder have increased had she been aware that the same ,report of #afce was to be the means under ,god of deciding another vocation1 on which hung the success of the ,ursuline ,mission to ,canada6 ,she could answer the ,father's invitation only in general terms1 unwilling1 on the one hand1 to speak of the supernatural revelation granted her1 and ignorant1 on the other1 of the means by which the ,almighty intended to execute ,his will in her regard4 ,the enterprise was one demanding not only superhuman courage1 but also pecuniary resources2 in proportion as the ,mother of the ,incarnation abounded in the one1 so was she destitute of the other1 but her future was in the hands of ,him to whom it is as easy to dispense the treasures of earth1 as the riches of heaven4 ,while she tranquilly abandoned herself as a passive instrument to ,his designs1 ,his ,almighty ,providence was employed in preparing for her a co-operatrix endowed at once with the zeal and the wealth1 each indispensable in its way1--,madame de la ,peltrie1 to whom the next chapter will introduce us4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,madame ,,de ,,la ,,peltrie1 ,,foundress ,,of ,,the ,,ursulines ,,in ,,canada4 ,marie ,madeleine de ,chauvigny1 better known as ,madame de la ,peltrie1 was born in #afjc1 at ,alenon1 a town in ,normandy4 ,through both her parents she claimed connection with the noblest families of the province1 and from both also she derived a far more precious inheritance than exalted birth1 the imperishable heritage of piety4 ,the virtues which reflected so bright a lustre on her name1 both in her own land and in the ,new ,world1 were1 under ,god1 the fruit of their teaching2 but it must be owned that her natural docility and amiability of disposition rendered her early training an easy task4 ,compassion for the poor seemed so identified with her nature1 that she could not see a want without trying1 according to her opportunity1 to relieve it1 and when the power to do this failed1 she endeavoured to make up for the disappointment by an ever-ready and most tender sympathy4 ,she seemed to have no taste for the toys and sports of children1 preferring for her recreation the exercises of devotion1 which she had learned by observing them in others4 ,in admiration of her early piety1 her parents loved to fancy that heaven must surely have some singularly blessed destiny in store for her4 ,under her mother's guidance1 she received an education suitable to her high social position and brilliant prospects1 and when she had attained her seventeenth year1 she was informed that being of course intended for married life1 she would do well to accept a very excellent proposal which had just offered4 ,most cordially despising the world with its pomps and vanities1 and desiring with her whole heart to have no spouse but a ,heavenly ,one1 she was utterly overcome by the announcement4 ,she had never had a thought but of consecrating herself to ,god in religion1 and had refrained from speaking of her intentions merely because she believed that the favourable time for doing so had not yet arrived4 ,in the present unexpected disappointment of her dearest hopes1 she fancied that if she were but once secure within the walls of a convent1 her parents might not1 perhaps1 carry their authority so far as to oblige her to leave it2 accordingly she went in all haste to a neighbouring abbey and asked admittance for a few days to make a retreat4 ,this step exceedingly irritated her father1 who at once insisted on her return home1 and1 as no persuasion could induce him to alter his determination respecting her future destiny1 her spiritual guides finally decided that the will of ,god in her regard was manifested by that of her parents1 and that no alternative remained but to submit4 ,after much prayer for the light of heaven1 she consented to espouse the husband of their selection4 ,monsieur de la ,peltrie1 her partner1 was in every respect worthy of her1 and their union was one of such unbroken peace1 that he often expressed a hope of living long1 in order to benefit by her holy influence1 and to enjoy the ,christian happiness of which she was to him the ministering angel4 ,but ,god had decreed otherwise2 five years after their marriage he died in the very vigour of manhood4 ,their only child had passed at once from earth to heaven4 ,her worldly ties thus broken at the early age of twenty-two1 the young widow deliberated how she could most profitably dispose of herself and her possessions for the glory of ,god4 ,a hundred and a hundred times a day she repeated1 ,do with me1 ,o ,lord6 as it shall please ,thee2 my heart1 my life1 my riches1 all are ,thine6 ,she had not lost her first inclination for the religious life1 but the doubt arose whether1 with her great wealth1 she might not1 perhaps1 promote the ,divine honour more effectually in the world than in a life of voluntary poverty4 ,an ardent zeal for the salvation of souls lighted up her heart1 and1 like the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 she flew in thought to the homes of the heathens1 there to aid1 at least by her prayers and desires1 the labours of the missionaries4 ,she panted to lend active succour to the work1 bat could not yet see how this was to be brought about4 ,meantime the ,providence of ,god was working out her destiny in its own sweet and wondrous way4 ,after years of incertitude and indecision1 she accidentally met with one of the ,reports of the progress of the ,canadian ,mission4 ,it was a copy of the same which had been sent to the ,mother of the ,incarnation by ,father ,poncet1 bearing1 as may be remembered1 the date #afce4 ,in burning accents of holy zeal1 the writer asked whether no ,christian heroine could be found willing te co-operate with the designs of ,jesus by devoting herself to teach the ,indian children the name of their unknown ,god1 and the value of the precious blood which had redeemed them4 ,the stirring appeal was an instantaneous answer to the doubts of years2 it revealed her vocation as plainly as if an angel's voice had spoken4 ,in a moment she saw that ,god destined her for the ,canadian ,mission1 and with equal promptitude she resolved to obey the call4 ,soon after this first inspiration1 ,god was pleased to confirm her resolution1 by distinctly revealing to her that it was ,his will she should go to ,canada1 and there labour for the conversion of the ,indian girls1 promising that ,he would bestow great graces on her in recompense4 ,o ,lord6 she exclaimed1 surely favours like these are not for a worthless1 sinful creature as ,i4 ,and out ,lord answered1 ,you speak truly2 but the more unworthy the object of ,my favours1 the more is ,my liberality exalted in bestowing them4 ,i desire to employ you as the instrument of ,my mercies to ,canada1 and1 notwithstanding all obstacles1 you will go there1 and there1 too1 you will end your days4 ,unmistakably as the project appeared to be marked with the will of ,god1 she would take ho measures for its execution until competent judges had examined it in all its bearings1 pronounced it the work of the ,holy ,spirit1 and decided that she ought to carry it out without delay4 ,her vocation received its final confirmation in a dangerous illness which brought her to the very verge of the tomb4 ,when the last hope had vanished1 and her soul seemed on the very point of hearing the great summons to eternity1 she felt inspired to vow that if her life were spared1 she would build a church in ,canada in honour of ,st4 ,joseph1 and devote herself and her wealth1 under his patronage1 to the service of young ,indian females4 ,no sooner had she made the promise than she fell into a sweet refreshing sleep1 from which she awoke in restored health4 ,the amazement of the physicians was something wonderful4 ,what has become of your illness1 ,madam8 they asked4 ,it seems to have gone to ,canada4 ,greatly surprised at the remark1 she smilingly answered1 ,yes1 sir1 as you say1 it is gone to ,canada4 ,thus miraculously snatched from the arms of death1 she thought only of fulfilling her vow as quickly as possible1 but nearly four years were to pass before she could realize her pious wishes4 ,as might have been expected1 the enemy of all good set every engine at work to frustrate the design4 ,her father insisted that she should marry again1 and after exhausting arguments and entreaties1 he had recourse to threats1 declaring that he would disinherit her if she persevered in opposing his washes1 and that if she persisted in going to ,canada1 it would cost him his life4 ,as time passed1 obstacles seemed only to multiply1 and her perplexity in consequence to increase1 but before matters had finally come to a crisis1 it pleased ,god to call her father out of life after a severe but short illness4 ,this event1 in removing one difficulty1 created another4 ,some of her relatives who had long had designs on her property1 eagerly seized the opportunity of securing the prize4 ,with this object1 they declared her incompetent to manage her own affairs1 in consequence of her extravagance1 as they termed her liberality to the poor and to the ,church4 ,they had recourse to law proceedings to prove the statement1 and actually managed to procure a verdict in their favour4 ,just when her case seemed hopeless1 she was extricated from the difficulty by following the advice of a kind friend1 ,monsieur de ,bernires4 ,at his suggestion she appealed to the ,parliament of ,rouen1 and obtained a reversal of the first decision1 with a full recognition of her rights4 ,this great victory she attributed to the intercession of ,st4 ,joseph1 in whose hands she had placed her cause1 at the same time renewing her vow to build a church in ,canada under his invocation1 and devote her remaining life to the service of the ,indians4 ,her affairs no longer requiring her presence at home1 she proceeded to ,paris to complete her preparations for the voyage4 ,she profited of the opportunity to submit her plans to two of the great lights of the age1 ,pre ,condren1 ,general of the ,oratorians1 and ,st4 ,vincent of ,paul1 who both consoled her by the assurance that her vocation was genuine1 and her work the work of ,god4 ,even here her relatives continued to disquiet her4 ,unwilling to relinquish their prey1 some of them actually followed her to the capital with the intention of seizing her person1 and so closely did they watch her movements1 that1 to baffle pursuit1 she had to disguise herself in the dress of her maid when obliged to go out on business4 ,once more she had recourse to ,monsieur de ,bernires1 and at his appearance1 the conspirators dispersed4 ,this good friend of ,madame de la ,peltrie and the ,ursulines1 was the scion of an illustrious house in ,normandy1 and resided at ,caen where he occupied a high official position4 ,fearing that the distraction of worldly business might divert his attention from the one thing necessary1 he had early assembled around him a little community of ecclesiastics and pious laymen1 who1 united by the bonds of faith1 charity1 and prayer1 served as mutual helps in the pursuit of a common end--,christian perfection ,this association1 called ,the ,hermitage1 once numbered among its members ,monseigneur de ,laval1 the first ,bishop of ,canada4 ,a faithful picture of the angelic soul of ,monsieur de ,bernires can be found in his own work entitled ,the ,interior ,christian1 which is in fact the history of his inner life written by the direction of his confessor4 ,his ardent zeal for the ,divine honour inspired him with the liveliest interest in the ,canadian mission1 to which he continued until death a devoted and efficient friend4 ,to ,madame de la ,peltrie in particular1 he preyed himself an invaluable assistant just at the time when she most needed counsel and support4 ,her contradictions were not yet at an end2 one indeed seemed removed only to stake way for another4 ,so it ever is with the work of ,god1 for the4 sign by which that work conquers is the sign of the cross4 ,it was now the month of ,november1 #afch4 ,on applying for a passage to ,canada for the following spring1 she was told that all the vessels for the ensuing season would be fully freighted1 so that no alternative remained but to defer her departure for another year4 ,nothing daunted1 she declared that if necessary1 she would charter a vessel at her own expense1 and when the time of departure came1 so she actually did4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,development ,,of ,,the ,,mother ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation',s ,,vocation ,,for ,,canada4 ,while the ,almighty was thus slowly preparing the way for the accomplishment of his designs1 the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation was still calmly awaiting the manifestation of ,his will1 in utter unconsciousness of the progress of events4 ,at the date to which we have brought the history of ,madame de la ,peltrie1 more than two years had passed since she and the ,venerable ,mother almost simultaneously learned by ,divine revelation1 that the ,canadian mission was to be the scene of their future labours4 ,having followed the progress of the destined ,foundress' vocation during those years1 we shall now retrace our steps to consider the development of the ,venerable ,mother's in the same interval4 ,the great work in prospect was to be the work of ,god alone1 and nothing of the creature was to be permitted to mingle with it1 therefore1 before the time for carrying it into effect arrived1 the ,almighty signified to his faithful servant1 that even in the execution of the command which ,he had himself imposed1 her own will was to have no share4 ,as once ,he had assumed the dominion of her heart1 ,he on this occasion assumed the dominion of her will1--the heart of the soul1--not depriving her of the faculty1 but uniting it so closely to ,his own will1 that hers became absolutely absorbed and lost in ,his4 ,it was1 she says1 as if while she endeavoured to bend ,his will to hers1 by her ardent prayers for the extension of the ,kingdom of ,his ,son1 ,he on the contrary triumphed over hers so completely1 that now she could will only as ,he willed4 ,thenceforth1 she waited in silence and peace for the further manifestation of ,his designs1 and deeply as she prized her vocation1 she constantly prayed that if ,he willed her to work for ,him in another sphere and another way1 ,he would raise insuperable obstacles to her ever going to ,canada4 ,the secret of her future destiny she buried in her heart1 until at the end of a year1 the ,almighty ,himself commanded her to divulge it4 ,when she did so1 the communication entailed on her only mortification and humiliation4 ,her director rebuked her for indulging silly fancies2 the ,mother ,superior asserted that if ,god granted her request1 it would be only as a punishment for her presumption2 others1 whose judgment she equally deferred to1 pronounced the project visionary and delusive1 yet her great courage never failed1 for it was founded on a perfect confidence that in ,his own time1 ,god would do ,his own work1 using her as his instrument1 all unworthy though she was4 ,in two letters1 she fully explained her position to her former spiritual guide1 ,dom ,raymond of ,st4 ,bernard1 who like herself1 aspired at this time to the ,canadian mission1 though as the event proved1 unsuccessfully4 ,in one of these1 she says1 ,god is stronger than man2 ,he commands the winds and calms the waves4 ,if ,he will have us in ,new ,france1 ,he will surely conduct us thither in defiance of all the obstacles which look like mountains in human eyes1 but before ,him are only as straws and spiders' webs4 ,when ,i consider my great misery1 ,i cannot help feeling that it may in the end divert ,his choice to some worthier instrument1 but if such should be ,his will1 ,i bless ,him in anticipation for the selection2 whatever it may be1 coming from ,him1 it must necessarily be all-wise4 ,the humility1 the trust in ,god1 the total absence of all attachment to her own will and judgment which marked her communications1 convinced this enlightened director that her vocation was genuine1 and he therefore promised to promote its success to the best of his power4 ,as ,god had decreed that she should concur in the great enterprise by something more than mere passive acquiescence1 ,he again inspired and even urged her to repeat the information which by ,his order she had already given on the subject to her ,superiors4 ,this time1 she addressed herself to ,father de la ,haye1 who approved of the undertaking1 encouraged her to pursue it1 and expressed a hope that the time of its accomplishment was near at hand4 ,an important link was added to the chain of ,providence by the communication just referred to4 ,father de la ,haye confided it to ,father ,poncet1 who was a good deal concerned in the affairs of the ,canadian mission1 and thus was the ,mother's cause placed in the direct road of success4 ,some time more was1 however1 to pass1 before the mysterious chain of ,providence should be perfected4 ,although careful to avoid unnecessary allusion to her own especial vocation1 she spoke in such glowing terms of the happiness of labouring for the salvation ,of the infidels1 that she effectually communicated her apostolic spirit to her community1 who all joined her in prayer and works of penance for the conversion of heathen nations4 ,the reputation of her zeal had even reached ,new ,france1 whence she received urgent petitions from the missioners to hasten1 to the aid of their dear converts4 ,these appeals1 some of them traced on bark by saintly men who soon were to water with their blood1 the land blessed by their labours1 she kissed reverentially and bedewed with her tears4 ,all her letters from ,canada were not1 however1 of this description4 ,soon after the revelation of her vocation1 she received two from ,father le ,jeune1 mortifying enough to have discouraged any soul less humble than hers4 ,as ,superior of the missions in ,new ,france1 he thought it advisable to try her spirit before she was permitted to follow her call2 accordingly1 he twice addressed her in the most humbling terms1 dwelling particularly on her intolerable presumption in aspiring to functions far above her capacity1 and aiming at a position in every way beyond her sphere4 ,she read and re-read the painful words with singular satisfaction1 and in showing them to her director1 she merely said1 ,is he not a good ,father to treat me so8 ,if ,i ever fall under his authority1 ,i am sure of finding a true friend in him4 ,when she learned later that he was using his best efforts to procure nuns for ,canada1 and that he especially desired to secure her services1 she understood even better than before1 that sharp as were the arrows1 they had indeed been guided by a friendly hand4 ,lest self-love or natural ardour should imperceptibly mingle with her desire for the ,canadian mission1 she represented herself its most alarming features1 the danger of perishing of cold or hunger2 the chance of being led into captivity and perhaps cruelly tortured by the savages2 the immeasurable privations1 the hardships1 disappointments and varied sufferings which without any doubt would he her daily portion1 yet the terrible anticipation rather strengthened than diminished her love for her great vocation4 ,no creature1 she said in a letter to her confessor1 could be worthy of one so exalted4 ,it is so grand1 so sublime1 so glorious1 that only ,god's gratuitous goodness could inspire ,him to bestow it4 ,gladly1 she continued1 would ,i purchase it at the price of a thousand lives if that were possible4 ,reflecting that ',christ died for all' 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ae71 ,i grieve to think that all do not yet live for ,him1 and although confounded at my own presumption1 ,i feel pressed by the desire to bring unbelievers to the knowledge and love of ,him who is the true ,life4 ,she continued to pray that she might be enabled at last to execute the command imposed on her of building a house in ,canada for ,jesus and ,mary1 adding a petition that it might be also in honour of ,st4 ,joseph1 whom she firmly believed to be the guardian of that country shown her in the vision4 ,there seemed1 however1 little present prospect of her accomplishing her task1 for1 independently of other obstacles1 more than one promise of the necessary pecuniary aid had ended in disappointment4 ,nothing then remained but to submit to the arrangements of ,divine ,providence1 and this she did so perfectly1 that it was difficult to decide whether most to admire her readiness to go to ,canada1 or her equal willingness to give up the idea4 ,an enterprise undertaken for ,god1 should be renounced for ,god1 she said1 when ,he withholds the means of carrying it into execution4 ,but the thought of ,canada continued to be as usual ever present to her heart1 and although there seemed no human likelihood of her going there1 she could not divest herself of a strong presentiment that the time of departure was approaching4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,madame ,,de ,,la ,,peltrie ,,at ,,tours4--,,selection ,,of ,,the ,,missioners4--,,departure ,,for ,,paris4--,,thence ,,for ,,dieppe4 ,we left ,madame de la ,peltrie in ,paris1 preparing for her departure4 ,all her arrangements were made at last1 except one1 but that was all- important4 ,the projected work could not go on without the help of religious ,sisters1 and none had been engaged2 where were they to be sought8 ,many voices were raised in favour of the ,ursulines of ,paris1 but ,god had chosen ,his own instrument1 and in ,his own way ,he would manifest the selection4 ,father ,poncet was known to be closely connected with the affairs of the mission1 so he was appealed to for advice4 ,his answer was prompt and satisfactory4 ,the ,mother of the ,incarnation had a marked vocation for ,new ,france2 she possessed all needful qualifications1 would fly to the ends of earth at the call of ,god1 was to be found at the ,ursuline ,convent of at ,tours4 ,following up the welcome hint1 ,madame de la ,peltrie wrote at once to the ,mother ,superior of that monastery to secure the co-operation of so invaluable an assistant1 and the letter was accompanied by one from ,father ,poncet4 ,it is easy to imagine the effect of these letters on the two persons most concerned4 ,recognising in them the almost visible trace of the hand of ,providence1 the ,mother ,superior could only bow down and adore3 equally lost in admiration of the wondrous ways of ,god1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation could but exclaim1 ,lord1 here ,i am2 send me6 ,thinking herself called on to second this manifest intervention of ,providence1 the ,mother resolved to communicate personally to ,madame de la ,peltrie her wishes and sentiments on the subject of the mission4 ,this letter gives so beautiful an insight to her mind that a few sentences from it will probably be read with interest and pleasure3-- ,can it be true1 ,madam1 she asks1 that our ,divine ,master really calls you to the terrestrial paradise of ,new ,france8 ,are you1 indeed1 happily chosen to spread in that far-off region the heavenly flame of ,his love8 ,icicles abound there1 it is true2 brambles and thorns grow in profusion2 but the fire of ,his ,holy ,spirit can dissolve the one and consume the other4 ,his almighty power can strengthen weak creatures to endure all trials1 and sacrifice all enjoyments for the salvation of ,god's children4 ,o favoured spouse of ,jesus6 yours is the blessed certainty that you love ,him truly1 since you are about to give the strongest proof of love by renouncing self and all things for ,his dear sake 4 4 4 4 ,since in ,his infinite goodness ,he has granted me sentiments like your own1 ,i feel that our hearts are now one in the ,heart of ,jesus1 and that1 so united1 they embrace all the heathen children of ,canada1 whom1 as we hope1 it will soon be our privilege to impress with the love of their infinitely amiable ,god4 ,some years have passed since our ,lord inspired me with the desire of labouring for their salvation4 ,hitherto ,i could only tranquilly wait until it should please ,his ,providence to summon me to my work2 now it seems as if the welcome call had come at last through you4 ,will you1 then1 accept me as the companion of your voyage and a co-operatrix in your future labours8 ,as ,i could explain myself more fully and satisfactorily in a personal interview1 ,i venture to promise that if you can give me the opportunity1 our ,lord will indemnify you ,himself for the fatigue of the journey4 ,you will meet here many affectionate sisters ready to welcome you as a messenger from heaven1 and ,i1 although the most unworthy of all1 presume to ask a share in your prayers4 ,this letter1 so full of the spirit of ,god1 confirmed ,madame de la ,peltrie's first favourable impression of the writer1 and strengthened her desire to secure her as the foundation stone of her projected edifice4 ,the interview so humbly requested was cordially granted4 ,accompanied by ,monsieur de ,bernires1 the ,angel ,raphael of her travels1 ,madame de la ,peltrie arrived at the ,convent of ,tours on the #aith of ,february1 #afci1 having previously communicated the object of her visit to the ,archbishop1 and received his unqualified sanction4 ,she was met by the whole community and conducted with due ceremonial to the choir1 where the ,veni ,creator and the ,te ,deum were chanted4 ,at first sight1 the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation recognised in ,madame de la ,peltrie the well-remembered features of the lady who had been represented in her vision as her companion to the unknown land2 and their hearts were drawn towards each other irresistibly and for ever4 ,the prayer of the ,forty ,hours was offered to obtain the direction of ,heaven in the choice of the missioners1 and on its conclusion1 the selection commenced4 ,the will of ,god had been so clearly marked in regard of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 that much deliberation would1 in her case1 have been superfluous4 ,the ,mother ,superior must have felt that in acceding to the request of ,madame de la ,peltrie by granting her this rich treasure1 she was but concurring in a ,divine appointment1 which she was not at liberty to oppose4 ,the sanction of human authority was now formally4 attached to the ,venerable ,mother's call to ,canada2 in addition to the stamp of heavenly revelation which it had so long borne1 so she was free at last to enter on the course which stretched before her4 clear1 direct and well-defined1 and while her soul magnified the ,lord1 and her spirit exulted in ,god1 her generous heart breathed the one aspiration1 that she might prove her gratitude for ,his mercies by pursuing that blessed course even to its final term1 with a love that would never cool and a fidelity that would never tire4 ,as it was understood that one ,sister was to accompany the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 many were the candidates who volunteered their services2 it was remarkable1 however1 that the one whom ,god had chosen was the only one who kept aloof4 ,sister ,st4 ,bernard was full of holy ardour for the salvation of souls1 especially the ,indians--an ardour fanned by the perusal of the yearly ,reports of the progress of the faith in ,canada--but her humility persuading her that youth and other disqualifications unfitted her for the great work1 she dared not present herself to ,madame de la ,peltrie4 ,she would not even enter her apartment with the others1 but hovered about outside1 offering herself to ,god as a perpetual holocaust for the conversion of the savages1 and promising ,st4 ,joseph that if he obtained for her the favour of joining the missioners1 she would change her present name for his1 as a mark of her undying gratitude4 ,her private petition to the ,mother ,superior to be sent on the ,mission had been rejected2 the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation1 ,madame de la ,peltrie1 and ,monsieur de ,bernires had all begged for her1 and been likewise refused4 ,yet1 when the community assembled to decide the question1 it was singular that some difficulty or objection arose about every candidate except herself4 ,this circumstance appearing to the ,mother ,superior an indication of the will of ,god1 she feared to persist in her first indention1 much as she regretted the loss of a subject whom she looked on as a future pillar of the house4 ,sister ,st4 ,bernard's parents threatened opposition1 but ,he who holds in ,his hands the hearts of men1 soon changed theirs so completely1 that they gave her not only the desired permission1 but their full approval and cordial benediction4 ,full of joy and gratitude1 she changed her name as she had promised1 and henceforth we know her as ,mother ,st4 ,joseph4 ,in the world she had been called ,marie de la ,troche1 and her family was one of the highest in ,anjou4 ,the aged ,archbishop at once ratified the selection of the community1 and warmly blessed the two candidates for the ,mission1 or1 as he called them1 the two foundation stones of the temple about to be erected in the ,new ,world for the glory of ,god4 ,he prayed that the monastery at ,quebec might be a home of grace1 peace and benediction2 that the efforts of hell might never prevail against it2 and that the ,lord might dwell there as the ,father and ,spouse not only of these its first inmates1 but of all who should join or succeed them to the end of ages4 ,he then appointed the ,mother of the ,incarnation ,superior4 ,when all the preliminaries seemed satisfactorily concluded1 it was found that an intimate friend of ,madame de la ,peltrie's had1 at the last moment1 revoked a promise to accompany her1 alarmed1 it would seem1 at the perils of the voyage and the anticipated hardships of life in ,canada4 ,the circumstance was embarrassing1 as little time now remained to seek a substitute1 but the difficulty was removed in a manner as satisfactory as it was unexpected4 ,there was just then in ,tours a young person of respectable position and great piety1 who1 for the previous six years1 had been determined on consecrating herself to the service of ,god and her neighbour in religion1 but had deferred the execution of her design1 merely because uncertainty as to the particular ,order she was destined for4 ,by the arrangement of ,providence1 her confessor1 a ,jesuit1 happened likewise to be at ,tours precisely at the moment of the nuns' perplexity1 and1 hearing of it1 he suggested to them that the lady in question would very probably answer their purpose4 ,she was at once presented to the missioners1 and1 on being asked by ,madame de la ,peltrie1 whether she would consent to go to ,canada as her personal companion1 she promptly replied that her intention had been to become a nun1 but that1 since the ,almighty was pleased to offer her so glorious an opportunity of sacrificing her life for ,him1 she would accept it with joy and gratitude4 ,her family name of ,charlotte ,barre she exchanged later for that of ,mother ,st4 ,ignatius1 under which we know her as the first sister professed at the ,ursuline ,convent of ,quebec4 ,another attempt was still to be made by the enemy of souls to frustrate the design of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 and her natural affections were again the arms which he tried to turn against her4 ,intensely grieved at the news of her intended departure1 her sister employed every imaginable argument to prevent it1 and1 finding all else fail1 appealed once more to her love for her son4 ,she declared that if his mother forsook him1 so would every one else1 beginning with herself4 ,threats producing no impression1 she went to the length of actually revoking the small pension which she had agreed to settle on the boy1 as a kind of compensation to his mother for her services4 ,but all was in vain3 nothing could shake her courageous soul4 ,one last effort remained3 it was to apprise ,claude ,martin of his mother's intention1 and inform him at the same time1 that she was to pass through ,orleans1 where he was then studying1 so that if he pleased he could have an opportunity of seeing her and working on her feelings4 ,the hint was not lost on him1 as we shall presently see4 ,on the #bbnd of ,february1 #afci1 ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation bade a last farewell to the convent at ,tours4 ,it is easy to picture the grief of the ,sisters at losing the beloved ,mother whose example had been to all a perpetual stimulus to perfection1 and whose counsels had encouraged so many to tread bravely the narrow path that leads to sanctity4 ,the regret of the pupils for their saintly teacher1 was the highest tribute to the gentleness and charity which1 had so greatly endeared her to them4 ,as to herself1 she seems all through to have had a presentiment that she was in the monastery only as a deposit1 to be one day reclaimed by the ,heavenly ,master4 ,her only ties were those which bound her to ,himself2 when1 therefore1 ,he demanded ,his own1 her disengaged soul was free to hasten on the wings of love1 even to the farthest boundaries of the globe4 ,before her departure1 she had a vision in which the church of her adopted country was represented to her as formed1 not of stones1 like ordinary buildings1 but of human beings1 fastened each to a cross4 ,she was shown her destined place among the crucified1 and made to understand the weight of her especial cross4 ,she saw1 not only in general1 but in detail1 all the afflictions that awaited her2--the agonies of interior desolation1 the bitterness of external trials--all were vividly depicted2 and it was intimated to her that henceforth she must serve the ,lord at her own cost1 and prove her gratitude for great favours1 by great generosity in self- sacrifice4 ,it was not long before she entered on the dolorous way which was to be henceforward her path here below4 ,faithful to his aunt's directions1 her son watched for her arrival in ,orleans1 and at once presented himself before her4 ,feigning ignorance of her project1 he inquired with well-assumed surprise1 where she could possibly be travelling4 ,to ,paris1 she replied4 ,but are you not going farther8 he continued4 ,probably to ,normandy1 she said4 ,seeing that she tried to avoid an explanation1 he produced his aunt's letter1 with the enclosed deed revoking his pension4 ,she read the letter1 every word of which must have been a torture1 picturing as it did in glowing colours the isolation1 the neglect1 the actual destitution which awaited her boy1 and raising her eyes to heaven1 she exclaimed1 ,oh6 how many artifices ,satan uses to oppose the designs of ,god6 ,then1 with the mingled tenderness of a mother and heroism of a saint1 she asked1 ,my son1 during the eight years which have elapsed since ,i left you to consecrate myself to ,god1 have you wanted anything8 ,no1 mother1 he replied4 ,well1 then1 she said1 the past ought to be to you a security for the future4 ,prove yourself the worthy child of ,god1 the best of ,fathers2 keep ,his commandments1 trust in ,his ,providence1 and you will find that ,he never disappoints those who fear ,him4 ,if ,i bid you adieu for the second time1 it is again to obey ,his voice4 ,if you really love me1 you will rejoice that ,i have been chosen to labour for ,his honour among the infidels4 ,she continued for some time thus to speak to him in the language of faith and love4 ,as she raised his thoughts to heaven1 his better feelings prevailed1 and when she concluded1 he knelt at her feet in tears and asked her blessing4 ,he arose quite changed1 burned the exciting letters1 and1 in the simplicity of his heart1 offered to ,god the sacrifice of that holy mother whose loss he understood better now than at their first separation4 ,that sacrifice was to him the source of immense graces and a fruitful seed of future sanctification4 ,five days after leaving ,tours1 the missioners arrived in ,paris1 and were at first lodged near the house of the professed ,jesuits1 whence they afterwards removed to the ,ursuline house of ,st4 ,jacques1 where1 as the ,venerable ,mother remarks1 they found themselves once more in their element4 ,to their great joy1 they succeeded in obtaining permission for one of the religious of this monastery to accompany them to ,canada1 but their satisfaction was of short duration1 for the ,archbishop soon recalled the permission1 and could not be induced to renew it4 ,a still more severe disappointment awaited the ,mother of the ,incarnation before her departure4 ,her son1 the object of so much solicitude1 the cause of so much sorrow1 had just gladdened her heart by most unexpectedly expressing a desire to become a ,jesuit4 ,to leave him in the novitiate of a religious house1 cut off from the troubles and temptations of the world1 and with nothing to divert him from the concerns of his salvation1 would have been the very crown and climax of her happiness-- but the way of the cross was to be hers4 ,the ,father appointed to examine the young candidate thought him disqualified for religion2 anxious1 however1 to soften the pain of an absolute refusal1 he suggested that there might be a better chance at a future period1 when the novitiate was less crowded4 ,an ever-ruling ,providence had destined the youth for another ,order1 and when ,god's time came1 the disqualifications complained of had disappeared2 the present trial was1 however1 none the less painful to his mother4 ,before leaving ,paris1 the missioners had the honour of two interviews with the ,queen1 ,anne of ,austria1 who then expressed and ever after manifested the liveliest interest in their great work4 ,at ,dieppe1 the port of embarkation1 they were lovingly received by their ,ursuline sisters1 who granted them not only hospitality1 but the richer gift of one of their own religious1 ,mother ,cecilia of the ,cross4 ,and now the hour of departure had come4 ,their indefatigable benefactor1 ,monsieur de ,bernires1 who had never lost sight of them1 continued to the last moment to watch over their interests4 ,his zeal would have prompted him to accompany them to ,canada1 but it was thought he could assist them more effectually by remaining in ,france to look after ,madame de la ,peltrie's property4 ,after their departure1 he returned to ,caen1 where he resumed his ordinary life of prayer1 retirement1 and good works4 ,he carefully managed ,madame de la ,peltrie's estate of ,haranvilliers1 collected the rents1 sent out regular supplies of provisions and other necessaries to ,canada1 and proved himself in every respect the visible guardian angel of the ,ursuline ,mission4 ,in these charitable offices he persevered for twenty years from the period of which we now write1 and then his holy life was crowned by a saintly death4 ,on the #hth of ,may1 #afei1 he retired to his oratory for evening meditation1 as was his wont4 ,his servant entering at the appointed hour1 found him absorbed in prayer1 and left him1 as requested1 to continue his devotions4 ,returning after some time1 he noticed that his master still knelt in the very same spot and attitude as he had left him4 ,he approached and spoke1 but there was no answer3 the hands were clasped1 the eyes raised to heaven1 the happy soul had flown to ,god6 ,resuming the interrupted order of our history1 we meet the ,mother of the ,incarnation for the last time on the shores of ,france4 ,her final adieu was addressed to the ,mother ,superior of ,tours4 ,if this letter breathes a sigh1 it is rather one of longing for the land of her exile1 than of regret for the land of her birth4 ,it is time for our last farewell1 she writes1 for now our ,lord summons us to follow wherever it shall please ,him to lead4 ,to-day the vessel will enter port1 and as soon after as the wind is favourable1 we shall set sail4 ,you can understand how long each moment of delay appears to one who desires to give her life for her ,god4 ,o dear ,mother6 how powerful is the ,divine ,master of our hearts4 ,if you could see the effects of ,his interior operations on our ,canadian band1 you would bless ,his goodness a thousand times4 ,every soul is on fire with love1 and1 at the same time1 annihilated in its own unworthiness and abjection4444 ,madame de la ,ville aux ,clercs has presented us with some rich ornaments for our future church in ,canada2 she is1 then1 our first benefactress next to you1 most dear ,mother1 who will always rank before all others1 since1 not to speak of other gifts1 you have bestowed ourselves4 ,such was her leave-taking of her country1 which she was never to see again2 of her home1 which henceforth would know her no more for ever4 ,the earth with its fulness is the ,lord's 7,ps4 xxiii4 #a71 therefore all parts of it were alike to her1 since in all she could find her ,god2 in all she could unite her heart to the loving heart of ,jesus in ,his own ,sacrement2 from all she could see in the distance the heavenly home where her heart and hopes reposed1 for there dwelt her ,treasure4 ,yet a little while1 and the golden gates must open to her1 for had she not our ,lord's own promise1 that they who renounce all things for ,his sake shall have everlasting life in exchange8 ,meantime1 while waiting for the vision of the beauty of her ,god1 she would find as much happiness as she looked for on earth1 in labouring and suffering to promote ,his honour and extend ,his reign4 ,,third ,,period1 #afci-afgb4 ,,life ,,in ,,canada4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,embarkation4--,,voyage4--,,arrival ,,in ,,quebec4--,,first ,,dwelling4 ,it was on the #dth of ,may1 #afci1 that the ',st4 ,joseph' set sail from ,dieppe4 ,the coincidences were cheering3 with ,st4 ,joseph for pilot1 the sweet ,star of the ,sea for beacon light1 and the ,mother of ,st4 ,augustine for protectress1 the good ship might fairly have been expected to weather all storms and brave all perils4 ,it was accompanied by some other vessels1 bound like itself for the ,western ,world4 ,many a guardian angel must have rejoiced at the departure of that little fleet1 bearing ,god's messengers of salvation to nations seated in darkness and enveloped in the shades of death4 ,on board the ',st4 ,joseph1' as the safest and most commodious of the ships1 was the ,ursuline colony1 five in number1 including the ,foundress with her secular companion1 and three ,hospital ,sisters from ,dieppe1 who were going to establish a house of the ,htel ,dieu at ,quebec1 under the auspices of the ,duchess d',aiguillon1 a niece to ,cardinal ,richelieu4 ,father ,vimont1 a ,jesuit1 took passage in this ship2 ,fathers ,poncet and ,chaumonot each in one of the others1 thus the better to ensure spiritual aid for the whole crew4 ,it was with joy in her heart1 and thanksgiving on her lips1 that the ,venerable ,mother turned her face towards the great goal of her earthly hopes1 the savage land1 where1 as she said1 she would have the chance of risking her life for love of ,him who had bestowed it4 ,the first movement of the vessel in that direction seemed to her like a step towards the bliss of heaven and1 under the sheltering wings of ,providence1 she felt as tranquil on the treacherous waters as a child reposing at peace in its mother's arms4 ,it was not long before the travellers had an opportunity of realizing how securely grounded are the hopes which rest in ,god4 ,scarcely had they lost sight of the ,french shore1 when they came in view of a ,spanish fleet1 evidently bearing towards them4 ,the only means of escape was by sailing close to the ,english coast4 ,thanks to ,divine ,providence1 the plan succeeded1 but as it involved a deviation from their direct course1 their progress was1 in consequence1 so much retarded1 that they did not clear the ,channel until the #bjth of ,may4 ,the cabin assigned to the ,sisters in the ',st4 ,joseph' was transformed into a miniature monastery1 where the conventual exercises were daily gone through with admirable fervour and regularity4 ,meditation1 ,mass1 and ,holy ,communion1 sanctified the early hours1 and at stated intervals the ,office was recited in choir by the ,ursulines on one side1 and the ,hospital ,sisters on the other1 ,father ,vimont presiding4 ,although the voyage was very long and tempestuous1 the ,holy ,sacrifice was omitted only on thirteen days of exceptional storm4 ,they that go down to the sea in ships1 doing business in the great waters2 these have seen the works of the ,lord1 and ,his wonders in the deep 7,ps4 cvi4 #bc1 #bd74 ,it was the ,feast of the ,holy ,trinity4 ,the last sounds of the morning ,office had just arisen from the ,sisters' little sanctuary1 when with the dying echo of the song of praise mingled a cry of terror from the watch on-deck4 ,in the dense fog of the preceding night1 the ship had drifted alarmingly close to an iceberg1 but of this peril the crew1 of course1 remained unconscious while the fog continued4 ,at last the mist yielded to the sun's rays1 and then the awful spectacle broke on them in all its horrors4 ,the iceberg was of enormous dimensions4 ,it looked1 the ,venerable ,mother tells us1 like a fortified city floating on the deep2 its frowning towers and battlements relieved here and there by tall graceful spars1 which imagination could easily have transformed into spires and pinnacles of churches and turrets4 ,on it came proudly through the waters1 as if impatient to crush the frail vessel that lay in its path1 utterly helpless and all but hopeless4 ,even the elements seemed to have conspired for the destruction of that devoted ship2 no friendly breeze arose to send it bounding beyond the reach of danger2 the winds were hushed1 and in the struggle for life1 its chances were as nothing4 ,death seemed so inevitable and so near1 that ,father ,vimont gave a general absolution1 and all prepared as best they could to meet the fate from which there appeared no escape4 ,but where1 meantime1 was the heavenly ,star1 to whose guidance they had confided themselves so lovingly and so implicitly8 ,temporarily hidden1 for the trial of their faith and trust1 but ready to shine out with renewed brightness as soon as both should have been sufficiently proved4 ,just as the last faint hope was vanishing1 ,father ,vimont made a vow in the name of the ship's company to perform a specified act of devotion in honour of the ,mother of ,god1 if she would deign to take compassion1 on them in this extremity of distress4 ,swifter than thought1 the prayer for mercy reached the throne of ,heaven's ,queen1 and with equal rapidity came the answer4 ,as a last chance1 the captain issued orders1 to turn the helm in a particular direction2 the steersman1 misunderstanding1 turned it in the opposite1 and1 wonderful to say1 the apparent mistake saved the ship4 ,obeying the new impulse1 it was borne to one side of the dreaded iceberg1 and1 when once out of its direct path1 the imminence of the danger was over4 ,as it floated past the enormous1 moving mountain1 the rescued crew could vividly realize the peril which they had escaped1 and estimate as it deserved the extent of their debt of gratitude to the ,heavenly ,mother who had befriended them so effectually in the hour of their extreme need4 ,after a tedious and in many ways trying voyage of three months1 the ',st4 ,joseph' touched at ,tadoussac1 where to their great joy1 the ,sisters met several ,indians4 ,never having seen white people before1 the poor savages were lost in astonishment1 but how did their wonder redouble when they learned that these ladies were great captains' daughters1 as they would themselves have expressed it1 who had quitted1 home1 country1 and all the comforts of civilized life1 for no other purpose than to come and teach them and their children how to escape eternal fire1 and ensure everlasting happiness6 ,they could not comprehend the strange tidings1 and to discover if possible the real object of the new-comers1 they followed along the shore as the ship resumed its way to ,quebec1 keeping a close and watchful eye on its movements4 ,the missioners spent their first night in ,canada at the ,isle of ,orleans1 which they reached on the evening of the #cast of ,july4 ,as they landed1 the sun had just set in all the splendour which his setting is wont to wear in ,canada4 ,the sky was literally glowing with gorgeous colours of every hue1 intermingled with ethereal gold1 as if in descending to his rest1 the mighty monarch had left a fold of his mantle of glory floating on the western heavens1 to symbolize that brighter mantle of celestial light which soon would envelop the benighted race whom those devoted missioners had come so far to seek and to help to save4 ,the island was uninhabited1 so three wigwams were constructed in ,indian fashion1 one for the ,nuns1 one for the ,jesuits and a third for the sailors4 ,unable to contain their holy joy1 the ,sisters entoned a canticle of thanksgiving1 and for the first time since their creation1 those venerable woods re- echoed with songs of praise to the one true ,god and ,his adorable ,incarnate ,son4 ,on the following day1 ,august the #ast1 #afci1 the missioners reached ,quebec4 ,their first act on landing was to kneel and reverently press their lips to the soil of the adopted country which was to be to them thenceforth in place of home and fatherland4 ,they were received with the greatest enthusiasm4 ,the moment they stepped on shore1 a salute was fired from ,fort ,st4 ,louis4 ,they were met at the landing-place by the whole population headed by the ,governor-,general1 ,monsieur de ,montmagny1 and the ,jesuit ,fathers of the colony1 and after mutual salutations1 were escorted to the church1 where the holy ,sacrifice was offered with all the solemnity that circumstances permitted1 the ceremony concluding with the ,te ,deum4 ,after having been hospitably entertained by the ,governor1 the ,sisters of the two communities proceeded to their destined dwellings4 ,as a mark of the general joy1 the day was inscribed in the red letter calendar and work totally suspended4 ,the next day1 the ,jesuits conducted the ,sisters to the mission at ,sillery1 already noticed in the introductory chapter as formed on the model of the ,reductions of ,paraguay4 ,it would need a skilful artist to paint that beautiful scene2 on the one hand1 the heavenly joy of the ,mother of the ,incarnation and her companions1 at sight of the ,indian children1 for whose spiritual and temporal welfare their hearts had so long yearned with more than mother's love2 on the other1 the amazement of the little ones at finding themselves the objects of so much unwonted solicitude4 ,utterly bewildered1 they at first received the ,sisters' caresses with the characteristic caution and reserve of their nation1 but the language of kindness is easily understood1 and very soon the children had rightly interpreted their visitors' affectionate advances4 ,attracted by their gentleness1 their affability1 their unmistakable disinterestedness1 they followed them step by step through the hamlet1 gaining confidence every moment4 ,with the whole savage population for escort1 the ,sisters proceeded to the little church1 which was the chief ornament1 as well as the great treasure of the village1 and there the ,indians all joined in a hymn which the ,jesuit ,fathers had composed for them in their own language4 ,the strain was simple1 the temple humble1 the congregation illiterate and poorly clad1 yet who shall say that colonnaded aisle or fretted dome of proud cathedral ever resounded with music sweeter in the ear of heaven1 than was that unpretending hymn of the despised ,indians6 ,who would not envy the emotions of the ,venerable ,mother and her fervent ,sisters1 as they knelt in the lowly church among the poor savages in the hamlet of ,sillery6 ,this visit over1 the ,ursulines and ,hospitaliers separated1 each community repairing to its appointed home4 ,the ,ursulines were located in the ,lower ,town1 at the foot of the mountain road1 not far from the spot occupied later by the ,church of ,our ,lady of ,victories4 ,the ,hospital ,sisters were lodged near ,fort ,st4 ,louis4 ,the abode assigned to the ,ursulines until a monastery could be built for them1 contained only two apartments1 the larger of which1 sixteen feet square1 served at once as choir1 parlour1 refectory and common dormitory2 the second was reserved for the school-room4 ,a little shed near the house was fitted up as a chapel1 and although so very poor as forcibly to recall the stable of ,bethlehem1 it was precious to them beyond words to tell1 for there the adorable ,sacrifice was henceforth daily offered1 and there too at all times dwelt quite close to them in the ,sacrament of ,his love1 the ,divine ,spouse for whose sake they had renounced themselves and all things here below4 ,a wooden palisade round the dwelling supplied the place of cloister walls4 ,in this most miserable abode they spent three years1 amidst unimaginable privations and inconveniences1 exposed to extreme cold in winter1 and overpowering heat in summer2 breathing the air vitiated by a crowd of ,indians1 whose uncleanly habits are proverbial1 and whose very clothes exhaled a sickening odour4 ,when the children presented themselves at the school for the first time1 their attire was scanty1 and of the coarsest materials4 ,they wore a mass of tangled hair1 guiltless since first it began to grow1 of all acquaintance with scissors1 brush or comb1 and they were covered all over with a greasy substance1 which to judge from the care employed in laying it on1 must have been deemed an indispensable finishing touch to the juvenile ,indian's toilet4 ,to bring that untidy hair into order1 and to remove that personal adornment1 unsightly in appearance1 as unattractive in aroma1 became a question of privilege4 ,the ,foundress claimed it as her right1 because as she said1 she was fit for nothing else1 but others thought themselves entitled to the honour too1 so finally a compromise was agreed on1 and all had their turn4 ,the children's uncivilized ways must no doubt have at first occasioned many a mortification to the ,sisters2 for instance1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation tells us that they daily found some disgusting mixture in their food1 a bunch of hair1 a handful of cinders1 or even an old shoe being no uncommon addition to the ordinary ingredients1 yet so completely did grace triumph over nature in these ,christian heroines1 that unsavoury as was the seasoning of their soup1 and countless as were the discomforts of their position1 they enjoyed indescribable happiness in their poverty1 and preferred their humble lodging with its uncouth inmates1 to the grandest mansion without them4 ,their dwelling1 they called the ,louvre1 and in their poor pupils1 the eye of faith enabled them to discern ornaments more costly1 more precious and more prized than all the splendour which art can devise and wealth purchase for the embellishment of regal palaces1 for what is the value of a palace1 compared with that of a soul8 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,opening ,,of ,,schools4--,,modification ,,of ,,the ,,constitutions4--,,commencement ,,of ,,the ,,new ,,monastery4 ,the ,mother of the ,incarnation at once recognised in her adopted country1 that which had been represented to her in her prophetic vision3 the lofty mountains1 the vast forests1 the boundless plains1 the general aspect and the minute details1 all were the same1 except that the mist was less heavy4 ,she was in the land to which ,god ,himself had called her1 as in the olden days ,he had called the patriarch to the land of promise1 and in her sacrifice1 as in that of ,abraham1 a great result was involved2 to her obedience1 as to his1 a magnificent reward was attached4 ,not only was she to bring a blessing to ,canada in her own person1 elevating it by her lessons and embalming it with her virtues2 she was moreover to found a community of ,ursulines1 who inheriting her spirit1 would perpetuate her labours and immortalize her zeal4 ,she was to erect an edifice to the ,lord1 in which ,his name should be taught and ,his praises sung1 not for the years of her own life only1 but through ages to come1 and by generations yet unborn4 ,she was to inaugurate the work of education1 for which her natural capabilities so eminently fitted her1 and which under ,god was to be the efficient instrument in her own hands for the present improvement of the colony2 in those of her future spiritual children for the development of the work so happily begun4 ,that work was very great1 but it must be owned too that its instrument was very perfect4 ,without delay the little community entered on its special function1 the instruction of youth1 opening schools on a limited scale both for ,indians and ,french4 ,before they could begin to teach the former1 it was of course necessary to learn their languages4 ,in order the more readily to accomplish the difficult task1 they agreed to divide the study1 the ,mothers of the ,incarnation and ,cecilia of the ,cross applying themselves to the ,algonquin1 the ,mother ,st4 ,joseph to the ,huron1 and under the direction of ,father le ,jeune1 so rapid was their progress1 that in two months they were judged capable of catechising their young charge4 ,later in life1 the ,venerable ,mother learned the ,huron4 ,the charity and fortitude of the ,mothers was very soon put to a severe test4 ,towards the end of ,august1 the small-pox broke out among the savages1 with whom it is usually fatal4 ,after spreading with frightful rapidity through the hamlet of ,sillery1 it showed itself at the ,ursuline ,convent in ,quebec1 which was soon transformed into an hospital4 ,some of the children contracted the disease three different times1 and four died of it4 ,through the protection of heaven1 their devoted nurses escaped under circumstances which rendered their preservation almost miraculous4 ,night and day they watched their beloved patients1 inhaling only the plague-tainted air of the small1 overcrowded room1 and having continually to step across the infected beds1 which for want of space were laid closely together along the floor4 ,during the six months which the malady lasted1 these heroines of charity seemed to vie with each other in the performance of the most bumbling and revolting offices1 the ,foundress setting the example of self-abnegation and devotedness4 ,their sole apprehension all through1 was lest the panic-stricken savages might remove their children from the monastery1 and thus deprive them of the spiritual blessings in store1 an idea being prevalent among the unconverted ,indians1 that the small-pox was a consequence of receiving baptism1 and of associating with the ,french4 ,fortunately the fear proved groundless1 for the little ones were afterwards confided in larger numbers than ever1 to the care of their tender1 self-sacrificing ,ursuline mothers4 ,when at last the contagion disappeared1 the wardrobe of the charitable ,sisters was found not to have been the least of the sufferers in the cause1 every available article of clothing having been converted into bandages for the sores of the poor patients4 ,the accounts from ,canada might naturally have been expected rather to check than to encourage vocations for the ,ursuline mission1 but on the contrary1 each letter from the ,mother of the ,incarnation to her ,sisters of ,paris and ,tours1 served only to stimulate a holy emulation to share in her sacrifices4 ,to enter1 she says1 into the true spirit of a missioner to ,canada1 the soul must die to all things created2 on this point1 the ,almighty ,master is inexorable4 ,interior death is no doubt the sure road to life in ,god1 but who can describe what it costs nature thus to die6 ,notwithstanding the ,venerable ,mother's forewarnings1 the ,mother ,superior of the ,paris convent prevailed on the ,archbishop to allow two of the ,sisters to follow their call to ,canada4 ,the privileged two were the ,mother ,st4 ,athanasius and ,st4 ,clare1 who in the world had borne the names of ,margaret de ,flcelles and ,anne le ,bugle4 ,on the #gth of ,july1 #afdj1 they landed at ,quebec to the great joy of their expectant ,sisters4 ,this addition to the original number necessitated the immediate building of a monastery1 which want of means had hitherto retarded4 ,it has been already noticed in our rapid sketch of the ,ursuline ,order1 that1 while its spirit and end are everywhere uniform1 the great family having but one heart and one soul in ,god1 the particular rules and practices of the different ,congregations vary on some points4 ,as these separate ,congregations are never intermingled1 no confusion or inconvenience can possibly arise from difference of usages1 but in the instance of the ,quebec ,ursulines1 the case was altered4 ,the ,mothers of the ,incarnation and ,st4 ,joseph were of the ,congregation of ,bordeaux1 which does not make the vow of the instruction of youth2 the rest of the ,sisters belonged to that of ,paris1 which does4 ,again1 there were some points of difference in the costume of the two ,congregations4 ,as they were henceforth to form but one community1 it was evident to all that diversity in any particular1 would1 for many reasons1 be inadmissible4 ,but1 if uniformity of life was indispensable1 much tact and prudence were needed in the adoption of the means best calculated to establish it4 ,happily1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation excelled in these great gifts1 and1 best of all1 she possessed in an eminent degree that heavenly wisdom derived from her habitual communication with the ,divine ,source of light4 ,she held many consultations with her ,sisters1 evincing in all her suggestions the practical good sense1 mature experience1 and gentle moderation so conspicuous in her4 ,as the little assembly had no object at heart but the glory of ,god1 their deliberations were quickly and happily closed4 ,in the decisions adopted1 the natural feelings of both parties seem to have been respectfully and tenderly considered4 ,it was arranged first1 that the vow of instruction should be taken by all1 but under the condition that it should bind the ,sisters of the ,congregation of ,bordeaux only during their stay in ,canada2 secondly1 that the costume of the ,congregation of ,bordeaux should be substituted for that of ,paris4 ,some other necessary modifications of the rules were agreed on4 with equal unanimity4 ,the decision was referred for approval to the ,communities of ,paris and ,tours1 to whom it gave the most unqualified satisfaction4 ,the particular rules then accepted were observed until #afdg1 when1 at the1 request of the ,community1 ,father ,lalemant drew up others equally in accordance with the engagements of the ,sisters1 but better adapted to their new country4 ,these continued in force until #afhb1 when1 at the recommendation of ,bishop ,laval1 the ,ursulines of ,quebec were affiliated to those of the ,congregation of ,paris4 ,uniformity of observance being thus established1 the fervent ,sisters pursued their work with redoubled zeal1 exhibiting in their daily practice the virtues of the ancient solitaries2 sustained in the hourly trials of their mortified lives by that heavenly love which sweetens suffering1 and encouraged in their difficulties by the example of a ,superior who never asserted her authority except to claim for herself the largest share of the common hardships1 seeming to think that the first place in rank1 entitled her also to the place nearest her crucified ,lord4 ,it was a common saying of these generous lovers of the cross2 that if they had anything to complain of in ,canada1 it was that they had not enough to suffer4 ,you say1 wrote the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 some years later1 that my actual experiences of ,canada are something very different from my anticipations4 ,you are right in the remark1 but not in the sense which you attach to it4 ,my life of labour and privation is so full of consolation1 that ,i now thoroughly realize how sweet is the yoke and how light the burden of the ,lord4 ,the happiness which ,i experience when ,i teach a poor savage to know ,god1 is a solace in pain and a refreshment in weariness4 ,canada1 with all its sharp1 thorns1 she called her paradise1 and the company of her uncouth little ,indian pupils1 she prized a thousand times beyond that of the greatest and highest of earthly queens4 ,in the spring of #afda the foundation stone of the monastery was laid by ,madame de la ,peltrie in the present ,upper ,town of ,quebec1 and there1 at the close of nearly two centuries and a half1 the ,ursuline ,convent still stands4 ,at the period we speak of1 the ground was not even cleared2 the woodman's axe was the first implement needed in the construction of the new monastery2 tradesmen were few1 wages high1 and the poverty of the country extreme4 ,but at the time of the ,venerable ,mother's prophetic vision1 more than once referred to1 our ,lord had told her to go to ,canada1 and there build a house for ,jesus and ,mary4 ,he who had given the command would1 she knew1 supply the means for its execution1 so with boundless trust in ,his providence1 she confidently undertook her task1 although to human prudence it might have seemed hopeless4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,work ,,at ,,the ,,louvre4--,,piety1 ,,zeal1 ,,and ,,progress ,,of ,,the ,,pupils4--,,little ,,truants4--,,banquets4 ,meantime1 the work of zeal and love went on actively at the ,louvre4 ,besides the seminarists1 or resident pupils1 who were always as numerous as space admitted1 and the day scholars1 who included all children old enough to be taught1 adults of both sexes received daily instruction--the women in the school-room1 the men at the parlour grating--all manifesting equal eagerness to hear the word of ,god2 all afterwards showing in their altered lives the miraculously transforming power of ,divine grace4 ,so great was the desire of the seminarists to learn1 that they would ask their mistresses1 to punish them if they failed in diligence2 and when any one bad committed a fault1 she1 of her own accord1 begged pardon on her knees4 ,the piety of these poor children of the wilds was truly admirable1 and especially so was the ardour with which they received the doctrine of the ,heal ,presence of ,jesus in ,his ,adorable ,sacrament4 ,i never saw livelier joy1 wrote the ,mother ,st4 ,joseph1 than in three of our pupils1 each aged twelve1 when told that they were to be admitted to the ,holy ,table at ,easter4 ,they listened1 as if entranced1 to the instructions on the ,most ,blessed ,eucharist1 and seemed to possess a comprehension of the ,mystery of ,love quite beyond their years4 ,they begged to be allowed to fast on the eve of their first ,communion1 a practice which they afterwards observed every time they communicated4 ,one day1 while a ,jesuit ,father was speaking to them of their approaching happiness1 a little child of six ventured to present her baby pleadings to be allowed to join them4 ,the ,father told her she was too young4 ,oh1 ,father6 she said1 do not send me away because ,i am too young2 you will see that ,i shall soon be as old and as tall as my companions4 ,she was allowed to assist at the instructions1 which she understood and retained so as to surprise all who questioned her2 nevertheless1 she had to resign herself to wait yet longer for the much- desired day4 ,her mother1 coming soon after to see her1 the child undertook to instruct her in the holy truths of faith by the help of pictures4 ,having taught her to pray1 she proceeded to initiate her in the mysteries of a lesson in reading1 pointing out the letters in a book4 ,to please her dear child1 the good ,mother repeated the sounds one by one as if she had been saying a lesson4 ,when our child returns to us1 she said to the ,mothers1 she will prepare her father and me for ,baptism1 which we are very desirous to receive4 ,the sentiments of our pupils on the ,holy ,communion1 wrote ,madame de la ,peltrie1 are most edifying4 ,when asked why they desire so much to receive it1 they tell us that it is because ,jesus ,himself will enter their souls1 to purify and adorn them4 ,the countenance of my god-daughter1 ,mary1 sometimes actually beams with joy1 and1 if questioned as to its cause1 she is sure to answer1 ,i am soon to make my first ,communion4 ,the ,indian pupils were sometimes heard discussing what each1 considered the greatest favour she had received from ,god4 ,the answer from one would be1 ,that ,he has made me a ,christian2 from another1 ,that ,he became man to rescue me from hell4 ,on one of these occasions1 a little voice was heard to say1 ,the greatest favour that ,jesus does us1 is to give ,himself for our food in the ,holy ,eucharist4 ,the speaker1 though only nine years of age1 had made her first ,communion a year and a half before4 ,the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 who mentions the circumstance1 adds the reflection1 ,are not such sentiments admirable in children born in the very bosom of barbarism and infidelity8 ,if a pupil saw a companion commit a fault1 she checked her by the simple words1 ,take care1 or your guardian angel will go away4 ,in proportion as the souls of these poor children opened to the softening influence of religion1 so did the hitherto latent qualities of their better nature manifest themselves more clearly4 ,in the genial atmosphere of charity1 their hearts expanded as flowers in sunshine1 developing a depth1 a constancy1 and a delicacy of feeling which none would have suspected to underlie manners so cold1 and characters apparently so apathetic4 ,they learned fully to appreciate1 and sought only how best they might return the tenderness of their devoted ,mothers1 and1 as affection is a ready teacher1 they were not slow to discover that the best proof of their gratitude would be found in strict compliance with the wishes of their instructresses2 hence the docility to directions1 the submission to reproof1 the respect for school regulations1 exemplified in the daily lives of the seminarists1 and all the more to be admired that such practices were foreign to their habits and repugnant to their nature4 ,madame de la ,peltrie writes that they showed her the deference and love of fond children1 as well as a degree of refinement which1 she says1 she would never have expected from savages4 ,in her temporary charge of them during the nuns' annual retreat1 she found no difficulty in enforcing silence2 it was enough for them to know that their dear ,mothers were spending the week with ,god2 the mere fear of even slightly disturbing them1 proved a sufficient restraint4 ,if the ,foundress occasionally happened to be absent for a short time on some errand of mercy1 they were inconsolable until her return1 which they greeted with joyous acclamations4 ,once they were told that the ,mother of the ,incarnation was ill1 and would die if they made a noise4 ,at the sound of the word die1 they burst into tears1 and1 with a consideration which would have done honour to more polished natures1 they kept perfectly still1 afraid1 as it seemed1 to move1 or almost to breathe1 lest dreaded death should come and claim their first1 best earthly friend4 ,as early as #afda1 the ,venerable ,mother described the converts in general as transformed beings--barbarians no longer1 but fervent ,christians1 animated1 by a truly heavenly spirit4 ,she1 too1 remarks1 that in refinement of feeling1 they might have competed with many a favoured child of civilization1 and so charmed was she with the beautiful simplicity of their piety1 that she declares she would rather have listened to their unstudied eloquence1 than to the finished oratory of the first speaker in ,europe4 ,a remarkable characteristic of the converts1 both adult and young1 was their ardour for the propagation of the faith among their countrymen2 not only1 then1 had the ,mothers the consolation of seeing the fruit of their labours among their immediate pupils1 but that also of knowing that through the zeal of these1 the heavenly word would be borne far and wide over the pagan land4 ,so impressed were the ,jesuit ,fathers with the value of this kind of apostolate1 that they were wont to say1 ,one converted ,indian1 who leads a truly ,christian life1 can do more good among the infidels than three missioners4 ,this spirit of zeal early manifested itself among the seminarists at the convent4 ,it was admirable to hear the more grown teaching the less advanced the ,christian doctrine1 repeating the questions which had been asked to themselves at catechism1 and exciting the interest of the new-comers by explaining the subject of a pious picture1 or relating an attractive history4 ,even some of the very young ones had their own little mission of charity4 ,one interesting child in particular1 was to be seen surrounded by a class of tiny ones younger than herself1 whom she assiduously catechised1 teaching them especially how to prepare for confession1 and exhorting them above all things never to conceal a sin4 ,to the zeal of a ,huron girl named ,teresa1 the first ,ursuline pupil of that nation1 many of her countrymen were indebted for their conversion4 ,though only about thirteen years of age1 she spoke to them of ,god with an earnestness and a force that they could not resist4 ,one of the converts1 wishing to test her1 feigned to have given up the idea of receiving baptism nearly on the eve of the day fixed for its administration4 ,inexpressibly grieved1 she reproached him for his inconstancy in the strongest terms1 but1 finding that her eloquence seemed to produce no impression1 she hastened1 all in tears1 to the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 beseeching her to use her influence with the supposed apostate4 ,oh6 she exclaimed in the vehemence of her indignation1 if ,i could only have broken the grating which divided us1 ,i would have beaten him well6 ,the astonished ,mother soon learned the truth1 but it was difficult to undeceive the sorely-afflicted ,teresa4 ,not seeing the ,mothers during the eight days of their annual retreat1 the savages concluded that they concealed themselves to pray4 ,on one of these occasions ,teresa determined to imitate them1 so she hid behind the palisade1 and spent the day in prayer4 ,when discovered at last by one of her companions1 and asked what she was doing1 she replied1 ,i hide like the ,mothers to pray for you1 for myself1 for the ,french1 and for the ,indians4 ,she is so constant in her faith1 so well instructed1 so fervent1 said one of her own race1 that it would seem as if she had not been born a ,huron4 ,when she comes home she will be looked up to by the whole tribe4 ,her teacher must surely be one of the wisest persons in all ,france4 ,on her way back to her own country1 she was seized by the ,iroquois1 together with ,father ,jogues and some of her relatives1 and in her captivity not only retained her faith1 but professed it with the heroism of a martyr4 ,deeply concerned at her fate1 the ,ursulines interested all the authorities in her behalf1 and1 thanks to the exertions of her good ,mothers1 her deliverance was stipulated for in the arrangement of the articles of peace at the general meeting in #afde4 ,besides religious and moral training1 the seminarists received a simple elementary education1 comprising chiefly reading1 writing1 and needlework4 ,before long1 two of the more grown were able to write their own language so well as to venture on letters to an absent ,jesuit ,father4 ,great was the delight of their parents when shown the mysterious productions4 ,they took them reverently into their hands1 turned them cautiously in every direction1 and begged to hear the contents again and again1 equally charmed and surprised to find that the paper could speak1 and in their own language too4 ,it was always a matter of wonder to them to hear that a few characters traced on paper could convey thought to the remotest distance4 ,another object of intense amazement was the first clock brought by the missioners to the country of the ,hurons4 ,they called it ',the ,captain of the ,day1' and many were the inquiries each time they came1 how often he had spoken since their last visit4 ,lest they should lose the benefit of any of his remarks1 they sometimes waited hour after hour to hear him speak again4 ,they were puzzled about his food1 but never at a loss to interpret the stroke which announced the hour of the good ,fathers' frugal meal1 in which they fully calculated on sharing4 ,the ,indians are fond of music1 so to attract the adults1 the ,mothers of ,incarnation and ,st4 ,joseph taught their little pupils to sing hymns1 and many a grave chief listened with delight to the simple lay1 returning the compliment by a performance in ,indian measure4 ,a record has been preserved of a certain old-fashioned stringed instrument in the convent which greatly charmed the audience4 ,among the early pupils was a child of twelve1 whose disposition was so gentle that she received the name of ,agnes1 and whose ear was naturally so attuned to all sweet sounds1 that she was considered capable of being taught to accompany her own warble on the said wonderful instrument4 ,when her parents removed her in due time from school1 still she sang ,god's praises among the echoes of the woods-- not only sang herself1 but taught to others the hymns she had learned in her ,ursuline home--gathering a little choir about her in the heart of the silent wilderness1 and making it her holy joy thus to promote piety among her companions4 ,the predestined child desired to consecrate herself to ,god in religion1 but her ,heavenly ,father accepted the wish1 and called her to ,himself at the age of fifteen4 ,but if the labours of the first ,mothers were very richly repaid by the pupils in general1 it must be owned that their forbearance was often severely tried by some among them1 known as the vagrants of the woods4 ,the wild1 free life of the forest had charms for these1 for which all the comforts of civilization could not compensate4 ,like caged birds1 they would flutter against the bars1 and1 at the first opportunity1 break through them1 to fly back to their cabins and independence4 ,once a young ,algonquin was thus attacked by home-sickness2 the ,mothers did their best to comfort and encourage her1 but all in vain4 ,the melancholy mood grew deeper and darker--so dark at last1 that1 unable to bear the restraint any longer1 the truant jumped through the window1 leaped the cloister palisade1 and fled in the direction of the woods4 ,in a few minutes she looked back1 expecting to see a persuer1 but1 finding that her flight had caused no concern1 she began already to repent of it4 ,her reception at home was rather cool1 and when1 a few days after1 she proposed to her mother to return to the monastery1 the readily accorded permission was accompanied by a significant hint not to leave again without being sent4 ,with a light heart1 she presented herself at the convent door2 but1 alas6 it would not open4 ,her place1 the portress told her1 had been given to another pupil4 ,vain were her entreaties1 her tears and her sobs1 for the ,mother of the ,incarnation had decided on strict measures with the little wanderers1 who1 by their restlessness1 disturbed the peace and order of the house4 ,but nothing like perseverance6 ,poor ,catherine watched for the arrival of the day pupils1 and so effectually did she excite their compassion by her tale of woe1 that they agreed to let her fall into the ranks4 ,when the door unclosed for their admission1 she rushed to the feet of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 confessed her fault1 and asked pardon4 ,touched by her penitence and promises the good ,mother relented2 ,catherine was restored to favour1 and never again did she deserve a reproof or even a reproach4 ,another child1 aged eight1 stole away from the monastery1 and spent the winter with her parents at some distance from ,quebec4 ,when they returned to the town in spring1 she applied for re-admission1 but the request was refused4 ,she persisted1 but so did the ,mothers too4 ,at last she bethought herself that by joining the procession on the festival of ,corpus ,christi1 she would be entitled to accompany her parents to the feast at the convent1 which was always understood to follow the devotions1 and she calculated that once there1 it would be easy to keep her ground4 ,accordingly1 she took her place among the guests1 but when the time came for retiring1 instead of joining them1 she threw herself on her knees at the door and repeated her petition4 ,another refusal--but1 determined to succeed1 she crouched outside the door4 ,night came1 and with it came rain1 and still the repentant culprit kept her post1 so the kind-hearted ,mothers were constrained to admit her1 and she eventually became an example of virtue to the school4 ,the banquets at the ,louvre1 to which we have alluded1 were conducted after a very original fashion2 the bill of fare was restricted to one dish1 and this1 as the receipt shows1 could be prepared with little expenditure of culinary skill1 yet it fully satisfied the simple guests4 ,it was composed of bread1 maize or pea-flour1 and black plums1 all boiled together2 and1 as the savages relish unctuous food1 a few melted tallow candles and some rich pork were added for seasoning4 ,on this dainty dish1 as many as sixty or eighty ,indians were occasionally regaled at a time1 in what they considered splendid style4 ,the ,indians have no fixed hours for meals4 ,hunger is the signal for beginning2 the disappearance of the provisions that for concluding4 ,the latter point is one of strict etiquette4 ,it would seem as if even the ingenuity of charity had left nothing undone for the gratification of the poor savages1 but it was not so4 ,one day that ,father ,lalemant visited the school-room1 the children gathered round him with an air of mystery and importance1 as if burdened with some weighty secret4 ,look at our clothes1 ,father1 they said2 you can see that they are faded and worn1 and1 as our ,mothers do not give us new ones1 we cannot look as smart as the ,french girls1 which makes us sorrowful4 ,much amused1 the ,father reported the complaint of the little ones to the ,venerable ,mother4 ,without showing the least surprise at it1 or reminding the children of all her generosity1 she at once provided each with a new red dress1 adding new shoes and stockings1 and assisting to prepare the finery with her own hands1 lest1 as she said1 any impression of sadness might connect itself with the memory of their first instruction in the faith1 and the ,divine seed be thus hindered from striking deep root and producing rich fruit4 ,madame de la ,peltrie had provided for the maintenance of six seminarists1 but this number had gradually swelled to eighteen1 all of whom were not only supported but likewise clothed from the common fund4 ,the adult ,indians who crowded to the monastery for instruction1 also expected and invariably received hospitality1 which was1 moreover1 occasionally extended to the families of the pupils4 ,the pecuniary resources of the convent were wholly inadequate to meet so many claims on its charity1 and at the same time1 defray its own moderate expenditure4 ,but the self- denying ,mothers struggled bravely through their poverty1 and by the generous aid of benefactors in ,france1 they managed not only to continue their alms to the adults and to retain their seminarists1 but by degrees considerably to increase the number of these last4 ,among the first pupils were some of very tender age1 little ones of six and less4 ,one of these was brought to the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 all covered with small-pox4 ,young as she was1 she had attended her parents through the terrible malady1 and after the death of both1 had contracted it herself4 ,she recovered1 and proved her gratitude to her devoted friend by showing herself so perfect a model of obedience1 that she would even anticipate orders1 running to put herself in the way if she thought there was a chance of her being employed4 ,another would begin her baby prayers of her own accord the moment she awoke1 say her rosary during ,mass1 and recreate herself by singing little hymns4 ,a third1 of scarcely four1 paralysed in all her limbs1 gave ample exercise to the patience of the kind mothers4 ,once her mistress had to rise four times in one night to soothe the poor little sufferer4 ,next day1 a companion remarked1 ,charity1 for so the child was called1 ,charity1 you gave a great deal of trouble to your mistress last night4 ,i know ,i did1 coolly replied ,charity1 but my dear mistress is very good1 and what she did for me was just what she would have done for the ,child ,jesus1 if ,he had been in my place4 ,ah1 wise little one6 you have found out the secret--,whatever you did4 to one of these ,my least brethren1 you did it to ,me 7,st4 ,matt4 xxv4 #dj74 ,in the eye of faith1 the untutored ,indian was as exalted1 because as much the representative of ,god1 as the lady of noble birth or even royal lineage2 so1 each object of loving care in that house of charity might equally have said of every act of every ,sister1 ,what she did for me1 is what she would have done for the ,child ,jesus in my place4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,new ,,trials4--,,madams ,,be ,,la ,,peltrie ,,in ,,montreal4--,,active ,,life ,,of ,,the ,,mother ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation4--,,first ,,elections4--,,removal ,,to ,,the ,,new ,,monastery4-- ,,return ,,of ,,madame ,,de ,,la ,,peltrie4 ,while the ,mother of the ,incarnation was thus spending her days in the practice of the heroic charity and austere penance which possessed equal attractions for her1 pursuing the work of zeal which of all others she loved best1 and living in the heart of what was1 perhaps the most fervent portion of ,god's ,church in those days1 it would appear to us as if1 though still on earth1 she had partially anticipated heaven2 but heaven1 even on earth was not to be yet1 for the measure of her merits1 and1 therefore1 of her sufferings1 was not filled up4 ,as we have already more than once remarked1 the ,almighty had called her to a sublime degree of purity of soul2 to the end of life1 therefore1 ,he would furnish her with opportunities of advancing in the virtue which here below can never attain its last perfection1 some alloy of the love of self mingling to the end with the love of ,god1 even in the holiest4 ,as the virtue is one which thrives best under the cross1 ,he would re-conduct her to her well- known place on ,calvary1 and subject her once more to the salutary action of interior tribulation4 ,she felt again as if suddenly deprived of all the ,divine gifts and favours1 and reduced to the very extreme of spiritual indigence4 ,her natural talents and capabilities seemed paralysed2 desolation overwhelmed her1 temptations to anger1 antipathy and even despair pressed on her4 ,the last1 especially1 became so importunate1 that she seemed to herself sometimes on the very brink of the dread abyss1 and might have echoed the words of the ,psalmist1 ,the sorrows of death have compassed me1 and the perils of hell have found me 7,ps4 cxiv4 #c74 ,not only had the ,almighty apparently withdrawn ,his gifts1 but1 hardest of all to bear1 ,he had concealed ,himself4 ,now and again a ray of heavenly consolation beamed on her afflicted soul1 but1 like the lightning's flash on the angry sky1 it illumined for a moment1 only to be followed by deeper darkness4 ,to her internal agonies were added external trials of various kinds1 including most painful contradictions and humiliations4 ,support from creatures there was none1 and even the sympathy of friendship was denied her4 ,she seemed to have lost confidence in her holiest advisers1 while1 by the permission of ,god1 she herself became to others a subject of temptations to aversion4 ,oppressed with the sense of her utter unworthiness1 and brought down to the lowest depth of interior abjection1 she dared scarcely look at or address her ,sisters4 ,she was alone in her agony1 like the ,divine ,sufferer in the garden1 and1 in the spirit of utter annihilation of self1 and entire abandonment to ,god1 her desolate heart re-echoed the sublime cry of ,his agony1 ,father1 not my will but ,thine be done4 ,it is her own teaching1 that the nearer the soul approaches to ,god1 the more distinctly also she discerns her sinfulness and misery2 the more clearly she sees the many hitherto unsuspected windings and lurking- places of corrupt nature2 the better1 consequently1 she understands how numerous still are the impediments which must be removed before she can fully and freely expand her wings and take her flight to her ,lord4 ,of this truth she had now renewed personal experience4 ,in the high degree of ,divine union to which she had attained1 she saw her imperfections in a clearer light than ever1 and the view filled her with confusion and compunction4 ,that by the help of ,divine grace1 she had through life been preserved from every sin of deliberation1 was the opinion of competent judges1 well acquainted with her soul's history4 ,the imperfections which she so bitterly deplored were1 then1 only an occasional infidelity to the grace which had called her from early years to perfect detachment from creatures and from self1 or1 at most1 they were but the faults of frailty1 ignorance1 surprise and inadvertence1 from which even the saints are not exempt in this life2 but1 viewed as they now were in their closer contrast with the sanctity of ,god1 they assumed a more serious aspect than ever before4 ,her habitual horror of the very slightest faults was intensified2 her ordinary almost incredible care to avoid them1 increased4 ,inflamed with a holy zeal for the vindication of the rights of ,divine justice1 as well with an insatiable ardour for the triumph of ,god's pure love in her soul1 she humbly bowed beneath the hand that crucified her1 confessing herself deserving of all chastisement1 and1 praying that the last remnant of the love of self might be exterminated from her heart at any cost of suffering and humiliation4 ',o merciful ,lord6' she cried1 send me a thousand torments1 and as many deaths as ,i respirations1 rather than permit that ,i should offend ,thee4' ,looking on her slow interior martyrdom as the instrument in ,god's hand for the purification of her soul1 she would not have exchanged its pangs for imaginable joys united4 ,greatly as her trials on this occasion must have promoted her personal sanctification1 a second important result was involved in them4 ,in the generosity of her charity1 she had offered herself to suffer for the sins of two persons whose conversion she most ardently desired2 while1 therefore1 the ,almighty 'proved her as gold in the furnace1 that she might found worthy of ,himself' ,he at the same time 'received her as a victim of a holocaust'1 that through her sufferings other souls might be made worthy of ,him too 7,wisdom iii4 #e1f74 ,but if ,he accepted the oblation1 and rewarded the sacrifice1 it was not until the victim had been entirely immolated4 ,as if to crown the tribulations of the ,venerable ,mother1 it was while her interior trials were at their height1 that ,madame de la ,peltrie1 the main pillar of the ,ursuline foundation1 resolved to remove to ,montreal1 where a new settlement was about to be established as a check to the incursions of the ,iroquois4 ,monsieur de ,maisonneuve1 the destined founder1 was accompanied by a troop of colonists1 brave and chivalrous as himself2 also by ,mademoiselle ,mance1 whose particular mission was to open a convent of ,hospital ,sisters at ,ville ,marie1 as the projected city was to be called4 ,the season being too far advanced for the commencement of operations1 the party passed the winter at ,sillery1 where ,madame de la ,peltrie made acquaintance with ,mademoiselle ,mance4 ,the intended foundation naturally formed an ordinary topic of conversation during the long evenings1 and so strongly was ,madame de la ,peltrie's interest in it excited1 that in the end1 she resolved to give it her personal co- operation4 ,not being bound to the ,ursulines by vow or formal engagement of any kind1 she was of course at perfect liberty to withdraw from them1 but the parting from one so dear was very painful to all1 especially the much tried ,mother4 ,the amiable ,foundress had gained the affection and esteem both of the ,sisters and the pupils1 cheerfully sharing the labours and privations of the one1 and devoting herself in the self-sacrificing spirit of true charity to the care of the others3 all loved and regretted her1 nevertheless she departed1 impelled by the desire to accomplish what she considered a more useful work4 ,in her zeal for souls1 she would have flown1 not merely to ,montreal1 but to the world's end1 and when it appeared to her that by going1 she could extend her sphere of good1 and thereby more largely promote the glory of ,god1 no hesitation was admitted4 ,she was accompanied by ,charlotte ,barr4 ,on the #agth of ,may1 #afdb1 the colonists landed on the ,isle of ,montreal4 ,besides the trial to their feelings1 the separation from their ,foundress was a source of serious pecuniary embarrassment to the ,ursulines4 ,if before1 they had been poor1 they were now reduced to absolute destitution4 ,madame de la ,peltrie having found it necessary to remove her furniture1 they retained only a few articles which they had brought from ,france1 among the rest1 three beds for their fourteen pupils4 ,the children have to sleep on boards1 wrote the ,mother of the ,incarnation2 we do what we can to soften the hard couches1 and as a substitute for bed clothes1 we borrow skins from the stores1 the only alternative left us in our poverty4 ,but it was not the extreme indigence around her that afflicted the ,venerable ,mother2 the example of her ,lord and ,saviour had on the contrary rendered this precious in her eyes and dear to her heart ,if her soul was rent1 it was chiefly by the dread of having to dismiss her beloved pupils back to their native wilds4 ,in one single year1 fifty ,indian children had been taught1 and more than seven hundred adults of both sexes had received spiritual and corporal aid4 ,was this magnificent harvest to be thus prematurely blighted8 ,monsieur de ,bernires had formally announced the necessity of dismissing the pupils and discontinuing the new building1 adding1 that if ,madame de la ,peltrie persisted in her present intention1 the ,sisters would have no alternative but to return to ,france1 unless indeed some other charitable person would undertake the responsibility of providing for them4 ,but gloomy as were the prospects of the little community1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation never wavered in her trust in ,god4 ,she resolved to retain her scholars1 to distribute her accustomed alms1 and to continue the building1 writing as usual to ,monsieur de ,bernires for supplies for the house1 and inclosing him the bills for the workmen's wages4 ,who that witnessed her calm1 brave fortitude1 could have suspected how immensely the weight of the visible cross was aggravated by that of the invisible8 ,yet it is certain that the external was but a faint image of the internal4 ,still1 beneath their united pressure1 she discharged her multiplied exterior duties with a punctuality1 an energy and a presence of mind which proved the extent of her disengagement from self1 while by her exactitude to the least of the conventual observances1 she continued to sustain her claim to the title of a living rule4 ,acting on her own maxim1 that fidelity in small things is the guardian of fidelity in greater1 she knew no distinction between lesser and more important regulations2 in her view1 all were of equal consequence4 ,she took her share of the menial duties1 which for the first years weighed heavily on the community in consequence of their having no lay ,sisters4 ,no indisposition or infirmity1 no pressure of business or excess of fatigue could induce her to deviate in one iota from the practices of common life4 ,ever active and indefatigable1 she might be seen1 now teaching and tending her dear ,indian children1 now directing the building of the new convent1 now superintending the domestic details of the monastery1 and all the time fulfilling to the least particular the duties of her responsible office as ,superior4 ,she was the last to retire to rest at night1 the first to appear in the morning1 and ever to be found either in communion with ,god1 or engaged in the active occupations of her charge4 ,it was at this period that she commenced correspondence with several religious communities1 and numerous pious seculars in ,france1 in order to engage their interest for the ,indians4 ,the number of her letters is something wonderful1 especially during her first twelve years in ,canada1 and the alms which she thus procured1 supplied the most pressing wants of the institution4 ,this is but my second letter1 she says in one place1 since the arrival of the ships2 they leave in a fortnight1 and ,i have to answer two hundred4 ,in another1 she remarks1 ,my hand is so tired that ,i can scarcely hold the pen1 but so it is that we must pass our time1 while waiting for the eternity which will never pass4 ,the words1 ,short labour1 eternal rest1 formed her ordinary motto4 ,besides her letters on business to persons of all conditions1 she maintained a constant correspondence with her son and her niece from the time of their joining1 the one the ,benedictine1 and the other the ,ursuline ,order4 ,these last1 like all her spiritual letters1 are replete with solid maxims of practical piety1 and manifest a knowledge of the secrets of the interior life which could have been acquired only in her close and habitual communications with ,god4 ,while going through this almost incredible amount of work1 she never lost her calm self-possession and firm control over natural feeling4 ,more than twenty times in one morning1 it has happened her to be interrupted at an occupation1 and never by look or word was she known to betray annoyance or impatience4 ,the first elections at the ,quebec ,convent took place on the #abth of ,june1 #afdb1 when the ,mother of the ,incarnation resumed the burden which for the previous three years she had borne by the appointment of the ,archbishop of ,tours4 ,on the twenty-first of the following ,november1 the feast of the ,presentation of the ,blessed ,virgin1 the little community bade adieu to the miserable dwelling which had sheltered them for three years1 and become endeared as the scene of their first labours and their first successes in ,canada4 ,the new building was in so unfinished a state as to be barely habitable2 consequently the first winter was one of extreme suffering from cold4 ,stoves were a luxury unknown for many a year1 and to preserve themselves from being frozen at night1 the poor ,mothers had to sleep in something like wooden chests4 ,notwithstanding its many inconveniences1 the new convent excited the unbounded admiration of the ,indians1 especially the children1 who were overjoyed at the prospect of inhabiting so splendid a ,cabin4 ,after the ,venerable ,mother had borne her weight of mental anguish for three years1 the ,almighty was pleased to alleviate it1 propitiated as it would seem by a new self-imposed and very heroic act of humiliation4 ,externally too1 prospects brightened4 ,after spending eighteen months in ,montreal1 ,madame de la ,peltrie resolved to return to ,quebec4 ,her zeal for the conversion of the savages urging her to attempt even impossibilities1 she had for a time entertained serious thoughts of penetrating to the country of the yet pagan ,hurons1 but a ,jesuit ,father just returned from those missions1 dissuaded her from an undertaking so far above her strength4 ,in compensation1 she provided for the permanent support of an additional missions in that district4 ,while at ,montreal1 she wrote to the ,mother of the ,incarnation to explain that her great inducement in going there1 had been the hope of establishing a convent of ,ursulines in the town1 a new proof that her holy ardour for the salvation of souls was worthy of all praise4 ,during this visit1 she stood sponsor at the baptismal font for an ,algonquin ,chief4 ,it is easier to imagine than to describe the joy with which her return was greeted by the ,sisters1 the pupils1 and most of all1 the ,mother on whom had fallen the heaviest portion of the burden entailed by her absence4 ,now1 no future parting need be dreaded4 ,to the last breath of life she would cling to the friends whose difficulties and troubles she had so generously shared from the first1 and among the most precious of her legacies to the ,ursulines would be ranked the example of her zeal1 her charity1 her humility1 and her admirable self-abnegation4 ,without assuming the obligations of a religious1 she conformed in all respects to the rule and discipline of the house1 and so remarkable was her punctuality1 that the signal for regular observance was never given with greater exactitude1 than when it happened to be her turn to ring the bell4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,mother ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation ,a ,,victim ,,for ,,her ,,son ,,and ,,her ,,niece4-- ,,conversion ,,of ,,both4--,,mother ,,st4 ,,athanasius ,,elected ,,mother ,,superior4 ,the mental sufferings of the ,mother of the ,incarnation had abated at the end of three years1 but they were very far from having wholly ceased4 ,they were to be traced in part1 as we have seen1 to that heroic act of self-immolation by which she had offered herself as a victim to ,divine justice for the salvation of two erring souls very dear to her heart1 and until grace should have fully triumphed over both1 her martyrdom was not to terminate4 ,these objects of her holy solicitude were her son1 and one of her nieces4 ,the former1 as may be remembered1 had applied for admission to the ,jesuit novitiate1 much about the time of the ,venerable ,mother's departure for ,canada1 and not being considered suitable for the ,order1 had been rejected4 ,the disappointment preyed on him for a while1 but hope soon succeeded to despondency4 ,if the cloister was closed1 the world1 he argued1 was open to him4 ,why not then seek in the latter1 the happiness which he had vainly dreamed of finding in the former8 ,why not choose one among the many paths to distinction which untried life held out so temptingly1 and take his chance of success as others had done before him8 ,lured onwards by ambition1 he resolved to settle in ,paris1 naturally supposing that the ,queen's well-known veneration for his saintly ,mother1 would secure him her favour4 ,the ,duchess d',aiguillon at once offered him her patronage1 and the difficulties of the first start being thus happily removed1 he seemed free to select his road to fortune4 ,and was he then really destined for nothing better than the slavery of the world8 ,could it be true that that worthless world was one day to boast of having thrown its shackles round the heart of the son of ,marie ,guyart8 ,she had consecrated his soul to ,god before his eyes had opened to the light2 she had taught him his first prayer2 she had given him his first impression of piety2 she had instilled his first lesson1 that it were better far to die a thousand deaths if that were possible1 than live to commit one mortal sin4 ,had the remembrance of her teaching utterly vanished1 and the last trace of her maternal influence quite faded away8 ,no1 that could not be4 ,the mother1 who like her1 has rightly understood the words maternal influence1 and early taken care to establish her own1 will hold the key to her child's heart while ever his heart throbs4 ,vast intervals may separate that mother and child2 oceans and years may lie between them1 and still the mother's words will retain their grasp of her boy's soul1 starting from its depths in the hour of temptation1 to awaken the sweet echo of early lessons1 and revive the memory of that last promise at parting1 to be true to ,god1 to conscience and the maternal teaching4 ,and if perchance the child should have forgotten the maxims and rejected the control of the mother1 still can her influence reach his heart through the sure channel of her prayers and tears4 ,the ,christian mother's prayers fall on the soul of her prodigal child like genial sunshine on the drooping plant2 her tears like cool dew on the parched earth--they revive1 they warm1 they soften4 ,he cannot resist them1 for they come laden with the heavenly grace which they have been the blessed means of winning from the all-merciful ,heart of ,jesus4 ,this it was ,claude ,martin's happiness to experience4 ,while he thought only of plunging into the vortex of the world1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation prayed1 and wept1 and suffered without intermission to obtain his entire conversion4 ,it could not be that a child of those tears should perish4 ,footnote3 ,words of a ,bishop to ,st4 ,monica1 with reference to ,st4 ,augustine4 ,as may be anticipated1 his rebellious heart was finally won to ,god1 wholly and for ever4 ,the circumstances of his conversion are singular4 ,it happened one day that1 weary of the noise and bustle of the great city1 he retired to his quiet room1 to study4 ,before long he was disturbed by a knocking at the door1 but1 although he opened it promptly1 he could see nobody4 ,he resumed his study only to be a second and a third time similarly interrupted1 and with a similar result4 ,the occurrence was so strange1 that he could explain it to himself only as the wondrous action of the hand of ,god4 ,the voice of grace spoke to his heart1 even more distinctly than the sound at the door had spoken to his ear4 ,without one moment's hesitation1 he flew to ,dom ,raymond of ,st4 ,bernard1 his mother's former director1 and told him of the mysterious incident which1 in an instant had dispelled his dreams of ambition1 subdued his will1 and changed him into a new being1 and he concluded the strange communication by beseeching the ,father in earnest terms1 to guide him to the road to which ,god called4 ,the unexpected news of the next day1 was1 that ,claude ,martin had suddenly renounced his very brilliant prospects in the world to join the ,order of ,st4 ,benedict4 ,the joy and gratitude of his holy mother at the blessed tidings may be imagined4 ,it would be difficult1 my very dear son1 she writes1 to express the consolation which your letter afforded me4 ,impressed with the dangers to which you were exposed1 ,i have suffered much on your account1 especially during the past year1 still ,i have ever been sustained by the firm hope that our all-good ,god would never utterly forsake the son from whom ,i had parted for ,his dear sake alone1 and now ,i find that ,his mercy to you has not only realized1 but surpassed my expectations4 ,the world offered you some advantages1 it is true1 but how immeasurably inferior to the blessing which ,god has bestowed6 ,you are now enrolled in the army of the ,almighty ,king2 take1 then1 well to heart the words of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ',no man putting his hand to the plough1 and looking back1 is fit for the ,kingdom of ,god' 7,st4 ,luke ix4 #fb74 ,the happiness in store for you is infinitely beyond any which this world could give4 ',count then all things here below to be but loss that you may gain ,christ' 7,phil4 in4 #h74 ,the example of your holy ,father ,st4 ,benedict inculcates this generosity of spirit2 imitate it faithfully1 that so ,i may have the consolation of soon hearing that my uninterrupted prayers of many years for your sanctification have at last found acceptance with ,god4 ,i never pass a day without offering you as a sacrifice to ,him on the ,heart of ,his well- beloved ,son1 desiring and supplicating that you may be consumed as a perfect holocaust on that ,divine ,altar4 ,if any one were to tell me that you had died a martyr's death1 ,i think ,i should expire with joy2 but be faithful to grace1 die constantly to self1 imitate the many eminent servants of ,god sanctified in your ,order1 and not only will the ,almighty make you a great saint1 but ,he will grant you the reward of a martyr too4 ,if ,he should mercifully bring you to your religious profession1 let me know the joyful tidings4 ,tell me also the particulars of your call to religion1 and the manner of your correspondence with it4 ,in a word1 let me have the consolation of participating fully in your spiritual treasures4 ,pray for me very often4 ,i meet you many times a day in ,god1 and speak of you unceasingly to ,jesus and ,mary4 ,the novice embraced the cross of religion with holy ardour1 and bore it with persevering fidelity4 ,cordially despising the world which had well nigh betrayed him1 he renounced it thoroughly1 and directed all the affections of his heart to ,god alone4 ,looking on religious perfection as the only object worthy of his ambition1 he pursued the one great end with a fervour and an earnestness which ensured his rapid progress4 ,his success in his vocation1 and the diminution of his mother's trials1 all along kept such equal pace1 that she might safely have judged of the one by the other4 ,hence1 when obscurity again enveloped her soul1 she inferred that some obstacle to his profession had arisen1 and so the event proved4 ,the difficulty being happily removed1 he was permitted to seal the irrevocable act of his consecration to ,god by the solemn vows4 ,after his promotion to the priesthood1 he was appointed to some of the principal offices of his ,order1 and his humility taking the alarm1 he wrote to his mother of his regret at being compelled to emerge from his dear solitude4 ,do not say1 my son1 she replied1 that you prefer an obscure life to a higher sphere of action4 ,love the duties of the latter1 not because they are more important in the eyes of men1 but because they are in the order of ,god's will for you4 ,it is well that you should be impressed with your nothingness1 for on that foundation it is that the ,almighty will erect the edifice of your perfection2 but content yourself wherever ,he places you--there for you is sanctity4 ,whether your position is a high one or a low1 be humble1 and you will be happy4 ,after having rendered important services to his ,order1 and contributed to the reformation of several abbeys1 ,dom ,claude ,martin died in the odour of sanctity at ,marmoutier1 on the #ith of ,august1 #afif1 aged seventy-seven4 ,he survived his holy mother over twenty years1 and after her death wrote the history of her life1 employing principally as material her own relation of a portion of ,god's wondrous dealings with her1 and her voluminous correspondence with himself4,footnote3 ,this history1 with that of ,pre ,charlevoix1 forms the foundation of all the existing biographies of the ,venerable ,mother4 ,dom ,claude ,martin likewise published two volumes of her letters1 the one the spiritual1 the other the historical2 her explanation of the ,christian ,doctrine 7,grand ,catchisme17 and her ,retreats4 ,for recent reprints of all we are indebted to the ,abb ,richaudeau1 a distinguished ecclesiastic of ,blois4 ,the ,ursulines of ,quebec possess1 and prize as treasures1 different articles once belonging to the son of their saintly ,mother2 among others1 a silver reliquiary containing a precious particle of the true ,cross4 ,the ,venerable ,mother's work of zeal1 though far advanced1 was not completed4 ,she had happily obtained the conversion of her son2 when she had suffered more1 she would be rewarded by that of her niece also1 but not until then would her self-imposed task of charity be perfected4 ,the niece alluded to had been from her birth a special object of her holy aunt's interest4 ,the idol of her mother1 no pains had been spared for the cultivation of her mind and the formation of her character2 yet1 notwithstanding all1 she bade fair to turn out a frivolous worldling1 unless arrested by ,almighty grace4 ,she was but fifteen when introduced to the gay circles of fashion1 in which her personal attractions and brilliant accomplishments particularly fitted her to shine4 ,flattered at finding herself the object of general attention1 she accepted the homage without pausing to weigh its sincerity1 too dazzled by the glare of the world1 too dizzy from the excitement of pleasure to be capable of discerning the serpent lurking among the flowers4 ,a rude shock was to awaken her from her short1 sweet dream4 ,among the many claimants for her hand1 one had resolved to secure the prize by stratagem1 as he evidently could not hope to win it by persuasion4 ,accordingly1 one day as she was going to ,mass1 he had her waylaid1 forced into a carriage1 and rapidly driven to his country seat1 hoping much from the eloquence of a lady of his acquaintance whom he had engaged to meet her there and advocate his cause4 ,her mother very soon released her from her embarrassing position1 but her difficulties were not yet over4 ,on the death of that dear protectress1 which occurred soon after1 her unprincipled persecutor returned to the charge1 although the law had taken cognizance of his first offence1 and subjected him to well- merited penalties4 ,the more effectually to gain his ends1 he had recourse on this occasion to the intervention of the ,duke of ,orleans1 whom he succeeded in persuading that the rich and beautiful heiress was his affianced bride1 representing that the separation was as painful to her as to him1 and earnestly begging an order for her restoration4 ,her guardian1 clearly seeing that a convent alone could afford her a safe asylum1 advised her to take refuge in one until the storm should have blown over4 ,as this seemed the best thing to be done1 she decided on applying for a temporary lodging at her dear aunt's old home1 the ,ursuline ,monastery1 in her native city of ,tours4 ,but even to this secluded abode persecution followed her1 and at last thoroughly wearied out1 she formed the dangerous resolution of embracing the religious state1 rather to free herself from importunity1 than with any wish to consecrate her life to ,god4 ,no wonder that with her heart1 and hopes and thoughts in the world1 she should have been unable to appreciate1 or even to discover the hidden happiness of her quiet cloistered home4 ,no wonder that the days should have seemed long the observances wearisome1 the duties monotonous1 and uninteresting4 ,but1 oh6 the wondrous power of prayer which draws down grace from heaven to refresh the soul1 as the mountains attract the moisture-laden clouds to fertilize the earth6 ,separated in person from the object of her holy affection1 but closely united to her in ,god1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation prayed without ceasing that grace might do its admirable work in her1 through its own unsearchable ways4 ,she prayed that the bitter lesson which life had early taught1 might bear its abundant fruits2 that the desolate child might seek a balm in the ,blood1 and a home in the ,heart of ,jesus2 and that having learned by experience how different are the servitude of ,god and that of the world1 she might cling to the one and loathe the other evermore and the petition was fully granted4 ,when the time came for assuming the religious habit1 the novice might well have doubted her own identity1 so strangely and utterly was she changed4 ,illusion had vanished1 and truth had triumphed ,in laying aside the secular dress1 she seemed to be1 in a moment mysteriously divested of the spirit of the world4 ,its imaginary attractions ceased to tempt1 now that she could see them in their false colouring2 its deceitful promises ceased to allure1 now that she could correctly interpret their hollowness and insincerity4 ,and if her ideas of the world were changed1 so likewise were her views of the religious life4 ,deeply appreciating the immense favour which ,god had conferred on her in calling her to it1 she devoted herself heart and soul to all its duties1 embracing its penitential rigours with holy eagerness1 and making it her great aim to hide her good works from all but ,god4 ,she pronounced her vows with a joy that was more of heaven than earth1 and would be named ',mary of the ,incarnation2' that hearing herself called by the name of her aunt1 she might be perpetually stimulated to imitate her virtues4 ,she had the advantage of a constant correspondence with ,her1 and after a most holy life1 went to rejoin her in the blessed home to which the saintly ,mother had long preceded her4 ,in a letter of ,october1 #afga1 we meet the following words1 the last ever addressed by the ,venerable ,mother to the beloved niece whom she had been the first to offer to ,god at her birth1 and for whose salvation she had endured so much3--,oh6 how ardently ,i desire that you may become a saint1 at the cost of any suffering or sacrifice to myself6 ,as my farewell1 permit me to say to you in the words of our ,lord1 ',he that humbleth himself shall be exalted4' ,after having borne her heavy interior crosses for seven years1 with only partial and temporary alleviation1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation was inspired to apply for relief to the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,it was on the ,feast of the ,assumption1 #afdg4 ,hardly had the petition been presented1 when it was granted4 ,suddenly she felt1 she says1 as if divested of a leaden garment1 which had long oppressed her with its crushing weight1 and on the arrival of the next vessel from ,europe1 she learned that the period of her emancipation from suffering exactly coincided with that of her niece's clothing in the convent at ,tours4 ,her soul1 she writes1 overflowed with a peace which it would be impossible to describe in human language4 ,capable of understanding the advantages of tribulation1 she blessed ,god with the ,psalmist1 that ,he had humbled her2 that ,he had led her through the thorny ways of the cross1 to a higher experimental knowledge of the sacred maxims of the ,gospel1 in which she found strength and support for her soul1 not only under the pressure of spiritual trial1 but amidst the multiplied difficulties and embarrassments which her arduous external duties entailed4 ,in order not to interrupt the history of the conversion of her niece1 chronological order has been slightly anticipated4 ,retracing our steps a short distance1 we meet some new names intermingled with those already so well known to us4 ,the evergrowing eagerness both of ,french and ,indians for instruction1 and the continual increase in the number of applicants for it1 had rendered more help indispensable4 ,the harvest was greater than the few labourers could reap1 so they appealed once more to ,france1 which sent them ,mother ,anne of the ,seraphim1 from ,ploermel in ,brittany1 in #afdc1 and the ,mothers ,anne of ,st4 ,cecilia1 and ,anne of our ,lady from ,tours1 the year following4 ,the two first returned to ,france1 the one after thirteen1 the other after eleven years in ,canada4 ,in #afde1 we find the ,venerable ,mother relieved from the burden of ,superiority1 which consistently with the ,constitutions of the ,ursuline ,order cannot be borne by the same individual for more than six consecutive years4 ,this high position had been a heavy cross to her1 not only on account of the responsibilities which it entailed1 but also because its arduous duties left her comparatively little time for the occupation which she prized beyond all others1 the instruction of the ,indians4 ,she was succeeded by ,mother ,st4 ,athanasius1 the two continuing alternately to govern the community until death deprived them of the ,venerable ,mother4 ,the same year1 according to the example of ,st4 ,teresa1 she made a vow allowable only under very exceptional circumstances1 to do1 say1 and think in all things whatever she considered most perfect1 and most conducive to the glory of ,god1 and so naturalized had she become by long habit to the practice of every virtue1 that this vow never caused her an uneasiness4 ,although ,i am but a poor sinful creature1 she said1 ,god assists me to avoid every voluntary imperfection inconsistent with my promise4 ,if involuntary faults mingle with the observance of it1 ,i trust in ,his goodness to forgive them4 ,she had at this time acquired that high degree of the habit of virtue1 in which its acts are performed not only without pain1 but with pleasure4 ,the first novice professed in ,quebec was ,charlotte ,barr of ,st4 ,ignatius1 the former companion of ,madame de la ,peltrie4 ,she made her solemn vows on the #bast of ,november1 #afdh1 and a few days after1 her example was followed by ,sister ,catherine of ,st4 ,ursula1 the first ,canadian lay sister4 ,henceforth the little community continued gradually but steadily to increase in numbers4 ,from the first opening of the schools1 the advantages of education had been extended to the ,french as well as to the ,indians4 ,even in the small tenement which had served as a temporary convent1 there were two ,french boarders2 at the period now under consideration the number had increased to eighteen or twenty4 ,that of the seminarists had amounted to eighty4 ,the year #afdi at which we have arrived1 brings us to a tear-stained page in the annals of the infant ,church of ,canada4 ,by a reference to the introductory chapter1 it will be seen that this was the date of the massacre of the concerted ,hurons and their saintly pastors1 by the savage ,iroquois4 ,the sad event afflicted every heart in the colony1 but perhaps most of all1 the hearts of the ,venerable ,mother and of the ,mother ,st4 ,joseph4 ,the survivors1 who numbered only four or five hundred1 took refuge in ,quebec1 where they were received with extreme kindness4 ,some were located on a portion of the ,isle of ,orleans belonging to the ,ursulines1 and generously transferred by them to the unhappy fugitives4 ,to relieve their distress1 the religious deprived themselves of a good part of the food and clothing which they could very badly spare4 ,the ,mother of the ,incarnation admitted many of their daughters into the seminary1 and undertook1 though in her fiftieth year1 to learn the ,huron tongue1 that she might be enabled to impart the blessing of spiritual instruction to the exiles4 ,her teacher was ,father ,bressani1 who had almost miraculously escaped from the hands of the ,iroquois1 after having undergone the ordinary course of torture prescribed by savage cruelty4 ,she and the ,mother ,st4 ,joseph divided the charge of teaching these new pupils1 who besides ample instruction1 received also generous alms4 ,it was at this time that bread was first seen to multiply in the hands of the ,venerable ,mother3 with only two or three loaves to divide among fifty or sixty persons1 it was found that every one had a sufficient share4 ,she perceived the prodigy herself and said quite simply1 as she went on dividing the loaves1 ,i think our good ,god is multiplying this bread for ,his poor necessitous creatures4 ,even before this special demand on her charity1 she had arranged that whatever might be their own distress1 no ,indian should ever be refused an alms at the monastery1 and for this purpose1 a supply of ,indian meal porridge was always kept in readiness4 ,once1 when she was ,superior1 a poor woman not satisfied with all she had already got1 represented her great want of a pair of shoes in addition4 ,without the least discomposure at the unreasonable importunity1 the charitable ,mother took off her own and presented them to her1 reserving for herself a very poor1 slight pair1 quite insufficient to protect her from the cold4 ,the time was fast approaching1 when she who had been ever ready to give her strength and life1 and all else that she possessed for the relief of others1 was to be reduced to the last degree of want1 and left without even a shelter for her head6 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,the ,,conflagration ,,and ,,its ,,consequences4--,,rebuilding ,,of ,,the ,,monastery4 ,the ,ursulines had inhabited their new monastery seven years before it could be considered finished1 a delay easily explained by their great poverty4 ,they were absolutely dependent for their support on remittances from ,france1 and these1 besides being sent only once a year1 were liable to many casualties on the way4 ,when the annual arrival of the vessels was unusually retarded1 the inconveniences to the colony in general1 and to the ,nuns in particular1 can be better imagined than described4 ,what then must have been the distress of the ,sisters1 when as happened more than once1 a ship was wrecked1 or seized by pirates1 so that they were obliged to wait another year for the very necessaries of life6 ,then1 when the remittances did arrive1 charity had so many claims on them1 and so many good reasons to urge in support of those claims1 that but little remained to carry on the building4 ,at the cost of many and many a sacrifice1 it had been completed at last1 when on the memorable evening of ,december the #bith1 #afej1 the lay ,sister in charge of the bakery1 fearing that the bitter frost would injure her carefully prepared dough1 thought to make all safe by placing a pan of hot coals in the bread trough1 which she then carefully closed4 ,to complete her imprudence1 she forgot to remove the live coals as she had intended1 before retiring to rest4 ,the consequences may be anticipated4 ,towards midnight1 the kneading trough ignited2 the fire spread from the bakery to the cellars in which the year's provisions were stored1 and thence along the whole lower story4 ,the crackling of the flames1 and the suffocation of the smoke providentially gave the alarm in time to save the lives1 but the lives alone of all the inmates4 ,amidst the general terror and confusion1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation retained her usual calm presence of mind4 ,seeing that any attempt to preserve the house would be vain1 she directed her efforts to collect a few articles of clothing1 but finding even this useless1 she satisfied herself with securing some papers of great importance to the community4 ,while engaged in the hazardous service1 she was literally surrounded by flames4 ,the fire raged fiercely in the story under her2 it ran with fearful rapidity along the roof above her2 the church bell under which she had to pass was pouring down a stream of melted metal1 and still she escaped unhurt1 though nearly suffocated4 ,meantime1 the rescued household were assembled under the ash tree1 so closely connected by tradition with her loved and venerated memory4 ,all were there except one1 but that one was the most precious o any4 ,had she perished1--she1 the soul1 the living model1 the cherished ,mother of the community8 ,each longed1 but none dared to ask the question4 ,almost breathless from anxiety1 yet hoping against hope1 the little crowd stood silently awaiting the issue4 ,happily their fears were soon dissipated2 good angels had folded their wings round the venerated ,mother and screened her from the flames4 ,yes1 it was she whom they saw advancing4 ,even if she had not been distinctly visible in the strong1 clear light of the blazing house1 they would have recognised her by that air of quiet self-possession which nothing could disturb2 that sweet serenity which nothing could ruffle4 ,but what a sight for the tender-hearted ,mother6 ,all the children both ,french and ,indian were standing on the snow1 barefooted1 very scantily clad1 shivering and trembling1 and pressed close together for greater warmth4 ,madame de la ,peltrie1 so frail2 so delicately nurtured1 so sensitive to cold1 sharing their sufferings2 worst of all1 the ,mother ,sister ,joseph in her failing health1 pierced through by the biting air1 and looking as if she would expire momentarily4 ,it was a scene well calculated to display the virtue of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 which never shone out more brightly4 ,the heroism of her resignation seemed even to pass into the hearts of her companions in affliction1 who falling on their knees1 returned thanks to ,god in the spirit of the martyrs for having been thought worthy of so bitter a trial4 ,the spectators wondered1 but the ,mother afterwards explained the mystery2 ,he1 she said1 who tried1 strengthened and consoled us too4 ,the night was calm1 but intensely cold2 the sky brilliantly studded with stars4 ,showers of sparks poured from the burning building on the neighbouring forest1 on the fort1 and on the adjoining houses1 menacing the town with destruction4 ,but for a light breeze which providentially arose at the moment1 and turned the course of the flames1 it must have been consumed4 ,every effort had been made to arrest the conflagration2 the ,jesuit ,fathers in particular1 bad been vigorous and untiring1 but when discovered1 the fire had progressed too far to be checked4 ,at imminent peril1 the ,blessed ,sacrament and some of the sacred vestments were saved4 ,in less than two hours1 nothing remained of the monastery but the blackened walls4 ,clothing1 provisions1 furniture1 all the earthly possessions of the ,ursulines were gone4 ,with great kindness1 the principal citizens offered hospitality to the children1 while the ,superior of the ,jesuits conducted the ,nuns to the convent of the ,hospital ,sisters1 who opened not alone their doors1 but their hearts to their desolate visitors1 clothing them from their own wardrobes1 placing the whole house at their disposal1 and retaining them for over three weeks as their prized and honoured guests4 ,the day after the calamity1 the ,governor came to offer his condolence2 but sweeter than all to the hearts of the sufferers1 was a deputation1 and an address of sympathy from the ,hurons4 ,time was1 when to use their own expression1 the grateful chiefs would have covered the ashes of the monastery with presents1 but alas6 of their vanished glory nought remained but two wampum belts4 ,footnote3 ,wampum4 ,small shells of various colours formerly used by the ,north ,american ,indiana as money1 and strung like beads into broad ornamental belts4 ,such as they were1 it was decided in solemn council that they should be presented to the bereaved ,sisters4 ,accordingly the deputation arrived1 and the ,grand ,chief delivered the oration1 too long to be entirely inserted1 but too beautiful in its simple language and genuine feeling1 to be entirely omitted4 ,holy ,virgins1 he said2 you see before you the miserable remnant of a once flourishing1 now extinct nation4 ,the little left to us1 we owe to you4 ,alas6 the misfortune which has befallen you1 renews our own woes1 and re- opens the source of our only partially dried tears4 ,when we saw the beautiful house of ,jesus consumed in a moment before our eyes1 the sad sight reminded us of the day when our own homes and hamlets were delivered up a prey to the flames1 and our country reduced to a heap of ruins4 ,holy ,virgins1 you are then sharers in the misery of the poor ,hurons1 for whose melancholy fate you showed such tender pity4 ,you too are left without house1 home1 provisions or help1 except the help of that heaven to which your eyes are ever turned4 ,if you belonged to our people1 we should try to console you by two presents1 one intended to dry your tears1 the other to add new strength to your fortitude2 but we have not seen you shed one tear over your misfortune2 neither we know have you buried your courage under the wreck of your fallen house4 ,surely it must be that your hearts are too fixed on the treasures of heaven1 to value those of earth4 ,one thing we fear1 that when your friends in ,france hear of your distress1 they will pray you so earnestly to return to them1 that you will be unable to resist their entreaties1 so we shall be in danger of losing you1 and with you1 the chance of instruction for our children4 ,have courage1 holy ,virgins1 and prove that your love for the poor ,indians is a heavenly love1 stronger than that which binds you to your relatives4 ,we offer you these two wampum belts1 the one to attach you inviolably to our country2 the other to found anew a house for ,jesus1 where you can pray1 and teach our children to do so too4 ,we know you could not die happily1 if at the last hour you had to reproach yourselves with having loved your friends so much as to give up for their sakes the souls once dear to you in ,god1 and destined to be your eternal crown in heaven4 ,it cannot be doubted that the sympathy of the ,hurons must have been very gratifying to the ,mothers1 and have tended to cement the already strong tie which bound them to ,canada4 ,but the tie was a ,divine one1 formed by1 and wholly dependent on the will of ,god4 ,if the ,almighty decreed that we should return to ,france1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation wrote to her son1 ,i should go back with the same tranquillity as ,i came out4 ,to go1 or to stay1 is a matter of indifference1 provided only ,god be glorified4 ,in describing the events of the terrible night of the #bith ,december1 she tells him that looking on the disaster as the punishment of her sins1 she accepted it with perfect equanimity1 only wishing that the chastisement were confined to herself1 since she alone deserved it1 and beseeching ,god to spare her innocent ,sisters4 ,she says that amidst the horrors of the conflagration1 she enjoyed most profound interior peace1 undisturbed by a single emotion of regret1 sadness1 or uneasiness4 ,that closely united in heart with the will of ,him who had permitted the blow1 she desired that it might be accepted by all in the spirit of the saints both of the ,old and ,new law1 who with humble and contrite hearts blessed ,god under the heaviest afflictions and severest temporal losses4 ,this imperturbable tranquillity was founded on her perfect confidence in ,god4 ,tracing all human events to ,his ordinance or permission1 she sometimes wondered how it was that men should try to reject ,his hand when it sends adversity1 and submit to it willingly only when it bestows prosperity1 both being equally ,his gifts4 ,the calmness of soul thus solidly grounded1 must necessarily have been very steady but in addition1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation had1 as we know1 received from ,god ,himself a special gift of ,his own ,divine peace4 ,unwilling to burden the charitable ,hospital-,sisters longer1 the ,ursulines resolved at the end of three weeks1 to take up their abode in a small house which ,madame de la ,peltrie had built for herself within their enclosure1 and afterwards generously given them as a school for the ,indians4 ,its dimensions were thirty feet by twenty1 and it contained two rooms4 ,here1 it was decided that thirteen ,sisters and some boarders should live as best they could1 and as the exclusion of converts seeking instruction was not to be dreamt or1 the house was made to contain a grated parlour in addition to a chapel1 school1 refectory1 kitchen and dormitory4 ,it had need of an infirmary too1 for in that abode of poverty1 a well-beloved ,sister was slowly wearing her life away1 amidst inconceivable sufferings and privations4 ,it was then only the end of ,january1 so that many months were still to elapse before help should come from ,france1 but far from losing courage1 the heroic ,mothers rejoiced at finding themselves reduced to such utter indigence1 as to be compelled to accept alms even from the poor1 and so it happened that notwithstanding their own want1 the poorest of their neighbours would bring them presents1 one of a hen1 another of a few eggs1 a third of some trifling article of clothing4 ,in their generous charity1 the people1 not only shared with them all they could spare conveniently1 but moreover encroached on absolute necessaries4 ,to complete the distress of the ,sisters1 the vessels were delayed1 and when they did come1 they brought but the usual supplies of provisions and clothing1 the news of the disaster not having reached in time to secure an additional quantity4 ,but ,god had not abandoned ,his own4 ,the ,ursulines possessed a small farm1 which from want of cultivation1 had hitherto yielded them no profit4 ,deeply touched by their extreme poverty1 their chaplain1 ,rev4 ,m4 ,vignal1 resolved to take it in hands1 and not satisfied with merely superintending1 he worked1 with the labourers1 and more actively than any4 ,the ,almighty blessed the charity1 and the land produced an abundant crop of wheat1 barley and peas1 which proved a valuable resource to the ,sisters4 ,this good priest was massacred by the ,iroquois in #affa4 ,meantime it had become evident to all interested in the success of the ,nuns1 that if they were to remain in ,canada1 they would have to rebuild the convent4 ,they had originally been of opinion1 that with some additions1 ,madame de la ,peltrie's house might be made to afford them sufficient accommodation1 but on mature consideration1 they determined to adopt the advice of their friends1 and to trust to ,providence for the means of carrying it out4 ,they were offered a loan free of interest for six years1 by the principal citizens headed by the ,jesuits of the colony and the ,governor1 ,m4 d',ailleboust4 ,the good ,fathers who had already assisted them most liberally1 promised the services of their lay brothers and workmen to help on the building4 ,all this was encouraging4 ,the snow had hardly melted away when the ,nuns began to clear the rubbish from the foundations1 and on the #aith of ,may1 #afea1 ,madame de la ,peltrie laid the first stone of the second monastery precisely on the site previously occupied by the first4 ,the burden of care and responsibility again fell on the ,venerable ,mother1 who as before1 was charged with the superintendence of the work4 ,while we wait for the completion of the new building1 let us see how the ,mothers contrived to carry on school work in the interim4 ,the glance will show us a pretty picture traced by the pen of one of their present descendants at the convent of ,quebec1 in her interesting ,history of the ,monastery4 ,the number of pupils instead of diminishing1 has increased1 however in- door accommodation is scant as ever1 so if we would assist at a lesson1 we must be content with an academy of a primitive kind1 and yet1 after all1 it is one which may well satisfy the most fastidious taste4 ,for roof1 it has the canopy of deep blue heaven2 for study halls1 the lordly forest2 for carpet1 a fairy web of wild flowers4 ,here and there1 the sun is glancing through the dense foliage1 and tinging his resting spots with gold4 ,the ancient trees are looking glorious in their bright1 spring clothing2 the soft breeze is singing its gentlest notes among the leaves2 all looks so fresh1 so peaceful and so attractive in the sweet1 cool shade1 that we do not wonder to hear of numerous candidates for admission to the extemporized academy4 ,in after times1 traditionary honours will attach to some of those venerable trees2 one in particular will be so often commemorated1 that people will learn at last to look on it in the light of an old friend4 ,here it is2 the well-known ash tree1 ,footnote3 ,this veteran of the wilderness remained standing until the #aith of ,june1 #ahej1 when bending under age and honours1 it fell to the ground4 ,the wood has been carefully preserved for the sake of dear and old associations1 and is used in making ornamental crosses1 and similar small devotional articles1 as memorials of the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation4 under which1 whenever she can quit her more pressing duties1 we are sure to find the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation surrounded by her dear ,indian children1 to whom she speaks with heavenly unction of ,him who made all things4 ,how their dark eyes glisten1 and their little hearts swell1 while they catch each word of life as it falls from her lips to find an echo in their souls6 ,a few steps farther is the famous walnut tree1 and here we meet a group of ,french pupils receiving the lessons of ,mother ,st4 ,athanasius4 ,at a future day1 many of these will be found in the ranks of the ,ursuline or ,hospital-,sisters2 many more faithfully discharging their responsible duties as heads of families1 presiding over ,christian households1 and training their children to virtue by word and example4 ,farther still1 in the shadow of some ancient monarch of the woods1 are bark huts occupied by the ,neophytes1 whom we find participating not only in the heavenly bread of ,god's word1 but also in the small resources of their impoverished teachers4 ,many of these too1 will do the work of apostles in a humble way among their own tribes4 ,to crown the scene of beauty1 the walls of the new monastery are visible in the distance1 and like the olive branch in the deluge1 they speak o hope4 ,happily the hope was realized1 and far more speedily too1 than humanly speaking could have been anticipated4 ,exactly one year after the first stone had been laid1 the new monastery was ready to receive its inmates4 ,so triumphantly successful a termination to the arduous work1 was due in great part to the extraordinary natural energy of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 but still more1 to the intervention of her celestial ,assistant1 the ,help of ,christians and ,queen of heaven4 ,on the #hth of the ,september preceding the destruction of the first monastery1 the community had formally placed itself under the immediate patronage of that glorious ,queen1 choosing her with solemn ceremonial for its first and chief ,superior4 ,that she had graciously condescended to accept the charge1 was clearly manifested by the fidelity with which she discharged the trust attaching to it4 ,the marvellous rapidity which marked the erection of the new building1 the preservation of the workmen from the slightest accident during its progress1 and the almost total freedom of the community from debt at its completion1 form a series of favours unhesitatingly ascribed by the ,venerable ,mother and the ,sisters to the manifest protection of their ,first ,superior1 the ,virgin most powerful1 most merciful and most faithful4 ,the personal devotion of the ,mother of the ,incarnation to our ,blessed ,lady1 dating from her earliest years1 had grown with her growth1 and strengthened with her strength4 ,her childhood's prayer had been that1 even in this life1 she might be permitted to see her dear ,heavenly ,mother1 and1 if the petition was not granted literally1 it may at least be said to have been at this time answered substantially4 ,she did not see the ,blessed ,virgin1 she says1 with her corporal eyes1 but1 from the commencement to the completion of the building1 she had her as constantly and as vividly present to mind and heart1 as if she did4 ,she felt her ever by her side1 and in her company encountered hardships and dangers without fear4 ,long accustomed to recur to her in the emergencies of life1 she transferred to her1 if we may say so1 the whole responsibility of the present undertaking1 referring to her and consulting her as its first and chief ,directress4 ,no wonder1 then1 that it should have been crowned with extraordinary success4 ,it was never known in any age1 that those who had recourse to ,mary were abandoned by her 7,st4 ,bernard74 ,the ,venerable ,mother1 who from the dawn of reason had loved her and trusted in her1 could not surely be the one to inaugurate a new experience6 ,so far from it1 that some years after the present date1 we find her writing1 in allusion to the favours of her heavenly ,protectress1 ,our ,blessed ,mother assists us in all our wants1 and guards us as the apple of her eye4 ,in her own sweet way1 she watches over our interests1 and relieves us in our embarrassments4 ,we are indebted to her for having many times passed safely through overwhelming difficulties1 and1 among other benefits1 for the rebuilding of our monastery after it had been totally destroyed by fire4 ,what can ,i fear while shielded by protection at once so loving and so powerful8 ,on the #aith of ,may1 #afeb1 the ,ursulines took possession of their second monastery4 ,the great reputation which their schools enjoyed rendered the event one of general interest to all classes4 ,pleased at the opportunity of testifying their respect for the devoted ,mothers1 the inhabitants of ,quebec determined to make the occasion one of great solemnity4 ,accordingly1 the whole population1 ecclesiastic and lay1 assembled near the house of ,madame de la ,peltrie2 and thence accompanied the ,nuns to their new residence4 ,the ,most ,adorable ,sacrament was borne at the head of the long procession to the convent chapel2 the ,forty ,hours' prayer was at once commenced1 and on each of the three days of its continuance1 processions again went out from each of the churches in ,quebec to the ,ursuline chapel1 the chant of the ,litanies resounding all along the way4 ,well might the ,mother of the ,incarnation say that ,divine ,providence shows itself a good ,mother to those who place their whole reliance on its aid4 ,about thirty years later1 the second monastery1 like the first1 was consumed by fire1 yet not wholly destroyed4 ,the walls raised by the ,mother of the ,incarnation under the protection of the ,queen of ,heaven1 withstood the flames1 and after the lapse of more than two centuries1 they are still standing4 ,they form the central portion of the edifice yet known at this remote day as the ,ursuline ,convent of ,quebec4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,last ,,illness ,,and ,,happy ,,death ,,of ,,mother ,,st4 ,,joseph4 ,in the procession to the new convent1 one familiar face was missing3 ,mother ,st4 ,joseph1 the first companion of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 was also the first of the little band called home to heaven4 ,her death and life were so consistent1 that the one who knew her best1 summed up her panegyric in two words--,she lived a saint1 and she died one4 ,she seemed1 indeed1 to have been specially privileged by ,divine grace from her very infancy1 manifesting in early childhood an instinctive love of the beautiful virtue of the angels1 and a singular attraction to the poor and afflicted4 ,when only nine years of age she was sent1 at her own request1 to the ,ursuline ,convent at ,tours1 where she made her first ,communion with extraordinary fervour4 ,from the period of ,his first sacramental visit to her soul1 our ,blessed ,lord continued to draw her irresistibly to ,himself4 ,docile to ,his ,divine call1 she obtained the reluctant permission of her fond parents to consecrate herself wholly to ,him1 and at the early age of fourteen1 exchanged her brilliant prospects as heiress of two noble houses1 for the poverty1 seclusion1 and mortification of the religious life4 ,her choice fell on the monastery where she had been educated1 and here it was her happiness to be placed under the guidance of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 at that time in charge of the novices4 ,after the usual probation1 she received the habit1 and with it the name of ,st4 ,bernard1 and in due time completed her first sacrifice by holy profession4 ,she continued to edify her sisters by the example of virtues suited rather to a soul far advanced in religious perfection1 than to one just touching the mysterious threshold2 and1 as hers was one of those gifted natures pleasing both to ,god and man1 she charmed and delighted her companions by her amiability and cheerfulness1 as much as she edified them by her sanctity4 ,her great fear was1 lest the attention and consideration by which she was surrounded1 should prove any obstacle to her progress in perfection4 ,some time after her profession she had a mysterious vision1 in which the world was represented to her under the symbol of a vast enclosure1 abounding in all the delights which here below are wont to fascinate and captivate the hearts of men4 ,she noticed that all who permitted themselves to be attracted too closely by the false glare were at once hopelessly entangled1 as if a net had been cast around them1 and among the unhappy victims she even recognised an acquaintance of her own4 ,what terrified her most was1 that having herself taken a few steps forward1 and then1 in great alarm1 attempted to retreat1 she found all means of egress closed1 so that there appeared no alternative but to advance4 ,as she was on the point of giving herself up for lost1 she was attracted by the sight of a band of young persons arrayed in the costume of ,canadian savages1 the foremost of whom bore a banner inscribed with unknown characters1 and she seemed to hear them say1 ,fear not1 ,mary1 for through us you will be saved4 ,then they formed into two lines1 leaving a passage between them1 through which she effected her escape in safety4 ,it was not until her subsequent appointment to the ,canadian ,mission1 that she understood the connection between this supernatural warning and her own destiny2 but1 although the vision remained for a time unexplained1 it served as a strong stimulus to her already ardent zeal for the salvation of souls1 especially those of the savages4 ,we have already noticed how manifest was the hand of ,god in her appointment as the companion of the ,mother of the ,incarnation to ,canada1 and we are1 therefore1 quite prepared to hear of great fruit from her labours in that country4 ,the ,almighty seemed1 indeed1 to have endowed her with some singular attraction for the ,indians1 young and old4 ,so great was their veneration for her1 and1 in consequence1 so irresistible her influence over them1 that the name of ,mary ,joseph1 the ,holy ,virgin1 soon became a household word among the ,hurons and ,algonquins4 ,charity rendered her an eloquent pleader1 and many and generous were the donations which at her prayer found their way from her old home in ,france1 to the wigwams of her dear savages4 ,to the end of life1 her greatest earthly joy was to find herself surrounded by her beloved converts1 forty or fifty of whom--men1 women1 and children--might constantly be seen gathered round her1 listening to her words with rapt attention4 ,if subsequent exhaustion had not revealed how much the effort had cost her1 it might have been thought1 when her sufferings became acute towards the end of life1 that she had forgotten them in the pleasure of instructing her poor people4 ,when the destruction of the monastery had reduced the inmates to utter destitution1 her parents employed every argument to induce her to return to ,france4 ,the ,mothers at ,tours joined in the request1 but her invariable answer was1 that she would rather share the coarse1 scanty fare of the savages to the end of her life1 or even die a thousand deaths1 if that could be1 than prove herself thus unfaithful to her vocation and ungenerous to her ,god4 ,fidelity to her calling had been the watchword of her existence1 and now that her time of merit had nearly run1 no close observer could fail to see that this undeviating fidelity had produced rich fruits4 ,to analyse her character as a religious1 would be simply to attribute to her every virtue which1 belongs to a perfect one4 ,our ,lord once showed her her soul under the figure of a very beautiful and strongly-fortified castle1 and ,he warned her to watch cautiously over its external approaches1 promising that ,he would guard the interior of the edifice4 ,in compliance with this direction1 she resolved to surround the mystic castle with the deep trenches of humility1 and so well did she succeed1 that unfeigned contempt of self breathed at last in every act and thought of her life1 inspiring a love and desire of humiliation which secured for those who tried her1 the warmest gratitude of her heart1 and the most devoted of her services4 ,not satisfied with mediocrity in any virtue1 she carried mortification to an absorbing love of the cross2 charity1 to the sacrifice of every natural feeling2 obedience1 to child-like submission1 spiritualized by faith2 reverence for the rule1 to most minute observance of its least prescription4 ,she also attained an eminent degree of prayer and union with ,god4 ,for more than four years before her happy death1 she had to endure the two-fold martyrdom of anguish of soul and great physical suffering4 ,yet while the wearing fever of prolonged consumption slowly undermined her life1 so wonderfully did her great courage sustain her1 that she seldom kept her bed1 or relinquished her work4 ,if sometimes compelled to yield to exhaustion and pain1 she received the attention of her ,sisters with so much humility and gratitude1 that all felt it a happiness to render her any service4 ,far from complaining1 she was confused when others showed compassion for her1 and in return for their offers of kind offices1 was always ready to remark that they themselves required indulgence more than she did4 ,she learned at last to rejoice in the sufferings which she looked on as precious pledges of the love of her ,divine ,spouse1 and that she should lose no part of her treasure1 she desired to suffer without consolation or relief1 indemnifying herself by practices of voluntary mortification for the occasional alleviations forced on her by charity4 ,towards the end1 dropsy was added to her complicated maladies1 and so1 for the last two months1 she was compelled to yield to the claims of utterly worn-out nature4 ,let us visit her in the humble lodging where those two closing months of life were passed1 and we shall feel constrained to own1 that the scene before us is one very grand and beautiful in the eyes of faith1 whatever may be its aspect in those of the world4 ,she whose still young life is thus gradually ebbing away1 might be now enjoying in her luxurious home all the comforts which wealth can purchase1 but because she preferred the poverty of ,jesus ,christ to the treasures of earth1 she is surrounded in lieu of them by unmistakable traces of abject indigence4 ,her bed of death is formed of one of the narrow wooden shelves which run in tiers all round the small apartment as a substitute for bedsteads1 the highest reached by a ladder4 ,adjoining this common dormitory is the chapel1 and as the one serves as a passage to the other1 she is perpetually disturbed by the noise of the heavy wooden shoes1 which since the conflagration1 the whole family have been obliged to adopt for want of leather4 ,her wearying cough is irritated by the constant smoke of the ill-contrived chimney2 her oppressed breathing additionally impeded by the closeness of the overcrowded room2 her rest interrupted by the voices of the pupils1 the ringing of the bells1 the chanting of the ,office1 and the various other sounds inevitable under existing circumstances4 ,far from murmuring1 she will assure us that she is amused rather than inconvenienced by these unwanted surroundings of a sick room1 and that she considers herself specially favoured in the opportunity which her position affords of assisting at the holy ,mass1 joining in the ,office1 hearing the sermons1 and thus in some manner keeping up to the end the observances of common life4 ,for her final and more entire purification from the dross of earth1 her all-merciful ,father permitted that she should be afflicted with desolation of soul1 such as with all her experience of it1 she had never known before4 ,to interior anguish was added the intensity of bodily pain1 yet in her sharpest pangs1 even when the surgeon's knife gashed her flesh1 piercing to the bone1 no sound betrayed her agonies1 save once1 a gentle invocation of the name of ,jesus3 for this impulse of nature as she considered it1 she reproached herself as for a want of patience1 and begged pardon as if it were a cause of disedification4 ,her sufferings reached their height in ,holy week1 and this coincidence she looked on as a particular privilege1 thanking our ,lord for thus associating her to ,his cross4 ,to her visitors1 she spoke only of the happiness of heaven1 the riches of religious poverty1 and the fidelity with which those who have embraced it1 should cling to it for ever4 ,tell all our friends in ,france1 she said to her ,sisters1 that ,i rejoice in death at having left them for the love of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and assure them that ,i feel myself infinitely privileged in having been called to this savage land4 ,our ,lord did not permit ,his faithful servant to die in utter bereavement of spirit4 ,for the three days before her end1 she enjoyed a foretaste of paradise2 her interior pains vanished2 her physical tortures were alleviated4 ,i know1 she said to her director1 ,father ,lalemant1 that our good ,god has promised a hundred-fold in this world1 and eternal bliss in the next to those who renounce all things for ,his love4 ,as to the hundred-fold1 ,i have had it2 eternal happiness ,i hope through ,his infinite mercy soon to enjoy4 ,she renewed her vows1 asked pardon of the assistants1 and returned thanks to the ,rev4 ,father ,ragueneau1 ,superior of the ,missions1 for his charity to their community especially since the conflagration4 ,she also expressed her gratitude to the physician1 for whom she promised to pray in heaven1 and most of all to the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 who had watched and tended her night and day with untiring care and love4 ,she retained perfect consciousness during her long agony of twenty-four hours1 and about eight o'clock on the evening of the ,thursday in ,easter week1 ,april the #dth1 #afeb1 her happy soul returned to the ,god who all through life had been the only ,object of her love4 ,the ,mother of the ,incarnation remarks1 that the beauty of her countenance after death1 appeared to her ,sisters like a reflection of the glory of which she was already in possession2 while the heavenly peace and unction which at the same time filled their own hearts1 seemed to say1 that over those remains no tears should be shed1 but tears of holy joy and gratitude4 ,the impulse of each was to invoke her intercession1 of which all very quickly experienced the power and efficacy4 ,she was but thirty- six years of age1 yet considering the frailty of her health1 the wonder was that she had been able so long to resist the rigour of the climate and the privations attending the foundation of the monastery4 ,her remains were followed by the whole population both ,french and ,indian1 to their temporary resting-place in the garden of the convent1 whence twelve years later they were transferred to the vault in the new church1 which by that time was ready to receive the precious and venerated deposit4 ,as a mark of their respect and affection1 the ,hurons residing on the ,isle of ,orleans had a solemn service celebrated for her on the morning1 of her interment4 ,the tradition of ,quebec speaks touchingly of the gratitude of these poor children of the wilderness towards their dear ,mother ,st4 ,joseph1 recording that they continually came to inquire for her in her illness1 and brought her presents of every thing delicate which they could procure by the chase4 ,here1 ,mother1 they would say to the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 give these birds to ,mary the holy virgin1 that she may eat1 and live to instruct us again4 ,the ,almighty was pleased quickly to reveal the glory of ,his servant1 as many trustworthy witnesses bore evidence4 ,among the first of these was a lay ,sister at ,tours1 named ,elizabeth1 from whom ,mother ,st ,joseph had received maternal care in her childhood4 ,almost at the hour of her decease1 the ,mother appeared to this ,sister1 bidding her prepare for the great journey to eternity1 on which she would soon be called to enter4 ,without the loss of a moment1 the ,sister informed the ,superior that the ,mother ,st4 ,joseph was dead1 and had come to forewarn her of her own approaching end4 ,in effect1 she was summoned away in a few days1 and later accounts from ,canada fully corroborated the truth of the ,sister's vision4 ,the ,rev4 ,father ,paul ,ragueneau1 ,superior of the ,missions at ,quebec1 testifies that about an hour after her venerated remains had been laid in the grave1 ,mother ,st4 ,joseph appeared in vision to a person bound on some errand of charity4 ,her air1 he says1 was full of majesty2 her countenance resplendent with glory2 rays of light seemed to pass from her eyes to his heart1 as if she would thus have shown her desire to impart a share of her happiness to him4 ,the effect of the vision was to fill his soul with ,divine love and heavenly consolation in such abundance1 that he felt as if without supernatural support1 he must have died4 ,on his return from his journey of charity1 the ,mother appeared to him again in the same glory as before1 and revealed to him admirable secrets1 which the ,mother of the ,incarnation who records the above fact1 has not seen fit to disclose4 ,of the veracity of this witness also1 there can be no doubt4 ,the same person having the next day to cross the frozen river1 and not knowing that the ice was too thin to bear his weight1 walked on for some distance unconscious of danger4 ,suddenly he heard a warning voice bidding him stop2 then he looked round only to see himself surrounded on all sides by water4 ,the slight sheet of ice on which he stood1 had no depth or solidity2 it was a mere superficial crust floating on the surface of the terrible abyss4 ,in an agony of terror1 he recommended himself to the care of her who had arrested him on the way to destruction1 then retraced his steps1 and on reaching the river bank1 perceived that he had actually walked for a considerable distance on water1 as if it had been dry land4 ,his first act was to relate the wonder to the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 assuring her that he attributed his marvellous escape to the charity of ,mother ,st4 ,joseph4 ,the love which this good ,mother while on earth had shown for her neighbour1 was assuredly not diminished in heaven1 where charity is made perfect4 ,that it survived the grave1 was manifested in at least one singular instance1 which occurred some years after the present date of our history4 ,among the captives whom ,governor ,tracy compelled the ,iroquois to set free in #afff1 was a young ,french girl named ,anne ,baillargeon1 who had been made prisoner at the age of nine4 ,so naturalized had she become to life in the woods1 that when her companions in misfortune were about to return to their families she refused to accompany them1 and lest she should be constrained to do so1 she concealed herself in the forest at the moment of their departure4 ,just as she was exulting at the supposed success of her stratagem1 a lady wearing the religious dress suddenly stood before her1 and in a tone which admitted of no reply1 commanded her to rejoin the ,french1 threatening her at the same time with punishment if she hesitated4 ,having no other alternative1 she reluctantly obeyed4 ,when she arrived in ,quebec1 the ,governor confided her to the care of the ,ursulines4 ,the moment she entered the house and saw the portrait of ,mother ,st4 ,joseph1 she exclaimed1 ,ah1 there she is6 ,there is the person who spoke to me in the woods1 even the dress is exactly the same4 ,the exclamation convinced the witnesses of the strange scene that it was indeed ,mother ,st4 ,joseph who had acted the part of guardian angel to the truant1 and conducted her to the haven of safety4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,threatened ,,invasion ,,of ,,the ,,iroquois4--,,heroes ,,of ,,ville ,,marie4 ,in eighteen months after the destruction of the first monastery1 the ,ursulines were enabled to re-open schools for the ,french1 and a seminary for the ,indians1 and so great was the increase of applicants for admission1 especially to the latter1 that the ,mother of the ,incarnation tells us she was obliged to her great regret to refuse many1 who went away with tears in their eyes1 leaving her1 as she beautifully expresses it1 with tears in her heart4 ,the children who could not be accommodated in the school1 were taught in the parlour1 and a little later1 bark cabins were again constructed in the neighbourhood of the old ash tree for the reception of the ,huron girls1 eighty of whom at a time might daily be seen receiving not only spiritual instruction1 but also a plentiful meal of the never-failing ,indian meal porridge4 ,the seminarists resumed possession of the now vacant house of ,madame de la ,peltrie4 ,the progress of ,god's work was partially checked about this time by the growing passion of the ,indians for intoxicating drinks1 and their increased facility for procuring them4 ,the sad example of the parents was beginning to react on the children1 and when the religious attempted to remonstrate with such of these as came only for occasional instruction1 the refractory young ones took to flight ,it is their nature1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation says1 to be easily led away by bad example1 unless thoroughly confirmed in habits of virtue4 ,the awful calamities which we shall meet later1 led to a much-needed reformation4 ,among the resident ,indian pupils1 happily removed from the contagion of evil example1 the labours of the zealous ,mothers continued as ever to produce abundant fruit4 ,of the large number instructed by the ,ursulines1 it is true that only a comparatively small proportion were formed to ,european habits4 ,a ,frenchman would more easily become a savage1 remarks the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 than a savage a ,frenchman4 ,none of the ,canadian tribes ever advanced beyond a sort of semi-civilization1 and almost all passed away without attaining even this4 ,but they made good ,christians none the less--perhaps all the more--for if life in the woods debarred them from the advantages of civilized society1 it secured them also from the dangers of its corrupting influence4 ,among the contrasts which the seminary of this period presented were a widow advanced in years1 and a little child only seven4 ,genevive1 the widow1 was an ,algonquin by birth1 and though certainly not a candidate for school1 she had so effectually worked on the charity of the ,mothers1 that they found it impossible to refuse her request for admittance4 ,her fervour was most remarkable4 ,she followed the nuns to every choir observance of the day1 spending the time in reciting rosary after rosary for various1 intentions1 among others1 the conversion of the ,algonquins4 ,she was never tired of praying1 or of listening to instructions on the mysteries of our holy faith4 ,she was especially delighted with the choir ceremonies1 of which she asked minute explanations1 giving it as her opinion that they must be representations of what the angels and saints are doing in heaven4 ,her life-long grief was that her children had died without baptism4 ,in the end1 she left ,quebec for ,three ,rivers1 where an opportunity offered of doing practical good among the female converts of her own nation4 ,her little contemporary went to join the angels1 and pray for her benefactresses in heaven4 ,catherine is going to see ,jesus and her ,mother ,mary1 she would smilingly say to her companions when they came to visit her2 she is very happy1 and she will pray for you4 ,and so she was inconceivably happy to die in the house of ,jesus and ,mary1 and in the arms of ,madame de la ,peltrie1 who watched her with a mother's love1 and charged her with many a message for the angels1 those especially of the ,mothers and the ,indians4 ,her sufferings were very great1 but her patience was equal to them4 ,after death1 she was attired in white and laid in the church1 where the savages came in crowds to pray around her bier4 ,she was the last pupil to whom the venerated ,foundress rendered the final services4 ,no ,bishop had yet been appointed to govern the ,church of ,canada1 ardently as it desired1 and frequently as it had implored the blessing4 ,at last1 in #afei1 the privilege was granted1 to the universal joy of the colony4 ,the first ruler of the infant ,church was ,monseigneur de ,laval1 who bore at first the title of ,vicar ,apostolic only4 ,of him it may1 in truth1 be said1 that he was a man according to ,god's own heart1 insensible to human respect1 indefatigable in labour1 detached from the world1 dead to self1 poor in spirit1 a model of humility1 and a consoling angel of charity4 ,one of his first acts on the day of landing was to stand sponsor for a ,huron infant2 another1 to administer the last sacred rites to a dying youth of the same nation4 ,this was a worthy commencement of an episcopate destined to prove so fruitful in works of holiness and of general utility4 ,the arrival of a vessel infected with fever1 soon afforded him ample opportunity of signalizing his love for his neighbour4 ,of the two hundred persons whom it contained1 nearly all had been attacked by the malady2 eight had died on the passage2 many more had been carried off after landing4 ,the contagion spread through the town1 and the hospital was quickly filled4 ,the good ,pastor was at all times to be found in the midst of his suffering people1 ministering not only to their spiritual1 but even to their corporal necessities4 ,he who could trace his pedigree through a line of ancestors of the noble house of ,montmorency1 deemed it not a degradation1 but an honour1 to make the beds of the poor patients in the plague-stricken hospital at ,quebec4 ,no argument could induce him to think of his own safety1 for he had learned from the lessons and the example of his ,divine ,master1 that the good shepherd must be ready to lay down his life1 if needful1 for his flock4 ,in his establishment1 and in his personal habits1 he was a model of evangelical poverty1 but where the rights of the ,church and the dignity of his charge were concerned1 he understood perfectly how to maintain both1 and his desire and aim were ever to surround the ceremonial of religion with all the pomp and majesty attainable in a country only as yet in its infancy4 ,the late panic had scarcely subsided1 when it was succeeded by another yet more terrible4 ,in the spring of #affj1 the inhabitants of the town were one day dispersed through the adjoining fields1 peacefully engaged in agricultural pursuits1 when suddenly the thrilling news arrived that twelve hundred ,iroquois had assembled in the neighbourhood of ,montreal1 with the intention of utterly annihilating the colony4 ,their plan1 it was said1 was to begin with the capital1 as the residence of the ,governor1 for they argued that the head once destroyed1 the members would soon follow4 ,it would be vain to attempt a description of the universal consternation occasioned by this intelligence4 ,the first impulse of the trembling people was to try to propitiate heaven by public prayer2 accordingly1 the ,blessed ,sacrament was exposed1 and devotions in honour of the ,blessed ,virgin were commenced4 ,the ,bishop1 alarmed for the safety of the ,nuns1 removed the two communities from their own homes to lodgings near the ,jesuits4 ,the remaining inhabitants either fortified their dwellings or abandoned them for others more securely located4 ,meantime the monastery was placed in a state of siege2 redoubts were raised2 the windows walled half-way1 and well supplied with loop-holes4 ,every aperture was carefully closed1 and no entrance to the monastery left open except one narrow door1 through which only a single person could pass at a time4 ,twenty-four men were placed on guard in the house1 and1 more formidable to the enemy than any soldiers1 twelve enormous dogs were stationed on the outside4 ,woe to the ,iroquois who should glide serpent- like through the tall grass1 or lie in ambush in the shade of the brushwood6 ,the sagacious animals would quickly detect his place of concealment1 fly at him in a bound1 and tear him to pieces without ceremony1 a fact so well known to the hostile savages1 that they feared the dogs of the ,french more than their warriors or their cannon4 ,undismayed by the danger1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation obtained permission to remain in the monastery with three other ,sisters1 to prevent disorder and see that the soldiers wanted for nothing4 ,the first night passed over in safety1 but to the inhabitants in general1 it was one of mortal agony4 ,the next morning after ,mass1 seeing that all was quiet1 the ,ursulines and their pupils returned to the convent4 ,in the evening1 they again sought their refuge of the night before1 and so things went on for some weeks4 ,it was a time of cruel suspense4 ,every sound was transformed by over-heated imagination into a signal of attack2 every shadow into the form of some stealthy ,iroquois2 every breath of the night breeze into the echo of an enemy's approaching step4 ,the vast1 silent solitudes surrounding the town in every direction1 the wild aspect of the unreclaimed land1 the gloomy appearance of the thickly wooded forest seemingly formed expressly to conceal a foe1 all combined to impress the mind with that painful suspicion of unseen danger1 which to many is more torturing than actual peril4 ,through all the agitation and alarm1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation retained her accustomed self- possession1 and by the calmness of her demeanour1 encouraged the timid and desponding4 ,during the five weeks' general excitement1 she says that she experienced no fear1 though she owns that she endured extreme fatigue4 ,sleep1 either by day or night1 was indeed a stranger to ,quebec for the whole of that most trying period4 ,as time passed on1 and no enemy appeared1 courage began to revive1 but the dream of hope was soon dispelled4 ,once more the people were startled by the dread announcement1 ,the ,iroquois are coming6 ,they are close at hand6 ,while the imminence of the danger froze the life-blood in many a heart1 it seemed1 however1 only to nerve the arms of the defenders of the town4 ,in a half-an-hour every man was at his post1 prepared to defend it to the last1 and surrender it only with life4 ,some were even heard to wish in their enthusiasm1 that the alarm might this time prove well founded4 ,notwithstanding the panic1 confidence in ,god's providence had not deserted the inhabitants4 ,mother1 said one of the workmen to the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 do not imagine that the ,almighty will permit the enemy to surprise us4 ,no2 ,he will hear the powerful prayers of the ,blessed ,virgin on our behalf1 and send some friendly ,huron to put us on our guard in time4 ,the ,mother of ,god has never refused us this favour1 nor will she now4 ,the very next day proved the accuracy of the prediction4 ,two ,huron prisoners who had miraculously escaped from the hands of the ,iroquois1 brought the almost incredible news that the enemy had precipitately retreated1 humbled and confounded at the unexpected resistance which they had encountered4 ,it was indeed true that the colony was saved1 but equally so1 that its ,safety had been dearly purchased4 ,the continual ravages of the ,iroquois had hitherto been a standing obstacle to the progress of the young nation4 ,wherever they appeared1 utter devastation followed1 and as no precaution could prevent1 and no foresight anticipate their incursions1 life itself was felt by the inhabitants to hang merely on a thread4 ,at length1 sixteen of the colonists headed by an officer named ,daulac1 ,footnote3 ,sometimes written ,dolard1 and ,daulard4 resolved to confront the long dreaded foe1 and conquer or die in the cause of faith and country1 ,the determination was a bold one1 and it was carried out with an unflinching spirit4 ,before setting out on their expedition1 the ,christian warriors approached the sacraments1 and in presence of the holy altar promised never to surrender1 and never to desert each other4 ,they took leave of their friends as if assured of not meeting them on earth again1 and having been joined by forty ,hurons and six ,algonquins with their respective ,chiefs1 they intrenched themselves on the first of ,may behind a half-ruined palisade at ,saut-des-,chaudires1 on the ,ottawa river4 ,there for eight days they resisted an army of seven hundred ,iroquois1 enduring meantime the aggravating tortures of hunger1 want of sleep1 and worst of all1 consuming thirst4 ,through1 the loop-holes of their little fort1 they fired with unerring precision at the ,iroquois1 decimating them rapidly1 while sustaining but trifling loss themselves4 ,even after the defection of twenty-four of the ,hurons who were lured over to the enemy by deceitful promises1 the small garrison still counted thirty-five undaunted hearts1 and but for a sad accident1 might have maintained its ground much longer4 ,when the ,iroquois bad advanced sufficiently near the fort to render the attempt practicable1 ,daulac determined to attach a fuse to a barrel of gunpowder1 and fling it into the midst of them4 ,unfortunately the missile caught in a branch1 and was thrown back into the fort1 exploding with disastrous consequences to the besieged4 ,the savages taking advantage of the confusion1 forced their way into the fort2--one more desperate struggle1--then all was over4 ,only four ,frenchmen and four ,hurons fell alive into the bands of the ,iroquois1 who1 terrified at a victory which had cost them so dearly1 returned to their villages as fast as possible1 not daring to carry out the projected invasion of a country of heroes such as these4 ,of the prisoners1 some were put to a cruel death2 two of the ,hurons escaped as we have noticed1 and were the first to bring to ,quebec and ,montreal the news of the death of ,daulac and his brave companions4 ,in #affc1 on his return from his first voyage to ,france1 ,monseigneur de ,laval founded the seminary of ,quebec1 which he named the ,holy ,family of the ,foreign ,missions4 ,like all great works1 the beginnings of the institution were small1 yet it was destined to exercise a vast and salutary influence over ,canada1 and at a later day to acquire wide renown as the famed ,laval ,university4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,trade ,,in ,,intoxicating ,,drinks4--,,awful ,,visitation ,,of ,,divine ,,anger4-- ,,repentance4--,,new ,,era ,,of ,,prosperity4--,,the ,,marquis ,,of ,,tracy ,,viceroy4 ,if association with ,europeans had been in some respects a blessing to the ,indians1 it must be owned that in others it had proved very much the reverse4 ,among the numerous emigrants to ,canada1 were necessarily a large proportion of self-interested fortune seekers1 who in order to secure a lucrative traffic with the natives1 availed largely of their well-known propensity for strong drinks4 ,the severest regulations1 and the utmost vigilance of the authorities1 though successful for a time1 were powerless to repress the destructive trade permanently4 ,after a short interruption1 it was renewed1 now clandestinely1 now more openly1 but as it seemed irrepressibly4 ,the savage in a state of intoxication becomes an ungovernable maniac1 who in the violence of his fury will rush into any excess and commit any crime4 ,at the epoch which our history has now reached1 the terrible vice threatened to demoralize the entire country1 and to destroy the fruit of all the efforts made to convert the savages4 ,writing to her son on the subject1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation says1 ,we have at present to contend with an evil far more calamitous in its results1 than even the hostility of the ,iroquois4 ,it is unhappily but too true1 that this country now harbours ,frenchmen1 who for their own selfish ends deliberately risk the spiritual ruin of the ,indians1 giving them in exchange for their beaver skins1 those intoxicating liquors which are the absolute destruction of men1 women1 and even children4 ,to satisfy this insane craving for drink1 ,father ,lalemant adds1 the savage will reduce himself to beggary2 nay1 will sell his own children4 ,my ink is not dark enough1 he continues1 to describe in their true colours1 the calamities thus entailed on this infant church2 the gall of the dragon would be more appropriate for the purpose4 ,suffice it to say1 that in one month1 we lose the fruit of our labours of ten or twenty years4 ,after every means of persuasion had been exhausted1 a sentence of excommunication was at last pronounced against all who persevered in trading in the prohibited article1 but not even the thunders of the ,church could intimidate the hardened transgressors1 and so the evil continued undiminished4 ,profoundly afflicted at so daring an insult to the ,most ,high1 and so fatal an interruption to the work of grace among the ,indians1 all the servants of ,god in ,canada united in earnest prayer for the repentance of the sinful1 but from no heart did the petition for mercy ascend more fervently or more continuously1 than from that of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 who not content with simply imploring the conversion of the people1 offered herself as a victim for their transgressions1 consenting to assume the responsibility of their crimes1 and to endure the punishment which they merited4 ,the prayer of charity was heard1 but if the ,almighty condescended to arouse ,his people to a sense of their iniquity1 it was not without a very awful manifestation of ,his power4 ,during the autumn of #affb1 such extraordinary signs had from time to time been seen in the air1 that the more thoughtful were impressed with a vague fear of impending calamities1 while even the least serious were not altogether unmoved4 ,these horrors1 however1 were but faint foreshadowings of those to come4 ,the evening of ,shrove ,monday1 ,february the #eth1 #affc1 was calm and serene2 no eye however keen1 no ear however sensitive could have detected sight or sound indicative of the approaching catastrophe4 ,forgetful of past warnings1 and undisturbed by present misgivings1 the unreflecting crowd plunged into the exciting pleasures of gay carnival4 ,about half-past five o'clock1 the town was alarmed by a distant rumbling1 such as might be produced by the rapid passage of a number of carriages over a stone pavement4 ,this unnatural sound was followed by another1 and a louder1 which seemed to combine the crackling of flames1 the rattling of hailstones1 the muttering of thunder and the dashing of the waves on the sea shore4 ,clouds of thick dust obscured the air2 the earth trembled1 rose1 fell1 undulated like the billows of the ocean1 and burst open in innumerable places4 ,the trees of the old forest swayed back and forwards like reeds in a hurricane1 and were uprooted by hundreds4 ,entire forests were in some instances swallowed by the yawning abyss1 so that only the tops of a few trees could be seen4 ,mountains were torn from their beds2 rocks were rent1 and enormous blocks of stone rolled into the valleys1 crushing all before them4 ,the houses were shaken to the foundation1 and tottered as though they would have fallen2 the walls were split asunder1 the floors gave way1 the doors opened or closed violently1 without being touched4 ,the church bells1 set in motion by the swaying of the belfries1 tolled mournfully to the accompaniment of the wild cries of terrified animals and the shrill screams of equally frightened children4 ,the convulsion of the water was not less fearful than that of the land4 ,the ice1 five or six feet in depth1 burst with a crash like the roar of cannon2 huge blocks were shot up into the air1 and fell again to the earth1 shivered into powder1 while from the openings1 clouds of smoke or jets of mud and sand were projected to a great height4 ,the fish darted in terror from the turbulent waters1 and it was noticed that one species1 abandoning its usual haunts1 made its way to a lake where it had never been seen before4 ,the springs were either choked1 or impregnated with sulphur4 ,the waters of some of the rivers became red1 others yellow2 the ,st4 ,lawrence as far as ,tadoussac appeared white4 ,stunned by the suddenness of the calamity1 and utterly unable to comprehend it1 some thought that a fire had broken out1 and ran for help2 others that the ,indians had made an incursion1 and flew to arms1 but soon the momentarily increasing violence of the shocks led to the universal conclusion that the end of the world had come4 ,the consternation both of ,french and ,indians can hardly be imagined4 ,the general impulse was to hasten to the churches1 and prepare to appear before the judgment seat of ,god1 and truly wonderful were the conversions which ensued3 a missioner afterwards told the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 that he had himself heard eight hundred general confessions at that period of panic4 ,after a half- an-hour1 the oscillations of the earth became fainter1 without however wholly ceasing1 but about eight o'clock there was a second shock so severe1 that the ,sisters who were at the time standing in their stalls chanting the ,office1 were all thrown to the ground4 ,the earthquake continued at intervals for a full year1 the first five months in its original force1 the remainder of the period with less violence4 ,sometimes the motion of the earth was like the pitching of a large vessel dragging heavily at its anchors2 at others1 it was hurried and irregular1 creating sudden1 and occasionally very violent jerks1 but in general it was merely tremulous4 ,during all that time1 men lived in constant dread of immediate death1 and actually withered away from fear4 ,the ,lent was spent by the ,sisters in redoubled austerities1 and increasing prayers to appease the anger of ,god4 ,every evening1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation wrote to her son1 we disposed ourselves to be engulphed in the yawning earth before morning1 and when a new day dawned1 we prepared to stand in ,god's presence before its close4 ,after the fearful convulsion of nature had at last ceased1 its terrible traces were but too distinctly visible over the entire country4 ,in some parts1 mountains had disappeared1 swallowed by the gaping earth1 or precipitated into adjacent rivers1 leaving vast chasms in the places which they had occupied2 in others1 new ones had suddenly arisen4 ,lakes were to be seen in localities previously occupied by forests4 ,a new island had sprung up in the ,st4 ,lawrence2 volcanic craters had burst open2 some rivers had been turned from1 their course1 others totally lost4 ,a rocky mountainous district of three hundred miles in extent1 had been levelled as if some mighty harrow had passed over it4 ,the earthquake seems to have extended more than six hundred miles in length1 and about three hundred in breadth2 thus one hundred and eighty thousand square miles of land were convulsed at the same moment4 ,a most singular circumstance connected with the awful visitation is1 that not a single individual perished1 or was even slightly injured4 ,at last1 ,almighty wrath was appeased2 salutary fear of the ,divine judgments had done its work1 and so the avenging angel was permitted to sheathe his fiery sword4 ,the restored serenity of nature seemed emblematic of the recovered peace of the people1 who1 in their reconciliation with ,god1 and their resolution of amendment1 had adopted the most effectual security against a repetition of the late disasters4 ,their return to duty seemed the signal of a new era of benediction4 ,in #affc1 the ,marquis of ,tracy was nominated ,viceroy1 and as no arrangement could possibly have been more advantageous to ,canada at that particular crisis1 the news of his appointment was received with an enthusiasm equalled only by that which at a later period greeted his arrival4 ,he had for many years occupied a very high position in the ,french army1 and had been equally distinguished through life for courage in danger1 and prudence in negotiation4 ,his commission obliging him in the first place to re-establish the authority of ,france in ,cayenne1 which had leagued with the ,dutch1 and then1 to restore order in the ,french ,antilles1 he did not land at ,quebec until the #cjth of ,june1 #affe4 ,if he had chosen the season expressly with a view to first favourable impressions1 the selection could not have been more judicious4 ,nature was then looking her loveliest4 ,on the old time-honoured rock stood the little capital1 in the first flush of its youth1 like clinging childhood beside protecting age4 ,scattered over the height were the houses of the ,french1 intermingled with religious edifices of sufficiently imposing appearance1 the whole crowned by the romantically-situated ,castle of ,st4 ,louis4 ,here and there a solitary ,indian wigwam nestled among the trees2 the glorious river1 flashed and sparkled in the morning light2 the grand old woods towered in the background1 looking like links between the past1 with its solemn memories1 and the present1 with its hopes so bright and fair4 ,with all its variety of picturesque contrasts1 ,quebec must certainly have presented a striking scene on that lovely summer's day when the ,marquis of ,tracy saw it for the first time4 ,charmed with the country1 and profoundly interested in the inhabitants1 he entered on his functions with an ardour and energy which augured well for his success4 ,his sole ambition from the very first was to promote the happiness of the people over whom he was called to rule1 and whom he loved with the tenderness of a father4 ,the poorest savages were as much the objects of his paternal solicitude1 as the highest dignitaries among the ,french4 ,he listened to their harangues with the kindest interest1 and accepted their little presents with the most amiable condescension4 ,the ,king had assigned four companies of the regiment of ,carignan for his bodyguard1 and1 to the colonists unaccustomed to the sight of regular troops1 they formed a splendid spectacle4 ,as to the ,indians1 they had never even imagined anything so grand4 ,one of the first objects of the ,viceroy was the effectual repression of the audacious ,iroquois1 who1 though sorely humbled by the glorious feat of the heroes of ,ville ,marie1 continued to disturb the colony to the utmost extent of their power1 and still proved an insuperable obstacle to its steady progress4 ,the4 harvest could not be gathered in safety2 life was yet insecure1 and there were times of particular alarm1 when the more timid entertained serious notions of returning permanently to ,france4 ,there was1 however1 strong reason to hope that as consternation had once been created in the ranks of the savages by a mere handful of resolute champions1 they would now be thoroughly and effectually intimidated by a force comprising not only all the brave spirits of the colony1 but also the brilliant guard of the ,marquis of ,tracy4 ,a resolution was accordingly taken to proceed from defensive to aggressive measures1 and attack the enemy in the heart of his own territory4 ,the expedition was unavoidably delayed until ,september1 #afff4 ,the pious commander chose the feast of the ,exaltation of the ,holy ,cross for the day of its departure1 and the brave warriors secured the protection of the ,god of ,armies by approaching the ,holy ,sacraments4 ,although advanced in years1 the ,viceroy would take the personal direction of his troops in this most perilous and arduous journey of four hundred and fifty miles1 carrying on his shoulders1 like the meanest soldier1 his arms1 provisions1 and baggage4 ,the savages were panic-stricken at the sight of so large an army2 the brilliant uniforms1 the colours1 the martial music1 above all the rolling of the drums1 inspired them with such extreme terror that they fled without striking a blow4 ,their four large villages at once fell a prey to the invaders1 who reduced them to ashes1 in order to compel the owners to sue for peace4 ,the enormous quantity of ,indian meal found in these hamlets would have sufficed to support the colony for two years if it could have been removed4 ,besides abundance of provisions1 the cabins contained a variety of articles of furniture scarcely to have been looked for1 in the huts of savages4 ,the next day1 the ,holy ,sacrifice of the ,mass was offered on the spot in thanksgiving for the bloodless victory1 the ceremonial closing by a solemn1 ,te ,deum4 ,from the departure of the army until the news of its triumph1 the ,forty ,hours' prayer had been continued without intermission at the ,ursuline monastery1 and in private families as well as in the public churches1 unceasing supplications had been offered to ,god for the success of the ,french arms4 ,dreading the annihilation of their tribe1 the ,iroquois were only too happy to sue for peace1 and willingly gave up several of their families as hostages4 ,footnote3 ,the restoration of ,anne ,baillargeon1 already noticed in our little sketch of ,mother ,st4 ,joseph1 belongs to this period4 ,at their own request1 three ,jesuits were sent to reside among them1 and then each day witnessed some new conversions4 ,their famous chief1 ,garakonti1 was baptized and confirmed in the cathedral of ,quebec by ,monseigneur ,laval1 whom he humbly thanked after the ceremony for having opened to him the doors of the ,church and of ,paradise4 ,finding the surroundings of their pagan homes a great obstacle to the practice of their holy faith1 the new ,christians determined to establish themselves among the ,french1 where they could serve ,god in peace4 ,to meet their wishes1 the ,jesuits prepared a residence for them on the rich prairie of the ,madeleine1 situated on the south bank of the ,st4 ,lawrence1 nearly opposite ,montreal4 ,the indispensable condition of admission was a solemn promise to avoid intemperance4 ,this mission of ,st4 ,francis ,xavier-du-,sault was afterwards celebrated for the number and fervour of its converts1 and became the nucleus of the ,iroquois colony1 destined later on to play an important part in the affairs of the ,canadian nation4 ,after having given a decided and permanent impulse to the prosperity of the country1 and in all respects faithfully fulfilled his mission1 the ,marquis of ,tracy was honourably recalled to ,france1 but he never lost his interest in the welfare of ,canada4 ,his departure was regretted by all parties in the colony1 and not least by the ,ursulines1 to whom he had shown himself a devoted and efficient friend4 ,this young church will sustain an indescribable loss in him1 wrote the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,had it nothing else to be grateful for1 his example alone was a priceless blessing4 ,he has been seen to spend six consecutive hours in the church1 where his very appearance was in itself a striking lesson4 ,he is truly a model of piety and virtue1 and so greatly is he beloved that his influence is irresistible4 ,fortunately for ,canada1 he left after him two men thoroughly imbued with his own spirit--,monsieur de ,courcelles1 the ,governor1 and the celebrated ,intendant1 ,talon1 under whose joint administration the country made more progress than since its first colonization4 ,thus it happened that from4 its founder1 ,champlain1 onwards1 ,canada had hitherto been greatly blessed in its rulers4 ,before we close this chapter1 we shall take a glance at ,quebec as it was in #afgj1 three years after the departure of the ,marquis of ,tracy1 when we shall find it much altered since we saw it first at the arrival of the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,its scanty population has swelled to upwards of four thousand4 ,the scattered huts which constituted the town1 have been replaced by comfortable dwellings4 ,churches and convents have sprung up4 ,manufactures of serge and of hempen cloth have been introduced4 ,a market1 a brewery1 and a tannery have been opened4 ,the ground has been considerably cleared1 and the agricultural resources of the country have been developed2 three-fourths of the inhabitants can now live on the produce of the land1 merely at the cost of their own labour4 ,commercial relations have been1 established with ,france and the ,west ,indian islands4 ,the cod fishery of ,newfoundland promises to become a source of immense revenue4 ,mines of lead1 slate1 and coal have been discovered near ,montreal4 ,money1 once so so scarce1 has become abundant since the arrival of the ,marquis of ,tracy and his suite4 ,footnote3 ,it is interesting to renew the glance something about two hundred years later1 and note time's work4 ,the ,quebec of today consists of an upper and a lower town4 ,the former1 standing on that side of ,cape ,diamond which slopes towards the river ,st4 ,charles1 contains the principal public buildings1 the dwellings of the wealthy1 and the best shops2 the latter1 extending for two or three miles on a narrow strip of land between the ,st4 ,lawrence and the cliffs1 is densely crowded with stores1 merchants' offices1 warehouses and inns4 ,the communication between the two is by a winding street and steep flights of steps1 at the top of which is a fortified gate4 ,no scene can be more imposing than ,quebec and its surroundings1 as it first breaks on a traveller sailing up the river4 ,nothing of the city is visible until the spectator has reached a line between the west coast of the ,isle of ,orleans and ,point ,levi1 and then all the beauties of the magnificent scene burst suddenly on his view4 ,the ,isle of ,orleans is fertile1 well cultivated1 and in the centre well wooded4 ,point ,levi is a large1 picturesque village1 with brightly-painted cottages1 and a romantic little church4 ,from these1 the eye turns to the abrupt promontory1 three hundred and fifty feet in height1 crested by the city and battlements of ,quebec4 ,the impregnable citadel1 the dense mass of buildings1 the bright tinned steeples o the churches and roofs of the houses1 the fleets of ships at the quays1 the vessels on the stocks or being launched1 the steamers plying in every direction1 the multitude of boats of every shape1 the ,indian wigwams at ,point ,levi1 the vast rafts floating down the ,st4 ,lawrence with their cargo of timber from the forests of the ,ottawa2 farther on1 the cataract of ,montmorenci tumbling into the ,st4 ,lawrence over a ledge of rock two hundred and twenty feet in height2 the houses1 churches and woods of ,beauport and ,charlesbourg2 the high grounds1 spire1 and homesteads of ,st4 ,joseph2 the miles of richly cultivated country1 terminating in a ridge of mountains--all form a picture which once seen can never be forgotten4 ,the vast1 grand landscape is1 in fact1 one of the most striking in the ,old ,world or the ,new4--,chiefly from ,martin's ,british ,colonies4 ,merchants will now find this country a high road to fortune1 says the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 from whose letters we have borrowed the above details4 ,as for us1 adds the saintly ,mother1 our fortune is made2 we are the portion of ,jesus ,christ1 and ,jesus ,christ is ours2 the only wealth we covet is the possession of ,himself1 and this we can secure by observing our holy rule1 and faithfully accomplishing ,his blessed will4 ,ask ,his ,divine ,majesty to give us grace to do so4 ,cheering as was the ,venerable ,mother's account of ,canada1 all1 however1 was not sunshine4 ,at one time we hear of a fearful storm1 attended by immense loss of property2 at another1 of a pestilential fever brought to the town by foreign vessels4 ,one winter was so rigorous1 that many of the ,sisters made up their minds to be frozen2 a later one was1 if possible1 still more severe4 ,during the last thirty-one years1 remarks the ,mother1 we certainly have had time to forget the comforts of our old homes in ,france4 ,she might have added1 with perfect truth1 that their generous spirits were as indifferent to the privations of the new home1 as they were detached from the luxuries of the old4 ,it was in the year of which we write1 #afgj1 that ,quebec was elevated to the dignity of a ,bishopric4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,lingering ,,illness ,,of ,,the ,,mother ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation4--,,last ,,illness ,,and ,,death ,,of ,,madame ,,de ,,la ,,peltrie4 ,in #afgj1 the original little community of three1 had multiplied to twenty1 but if its numbers had increased1 so had its work4 ,once more1 then1 it became necessary to call on ,france for help1 and once more the appeal was cordially responded to by two ,sisters from the convent at ,paris1 and two from that of ,bourges1 who arrived in the spring of the next year4 ,of the three first pillars of the edifice1 one had disappeared2 the two remaining were1 alas6 soon to follow4 ,dom ,claude ,martin prefaces his notice of the long illness which preceded the death of his saintly ,mother by the remark1 that no cross is more holy or more meritorious than that which ,god ,himself imposes4 ,crosses of our own choice he says1 are1 no doubt1 agreeable to ,him1 when borne with love and patience1 but there is danger that self-will may mingle with them and diminish their value2 and again1 they are not likely to be always judiciously chosen4 ,but there is nothing to fear in crosses of ,providence2 they bear the stamp of the will of ,god alone2 and1 as ,he never permits ,his creatures to be tempted beyond their strength1 ,he either sends light trials suitable to their weakness1 or with the1 heavier ones1 strength in proportion4 ,sickness being among the precious crosses of ,providence1 it was not to be expected that the ,mother of the ,incarnation should have been exempted from it1 and thus deprived of the opportunity of increasing her patience and fortifying her other virtues4 ,as far back as #affd1 she had received her remote summons to her eternal home4 ,a complication of violent maladies then brought her apparently so near death1 that she received the last sacraments amidst the sighs and tears of her loving children4 ,the news of her illness plunged the whole city into mourning2 each family felt as if it were about to lose a mother1 and day and night heaven was besieged by one uninterrupted supplication that she might be spared yet longer4 ,finding that remedies only aggravated her excruciating sufferings1 the physicians determined at last to leave her in the hands of ,god1 whose will it seemed to be that the remainder of her life should be passed on the cross4 ,that life of crucifixion was destined to endure eight weary years1 from the first date of her illness1 before the dawn of the eternal day should at last dispel the long night of pain and sorrow4 ,i cannot shake off the effects of my severe sickness1 she wrote to ,her son1 and ,i still find them very trying1 although nature has now become familiarized with suffering4 ,but ,i am happy under my cross1 because the cross was the chosen portion of ,jesus4 ,viewed in the light of ,god1 my trials are so welcome1 that my only apprehension1 is lest ,i should constrain our ,lord to chastise my infidelities by removing1 or at least1 diminishing them4 ,some say that it is excess of work which has undermined my health1 but ,i maintain with more truth1 that my illness is a precious pledge of the love of my ,god1 for which ,i heartily thank ,him4 ,she was perfectly indifferent as to the result of her malady1 desiring1 as she said1 neither life nor death1 but only the ,god of life and death4 ,during six of these years of lingering malady1 she bore the weight of authority for the third time1 her ,director1 who understood the blessing of her government to the community1 having opposed her request for permission to resign it4 ,that she could even exist in the state of exhaustion and emaciation to which she was reduced1 seemed a miracle1 yet she fulfilled all the duties of each day most punctually2 she allowed herself no additional rest1 rising as usual summer and winter at four o'clock2 she assisted at all the observances1 applied unremittingly to the functions of her charge2 wrote an amazing number of letters1 and when fatigue or weakness incapacitated her from more laborious business1 she occupied her leisure in painting or embroidery1 for both of which she had an exquisite taste4 ,the fruit of her beautiful work in this way went to adorn altars and churches4 ,burning with zeal for the salvation of the ,indians1 and wishing in a manner to prolong her apostolate among them after death1 she devoted herself untiringly to the preparation of the younger ,sisters destined to succeed her in the charge of instructing them4 ,in the winter mornings1 she assembled them round her to teach them the ,indian dialects1 and knowing from experience the difficulty of committing the vocabularies to memory1 she determined to leave them as much help from manuscripts as possible4 ,accordingly1 between the commencement of the ,lent of #affh1 and the feast of the following ,ascension1 she accomplished the writing of a large volume of sacred history in ,algonquin1 and a dictionary and catechism in ,iroquois4 ,the preceding year she had written a voluminous ,algonquin dictionary4 ,four or five years before her end1 she wrote to her son1 ,when you receive the news of my demise1 ,i beg you to get as many ,masses as possible said for me by the ,reverend ,fathers of your holy ,congregation4 ,to all appearance1 ,i have not1 it is true1 any immediate prospect of death1 but at my age1 the end cannot be far off4 ,my infirmities1 too1 are a perpetual warning to keep myself ever prepared to render an account of my life1 especially of the misuse of great graces1 for which ,i shall suffer long in the fire of ,purgatory1 unless powerfully succoured by the suffrages of the ,church4 ,i am very fortunate in being able to calculate on your help and that of your good ,fathers1 hoping that through your united sacrifices ,i shall the sooner behold ,him whom my heart and soul long to bless and praise for ever4 ,oh6 how happy shall we be when this has become our sole employment6 ,it is now forty years since by an immense favour ,god called me to praise ,him on earth1 as the angels and saints praise ,him in heaven4 ,this favour has been the source of great and magnificent graces to my soul1 but there can be no doubt that1 owing to my imperfections and distractions1 something of my own spirit has mingled with those ,divine praises1 hence ,i continually say1 ,who can understand sin8 ,from my secret sins1 cleanse me1 ,o ,lord 7,ps4 xviii #ac74 ,i have not only numerous external defects1 but a vast number besides of hidden and internal1 for all of which ,i shall be rigorously punished1 unless you obtain my pardon through the ,holy ,sacrifice4 ,the purity which ,god requires of a soul elevated to a close and constant union with his ,adorable ,majesty1 is infinitely precious1 and it is the high standard at which ,i estimate it1 which renders me fearful1 but underlying the fear is a peace profound beyond words to describe4 ,pray that this peace may be solid1 because in the spiritual life1 there is much false peace4 ,i have boundless confidence in the adorable ,blood of our ,divine ,saviour1 bequeathed by ,him as a rich and permanent legacy to ,his ,church4 ,but after all1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation was not to be the next of the three foundation-stones removed to the ,heavenly ,jerusalem4 ,in the designs of ,god1 ,madame de la ,peltrie was to precede her2 the interval between both deaths1 however1 was to be very short1 so that the hearts united in life1 should not be long divided after its close4 ,five months only before the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 the gentle1 pious ,foundress was called away1 after a violent and short attack of pleurisy4 ,the main points of her history1 both before and after her vocation to the foreign mission1 are already known to us2 the hidden virtues of her obscure life in ,canada are less easily discerned4 ,humility and zeal for ,god's glory seem to have been the characteristics of her sanctity4 ,the meanest offices were those for which alone she felt herself qualified1 and which1 therefore1 she was not only ever ready to embrace1 but to plead for4 ,during eighteen years1 she had charge of the general clothing1 and the only drawback to her enjoyment of the duty was that the articles she could provide were not as good as she would have wished4 ,for herself were reserved the old patched garments too bad for anyone else4 ,the last place in the choir and refectory was the one which she selected4 ,she could not bear to be addressed as the ,foundress1 saying that she was a worthless creature who did nothing but offend ,god4 ,never was she heard to speak of herself1 except to depreciate her own merit4 ,she followed the common rule with regard to food and rising1 except1 indeed1 that she often anticipated the hour of the latter1 early as it was4 ,although she had received the gift of uninterrupted prayer1 and could speak admirably to seculars who applied to her for advice1 among the religious she never touched on spiritual subjects1 fearing to appear better than she believed herself to be4 ,frail and weakly as her health was1 she practised austerities which would have tried persons of robust constitution1 redoubling them whenever she heard that some particular soul was in unusual danger1 and therefore required unusual help4 ,honouring our ,lord in the indigent1 she was never so pleased as when she could clothe and console the poor4 ,of her love for the ,indian pupils1 we have more than once had occasion to speak1 but it would be difficult to do it justice4 ,she seemed to feel that she never could do enough not only to serve1 but even to please and gratify her dear children4 ,it was her delight to see herself surrounded by them1 to receive and return their caresses1 to head their processions1 lead them on pious pilgrimages1 and even give them little excursions for amusement4 ,the means of carrying out her projects of charity often failed1 but the charity never1 so it was often said that if her pecuniary resources were only as large as her heart1 all the ,indian children1 and their parents too1 would be well provided for4 ,inseparably united in heart to ,jesus in ,his most adorable ,sacrament1 she found her sweetest earthly happiness in ,holy ,communion1 and made it her practice to procure as many ,masses as possible for the convent1 assisting at them all with the respect and fervour of an angel4 ,her great devotion to the ,blessed ,sacrament inspired her with a desire to build a church adjoining the monastery1 in which she happily succeeded4 ,the foundation- stone was laid in #afef1 and two years and a half later the sacred edifice was completed4 ,her death sickness lasted but seven days1 yet short as was the interval1 it sufficed to exhibit her virtues in all their lustre4 ,in death1 even more if possible than in life1 she showed herself humble1 affable1 patient1 obedient1 mortified1 united to ,god1 and resigned to ,his holy will4 ,in death too1 she clung with all her old love to the evangelical poverty which had long had irresistible charms for her1 for the sake of ,him who became poor1 that we might be enriched4 ,seeing near her bed a few delicacies which the hand of affection had provided1 she had them immediately removed1 saying that dainties were inconsistent with poverty4 ,it would indeed have been difficult to detect anything incompatible with poverty in the humble room1 where lay expiring the once envied heiress of large possessions4 ,a poor bed1 two straw chairs and a wooden table constituted all the furniture2 a picture of the ,crucifixion1 the only ornament4 ,when asked if she regretted life1 she answered that the day of her death was more precious to her than all the years of her existence united4 ,the day which proved her last1 happened to be ,wednesday1 a coincidence which filled her heart with joy4 ,oh6 how happy ,i should be1 she said1 if ,god called me on this day1 dedicated to ,st4 ,joseph6 ,every hour seemed to her like a year1 so vehement was her desire to be dissolved and to be with ,christ4 ,she continually asked how soon she might expect the blissful moment which would unite her to her ,sovereign ,good for ever1 and she begged the loving ,sisters who surrounded her bed1 constantly to whisper to her the words of the ,psalmist1 ,i rejoiced at the things that were said to me3 we shall go into the house of the ,lord4 7,ps4 cxxi4#a47 ,she gently expired at eight o'clock on the evening of ,november the #abth1 #afga1 aged sixty-eight years1 thirty-two of which she had passed in ,canada4 ,her interment was attended by all persons of position in the city and its environs4 ,considering herself unworthy to inhabit the monastery which she had founded1 she had begged as an alms a last resting-place in the vault destined for the religious4 ,contrary to her intentions1 her remains were inclosed in a leaden coffin4 ,by her own directions1 her heart was buried under the altar step of the ,jesuits' ,church1 that it might crumble into its original dust at the feet of the ,god of the ,tabernacle1 a holocaust of ,his love4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,last ,,illness ,,and ,,happy ,,death ,,of ,,the ,,venerable ,,mother ,,mary ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation4 ,in the middle of the ,january following the death of the venerated ,foundress1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation relapsed into violent illness4 ,her previous symptoms re-appeared1 with the addition of indescribably painful tumors in both sides4 ,unable to rest in any position1 consumed with fever1 tortured in every nerve1 not a sigh1 or moan1 or movement betrayed her agonies1 and yet1 at that moment1 the hand of ,god pressed heavily on her soul as well as on her body4 ,that she might resemble ,him to the end1 her crucified ,lord presented her once more with the bitter cup of interior dereliction which she had so often before shared with ,him1 again despoiling the inferior part of the soul of those heavenly consolations which would so greatly have lightened the pressure of physical suffering4 ,it is hard1 the ,imitation of ,christ says1 to want all comfort1 human and ,divine1 but the ,venerable ,mother was well familiarized with the privation1 of both4 ,in the purity of her love1 she sought only the accomplishment of the will of her ,god4 ,with ,christ ,i am nailed to the cross1 she said in a holy transport1 and none understood better than she1 that it is good to be with ,christ even on the cross4 ,the physicians having declared the malady hopeless on the fifth day2 she received the last sacraments1 made her profession of faith1 and then asked pardon1 first of the ,father ,superior and of her director1 then of the ,mother ,superior and community1 thanking them for their charity and expressing her regret at the trouble which her long illness had occasioned them4 ,hearing shortly after1 that the grand-daughter of an ,algonquin ,chief had just joined the seminary1 she expressed a wish to see the child1 and after affectionately caressing her1 she once more impressively exhorted her dear ,sisters ever cordially to cherish her joys1 as she called the ,indians4 ,all the pupils1 both ,french and savage1 were repeatedly brought to receive her blessing4 ,overwhelmed with the deepest grief1 the religious redoubled their prayers and mortifications1 beseeching that their precious ,mother might be left to them even a little longer4 ,she could not understand their desire to prolong a life which she deemed useless1 but her director1 ,father ,lalemant1 comprehending her value to the community far better than she did herself1 and compassionating the affliction of her children1 commanded her to join in their prayers for her restoration4 ,the order startled her1 but at once raising her eyes and hands to heaven1 she said1 ,i think ,i shall die of this illness1 however if ,god wills that ,i should live longer1 ,i am resigned4 ,that is all well1 ,mother1 replied the inexorable ,father1 but it is not enough2 you must take our side of the question1 and do your best to preserve yourself to the community1 which still has need of you4 ,the direction was too explicit to admit of appeal2 preferring obedience to sacrifice1 as had even been her practice1 she said1 almost in the words of her own ,st4 ,martin of ,tours1 ,my ,lord and my ,god6 if ,thou seest that ,i am still necessary to this little community1 ,i refuse not pain or labour3 may ,thy will be done6 ,a change for the better was at once apparent1 and so wonderfully rapid was the improvement1 that at his next visit1 the physician who had pronounced her recovery hopeless1 declared her out of danger4 ,she assisted at the solemn ,te ,deum which was offered in the choir in thanksgiving for her restoration1 and with her usual sweet affability received the congratulations of her now happy daughters1 as well as of her numerous friends ,presents of the most delicate food were sent from every quarter to tempt her appetite2 she tried to partake of it through condescension1 but since the commencement of her illness eight years before1 her palate had retained a bitterness which imparted the flavour of gall to every species of nourishment1 and necessarily created a loathing for it4 ,her convalescence continued during the ,lent2 she was able to join in the ceremonies of ,palm ,sunday1 and on ,good ,friday1 to assist at the ,passion and the ,adoration of the ,cross1 but that evening1 she felt compelled to tell the ,mother ,superior that she was suffering excessively from the tumors in both sides4 ,they proved to be abscesses1 which on the next day had to be laid open to the bone4 ,she bore this1 and subsequent torturing operations as if she had been deprived of all sense of feeling4 ,once she slightly shuddered1 and then she accused herself of impatience1 and asked forgiveness4 ,the humility1 meekness1 and charity always so striking in her seemed to have gained an increase under this new test1 but it was because she had laid up an abundant store of them in the days of her strength1 that they did not fail in the hour of nature's weakness1 when1 above all1 is proved the truth of the maxim1 that it is the moment of trial which shows what we really are4 ,when1 long years before1 she had offered herself to ,god as ,his ,victim1 it was with the full comprehension that the title implied a life of suffering and sacrifice2 now that the hour of immolation had come1 she renewed the oblation1 content to bear her excruciating pains to the day of judgment1 if only ,god could be thus honoured1 and the salvation of souls promoted4 ,some of the ,sisters having asked her to share her merits with them1 she replied with a smile1 ,all belongs to the savages2 ,i have no longer anything of my own4 ,the holy ,communion1 which she received every alternate day1 continued to be her support in death1 as it had been in life4 ,by the end of the week1 it was apparent that her strength was declining1 and her life fast passing away4 ,when informed that all chance of recovery was at an end1 her countenance beamed with celestial joy1 and from that moment until her last1 her existence was one almost uninterrupted ecstasy4 ,although constantly absorbed in ,god1 she replied sweetly and amiably to all who spoke to her1 but at the same time in as few words as possible4 ,the ,mother ,st4 ,athanasius1 who never left her1 asked if she had any commission for her son4 ,she seemed affected at the question1 and begged the ,mother to let him know that she would bear him to heaven in her heart and pray for his perfect sanctification4 ,on the morning of the #cjth of ,april1 feeling that the last hour was near1 she wished to bid a final adieu to her dear little ,indians4 ,she blessed them with all the love of her great heart1 and then spoke a few impressive words to them in their own language on the beauty of our holy mysteries and the happiness of serving ,god4 ,at mid-day1 she entered into her agony1 if that could be called an agony1 where there was no struggle4 ,although she lost her speech and hearing1 it was easy to see that her soul was intimately united to ,god4 ,her trembling hand still tried to lift the crucifix to her lips1 and when her confessor would have rendered her this service1 he found it so impossible to disengage the beloved image from her grasp1 that he had to substitute another4 ,a few minutes before six in the evening1 she opened her eyes and looked at her dear ,sisters1 as if to take a last farewell of them1 then closed them for ever to earth4 ,at six o'clock1 two faint sighs were heard1--so faint1 that but for the breathless stillness of the room they must have been inaudible1 but the hearing of affection is acute1 and every heart present caught the feeble echo1 and interpreted it correctly4 ,death had come at last1 but death in a form so fair1 that even angels might have envied it1 if angels could die4 ,in its flight to ,god1 her pure soul seemed to have left a lingering ray of glory flitting round the calm1 still features1 which shone as if illumined with heaven's own light1 and almost dazzled the beholders by their seraphic beauty4 ,all the ,sisters witnessed and attested the prodigy2 tradition has faithfully handed it down even to our own day1 and still1 as each revolving year brings round the #cjth of ,april1 a solemn ,te ,deum resounds through the ,ursuline ,church at ,quebec1 as a thanksgiving to ,god for the exceptional privileges attending the blessed death of the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation4 ,to say that grief for her loss was universal1 would be more than superfluous4 ,throughout the country1 she had for many a year been known1 consulted1 prized1 revered1 beloved3 now that the ,mother was taken from amidst her children1 no wonder that the children were lonely and that they mourned their desolation4 ,it would be impossible to describe the feelings of the savages2 as soon as the news of her death reached ,sillery and ,loretto1 they came crowding round the monastery to pray for her whom they had loved so well and with so much reason4 ,our ,mother is dead 6 ,it was all they said1 and all they had to say4 ,sorrow like theirs was too deep for words1 and to show that they felt it so1 they followed up the pathetic exclamation by a gesture indicating that they would speak no more4 ,the ,sisters1 overcome by their child-like grief1 tried to administer to them the comfort of which they were themselves so much in need1 and then both went their respective ways to await in prayers and tears the sad1 solemn hour which was to hide from them for ever1 the object of their reverence and love4 ,from early dawn on the day of the interment1 the convent church was filled to overflowing with a reverential crowd1 all eager to pay the last honours to the venerated servant of ,god4 ,bishop ,laval being then in ,france1 the obsequies were performed by ,monsieur de ,bernires1 ,vicar- ,general of the diocese1 ,father ,superior of the monastery1 and nephew to the kind friend of the same name who had so efficiently promoted the success of the ,ursuline foundation at ,quebec4 ,the funeral oration was preached by ,father ,lalemant1 who better than any one else could do justice to his subject1 and then the cherished and revered ,mother of ,canada was laid to her rest1 in the vault destined as the place of sepulture of the community4 ,unwilling to lose all trace of her dear familiar features1 the authorities both civil and religious joined in requesting that while there was yet time1 her likeness might be secured4 ,accordingly1 the day after the interment the coffin was uncovered1 and an artist sent by the ,governor succeeded in taking a remarkably correct one4 ,this portrait was unfortunately consumed in the second conflagration of the monastery in #afhf4 ,that which now hangs in the community room of the ,ursuline convent1 ,quebec1 was sent from ,france4 ,the ,mother of the ,incarnation was tall1 and the dignity of her deportment was so striking1 that while she was in the world1 persons were often seen to stand and look at her as she proceeded unconsciously through the streets on her missions of devotion or charity4 ,the gravity of her demeanour was tempered by the modesty of her address1 and the courteous affability of her manner4 ,her features were regular1 but their chief attraction lay in their expression1 which seemed like a revelation of the invisible beauty of her soul4 ,the irresistible sweetness of her glance appeared to leave a trace of heaven wherever it fell1 and although her habitual interior union with ,god communicated something of an unearthly air to her exterior1 no one ever felt restrained or ill at ease in her company4 ,her constitution was strong1 and thereby fitted for the life of unceasing labour to which ,god called her4 ,she possessed mental qualities of a high order1 had great natural abilities1 and was what the world would call a clever woman of business1 but best of all1 she was a saint4 ,from the hour1 when at seven years of age she consecrated her young soul to ,god1 until that when at seventy-two1 she surrendered it into ,his hands1 her one sole aim had been to adorn it with every virtue1 so that it might become ever more and more pleasing in the eyes of ,his ,divine ,majesty1 and so well did she succeed in this her holy object1 that the history of her life1 is in fact the history of her virtues2 in studying the one1 we have at the same time been making acquaintance with the other4 ,much however as we have learned of those resplendent virtues1 we fain would pause a moment longer on them before relinquishing her sweet company1 just as we love to linger over a beautiful sunset1 and even after the great orb has disappeared1 still to watch the traces of his departing glory resting on the golden clouds4 ,as the virtues of the ,mother of the ,incarnation have passed in review before us in the course of her history1 the same thought may perhaps have occurred to us1 as to her son1 ,dom ,claude ,martin1 that where all were so admirable1 it would be difficult to say which was the most worthy of special notice4 ,she was raised up1 we know1 to glorify ,god both in her own person and in that of her neighbour2 in her own1 by her individual sanctification1--in that of her neighbour by leading many souls to heaven4 ,for the fulfilment of this two-fold destiny1 it is evident that she had need of a deep ground-work of humility1 with a vast fund of charity and self-abnegation2 accordingly we find her possessed of these virtues in such perfection1 that remarkable as she was for every other1 we may perhaps consider her greatest of all in these4 ,in the exalted degree of union with ,himself by which the ,almighty recompensed her generosity1 we adore ,his own immense1 gratuitous liberality2--in the heroism with which1 aided by ,divine grace1 she died to every human feeling1 we admire the grandeur of her own utter detachment from self1 and the beauty of her thoroughly spiritualized nature4 ,her humility1 she had early established on the fundamental principles1 that ,god is all1 and the creature nothing4 ,from these two truths1 as from two great fountain heads1 came the one absorbing desire of her life1 that the ,all should engulph the nothing2 that ,god should be exalted and she herself annihilated2 hence1 there was no height to which she would not have soared to promote honour to ,god1 and no depth to which she would not have descended to procure her own abasement4 ,the generosity of her humility inspired her equally to undertake great things for her ,divine ,master1 when ,his service required them1 and to remain contentedly in inaction when this was more agreeable to ,him4 ,far from attaching any importance to the benefits which she had conferred on the monastery1 she looked on herself as useless1 sincerely believing that she was tolerated in the house of ,god only through charity4 ,i know nothing1 she wrote2 ,i do nothing in comparison with my ,sisters2 although ,i teach others1 ,i am the most ignorant of all4 ,that these were no mere empty words was proved by her insatiable thirst for humiliation1 to which her humble soul was drawn by the consideration of ,god's greatness and her own nothingness1 as a stone to its centre by its natural weight4 ,in reading of the success which crowned her labours1 and the universal love and reverence which her great qualities inspired1 we are tempted to imagine1 that whatever may have been her interior crosses1 she must at least have been a stranger to the mortifications which come to us from others4 ,but it was not so4 ,she loved humiliation in her heart of hearts1 as the appropriate homage of the nothing to the ,all1 and ,god loved her too much to spare it1 therefore all through life1 in youth as in mature age1 in ,canada as in ,france1 in religion as in the world1 it followed her like a shadow4 ,i am destined for the cross1 she wrote to one of the ,mothers at ,tours2 trials are my lot1 and in them is my peace2 help me to return thanks to ,him who provides for me so generously4 ,she was contradicted and slighted2 she was suspected1 misjudged and misrepresented1 sometimes to test her virtue1 sometimes from more questionable motives1 but the possibility that she could he wronged or unjustly depreciated1 never for a moment seemed to occur to her4 ,considering herself the last1 the lowest1 the most sinful of ,god's creatures1 she confessed that any amount of humiliation was inadequate to her deserts1 while at the same time firmly impressed that the unfavourable opinions expressed of her were the correct ones1 she was incapable of resentment4 ,the ,sisters who knew how discourteously she was often treated1 once asked her how she bad been able to restrain her irritation under some particular insult2 ,i have guarded against that1 she replied1 by forgetting all about it4 ,you admired our ,mother's humility under her last annoyance1 one ,sister remarked to another2 yet this was a trivial one compared with those to which she is accustomed2 still nobody ever hears her speak of them4 ,nevertheless she owned that the persecutions which she endured thus silently1 were more trying than even her terrible temptations1 for that while the one caused her only personal suffering1 the other checked the work of ,god4 ,her imperturbable equanimity under humiliations sometimes led to a doubt of her having noticed them at all2 she had1 and that very clearly too1 but because she loved the contempt which she believed her due1 she received each new evidence of it with an interior joy1 and an exterior calmness1 which deceived superficial observers4 ,while incapable of taking offence herself1 if she thought that she had inadvertently given even apparent cause of it to others1 she never hesitated to ask pardon in the most humble manner even of the youngest ,sister4 ,no trace of self-reliance or self-esteem was ever seen in her4 ,she was always ready to receive the suggestions and profit of the opinions even of those far inferior to her in every respect4 ,it is recorded that when1 consummated in virtue and experience1 she was nearing the end of life1 a novice who was at work with her1 took the liberty of remarking that she was doing hers wrong4 ,show me1 my child1 how it should be done1 the humble ,mother gently answered1 and while the novice had the simplicity to teach her mistress1 the mistress had the humility to take the directions1 although she knew them to be incorrect1 saying that it matters little whether a piece of work be done in one way or in another1 but very much that we practise child-like humility1 so as to deserve a place among the little ones of whom our ,lord declared is the kingdom of heaven4 ,sinking ever lower and deeper into her nothingness1 she found there a resting-place for her soul1 a security against illusion1 a safeguard for her virtue1 and an antidote for self-complacent thoughts1 if by a rare chance1 imagination ever suggested one4 ,the extraordinary graces with which ,god favoured her1 far from exalting1 served only to lower her in her own estimation4 ,she fully recognised the magnificence of those graces1 but wholly separating the great ,giver from the lowly recipient1 she viewed them in ,him1 not in herself2 they were ,his always1 hers never1 and provided they redounded to ,his glory1 she asked no more4 ,i am overwhelmed with astonishment1 she writes1 that a ,god who is loved purely by myriads of millions of souls1 should cast ,his eyes on me1 the last of ,his creatures1 and condescend to grant me a share in ,his love4 ,and again1 ,if a soul is beautiful1 good1 or holy1 it is with the beauty1 the goodness and the holiness of ,god4 ,knowing that these attributes belong wholly to ,him1 she desires that ,he alone should have the honour of them1 wishing no honour or praise for herself from any creature4 ,her only fear is lest vain complacency should open the door of the inner temple to the enemy1 who would soon despoil her of her gifts4 ,tremble for me1 she said to her son1 when you hear of the favours which the ,almighty has conferred on me1 for ,he has placed ,his treasures in the very frailest of earthen vessels3 the vessel may at any moment be broken and the contents lost4 ,this humble distrust of human weakness never left her heart4 ,o my great ,god6 she would say1 grant me humility1 and help me to serve ,thee as ,thou commandest1 in fear and trembling4 ,i am now near my end1 she wrote two years before her death1 and ,i have yet done nothing worthy of a soul soon to appear before ,god4 ,our ,lord has ever led me by the spirit of love and confidence1 never by that of fear1 but when ,i consider that through the frailty of my fallen nature1 ,i may at any moment lose the ,divine friendship1 ,i am seized with dread1 and overwhelmed with humiliation4 ,i could not exist if ,i retained this apprehension of separation from ,god1--that all-good ,god from whom ,i have received more graces and favours than there are grains of sand in the ocean bed4 ,but my firm confidence in ,his mercy dispels alarm1 and rejecting doubts and fears1 ,i cast myself trustingly into ,his arms1 there to repose in peace4 ,her superior intelligence and eminent virtue would have rendered her a very desirable acquisition to the ,jansenists1 who used their best efforts to allure her to their ranks1 but her humility was her safeguard1 and to manifest her horror of their innovations1 she would not even reply to their letters4 ,flowing from her humility was her spirit of obedience1 a virtue of which she so clearly recognised the imperative necessity for all who aim at perfection1 that she would do nothing but under its guidance4 ,even the revelations with which ,god had favoured her1 she never thought of acting on1 until she had submitted them to the examination of her director1 and so persuaded was she that this course was in accordance with the established order of ,providence1 that she would have thought herself deluded had she acted otherwise4 ,she was perfectly free from the least attachment to her own lights1 natural and supernatural1 and never had a difficulty in subjecting her conduct and judgment to the guidance of superiors2 this she esteemed a most special grace4 ,it may be remembered that in the years of her servitude in her brother-in-law's house1 she made a vow of obedience to him and her sister4 ,knowing nothing of it1 they were lost in astonishment at her wonderful submission1 which they could only attribute to her affection for themselves1 and consequent zeal for their interests4 ,after she entered religion1 obedience was still among her favourite virtues2 she almost flew to execute the most trivial order of superiors1 or rather she recognised none as trivial1 viewing all as emanating from ,god4 ,in the position of ,superior which she held for eighteen years1 she still found means of exercising her beloved virtue1 and when in the intervals1 she resumed her place among the ,sisters1 her submission to the new ,superior was that of a simple child4 ,obedience had become so natural to her from habit1 that she was a stranger even to a repugnance to obey4 ,she strongly inculcated the importance of obedience to spiritual direction1 saying that it is the source of that true simplicity which forms the saints4 ,a soul so humble could not but be meek1 and so it was notorious1 that although while she was engaged in the world her business had been of a most harassing kind1 and that in ,canada her varied duties brought her into continual contact with persons of all classes and all humours1 she was never seen out of patience4 ,even when most severely pressed at the time of her great interior trials by temptations to antipathy and irritability1 the closest observer could scarcely ever have detected that vanquished nature had made an effort to rebel4 ,if perchance an almost imperceptible reflection of her pains of soul ever passed over her accustomed sweetness of demeanour1 she reproached herself for it as for a fault4 ,after her death1 when her virtues formed the favourite topic of conversation in her bereaved community1 one who had known her for thirty years1 observed that the ,mother of the ,incarnation always showed the courage of the lion in confronting difficulties and dangers1 and the gentleness of the lamb in her intercourse with her neighbour4 ,and this latter remark applied not only to the meekness which is easily maintained because it is not tried1 but much more to that which bears the test of sharp and continuous contradictions1 and is never found to fail4 ,a person who had occasioned her very great annoyance1 finally pronounced as his conclusive opinion1 that her patience was made of iron4 ,she was1 indeed1 so thoroughly inured to mortifications1 that injuries had ceased to be injuries1 and enemies were enemies no more4 ,those who had treated her worst1 might1 for that reason1 count securely on special evidences of her sweetness and kindness4 ,for the sake of peace1 she was ever ready to yield her judgment1 when this could be doue without compromise of duty4 ,it once happened that in an important matter submitted to the decision of the community1 she held a different opinion from most of the ,sisters4 ,finding herself in the minority1 she at once yielded the point without a remonstrance or even a remark4 ,a ,sister who took her view of the case1 a little disappointed at such ready acquiescence1 observed1 ,well1 ,mother1 one would thank that you had made a vow to obey those people1 and do just as they wish4 ,no1 replied the ,mother1 with her own gentle smile1 ,i have not vowed to obey them or consult their wishes1 but ,i have promised to please ,god1 and for ,his love to do all in my power to maintain peace with my neighbour4 ,perfect1 however1 as was the meekness of the ,venerable ,mother1 her firmness could equal it when occasion required1 and never1 perhaps1 were the two qualities more admirably balanced in any character than in hers4 ,compassion for all in want or trouble seemed like an instinct of her nature4 ,it showed itself1 as we have seen1 from her earliest childhood1 and gained strength with every breath of her life4 ,to see her fellow- creatures in distress1 and not make an effort to relieve them1 was at all times an impossibility to her kind heart4 ,known in the world as the mother and advocate of the poor1 in religion she maintained1 and1 if possible1 strengthened her claim to the beautiful title4 ,she would have considered that a lost day on which she had not exercised the works of mercy1 so during her prolonged tenure of authority as ,superior1 it was remarked that she never passed one without giving alms of one kind or another4 ,among the distressed ,french families whom she thus relieved were persons of respectable condition1 who she knew would have shrunk from manifesting their poverty1 therefore she took care to spare them the necessity of an appeal for charity1 managing also to have her gifts conveyed so cautiously1 that they should be unable to trace them to their source1 or to consider them in the light of alms4 ,when nothing more remained to her for the destitute1 she called on the resources of the rich1 and when these1 too1 were exhausted1 she had recourse to ,god1 who never failed to send her help in her emergencies4 ,if she was the refuge of the ,french in their wants1 still more was she the resource of the ,indians1 to whom her generous heart and her hospitable monastery were ever open4 ,vain would be the attempt to tell of all she did and all she endured to procure means of providing for them in their necessities1 and helping them through their difficulties4 ,but if their temporal welfare was a subject of deepest concern to her1 infinitely more lively was her zeal for their spiritual interests2 to these she had devoted her labours2 to these she had consecrated her energies and her life2 for these were her first1 her last1 her ceaseless prayers4 ,so well did she succeed in communicating her own ardour to the rest of the community1 that from the very commencement of the house the ,sisters bound themselves to receive the ,holy ,communion and recite the ,rosary once every month in honour of the ,immaculate ,conception of the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary1 observing a fast on the eve of the festival1 all in order to obtain the conversion of the savages4 ,this beautiful devotion is perpetuated in the monastery to the present day4 ,another practice of the first ,mothers was to draw by lot the names of the different ,indian tribes1 each offering her prayers1 labours1 and merits for the conversion of that which had fallen to her4 ,the ,venerable ,mother had her particular nation like the rest1 but her great heart embraced all others at the same time1 for nothing less than all could satisfy zeal which1 like hers1 embraced the universe4 ,as her history has shown us1 her whole life in ,canada was but one prolonged act of charity to the forlorn race1 and when that life was about to close1 she bequeathed her love for them to her community1 as the most precious legacy she had to bestow4 ,as well-ordered charity begins at home1 her ,sisters were naturally the first objects of hers4 ,from the commencement of her religious career1 her delight had been to oblige and serve them at the cost of any amount of personal fatigue or inconvenience1 and1 when ,superior1 it was her practice to do a considerable portion of their work in addition to her own1 thus to procure them a little more rest4 ,that all might be enabled to retire sooner after their weary day1 she took for her especial charge to remain up the last at night1 and see all the fires extinguished--no easy task when wood was the only fuel1 the huge1 red-hot logs requiring much time and caution in the cooling4 ,she has been known to leave herself without bed-clothes in the intense cold of winter nights1 that she might add a little to the comfort of her shivering novices1 her own chilled frame meantime depending for warmth1 as ,pre ,charlevoix remarks1 only on the fire of her love2 and this was but one small instance of the compassionate charity which she was ever practising4 ,she had peculiar tact in reconciling enemies1 and a wondrous gift for consoling the afflicted1 especially those tried by temptations and interior pains4 ,many were the sufferers who came to her sorrowful and discouraged1 and left her presence consoled and strengthened4 ,once a person under great trial sought her help1 but experienced insuperable difficulty in communicating the subject of her pains4 ,let us pray1 my child1 the ,mother said1 that ,god may enlighten me4 ,leaning her head on her hand1 she prayed for the space of a ,pater and ,ave2 then looking up gently1 she asked1 ,what hesitation could you have had in telling me such and such a thing8--specifying the causes of trouble4 ,should you not have known me better8 ,having directed the person what course to pursue1 and exhorted her to courage1 fidelity1 and abandonment to ,god1 she foretold her that her troubles were not at an end1 but consoled her by the assurance that they would tend to the ,divine honour4 ,the wise counsels not only imparted immediate peace to the suffering soul1 but1 moreover1 helped to sustain her through the remainder of the conflict1 which1 as the event proved1 was not yet over4 ,the good ,mother was ever at the command of all who sought her help1 ready at all times to lay aside her most pressing occupations the moment any one expressed a desire to speak to her1 giving her visitors ample opportunity of unburdening their minds fully1 and dismissing all satisfied and consoled4 ,she could not endure to hear an unkind remark1 and so perfect was her own practice of charity in speech1 that she was never known to utter a word to the disadvantage of any one1 even those who had treated her worst4 ,such was the tenderness of her compassion for the erring1 that1 as she was accustomed to say1 she would have wished to hide them in her heart4 ,she was so easily pleased1 that the charge of assisting her in her different occupations1 was quite an envied post4 ,a ,sister1 who for several years had had the care of preparing her colors for her paintings1 and her materials for gilding and similar works1 declared that during all that time she had never heard a word from her lips but of encouragement1 gentleness1 and affection4 ,the kind ,mother took delight in teaching her what she knew1 and then1 with the liveliest interest1 would show the ,sister's attempts to all who entered1 remarking how good they were1 and how sure the pupil would be to advance if she only had courage4 ,how can you praise such work1 dear ,mother8 somebody one day asked in reference to another's ,sister's production2 you who are so good a judge1 and1 therefore1 must have seen its defects4 ,it was done to the best of the ,sister's ability1 the ,mother answered1 so it was well done for her1 and in that sense deserving of praise4 ,although always recollected in ,god1 she liked to see her ,sisters gay at recreation1 and that she might be no restraint on their innocent mirth1 was herself invariably cheerful4 ,the instances on record of her charity to her neighbour1 both before and after she entered religion1 are much too numerous for insertion in these pages1 but we cannot have perused her history1 without discerning that the beautiful spirit of fraternal love influenced her whole life1 manifesting itself in a ceaseless effort to relieve the wants1 console the sorrows1 promote the temporal happiness1 and1 above all1 advance the spiritual interests of all within her reach1 as well as by her prayers and desires1 of those beyond it4 ,charity and patience like those of the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation can flourish only in souls whence inordinate self-love has been banished2 detachment from self is1 in fact1 their essence and their life4 ,it was because that of the ,venerable ,mother was so deeply grounded1 that her love of her neighbour was proof against all trials4 ,disengagement from self is synonymous with sacrifice of self1 and of this she was unsparing4 ,for her greater merit1 and our instruction and encouragement1 the ,almighty permitted that during several successive years she should feel the revolt of her passions1 and experience all that is painful to nature in the effort to subdue them4 ,the perfect control over them which resulted in her admirable meekness and forbearance was the reward of her fidelity in the hour of the conflict4 ,if her passions were brought so thoroughly under subjection to reason and faith1 that they seemed at last to have lost their power1 the grand conquest was the work of mortification4 ,knowing that ,christ would live in her in the plenitude of ,his ,spirit1 only when her natural life had been destroyed1 she sought opportunities of self-crucifixion1 as men in general seek chances of gratification and enjoyment4 ,every feeling1 every faculty1 every sense1 was fastened to the cross4 ,to her interior mortification there was no limit2 to her exterior1 only that imposed by obedience1 and as long as her austerities involved no singularity1 obedience imposed but little restraint on them4 ,while apparently leading an ordinary life1 she contrived that no part of her frame should be without its particular suffering1 managing to transform into new acts of penance1 the very refreshment of food and sleep4 ,her joy was in the cross of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 by which not only the external1 but also the inner world was crucified to her4 ,at any moment of her existence1 as well as on her dying bed1 she might have truly said1 ,with ,christ ,i am nailed to the cross2 and with equal truth she might have added1 ,god forbid that ,i should glory save in that precious and well-loved cross4 ,the earnestness with which she sought the entire crucifixion of nature1 appears in the rules which she laid down for her particular guidance after having made her vow to do in all things what she believed most perfect4 ,by these she bound herself to make no excuse when unjustly accused2 to watch so carefully over mind and heart1 that no complaint should escape her under any provocation2 never to speak a word to her own advantage1 and to be always ready to applaud what was commendable in others2 to show special sweetness to those for whom nature felt least inclined2 to embrace with loving resignation all trials from ,god and from creatures2 to repress every emotion of self-love1 and every reflection on subjects calculated to arouse its sensibilities4 ,these rules1 founded on the maxims of the ,gospel1 formed the guide of her life4 ,her virtues were solid1 because her humility1 their foundation1 was profound1 and because her humility was profound1 ,god exalted her to a degree of purity of soul1 and a consequent height of union with ,himself1 rarely attained here below4 ,during the whole of her life in ,france1 she was accustomed1 as we know1 to wonderful supernatural communications1 but from the time of her going to ,canada1 all such favours as could attract the eyes of men were withdrawn1 the ,almighty having then intimated ,his will that her perfection should henceforth consist in the practices of ordinary life4 ,but although visible extraordinary favours were suspended1 it was not so with the invisible work of ,divine grace2 that went on ever advancing towards its consummation4 ,from the age of twenty1 she had possessed the wondrous privilege of uninterrupted union with ,god4 ,it was her habitual permanent condition2 neither suffering of mind1 nor infirmity of health1 nor pressure of business1 nor weight of care could divert her from it for a moment4 ,distractions might flit through1 and even trouble her imagination1 but they never reached the inner soul1 which through all1 maintained an uninterrupted view of the ,divine presence4 ,her constant application to spiritual things never interfered with the perfect fulfilment of her external duties1 while on the other hand1 the most dissipating exterior occupations never for one instant disturbed her interior recollection4 ,never were the spirit of ,martha and of ,mary more admirably or more perfectly combined4 ,if prayer is an elevation of the soul to ,god1 it may be said without any exaggeration1 that her whole life was spent in this heavenly exercise4 ,at the time of actual prayer1 she appeared like a seraph of love1 her very aspect sufficing to excite devotion in the coldest heart4 ,this was an opinion often expressed by the pupils1 who delighted in observing her at prayer1 and sometimes managed even to approach near enough to kiss her feet or her habit unperceived4 ,it is not given to us to speak of the sublimity of her prayer1 especially towards the end of life4 ,as it became more and more simplified1 it were perhaps best described as one unbroken sigh of love4 ,my ,god6 my great ,god6 my ,life6 my ,love6 my ,glory6 ,this1 she wrote1 is my prayer2 these words nourish my soul1 not only at the time of actual prayer1 but all through the day1 from the moment of rising1 to that of retiring to rest4 ,imperfect as ,i am1 ,i feel habitually lost in my ,god1 to whom ,i have been so many years united by indescribably intimate bonds4 ,i see ,his amiability1 ,his grandeur1 ,his majesty1 ,his power1 without previous reasoning1 or research4 ,i can find no words to express what ,i would say to ,him1 yet the silence of simple faith is eloquent4 ,but although my soul is ever absorbed in my ,god1 it never loses sight of its own misery2 the abyss of ,his greatness engulphs the abyss of its nothingness4 ,not satisfied with all the love of the angels and saints1 she desired that her heart could burn even with infinite love1 that so she might love her ,god adequately4 ,she prayed our ,lord to place her heart on ,his1 that on that altar of fire it might be made a perfect holocaust of love4 ,i ask of ,him1 she said1 no earthly riches1 treasures or joys1 but only that ,i may die of ,his love4 ,under the severest temporal losses1 even in the midst of privations and positive want1 she felt1 she said1 as if needing nothing1 for then especially she belonged to ,god1 and ,god belonged to her1 and possessing ,him1 she had nothing to desire4 ,she had indeed reached that blessed state in which the soul exists more in the ,god whom she loves1 than in the body which she animates4 ,footnote3 ,words quoted by ,gerson from ,st4 ,augustine and ,st ,bernard4 ,yet elevated as she was to sublimest heights of supernatural contemplation1 she never failed carefully to prepare a subject of ordinary meditation1 true to the end1 to her love of common practices1 and her esteem of common ways1 from which1 as we have so often remarked1 she never swerved but in obedience to the irresistible attraction of the ,holy ,spirit1 and she ever maintained that the most exalted spiritual state is that distinguished1 not by raptures and ecstasies1 but by the perfect practice of the maxims of the ,gospel1 and the closest interior union with ,jesus4 ,her piety was solid and practical1 and in one of her letters to her son1 we find the remark that she never could content herself with a devotion of mere sentiment and imagination4 ,our ,lord1 she said1 assumed our nature1 that ,he might become our ,model4 ,in every condition1 we can imitate ,him by the practice of ,his maxims1 which not only discover to us what we have to retrench and correct in our lives and conduct1 but also guide us to the means of accomplishing that difficult work of self-correction4 ,devotion that is not practical1 seemed to her1 she said1 like an edifice built on moving sand4 ,she had a lively confidence in the ,sacred ,heart of our ,lord1 and always concluded the spiritual exercises of each day by recommending to the ,eternal ,father through ,its infinite merits1 the ,church of ,canada1 the preachers of the ,gospel1 and her friends4 ,her evening prayers to the ,sacred ,hearts of ,jesus and ,mary1 are generally known and widely circulated not only in ,canada1 but in many other countries also1 especially among ,ursulines4 ,for the benefit of those who may not be acquainted with them1 we shall insert them at the end of the volume4 ,she had a very particular devotion also to the ever adorable ,trinity1 and to the most precious ,blood4 ,of her love for the ,blessed ,sacrament of the altar1 it would be superfluous to speak4 ,her sentiments on the holy ,communion may be epitomized in the one word1 that she wished her life could be one perpetual ,communion4 ,she was accustomed to say that she found in communion strength and support for her soul under all the trials and difficulties of life1 and so sensibly did she experience its blessed effects1 that it almost seemed as if for her the veil of the sacrament had been removed1 and the hidden wonders of the mystery of love made manifest4 ,among the saints1 after their glorious ,queen1 she honoured ,st4 ,joseph and ,st4 ,francis of ,paula4 ,st4 ,joseph she had loved from childhood on account of his connection with our ,lord and ,his ,blessed ,mother2 her devotion had received a new impulse from the time when he was shown to her in her vision as the ,patron of ,canada4 ,her veneration for ,st4 ,francis of ,paula originated in the family traditions1 which told how when the saint came to ,france at the prayer of ,louis ,,xi1 one of his escort from ,italy was her great-grandfather1 who in the fervour of his simple faith1 frequently took his children to visit ,god's servant and receive his blessing4 ,she loved to allude to the circumstance and no wonder1 for there can be no doubt that a large share of that holy blessing had descended to herself1 and many were the spiritual helps which she received from the saint in her progress through her pilgrimage4 ,she had also a special devotion to the holy ,angels4 ,the history of the ,venerable ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation1 has spoken for itself1 it is therefore as unnecessary as it would be easy to multiply testimonies to her merits1 both from contemporary and more recent writers1 still1 as it would be doing her an injustice to omit them altogether1 we shall insert a very few among the large number at hand4 ,bishop ,laval who knew her well1 writes1 ,she was adorned with every virtue in an exalted degree1 and eminently endowed in particular1 with the gift of prayer and union with ,god4 ,she was perfectly dead to self1 living and acting only by the ,spirit of ,jesus4 ,the ,almighty having chosen her for the great work of founding the ,ursuline ,order in ,canada1 ,he granted her the plenitude of the spirit of that holy institute4 ,she was an admirable ,superior1 an excellent guide for novices1 and equally qualified for every other position in her community4 ,her life1 externally ordinary1 was interiorly divine1 so that she was deservedly looked on by her ,sisters as a living rule4 ,the eulogy of ,pre ,charlevoix is equally strong4 ,after calling her the ,teresa of ,new ,france1 he says1 ,history presents few women who can be compared with her1 as none will deny who attentively study her life and writings4 ,such1 he continues1 was the opinion of the most enlightened individuals of the age in which she lived2 her most eloquent panegyrists were those who knew her best4 ,the ,mother ,cecilia of the ,holy ,cross1 who had never been separated from her since they left ,dieppe together on their way to ,canada1 declared that in the thirty-three years of their close companionship1 she had never seen her transgress against meekness1 patience1 humility1 charity1 obedience or poverty1 or omit an opportunity of practising these great religious virtues4 ,to ,dom ,claude ,martin1 ,madame de la ,peltrie wrote after her return from her expedition to ,montreal1 ,i esteem myself happy and honoured in the privilege of living under the roof with the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,if ,i survive her1 ,i shall give you many particulars of her life which will call forth your gratitude to ,god4 ,she is truly a chosen soul1 precious in the eyes of the ,lord4 ,what ,i particularly admire in her1 is her fidelity to the duties of common life1 and the love which she evinces for those who treat her ill4 ,she lives in great detachment from all but ,god2 perfect abandonment to ,providence2 unalterable peace1 and a constant interior recollection truly admirable4 ,how happy ,i should be if ,i possessed the tenth part of her virtues6 ,announcing her decease to the monasteries of the ,order in ,france1 her ,superior says1 among other things1 ,her death was the echo of her holy life1 passed as it was in the continual practice of the most heroic virtues4 ,though ,superior for eighteen years at different times1 she was the most submissive in the house to the one who occupied the place in the intervals4 ,her exactitude to rule was perfect4 ,her humility persuaded her that she was unworthy to associate with her ,sisters1 whose every act of virtue she observed with admiration4 ,her zeal for the glory of ,god1 far from having diminished with time1 became at last a consuming fire4 ,her patience both in life and death was truly admirable4444 99 99 99 99 99 ,the tradition of her holiness passed from generation to generation1 not only of the inmates of the monastery1 but of the inhabitants of ,quebec generally4 ,years served but to confirm the impression of her merits1 and at last that impression took the form of one earnest1 unanimous desire and prayer1 that our holy ,mother the ,church would deign to gladden the heart of every ,catholic in ,canada1 by admitting the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation to a share in the public veneration which she allows to her canonized saints4 ,numerous postulatory letters to this effect were addressed to his late ,holiness of saintly and venerated memory1 ,pope ,pius ,,ix1 who after the usual delay1 permitted the preliminary steps towards the ,beatification4 ,the cause was introduced on the #aeth of ,september1 #ahgg1 when the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation was honoured with the title of ,venerable1 the prelude1 as we humbly trust1 to one more glorious and exalted still4 ,among the postulatory letters is one which cannot be read without very particular interest4 ,it bears the signature of the ,huron ,grand ,chief1 followed by that of the principal chiefs and warriors of the tribe4 ,,most ,,holy ,,father1--,the greatest of ,fathers after ,him who is in heaven1 we are the least of your children1 but you are the representative of ,him who said1 ',suffer little children to come to me1' so we approach with confidence to prostrate at your feet4 ,most ,holy ,father1--,we the chiefs and warriors of the ,huron tribe1 humbly present you a perfume of rich fragrance1 composed of the virtues of the ,reverend ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation4 ,deign1 ,holy ,father1 to offer it to ,god1 that passing through your hands1 it may more surely find acceptance in ,his sight4 ,the ,mother of the ,incarnation called us from our forests1 that she might teach us to know and adore the true ,master of life4 ,she took our hearts in her hand and placed them before the ,eternal1 as a basket of fruit of her own culling4 ,through her instructions we have learned meekness2 wolves and bears have fawned on her2 the angry roar of fury has been changed into the hymn of praise4 ,our mothers kissed the traces of her footsteps1 and then signed our foreheads with the blessed dust1 fruitful for eternity4 ,with her own hands she impressed the sign of faith on our hearts1 and it has never since been effaced4 ,thanks to her1 we are able to read the books which recall her benefits4 ,we ourselves could fill many books with testimonies of our respectful gratitude4 ,she loved us with a human as well as a spiritual affection1 so she is twice our mother4 ,it is through her teaching1 and for her sake1 that we have renounced our native wilds1 and come to live among our more civilized brethren4 ,the ,bear1 the ,wolf1 the ,goat1 the ,beaver and the ,tortoise ,footnote3 ,appellations of the five principal families of the tribe4 will be henceforth chained to the sanctuary1 and their occupation will be to celebrate the praises of the ,master of life4 ,many moons have passed since that first dawning of the true light4 ,our once flourishing nation is on the eve of extinction1 but1 ,most ,holy ,father1 we beseech you to receive with the last prayer and last sigh of the ,hurons1 the assurance of their profound reverence for the ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation4 ,the bones of our fathers will exult in their tombs1 if your voice proclaims the eternal happiness of the ,mother to whom we are indebted for our faith4 ,she found among our women1 virgins worthy of admittance to the sanctuary1 and among our warriors1 missioners and martyrs who will weave a crown for her in heaven4 ,there remains to us only one drop of ,huron blood1 but if that could enrich the immortal crown of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 we would willingly bid it flow4 ,prostrate at your feet1 ,most ,holy ,father1 we implore your benediction4 ,then follow the sixteen signatures of the ,grand ,chief and his fellow petitioners4 ,the day on which the touching appeal of the ,hurons shall be responded to1 will gladden many a heart besides theirs4 ,meantime1 ,o ,mother6 we thank the ,lord for the magnificent grace bestowed on thee1 and for thy fidelity in corresponding with them4 ,we thank ,him for having given us in thee so glorious a model of religious perfection1 and we pray that thy example may ever guide and thy spirit ever animate us4 ,we beseech thee to watch from heaven over the ,order which on earth thou didst love so well and adorn so brightly1 and to obtain that no ,ursuline may ever show herself unworthy of her exalted and cherished title of a daughter of ,st4 ,angela1 and of the ,venerable ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation4 ,,appendix4 ,on the #cjth of ,april1 #ahcc1 more than a century and a half after the saintly death of the ,venerable ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation1 her precious remains were removed with due solemnity from the vault where they had long lain1 to a place of greater honour in the choir of the ,ursuline monastery4 ,on the occasion of this translation1 the vault was discovered to be quite full of water1 and when the ,venerable ,mother's coffin was opened before being consigned to its new resting-place1 it was seen by many witnesses to be also filled with the same clear crystal fluid4 ,the circumstance was easily explained by the gradual filtration of water into the vault1 whence it had penetrated into the leaden case through small openings in the soldering4 ,but although the presence of the water could be thus simply accounted for1 contact with the remains of ,god's holy servant had given it a manifest claim to special reverence2 it was therefore cautiously drawn off1 and has since been so carefully preserved1 that although very generously shared with numerous petitioners for it1 the supply is not yet quite exhausted4 ,one sealed bottle of this water is kept for the admiration of posterity4 ,the ,almighty has been pleased to glorify ,himself in ,his faithful servant1 by permitting that it should become the instrument of many wonderful cures4 ,footnote3 ,in the ,history of the ,ursuline ,monastery of ,quebec1 published in #ahff1 the writer says3 ,some years ago1 a woman of the neighbourhood informed me that her daughter had been cured of a very serious affection of the eyes at the close of a ,novena to the ,venerable ,mother1 on each day of which1 the water of the tomb had been applied to the diseased part4 ',i have a little of the water left1' she added1 'and ,i would not give it up for any consideration4 ,i have eight children dependent for support on my work2 if one of them fell sick1 what should ,i do8 ,i could not fee a doctor1 so my only resource is in the water4' ,imagining that she attached the idea of some medicinal property to it1 we hastened to assure her that it was only ordinary water1 which derived its efficacy from the prayers of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 whom she had so fervently invoked4 ',no1 no1' she exclaimed1 cutting short the explanation2 'it is not ordinary water2 if it were1 it would corrupt and diminish1 but instead of that1 it seems to me to increase4 ,it is extraordinary water1' she said2 'it is holy water4' ,we left her under her agreeable impression1 adds the narrator1 thinking that the prodigy had perhaps been permitted in recompense of her simple faith and confidence in our holy ,mother4 ,we are not1 however1 to suppose that reliance on the prayers of the ,mother of the ,incarnation dates only from its discovery2 confidence in her intercession has1 on the contrary1 ever kept pace with veneration for her memory1 and this1 we know1 has never varied except to increase4 ,no account has reached us of the favours obtained through the mediation of the ,venerable ,mother1 previous to the discovery of the water3 whether an earlier record may have at one time existed1 and been afterwards destroyed by fire or otherwise1 is uncertain4 ,even of the favours received since #ahcc1 no regular register was kept until #ahfg4 ,in that year1 ,monseigneur ,baillargeon1 ,archbishop of ,quebec1 appointed a commission to examine and test1 according to canonical forms1 all facts tending to demonstrate the sanctity of the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,it then became matter of universal regret that so little publicity had been given to the prodigies wrought through her intercession3 it would seem as if men's minds had become so familiarized with them from the frequency of their recurrence1 that no one had hitherto thought of attracting general attention to them4 ,on the occasion alluded to1 however1 the witnesses of the most recent were examined1 and on their testimony1 a considerable number were proved4 ,we extract a few from the long catalogue1 for the honour of ,him who is glorious in ,his saints1 premising that we do not apply the epithet miraculous1 in its strict sense1 to the occurrences about to be related1 the ,church having in her wisdom reserved to herself the right to pronounce definitively on miracles4 ,we merely state facts certified by witnesses of unimpeachable character1 leaving to the superior tribunal to decide as to their supernatural origin4 ,miss ,margaret ,mary ,gowan had completely lost the use of an arm for nearly a year previous to the opening of the tomb of the ,mother of the ,incarnation in #ahcc1 and was cured after making a ,novena to the ,venerable ,mother1 and using the water of the tomb4 ,she was then a boarder at the ,ursulines1 and is now a ,sister of ,charity in ,quebec4 ,this fact1 adds the convent annalist1 inspired great confidence in the efficacy of the water which we had just collected from the tomb with religious veneration4 ,a child of nine years of age1 named ,mary ,adela ,brunette1 who had always been remarkable for delicate health1 was seized on the evening of ,december #ca1 #ahec1 with pain in the eyes so violent as to deprive her of sleep4 ,a few days later1 a film was observed on both eyes1 which it gradually overspread1 the pain meantime retaining its first intensity4 ,the child had not only to be confined to a room whence all light had been excluded1 but moreover to wear a thick bandage across her eyes4 ,so great were her sufferings1 that her father often said he would infinitely rather see her dead1 than witness them4 ,for six months she had the best medical advice1 but remedies seemed only to aggravate pain4 ,to open her eyes1 appeared an impossibility4 ,towards the end of ,july1 #ahed1 a friend proposed to the child's parents to pray for her cure through the intercession of the ,venerable ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,the suggestion was at once adopted1 the parents and several neighbouring families arranging to meet daily at the house of the little girl's uncle1 a man remarkable for piety4 ,the invalid was conducted thither on the first day with extreme difficulty1 precautions having been taken to render her eyes absolutely inaccessible to the faintest ray of light4 ,the next day1 she asked to walk without support1 taking care1 however1 to cling closely to her mother's side4 ,soon she could endure the light sufficiently to guide herself1 was able to distinguish objects1 and expressed surprise at some slight alterations which had been made in the house during the seven months of her illness4 ,on the ninth day1 one of her eyes was quite clear4 ,meantime1 some of the water of the tomb had been procured2 it was applied during a second ,novena1 and the result was the child's perfect restoration4 ,she was not only free from pain1 but able to bear the strongest sun-light4 ,the above particulars were given at ,quebec1 on the #crd of ,june1 #ahfb1 by the young girl herself1 and confirmed by her mother4 ,she had then had no return of disease of the eyes2 her general health was excellent1 and her strength equal to any demand on it4 ,she was so convinced of having been cured through heavenly intervention1 that she preserved as a precious relic1 the empty phial which had once contained the water of the tomb4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on the #bbnd of ,december1 #ahfb1 ,dr4 ,landry1 an eminent physician residing at ,quebec1 gave the following testimony1 renewed in presence of several ecclesiastics1 in #ahfg3-- ,in ,september1 #ahei1 my daughter had an extremely violent attack of tic- douloureux in the left side of the face4 ,the paroxysms recurred every two or three days1 and lasted sometimes an hour1 sometimes two or more4 ,in ,november1 the malady assumed a still more severe character1 the paroxysms sometimes recurring twice in one day4 ,towards the end of ,december1 the disease yielded to persevering medical treatment4 ,on the #ast of ,february1 #ahfj1 the child entered the ,ursuline ,convent at ,quebec1 and the next day had a return of the malady1 which continued without notable interruption until ,march #bdth1 the eve of the ,annunciation4 ,in this last stage of her illness1 the attacks of pain were very frequent and very violent1 numbering as many as four in a day4 ,on the #afth of ,march1 nine days before the feast of the ,annunciation1 one of the ,sisters recommended her to beg the intercession of the ,mother of the ,incarnation in a ,novena1 in which the community and the pupils would unite4 ,the paroxysms were violent1 and of daily occurrence up to the second last day of the ,novena1 when the attack was comparatively light4 ,this proved the last4 ,from that moment she has had no return of the pain which for the previous six months had made her life a torture4 ,this wonderful cure which has now lasted eight years1 ,i can attribute only to the charitable and powerful intercession of the ,venerable ,mother ,mary of the ,incarnation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,abridged ,,testimony of the same ,,dr4 ,,landry1 in #ahfb1 relatively to the recovery of ,mother ,st4 ,angela1 an ,ursuline ,religious at ,quebec4 ,in #ahei1 my professional services were required by ,mother ,saint ,angela1 whose delicacy had been of long standing4 ,she was suffering from a complication of diseases1 and at the period referred to1 was reduced to extreme exhaustion4 ,the remedies resorted to1 produced some slight improvement1 but it proved only temporary1 for1 from the middle of ,february1 #ahfb1 her infirmities were so much aggravated1 that she was obliged to keep her bed altogether4 ,i had always looked on her as an incurable invalid1 destined to wear out her life in broken health and constant suffering4 ,at the beginning of ,may1 of the same year1 she told me that she felt better1 and a few days later1 declared to me by order of her ,superior1 that she was restored to health4 ,i did not meet my former patient from that time1 until the present date1 ,november1 #ahfb1 when wishing to assure myself of her actual condition before writing the above report1 ,i asked to see her4 ,she had an appearance of strength which ,i had never before observed in her1 and although retaining some slight traces of her former maladies1 was now able1 she assured me1 to fulfil all her duties1 and to partake of the ordinary fare of the community with good appetite4 ,her movements1 once evincing extreme debility1 were marked by the activity and animation of a healthy young person4 ,her recovery was too prompt1 too complete1 and too permanent1 to admit of my attributing it to the remedies which ,i had prescribed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the following is the account of the same wonderful cure given by ,mother ,st4 ,anne1 ,assistant of the monastery1 and a person of great experience in the care of the sick3-- ,the ill health of ,mother ,st4 ,angela was of many years' standing1 but from #ahdh to #ahfb1 her sufferings and consequent weakness had so considerably increased1 that she had at last been compelled to give up all the regular observances of the community1 as well as the duties of her particular charge4 ,as that of a confirmed invalid1 her case seemed to the chaplain of the monastery1 one peculiarly suited to manifest the power of the prayers of the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,accordingly1 to the general surprise1 he suggested that a ,novena should be offered to the ,venerable ,mother for the patient's recovery4 ,the pupils especially were amazed when asked to join4 ',our ,mistress general1 whom we have not seen for three months6' they exclaimed2 'as well ask for the resurrection of the dead6 ,why1 she is but half-alive1 and not young either6' ,to induce them to unite1 they had to be reminded of the omnipotence of the ,most ,high1 to whom it is as easy to repair ,his works1 as it was to create them2--reminded1 too1 that the worse the case1 the greater would be the wonder of the cure1 should it please ,god to grant it4 ,still1 several remained incredulous1 and though all prayed1 many felt but little confidence4 ,on the #bbnd of ,april1 a solemn ,novena was commenced1 and it terminated on the #cjth1 the anniversary of the death of the holy ,mother4 ,after ,mass1 the ,mother ,superior proceeded to visit the invalid1 who had communicated in bed at an early hour1 and unwilling to believe that she had not been cured1 told her to rise4 ,mother ,st4 ,angela attempted to do so1 but even with assistance1 could not stand1 and had no resource but to return to bed4 ',you see1 ,mother1' she said1 'our good ,god wills me to remain in my present state4 ,i had a great desire that my recovery should redound to the honour of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 but ,god's will be done6 ,let us think no more of recovery4' ',that is not my view of the subject1' replied the ,mother ,superior1 as if suddenly inspired4 ',you must begin another ,novena to-morrow1 asking our ,venerable ,mother to obtain for you at least sufficient health to fulfil the duties of your charge1 and at the close of this ,novena1 you will assist at ,mass1 and communicate in the choir4' ,in all simplicity1 the invalid commenced a second ,novena on the #ast of ,may1 again joined by all the ,sisters and boarders4 ,on the very first day1 she felt well enough to resume the recitation of the ,office4 ,appetite1 sleep and strength rapidly returned2 on the seventh day1 she went down to the confessional1 and on the ninth1 heard ,mass1 and received ,holy ,communion in the choir1 as she had been ordered4 ,she immediately commenced a ,novena of thanksgiving at the tomb of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 and before its close1 had resumed all the regular observances1 including very early rising1 the fasts and abstinences prescribed by rule1 and the chanting of the ,divine ,office4 ,surprised and overjoyed1 the pupils entoned a triumphant ',magnificat' for the recovery of their 'resuscitated ,mother1' as they called her4 ,during the two years which had elapsed since the cure1 when the above statement was written1 ,mother ,st4 ,angela had had no necessity to omit a single community exercise1 from four o'clock in the morning to nine at night4 ,so perfect was her recovery1 that she said her previous illness seemed to her only like a dream1 adding that she felt no inconvenience from duties which had fatigued her when she was young and healthy1 but was on the contrary ready to recommence them when completed4 ,she called her restoration1 a real resurrection1 almost a transformation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the summer of #ahfb1 ,madame ,joseph ,latourneau of ,quebec1 was laid prostrate by a complication of maladies4 ,towards the middle of ,july1 the danger became so imminent1 that on taking leave of her one evening1 the physician begged her husband to let him know in the morning whether she was still alive4 ,there seemed so little hope of her passing the night1 that several friends had assembled to assist1 as they supposed1 at her last moments4 ,one of these visitors brought a little of the water of the tomb1 and inquired of the invalid whether she had confidence in it4 ,oh1 yes6 she replied2 great confidence6 ,have ,i a chance of getting any of it8 ,i am sure the holy ,mother will cure me4--,and in afterwards relating the circumstance1 she said1 ,i began to weep1 without knowing why1 and felt an internal conviction1 that ,i should be restored4 ,she derived immediate benefit from the water1 passed a better night1 and the next day1 the doctor pronounced her out of danger4 ,during her convalescence1 she kept a picture of the ,venerable ,mother continually before her1 convinced1 as well as the rest of her family1 that she owed her restoration to health to the intercession of this powerful ,advocate4 99 99 99 99 99 ,madame ,joseph ,blanger of ,quebec gives the following details of a favour obtained through the same channel3-- ,a thick eruption had gathered over the upper part of her baby's lace1 spreading gradually to the eyelids and closing the eyes1 and still the physicians feared to venture remedies4 ,seeing that the disease threatened the mouth and ears1 the mother became greatly alarmed4 ,her sister who had received a signal favour from the ,venerable ,mother1 pressed her to use the water of the tomb with faith1 telling her that she still possessed a few drops of it1 and assuring her that the child would thus be restored1 as she had been herself4 ,the water was accordingly applied lightly and sparingly to the parts affected1 and to the joy and admiration of the spectators1 the malady appeared at once to change its character4 ,after the third or fourth application1 all traces of it had vanished1 as if by magic1 said the grateful mother4 ,this event occurred in #ahfb4 ,when the above details were furnished1 the little girl was about six years of age1 and up to that period had not shown the least tendency to a renewal of the disease of her infancy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,october #ca1 #ahfb4--;,first ,testimony to the cure of ,sister ,mary of ,jesus1 a ,sister of ,charity residing at ,cacouma1 one hundred and twenty miles from ,quebec1--addressed to the ,mother ,superior of the ,ursulines at ,quebec4 ,,reverend ,,mother1--,a thousand thanks for the small phial of water which you were kind enough to send me4 ,as ,i wrote you1 ,sister ,mary of ,jesus was extremely ill on ,friday2 that evening she appeared so near death1 that the prayers of the agonizing were said for her4 ,she was unable to swallow the water1 but no sooner had her lips been moistened with it1 than she seemed to revive4 ,the next day the physician found her out of danger to his great surprise4 ,join us in returning thanks to ,god and ,his faithful servant for this great favour4 ,sister ,,mary ,,de ,,bon ,,secours1 ,assistant4 99 99 99 99 99 ,second ,testimony1 again addressed to the ,mother ,superior at ,quebec3-- ,for the information of all interested in the case1 and for the glory of ,god in ,his saints1 ,i declare and certify the following3-- ,on the #cast of ,october1 #ahfb1 ,i administered the last sacraments to ,sister ,mary of ,jesus1 a ,sister of ,charity near ,quebec1 first because from my own observation1 ,i considered her death inevitable1 unless averted by miraculous interposition1 and secondly1 because the attending physician had assured me that he saw no chance of saving her life4 ,to my certain knowledge1 the ,mother ,superior of the convent exhorted ,sister ,mary of ,jesus to ask for her cure through the intercession of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 in whom she had herself great confidence1 after which1 the apparently dying sister took a few drops of the water1 spent a good night1 and the next day1 was so much better1 that both1 in the house and in the environs1 her recovery was declared a miracle1 attributable to the prayers of the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,in faith of which1 ,i have signed the present declaration on the #bast of ,may1 #ahfg4 ,j4 ,c4 ,,cloutier1 ,p4,p4 of ,cacouma4 99 99 99 99 99 ,elias ,desharnais1 a labourer at ,stanfold had given himself a severe hurt1 while engaged in mowing2 the result was a long fit of illness1 followed by utter incapacity for all laborious exertion4 ,two years after this accident1 he was thrown from his horse1 and so violently trampled1 that he was taken up by the passers-by1 senseless and apparently lifeless4 ,for forty-eight hours1 he remained unconscious1 and during the seven or eight succeeding days1 frequently relapsed into insensibility4 ,after a time1 he was able to walk1 but he gained no strength1 and every attempt to resume his work so aggravated his sufferings1 that after each trial he was constrained to keep his bed for weeks4 ,he had been in this infirm condition six years1 when his sister informed him of a remarkable cure just wrought at the ,ursuline ,convent1 ,quebec1 where she was herself a lay ,sister1 advising him also to apply for relief to their ,benefactress1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,a first ,novena not having produced any sensible improvement1 the good religious sent him some of the water of the tomb1 urging him to make a second ,novena1 and to endeavour to approach the ,holy ,communion at its conclusion4 ,he made the ,novena2 applied the water to the stomach1 the seat of suffering1 and on the ninth day approached the holy table4 ,his faith and hope were not frustrated4 ,from that moment1 every trace of his infirmity vanished1 he went at once to his work1 and having experienced no inconvenience from his first efforts1 undertook and accomplished in person the heaviest part of the agricultural labours of the season1--mowing1 reaping1 saving the hay1 storing the grain1 c4 ,two of his brothers having removed from home about this time1 a double share of work devolved on him4' ,he laboured as vigorously and as unceasingly since1 as he had done previously to his accident4 ,such is the testimony which he himself gave at the ,ursuline ,convent1 on the #abth of ,november1 #ahff1 having travelled from ,stanfold to ,quebec1 for no other purpose than to make the statement1 and declaring that he looked on the expense and fatigue of the journey as of little consequence1 compared with the happiness of having thus slightly testified his gratitude to his heavenly ,benefactress4 99 99 99 99 99 #ahfd4--,madame ,elzar ,vincent1 a resident in ,quebec1 aged thirty1 had suffered for seven weeks from pain in the knee4 ,the inflammation spreading to the thigh1 she was compelled to keep her bed and became quite incapable of moving4 ,miss ,bilodeau1 a former pupil of the ,laval ,normal school1 having procured some of the water of the tomb for the patient1 they both joined in a ,novena to the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,the first application of the water was followed by sensible relief4 ,on the third day1 the invalid was well1 and able to resume her household duties4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on the #bast of ,october1 #ahfg1 ,madame ,chateauvert1 of the suburb ,st4 ,louis1 ,quebec1 declared that she believed herself indebted to the intercession of the ,mother of the ,incarnation for the preservation of her little girl1 aged six weeks1 during three of which she had suffered from violent convulsions4 ,the same malady had already deprived ,madame ,chateauvert of four of her children1 and the danger in the present case seemed all the more imminent1 as the convulsions had set in earlier than with the other little ones4 ,towards the middle of ,july1 #ahfg1 the attack was so violent that the infant remained insensible for three hours4 ,the water of the tomb was then applied to her temples2 she immediately revived and from this first day of the ,novena1 had no return of the convulsions1 but has enjoyed good health4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on the #bjth of ,february1 #ahfg1 ,mrs4 ,isaac ,fullerton of ,quebec presented herself at the ,ursuline monastery to give the following account of her wonderful cure4 ,she stated that for seven weeks1 she had completely lost the use of her right hand1 which was so swollen1 especially in the finger joints1 that she could neither open nor close it4 ,the pain extended through the arm and shoulder4 ,in addition1 she had suffered all through the winter from an almost intolerable ear ache4 ,having heard of the water of the tomb1 she sent for some3 she also procured1 a copy of the prayer ,footnote3 ,see end of ,volume4 ,by the ,heart of my ,jesus1 and began a ,novena4 ,at the first application of the water1 she found her hand becoming supple1 and made her husband observe the improvement4 ,on the ninth day of the ,novena1 her arm and shoulder were perfectly free from the least pain or stiffness4 ,but the ear ache had not yielded1 and on the #ith of ,february1 the day before her deposition1 it had been very severe3 a tumour had even formed during the preceding days on the upper part of the right ear4 ,in the evening1 her husband asked her why she did not try the water of the tomb1 which would no doubt prove as efficacious in this ease1 as it had done in the previous4 ,the idea had not occurred to her before1 and finding that a little remained in the phial she applied it to the ear4 ,a momentary sensation of great heat all through the head was followed by total relief from suffering4 ,god be praised6 she exclaimed1 ,i am cured2 ,i have no pain6 ,her husband echoed her exclamation of surprise and joy1 when on examining the ear1 he found that even the tumour had disappeared4 ,i am now perfectly well1 concluded ,mrs4 ,fullerton2 entirely free from suffering1 and with heartfelt gratitude ,i declare that it is to the prayer of the ,mother of the ,incarnation ,i am indebted for my cure4 99 99 99 99 99 ,miss ,bilodeau1 a teacher at ,rivire ,noire in the parish of ,st4 ,agapetus1 made the following declaration on the #bith of ,august1 #ahfg3-- ,towards the end of last ,may1 a child of twelve1 named ,mary ,ct1 was brought to my school1 with a request that ,i would prepare her for first communion and confirmation4 ,she was conducted by her aunt1 and walked with difficulty2 her eyes appeared in a sad condition4 ,i was informed that she had been blind since an attack of small-pox five years before1 and that during that period she had endured a martyrdom1 especially in winter1 when the inflammation increased4 ,hoping that the disease was not as inveterate as it appeared1 ,i begged her aunt to take her to the chapel1 and help her to distinguish the altar and tabernacle1 that she might the better understand future instructions on these subject1 for ,i had been told that she had never even entered a church1 her parents living at a considerable distance from the parish church1 and not having a vehicle4 ,accordingly1 she was led to the church1 but on her return1 ,i was assured she had discerned nothing1 not even the conspicuous white statue of our ,blessed ,lady4 ,i then examined her eyes more closely4 ,i found the lids livid and bluish2 close to the lashes1 red and inflamed4 ,in the eye itself1 pupil1 iris and cornea were alike undistinguishable2 all that could be seen was a mass of red1 white and black spots1 frightful to behold4 ,both eyes were in the same condition4 ,dr4 ,morin had declared the case incurable2 the parish priest of ,gasp1 and two ,trappiste ,fathers who happened to pass that way1 had expressed the same opinion1 the last observing that only a miracle could restore sight so thoroughly diseased4 ',well1' ,i said to the child1 ',i know a servant of ,god who can obtain this favour1 if you pray to her very fervently4' ,i gave her a little of the water of the tomb1 telling her to put a drop of it into her eyes every day1 and to say daily also1 three ,paters1 ,aves1 and ,glorias1 with the invocation ',venerable ,mother of the ,incarnation1 obtain my cure6' ,the first days of the ,novena1 her sufferings increased so much that she could scarcely support them4 ,i told her not to be discouraged in consequence1 for that this increase of pain proved the intervention of the ,venerable ,mother1 and should only stimulate her to redouble her prayers1 which she did4 ,on the third or fourth day1 she was taken to ,mass by her aunt1 and although in great pain1 prayed with renewed ardour1 asking the ,mother of the ,incarnation to let her see at least the statue of our ,blessed ,lady4 ,towards the end of ,mass1 she felt suddenly inspired to raise her eyes1 and saw something white3 it was the statue4 ,as she afterwards said1 the longer she looked at it1 the clearer her vision became4 ,in an ecstasy of delight and amazement1 she began to describe to her aunt every thing she saw round the statue and on the altar4 ,on leaving the church1 she was subjected to various tests1 which only resulted in rendering the miracle more manifest4 ,her eyes were free from pain and looked perfectly clear1 except for a slight discoloration of the left1 which however did not interfere with the vision1 and soon disappeared4 ,this event occurred on the #hth or #ith of ,june4 ,on the #bcrd of the following ,august1 ,miss ,bilodeau gave the above details4 ,dr4 ,morin1 to whom she presented the child1 at once recognised his former patient1 but could not comprehend the wonderful change visible in her4 ,after a close examination1 he declared that only a miracle could have wrought it4 ,the next day he gave the following testimony3 ,i the undersigned1 can certify on oath1 that five years ago1 ,i examined ,mary ,ct's eyes1 and found that the small-pox had produced opacity of the cornea of both1 or the disease called leucoma4 ,i pronounced the case incurable1 and refused in consequence to prescribe medical treatment4 ,i certify that ,i re-examined the same little girl on the #dth of ,september1 #ahfg1 and that ,i cannot explain the cure of her eyes by natural causes4 ,,charles ,,morin1 ,m4,d4 ,mary ,ct and her mother confirmed the above testimony at a later period4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,cure of ,,margaret ,,foley1 affected for four years and a half with deafness1 #cjth of ,april1 #ahfh4 ,margaret ,foley was in her fourteenth year1 when in ,september #ahfg1 she was presented at the ,ursuline day school to receive instruction for first communion4 ,she had already been sent to three other schools for the same purpose1 but her deafness had in each case proved an insuperable obstacle to the success of her teachers4 ,it soon became apparent to her new instructresses1 that the present trial must end like the preceding in total failure1 therefore they recommended ,mrs4 ,foley to withdraw her daughter4 ,when the immediate preparation for first communion was about to commence just before the ,lent of #ahfh1 some of the pupils mentioned ,margaret ,foley1 and in the hope that her hearing might have somewhat improved in the interval1 her mistresses sent for her1 but unfortunately1 they found no change in her state4 ,before the loss of her hearing1 she had learned to read imperfectly1 consequently she knew something of the text of her catechism1 but nothing more4 ,when the period of first communion drew near1 one of her mistresses1 not knowing what to do1 proposed a ,novena to the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,just nine days were to elapse before that of the first ,communion1 which by a happy coincidence occurred this year on the #cjth of ,april1 the anniversary of the death of the saintly ,mother4 ,some of the water of the tomb was given to the little girl1 with directions to put a drop of it every day into her ears4 ,the nuns and pupils joined in the ,novena1 and all declared that it would indeed be a miracle if the poor child should recover her hearing4 ,on ,friday1 ,april #bdth1 the day of the examination of the first communicants1 ,margaret prayed with renewed fervour before a picture of the ,venerable ,mother1 which some one had given her4 ,her afflicted mother expected only the usual disappointment1 and awaited with a sad heart her return from the convent4 ,suddenly she heard her bounding up the stairs2 then saw her rush into the room1 kissing her picture in transports of joy which admitted but of one explanation4 ,she had heard the priest quite distinctly1 she assured her mother1 and hoped to be admitted to the heavenly ,banquet4 ,the excitement of her companions1 and the gratitude of her teachers can be better imagined than described4 ,on the #cjth of ,april1 the last day of the ,novena1 she made her first communion4 ,she was visited by several of the sisters1 those especially who had had personal communication with her during the period of her infirmity1 and all recognised the wonderful nature of the cure4 ,mrs4 ,foley declared that for four years and a half1 she had been able to communicate with her only by signs4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on the #ajth of ,january1 #ahgj1 ,clment ,chaill of ,cap ,sant declared that his mother1 aged seventy-three1 had in the preceding ,august been cured of a cancerous tumour in the nose1 which1 having resisted all remedies1 disappeared on the application of the water of the tomb4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on the #aeth of ,march1 #ahgg1 ,miss ,fortier1 a pupil of the ,laval ,normal ,school1 ,quebec1 deposed that her brother ,emilius ,fortier1 eighteen years of age1 and subject for two years to epileptic fits1 had been cured the preceding ,september by a ,novena to the ,venerable ,mother1 and the use of the miraculous water4 ,the young man1 who had been compelled to give up his college course on account of his terrible malady1 was then so completely cured1 that his father had written to re-engage his place for the next year4 99 99 99 99 99 ,our limits will not permit us to dwell at greater length on the bodily cures effected through the intercession of the ,mother of the ,incarnation3 the number is so great1 that even an imperfect list would fill many pages4 ,the same may be said of the favours obtained through her prayers in the spiritual and moral order1 on which1 in like manner1 we shall touch but lightly4 ,the following are but a few among the many instances of such1 which might be recorded3-- ,deploring the decline of practical piety in the parish where she resided1 a school teacher of remarkable virtue determined as the first step to improvement1 to introduce devotion to the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 ,for this purpose1 she began by circulating copies of the ,venerable ,mother's prayers to the ,sacred ,hearts of ,jesus and ,mary1 to which we have so often alluded4 ,she besought the holy ,mother to interest herself in the great work of the reformation of the people1 and as a preliminary1 to give some striking manifestation of the power of her intercession with ,god3 ,the prayer was heard2 the impression produced by a few wonderful cures1 led to conversions1 and before long1 a missionary bore public testimony to the marked change which had taken place in the locality since the introduction of devotion to the ,mother of the ,incarnation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a young person charged with a school composed of children of both sexes1 found herself constantly surrounded with difficulties of all kinds1 but it was her invariable habit to place her troubles in the hands of the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 and she found abundant reason to congratulate herself on having adopted the plan4 ,whether she had to contend with annoyances from parents1 and insubordination from pupils1 or whether she had to solve scientific questions beyond her capacity1 her powerful ,patroness brought her safely through every embarrassment4 ,she had become so accustomed to her charitable intervention1 that she counted on it as a matter of course4 ,we shall cite but one instance4 ,a grown lad one day asked the solution of a very difficult problem in arithmetic1 required for the following day4 ,now the poor teacher's arithmetic was one of her weak points2 she had never seen the rules on which the given question bore1 and had not the remotest idea how to set about her task1 so as usual1 she had recourse to her unfailing refuge1 the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 representing to her that without her assistance1 she must infallibly lose her reputation as a teacher1 and as a consequence1 her moral influence over her pupils4 ,having finished the day's duties1 she retired tranquilly to rest1 quite convinced that by some means or another1 her difficulties would be removed4 ,when she awoke on the following morning1 the answer to the problem was as clearly traced on her mind1 as if it had been written on paper before her eyes4 ,she had but to copy the formula on a slate1 as she would have copied from a text book on the subject1 and then she was ready to meet1 and to satisfy her questioner4 ,there have been instances of visible protection accorded by the ,venerable ,mother to persons wearing her picture or one of her relics2--instances of the conversion of the victims of intemperance1 and of other obdurate sinners for whom her prayers had been invoked2--instances of disunited families reconciled1 pecuniary embarrassments relieved1 and temporal affairs brought to a happy issue by being recommended to her charity4 ,nor is it only in ,quebec1 or even in the ,new ,world1 that the fruits of her intercession have been experienced2 on the contrary1 wherever appealed to1 the result has been the same4 ,among the great number of applicants to the ,mother of the ,incarnation1 says a letter from ,three ,rivers1 all1 it is true1 do not obtain the cures they pray for1 but the good ,mother never fails to procure them something better4 ,i do not recollect1 continues the writer1 having ever met a single person who had recourse to her intercession and was not satisfied with the result4 ,some come to tell us joyfully1 that they have received the favours they petitioned for2 others recognise that it is for their advantage to suffer1 since the ,mother has not obtained their recovery4 ,those who have received only partial relief1 are contented with it and seem to desire no more4 ,in whatever other light the preceding facts are viewed1 they must at least be looked on as so many heavenly messengers assuring us of the love and protection of our saintly ,mother1 and as such1 must necessarily confirm our confidence in her power1 and intensify our gratitude for her favours4 ,sing to the lord a new canticle3 let ,his praise be in the church of the saints4--7,ps4 cxlix l47 ,,evening ,,prayer ,,of ,,the ,,venerable ,,mother ,,mary ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation1 ,,in ,,honour ,,of ,,the ,,sacred ,,heart ,,of ,,jesus4 ,by the ,heart of my ,jesus1 who is the ,way1 the ,truth1 and the ,life1 ,i approach ,thee1 ,o ,eternal ,father4 ,by this ,divine ,heart1 ,i adore ,thee1 for those who do not adore ,thee2 ,i love ,thee for all who do not love ,thee2 ,i acknowledge ,thee as my ,god1 for all the wilfully blind1 who through contempt refuse to acknowledge ,thee4 ,by this ,divine ,heart1 ,i desire to pay ,thee the homage which all ,thy creatures owe ,thee4 ,in spirit ,i go round the wide world1 in search of the souls redeemed by the precious blood of ,jesus4 ,i present them all to ,thee through ,him1 and by ,his merits ,i ask for their conversion4 ,o ,eternal ,father6 wilt ,thou permit them to remain in ignorance of my ,jesus8 ,wilt ,thou suffer that they should not live for ,him who died for all8 ,thou seest1 ,o heavenly ,father6 that they live not yet2 grant them then life1 by this ,divine ,heart4 ,through this adorable ,heart1 ,i present ,thee all who labour for the extension of the ,gospel1 that by its merits1 they may be replenished with ,thy ,holy ,spirit4 ,on it1 as on a ,divine ,altar1 ,i present to ,thee especially44444444444 ,thou knowest1 ,o ,incarnate ,word1 my adorable ,saviour6 that all that ,i would ask ,thy ,father by ,thy ,divine ,heart1 by ,thy ,holy ,soul4 ,i ask it of ,thee1 when ,i ask it of ,him1 because ,thou art in ,thy ,father1 and ,thy ,father is in ,thee4 ,deign together to hear my prayer1 and to make the souls whom ,i present to ,thee1 one with ,thee4 ,amen4 ,,evening ,,prayer ,,of ,,the ,,venerable ,,mother ,,mary ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation ,,in ,,honour ,,of ,,the ,,immaculate ,,heart ,,of ,,mary4 ,o ,divine ,spouse of my soul6 what return shall ,i make ,thee for ,thine excessive charity towards me8 ,i give ,thee thanks through ,thy ,blessed ,mother4 ,i offer ,thee her ,immaculate ,heart1 as ,i offer ,thy ,sacred ,heart to ,thy ,father4 ,suffer me to love ,thee by that holy ,heart which loved ,thee so tenderly2 to offer ,thee that body which served ,thee1 that virginal ,sanctuary which ,thou didst deign to inhabit4 ,i offer it in thanksgiving for ,thy benefits2 ,i offer it for the amendment of my life1 for the sanctification of my soul1 and to obtain the grace of final perseverance in ,thy service and love4 7,name particular intentions4 7 ,i thank ,thee1 my ,jesus1 that ,thou wert pleased to choose this most ,holy ,virgin for ,thy ,mother4 ,i thank ,thee for having granted her the graces suited to this great dignity1 and for having deigned to give her to us for our ,mother4 ,i adore the instant of ,thine ,incarnation1 and venerate each moment ,thou didst spend as a ,wanderer on earth4 ,i thank ,thee for the example of ,thy ,divine virtues2 the merit of ,thy labours and the effusion of ,thy precious ,blood4 ,i wish to have neither life nor movement but in union with ,thine4 ,purify my impure and imperfect life1 by the purity and perfection of ,thy ,divine life1 and by the holy life of ,thy ,immaculate ,mother4 ,amen4 ,a ,,slight ,,sketch ,,of ,,the ,,old ,,monastery ,,of ,,quebec ,,founded ,,by ,,the ,,venerable ,,mother ,,of ,,the ,,incarnation ,,and ,,madame ,,de ,,la ,,peltrie1 ,,and ,,graphically ,,described ,,in ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,ursulines4 ,the ,ursuline ,convent of ,quebec1 built two hundred and forty years ago1 and since then1 twice rebuilt and vastly enlarged1 occupies an area of six acres in the centre of the ,upper ,town4 ,it is situated on a commanding eminence1 almost entirely surrounded by gardens2 its secluded inhabitants can1 therefore1 freely enjoy1 from their upper apartments1 the views of unrivalled beauty which encompass the city4 ,to give the reader some idea of the ever increasing prosperity of this favoured establishment1 we shall here insert the statistics of its cloistered population within the last eighty years4 ,at the beginning of the present century1 the community was composed of #dj professed members-- #bg of the ,choir1 and l#c ,lay ,sisters2 added to these were #f or #g ,novices4 ,the boarders and half-boarders amounted together to upwards of #fj1 and were united under the same teachers for the study of both the ,french and ,english languages4 ,this arrangement was1 indeed1 a matter of necessity1 as there were at the time but two young novices to direct the ,english classes1 ,rev4 ,mother ,m4 ,louise ,mc,loughlin of ,st4 ,henry1 afterwards one of the most efficient ,superiors of the house1 and ,rev4 ,mother ,m4 ,doherty of ,st4 ,augustine1 who died ,mistress of the ,novices in #ahac4 ,from the date of the foundation1 the day-school pupils had been far more numerous than the boarders1 steadily increasing with the progress of the city4 ,at the commencement of the century1 two hundred children attended1 although no little ,exiles of ,erin had yet augmented their scores4 ,as the ,irish element1 however1 began to intermingle with the population of ,quebec1 very many of these children made their way to the ,ursulines for religious instruction1 and soon their numbers increased so amazingly1 that in #ahbd a day school was opened for them by their zealous teachers1 under the auspices and with the aid of the great and good ,bishop ,plessis1 who so dearly loved his adopted ,irish flock4 ,from this period especially1 the number of ,french and ,irish day pupils augmented very considerably1 usually amounting to upwards of #cej4 ,for their accommodation1 the house formerly occupied by the ,foundress was rebuilt and enlarged in #ahcf4 ,in #ahbe the community was composed of #df professed ,religious1 from whom #acj boarders and half-boarders received their education4 ,here the progress of the institution continues very striking1 for in #ahee the community included #ef professed ,religious1 #ch of whom were ,choir ,sisters1 #ah ,lay ,sisters1 and #aj ,novices4 ,at the same date the boarding-school contained #bcj pupils1 including half-boarders4 ,at the present time1 7,june1 #ahhj17 the community numbers #fb professed ,choir ,nuns and #bd ,lay ,sisters1 with #f white-veiled ,novices and #e ,postulants--in all1 #ig members4 ,during this last mentioned period1 the ,boarders' ,academy has greatly increased1 amounting at times to upwards of #cgj4 ,the ,normal ,school ,boarders' or ,young ,teachers' ,academy1 founded in #aheg by the munificence of the ,canadian ,government1 under the auspices of the ,right ,rev4 ,archbishop and the clergy1 included at first but #dj pupils4 ,these also having increased in due proportion with the rest of the establishment1 now number #fj young students1 under the direction of ,rev4 ,p4 ,lagac1 fourth ,principal4 ,they receive instruction from their own ,professors as well as from the ,nuns1 and constantly attend the day school1 to learn from the ,mistresses there engaged the difficult art of teaching4 ,the vast alterations and improvements in the original buildings were effected at various periods and1 necessarily1 at great expense4 ,under the direction of ,rev4 ,mother ,st4 ,henry1 twenty-second ,superior1 the spacious classes of ,st4 ,ursula were erected in #ahcj4 ,in #ahcf1 under the direction of ,rev4 ,father ,maguire1 third ,resident ,chaplain1 the large wing facing ,parlor ,street was built to accommodate the increasing number of pupils4 ,while ,mother ,st4 ,gabriel1 twenty-fifth ,superior1 held office1 the fine building of ,notre ,dame de ,grace was constructed4 ,a few years later1 ,rev4 ,mother ,isabella ,mc,donnell of ,st4 ,andrew still further enlarged the ,convent buildings by the addition of another wing containing the boarders' parlour1 reception hall1 and music rooms4 ,later again1 in #ahgc1 ,rev4 ,mother ,st4 ,mary1 being twenty-seventh ,superior1 the beautiful north wing1 dedicated to the ,venerable ,mother of the ,incarnation1 was built1 and various other improvements also effected with success4 ,rev4 ,mother ,g4 ,van ,felson of ,st4 ,george1 twenty-eighth ,superior1 laboured with the skill of an artist to embellish the chapel and various other departments4 ,since the foundation of the house1 #bi ,superiors have governed it with wisdom and ability4 ,of this number1 five were ,french ladies1 one ,english1 one ,scotch1 and one ,irish1 the present ,superior1 ,rev4 ,mother ,e4 ,tims of ,st4 ,catherine1 being a native of the ,isle of ,saints2 the others were all natives of ,canada4 ,during the last #bdj years1 #cai professed ,religious have successively enjoyed in the old cloister the blessings of a life dedicated to the service of ,god and the welfare of society4 ,among these a great many survived to very old age1 a favour which seems also to be granted to the ,resident ,chaplains4 ,rev4 ,father ,lemoine1 the present ,chaplain1 who has already spent a quarter of a century in the ,institution1 is1 like his worthy predecessor1 ,rev4 ,father ,maguire1 entitled to all praise and gratitude for his untiring devotedness lo its prosperity4 ,a lasting proof of this will be found in the ,history of the ,ursulines of ,quebec1 published under his direction in the years #ahfc-ff1 and in which his intelligent aid was so generously given to the annalists4 ,,by ,,an ,,ursuline ,,of ,,quebec4