ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HOTEL DIEU--ECCLESIASTICAL APPOINTMENTS FOR CANADA,
ETC.
While M. de Maisonneuve was arranging matters to insure the success of
the new colony, he received a reinforcement which, though not so
numerous as the first band of emigres, was equally well selected. It was
led by M. Louis d'Aillebout de Masseau, a man of eminent piety, and a
member of the Montreal Association. With this opportune and important
addition, De Maisonneuve undertook to inclose the young city with
palisades in the manner of a fort, as a barrier against the attacks of
the furious Indians. These attacks they might any moment expect, and
very justly feared, on account of the atrocities that were daily related
to them. The Governor of Quebec being informed of the proposed
fortification, or rather being assured that it was nearly completed,
determined to oppose it, but de Maisonneuve would permit no outside
interference. In order, therefore, that there might be no clashing of
interests, he returned to France the same year, leaving the command of
the garrison to M. d'Aillebout, with the title of Lieutenant-Governor.
This gentleman discharged the duties of his office to the entire
satisfaction of the people, securing both their esteem and their
property. On his arrival in Paris de Maisonneuve sought an interview
with the King, and related faithfully to him, as likewise to the members
of the Association, the exact state of things in Canada. Every one was
astonished at his success, and approved of his conduct. The King,
moreover, on learning the opposition policy of the Governor of Quebec,
gave De Maisonneuve a letter to place in the hands of that gentleman,
which read as follows:
"M. DE MONTMAGNI,--Being especially informed by the Montreal
Association, at present residing in Montreal, that their intention is to
establish a colony on that island, in order to labor more effectually
for the conversion of the savages, we strongly approve of their design,
and have given them permission to erect a fort on the said island, at
their own expense, which fort they are to furnish with artillery and all
other military supplies that may be needed to secure them from the fury
of the savages. We desire that _you_ render them all the assistance in
your power, and we have named M. de Maisonneuve governor and controller
of the enterprise, so that nothing may occur to prevent its success.
"LOUIS."
"_February_ 21, 1643."
Furnished with this letter, Messrs. de Maisonneuve and Dauversiere
labored in concert to procure a third fleet and a new set of recruits,
and they were quite as successful as on the two former occasions. The
volunteers were select and numerous, their voyage across the Atlantic
safe and pleasant, and at the end of July that year they arrived at
Ville-Marie. The death of Louis XIII. occurring at that period, the
Associates deemed it prudent to apply to the Queen Regent, mother of
Louis XIV., for a confirmation of their former privileges, which she
freely granted, permitting them also to organize militia companies for
their future safety, and to secure the services of such ecclesiastics as
they should judge most useful for the rising colony. Yet,
nothwithstanding repeated royal favors, and untiring exertions to
promote the general prosperity, the colony was languishing, and had much
to suffer from the increasing ferocity of the Indians. But de
Maisonneuve was always equal to the occasion, and derived advantage from
their fury, that is, spiritual advantage. Many and many a time, he had
the consolation to see those barbarous warriors throw down the bloody
tomahawk and embrace Christianity. He was truly an apostle in their
midst, attracting them as much by affability, as by the benefits he
conferred, and it was his greatest pleasure to act as sponsor for them
in baptism. Almighty God blessed the new settlement so visibly as to
cause astonishment and admiration in the hearts of all devoted to His
glory. Jean Mance also labored zealously in the service of the sick, who
were cared for in the hospital she established, and already the work was
greater than she alone could accomplish. Madame de la Peleterie, who
founded the Ursulines at Quebec, came to Ville-Marie to offer her
services to Mlle. Mance, who admired her generosity and good will
without accepting her assistance. The members of the Association
resident in Paris labored meanwhile very earnestly to establish the
hospital in Montreal, but declined the interference of outsiders. The
Duchess de Bullion had already made large advances for its support, and
in 1648 donated an additional fund of sixty thousand livres. With this
money M. de Maisonneuve assisted Jean Mance in building a wing of 60 by
24 feet for the nurses, who were _still wanting_, and whose services it
was time to secure, as the number of patients was constantly increasing.
The ladies of the Hotel Dieu at Quebec, on hearing of the crowded state
of the hospital, presented themselves as nurses, and two remained in
Ville-Marie a considerable length of time to watch how matters would be
arranged. Even the French court approved of them as nurses, but
Providence ordained otherwise, as at that very time the Associates in
France were making their _own_ arrangements, and disappointed those who
wished to press the matter in Montreal.
There existed at La Fleche a new congregation of Hospital Sisters,
partly secular, who by simple vows added the service of the sick to the
ordinary duties of a religious community. They were in their first
fervor, the members applying themselves with zeal and edification to
serve the poor invalids in the Hotel Dieu of St. Joseph, lately
established in their city. Dauversiere, who was acquainted with their
piety, asked and obtained a few Sisters to go to Ville-Marie and
establish the Hotel Dieu of Canada. As soon as his proposal was made
known, these pious women strove who should be first to claim the sacred
honor of expatriating themselves for the cause of charity, and sacrifice
life, if necessary, in a strange land, among wild savages who would most
likely, in return, confer on them the crown of martyrdom. The French
emigrants of those days had no other idea of the Canadian mission, and
prepared themselves accordingly. On the 20th of May, 1656, the community
pledged itself to send four of its zealous souls, who awaited the time
of their embarkation with eagerness, but from some cause or other did
not leave France until 1660. On their arrival at Ville-Marie, Jean Mance
received them with every mark of esteem and affection that Christian
charity could inspire. She put them in immediate possession of that
portion of the hospital set apart for them, reserving to herself only
the administration of the funds for the poor and destitute, a duty which
she discharged faithfully, and with solid benefit to the recipients, the
rest of her life. The new Sisters were little more than a secular
congregation, until 1666, when Pope Alexander VII. approved of them as a
religious order, by a bull dated January 8th, 1666, in which strict
enclosure was enjoined, and a religious dress appointed to be worn.
While the interests of the _hospital_ were being thus carefully attended
to in France, it was evident that the _spiritual wants of the colony_
were becoming every day more pressing. Montreal was now populous, and
numbers of the Indians who embraced Christianity were anxious that their
respective tribes should do the same. Yet there was but _one_ Jesuit
Father in the whole colony, who could not possibly discharge all the
duties required of him. When M. Olier heard of it, he thought seriously
of sending to Canada a mission from the Seminary of St. Sulpice, and as
he was suffering painful infirmities for many years, brought on by the
laborious discharge of his official duties, he contemplated accompanying
them himself. He accordingly selected four priests of his community, who
were gentlemen of merit and distinction, viz., Gabriel de Quelus, Abbe
of Laudieu (one of the Montreal associates), M. Francis d'Allet, Gabriel
Souart, and Dominick Gallitier. M. de Quelus was a man of illustrious
birth, and was appointed by their ecclesiastical Superior (the
Archbishop of Rouen) Grand Vicar of the missionaries in Canada, with the
entire spiritual control of New France. He was received both at Quebec
and Ville-Marie with all the respect due to his dignity and birth,
encountering no opposition in the discharge of his duties in either
city. M. Souart was appointed pastor of Ville-Marie, the Jesuit Father,
Claude Pigots, who had until then discharged the duties of pastor,
resigning gracefully in his favor.
The new pastor before becoming a Sulpician, had been a rich aristocratic
Parisian. His parents, expecting he would have a brilliant career in the
world, almost forced upon him a marriage suitable to his rank and
wealth, and the day of the ceremony, which was the Feast of the
Assumption, 1660, was fast approaching. His simple piety led him on the
eve of that day to the parish church of St. Sulpice, where he heard an
eloquent sermon, on the necessity of seeking light from heaven in the
choice of a state of life. He was deeply impressed by the preacher's
convincing eloquence, and entering into himself, found that he had not
sufficiently consulted God on the alliance he was about to contract. The
next day, therefore, instead of plighting his troth to a willing bride,
he went to the seminary of St. Sulpice to make a retreat, during which
Divine Providence clearly manifested to him that he was called to the
ecclesiastical state. Faithful to the call of divine grace he renounced
the world, entered St. Sulpice, and devoted his young life and rare
talents to the service of the Church. He was joyfully admitted into the
seminary, and having already received a university education, was soon
promoted to holy orders, and raised to the dignity of the priesthood.
His glowing zeal impelled him to volunteer for the mission of
Ville-Marie, where he eventually succeeded M. de Quelus as Superior of
the Montreal Seminary, which he governed happily for many years. He was
the first priest who undertook the perilous task of forming the baptized
savages into villages, and his successful attempt at civilization
resulted in the famous "Mission of the Mountain," where he died shortly
after.
Two other missionaries, le Maitre and Vignal, arrived subsequently, and
were killed by the treacherous Iroquois while laboring for their
conversion with incredible self-sacrifice. It is a tradition of these
times, that the savage who killed le Maitre, having wrapped the bloody
head in a cloth, the face of the martyred priest was distinctly
imprinted thereon, and so indelible was the impression that when the
terrified savage displayed the cloth in his native village as a trophy
of the war-path, the features of le Maitre were instantly recognized,
the murderer being cuttingly upbraided for his cruelty by the braves of
his tribe.
It was now several years since the French had established themselves at
Ville-Marie, and during all that time they suffered the most shocking
cruelties from the relentless Iroquois. The earth might be said to have
been constantly wet with the blood of the noblest and best sons of
France, and the survivors, disgusted and disheartened, resolved to
abandon the country. In speaking of this period of horror and dismay,
Jean Mance says, "In 1560 the Iroquois had conquered and almost
exterminated the Hurons, their ancient foes, and full of barbarian pride
and insolence, turned their arms against the colonists, who were an easy
prey, as their attacks were sudden, fierce, and stealthy. They killed
several persons in the suburbs of Ville-Marie, and burned their houses;
even our hospital was not secure from their brutal recklessness, and we
were obliged to fortify it by a garrison. At length people despaired of
being able to protect life or property, and resolved on abandoning the
enterprise. In this extremity I reflected that many souls would be
forever lost to God if the young city was forsaken, and that it would be
a national humiliation for France to abandon Canada to the vengeance of
wild savages, who were constantly killing each other. Therefore,
fluctuating between hope and fear, I implored M. de Maisonneuve to
hasten back to France and secure additional military protection for
Montreal and its martyred people."
He willingly acceded to the brave woman's request, and in September,
1651, returned to France, having first appointed de Masseau commander of
Ville-Marie in his absence. He was obliged to spend two entire years
inducing recruits to enlist for Canada, so great was their horror of the
Indians, and had to labor hard against disappointments, and go to great
expense to secure his object. But God at length blessed with success his
efforts in the cause of religion. He secured a company of more than a
hundred brave soldiers, who sailed with him to the New World in 1653. It
was during this voyage he first became acquainted with the remarkable
virtues of Margaret Bourgeois, who accompanied him from France at a
period when the whole nation was disgusted with the Canadian mission.
This admiriable young woman, who had no other resources than courage and
confidence in God, did not hesitate to cross the sea, to consecrate
herself to the service of the Church, and to propagate devotion to the
Mother of God. How perfectly she succeeded is proven by the splendid
monument of her zeal which still exists in almost primitive fervor,
after the lapse of more than two centuries. That monument is the
"Congregation of Notre Dame," which has rendered such incalculable
service to the cause of religion in Canada.