It was said by one “that the first temptation on reading such monstrosities as the above, is to utter a laugh of derision.”  But it is with no such feeling that we place them before our readers.  Rather would we exclaim with the inspired penman, “O that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night” for the deluded followers of these willfully blind leaders!  Surely, no pleasure can be found in reading or recording scenes which a pure mind can regard only with pity and disgust.  Yet we desire to prove to our readers that the absurd threats and foolish attempts to impose upon the weak and ignorant recorded by Sarah J. Richardson are perfectly consistent with the general character and conduct of the Romish priests.  Read for instance, the following ridiculous story translated from Le Semeur Canadien for October 12th, 1855.

A new means of conversion.

In the district of Montreal lived a Canadian widow of French extraction who had become a Protestant.  Madam V—­, such was the name of this lady, lived with her daughter, the sole fruit of a union too soon dissolved by unsparing death.  Their life, full of good works, dispelled prejudices that the inhabitants of the vicinity—­all intolerant Catholics—­had always entertained against evangelical Christians; they gained their respect, moreover, by presenting them the example of every virtue.  Two of the neighbors of the Protestant widow—­who had often heard at her house the word of God read and commented upon by one of those ministers who visit the scattered members of their communion—­talked lately of embracing the reformed religion.  In the mean while, Miss V—­ died.  The young Christian rested her hope upon the promises of the Saviour who has said, “Believe in Christ and thou shall be saved.”

Her spirit flew to its Creator with the confidence of an infant who throws himself into the arms of his father.  Her last moments were not tormented by the fear of purgatory, where every Catholic believes he will suffer for a longer or shorter time.  This death strengthened the neighbors in the resolution they had taken to leave the Catholic church.  The widow buried the remains of her daughter upon her own land, a short distance from her house:  the nearest Protestant cemetery was so far off that she was forced to give up burying it there.

Some Catholic fanatics of the vicinity assembled secretly the day after the funeral of Miss V—­ to discuss the best means for arresting the progress that the reformed religion was making in the parish.  After long deliberation they resolved to hire a poor man to go every evening for a whole week and groan near the grave of Miss V—–.  Their object was to make the widow and neighbors believe that the young girl was damned; and that God permitted her to show her great unhappiness by lamentations, so that they might avoid her fate by remaining faithful to the belief of their fathers.  In any other