The public aspect of the parish was soon changed, the houses were repaired, the debts paid, the children well clad. But what spoke most eloquently about the marvellous reform, was that the seven thriving saloons of Beauport were soon closed, and their owners forced to take to other occupations. Peace, happiness, abundance and industry, everywhere took the place of the riots, fighting, blasphemies and the squalid misery which prevailed before. The gratitude and respect of that noble people for their young curate knew no bounds; as my love and admiration for them cannot be told by human words.
However, though the great majority of that good people had taken the pledge, and kept it honorably, there was a small minority, composed of the few who never had been drunkards, who had not yet enrolled themselves under our blessed banners. Though they were glad of the reform, it was very difficult to persuade them to give up their social glass! I thought it was my duty to show them in a tangible way, what I had so often proved with my words only, that the drinking of the social glass of wine, or of beer, is an act of folly, if not a crime. I asked my kind and learned Doctor Douglas to analyze, before the people, the very wine and beer used by them, to show that it was nothing else but a disgusting and deadly poison. He granted my favor. During four days that noble philanthropist extracted the alcohol, which is not only in the most common, but in the most costly and renowned wines, beer, brandy and whiskey. He gave that alcohol to several cats and dogs, which died in a few minutes in the presence of the whole people.
These learned and most interesting experiments, coupled with his eloquent and scientific remarks, made a most profound impression. It was the corner-stone of the holy edifice which our merciful God built with his own hands in Beauport. The few recalcitrants joined with the rest of their dear friends to show to our dear Canada that the temperance societies are nothing else than drops of living water which comes from the fountains of eternal life, to reform and save the world.
Chapter XXXV.
FOUNDATION OF TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES IN THE NEIGHBORING PARISHES—PROVIDENTIAL ARRIVAL OF MONSIGNOR DE FORBIN JANSON, BISHOP OF NANCY—HE PUBLICLY DEFENDS ME AGAINST THE BISHOP OF QUEBEC, AND FOREVER BREAKS THE OPPOSITION OF THE CLERGY.
The people of Beauport had scarcely been a year enrolled under the banners of temperance, when the seven thriving taverns of that parish were deserted and their owners forced to try some more honorable trade for a living. This fact, published by the whole press of Quebec, more than anything forced the opponents, especially among the clergy, to silence, without absolutely reconciling them to my views. However, it was becoming every day more and more evident to all that the good done in Beauport was incalculable, both in a material and moral point of view. Several of the best thinking people of the surrounding parishes began to say to one another: “Why should we not try to bring into our midst this temperance reformation which is doing so much good in Beauport?” The wives of drunkards would say: “Why does not our curate do here, what the curate of Beauport has done there?”
On a certain day, one of those unfortunate women, who had received, with a good education, a rich inheritance, which her husband had spent in dissipation, came to tell me that she had gone to her curate to ask him to establish a temperance society in his parish, as we had done in Beauport; but he had told her “to mind her own business.” She had then respectfully requested him to invite me to come and help to do for his parishioners what I had done for mine, but she had been sternly rebuked at the mention of my name. The poor woman was weeping, when she said: “Is it possible that our priests are so indifferent to our sufferings, and that they will let the demon of drunkenness torture us as long as we live, when God gives us such an easy and honorable way to destroy his power for ever?”
My heart was touched by the tears of that lady, and I said to her: “I know a way to put an end to the opposition of your curate, and force him to bring among you the reformation you so much desire; but it is a very delicate matter for me to mention to you. I must rely upon your sacred promise of secrecy, before opening my mind to you on that subject.”
“I take my God to witness,” she answered, “that I will never reveal your secret.” “Well, madame, if I can rely upon your discretion and secrecy, I will tell you an infallible way to force your priest to do what has been done here.”
“Oh! for God’s sake,” she said, “tell me what to do.”