Three Weeks in Canada by A. C. Bourdeau

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 1, 1870

Three Weeks in Canada.

By A. C. Bourdeau

HAVING felt desirous for a long time to visit the Swiss Mission at Grande Ligne, and to see old friends in Canada, with some of whom I had held an interesting, and I trust profitable, correspondence by letters, on the 11th of January, ult., myself and Mrs. B. left our home, and reached Grande Ligne the 13th.

THOUGH we had suffered on our journey by a severe storm—first snow and rain, and then snow, with blustering wind and extreme cold weather, yet the kind reception which was given us, and the comfortable home we found at the house of Bro. J. Jiguere's, seemed to cheer us, and to make us forget our fatigue. AND feeling in good spirits the next day, we called at the mission house, where we were greeted by Mons. L. Roussy, Mons. and Madame Normandeau, and Mons. Pache—the principal, professors, and missionaries, in the mission, who then, and at the several visits we made them during the few days we spent in Grande Ligne, cordially entertained and gratified us in speaking of their labors, and of what had occurred among them since I had seen them last, more than thirteen years ago, and in asking questions about our religious views, and our society, etc. They receive the Review and the Reformer, and are quite interested in the progress of the cause among our people.

WHILE we were looking in the apartments in the house, which appeared much as they did twenty years ago, except the changes about the occupants, I felt to take the attitude of deep sorrow, as we entered the room which was occupied by Madame H. Feller, the foundress of the mission, whose life was pre-eminently useful; who left Switzerland, her native country, having her heart filled with the desire of being devoted exclusively to the service of the Lord, and was a missionary at the head of the Grande Ligne mission, in Canada, from the year 1835 till she closed her earthly career, in the spring of 1868. Though the arrangement of the furniture in the room presented the same aspect that it had for nearly a third of a century, yet no more could her gentle voice and cordial salutations greet our ears there. But I felt cheered as I remembered well the last interview I had with her nearly fourteen years ago—that she then expressed her belief in the soon appearing of Christ, and her hope in the resurrection

of the dead, or in a change equivalent thereto; and that she did not manifest any opposition to the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, but rather bade me God speed in disseminating what I believed to be the truth.

CONNECTED with the mission are two educational institutes, one at Grande Ligne, for boys; the other, at Longuiel, for girls. About eight hundred pupils have spent from one to five years in these schools, forty of whom have taken part in the mission; ten as ministers, the others as teachers and colporteurs. Their field of operations cover more than thirty country parishes in the heart of popery. In these parishes are twelve central stations. They employ from thirteen to twenty laborers. About twelve hundred persons have made public profession of religion, and have been connected with the mission churches; though they could hardly show one-half of that number in their midst, owing to large emigration of the French Canadian Protestants to the United States. This mission is supported mostly by donations from friends in Europe and America.

WITH these brief statements, hearty thanks from my brother and myself, are, and will ever be due to the Lord, and to the friends at the Grande Ligne mission, for the favors that were granted us when we were received as pupils in the institute and educated free from charges in 1851-54.

THE roads being bad, and the weather unpropitious, we were detained two weeks at Grande Ligne. In this time we had profitable interviews with several friends, attended four religious meetings at the institute, and Sunday evening, Jan. 23, I enjoyed freedom in speaking on the affections, from Phil. 1: 9-11, in the chapel in the mission house, to an interesting audience, composed of the principal, professors, and students in the mission, and of a goodly number of friends from without, who gave good attention to the word spoken.

Bro. and Sr. Jiguere were greatly encouraged by this visit, and we were glad to find them holding on to the truth and feeling a determination to lay up a treasure in Heaven, and to go through to Mount Zion.

Besides visiting at Grande Ligne, we spent one week in visiting friends in St. Marie, Milton, Granby, and Sheffield, P. Q. In all our visits we had sweet enjoyments in praying, and conversing upon religious topics with anxious inquirers after truth. May we not have reason to hope and pray that the last great solemn truths to warn the world to prepare for the coming of Christ, will yet find a place in many hearts, and prove a savor of life unto life unto many a soul in Canada?

A. C. BOURDEAU.

Bordoville, Vt., Feb. 10, 1870.