But there are two other particulars in American Nunneries, the toleration of which almost surpa.s.ses credibility.
In reference to girls, they are permitted to visit their friends, even when they reside in the vicinity of the Convent, only for an hour or two monthly--if their relatives are at a distance, they see them only during the annual vacation, and often remain in the Nunnery during that term.
No correspondence is permitted between the mother, the guardian, the sister, or the friends of the young female in the Nunnery School, on either side, without the inspection of the argus-eyed agent of the Inst.i.tution. Parental advice, filial complaints, and confidential communications are equally arrested; and only furnish to the Superiors of the establishment, artifices to thwart the Seniors, to entangle the Juniors, and effectually to cajole both parties. Consequently, it generally happens, that from one term to another, little or no intercourse exists between the youth and her relatives; and it is indubitable, that where any letters do nominally pa.s.s between them, they are forgeries; the real letters being surrept.i.tiously detained. Those felonious regulations furnish ample scope for the initiation of girls just entering upon womanhood, into all the wickedness of the Nunnery; while the girls themselves are unconscious of the design, and the Nuns, those nefarious artificers of the iniquity, in subserviency to the Priests, in case of necessity, can exculpate themselves apparently from all partic.i.p.ation in the treachery and crimes.
In the nunneries and conventual schools in the United States there is a sort of fairy land, talked about by the nuns to the elder girls. It is called the "Nuns" Island." That country is always described as an earthly paradise; and to girls who are manifestly fascinated by the witcheries of the nuns, and in whom moral sensibility has become blunted by the unmeaning superst.i.tions which they witness, and which they mechanically perform, a visit to the "Nuns" Island," is always proposed as the greatest privilege, and the most costly reward, which can be given for constant obsequiousness to the nuns, and unreserved compliance with their requirements. The term "Nuns" Island," is thus used to express the nunneries in Canada, and probably some similar inst.i.tutions in the United States, where they are not too difficult of access. At all events, girls just entering upon the character of women, after proper training, are finally gratified with a visit to the "Nuns" Island." They are taken to Montreal, and in the nunneries there are at once taught "the mystery of iniquity;" in all the living reality which Maria Monk describes. Those girls from the United States, who are represented as novices; in Maria Monk"s "Awful Disclosures," were young ladies from the United States, who had been decoyed to visit the "Nuns" Island," and who, not being Papists, often were found very intractable; but posterior circ.u.mstances enforce the belief, that having found resistance vain, they had not returned to their school where they were duly qualified to continue the course into which they had been coerced, so as fully to elude all possibility of discovery and exposure. That mother who intrusts her daughter to a nunnery school, is chargeable with the high crime of openly conducting her into the chambers of pollution, and the path to irreligion, and the bottomless pit.
These combined circ.u.mstances satisfactorily prove that, the narrative of Maria Monk should be believed by all impartial persons; at least, until other evidence can be adduced, and the offer of exploring the Hotel Dieu Nunnery, by the New York Protestant a.s.sociation, has been accepted and decided.
3. Additional evidence of the truth of Maria Monk"s narrative is deduced from _the exact conformity of the facts which she states concerning the Hotel Dieu Nunnery, when compared with the authoritative principles of the Jesuit Priesthood as recorded in their own duly sanctioned volumes_. It is essential to remark, that of those books she knows nothing; that she has never seen one of them, and if she could grasp them, that they would impart no illumination to her mind, being in Latin; and yet in many momentous particulars, neither Lartigue nor any one of the Jesuit Priests now in Montreal, who was educated in France, could more minutely and accurately furnish an exposition or practical ill.u.s.tration of the atrocious themes, than Maria Monk has unconsciously done.
Maria Monk"s "Awful Disclosures," are reducible to three cla.s.ses: intolerable sensuality; diversified murder; and most scandalous mendacity: comprehending flagrant, and obdurate, and unceasing violations of the sixth, seventh, and ninth commandments.
_The ninth commandment:_ FALSEHOOD. Of this baseness, five specimens only shall suffice.
_Sanchez_, a very renowned author, in his work on "Morality and the Precepts of the Decalogue," part 2, book 3, chap. 6, no. 13, thus decides: "A person may take an oath that he has not done any certain thing, though in fact he has. This is extremely convenient, and is also _very just_, when necessary to your health, honour, and prosperity!" _Charli_, in his Propositions, no. 6, affirms that, "He who is not bound to state the truth before swearing, is not bound by his oath." _Taberna_ in his vol. 2, part 2, tract 2, chap. 31, p.
288, asks: "Is a witness bound to declare the truth before a lawful judge?" To which he replies: "No, if his deposition will injure himself or his posterity." _Laymann_, in his works, book 4, tract 2, chap.
2, p. 73, proclaims: "It is not sufficient for an oath, that we use the formal words, if we had not the intention and will to swear, and do not _sincerely_ invoke G.o.d as a witness." All those principles are sanctioned by _Suarez_ in his "Precepts of Law," book 3, chap. 9, a.s.sertion 2, p. 473, where he says, "If any one has promised or contracted without intention to promise, and is called upon oath to answer, may simply answer, NO; and may swear to that denial."
The idea of obtaining truth, therefore, from a thorough-going Papist, upon any subject in which his "_honour_" is concerned--and every Papist"s honour is indissolubly conjoined with "the Church"--is an absurdity so great, that it cannot be listened to with patience, while the above decisions are the authorised dogmas which the Roman Priests inculcate among their followers. How well the nuns of Montreal have imbibed those Jesuitical instructions, Maria Monk"s "Awful Disclosures"
amply reveal.
_The Sixth Commandment:_ MURDER. The following miscellaneous decisions are extracted from the works of the regularly sanctioned Roman authors, of the very highest character and rank in that community.
In his famous volume called "Aphorisms," p. 178, _Emmanuel Sa_ writes--"You may kill any person who may be able to put you to death-- judge and witnesses--because it is self-defence."
_Henriquez_, in his "Sum of Moral Theology," vol. 1, book 14, chap.
10, p. 859, decides that "a Priest is not criminal, if he kill the husband of a woman with whom he is caught in adultery."
_Airault_ published a number of propositions. One of them says, that "a person may secretly kill another who attempts to destroy his reputation, although the facts are true which he published." The following must be cited in Latin. "An lieitium sit mulieri procurare abortum? Posset ilium excutere, ne honorem suum amittat, qui illi multo pretiosior est ipsa vita." "An liceat mulieri conjugatae sumere pharmac.u.m sterilitatis? Ita satius est ut hoc faciat, quam ut marito debitium conjugale recuset." Censures 319, 322, 327.
In his Moral Theology, vol. 4, book 32, sec. 2, problem 5, _Escobar_ determines, that "it is lawful to kill an accuser whose testimony may jeopard your life and honour."
_Guimenius_ promulged his seventh Proposition in these words: "You may charge your opponent with false crimes to destroy his credit; and you may also kill him."
_Marin_ wrote a book called "Speculative and Moral Theology." In vol. 3, tract 23, disputation 8, sec. 5, no. 63, p. 448, are found the following sentences: "Licet procurare abortum, ne puella infametur."
That doctrine is admitted, "to evade personal disgrace, and _to conceal the infamy of Monks and Nuns_." no. 67, p. 429. In no. 75, p.
430, of the same work, _Marin_ writes: "Navarrus, Arragon, Bannez, Henriquez,, Sa, Sanchez, Palao, and others, all say, that a woman may use not only missione sanguinis, sed aliis medicamentis, etsi inde pereat foetus." With that doctrine also agrees _Egidius_, in his "Explication of the Decalogue," vol. 5, book 5, chap. 1, doubt 4; and _Diana_ in his work upon Morality, part 6, tract 8, resolution 27, fully ratifies his sanction.
_Gobatus_ published a work which he ent.i.tled, "Morality," and in vol. 2, part 2, tract 5, chap. 9, sec. 8, p. 318, is the following _edifying_ specimen of Popish morals: "Persons may innocently desire to be drunk, if any great good will arise from it. A son who inherits wealth by his father"s death, may rejoice that when he is intoxicated, he murdered his father." According to which combined propositions, a man may make himself drunk expressly to kill his parent, and yet be guiltless.
_Busenbaum_ wrote a work denominated "Moral Theology." which was enlarged and explained by _Lacroix_. In vol. 1, p. 295, is the following position: "In all the cases where a man has a right to kill any person, another may do it for him." But we have already heard by _Escobar_ that any "Roman Priest has a right to kill Maria Monk; and therefore any Papist may murder her for them."
_Alagona_, in his "Compend of the Sum of Theology," by Thomas Aquinas, question 94, p. 230, "Sums" up all the Romish system in this comprehensively blasphemous oracular adage. "_By the command of G.o.d, it is lawful to murder the innocent, to rob, and to commit lewdness; and thus to fulfil his mandate, is our duty_."
_The seventh commandment._--In his Aphorisms, p. 80, and p. 259, _Sa_ thus decides--"Copulari ante benedictionem, aut nullam aut leve peceatum est; quin etiam expedit, si multum isla differatur."-- "Potest et femina quaeque et mas, pro turpi corporis usu, pretium, accipere et petere."
_Hurtado_ issued a volume of "Disputations and Difficulties." At p.
476 is the following genuine Popish rule of life--"Carnal intercourse before marriage is not unlawful." So teaches that Jesuit oracle.
_Dicastillo_, in his work upon "Righteousness and other cardinal Virtues," p. 87, thus asks--"An puella, quae per vin opprimitur teneatur clamare et opem implorare ne violetur?" The answer is this--"Non videtur teneri impedire peccatum alterius--sed mere pa.s.sive se habere."
_Escobar_, in his "Moral Theology," p. 326, 327, 328, of vol. 4, determines that "a man who abducts a woman from affection expressly to marry her, is guilty of mortal sin, but a Priest who forcibly violates her through l.u.s.t, incurs no censure."
_Tamburin_ unfolds the character of Romanism in his "Moral Theology," p. 186, in a lengthened discussion of the following characteristic inquiry--"Quantum pro usu corporis sui juste exigat mulier?"--The reply is, "de meretrice et de femina honesta sive conjugata, ant non."
_Fegeli_ wrote a book of "Practical Questions;" and on p. 397, is the following--"Under what obligation is he who defiles a virgin?"--The answer is this--"Besides the obligation of penance, he incurs none; quia puella habet jus usum sui corporis concedendi."
_Trachala_ published a volume which he facetiously ent.i.tled the "Laver of Conscience;" and at p. 96, he presents us with this astounding recipe to purify the conscience--"An Concubinarius sit absolvendus antequam concubinam dimittat?" To which he replies--"Si ilia concubina sit valde bona et utilis economa, et sic nullam aliam possit habere, esset absolvendus."
From the prior decisions, combined with numberless others which might be extracted from the works of the Romish authors, it is obvious, that the violations of the seventh commandment, are scarcely enumerated by the Papal priesthood among venial sins. Especially if we consider the definition of a prost.i.tute by the highest Popish authority: for in the Decretals, Distinction 34, in the Gloss, is found this savory adage-- "Meretrix est quae, admiserit plures quam viginti tria hominum millia!"
That is the infallible attestation to the truth of Maria Monk"s "Awful Disclosures."
4. The antecedent narrative of the Hotel Dieu Nunnery, is confirmed by the universal and constant practice of Roman Priests in all Convents.
Among the works of William Huntington, is a correspondence between himself and a young lady who was converted by his ministry. The seventh letter from Miss M. contains the following pa.s.sage:--
_"It is a shame for women to approach those confessionals._ If they were never wise in scenes of iniquity before, the priest will instruct them, by asking the most filthy questions. I was confined to my bed three days from my first confession; and thought I would never go again, being so abashed by the abominations he had put in my head. I would just as soon recommend scalding water to cure Anthony"s-fire, or a wet bed in an ice-house to cure an ague, as recommend a sinner to those accursed lies, Roman penance, and Auricular Confession."--The mental purity of Nuns consists in a life totally "contrary to the laws of G.o.d, of modesty, of decency. They are constantly exposed to the obscene interrogations, and the lewd actions of the Priests. Notwithstanding G.o.d has fixed a bar on every female mind, it is broken through by the Priests putting questions to them upon those subjects, as the scripture declares, which ought not to be named? The uncommon attractions of the young women in Convents generally indicate the greatest unchast.i.ty among them. I have known girls, sent for education to the Convent where I was, who regularly stripped themselves of every thing they could obtain from their friends; which, by the artful insinuations of the Nuns, was given to them and the Priests. The Roman priesthood may well be called a sorceress, and their doctrine "the wine of fornication," for nothing but the powers of darkness could work up the young female mind to receive it; unless by the subtlety of the devil, and the vile artifices of the Nuns. I shudder at the idea of young ladies going into a Convent; and also at parents who send their children to be educated in a Nunnery; where their daughters are entrapped by the Nuns into the snare of the Priests, with whom they are accomplices, and for whom the most subtle of them are decoys, whose feigned sanct.i.ty is only a cover for the satanic arts of which they are complete mistresses, and by which, through the delusions of the mother of harlots, being buried alive within the walls of a Convent, they "drink of the wine of her fornication," until their souls pa.s.s into the pit of destruction."--The above extract is from the seventh letter of "Correspondence between Miss M. and Mr. H." in Huntington"s Works; and exposes the Nunneries in France.
George D. Emeline, who had been a Popish Priest, in his "Eight Letters,"
giving an account of his "Journey into Italy," thus details the nature of the intimacy which then existed between the Priests and Nuns on the European Continent. "A young Monk at Milan, Preacher to the Benedictine Nuns, when he addressed them, added to almost every sentence in his discourse, "my most dear and lovely sisters, whom I love from the deepest bottom of my heart." When a monk becomes Preacher or Chaplain to a Nunnery, his days are pa.s.sed in constant voluptuousness; for the Nuns will gratify their Confessor in every thing, that he may be equally indulgent to them." Emeline"s Letters, p. 313.
"A regular Abbot of a Monastery in Italy, talking with me said--"Melius est habere nullam quam aliquem--It is better to have none than any woman." I asked him what he meant; he replied, "Because, when a person is not tied to one, he may make use of many;" and his practice was conformable to his doctrine; for he slept in the same bed with three young women every night. He was a most insatiable Exactor and Oppressor of the people who rented the lands of the Abbey, in consequence of which the Farmers complained of him to the Archbishop of the District. The Archbishop sent the Provost, the Farmers, and sixty of the serjeants at night, to seize him and his female companions. They took the Abbot in bed, and having put on him a morning-gown; and having tied his three concubines and himself back to back, placed them in a cart, and conducted them to the Archbishop"s residence, in Bonnonia: who then refused to judge him; but sent him and his females to the Monastery of _Saint_ Michael; into which, with some difficulty, he was admitted after midnight, in consequence of the Provost a.s.suring the Friars, that if they would not receive the Abbot, they would procure his prelatical dress, and escort him and the young women in procession through the city, and back to his own Monastery the same day at noon. The females were ordered away, and the Abbot was appointed to remain in his monastery for fifteen days for penance, until the story had ceased to circulate. I was an eyewitness of that myself, when I was in the Monastery of St. Michael in the wood."--Emeline"s Letters, pp. 387, 388, 389.
That the Nunneries in Portugal, as well as among those people in India who are subject to the Romish priesthood, are of the same character precisely, as Maria Monk describes the Priests and Nuns in Canada, is proved by Victorin de Faria, who had been a Brahman in India; and who afterward resided as a regular Roman Priest in the Paulist Monastery at Lisbon.
"The regular Priests in India," says Faria, "have become what the bonzes where in j.a.pan. The Nuns were the disciples of Diana, and the nunneries seraglios for the monks; as I have proved to be the case in Lisbon, by facts concerning those nuns who were more often in the family way than common women. The Jesuits in the Indies made themselves Brahmans in order to enjoy the privileges of that caste, whose idolatrous rites and superst.i.tious practices they also externally adopted."--Among other privileges which they possessed, Faria enumerates the following, as detailed from his own prior experience as a Brahman. "Never to be put to death for any crime whatever; and to enjoy the favours of every woman who pleased them, for a Priest sanctifies the woman upon whom he bestows his attentions." That is the true Papist doctrine, as shown by Maria Monk"s "Awful Disclosures;" confirmed by the Canadian carpenter in Mr.
Johnson"s house at Montreal; and ratified by Pope Gregory XIII. in the Decretals and Canons, in the Corpus Juris Canonici. Secrets of Nunneries disclosed by Scipio de Ricci. p. 217.
The Nunneries in Italy during the present generation are of the same description. Maria Catharine Barni, Maria Magdalen Sicini, and Victoire Benedetti, of the Nunnery called Santa Croce: all acknowledged, that they had been seduced at confession, and that they had habitually maintained criminal intercourse with a Priest called Pacchiani, who absolved his guilty companions after the commission of their crimes.
Secrets of Nunneries disclosed by Scipio de Ricci. pp. 60, 61.
Six Nuns of the Convent of Catharine at Pistoia declared that the Priests who visited the Convent committed a "thousand indecorous acts.
They utter the worst expressions, saying that we should look upon it as a great happiness, that we have the power of satisfying our appet.i.tes without the annoyance of children; and that we should not hesitate to take our pleasures. Men, who have contrived to get the keys, come into the Convent during the night, which they have spent in the most dissipated manner." That is the precise delineation of the Canadian Nunneries; into which other men besides Priests are admitted, if the parties are willing to pay the entrance bribe to the Chaplain.--Secrets of Nunneries, by Scipio de Ricci. pp. 80, 81.
Flavia Perraccini, Prioress of the Nunnery of Catharine of Pistoia, revealed what she knew of that and other Nunneries. All the Priests "are of the same character. They all have the same maxims and the same conduct. They are on more intimate terms with the nuns than if they were married to them. It is the same at Lucia, at Pisa, at Prato, and at Perugia. The Superiors do not know even the smallest part of the enormous wickedness that goes on between the Monks and the Nuns."-- Secrets of Nunneries, by Scipio de Ricci. p. 93. That statement is so exactly conformed to Maria Monk"s "Awful Disclosures," that were it not a fact that she had never seen Scipio de Ricci"s work it might almost be supposed that some part of her narrative had been transcribed from it.
Foggini of Rome, also wrote to Scipio de Ricci and informed him--"I know a monastery in which a Jesuit used to make the Nuns lift up their clothes, a.s.suring them that they thereby performed an act of virtue, because they overcame a natural repugnance."--Secrets of Nunneries, p.
101. That is a very extraordinary ill.u.s.tration of the turpitude of the Roman Priesthood; because that doctrine is a principle which they constantly inculcate; and such is the invariable practice in the Hotel Dieu Nunnery, that the Nuns were obliged to fulfil, for the beastly gratification of the Roman Priests who visited that house, which is "the way to h.e.l.l, going down to the chambers of death." Proverbs 7:27.
It is superfluous to multiply similar extracts. Scipio de Ricci was a Popish prelate, regularly commissioned by the Grand Duke of Tuscany to explore the Nunneries; and in consequence of his authentic developments, the Jesuits and Dominicans, and the dignified Papal ecclesiastics, with the two Popes, Pius VI. and Pius VII. all opposed, reviled, condemned and worried him almost to death.
One quotation more shall close this survey. Pope Paul III. maintained at Rome, forty-five thousand courtesans. Pope Sixtus IV. ordered a number of edifices to be erected expressly for the accommodation of the semi- Nuns of Rome, from whose impurity he derived a large annual revenue, under the form of a license; besides which, the prices of absolution for the different violations of the seventh commandment are as regularly fixed as the value of beads, soul-ma.s.ses, blessed water, and every other article of Popish manufacture. Paolo, Hist. Council de Trent. Book I.
Anno 1637.
The preceding observations, it is believed, will remove the doubts from the mind of every impartial inquirer, respecting the credibility of Maria Monk"s narrative: nevertheless, a few additional remarks may not be irrelevant: especially as there is a marvellous skepticism in reference to the admission of valid testimony concerning the Roman priesthood, their system and practice. We are deafened with clamour for proof to substantiate Maria Monk"s history: but that demand is tantamount to the declaration--"I will not believe."
In antic.i.p.ation of speedy death, and an immediate appearance at the dread tribunal of Jehovah, Maria Monk communicated to Mr. Tappan, the Chaplain at Bellevue, one of the benevolent inst.i.tutions belonging to the city of New York, the princ.i.p.al facts in her "Awful Disclosures."
After her unexpected recovery, she personally appeared at Montreal, expressly and openly, to promulge her allegations of atrocious crimes against the chief Roman Ecclesiastics in that city, who were armed with power, and having nearly all the population her infuriated enemies.
There she remained almost four weeks, constantly daring the Roman Priests and Nuns in vain. It is true, Dr. Robertson in his affidavit says, that he was willing "to take the necessary steps for a full investigation, if a direct charge were made against any particular individual of a criminal nature." Now if Maria Monk"s charges are not direct, OF A CRIMINAL NATURE, and against PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS--what charges can be so characterized? The fact is this:--Dr. Robertson would no more dare to issue a warrant for the apprehension of Lartigue, or any of the inferior Roman Priests in Montreal, than he would dare publicly to strike the Commander of the Garrison, or the Governor of Canada upon military parade. If any Papist had stated to him the same facts concerning a Protestant, or Protestant Minister, and offered to confirm them by his worthless oath, he would have issued his process at once; but Dr. Robertson knows, that in the present state of Canadian society, Roman Priests can do what they please; and no man dares to reprove, much less to "take any necessary steps for a full investigation" for their crimes. If the Jesuits and Nuns at Montreal are anxious for a full and impartial scrutiny of the Hotel Dieu Convent, Maria Monk is ready to oblige them with some facilities for that object; provided she may carry them out to all their extent and application. Mr. Ogden has one affidavit, and knows the whole matter; as can incontestably be proved by Mr. A. P. Hart, an Attorney of Montreal; and we recommend Dr. Robertson to issue his warrant for the apprehension of Lartigue, Bonin, Dufresne, and Richards, they are enough to begin with; and if Mr. Ogden will carry the facts with which he is acquainted to the Grand Jury, one witness in New York is ready to appear; and Dr. Robertson will find his hands full of employment, if he will only "take the necessary steps" to procure two or three persons who shall be pointed out to him in the Hotel Dieu Nunnery. Therefore, until Dr. Robertson commences some incipient measures as a Magistrate towards "the necessary steps for a full investigation," as he says, we shall be forced to believe, that the printer made a mistake in his affidavit, and put willing for _unwilling_.