Magyar Egyház, 1953 (32. évfolyam, 1-10. szám)
1953-04-01 / 4. szám
10 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ ENGLISH SECTION THE RELIGION OF QUEBEC By Louis K. Friar I have always been enchanted by the beauty of the French language. The music of this tongue seemed to me one of the most superb melodies ever composed. As I grew older the natural ease and clear-cut logic of the French spirit became objects of my admiration. Through my readings the unique genius of the French personality and its burning love for liberty and independence were for me an inspiration. No wonder I was happy when I received an appointment from the Presbyterian Church in Canada to preach the Gospel to the French people in Quebec during my summer vacation. When I arrived in Quebec I found myself in a strange country. Many things which evoke the silhouette of "another empire” confront the newcomer here. While I was crossing the province for the first time the place-names created in me the fleeting impression that I was in a holy land. This notion was further supported when we drove into the main street of a town named Rue dTmmaculé Conception. I looked at the map; the French geographical names of this province aroused the suspicion that all the Pope-made Saints found retirement here after having gone out of business. One could take a few steps without seeing a priest, monk, or nun. There is hardly a transaction where they are not in evidence. They are present in every realm of life: government, education, science, art, literature, radio, films. Everyone and everything serves as an instrument of Popism. In everything Rome’s determination of truth must be accepted as ultimate. Rome locuta, cause finita. I worked as assistant to a native missionary, who had formerly been a Roman priest. While he was engaged mainly in pioneer mission work in other areas, I ministered to a well-established congregation at his station by preaching, visiting and performing administrative funct'ons. As I began my duties, and throughout the summer I became Louis K. Friar is a senior from Ardmore, Pa. He is a European who in addition to his native studies, studied in Bonn, Germany, at the the University of Paris, aware of the difficulties facing the work of Protestant Missions. Some of the problems were so acute as to make the situation seem almost hopeless. And most of them could be traced directly to "the Religion of Quebec,” the Roman Church. Among the numerous superstitions are the alleged miracles attributed to the well-known shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre. Another example is found in Quebec where "St. Joseph stamps” are sold with the inscription "St. Joseph— Priez Pour Nous.” These are made of rice paper and are recommended to be eaten for various ailments. Some put id them in the food of Protestants to hasten their "return to the True Church.” Many times the clergy extorts the last few pennies from the people for these religious "panaceas.” For us it is hard to realize that in our Western world there are still people who believe in such obvious deceptions and delusions from which one would think, only a modicum of common sense would deliver them. According to the French native ministers, the percentage of French Catholics who have a Bible (or a portion of it) in their homes does not exceed one per cent. The Romanists usually argue that Roman Catholic people are taught the content of the Bible and therefore do not need to study it first hand. They also insist that the Roman Church not only does not forbid, but even encourages, the reading of the Bible. If, however, their claim were true one would not have to seek far for evidence of it, for in a totalitarian network like Romanism things which are encouraged by the power of authority are usually followed slavishly by the faithful. For example there is plain evidence that Rome encourages large families. Every young French loyal Catholic wife in Canada must bear a child every year. Exception is made only on the basis of a physician’s certificate. At the time French Canada came under English rule (1763), the French had only seventy thousand settlers there, and in less than one hundred and ninety years, they increased this number to three and one half million. In spite of the cultural impact of the English minority within the province and the neighboring English provinces,
