Awful Disclosures | Page 3

Instructions to Novices--Jane Ray-- Vaccillation of feelings


CHAPTER XI.
Alarming Order from the Superior--Proceed to execute it--Scene in an upper
Room--Sentence of Death, and Murder--My own distress--Reports made to friends of St.

Francis


CHAPTER XII.
Description of the Room of the Three States, and the pictures in it-- Jane Ray ridiculing
Priests--Their criminal Treatment of us at Confession--Jane Ray's Tricks with the Nuns'
Aprons, Handkerchiefs, and Nightgowns--Apples


CHAPTER XIII.
Jane Ray's Tricks continued--The Broomstick Ghost--Sleep-walking--Salted
Cider--Changing Beds--Objects of some of her Tricks--Feigned Humility--
Alarm--Treatment of a new Nun--A nun made by stratagem


CHAPTER XV.
Influencing Novices--Difficulty of convincing persons from the United States--Tale of
the Bishop in the City--The Bishop in the Convent--The Prisoners in the Cells--Practice
in Singing--Narratives--Jane Ray's Hymns--The Superior's best Trick


CHAPTER XVI.
Frequency of the Priests' Visits to the Nunnery--Their Freedom and Crimes--Difficulty of
learning their Names--Their Holy Retreat-- Objections in our minds--Means used to
counteract Conscience--Ingenious Arguments


CHAPTER XVII.

Treatment of young Infants in the Convent--Talking in Sleep--Amusements --Ceremonies
at the public interment of deceased Nuns--Sudden disappearance of the Old
Superior--Introduction of the new one-- Superstition--Alarm of a Nun--Difficulty of
Communication with other Nuns


CHAPTER XVIII.
Disappearance of Nuns--St. Pierre--Gags--My temporary Confinement in a Cell--The
Cholera Season--How to avoid it--Occupations in the Convent during the
Pestilence--Manufacture of War Candles--The Election Riots-- Alarm among the
Nuns--Preparations for defence--Penances


CHAPTER XIX.
The Priests of the District of Montreal have free access to the Black Nunnery--Crimes
committed and required by them--The Pope's command to commit indecent
Crimes--Characters of the Old and New Superiors--The timidity of the latter--I began to
be employed in the Hospitals--Some account of them--Warning given me by a sick
Nun--Penance by Hanging


CHAPTER XX.
More visits to the imprisoned Nuns--Their fears--Others temporarily put into the
Cells--Reliques--The Agnus Dei--The Priests' private Hospital, or Holy Retreat--Secret
Rooms in the Eastern Wing--Reports of Murders in the Convent--The Superior's private
Records--Number of Nuns in the Convent--Desire of Escape--Urgent reason for
it--Plan--Deliberation-- Attempt--Success


CHAPTER XXI.
At liberty--Doubtful what to do--Found refuge for the night-- Disappointment--My first

day out of the Convent--Solitude-- Recollections, fears, and plans


CHAPTER XXII.
Start for Quebec--Recognised--Disappointed again--Not permitted to land --Return to
Montreal--Landed and passed through the city before day-- Lachine Canal--Intended
close of my life


CHAPTER XXIII.
Awake among strangers--Dr. Robertson--Imprisoned as a vagrant-- Introduction to my
mother--Stay in her house--Removal from it to Mrs. McDonald's--Return to my
mother's--Desire to get to New York-- Arrangements for going


CHAPTER XXIV.
Singular concurrence of circumstances, which enabled me to get to the United
States--Intentions in going there--Commence my journey--Fears of my companion--Stop
at Whitehall--Injury received in a canal boat-- Arrival at New York--A solitary retreat


CHAPTER XXV.
Reflections and sorrow in solitude--Night--Fears--Exposure to rain-- Discovered by
strangers--Their unwelcome kindness--Taken to the Bellevue Almshouse.


CHAPTER XXVI.
Reception at the Almshouse--Message from Mr. Conroy, a Roman priest in New

York--His invitations to a private interview--His claims, propositions, and threats--Mr.
Kelly's message--Effects of reading the Bible


CHAPTER XXVII.
Proposition to go to Montreal and testify against the priests-- Commencement of my
journey--Stop at Troy, Whitehall, Burlington, St. Alban's, Plattsburgh, and St.
John's--Arrival at Montreal--Reflections on passing the Nunnery.


CHAPTER XXVIII.
Received into a hospitable family--Fluctuating feelings--Visits from several
persons--Father Phelan's declarations against me in his church-- Interviews with a
Journeyman Carpenter--Arguments with him


CHAPTER XXIX.
A Milkman--An Irishwoman--Difficulty in having my Affidavit taken--Legal objection to
it when taken


CHAPTER XXX.
Interview with the Attorney General of the Province--Attempt to abduct me--More
interviews--A mob excited against me--Protected by two soldiers--Convinced that an
investigation of my charges could not be obtained--Departure from Montreal--Closing
reflections The truth of the work demonstrated
APPENDIX--Reception of the work--Affidavits--Criticisms of the press, &c.

PREFACE.

Here is the reprint of one of the most formidable books against Nunneries ever published.
It has produced powerful impressions abroad, as well as in the United States, and appears
destined to have still greater results. It is the simple narrative of an uneducated and
unprotected female, who escaped from the old Black Nunnery of Montreal, or Hotel Dieu,
and told her tale of sufferings and horrors, without exaggeration or embellishment.
Though assailed by all the powers of the Romish priesthood, whom she accused, and by
the united influence of the North American press, which, with very small exceptions, was
then unenlightened by the discoveries of the present day, the book remains unimpeached,
and still challenges the test of fair and open examination.
Many an American female, no doubt, is now living, who might justly acknowledge that
she was saved from exposure to the suffering, or even the ruin, often the consequences of
a Convent education, by the disinterested