Becoming curate of Etrepigny in Champagne and vicar of a little annexed
parish named Bue, he was remarkable for the austerity of his habits.
Devoted in all his duties, every year he gave hat remained of his salary
to the poor of his parishes; enthusiastic, and of rigid virtue, he was
very temperate, as much in regard to his appetite as in relation to
women.

MM. Voiri and Delavaux, the one curate of Varq, the other curate of
Boulzicourt, were his confessors, and the only ones with whom he
associated.

The curate Meslier was a rigid partisan of justice, and sometimes
carried his zeal a little too far. The lord of his village, M. de
Touilly, having ill-treated some peasants, he refused to pray for him in
his service. M. de Mailly, Archbishop of Rheims, before whom the case
was brought, condemned him. But the Sunday which followed this decision,
the abbot Meslier stood in his pulpit and complained of the sentence of
the cardinal. "This is," said he, "the general fate of the poor country
priest; the archbishops, who are great lords, scorn them and do not
listen to them. Therefore, let us pray for the lord of this place. We
will pray for Antoine de Touilly, that he may be converted and granted
the grace that he may not wrong the poor and despoil the orphans." His
lordship, who was present at this mortifying supplication, brought new
complaints before the same archbishop, who ordered the curate Meslier to
come to Donchery, where he ill-treated him with abusive language.

There have been scarcely any other events in his life, nor other
benefice, than that of Etrepigny. He died in the odor of sanctity in the
year 1733, fifty-five years old. It is believed that, disgusted with
life, he expressly refused necessary food, because during his sickness