The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-06-17 00:00:00

DEAN STANLEY ON THE PARIS
INSURRECTION.

Oa "Sunday forenoon Dean Stanley, who visited
Paris during the past week, preached a seremn in
Westminster Abbey, having special reference to the
Volunteers (many of whom were present), and contain-
ing also pointed allusions to the recent conflagrations
and massacres in Park

Selecting as his text the chapter in Joshua appointed
for the day's lesson, he urged ripen the volunteers
present always to be animated by the name spirit of
true courage in fighting the battles of their country for
the real love and deliverance of the people which ever
actuated Joshua, and contrasted such a feeling with
the cowardly and diabolical spirit which had just been
witnessed in Paris. Adverting to these dreadful
scenes, he observed that the lesson he had endeavoured
to inculcate ought to be doubly impressed upon them by
the momentous events of their own time. 'noose events
ought not to bring with them a feeling of anguish and
horror cnly, which left no permanent good behind, but
rather out of such events there should spring up those
great truths of real and practical charity which would
revive many a dejected spirit and heal many a broken
heart. Who could have seen, as he had Been, within
the last few days the ruin of the splendid capita' of
France, with its people in mourning; Its streets
wasted by fire ; its noble monuments torn and scattered,
and the humble dwellings of the poor, frugal, anclin-
duArious residents laid waste by the same unbridled
passions which had destroyed the palaces of the groat—
who could look on and contemplate these sad evidences
of the wicked acts of misguided men, without feeling
more deeply than ever the mercies of that kind Pro.
vidence which h enabled generation after generation
In this c. Bovern our people without the inter.
positio Ai 7 solent convulsions? Youth sucoeeded
age 5c.... no broken link in the chain of our
dynastic history, with no necessity arising after
some ten years' duration for the re-building
and re-construction of our government and con-
stitution, and God grant that those blessings
might long be ours. Who could have stood, as he
stood on Wednesday last, in that mighty historical
edifice in Patis—eoarcely lees associated with past
historical and ancient glory than the venerable pile in
which they were now assembled—that vast cathedral
draped from end to end in funeral attire, with its
occupants in mourning for the murdered head of their
Church, without experiencing a feeling of melancholy
thankfulness that our country is unstained by any such
crime? Who could have witnessed that scene, and
reflected upon the deeds of violence which had led to
it without being Impressed with the truth that they
had bad their chief origin in the alliance of moral and
Christian courage.
The Dean added, that during his britf stay in Paris
last week he ob,erved a passionate longing for peace
and for quiet, from the humbleet shopkeeper to the
highest in the capital; and he concluded by expressing
him sympathy with the aged statesman who, with an
indomitable spirit, V/ 143 now guiding the destinies of
France.