Washington telegraph., 1851-05-28
Correspondence Of the Telegraph.

~
As was anticipated the anniversary week was
ushered in with a rain The conventions, how
ever, have become accustomed to unpropitious
weather that though it moistens the garments
Of those who attend, they do not allow it to
dampen their ardour.
The meetings began yesterday. If give you
record Of any Of their sayings and doings, please
regard it as my report and not my opinion.
The audience at the "Brick Church" in Beck.
man street yesterday was addressed by young
French clergyman, Rev. Mr.. Platte, a special
messenger to the United States from the only
Rible Society in France.
Though eminently French in his nasal intona-
tions, and in his division Of the syllable emphasis,
he spoke with considerable fuency, and great
simplicity and naturaness, for nearly an hour in
the English, which believe he has acquired
during the few months that be has been in this
country. He is a short thick set man of 81 or IS
years, with rather broad but pale beardess
countenance, black hair, dark earnest eye, and
an expl ession of much more unobsequious hu-
mility than is usual with men of that nation.
His subject the history of the origin, rise,
progress, and present condition CT the only Evan
gecal and Bible Society in France-the institu-
ton from which he bears a.special mission to the
Evangelical associations of America.
Mr. Platte first treated upon the religious con-
dition of France prior to 1880. The Papists, he
said, had with 6re aud sword, driven out and Ge-
strOyed the French Protestants. AS they could
only extrpate Christianity from that land by slay.
ing or banshng the Christians themselves. they
killed them by thousands and burnt their Bibles
and places Of worship. In this summary manner
was Christianity rendered extinct in France, and
undisputed sway usurped by Popery. About this
time Voltaire, and his set Of witty takers and
satrsts though knowing no other religion, COM
menced a war Of sarcasm and carrcature against
the ceremonies and superstitons Of the Roman
| church. The protestant religion could be de-
stroyed in France only by extirpating all who
believed in it, but Popery was laughed out of its
influence and position, and driven by shafts of
| infidel wit and satire INTO the onasteries and
converts. In its place, Atheism arose, and the
worship of God was .uppIanted by the senseless,
blasphem"us aud centious orgies of a balf naked
courtisan Of Paris, whom the infatuated Revou-
tionists Of 1893 called "The Goddess of Reason"
1t was the natural result, he said, of Iopery,
! and he invoked the patriotism and good sense of
Americans TO beware of the extension of its nfu-
ence in the United States, if they wished to pre-
serve their glorious republican system and free
| Institutions, and not fall into the desolate and
and Italy.
IL it not token of ominous import that while
all true Americans should sympathise with those
who were engaged in the late i-fated Italian
struggle for liberty, there those in this country
who making busts and statues, and drinking
| public toasts, to the prosecutors Of the patriots,
| Pope Plus the TX; and while both this government
and people are heart and hand with the Hun
garians, there is a clique or cabal in New York
and Boston, openly and eIaborateIy defending the
! tyranny of the Austrian government and the viii
lainies of its mnion, Haynau?
After the extirpstion of the christians, chris
tianity continued almost extinct in France until
about sixteen years ago, handful of Catholics
(who had through the grace of God. and the nfiu-
ence of his Holy Spirit, themselves discovered the
| necessity OF vital religion, and not one of mere
forms) formed Bible society, the one which the
speaker now represented.
1t signally successful. Frenchmen, he
sAid, were eminently fitted for propagandism
One convert was sure to make another, and
other. AS soon one of mis- countrymen was
converted, he could not rest until he had impressed
his faith into the heart and soul Of some friend
who would sympathse in his views and feelings
Frenchmen had been and ever would be the most
efficient propagandists in the world. BY means
of the churches, schools, teachers and coporteurs
of this Bible Society thousands of his people had
been converted to the truth, just prior to the
Revolution of lS4S Mr. Platte theu gave stat
stical account of the Society's means appliances,
&c. The ratio Of conversions and contributions
increased daily. New fields of usefulness we've
opening continually. 1t was glorious to see how
God prospered the good work. But the late Revo-
luton, full of promise cruelty disappointed, had
thrown trade and finances into confusion, sus-
pended the wheels of business, al cut off the
pecuniary supplies of the laboring people, upon
whom the society had been chiefly dependant for
its support. BY this disastrous condition of affairs,
the annual income Of the Bible and Evangelical
Society Of France was reduced last Year from
$5O,0O0 to S29,000, and this year to Ss25, 900.
They we're consequently compelled to make a
similar reduction in their expenditures, and at the
very time when the demands for their teachers,
schools and churches were the loudest and most
numerous, the board Of managers with aching
hearts, and faces bathed in tears, at their now
gloomy meetings were forced TO suppress more
than half their schools, colpOrteurs, &c, sc.
Mr.. Platte evidently felt his subject very deeply.
1t was very striking and affecting thing 10 him.
he said, to observe the mental condition of the
French people Immediately after the Revolution
of lS48. There universally social and re-
Iigous craving which they were at loss to de-
fine, much more to supply. They were no longer
rushing recklessIy forward, but had come to a
blank pause, uncertain what to do, and anxiousy |
nquiring want, but what do we wantl What |
next2 We would build up, but what to build on? |
They needed social basis, but where should they
find it? In Popery? 1t was rotten. In Atheism!
What foundation would nothingness afford!-
Christianity they confounded with Popery, and |
Christ was to them the prototype of Latin mum. |
bling and bead-telIing MONK
La this uncertain, inquiring and anxious con-
dition of mind, thousands of Frenchmen would |
meet daily in the club rooms Of Paris to listen to
tho discussion of new political theories and schemes
E'r novel social organization, by desie ming dema-
gogues or infatuated dreamers Mr.. Platte was
OInfa N hv Of IN
meetings and to disseminate its views. He did so
with great success. On one occasion, in the
presence of an assembly of 900 persons gathered
together in one Of the immense halls Of Paris, in