New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-09
THE CHARACTERIZATION OF FRANCE.
ny THE REV. 7. LoRRIAUx OF pARI

Rev. T. DOrrlauX, Par5, IA IOuOW5.
THE CHARACTERIZATION OF FRANCE.
BY THE REV. T. LoRRIAUX OF PARIS
A few years ago a man died at Chateauvour,
Department de pIndre; everybody knew that no be-
longed to the Roman Catholic religion, and he
wealthy the priests made for him rstclass funeral
But what the surprise OF all and the disappointment
of the clergy when the mans will being opened the
following clause found in it: ~ have lived and
die a Roman Catholic. but when was soldier visited
Protestant nations and my wish is that France may
embrace that religion give all my property for the
erection OF Protestant chapel In this town OF Cha
teauvour my native place" During the last FRANCO
their camps and on the batle-telds by ministers
and Christian friends, who distributed W mem
IN Jesus Christ Everyw6erc they received the
most cordial reception Eighty thousand men of our
army were driven into switSerlsnd they Drought PACK
OF the North OF France one OF these soldiers came nome
bsa S sver ep one before but ON the pressing
taOn of the returned soldier they almost all procured
Ia soeikB Centate ProeStans dEvan9eltsaon en- France
During the awful Of the Commune while the most
anti-cathoic feelings were manifested, we saw men III
Paris coming ministers for religious consolation
A Communist was being buried one day without the
assistance of priest his mother entreated his friends
to call for Protestant minister. The Rev. q. Monod
spoke TO those rude men, and all OF them with Tears III
their eyes thanked him for the good he had done them
few days afterward when Paris was on nre,
Senator BOnean, OF our most distinguished
we0 Of bs send me- B5e that may
prepare die" What do all these facts meant what
ent uats OF Paris and crowded by hundreds OF work
men and people OF all classes What mean the meet
ings the Rev Armand Delle, assisted by cergymen
OF All denominations where conversions have
taken place All these facts most evident indca-
tons that France needs the good news OF salvation;
that IL is susceptible of receiving &C. and that IN most
instances when the inhabitants are brought In contact
with &C. especially the war. they receive IL gladly
We would not deny the difficulties which we may en-
counter In propagatng We uospgi tne oS 5 ne
in raising a persecution against but with the hep
OF God TINS persecution will be as proolsoire
before door been wide open for the Gospel
Here is striking instance Everybody knows that one
OF the most bgoted populations Of the world IL that OF
Corsica. Some time agoa fow PioteSt9nt iamiles re-
siding IN Basta applied 10 the Soe'eH Oenrde fToS:
tIpte dEvangeiisatOn 10 have minister. The commit
tee thought II impossible even TO consider that
application. WHAT in thai lana OF Ianatloisn anu
there" However. missionary agent was sent 10 lat
island. The clergy were In an unspeaKaole rag pue
important congregation IN Bastia, among whOm are
many proseytes. Since shat time similar application
was received from AjaccO, on the other side OF tne
island and tho result a. at Basta being attained
AGENCIES FOR CARRYING ON THE WORK.
And now the question is asked What are In France
the agencies for carrying the work OF eyangzaton
There are Bible societies which spend together
yearly 10000 francs; four religious book and tract
societies whose expense 100000 francs society for
nromoting the interest of education Pr0testants
-expense 100 900 francs Sundayschool society which
citation for young men, society called the Sou Prot
esLlne, TO encourage syStemauo Deney0lence'
also sent representative here there are beside more
than phanthropic institutions among winch the Rev.
John Bosts's Asylums "a foreign missionary society eA
pends 200 francs) and i've societies OF eyangezaon
the two most important OF which are La SoceS E1d-
geque, and La SoeitS Oe1trde Protestane dErdn9etI
Safi1n The whole expense or Protestant eyangeli.
cal and phlanthrophie institutions exceeds 2OOOO0 OF
millions that you cOnsecrae the service or the Lord,
but Protestans very small minority in France
vIfh fha na4f
know that almost all our religious societies have
today Ian expenditure twice as large as IL
yye esrs able for the two great societies
of evapgelzatlon which have just been mentioned The
SOcEx EUangeiQ employs 60 agents and spends yearly
10000 francs; 1t Is doing most prosperous WORK among
the Roman Catholic populations, aud IN some depart
under the blessing of Cod great REVEALS The able and
devoted director OF that society tho Rev. Dr. Fsch mas
have more especially to entertain the conference OF La
Soci<H Ceras ProeSante dEpangehsat'or esta3h p
esants Of France means OF worship ana rensous euue
disseminated Protestants Some OF them live than
100 miles from the nearest place OF worship bet 70
population. Protestant lady told the other day,
minister that she went every Sunday To the CatuOlo
81 cannot spend the sabbath" said she, without taking
mart IN public worship" The Soctee OenTde mas
pol we'd 10 hire room and have service in that locality
Would you Judge the Importance OF our work. go from
Paris to the extre limit OF the West-you ma FRO
testant CONGREGATION at Versailles, aud at Brest.
Between these there is distance OF 500 miles
some wears ago. In that space there was not
one Protestant congregation. The SOcleS OenTue
established three home missionary stations at ABOUT
equal dstance fr0m each Oher-One at Chartres one at
lie Mans aud the other at Reims-and now these sta
tons have become hourishiDg CONGREGATIONS Between
Paris and Boulogne, the North, there are ohy three
towns including Boulogne Itself, ia which are found
ministers aud places Of worship Those three staons
have been organized by tine SOcitH Cen1rdk Notice
that those localities important towns, In whlch exist
large schools prisons soldiers barracks, whore we nnd
many cOrel IOniss. Ii has stations In 81 suoh towns
NAV be said that without society whole PROVINCES
would NOT have yet heard VI the Gospel IL Ia 70 90 re-
marked that In grouping the scattered frotesIahIs
and IN forming with them regular CONGREGATIONS,
the Society Spreads at the same time, tue
light OF the Gospel amidst the Roman Catholic popuia
ton. The arrival OF pastor Is great event III tho
country; mahy " hear him. the Holy spirit reaches
weldisposed souls and frequently important relsous
movements take paoe-moyements which are gonerhy
serOus and lasting, because they start from Tue hnVw
ed 20 OF the Gospel and connected WITH frvIeslaut
Christian nucleus which forms the permanent anu en-
aacnty the movement extends 90 populations entirely
Catholic with saint Audeiin In the Depart
pent de la Nievre Five years ago there was not Ia th
Department single evangelical place OF worship
religious cement sprung up 81 St Auueih, "a Dcau.
tifu village Loire fur from Lauoetre one or
onr oldest and most celebrated IN the history OF the
Church of France TINS people asked the Pastor OF Lan-
cerro 10 come and preach them. Al first the meetings
we're held ia an auberge, bat friend from Paris gave
fancs the erection chapel IN that locality
mad tho privilege after having preached three years
ago In the auberge, OF preaching LAT year In
neat graceful opurchs whloh Is built on hill
and can be seon at distance OF moro
than ten miles The day befofe arrived yiolent
Storm had borne tho roof Of the chusch aud car