New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-11

FvANcrIIcAr. HOME MISSION OF FRANCE.
BY THE REV. MATTHEW LKIIEvRE FROM MINIS
For the first time, the French Evangelical
Home Mission which have tho privilege OF represent
ing among you its place in one of the H;unenoa,
| meetings OF the Evangelical Alliance ISSUING rs IL
were from our recent national caamtles our society
,ots the first opportunity OF affirming its relationship
,,h the Alliance whose principles it adheres TO- ana
hitch t proposess TO realize practically Its extreme
| Youth its small beginnings ought perhaps to Keep us
from bringing FORTH but have two good reasons TOT
pleadng cause the want has OF the sympathy e9n
s and Gods people, and our convictions naI
| the principle which 1t represents may become tne
source Of great spiritual riches to the churcn IN irac
and elsewhere Although we wish Tor many gOOa rea'
sons 10 be very modest as personally, we
have not the right to be tlmd when speanins ., our
principles / shall address you successiyely on the
origin OF our society, the principles upon won ~ Is
grounded and the way In which We have tried W rea]c
l. The Protestant Church France, so great by tho
heroism of the past but SO small IN nnnper anu IN
remainder OF the nation the solemn teacn.
ings of God in the soIeDnitiSs OF the h las
conscious first OF the sudden shaking OF
military and political power IN FRANCE mas pee1
Their preachers and the editors OF their religious papers
have all echoed the general feeling and have cried out
incessantly France must be born aganl"
This the conviction 80 eloquently expressed by
Pastor Rec9n in report 81 the eyangeH haId o.
Mines In October, 1871, at which $50 ministers
and laymen took part After showing the mani AM;
1t the conscience OF Evangelical Protestants TO bring
the Gospel TO our population lie wished e1lstng SO
unlimited wants new means were necessary. ne pro
ISOLATION whose aim should be the evangelzaton OF
France; whose members should be Christians from
every denomination laymen and clergymen, adopting
its statutes aud whose should DO the various
| WAYS thought fit by that association 20 attain
and committee named the spot was ntrusted with
time. The Holy Spirit breathed upon us and we all
| cd
OF God and Savior aDd to tho raising up again OF our
statutes of the Association, in winch the general
features Of it's organization and the principles uPSn
| which it grounded were oonoisey Indicated VIC
shall state briefly what those principles are.
IL. Tine primary purpose of the Mission lnterieure
Church We are an insignificant minority scattered in
the midst OF great nation, party Papst partly inndel
and we have not taken hitherto firm hold on our PEG
| ME inasmuch as we have labOrod eyangelize our
country by proxy only e. through the insrnmentaty
of pastors Eyangests What are 500 or 1000 minis
| tiers, which our churches employ IN a work OF
such magnitude in presence OF S SS;O3 OF
| are A they among 80 many ~ The only way
OF compensatlng this numerical nferlory VIII DC ID
a realization OF the words OF Moses; Ihat an the
Lords people were prophets and that the Lord would
put HIS spirit upon them Besides the committees who
send aborers aud provide for their maintenance, be-
sides the ministers who preach the Gospel there ought
to be general ep6e dsse OF Christians to wage war
against nhdety ana superstition The idea Itself 10 as
old as Christianity but Home Mission has succeeded
in giving precise and practical form, ana IN bringing
10 out at the time II most wanted. The special
aim OF the undertaking, and which has been so far sue
oessu been to endeayor TO organize what is most
difbcut to organize, individual initiative. The method
which il adopted 70 realize this most excellent prin
ople the which has presented Itself whenever
there have been revVals, and which Spencer and Yves
lev have admirably worked out, the gathering to-
geher in every place the living members on the Church
have nursery of all the great religious movements
In the world. This local meeting, 0roupe local, is
committee in the usual acceptation OF the word
IL is not, indeed, board dehberang or directing GER
tain operations in the OF tho church of which it
would be only representation, but verify the Church
itself. taking earnestly through its most active and
living members. the interests OF the kingdom OF God
| No man IS allowed to Joln one OF those groups
according to the statutes, who does not
the advancement of the Redeener's Kingdom"
The work by the groups can be indicated In two words
the centers Of activity sunless there be first schools OF
deep pety, and unless their outward manifestations be
our friends said necessary that tne Holy Ghost
should first accomplish in inner mission in order
us the real inner mission. Therefore. also. do feel
| the need OF giving the first place In the meet
IL prayer alone that will always inspire regulate
any effective activity. With respect TO this activity
Union IN and division Of the work. One of the
weak points OF Evangelical Protestantls IN Catholic
directions and from thence arises It's p0weressness
What be necessary than to unite these aotv
ties the hestang and discouraged and to raise again
and excite that sentimenuof bTOthery solidarity with
which the lOins OF the church grit about in the
prosperous days of its history On the other hand we
are persuaded that one has yet understood how
IN snfcenty utilize in the church that powerful ele-
menG Of action which is called the division of labor II
there are some branches OF Christian activity around
gather, how many others deplorably neg
lectedi In our position as minority, lost
Indifferent or hostile it is indispensable that should
make the most OF forces, by ec0nOmzing them with
the greatest care, and by using them all. We are
small army, and have to redeem by discipline
numerical nferiorty One OF the most important parts
each individual member the work which he has the
greatest aptitude while respecting the liberty OF every
In fact in the army OF Jesus Christ, liberty and
discipline are two words which do not exclude each
other.
special article among the statutes Of the Home
Mission formally invites "the Christian women to
organize themselves in the same manner and for the
| same end" 1t adds The committees composed OF
women will consult with those composed OF in view
of the interest of the common work. On this point no
doubt many others, do not seek TO Introduce
Innovations For long time, thanks to God our sisters
have proved by their acts tna tney have natural place
But it was necessary to acknowledge what already
exists reality, and to invite all Christian who
have been kept back by an exaggerated tmdity to be-
como open fellow-abOrers
But perhaps the most novel trait OF our association is
the union Of the different Christian cOmmunions in a
common activity 1t is by this that we closely connect
trying in feebleness apply its admirable prn
cPle The Alliance, in proolaming the spiritual and
false unity Of POpery has answered desideratum OF
the contemporary religious revival But is this nantes
tatiOn the plus ultra of broherlY love- IL IL not lawful
u desire better and more thorough method to bring
nearer each the several denominations Chris
tans that which creates large Gcumenical confer
such this moro frequent meetings such
IN the first week of january We have recognized that
what unes US is Infinitely more important than what
divides us; love each other and feel the need Of
declaring it 10 the world and TO ourselves; believe
in the communion OF saints and must strengthen by
| uniting prayers. Why should we not make another
stepf Why, alter having prayed together. should we
not work togetherf We have no pretenson OF saying
what be in relation TO this In other countnes
but have thought that the moment has for the
French Christians TO try something In this way. We
belong which Is after unity IN all things;
IL may be It's feebleness-in II resides all its power
false religious unity undone IT, but true unity might
save IT, The Evangelical Protestants OF France ought
! not according TO my opinion 20 seek after adj
minls-ratiye and exterior unifcatiOn; Christianity
! In the United States Is there 10 demonstrate
! that one can do without 1t. But 1t Is Of
| the utmost necessity that they should show
10 Latin and Catholic France that Professionalism
principle OF cohesion and not OF dissolution BY bring
ing together the ground OF Christian activity dis