, 1877-05-20
FRENCH PROTESTANTS.
THEIR ANNUAL MEETINGS.

UspQfca to LoHdoN Iin7te
PARIS, April l0.-This is the week Of what may
be called the French Protestant May Meetings
very quiet and select gatherings compared witt
those Of Exeter Hall, and stranger would detec1
no sign Of their being held, for not single news.
raper mentions them. The liberal section Of the
Reformed Church has taken advantage OF those
anniversaries for comforting its position and
electing Delegates to net as its spokesman. Over
100 ministers and laymen, representing forty con-
eistories, or groups Of churches, and as Is estl-
mated, 800, 600 members OF the Reformed Church,
are taking part IN the deliberations. They are
composed Of all three fractions Of the Liberals,
who agree in resisting the decision Of the Synod OF
1873. At yesterdays meeting, on the motion OF
II. Dide, It was unanimously resolved:
which prevails among ali the members u the Liberal
'as q s
well Of those held with tue acceptance Of the Syn
@ ~ fsss ~
Sesy 70 'f0 p''' OF 'Ae same
Almost every Minister Of Justice for the last four
Tcars has had different policy ~ regards the Re
formed Church; but the Liberals count on greater
from any Of his predecessora. They have no 1car
Of Ills annulling their Conaistorlal elections, as
was done BY Il. dc cnmon: in 1874. for such
course wou1d lend to i fresh batch OF appeals TO
the Council Of State, and, BY preventing the llng
up Of vacant pastorshlps, would involve such
anarchy rs to neccssltnte the conyocation 0. the
Synod. Now, the tone Of the late elections has
shown TINT Synod would be the signal Of dis
ruption, with ltB attendant difficulties as to np-
postionment OF buildings and stpends and the rights
Of local minoritics- Al. Mattel, it is whispered,
has already complained that the Reformed Church
gives him more trouble than the three other State
Churches put together; He is not considered
likely, therefore, to take any. step lending to
force on him the solution, Of SO dlalcult
problem: Even as It il, he has enough on
ished circular which he has found it necessary
to address to the Catholic Bishops respecting their
recent permission Of lectures by laymen in cathe-
dra1s or churches lectures sometimes delivered
from the pulpit N. Martel tells them that this
new kind Of preaching has provoked surprise and
controversy, that it may produce a gfievous inl-
preston on The population, and that the interven
ton Of laymen In doctrinal teaching might be Us
inconvenient rs the increasing importance of
laicism In the church, about which some prelates
are uneasy. He reminds them that the Gov
crnment has refused to allow religious
lectures in secular buildings or secular
lectures in religious cdifces, end that it
would be difficult to persist in such refusal If ecce
siast;cs allowed laymeu to lecture churches on
Sunday. Churches are exclusively reserved for
religious worship: For the present H. Martel
valves the question OF lcga1ty, leaving it to the
be explained that the object of holding the lectures
in churches IL TO obyiate the necessity of ot1cia
sanction. or otherwise Of making the meetings
technically, private by written invitations. Gen.
dc Ctssey, it may be added has incurred the wrath
Of the Clerical papers BY disclaimng- relation
ship with the lay lecturer generally mistaken for
his brother. So