The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-03-17
FOREIGN CHURCH NEWS.

Last week it was my privilege to attend
grand convocaton of the Protestants OF Paris In
the temple of the Oratoire, assembled to con-
slider this subject The great audience room was
crowded to its utmost. Addresses were made
by Messrs. de Pressense, Reveillaud, Meyer, and
pastors Recoline, Lorraux Fourneau and Flsch.
Said Dr.. de Pressense, who has just returned
from visit to Alsace, and somewhat extended
tour of observation through the interior of
France
q have a profound conviction, without dis
puising any of the obstacles or difficulties that
there has not been, since the days of the Re-
formation, a more favorable moment for the
propagation of our doctrines and our faith.
There is special willingness to hear which
springs from the peculiar circumstances of the
hour, and which presents to us great open
door; there predispositions, providentially
induced lust now which afford to us the most
favorable occasion possible Wherever you go
in France you may secure the largest audience
room, and if you invite the people To- lear you
speak of the gospel and of Christian ~berty
crowd will be sure to assemble. l have just
been speaking at some of these meetings, and
felt myself borne up upon the sympathies of the
audience and truly electrified.
For this movement which is now turning the
minds of the people towards us there two
reasons-the one external and the other inter
nal In the first place, there are multtudes in
our country who have become satisfied that our
great democracy cannot hope to become per-
manent as a social or political condition with
out some grand and lofty guiding principle.
And they have come to see that it is only reh-
gious principle which can effectually exercise
this controlling and preserving influence. Such
minds look towards Catholicism, and they per
ceive that by its repeated anathemas it has
divorced itself from modern society and from
democracy that it is not from that quarter
they are to expect the advent of a guiding
principle, a spiritual leadership. Shall they
seek for it in free thought, the system which to-
dav, under the form of materialism, its most ex-
Etensive phase, denies to faith both liberty and
thought? Assuredly mott Thus these enlight-
ened minds, of which l speak, approach the
gosiel and begin to comprehend how religion
may be an important factor in their new regime
and not a tool of priestcraft or instrument
of royalty
We must take advantage of this mental atti-
tude. Without descending to the arena of party
strife we must say . Behold the guiding prin-
ciple Ii is in gospel liberty Let us hold up
the true genius of this liberty which essentially
and above all things is soul-liberty it is justi-
fcaton by faith, the grand lever and watchword
of the Reformation
Another reason comes from the lesson which
our misfortunes have taught u.s. If there are
burrows in the field of evangelization, it is be
cause Gods ploughshare has passed through
light soil, and we do not need to return to
Alsace, as ! have Just done, in order to be re-
minded of it. And still the atheism which was
strengthened by the superstitions of Romanism
Is pursuing, more earnestly than ever its de
structive work Its propaganda is persevering
and interchangeable. Let this be reason why
Chri tans should strive, with all their energies,
for il, by any misfortune, atheism ever triumphs
it will be upon the ruin of France
Finally 1T Is circumstance which we must
not for moment forget and which is vital to
our success, that never before have we been so
free For the fist time in the history of France
we have liberty of speech and of assemblage
Do we know for how long time? Let us
work while it is day. All barriers are fallen
Only those of our own Incidence and cowardice
remain. We must organize God wills it and
He himself will lead us on I"
DR.. de Pressens6 was followed by M Four
neau, q converted Catholic priest who related
his experience in conducting EVANGELICAL con
terenees. In one town whore he has recently
been, he had been told that unless he discussed
politics he would not have a single auditor
lie there commenced an address to more than
800 hearers by declaring that he had not come
to talk politics, bat to demonstrate to free think
ers that they were neither thinkers. nor free
Inc audience listened attentively and applauded
him heartily. Our French people" he said
love Jesus Christ. and if France has taken
hatred Tor the cierlcals she none the less wishes
to remain Christian" An eloquent address
from NJ. R6veillaud followed, which we have
not space to report, even if we had power to do
1T justice. The meeting had this interesting and
catholic feature, that it was composed of repre-
sentatives of each of the Protestant sects of
France; and that notably these met upon the
same platform in the old church of the 0ratoire
and under the presidency of its pastor. a con
verted freethinker and converted Catholic priest
both pleading for a simple gospel orrespon-
@e"t Ne0 York Examiner and Chronicle.
"A month or two ago we gave. with
great satisfaction, an account of meeting held IN
the Punjab at which the question of an indie
pendent Native Church was ably discussed b,,
native Christians connected with the missions Of
the Church Missionary Society The fact that
this noble society of the Church Of England is
quite willing to leave its Indian converts free to
model-when the proper time shall come to form
an independent Native ChurCh--their own
church organizations was not more pleasing in
telhgenee than the firm tone Of the Native
Christians in demanding the concession of tbis
privilege. II a strong and influential native
Christian Church Is to arise in India, the Church
es which send the missionaries to evangelze the
country must not insist on forcing European or
American system on the converts who have as
shown in the conference already mentioned
surprisingly liberal and correct ideas on the sub.
Ject Of Christian Union. The speakers at that
conference were surprised at the numerous divis-
IONS OF the Protestant Church and deprecated
any tendencies or teachings in the same direc-
ton for India. If such an unhappy state of
affairs should ever exist among Indian Chris
Cans, 1t was said, foreign missionaries, and not