The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-07-06

of the supposed conversions do not turr
out as well as it had been hoped. MANY
have the idea that these McAll missions
are sort of cooperative society, where
they can attend with pecuniary adyap
tage In case of need One woman whc
protested conversion, when she discovered
that she was not member of a mutua
aid society, gave sad evidence that she
was not member Of Christ, and went
away in rage
So also there are disbursements in
the work, arising. from the general con,
dition of the people. The French are an
impulsive, easily excited people, but they
are curious, and hail the McAll missions
with Joy; but there are MANY whose
ardor soon cools down. Many still cling
to the Church of Rome and it is often
most difficult to reach them. The Gus
tom In that Church of selling indnl.
gences, so that its votaries can buy the
privilege to sin, has had the effect to de-
morallze the nation. France has had its
conscience so stunned that it is said truly
that the French have no conscience.
There is no Sabbath that is worthy the
name; Sunday is the great gala day
Paris is city given over to the pursuit
of pleasure.
Now add to this state Of morals the
general spirit of infdelity which per-
yades France, and we have a. view of the
dark side of things in that country. The
days have passed in which the mourners.
as they carried their dead to the graves,
read over the entrances to the cemeteries
Death is an eternal Sleep" Neverthe-
less France is still full of infdelity: it is
encountered on all sides. Even the Pro
testant churches are to great extent
lmbued with rationalism in the North
OF France was church in which the
number of true Christians was so small
that to make up the consistorv. men
were called in who were known to be in
hdels. If this is so inside the Church,
what is it without? The very sense of
God, and of our duty to love and obey
Him, has died out Talk to man Of
these things, and he looks at you with
stolld gaze, which shows that he has
hardly an idea of what you are talking
about. Very likely he answers with a
sheer $50 you believe in the supernat-
ural, do your" Thus religion is ridi-
culed and everything good laughed
down. DIR. Hitchcock trembles when he
sees young people coming to Paris for
temporary home; if they are inclined to
be religious, it is almost certain to drive
this all out of them. The very atmos-
phere IS lmpregnated with unbelief. and
from the subtle influences which are
thrown around the young in Paris it is
next to impossible to escape.
In view of such facts as these it is
PLAN that France is not all aglow with
religious fervor; far from it. We hear
onl OF the announcements and progress;
but there is another and darker side to
the picture, which it were wrong to ig
more: We must see things Just as thew
are. France is not to be converted in a
day; the beginnings only are now made
nay, these are hardly made. There is as
yet 70 foundation on which to build
What can you do with a nation without
conscience? What can you do with
people without belief in the supernat-
ural? What can you do with millions
OF souls held in the grasp of Rome?
Where is the point upon which you can
lay hold OF them and draw them into the
way, OF truth? The only hope of France
IS tlrst OF all in that Divine Spirit
through whom alone we can and must
be born again; nothing but the power of
Almighty God can rouse the nation from
ITS death-slumber and quicken it into
lie; and secondly, it will be necessary to
devote years of patient and hard labor.
before France will be what we hope it
will some time be. Here are the founda.
lions yet to be laid; then upon these
must be placed one by one heavy stones
OF the building; and SO after years, and it
may be after generations, the country
Lord.
DR., Hitchcock does not depreciate the
work of Mr.. McAll and the Evangelical
ton societies; far from it. He takes part
IN these movements, his chapel is en-
gagged In the work, and it is his belief
that they do great good The beginnings
have had to be made. Just now the soil
seems to be breaking to make way for
the foundation stones. This is as neces-
sary as that the work should 90 on af
terward. 1t is great work, wonder
tul work, which God is already doing in
France. The people are tired OF Rome.
and are just ready to turn infidels if thew
are not met by true gospel, capable Of
reaching their wants. This is now being
presented to them, and they are in many
cases accepting it. Frenchmen them
selves are enQaoino IN fbo ,ro.1- III