New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-12
PERSONAL NOTES FROM PARIS
THE Able PERRAUD AT ST. ROCH-MLLE.
VAN ZANDT.


PARIS March 81.
French preachers in general have natural fluency.
and have the advantage of speaking a language
which makes even commonplace graceful But
the ambitious pulpit orator is generally too convcn-
tional and colorless His style is often turgid. The
late Bishop Dupanloup had this defect to weari-
degree He frequently dragged in Latin
quotations which few of his hearers understood.
Father Felix was labored and dldactic coldly
correct and soleinny Affirmative He was the crack
preacher of the Jesuis during the Empire. and was
allowed by Monsgnsr Darboy Archbishop of
Paris, for many succeeding Lents the use of the
pulpit of Notro Dame. Father Hyacnthe had more
emotion, spoke in musical periods, wore pictur-
esquo white frOck and cowl, but too egotistcal
and infatuated to speak to the heart. He was an
artist and there was little behind his art. Father
Monsabre. who is still the Lent preacher at Notre
Dame. is simply pocket Daniel OConne with q
French tongue and mOnastic education. He is
always sure 10 keep his hearers wide awake. Any
thing less sanity than his physiognomy has not
perhaps been seen in q pulpit since the death of
Rabelais, the famous parish priest Of Mendon.
Father Didon writes essays, learns them by heart,
and calls them sermons. SO does tho Able de
Broglie who. however. is fertile in illustrations
and has deep convictions or at any rate lnyeteratc
preudices But the pulpit orator who best peases
one is the Able Perraud brother of the Bishop of
Autun), who occupies the pulpit at st. Roch this
Lent on Tuesdays and FRIDAYS One set of his
sermons is tor men, tho other TOR women. His
subject IS rec Thought aud Catholicism, and he
makes themost of it, When hearing him it seems
TO one that modern science Is operating a quiet
revolution in the Catholic Church. and that the
DEGREES of the two last Councils arc imDotent to
keep that great institution ont OF tune with the
mental progress of the century.
The 'Tuileries palace is in the parish of ST. Roch.
where the Court, when ii was ~ town in Lent used
to go to do penance and listen to edifyng sermons.
Marie Amee performed there her Lenten devOtiOns.
as did also tho Princess Clotilde when she lived at
the Palas Royal. This perhaps, is one of the
reasons why its musical staff is and has long been
the best in Paris. Its present cure. rector. the
Able Milot, who was for eleven years professor
in the junior seminary of st. Nicolas dc Chardon-
nerct. aud then superior, in the place OF Bishop
Dupanloup, of the seminary Of Notre Dame des
Champs Nowhere are the masses Of Paestrina and
Cherubini more admirably performed Dies
Ir executed by the musicians of st. Roch is truly
sublime. The Able Millot left Judaism TO become
a Catholic, and has the keen discernment oil his
race, their talent for stage management and for
batting hools wherewth to catch the public. He
intultiycly knows what will command the market.
On the Cornee b-centenary he got up special
Francois were invited TO attend in honor of the
author of "The Cid" of whose life he spoke with
good Judgment and taste from the steps OF the altar
He had several narrow escapes from sharing the
fate of the Able Duguerry and Monsignor Darboy
during the Commune. 1t is maxim of his that the
most useful institutions have the best chance OF
long life. lie also teaches that if we could trace
Justice in all its subtle bearings, should regard
charity as It's synonym. Certainly his charity is
ardent and active. Asylums, crechcs and free
chdren's schools their existence to his Efforts
He founded some years ago deaf and dumb school
and chaplalncy ] he chaplain breaches by signs
to tho children who have that do not hear
Spectacular kinds of devotion probably over
done at St. Roch. But thoy constitute with the
music an opera for the poor whose lives terribly
gray and who are made tho happier by the thoat-
rical side of the Catholic cult. i have often been
struck with the stimulating effect on beaten-d0wn
wretchcs such in his novels lola describes. by
the Advent and Passion week and ROgatl0n and
Corpus Christi ceremonies. Perhaps they do not
give more than FLIP. But, 80. there is
thing gained.
The Able Perraud is brother of the Bishop of
Autun of whose cathedral he il prebendary. l
believe they were both trained to be university
professors at the Ecole Normale dcs Hautes Etudes
where About, Assocnt, Tame and Prevost-Paradol
were graduated. Like Cato. the two eminent
ecclesastics love the cause of the van0uishcd.
They have written and preached eloquently about
Ireland and Poland. and were iI the Paris am
balances III the winter OF the Terrible Year. wish
there was grain less OF controversy IN the Abbc's
Ienten sermons. He however makes such large
cessions to free thought IN his discussions that one
easily passes over this drawback. Indeed he admits
freedom OF thought aud only objects to Its counter
felt. HIS style Is that OF n laynlan animated with
a deeply religious feeling and educated good deal
by the hard facts of life. He does not ssom 10
A l.ltx 10 mill lao analn inat1
and the phrase nervous and exempt from padding.
Experience OF the human heart and OF its trials and
sense OF the greatness oil moral truths ana oil tue
futllity of worldly prizes. are what make him
eloquent. He has lived In such region a. L0la
describes in "Germinal.' All his sympathies are
with the mining population III his brothers
The Able Perraud is in his fifty fourth year. lie
resembles his brother IN his ascetc ar IN the stamp
of moral energy on his features and I'M their con-
tour. The voice Is peculiarly vibrating and has
The clear ring which abstemious life gives to n
naturally hne organ. 1t leaves an agreeable and
strange impression on tho ear. The gestures are
n charming accompaniment to the speech, with the
distinction of which they harmonize They are
classic in their sober elegance.
4 he Able claims to be Free Thinker" He
saws it Is in virtue of free thought that no is a
Catholic priest Whatever is kno wable he submits
TO reason and what truth he can get by sentiment
alone he also reasons upon. There are times when
he liz obi gea to dOnner rdisoa an sentiment and impose
birth and breeding a Catholic unquestonabiy
gave him q bias. But il did not blind tie eyes of
his understanding. When he presses his thin hands
against his heart feels that he Is no comedlan
Out of the pulpit he has a meditative air. In
society he il grave aud kindly. His knowledge is
encycloppdc, and he is free from pedantry as a
little child Marshal MacMahon. whose grand
father, DR. John MacMahon-rhe first of his family
who settled in Frauce-married q rich widow OF
Autun, goes to hear the A6be every Tuesday. Inc
pulpit ut ST. Roch has gilt sounding board which
sometimes casts glow around the preacher,s head
and gives him the arr of Byzantine saint Facing
IL il the monument Of Marshal de Credui, the marble
figures of which in the dim light of the aisle seem
to listen to the sermon.
Mile. Van ZanGt was mistaken in tryingto brave
both a really hostile current in the public and
strong caba OF the existence of which she well
aware. 1t was very foolish Of her to assume