The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-14
A SUNDAY In PARIS.
Extracts from Private Letter Written by j.
J. Mills, President of Earlham College.

ut is nasty time to visit Paris, said the
Englishman who shared our compartment
in the railway carriage as we approached
the French capital late on Saturday even
ing He was commercial traveller from
Birmingham, making his regular trip to
Paris. Tomorrow is election day in the De
partment of the Seine" he added, "and there
will be great excitement" But his gratu-
itous information gave us less annoyance
than did the customs officers at the station
where we soon arrived. These seemed more
intent upon discovering any tobacco or
spirits that might be secreted in the luggage
of the host of the new arrivals in French
territory from across the channel than they
were upon securing a seat in the Chamber
of Deputies for either Boulanger or Pauvre
Jacques. But as two of the three men IN
our party were Quaker ministers, and the
third Prohibitionist from Maine, nothing
contraband was found in our possession,
and we were allowed toproceed unmolested
to the Hotel Normandy.
Sunday, the 9th of January dawned
bright as an Indiana morning In early May.
Having recently participated in.
somewhat exciting political campaign
at home, we decided to take
no active part in French politics, but to at
tend some place of divine worship as better
becoming Christian American citizens trav-
cling abroad. In order to sele ct a conyen-
lent church we consulted the morning pa
per. IL was the Paris edition of the New
Y Ork Herald. Here we found announce
ment of services In ten churches of the
city, Protestant and Catholic. Above the
church directory and on the same column
appeared advertisements of entertainments
in twenty-five theaters-two to one. as to
.lnr Gov pf hn NArl
the comparison between these two great
social forces in Paris have been made upon
the basis of the number of attendants, no
doubt the result would have shown a still
greater balance on the side OF Sunday
amusements
Having decided to attend the American
Church in Rue de Berri, our route thither-
ward led us through the center of the city.
AS compared with the uproar to which we
had recently been accustomed in presl-
Dental campaign at home, there was no
excitement in the streets to indicate that
an election was In progress, the result OF
which was liable to overthrow the present
administration of the French repub-
ing no tin horns, no shouting or
other demonstrations so characteristic of
American enthusiasm when the fate of the
country is pending upon the outcome OF
political contest. But the absence of these
was in good measure supplied by the
abundance of flaming campaign posters III
all cOlors that covered the wall on every
hand. AS the Herald said editorlally, the,
campaign. History delights in parallels.
Soldiers said Bonaparte at the pyramids,
forty centuries look down upon YOU Sol
diers,' Boulanger might have said yester-
day, under the Luxor column, forty mill
ions of posted bills look down upon you"
Nowhere were these bills thicker than
upon the walls of what remains of the
Louvre-the royal palace: Conspicuous
amongst them was one in bold letters
which had been posted during the previous
night. 1t charged General BOulanger with
utter incOmpetency as soldier; with hav-
ing been dismissed from the army in dis
honor; with being the paid tool of the I'm
perialists. and demagOgue espOusing the
cause of the Communicates and Anarchists.
In most emphatic terms 1T warned the
dear fellOw-citizens" against another Sc
dan in case of the Generals election.
The closing OF shops on Sunday prevails
but not few places of business
were open. The Champs Elysees
presented scene of great an
imation and gayery; =, Crowds of
enades, nurses in white caps were treating
the babies in their charge to an airing in
the bright sunshine; little girls were whip
ping tops and boys were playing ball, and
soldiers n their flashing regimentals We're
everywhere. Elegant turnouts upon the,
smooth pavements were interningled with
drags heavily laden with merchandise.
Delivery wagons and hucksters' carts made
up noticeable part of the throng of sun
day travel. AS we approached the church of
our destination, the magnificent music
which issued from its great doors was
mingled with the clatter OF a force of stone
cutters at work upon partially completed
building on the opposite side of the street.
The American Church" is an imposing
edifce, both within and without. On the
occasion of our visit the cOngre CATION was
large, the service Episcopal of the high
church, order. and the sermon. by an
American clergyman. from Isaiah Ii, 1,
most eloquent and fOrcible presentation of
Jesus Christ. the only hope of salvation
for the human race.
After lunch at the hotel, / sat out alone
in search of McAll mission. In my
wanderings from street to street. / found
myself in front of the famous Madelein, or
Church of Mary Magdalene. A great
fS9rGSns OF peepe Tns entering 9se over s hs
doors. and fell in with the current.
Inside, the immense building was already
packed with dense crowd of worshipers
and spectators witnessing the celebration
OF high mass. The impressive services ap-
parently inspired spirit of deep devotion
In many of the promiscuous multitude. but
the irreverence of not few made necessary
the, presence OF uniformed officers, who
pushed their way through the crowded
aisles and arrested any OutbrOken disorder
with imperiOus commands.
Returning again into Rue Royale, after
some inquiry, l came upon an archway
leading from the sidewalk through bust
ness block into narrow Enclosure. AT the
rear of the court door stood ajar into an
unpretentious building Upon entering, l
found myself within place of worship in
striking contrast with the one which / had
just visited. 1t would have been easy to
imagine that i had suddenly been trans
ported into Friends meeting-hous in
some American village or country place,
save, perhaps, for the small pipe organ which
occupied one corner. The room was, prob
ably. sixty feet by thirty live feet. with
plainly-papered walls, on which were in
scribed familiar texts of Scripture. Il am
the light of the world" Come unto me, We
that are weary and heavy laden,p etc. The
seats were plain chairs, about 500 in num-
Der, all of which, with the exception of not
more than a dozen, were filled. The COM
pany, which seemed to be made
up of, intelligent. respectable people,
was silently waiting. for the serv..
ices to begin. In front, at a small
and unornamented reading desk upon a
low platform sat a tall. elderly man in
black, whose face, as he looked over the
congregation, shone like a benediction.