The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-08
TALES OF TRAVELLERS.
Progress in Christianizing the
French Sunday.
HIGH POLITICS INDEED
Bismarck Talks Freely About Him
self to a French Journalist.
HIGH POLITICS INDEED
IN THE GARDEN OF ENGLAND.

African Warriors who had been to
Germany Tell what They Saw There.
PARIS, May 2O-when briefly described for
the readers OF THE SUN the magnificent spoc-
tacle OF the Easter communion in Notre Dame
Isaid TINT the yearly course OF lenten lectures
from the pulpit OF the great cathedral was only
one-and not by any means the greatest-oI
the means employed to maintain the sway OF
Christian truth and morality over the minds
and lives OF Frenchmen
The first three weeks OF the month OF May.
which have Just ended. have brought together
in the capital OF France all those most distin-
Ruished in tho country by their sition and
their influence. their science and their practi-
cal faith to tako counsel together about saw
ing social order from the wild fanaticism OF the
radical revolutionists and the openly avowed
designs OF the anti-Christian scots. which are
apparently all powerful in the republic.
The yearly General Assembly OF Catholics
has lust been hold under the direction OF Sena-
tor Chesuelong. one Of the most eloquent men
in all Euroue. Among tho very many impor-
tant works pushed forward by this representa-
tive body Of men for the advancement OF social
reform can mention only ono In this letter.
the ombincd and successful effort now made
to secure TO tho working classes the repose OF
Sunday and to the entire nation the obsorv-
ance of tho divine law sanctoninG the Chris
tan Sabbath.
do not remember ever to have heard or
read more mastery. thorough and eloquent
discourse than that of Senator ChesuelonR on
this great subject. 1t was the concluding adj
dress delivered to the annual Assembly or
Congress- and it pointed to the crowning sue
cess which the united labors OF the members
had achieved after years Of Jealous and per-
sisent effort.
The living men of Christian France have not
been waiting for any such international con-
ference as that held the other day at Berlin. by
imperial invitation, to improve and elevate
the condition OF the work ingman and to OBJ
tain from the lords OF industry and commerce
that they shall allow the children Of toll to rest
one day out OF seven. For moro than forty
years. as NJ. Chesuelong reminds his hearers.
the leading Catholics in this country have,
through peace and war and all the changes OF
government. been pursuing the holy purpose
OF obtaining from their rulers and lawgvers
that the Lords Day shall be respected. and
that working folk on that day shall be given
back to the privacy OF their homes, the sancti-
ties and charities OF family life. and the liberty
to open their hearts to the hallowing influences
OF religious faith.
What degree OF success these persistent and
combined endeayors have obtained and what
they still further hope for. must allow the
eloquent President OF this Congress OF Catholics
to explain.
There Ii not o paragraph OF this wonderful
pieoe Of oratory which might not be addressed
to tho most enlightened assembage OF Protes-
tants in New York or in any other OF our great
American cities and with equal benefit to his
hearers and the public. For the truths he ad-
vocates are fundamental. applying to every
condition and phase Of the Christian order.
and tho enemies he combats are those who are
already knocking at the gates OF American
society while more than one sort OF allies are
within ready to aid them in their work OF de-
struction
The law enjoining the repose OF Sunday"
says tho illustrious French statesman. " Is be-
fore and above all one stamped with the macs
ty and grandeur OF divine precept God in
giving TO man in the unity OF His being q
tWofold nature placed him by his soul in rela-
ton with tho superior world where all is i'm
mortal. and by his body in contact with this
earthly world where he has to face. By the ne
cessity of a sad and painful struggle. double
toll. There is the toll OF the soul in the tragic
struggle between duty and passion. in its
progress toward the true and the good that Is.
toward God. There Is the toll OF the body, in
which man uses his intellect and his stout arms
In compelling tho Soil o yield the secrets OF 4 8
iruitfuIness aud In compelling the clements to
disclose the secret OF heir forces A., .,.,,
Tho O. Gator in harmoDIZing the twoloid
order OF this iaior com munded that six DAYS
in the seven should he given to bodily toll. ana
that ono should DO reserved to the ressnerat;;
ing and vivifying labor Of the soul. and devoted
to the worship OF the godhead.
Therefore Is II that the reverence for the
repoSo OF he sunday is not only the sign. Out
the ind speusable manifestation OF tho sacred
ties which unite earth W it'll heaven, man to his
Maker.'i"s which are tho very essence Oh re-
Then. adyertinG to the craving tendency In
France and in almost all Christian countries
to sot aside and violate tho law - the Chris
tim sabbath, the orator indignantly eNclaims:
ITO prolane 81 stemnlicaly and Of set purpose
Sabbath q
pressss it. what else is but TO n make Of nr HIN
that no ono is called unon 10 do Him homage
orto give M day to HIS service Ana Is hot
nial o. His existence
EaThe charm the speakers manner and his
heard him frequent and rapturous applause;
and these hearers were the most cultivated
NJ. ChesUelong then went on to prove that the
law enloining sunday rest wa: social J., law.
1.-The right Of God people say, has had its day
now this sppertnnnated right must give WAY;
This declaration ni practical athei SIN, which
We hear, disguised by u more or les rams
Of our American would bn philosophers, can
not bear the test o! eAaminaiion
modern treethinkers; the. old axiom stands
inlmovable in lis truth. Where God is not ac-
EsS Sssc tsiEG S % Is
shaken 10 ils lounoalIohH' IL nus hel'ner s'"-
This drew forth loud and emphatic aprroba;
ton Aud then came a passage, which won
comnen to the study oil both young and old
In Amcrica-to the young especially who iahfS
whose hands are all tho treasul o. aud boss
ings for which tho heart OF man thirst
"Gentlemen, many questions are discusSot
in our age. But ono risoS high above all othe! =
and on its solution ,depends etthor the preSer
VaIlo., or the ruin OF our country nal franc,
continue 10 BIO. or in some respects Is me tt
become tho prey Of % species OF social alhel' III
based on u material SIN 81 degraded that NJ
scienti.ic disguise can conceal It's hldeOuShess
This, gon lem n, Is the dominating quest
which facos us between our national regenera
ton and the ui,yss.
- policy from which God Is banishe canno
restore us: II can only lend to di-a-tcr ana hu
initiation. Science divorced from religion can
not lit uS M: u can only throw the deluslN'
veil OF "a material progress, without any cor
responding moral progress. over the debase
Inent OF character amOnE us over tho wenken
ing OF all generous Gnergy. oyal the arldty o
our seishnoss Hud the pervcrsy OF our hearts
morality without ,,od cannot elevate US |