New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-22

they would become contaminated by the sn,a,
Of atheism that porvaded the country at thar
time and which was especially prevalent anonS
government officials. civil as well as mlltary
These apprehensions have not been in any vav
realized. Instead Of the seminarists hayin.
given way to temptation and permitted them.
selves 10 be influenced by the sometimes ques.
tiOnabl character Of their surroundings thev
on the contrary have subjugated their comrads..
in arms. vastly increasing religious feelines
throughout the army The attempt TO injure III
priesthood by depriving the postulants Of ma
military and civil immunities which they FOR.
merly enjoyed has merely had the effect OF in.
creasing among the troops the respect for thinqs
sacred and adding 10 the influence Of the Church
The first seminarists who joined the colors after
the law entered into force expected 10 be subjected
70 n great deal OF persecution haZing and rid,
Guile on the part Of their messmates, and II re-.
member Alright. prayers were even offered I'd
at the tine in many churches invoking the heln
Of Providence to assist them 10 bear the trial.
that IL was feared were awaiting them They
agreeably disappointed however, and espe.
cially in the pYvinces-where the reg ments are
composed principally OF peasants and members
Of the petite bOurgeo,sie-they were treated with
the utmost consideration and regard Their com.
rades seemed to appreciate the fact that by-and.
by the semnarist would become Monsieur 10
Cure" the priest who would bless their mar.
rage confess their children and read the burial
service over the remains Of those whom they
loved and mourncd. No one. therefore made
any attempt 10 annoy them, and II perhaps
der recruited from the urban districts had at.
tempted TO behave badly to these as yet In.
consecrated priests ne would quickly have been
reduced TO proper order by his peasant fellowa
Realizing that. as a rule these theological stu.
dents have received far more elaborate educa.
ton than they. the soldiers are wont 70 come 10
them for advice 10 ask them to undertake their
correspondence and help them out OF difficulties
When in the evening they the seminarist
kneeing down by his bedside In the dormitoy
and saying his prayers. not one would venture 10
tnterrupt him: many, indeed follow his example
and kneel. too, while on Sunday morning still
larger number may BE- found following him 10
mass And with all that these soldier priests,
II | may be permitted to call them so. are from
a military point OF view the best men in the
regiment the most reliable and the most submis.
sive TO discipline. This being the case. the on.
GERS view with satisfaction their quiet propa.
ganda feeling convinced that II cannot but ele-
vate the moral tone Of the troops This increase
Of religious sentiment in the army has been
especially noticeable during the las, fortnight,
in connection with the various services celebrated
throughout France in memory Of the late Pres.
dent They were attended not only by all the
ecclesiastical and civilian authorities Of the sev.
eral localities. but also by the military element.
on che other hand. the young priests do not seem
to suffer from having been forced 70 serve FOR
a time in the army as II helps 70 give them
IN bits Of discipline and knowledge of humanity
and Of the world most useful 70 them In the
subsequent exercise Of their sacred mission and
which they could never have acquired by mere
study