The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-11-03
Apologies To The Victor Talking Machine Company

In France as among Catholic ey- anywhere the observance of All Saints Day is based on the belief that de- parted souls soiled with the stain of veniaI sin remain for time in
 place of expiation, where they suffer such punishment as their offences mer- it. It is a matter of faith that these suffering souls may be relieved by the intercession of the saints in heaven, when moved to compassion by the prayers of the faithful on earth. To pray for the dead becomes an act both of pfety and charity. St. Odilo, abbot of C1uny, established the fes- tival, which was soon adopted by the whole western church. That France is losing it's belief in Christianity and in immortality, with a consequent decrease in the number
 of those who visit the cemeteries on , the second of November to pray for the release of souls from purgatury, Is alleged by the opponents of the
 republic to be due to the hostility 1 of the government, and especially the 1 education officials, to revealed relig- 1 ion. As the twig is bent applies 1 with especial force to the subject of religion. Few people, whether Cat11o-
 lie or Protestant, Moslen or Buddist, or of whatever faith, but are induenc- l ed for life by the religious instruction
 received in youth. The school books 1 used in French public schools offer
 scant encouragement to belief in
 any form of supernatural religion.
 ''No belief concerning God, the or
 igin of the world, the origin or des- l tiny of man, can be accepted by l thinking people, says one text book;
 .'aIl that we can do in these matters
 is to smake suppositions' Says an other: Religion is founded upon fear
 and upon .unverihable hypothesis.'' and adds that the only rational immortal 1 ity is "the continuance of our mem ory in the minds of those who loved us.''
 A French reader of 1898 contained
 story of two children who uttered 1 a prayer before retiring The same
 story was used in a book published l five years ago, but with the reference to prayer expunged. ttThe beauties of nature must raise our thoughts to-
 ward God'' was reprinted in a later edition with the last two words of the
 sentence omitted. My rich brother with idle hands, I am a son of God
 as much as you,'' is revised to read, E'I am man not less than you.' On the whole the French school books are purely secular, without positive ami mus against religion, but in one book may be found this declaration: :~rhe Gospels contain moral conceptions which shock the modern conscience ] A feature of the observance of La Fete des Morts in Paris is the annual
 pilgrfmange to the animal cemetery 1 on an island in the Seine. Hundreds of nourners go there to weep over the graves of departed cats, dogs,
 horses and other amin. als. The last
 resting place for dead pets contains
 many magnificent and costly tonbs.
 The epitaphs are both pathetic and
 amusing The tomb of a dog bears
 the inscription: "If my soul cannot
 join yours, do not wish for saliva ton without theei''
 In a little hut on the shores of ake
 Winnipeg, Manitoba. Vilhjalmur Ste
 fanason was born thirty-four years ago today The distinguished TceIandic- Canadian explorer, young as he is, has
 already added vastly to the world s
 knowledge of the Far North and it's people. and the expedition on which he is now engaged may enable him to write the last important chapter in the story of geographical discovery.
 Whatever of hardships may confront
 the Stefansson party in those un- known regions bordering on the north pole, they will hardly be wore than
 the leader of the expedition has al-
 ready. experienced. Stefansson was still a babe in arms when a famine swept over the then bleak and sparse ly settled Manitoba, and hundreds of people, especially children, succumbed to starvation. Among the victims were two of the StefansSon children, but the infant Vi1hja1mur survived. He lived
 through a winter when the tempera-
 ture reached fifty below zero. With
 the coming of spring the Stefanssons, who had enigrated to Manitoba from Iceland shortly before ViIhjalnur's
 birth fled before the spectre of want and settled in North Dakota Ten years ago Vi1hjalmur graduated from | the University of Iowa enF then Fe