The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-26
CHURCH CONSIDERS
MARINE MIRACLE
French Victory Subject of Dis
pute Between Clericals
and Opponents.
ANNIVERSARY OBSERVED
Special Correspopdepce To Tar SrN.

EUSFfVf OFFCsUOHTCNfC 10 lHE 81 "
PARIS, Sept. s.-The anniversary of
the opening OF the battle OF the Marine
passed more quietly than had been ex-
pscted. doubtless because the Govern
mem from motives which are not clear.
prohibited official demonstrations. Tho
clerical newspapers make II out that
the Governments refusal to sanction
any celebration was due to the fact that
the first requests for permits to demon
strate came from church authorities.
The Governments attitude more prob
ably Is due to "A conviction that II would
be III timed to celebrate the single. inn
portant victory OF the war so long as
the enemy is still on French soil. Con-
slderatlon for What the front" would
think about such "A celebration was also
doubtless u factor. as well as the pos
sibility of a hostile air raid interruptlng
the ceremonies that the Bishop of Meaux
had proposed for execution on the part
Of the battlefield lying near his town.
II had been proposed that Maurice
Barres should speak to the League Of
Patriots at Nilleroy. Instead there was
simply "A religious ceremony at the
Meaux Cathedral. followed by an infor-
NAL pilgrimage of the faithful to such
collections Of graves as lie near the
town.
The chief interest attached to the GER
emory was the further outlining Of the
Church's official Interpretation of the
victory az a miracle. "A matter which has
been the subject OF dispute and no small
amount OF Socialist ridicule ever since
the battle was fought. In general the
Roman Catholic world has held to its
Interpretation consistently throughout
the campaign. the catholic Journal La
Croir. for example. constantly account
ing for small as well as great successes
In pious terms.
So Mgr. Gibier accounted again for
the victory Of the Marine. Despite all
technical military explanations Of the
battle. he said. there remained a strong
element of mystery, which was Gods
part. The German armies had the
French armies beaten. and to those wis
saw the situation from Meaux Cathedral
at the opening of September "A year ago
Il appeared clearly that by all the laws
OF man and OF the physical universe the
French would be defeated. The ele-
ment which lnterfered to turn aside the
natural operation Of physical forces was
divine. Worldwide civilization. said
Mgr. G;ibier. was with France against
Teutonlr barbaiisn. but this barbarlsm
had in its favor a frank superiority in
numbers, In material. in past success.
In trickinsss and spying. and In general
~ w. III dllh WtNtlpu. Sul'ltlllN
God interfered. Mgr. Gibier does not
hold that lie interferrd directly by
changing the laws of nature. suspending
OF physical laws for the time being,
by changing the degree Of the bravery
or the opposed troops or the talents of
the Generals. but rather Indirectly. in
a fashion that mans intelligence can
never grasp. by limiting the very capa-
cities OF the human struggling elements.
The worldly ones i'm
france reject this Interpretation, only
n relatively small number Of extremely
nlous persons accepting it. The rcpuh-
mean and socialist publics ridicule IL
openly. such business Is naturally dis
agreeable to the Government religion,
neutrality-or open lack Of religion as
the clericals will have it-and 1t is con-
c~eivable that II was partly out of regard
lot socialist boots At the revival pf
TINS ancient philosophical difficulty over
IN" ways of Go with man that the
larger celebration of the victory was
not permitted.
'ieIlgIous discussion aside, Mgr. Gil
piers speech. for 1t was not n sermon.
was a remarkable piece OF patriotic elo-
quence, worthy OF delivery in the cathe-
dral where lies all that is mortal OF
Bossuet. His reference 10 the fate
which had fallen to sister cathedrals
at Rheims, Scissors and Arras within
range Of German heavy artillery, evoked
deep emotion.
There were many touching incidents
during the Informal visit to n~eighboring
groups OF graves which followed the
cathedral service. At Barcy were sew
eral members OF the great fighting fam
lily of d'urbal. to decorate the grave of
Major dCrbal, brother OF the General,
whose two remaining middle aged broth