The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-05-06

death?"
NO, no, no." he exclaimed. mot
fear of death at all: deeper than that,
higher than that-duty."
Meaning by that-what?"
''That the Frenchman is moved by
pious patriotism. He is pious be-
cause he is patriotic. His civic and
spiritual attitude are akin. And the
attitude, in this crisis, is that of CIV
and to his God his soul. In France
it is not God with u.s. it is We with
God"
And you signify. by that just
what?"
Let us go to the Frenchman him
French are deeply religious, and when
a Frenchman prays to his God he
speaks to Him in person. To his init
mate God he gives devotion; he does
not ask to be given. And as he gives
to France he gives to God, the
postulate being that France is with
God"
| recalled the atmosphere ! had
identified in Notre Dame and the
other churches; and l asked this:
And the symbols which stand be-
tween the worshiper and his intimate
Deity?" .
"They are no longer symbols. The
Frenchman clothes the symbols, and
| it becomes a vision. 1t is no longer
the image; it is the being: it is no
longer inanimate, but incarnate. Come
with me and l will show you the
private soldier in his blue coat and
his red breaches, on his knees at a
| shrine, before Jeanne dare, speaking
with the greatest intimacy to Jeanne
herself not to the image, but to the
saint
'You are speaking of normal men,
! fighting men, soldiers?"
Yes, of soldiers. Here is another
thing. This is Protestant Church.
We keep it open all day long; soldiers
come here singly and in groups, kneel
down and give themselves and France
to the good God. They are Catholics
worshiping in a Protestant Church
They do not inquire as to that: they
do not care. 1t is Gods house. That
is enough"
And the revival is certain and
deep-seated throughout France?"
1T is certain and deep-seated. And
it is marvellous beyond all telling. II
defies measurement and definition. II
| &c hnrn in oil iC IN
the trenches, in the camps, at the
roadside shrines, in the country
churches. In Gironde found the en-
tire population marching in religious
procession, with banners flying
around the walls of the ancien
place, the halt, the lame, the blind
the old men, the women and the chill
, dren. | was a chance visitor ant
the only spectator. Here is a little
pamphlet: Prayers and Songs fo
, the Soldiers 1t is small and cheap
plainly the product of soldiers, bu
with the stamp of genius in ever.
line. Here is prayer for those al
fected by the war, for the soldiers
for the officers, for the patrol, tn
sentinel, those in the trenches, 70
those who wait at home, and this
TO those at home who no longer wait
= Lord, give them hope. Though Their
may be no mound of earth by whic
, they may kneel, there is yet the hear
, of God where living and dead are a
!, ways held. Lord, may they trump
in faith"
: Z "And atheistic France?" l asked.
: politics" said DR.. Watson.
"And what will come of it all?"
The doctors reply was first i
. French. Then he struggled to &c
9 away from the French idiom.
There is something in France thu
n is about to- be born: the life befor
= breath. France is about to give e,
" preston to a new heart impulse an
i a new soul interest. The glory {
E the world this day is France; til
miracle of the world is. France. B,
n lied as an irreligious people, belle
as a decadent race, belied as a pc,
G pie bankrupt of moral force, in tn
: hour of their peril the French shove
n supreme faith in their destiny. Their
G is not nation on earth but woul
be proud to think that it's people
: the hour of danger would bear then
4 selves with such strength, noblenes
v and bravery. And all because Franc
v is first of all one people: natio
o of one life and one love and thu
q love the nation. Therefore Franc
q speaks with one voice: Forward, m
children!"
S At the Front.
Of all those who give testimony q
= to the revival not the least interes
- ing are the clergymen at the from
- This includes Protestant minister
\ and Catholic priests. For, beside
- regular chaplains and noncombata1
- clergy in the hospital service, this We
has fighting priests.
s The air of France is charged wit
r. their narratives, many with tn
flavor of the trench and garrisc
@ hanging to them: soldier stories all
There was Bruchard, the Par
q. Apache. Tough of the toughs; wicke
r beyond redemption; squat, evil-eye
Il red-haired, scorbutic Bruchard, scul
q of the slums! He went to the wa
,s All the Apaches went to war. Or
morning, in the dark with til
stars still bright, Bruchard crept I
4 the line of the camp and sale