Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-27

Corrcspondcnt Of the EVENING
LErGER in France
PARIS, April II.
QUITE excluding the many in Belgium,
VI in northern France alone three hum
dred and twenty-aeven village churches
have been entirely destroyed by the Ger
mans | have not only seen some person
ally, but have examined official photo
graphs of each and every ruin, and can
affirm both the total and the destruction
as without an ota Of cxaggeration.
BY village church" ! do not mean in
any instance. and therefore do not include,
places of Worship in towns.or cities Of even
relative numerical Importance; but the
simple, modest religious sanctuary OF the
"paysan." the farmer. the tiller of the soil
tho consccrated house Of prayer where
gathered small congregations within %2'
areas Of from Dne to twenty kilOmotcrS
about &27 centers.
These 327 village churches were modest
and without ronown. Yet they we're
uuaintly beautiful in great part of ancient
piotis usage devoted i'm many instances for
three centuries to the constant worship of
God They were quiet sanctuaries contain-
ing family records. records Of birth. hap-
tI-m. marriage and death the cN-votos of
gratitude. commcmorations Of festival and
sorrow. tho stories in the life history Of
generation after generation Of the same
line: for all over lovely France there ar"
families living whore their ancestors settled
centuries before
Simple and unheraldod as it was, the
village church Of northern France was
thus not only a holy thing full of ancient
recording ana tradition, but the most be-
loved and uretcutious building III many an
Industrious. home-loving, God-fearinc COM
munity towering always far above the
modest picturesque houses and cottages
about IT, vet always very lowly in stature
notwithstanding.
The Angelus Will Sound No More
The bell in its tower had sounded the
Angclus from "a great while since" the
Angclus heard afar in bectfield and vine
yard waited for as a daily part of many
simple. beautiful pous life, when the
laborer hoe in hand. ceased toll for mo-
mcnt. made the sign of the cross, and
bowed head in prayer. He had been hap-
tized beneath the tower in which it hung,
it had rung his marriage peal it would
toll at his burial as it had for his fathers
before him. as it would for his children
after him.
Monsieur lc cure was godfather to him,
as another Monsieur le cure had been to
those before him, still another might he
to those coming after him. aiding in coun-
sci. solacing in suffering. seated at the place
of honor at the wedding breakfast, presid-
ing in priestly robe at the end which
cometh TO ALL
So in the destruction Of village churches
in northern France. the Germans de-
stroyed more than ancient grayinG stone
and the beautiful evidences of Catholic
piety and faith within, more than the some
times marvellous ancient glass, the often
valuable paintings and objects of ecclesias-
tical art the marbles and seulptured clay,
| the always beautiful and varied stations
| of the cross For these after all, had II
material side. visible to the eye responsive
| to the touch, as had the long-lined sacred
| written records Of life and death of a
whole community. "A far wide countryside.
Tablets were destroyed too; tablets in
| =, - ,t,. ,,,.,i.h ard hrigbter IN
| u'' "'''''''S '""' ''' ,''''
| living contact with the altaf "heIe "or'
shped the dear, dear dead of long ago and
.-,
VI E'''''"'''
There is not province III ho''ileIn
France that has not been so desecrated and
| ,,ruo,ra
'', ,- ,, ~,
| WIN u'eHe ui'i'dh'en 'h"' 'h'S' az an WIN
| read know, have been destroyed more pre-
| tentious pIaces of Worship in towns and
| , tit, a., i.t,., ,,ot,od,oI -,
| hl'o' ''''e'' NV ""e''E ~
| ArraS, of which Victor Hugo mas written