Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-01-19
,,,,s TO Rebuild Churches.

. Of foreign news but its deep
'0'-. ..,;scance ought TO be noted and
is ..,,rs for its great cathedral Gel
50. &C the chief wool market OF
co. e.os and the center of champagne
4,.,ion. renowned for lbs oosti-
heroic resistance and suffering
49,. the World War, the city OF
80 stands out as a type OF French
:. Industry and patriotism. A hum
49,, thousand people lived and labored
49,. before the war; about 1000 OF
- we're Protestant. when Fralce
invaded all the ablebodied men
80. drawn into the army defense, and
-. res, of the inhabitants. old men,
a, and children, were scattered
"a. and wide, or driven underground
-. -sfupe in the vast caves" in the
..,. rock which underlies the city.
+, these subterranean asylums the
domi,able remnant found shelter for
,s,r wears, while their homes overhead
x,r. wrecked BY continued cruel
s,oseless commandment. Underground
"a. children Of those dark years were
harm and nursed, brave little schools
we're carried on, and divine worship
vas conducted. All this ruin in the
daylight and distress in the dark were
urt Of the price that Franco paid to
save mankind from the menace of the
Hshenzollern sword.
Every shell that made its barbar-
Gus mark on the beauty Of the cathe-
dial awakened an echo OF resentment
ia the heard of the civilized world
But there were other deeds Of de-
snucton wrought by the invaders
which, though less known, were no les.
deserving Of Just and humane indig-
nation. The Protestant church n
Rheims, the beloved "house Of prayer"
fsr laborious community Of the de-
sSndants Of the Hugenots, was not
serely marred and broken, but utterly
destroyed; and with it the modest par
sSnage and the indispensable Young
Mems Christian Association building
went down in total ruin under the
ruthless fire of the enemy.
Now the tempest has passed. The
refugees have returned to Rheims.
ready TO revive their city's life. The
Sthocs are repairing the great cathe-
dfal The PrOtestants, who we're among
he first to come back, are keeping ND
slr Fellowship and their simple wor-
sap in wooden barrack, and maxim.
generous offerings to rebuild their
suse OF prayer, Out Of their poverty
ey have gathered $4,000 francs. and
oends have contributed 100000 more
" october q they laid the corner
'"ne OF their new church, q fitting
su''fuI eommodious edifee, which i,
L rise like shrine OF reuenbran..
Ute very site where the old church
nr its martydrom.
american thank-offerinss have help
IN This revival. But to complete
RESTORATION there is need Of some
ing more Besides the church, and
iepIae the destroyed Young.
gus Cnristan Association buildio,
ere must be a model parish h.u.e
equipped with rooms for the Sun
Ny School end for the yeun, men.
~ Young women's associ.ti.n.
". 6, meetings, boys cluhs and a.
A. , s"ou q contain both q library
a gymnasium; in effect /, .bou,d
",su LOT the social work Of q mod.
. .a in an ancient city, revived
Il. "''ns oravely after he bitter
VI war. A hundred tssu,,>s
: ,h; Will do it. Such q ,uil1i.,
. 49,, sOu'a be a noble sae..ris,
any of those fine, forvsrd.l..t;"a
,s boys who gave their ,iHes
Nsnce. '''e''y on the soil Of
No., ,"'ss'ant Christians in the limited
ro t' 90 not fully appreci.,. 49,
!. '[ dn. he Pro'estants Of Franc. .u,.,,
!. during dung the war nor how we'll ' ,hev
.sv '', ns t, their duty under tineu ts,
.uo me Evangelical Reformed gym
/. +s...a % were Partially wrecked and
n, I I;,. To meet the increase. d
live " ,,; ayInF these French prot... 900 ~.
hon I i ooa II, their annual church b"ds.,
M il | wv, francs in 1912 :. , ooo
X. N 5on 1920 At the same t 10 800 ,hs-
york. o oaSs their foreign mi.. S a.ry
1914 a' va from eoo,ooo ,', r1ass.
'~ple an, TO 10000 in 1see. rb.ss