Early Work in Paris — Belleville — Letters and Journals
THE narrative of his early work can best be given in the words of Mrs. Dodds, without embellishment. It carries the reader at once into the heart of the Mission and its peculiar operations. It sets the reader down in the centre of the field and, bidding him look round, describes its different lights and shadows.
There is something very cheery about the first words; and very bright is the first scene as it broke upon the view of the young missionary. The sunshine that rested on his arrival seemed like a promise of long years of gladness and blessing. The contrast between the Belleville noise and din, in the midst of which he arrived, and the Buisson solitude in which he departed five years after, is sorrowful; and would be far more so were it not that he passed out of weariness into rest, out of a
wilderness into the society of the great multitude that no man can number, — some of them the poor ouvriers whom he had loved, and taught on earth the way to heaven.
Into the very heart of the work he throws himself at once. The doors are wide; the stations are ready; the eyes and ears are open; no priests nor prefets to hinder; no opposition, nor even indifference. He begins on the very night of his arrival; and though at first he hardly trusts himself to address without written preparation, he finds very soon that he can completely command the language and be listened to as if he were a Frenchman.
The difference between such an immediate entry on work, and the years of laborious study which our foreign missionaries have to undergo is very noticeable. When one reads the narrative of Brainerd or Morrison, or Carey or Judson, he cannot help being deeply touched with the solitary and arduous studies of these noble men in acquiring the new language, and the patience with which they plodded on till they were able to speak ever afterwards to their hearers; trying to conduct their private devotions in the language of their adopted country, and so step by step to acquire facility of speech in the Chinese or the Burman. This long, weary, patient preparatory study has often struck us as one of the most telling proofs of their devote dn ess.
Eaidy Work in Paris. 175
In Mr. Dodds’ case all this labour was unneeded. He could begin without delay.
Mr. Dodds left Edinburgh in the end of October, 1877, with his wife and one baby, accompanied also by his youngest sister. For the description of the commencement of the work we prefer giving Mrs. Dodds’ narrative to our own: —
“Breaking the journey by a night or two in London in the ever-hospitable house of the late lamented Mr. James Watson, and by a night at Boulogne, we went on to Paris on 1st November, reaching it late in the afternoon. It was a pleasant day’s journey — a day of golden ‘Indian summer,’ belonging to November only in name; — and the calm sunshine without seemed but an emblem of the hope in our hearts as we flitted past the autumntinted fields and woods of France. Travelling in a slow train, we had abundant opportunities for observation, and found an interest which was more than curiosity, in watching the new comers at every station, — the neat peasant women with their pretty white caps and tidy shawls, and the oddly dressed babies, and the men who took our tracts with such profuse expressions of politeness. To such as these we had come to carry the Gospel.
“The station reached, kind Mrs. M’AU met us and saved us from bewilderment. Belleville seemed a long way ofi”, quite a new journey, but it was reached at last, and a comfortable English tea found waiting for us in our own house, 6 Eue des Fetes. Not long afterwards Mr. M’All came in, and the first meeting took place between these two, who so quickly became near and dear friends, as well as colleagues. Responding eagerly to Mr. M’AU’s invitation, Mr. Dodds went out with him to one of the meetings, not in a very distant quarter — I think that in the Rue d’Allemagne. This was the first of many nights spent in the same way.”
From letter of Mrs. Dodds’: —
“nd, Novemher. — To-night they have gone a long way. He does not need to go, and of course does not yet take part; but he is so much interested, and likes to hear.
“We all went into the bureau (in our house) at half-past eleven this forenoon for a few minutes of prayer before business began, and thus we met the other workers. Mr, M’All and another gave thanks for our having been sent. We felt it most touching.”
Mrs. Dodds’ narrative proceeds: —
“A very pleasant time followed, one in which we made many new friends who soon grew to be old and dear friends. The days were spent in the many adventures incidental to * settling down,’ making new discoveries in many things; finding or losing our way about the streets, and getting initiated into the mysteries of that most intricate system of omnibus * correspondence ‘; making odd and humiliating mistakes in the language, which, like other foreigners, we found we did not know so well as we thought we did.”
Here is Mr. Dodds’ first letter to myself from his
new abode: —
“6 EuE DEs Fetes, Belleville, Paris,
Friday, Qth November 1877.
“My Dear Dr. Bonar, — It is difficult to get time to write, we are still so unsettled, and our luggage has not yet come; and when it does come the books must go to the Ministere de I’lnterieure to be examined, lest they should be immoral!
“I have been at six of the stations, that is one each night since I came (the Saturdays are free); and though they are crowded and close, and the going out to the open air is a considerable change of temperature, I have never had the least touch of the enemy — ague or influenza. M. and I feel that our mouths should be filled with His praise and honour all the day long;
Ea7dy Wo7^k in Pa^Hs. 177
we know not the numbers of His righteousness, and salvation, and loving care of us all. The work here is wonderful, and the spiritual results are before one’s eyes; one meets with most striking proofs of it everywhere. To find Mr. M’All stopped on the street (as he was yesterday when I was with him) and asked by a woman earnestly to visit a family in distress through illness, is only one feature, and less remarkable far than the frequent awakenings and decided conversions one hears of. I heard of one yesterday. One of the workers was standing at a book-stall looking at some books, when a young man came up to him and made a remark about the book he was looking at, and then said, ‘I know you; I have heard you at the reunions. My father was passing the door of the Belleville Salle de Conferences, and the doorkeeper handed him a notice of the meetings. He had not time to go in, and went home; then he took the bill out of his pocket and said to his family. This was given me; it looks like something new.’ So they went, and the result has been that several of the family have accepted Christ. The young man is now a member of the meeting for prayer held in the Belleville station, and composed mostly of the young men who have been awakened lately. I went yesterday to the opening of the Protestant College, removed from Strasbourg to Paris. M. Lichtenberger opened the meeting, and I liked him; but M. Sabatier, who followed, and gave an introductory lecture on Biblical Criticism, I do not like at all. He is Broad, and almost a Eationalist, and seemed to take a particular pleasure in showing and enumerating the MS. variations in the text, and the passages which he said had been inserted. It is a pity that the students of the three French Churches are to be under such training, but I fear that M. Sabatier is only one of the many heterodox men who are so strong in the Reformed and Lutheran Churches.
“I must stop. M. and I are going out to the weekly prayer meeting of all the workers. We meet here every morning for
N prayer and business, but once a-week also specially. Mr. Saillens lives in this house; he has rendered many of the hymns in French, and they are remarkably well done.”
“6 EuE DES Fetes, ^i’h Novemheo’, 1877. “We are gradually settling down after many amusing distractions. The discomforts partake a good deal of romance, but they won’t go on long now. I am beginning to find my way to the stations, and went alone last night to one and presided there. How heartily they sing, and how eagerly they listen. They are most deeply touched by the kindness shown them.”
I continue Mrs. Dodds’ narrative: —
“A few sight-seeing excursions were planned just at first, but all these things soon gave way in the absorbing interest of the work.
“‘I wonder why I am always sent to such distant stations,’ was the occasional remark for the first week or two; not at all in the spirit of discontent, but just as a matter of surprise. Then he began to understand that one who should confine himself to stations at hand would do very little work indeed. But to set out to find Grenelle from Belleville, alone, on a dark night, was like making a voyage of discovery in Africa. To hit the right omnibus amid the babble of strange talk was no easy matter; and if that happened to be full, the hapless traveller had to use his wits to discover what to do next. At shortest, it was a journey of nearly an hour and a-half each way. Soon these first difficulties grew easy, and the strange names — Grenelle, Yaugirard, Gare d’lvry — began to represent, not unknown points in the wilderness of streets, but little knots of human souls, whose surroundings and temptations began to be understood by their teacher, and whose spiritual histories.
Early Work in Paris. 1 79
whether still witnesses to the darkness and ignorance of the past, or touched by the dawn of a new sunshine, were more interesting than anything else in Paris.
“Grenelle, Ivry — what remembrances do these names awaken now! They were among the stations to which he was sent at first, and to which he adhered to the very end. To other mlUs he might go more or less often, as was convenient; to these he was as the pastor of a flock. Only illness or absence could prevent his appearance at Grenelle on Sunday night, and at Ivry, first on Monday, but afterwards on Thursday. There he watched spiritual interest growing and deepening, till he felt sure a great work of the Spirit was at hand. There, during his last year, he made his first experiment of after-meetings, from which he hoped much.
“I do not mean that his interest in other stations was less deep. Rivoli, the Salle Evangelique, and latterly St. Honor, are sacred names now to many who remember him there. Still, the audiences were different; and while a few might be known to him as inquirers or newly-converted ones, it ‘was not possible for him to get acquainted with the whole little community, as he could in Grenelle and Ivry. The only other meeting for which he had this Jiome feeling was his little German meeting in Eue d’Allemagne.”
Another letter of Mr. Dodds makes intimation of his progress, and describes the nature of his work. The picture will be a representative one; and from it the reader will get an insight into the peculiar ways of proceeding carried out in these strange meetings by new but earnest speakers.
“6 Rue des Fetes, 20th November, 1877.” My Dear L. — I went alone last night to Menilmontant station and presided! This duty consists in opening the meeting, reading each verse of the hymns before they are sung, reading part of a chapter, and sometimes also a piece from a book, or something of one’s own, but I have attempted that only once at Belleville. Then I introduce the speakers by saying,
* M. prendra la parole,’ and close with a ‘Soyez tons les
bienvenues chers amis dans cette salle,’ and then intimate the meetings. I then go to the door and say no end of ‘Bon soir, monsieur; bon soir, madame,’ and shake hands with all sorts of ouvriers and ouvrieres. I’ve two meetings on Sunday.
“There is the funny aspect of things, but the work is deep and lasting. It is most wonderful, and such a sight, to see the eager, happy faces drinking in the truth and singing with all their heart. There is one helper who speaks French with a perfect torrent of words, he spoke the other night all the way from the platform to his seat and sat down speaking.”
“6 Rue des Fetes, Z^lli November, 1877. (To HIS Father and Mother.) —” I wonder when this French crisis is to end; one begins to realise that the same contest is going on here as was experienced in Britain during Charles I.’s reign. There are signs that MacMahon may yield, though it will be Rome in reality, represented by Madame MacMahon and her ’ directeur spirituel,’ or ‘Jesuit confessor,’ who will find it necessary to retire. Meanwhile there are about three hundred thousand people without work in Paris, and the people here know and feel bitterly that it is the conduct of MacMahon. The stories one hears are dreadful of poverty and sickness; — and we can do so little. I am getting to know the people in some of the stations, and think of taking a Bible-class soon, perhaps at Menilmontant, which is quite near. I have not had much time to prepare addresses, but, when I have not, I read pieces from books, &c., of which they are very fond. I read a piece from a tract of Ryle’s, * How to Read the Bible,’ one evening
Early Work in Paris. lately; one could have heard a pin drop, these things are quite new to them. I gave them an account of the Free Breakfast in Edinburgh, which seemed to interest them very much. The other night I had no paper and was forced to speak from memory, and as words came, I daresay this is the best practice one could have. I very generally preside, besides speaking, and get through that quite easily, though that entails going to the door at the end of the reunion and saying countless bon soirs, madame — monsieur; so that one’s hand is generally very stiff after the Guvriers are done with you. I wish you heard the hymns sung, it is splendid, hearty, well-timed singing; sometimes the people will remain for a quarter of an hour to practise the hymns, they are just such as are needed. The French hymn-books are too devotional. We need such hymns as tell the Gospel story, and have got them in ‘Rock of Ages;” Jesus mis mort pour moi; ’ and ‘The great physician now is near;” Venez, coeurs souffrants et meurtris, au Medecin de Tame.’”
I resume the narrative: —
“At the time of Mr. Dodds’ arrival, the Mission was just passing, or had passed out of its early stage. It sounded curious to the new-comers to hear the stories of these early times, when the little band of workers went round together to each of the three or four meetings, — carrying their bundle of hymn-books from one to the other, — in their spare hours covering books, and lending them; Mr. and Mrs. M’All being the fountain from which all flowed, and to which all returned. Now the meetings had grown from four to twenty. Mr. and Mrs. M’All could not be everywhere. The unfettered lending and giving of books would be ruinous. Division of labour and organisation were imperatively needed.
“Mr. Dodds’ first work, while his ear and tongue were growing familiar with the language, was to organise the lending libraries, by allotting a few carefully numbered books to each station, and appointing some individual in charge. The headquarters were in his own house, where the erection of bookshelves and pigeon-holes gave opportunities for acquaintance with the Belleville ouvrier at work, — his Eepublican freedom of speech, — his quick-wittedness and general acquaintance with the surface of all topics, — occasionally his perfunctoriness and want of seriousness. It was at the time when MacMahon’s government was causing much discontent, and many a conversation was held on the subject with these men, — for every Parisian is a politician. On one thing they were determined, — times were bad, — Government was to blame; but be that as it might, they would not rise. They were tired of being shot down. They would not be shot again. And so it passed. For the first time, perhaps, in French history, patience won a victory; and the people were contented.
“Besides the lending libraries, the supply of tracts given away had to be regulated, and confusion avoided by marking where each tract had been already given, that it might not be repeated. For many reasons a new supply of interesting tracts was urgently required. Grants were allowed by several societies which needed to be carefully managed. Mr. Dodds soon made himself acquainted with all the books on the lists, and got to know how the people regarded them. He soon found out that many a good theological tract is useless to those people, and that many a little book enjoyed in England loses its charm when translated into French, unless the translator can throw the French spirit into his work. He set to work, then, to procure new original tracts, and new translations from those able to furnish them. This led him soon into a very extensive correspondence.
“Besides the literary work, — the mere details of the bureau’ were growing extensively: Arrival and distribution of large boxes, — journeys to the * douane,’ or the bank, — arrangements
Early Work in Pa’is. 18 about printing and paper, — constant minute business details fell to be attended to. By nature these things were irksome to him, yet he regarded them as a necessary part of the work he had come to do, and entered into them with all his heart. All this, however, was more manageable while the work was confined to Paris itself. Each new town added to the Mission meant not only new workers to be provided, but new libraries to be worked, great railway packages to be sent off for Lyons, Bordeaux, &c. All this Mr. Dodds kept in his own hands, — with his sister’s help, — until Mr. Greig joined the work, when the daily details devolved on him. But the arrangements for new publications were always one of his chief concerns. In the midst of his press of work he was able to keep his eyes open for new books, — not only in French or English, but in other languages, — and to press the best into the service. He seemed to know by instinct when a suitable work appeared, or who could write one.”
But this has carried us too far on. We return to quote from one or two letters of the first spring after his settlement in Paris.
Writing to his friend, the Rev. H. G. Shepherd of Cambuslang, at this time, he says: —
“I have just returned from a meeting miles from this — Gare d’lvry — one of the lowest quarters of the town. I go every Monday evening. It is a deeply interesting station. Generally I have about a hundred, often over it. The sound of the Gospel was never heard there before, and the people who come to hear it were once accustomed to the cafe, concert, and low ball-room. There is a wonderful transformation being already brought about on the people’s outward character. I read my addresses; it will be some time ere I have enough fluency to speak extempore; any address I can follow now very easily. I am at a meeting every night except Saturday, two on Sunday, and you may imagine I have enough to do. Besides I have the charge of the central library and of those of the several stations, and what with getting them put in proper order, — for there was no proper librarian before, and every one did whatever pleased himself, or rather herself, — and learning my work, and corresponding on mission business, I have had my time very fully occupied.”
We quote without remark the following letters, so illustrative of the nature of the work and the spirit of the workers, though they are somewhat abrupt and fragmentary: —
“Xe 2me FevrieVf 1878. — I thought you would like to see our hymn-book; you will recognise Sankey’s by the tunes. Many of them are Mr. M’All’s work. The first thing he did was to learn to write French poetry, and he has succeeded so well, and taught the Gospel in them. It is a splendid sight to see the regular ouvriers, who come in hundreds to the Faubourg St. Antoine Station singing these hymns. Their lips were once accustomed only to the more than ribald songs of the cafe-concert — now they pass the theatres and ball-rooms, brilliantly lighted up as they are, and crowd our stations. At one station there are three blind men who come; they know the hymns by heart. I have just got a grant of 25,000 tracts-rhow soon they will disappear. Rivoli Station is open every night. If you saw the numbers of men that come there in that splendid street! The tracts go off by hundreds. However, I expect the grant of another 5000, and 10,000 Gospel portions,
and shall be pretty well off. I wonder at Mr. letting that
young man be settled in a French Roman Catholic family — perhaps of no religion whatever; he will be exposed to countless temptations. It is a sin to put a young man in such a position, and it is aiding sin to have anything to do with it.”
“6 EuE DES Fetes, Belleville, Monday, lOth February, 1878. “My Dear Mrs. Bonar, — We were at the M’ All’s on Saturday night, and the letters came in from post. Mr. M’All opened one and read — ‘I regret that, owing to the non-arrival of Dr. T. from Kome, I must fall back upon you, or through you, your friend Mr. Dodds, to supply the pulpit in the American church to-morrow. — Yours, &c.’ Blank dismay on all faces. I said I thought I might manage it. Mr. M’All said gravely — * You must consider it,’ and handed me the note to read. We discussed the difficulty letter in hand, and so willing was I to believe it that it was some time ere I noticed that it was a letter announcing a cheque for 500 francs! Mr. M’AII had been amusing himself at our expense; the cause of his being in such a funny mood was the arrival of this cheque, and of the Edinburgh one for ^195, which letter he also tried to palm off on us as a telegram announcing the failure of one of the speakers. Of course we had a considerable amount of laughing, but mostly of real joy and thankfulness to our bountiful God and Father for such a gift. We were just beginning to be in difficulties; the balance was nearly exhausted, and the Salle Evangelique and its expenses looming in the distance; and so, during the past few days, just when we were most in need, we have had sent to us nearly ^300. Another subscription of £100 came in from London; it came through a chance meeting of two friends in London with a French pastor; the Mission was spoken of and the <£100 came. You said read Ps. ciii. That was my Psalm from Sunday last — at least, the first verse, — and I had printed it in my journal in Hebrew at the end of my account of Sunday’s work. I had just heard of the decided conversion of a woman at Grenelle. She has broken with the Koman Catholic Church, not being able to go there any longer. She said; * La lutte a ete longue, mais c’est terminee maintenant.’* The
* “This was our old servant, ‘Fanny.’ She went home about a other thing which gave me joy was the discovery that my words on that Sunday evening had been directed by the Spirit specially for a man and his whole family who had come there, his wife for the first time. The man was in great distress and remorse, and had been living in sin, and Mdme. Jouey had been praying for some word to be directed to him that evening about the need of the new birth, and she was struck on hearing me announce the need of conversion as my subject, and especially the text, * Si vous ne vous convertissez pas, vous perirez tons.* So you see we had reason to say ‘Bless the Lord, 0 my soul.’”
To his brother: —
“6 Rue des Fetes, 14i/fc Marc 18V8.
“For myself, I am not learning fluent conversational French so quickly as I should like, partly because I have had a great deal to do in arranging the library and other business, and partly because one hears so many strange accents in the meetings; the people speak most indistinct French, and it will require some time to understand them perfectly. I can follow any speaker now, and have addressed meetings of every kind, but I always have my notes with me. In the French language there are a great many delicate shades of meaning and niceties of phrase, and these can only be learned by practice. I can follow a speaker without exertion, but there is always an exertion of thinking when I speak in French, excepting the commonest phrases.
“Our work is very great, when one considers these twenty-two stations and more than one hundred meetings a-week
year ago, having shown in illness, feebleness, and want, the most cheerful spirit of confidence in God I ever saw — talking to all around her of her Saviour — labouring to bring them to the meetings, — offering to read the Bible to them; — and not without many instances of success.” altogether in them; — and then the rent for them all: the Salle Evanglique, which is to be close to the Exhibition, will entail a great deal of additional expense. My library is now organised, and I am not so busy with it; but correspondence, and addresses to prepare, which I hardly got done before, fill up the time.”
“14i/fc March 1878. — I forgot to say that Ulfilas is stuck; the only thing I have done to it was to deliver the enclosed lecture. I had a large audience, who seemed much delighted with the novelty of the subject. I have hardly had even time to regret my not having touched it, so you maij imagine how busy I have been. Now that I am well acquainted with my work, and have completed the organisation of the library, I have some hopes, though these are faint enough, of getting something done. I don’t intend relinquishing it, — my only fear is lest some one publish a life before mine. ... I have a Greek class twice a-week, composed of the workers in the Mission, and we are going to read the Epistle to the Galatians. It is quite a variety in the work.”
“Rue des Fetes, 2nd May 1878. — My work is very pressing just now. I get home often at one o’clock in the morning, and I have no moment that I can call my own, except I take it out of the small hours. I am on the committee of the Evangelical Alliance, and our Salle Evangelique takes not only our time, but our wits. Mr. M’All has been ill, and mission-work comes on me. Last night was a time of regular carnival, and yet the crowds were most orderly. Fancy every street and almost every window decorated with flags, and lit up with Chinese lanterns — the young men were rushing about with umbrellas over their heads and Chinese lanterns attached to each spoke, very odd. I send you a map with our Salle, marked. It is a splendid building, double, of wood, white and dark facings, and is in the Swiss chalet style. We open on Sunday.”
We resume the narrative: —
“The first year was spent entirely in Paris, for no holiday was taken, and no provincial stations as yet existed. But there was plenty of variety in the work, it did not go on in the same grooves from month to month, as home-work does. No sooner did one appear getting into something like a beaten track, when some new enterprise would seem called for, or the departure of some worker would throw all out of gear. When his friends would ask him when his time for rest was to come, he would reply, ‘Presently, but I must get over this emergency first.’ And there seemed always ‘an emergency’ in the Mission from the first day to the last.
“Such a period of high pressure for Mr. Dodds, as for all the Paris workers, was the summer of 1878; when the efforts of the Salle Evangelique in connection with the Exhibition, called him from Belleville to the Trocadero, a distance of six miles, — twice, or sometimes three times a-week. Two meetings were held in the Salle, each day, with an hour’s interval, so as to gather in the passers-by at difi’erent hours; so that leaving home at half-past one, he did not get back till eight; even if he did not (as was often the case) go on to some other station for the evening. His Saturdays, which had hitherto been kept sacred, were taken up like other days by this work.”
From a very brief diary which he kept I give the following extracts at random. They are abrupt but no less striking: —
“25i/fc M”a?/, 1878. — Saturday. Salle at five o’clock. Signor Peretto spoke; 271 present; most attentive. Without much prayer all our eff’orts useless.
“Sunday, 2Qth. — Eight hundred people heard the Gospel to-day. (That is in the two meetings held in the Salle EvaU’ gelique at three and five. See ‘White Fields of France, page 200.)*
“Wh J’it?ie. — Saturday. To Salle. A man at the end asked me if he could get the prayer with which I closed the meeting. (It was the Lord’s prayer.) He thought it so beautiful.
“ib June. — Mr. Paterson’s in the morning; met Professor Johnstone, who came home with me, and went to La Chapelle at five o’clock. Saillens and self spoke on La porte etroite. Evening, Grenelle. Large meeting; 200 present; spoke to a man at the end, anxious; got home late.
“I6th June. — Sabbath morning. Professor Johnstone, * Let the word of Christ dwell in you.’ Very good. Grenelle, very large meetings. 0 Lord, bless this day’s work.
^^19th June. — Rivoli in the evening. Le vrai chemin. M. Th. Monod; great meeting; had a most interesting conversation with one man while others listened. Infidelity the great obstacle. Pray.
“20th June. — A very good meeting. Three spoke to me at the end. French, Italian, and German. The last seemed deeply touched. Pray.
“21st June. — Man spoke to me; wishes to become Protestant; signs of seeking after truth. Pray.
“22ncl June. — Salle. Sainton, first hour. M. Pasteur Weiss
* Hitherto it had been literally and almost solely “to the poor” that the Gospel had been preached in Paris. But in connection with the Salle Evange’lique many of a different and more cultured class were reached. The records of that place will never be known on earth. Many came from distant provinces for a day or two and carried the truth to their homes; — men of science; sceptics who had gone round the world with the sneer, “What is truth?” on their lips; refined and Catholic ladies who had found no peace in their religion — heard there what turned the course of their whole lives.
second. Spoke again to a man to whom I had given a Testament. He says his sins are effaces (blotted out). Pray.
“23r(Z June. — Grenelle; large meeting: 280 in and around inner door; got home late. What God needs, — pure vessels for use in the sanctuary.
“8i July. — Grenelle; “la porte etroite;” poor girl stood at the end weeping bitterly for sin; had dropped in from a ball; leading a sinful life; took her home with us.”
These brief extracts give some idea of his daily life and work, during his first year. Belleville was his home, but Paris was his sphere. From the beginning his hands were full of work; but there was less of pressure on all sides, less of bustle and worry. Compared with after years, this was a time of quiet; and in his peaceful home in Rue des Fetes, with its pleasant garden and tall chestnut trees, he spent many a happy day: going out in the morning to sow his seed and returning at night to pray over the labours of the day. Each subsequent year brought with it increasing work, and specially increasing correspondence. Few could have conducted the correspondence more easily and rapidly than he did; still it was beginning to be not only a burden in itself, but a burden which greatly drained his strength and impeded his mission-work. Sometimes it was English, sometimes French; but he was equally at home in the latter, as in the former. Nay, I sometimes noticed that his English
Letters afid Journals. idioms, both in writing and speaking, were giving way before his French, quite unconsciously; and in a short English tract, which, just two months before his death he asked me to revise, I had to correct his English! French words and forms of speech had crept in; so thoroughly had his acquired language taken possession of him.
To give the reader an idea of the extent of the Paris work, during the first year of Mr. Dodds’ entrance in it, I subjoin a summary of the work for 1878, to which year most of the above extracts refer.
PARIS. French Meetings for Adults, 1st Jan. to 31st Dec. 1878
Aggregate attendance at ditto
German Meetings (15) at Salle Evangelique, attendance
Adult Bible Classes.
Aggregate attendance at ditto
French Prayer Meetings
Attendance at ditto
Aggregate Adult attendance d
Sunday-School Meetings
Attendance at ditto
Children’s Week-day Services
Attendance at ditto
Young People’s Meetings and Juvenile Bible Classes
Attendance at ditto
Aggregate attendance of the Young during the year Total of Religious Meetings in Paris during the year Total attendance at Religious Meetings in Paris during
the year 556,218
g the year
2,788
421,370
13,374
10,365
446,108
41,708
42,981
25,421
110,110
5,471
Psalmody Meetings 250
Attendance at ditto 43,710
Several Classes for Teaching English are conducted weekly.
Ouvroirs for poor women are established in seven of the stations.
Girls’ Industrial Schools are established at Les Ternes and Gare d’lvry, attended by an average of 160 per week.
Two Rooms are lent for Young Men’s Christian Associations.
Domiciliary Visits paid, above 2,200
New Testaments earned by Regular attendance at
Adult Meetings 1,400
Bibles and Testaments sold, given, and circulated (exclusive of those lent from Libraries and Children’s Rewards) 100
Books issued from French Lending Libraries, including
120 Bibles, &c 2,781
Scripture portions distributed 26,203
Tracts, &c., distributed (including 48,000 at Salle Evangelique, and 600 in various languages on a Continental Tour) 151,535
Weekly Prayer Meeting of the Workers of the Mission held at the Mission Office, Belleville.
List of Stations in Paris.
Sittings.
Salle Evanglique. Place du Trocadero, Passy... 520 Centre de Paris.. 37 Rue de Rivoli (corner of the
Rue de la Tacherie)... 270
Belleville .... 102 Rue de Belleville 400
Montmartre ... 56 Boulevard Ornano .... 550
Belleville.
J93
Faubourg St. Antoine
Batignolles..
Les Ternes..
La Chapelle.
Menilmontant.
Quartier Latin
La Villette..
Popincourt..
Vaugirard..
Grenelle...
Gare d’lvry
Bercy...
Quartier du Teiup
Batignolles..
Montsouris..
La Villette..
Puteaux...
Boulogne-sur-Seine
Montparnasse..
Tota
Sittings.
142 Eue du Faubourg St. Antoine 372
4 Eue des Dames 387
53 Avenue de Wagrani .... 202
29 Boulevard de Chapelle ... 204
90 Boulevard de Menilmontant. 184
72 Eue Monge 190
90 Eue d’Allemagne 310
123 Boulevard Voltaire .... 200
161 Boulevard de Vaugirard.. 162
59 Eue Letellier 180
169 Boulevard de la Gare ... 192
74 Boulevard de Bercy.... 161
77 Eue Chariot 200
15 Eue de la Condamine... 120
21 Eue de la Tombe-Issoire.. 78
93 Eue de Meaux 80
5 Eue Saulnier 150
70 Eue d’Aguesseau .... 80
139 Eue de Eennes 233
d number of Sittings in Paris.. 5425
In the report of the Mission for 1878 Mr. Dodds
records several incidents, which had come under his
own notice. We quote a few: —
“Met at the reunion of G a man newly out of the
hospital. There he had made the acquaintance of another patient, who told him of the reunions, and made a dying request that he would go there when he got well. Before he left, his friend died. He had been an habitu6 of the reunion at La Chapelle, and expired in the hospital after much suffering. His Christian patience and character seem to have struck this man, who said to us, * I never heard him complain, and when he died he was happy.’ Thus instances of good done at the meetings are only known after a time, and many remain unknown.
“Met at the Salle Evangelique a liberated Communist who had learned to read during his imprisonment, being taught by a well-known savant, a free-thinker. By this means the man had been enabled to read the Bible.
“Have been much interested in an intelligent ouvrier at
M. He reads attentively his Bible, and a new light
seems breaking into his soul. In a recent letter, he says, ‘I have read much in the Gospels, and see clearly that only there 18 to be found the truth and the religion which speaks to us of the mercy of our Saviour.’
“At the station I met often a whole family, the father
decorated with medals for saving lives from drowning, who eagerly listen to the addresses, and converse at the end on what they have heard. They sometimes gather their neighbours together to sing the hymns. We have reason to believe that the mother is a decided Christian.
“Miss told me of a girl who found one of the small
papers of invitation to the Kue de Eivoli reunion crumpled up at the bottom of a waste-basket. This brought her to the meeting, and, finally, to Christ. I knew her, and can add my testimony to this. She is now in a Prefet’s family in the south of France, who sent a message to Dr. Fisch saying that he would be glad if a meeting were opened in his village.
“Mr. Dodds adds most interesting particulars respecting the ouvrier, an extract from whose letter, written in the hospital, appears on a previous page. He states that, when a very young man, seeing a Bible in the hands of a friend, he saved up money enough to buy one, which he read eagerly and with conviction of its truth. Coming to Paris, where he was required to work all the Sunday, he became quite neglectful, and for nearly twenty years, God’s Book remained unopened. He thus writes respecting his own history: ‘Though I suffer much, I am far
Belleville. 195
happier than when I lived far from God, and was a worldling in good health. It is in these meetings that the Saviour has given me the grace that I needed to give myself to Him.’ Some of his expressions, both in writing and when friends visit him in the lonely room which, in all likelihood, he will not leave again, are very striking, especially those evidencing his patience and contentment. For example, ‘Sometimes I suffer much, but I have my bed; my Saviour suffered on the cross, but I have my bed.” Since I found peace with God by the grace which flows from the Saviour’s blood, it seems to me that my bodily sufferings are more easily borne. My Saviour! to me he is the Pearl of great price and a faithful comforter. How happy should I be to speak to crowds of the love of this Saviour for men! On the first day of 1879, he writes, ‘The Lord comforts me always, though I suffer much at present. I wish I had health and life now, for I have been too long far away from God, and to-day, when I would work in the Saviour’s vineyard, I am unable.’”
The first year was strictly Paris work. It ended with the opening of the 23rd station in that city — in the Rue de Rennes, by Mr. M’All and M. Theodore Monod. It soon, however, became evident that the work could not be confined to the capital. Invitations were coming in on all sides from various quarters of the kingdom; and Mr. M’All, with that large heart which would fain have embraced every city and village, from the English Channel to the P3n:enees had been considering how he should respond to these urgent messages.
To Lyons he first responded. Its urgencies were the greatest.
But before passing outside the walls of Paris, I wish to give some extracts from Mr. Dodds’ diary, as presenting a specimen of the mission- work at that time. The jottings are very brief, like some which we have already given. But they let us see how the work moved on; how the labourers went about their daily toil; and how Mr. Dodds’ own hands were filled. Only those, however, who know the stations, and their localities can judge of the amount of fatigue which these jottings reveal. It will be seen that even his Saturdays began to be encroached upon.
“th January (18*78). — Sunday. At home in the morning. Grenelle, Sagnol and Sinel. Ornano, evening. Spoke on *Etes vous pret.’ Pasteur A. Fisch and M. Bonhoure spoke. Spoke to a woman at Grenelle, she seemed seeking the truth. Heard of a most real conversion at Ornano; saw the woman, she had come for two years; changed two months ago.
“1th January. — Monday. Mission and library work during the day. Went in afternoon and called on Mr. Paterson (Scotch church) with M. Evening, Gare d’lvry; very attentive people.
“ib January. — Tuesday. Not well during the day, went to Chariot in the evening. Pastor Ambresin and M. Jacquise. Was not fit for much, and was glad to get home.
“IK^, January. — Library work during part of the day. Workers’ meeting in afternoon; small, but refreshing. Went to Rivoli in the evening. Greek class in the morning.*
* He undertook to teach the workers to read the Greek Testament, but, after some months, time failed, and it was given up.
“1yA- January. — Sunday. Grenelle. Interesting meeting. Some strange ideas in some of the people’s minds; pray for them. Kue d’Allemagne, evening. Mr. A. Fisch and self. ‘Etes vous pret.’ Liked the meeting. Oh for results. Give me more faith — daily desire for holiness of life, and longing for the salvation of souls.
“14f January. — Monday. Morning work, library, &c. Called with M. on Pastor Robin. M. Robin at home, interesting conversation on Mr. M’All’s work. Called at M. Rouilly’s also. Evening, Gare d’lvry. Mr. Arthaud and self. Read from sermon of Mr. Moody, ‘Jesus Christ Cherche le pecheur.’ People most attentive, signs of interest and seeking. 0 Lord, deepen it, make the interest real.
“^Oth January.” — (This week his new address was Conversion, delivered at diflferent places — twice on Sunday.) “Grenelle. Spoke on Conversion I. Ornano, evening, do.
“21s January. — Monday. Gare d’lvry, evening. Spoke on Conversion, 1st part. Pastor Ambresin came late; a full, earnest audience. I hope to see fruit of this. Gave A. N. Testament for cartes received at Gare d’lvry.
“227icZ January. — Mission and library work. Evening, Rue Chariot, Conversion I.
“23r(i January. — Went to opening of new station at La Chapelle with M. Fall, crowded, and attentive meeting.
“Mth January. — Grenelle, prayer meeting. Had a talk with a woman before it began; they are too easily satisfied with their conversion. Saw M. B.; spoke to him. He said he was saved, and was a Catholic. I said, you must be a Christian.
“2btli January. — Menilmontant, large meeting. Bible-class afterwards; people most attentive. Second evening on subject ‘Bible.’
“26^/fc January. — ‘&eTit 3000 tracts to Rivoli.
“21th January. — Sunday. Preached in American Church, morning, Luke vii. 49. Spent afternoon at Mme. de Schouled, nikow’s with M. — Grenelle. The two men were there who had wished to speak at the meeting. Said they were converted. Soften and give them broken hearts, 0 Lord. Batignolles, evening. Had tea with Miss M. and Miss C. before meeting. Returned home very tired.
“28i January. — Gare d’lvry. Spoke on Conversion II. Some strange faces at the meeting.
“SOfA. January. — Lectured in evening to Young Men’s Christian Association on Ulfila.
“3rd February. — Sunday. Grenelle. Small meeting. Spoke on Conversion 11. Case of decided conversion of a woman. She has joined M. Lepoid’s church, and made an open profession after being in uncertainty for a year. Much cheered by this. Omano in the evening. MM. Eschenauer and Fisch. Spoke on Conversion II. Heard from Madame Jouey of a man there in deep anxiety and remorse. Some words of my address seemed to have been directed by the Spirit for him. ‘Except ye be converted,’ &c.*
“23rd February. — Saturday. In town on Mission business. 500 Testaments Kue Clichy. 250 epistles, Rue d’Astorg, D^pot Central. Met Dr. Manning” (Eel. Tr. Society).
He records regular meetings every evening (except Saturday, the afternoon of which was partly kept at first as a time of rest; letter-writing, or occasionally some private literary work filling up the day; the evening often spent socially with Mr. and Mrs. M’All). Two meetings on Sunday; Bible-class on Friday; frequent errands to town on banking or other business — to see printers, booksellers, &c. The time occupied,
*At the end of this jotting there is a Hebrew text, Ps. ciii. 1. These short texts in Hebrew are written in a very small hand, but with great neatness and accuracy.
Letters and yotiJ^ials. 199
but not over-occupied; now and then he was forced by illness to lie still for a day or two.
“3rfZ March. — Sunday. Stayed at home in the morning, not very well. Grenelle, — Sin el, and Long; then went to Les Ternes first time; had it all to myself. Gave ‘Conversion,’ and ‘J’ai garde un vif souvenir; ’ from Moody, ‘Jesus Cherche le pecheur.’ Had to play the organ too. Got home very tired.
“5th March. — Tuesday. Greek class, morning; Eue Charlot, evening; read from Moody, ‘Geolier de Philippes.’ Dr. Bonar and Lily arrived about half-past seven from London by Boulogne.
“1th March. — Rivoli. Dr. B. spoke. Pastor Fisch translated on * The great sin of man and the great love of God.’ Saw a woman come in who crossed herself; spoke to her at end of meeting, said she would come back. Lord, seek, and find, and save. “Walked with Dr. B. to and from Eivoli.
“8^^ March. — Workers’ meeting. Dr. B. addressed * Remember that if you are anxious for the salvation of souls the Holy Spirit is not less so,’ and prayed.
“9th March. — In town at douane for books from London.
“lOth March. — Rue Royal, morning. Dr. B. for Mr. Hart, ‘Disciples filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost; ’ a most refreshing service. Grenelle, interesting conversation with some people there, evidence of Spirit’s work in at least three. Ornano, man mentioned as in great remorse; 3rd February, had broken off his life of sin, and has found peace, so Mme. Jouey thinks; past week a wonderful week. Miss W. spoke of several seeking and some who had found. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
“lth March. — GsiTe du Nord to see Dr. B. off. What a happy time it has been.
“21si March. — Thursday. Grenelle, prayer meeting. Reunion, self and M. Cochet. Repentance. Attentive. M. B. was there, spoke to him. 0 Lord, deepen impressions on his heart.
“27^^ March. — Wednesday. Faubourg St. Antoine. Signer Peretto, and M. Christol, and self. Spoke on Repentance, a little extempore. A most delightful meeting; spoke to several at the end. One man, a Catholic, interested me.
“28th March. — Vaugirard. Saw M. Bertrand again. Very attentive, spoke to him, seemed to avoid questions.
“29th March. — Friday. Rivoli. Long conversation at end with Ambresin, who told me of a most intelligent man, who had not been at church for forty years; a Roman Catholic, now reads the New Testament, attentive and in earnest. Pray for him.
“ZOth March. — Saturday. Mission work, library, and correspondence. Evening, at home.
“3lst March. — Sunday. Preached in American chapel — Rue de Berri — text, * Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have thee.’ La Chapelle at five o’clock. Les Ternes, evening, read from Moody, * Geolier de Philippes.’
“7th April. — Sunday. Crenelle. Sainton. Self, read from Moody, first part of sermon on Excuses. Ornano, evening.
“10<^ April. — Wednesday. Went to Trocadero with Mr. M’All. Saw our Salle, so far on. Kiosques almost finished. Saw Mr. Alexander; much interesting conversation. Rivoli. Sainton and M. Th. Monod. Mrs. Elmslie arrived from India.
“28i April. — Preached in morning at Rue Royal for Mr. Hart. * Simon, Simon, Satan,’ &c. Saw Mr. Jenkinson from Edinburgh. Went to Rivoli, afternoon. Met Miss Howard there and other friends. Crenelle, very small meeting. Ornano, evening.*
^’2Qth April. — Monday. Care d’lvry. Sainton and self. First part of history of Edward Summers. Spoke to a man when giving Testaments. He had found peace at this meeting. Ps. ciii. 1.
* This was one of his full Sabbaths. Any one acquainted with Paris will know the great distances traversed.
Letters and yourials. 201
With May began the arduous but fruitful work of the “Salle Evangelique” at the entrance of the Exhibition. Already there had been much arrangement required, and much labour undergone.
“^ik May. — Gare d’lvry, alone. Rest of history of Edward Summers. Strange faces there. Interesting talk with a man at the end. Pray for him.
“8^^ May. — Wednesday. Opening of Salle for Alliance at two o’clock.
“lli/t May. — Saturday. Salle Evangelique with F. First hour, Pasteur M. Weiss. 124 present. Second, SaiUens, very good. 164 present. Mr. and Mrs. M’All came to second meeting. Came home with them.
“I2th May. — Salle at 3 o’clock. Fourth meeting. M. Robin. Sagnol and Sainton. 241 present. At five, 305 present. A very good meeting. Sainton spoke remarkably well. We felt the Spirit’s presence, and look for a blessing. Audience, passers-by; very attentive. Ornano, evening.
“I7th May. — Fndaj. Salle with F. First meeting (107). M. Andrieu good. Second meeting. Abric (124 people). Menilmontant. M. Sainton and Pastor Meyer. Large meeting. Conversation with a man and his wife at end. Pray for him. 107 present. Bible-class, 37.
“6th June. — Thursday. Opening of new station at Crenelle. Went there and arranged with Miss Arbousset the texts, &c. A large crowded meeting, 200. MM. M’All, Sautter, Cochet, Saiilens. People, many of them new, but very interested.
There are brief references in this chapter to two cases of conversion, the one of a poor ouvriev, Eugene Petit, the other of a girl who had dropped in to one of the meetings from a ball-room. These cases are too interesting to be thus slightly noticed. First, of the ouvrier, referred to at pp. 195 and 196: —
This ouvrier was Eugene Petit, a Belgian by birth, an intelligent man and good workman, long employed in one of the large sugar-factories in Paris. His health suffered, like that of many, from the exhausting heat he was obliged to endure in his work, and for years he was gradually sinking in consumption, sometimes in hospital, sometimes resuming work, at last confined to his lonely garret in one of the dark, densely-peopled tenements of Gare d’lvry. There Mr. Dodds often visited him, before or after his meeting in that quarter, and while he grieved for the poverty and pain which he was always ready to relieve even beyond his power, yet he always came away refreshed and gladdened to see how the work of God went on in the soul of the dying man. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth,” said an apostle. And this man was one of the first of Mr. Dodds’ spiritual children. He seemed to bear him on his heart everywhere. In his letters, when away from home, he was constantly referring to him (see those from Lyons, pp. 208, 209. It was in reference to the words, “Sometimes I suffer much, but I have my bed; my Saviour suffered on the cross, but I have my bed,” that Mr. Dodds wrote the following lines: —
Nailed to the Cross, hung on the racking tree,
No couch for Him whereon to rest and taste,
Even amid rending agony, its power
To calm the suffering, to soothe the pain.
Nailed to the Cross for rae, no couch for Him,
Yet I have mine, though not a bed of down,
I, wearied, fainting here may seek repose.
Nailed to the Cross, forsook by friends, by foes Jeered at, blasphemed, no loving word, no friend To comfort, no near hand to reach the cup Up to the fevered lips and quench His thirst.
Nailed to the Cross /or me, no friend for Him,
And I lie here, often alone ’tis true,
Yet tasting ever and afresh His love
That flows straight from Himself, or ministered
Thro’ friends who claim the holy fellowship
Of heavenly sympathy in earthly love.
Nailed to the racking Cross, despised, forsaken,
No couch to rest Thee, mocking tongues of men,
A seeming victory of hate and hell,
A league of former foes in common scorn,
An awful sense of loss, of dark abandon;
The Father’s love fled upward from the heart
Of His well-loved and only Son; the weight,
Our heavy weight, of sin on Thy pure heart.
All this for me, and yet I have my couch,
My friends, and far transcending all, Thy love,
High as the heavens, 0 Lord, deep as the sea.
Thy love, 0 Lord, to all eternity.
Then of the poor girl mentioned at page 190: —
This poor girl had once been a servant in a Christian family, it turned out. Her mistress’s prayers had followed during her wild life, and her dying words had been a prayer that poor “Marie” might still be found. Thus she had a knowledge of the Bible and of the sinfulness of her ways beyond most; and, stumbling into the meeting, accidentally, not knowing where she was going, some words roused her sleeping conscience to agony, and, when the meeting was over, she grovelled on the floor in her agony, asking if she could be saved. What was to be done at that late hour of night? To send her out into the streets was impossible, — to find any safe home for her then equally so; — Mr. Dodds took her home with himself. Fortunately, the old servant “Fanny,” mentioned elsewhere, having lately tasted the love of God for herself, was ready to receive the poor wanderer kindly, until a home was found. Next day she was placed under Miss Appia’s care (Rue Picpus).
His work in subsequent years was very much of the same kind as is referred to in the above extracts. It was not always work in some respects congenial to a scholar. In teaching the poor ouvriers he had to “come down” a long way, — much further down than in instructing a similar class among ourselves. The simplest elements, not of religion only but of morality, required to be explained. But his scholarship was no barrier; in many ways it was a great help. Nor did the thought ever enter his mind, while sitting down beside some ignorant chiffonnier or chiffonniere to tell them that there was such a thing as the love of Christ, that he was humbling himself or occupying a position unworthy of a scholar.