The Salle Évangélique
This hall is a neat and substantial structure of wood, capable of seating 600 persons. It was erected at the conjunct expense of the Evangelical Alliance and the Paris Mission, costing upwards of £1200. It is now the property of the latter, according to agreement, and will be removed to some place where it may better serve the purpose of a mission-station. There is, however, great difficulty in obtaining a site for it, as the price of ground in Paris is so very high.
Even were it to be taken to pieces to-morrow, it has done noble missionary work in many ways, and has been a wonderful centre for numerous agencies of various kinds. Its six months’ story is quite a peculiar one; and many eyes, from many regions of the earth, are looking back upon it with strange interest, as the birthplace of new thoughts and longings, the starting-point of a new course in their eternal history.
Our sketch of this, however, must be brief. Some graphic pen would be needed to do justice to its strange scenes, and to describe the crowds, from almost every nation under heaven, that came to gaze, or to hear, or to buy, or to receive the gifts handed out to them, in the shape of books and Testaments and tracts. During the last few weeks of the Exhibition, the whole peasantry of France flocked to the spectacle, invited by Government, and by means of cheap fares, enabled to come from the most distant parts. They were not sent empty home, hut received Scripture Portions and tracts; so that into all the pai’ishes and villages of France the Gospel of Christ was sent. Never had there been such a singular opportunity of sowing the seed. No agencies could have been set on foot by any mission, sufficient for such an immense work. Time, men, money, would have been required; and, after all, the work could not have been completely accomplished, nor the remote districts thoroughly penetrated. Now, in the course of a few weeks, without any new agency or any cost, the Word is sent out everywhere. God gathers the peasantry of France together, and the Divine message is put into their hands to carry back to their relations and children. Within one month the whole land is reached, and the truth deposited in every parish.
“Two Freiicli evangelistic meetings were held daily in the <SaZZe, without intermission, during the whole period of the Exposition. On some days this number was increased to three and even four. It was at the special request of the Paris Committee of the Alliance that we undertook the organisation and management of these services. The numbers in attendance and the interest manifested increased to the close. On some hot summer afternoons the hearers were comparatively few; but on Sundays, and on all favourable days, it was delightful to see the passers-by crowding to the spot, and to observe the eagerness with which many listened, as to a new and surprising discovery. In all, during the Exposition, 433 French reunions iVajppel were held, attended by 98,328 persons, which number has subsequently been increased to 100,000. In addition, a series of meetings was held in the German language, conducted by M. le Pasteur Frisius; and some efforts were made to reach the Spanish and Italian visitors. It is worthy of record, as evidencing the cordial sympathy of our French friends, that 36 pasteurs of Paris, and 20 laymen (including evangelists, students, &c.), besides upwards of 30 others, from various parts of France and elsewhere, took part in these services. Here, as everywhere else, the hymns, including those kindly prepared by Miss Blundell and by the Religious Tract Society evidently possessed a great charm. To that Society, as also to the Committees of the British and Foreign Bible Society and of the Bible stand, we were indebted for the tracts and Scripture Portions distributed at the close of each meeting. The attacks of certain Ultramontane journals on the entire series of Christian activities thus pursued might be regarded as an undesigned tribute to the united testimony for the glorious truth of the Gospel, which, in harmony, we were enabled to bear.
“Besides the evangelistic reunions, several series of interesting Conferences were held in the Salle, under the auspices of the Evangelical Alliance. At the meeting for thanksgiving held when the Exposition was about to close, among other gratifying testimonies was that of M. Abric, Protestant pastor of Passy (in which the Salle is situated), who described the effect produced in his own congregation, both in bringing new attendants and in the spiritual quickening of others who had previously been ‘■ hearers only.’
“Adding the similar series of reunions d’appel conducted by our esteemed friend Pastor Armand-Delille and his assistants at the Forte Rapp), we feel that the good seed was widely sown at the gates of the ‘World’s Fair,’ and according to the Divine promise, the harvest will certainly follow.
“But while such a work must, to a great extent, be that of ‘casting bread upon the waters,’ we rejoice to be able to add the record of various instances of decided turning to the Lord through these services in our Salle. One case is that of a Government schoolmaster from the Haute Savoie, who, after speaking, with tears, to one of our young evangelists of his wish to understand and take to heart the new discovery of truth, wrote to us from his distant home, stating that the addresses and the little books given to him had ’ brought a flood of light into his mind,’ and desiring to make a deeper acquaintance with the Gospel. Another instance is that of a lady, teacher of a school, a Roman Catholic, who, amazed and overjoyed in view of the doctrine of salvation by grace, has braved every sacrifice, and connected herself with one of the evangelical churches.
“Some of the incidents were very characteristic and affecting. A venerable gentleman, after attending for the third or fourth time, said to us, with great feeling, ‘Alas! I am nothing better than an old disciple of Plato; but I see that there is much truth in what is spoken here. And, above all, the prayer at the close was touching, was it not? ‘Another intelligent man, after hearing the Lord’s Prayer, desired to ’ buy the book in which these wonderful expressions were found.’”
Bibles and Gospels in tiventy-two languages were sold or given away. Of Gospels and Epistles, nearly a million and a-half were distributed in French. The demand for other languages was, of course, much smaller. But it is interesting to note the different nations which thus applied for the Word. Not only do we find German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and Dutch applicants, but Jewish, Greek, Arabian, Bohemian, and Basque. And if the larger figures attached to some of the nations strike us.
we linger over the smaller ones, wondering what may be the result. Japan asks only for 81; Turkey for 20; Persia for 12; but these are going into regions where no Bible, perhaps, has hitherto penetrated; and where, but for this great Exhibition, it might never have come.
In a private letter, Mr. Dodds thus writes of the Balle: —
“In regard to the Salle Evang^Hque, — now closed with the great Exhibition, — though, from the passing character of the audience, much of the fruits of the meetings will never be known here, we have ample proofs of real good having been done. On the closing day a gentleman came to Mr. M’AU, expressing regret that this was the last Sunday, and adding, with tears in his eyes, that the words he had heard there had
brought new light to his soul. Madame, formerly a strict
Eomanist, is an outstanding witness to blessing received in the ^alU. She has made great sacrifices, and her former friends stand aloof from her since she joined a Protestant church, but
she is enabled to hope in God. M spoke at one of our
meetings with great life, — like one who had himself been greatly refreshed, and had received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. His words greatly gladdened our hearts, and caused a song of thanksgiving to spring up. He told us of the unusual interest in God’s Word that he had found in visiting among the people, — that persons never known to read it before, were now found doing so; fathers surrounded by their children, and whole families together, reading the Testament, or Scripture Portions, received at the Kiosque. He had also met groups of men in the park, seated on the forms, reading the Scriptures, and was sometimes stopped by them, and requested to explain what they were reading. Above all, he rejoiced over indiAddual conversions, and, in some cases, over whole families changed, and openly confessing Christ.”
The Pentecostal gift of tongues has not been vouchsafed to the Church in these last days. The scene, so briefly but graphically sketched in the second chapter of the Acts, has not been witnessed amongst us. But something very like it has. God has not repeated Himself in the if)iode of sending out His messengers. He has taken another way; a way which, so far as dispersion of the truth is concerned, has been no less effective and wonderful. He has not used the living voice to speak in the various languages of earth; but He has used the printing-press of the nineteenth century to convey His message to twice as many nations as were spoken to by apostles. The wonder expressed by many visitors of the Kiosque, on receiving Bibles or Gospels in their own tongue reminds us of the same kind of wonder uttered in Jerusalem 1800 years ago, — “How hear we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born?... And they were all amazed, and were in doubt [in bewilderment], saying one to another, What meaneth this?”
The following letter from Mr. Frank M’Kinnon
will illustrate the above remarks: —
“All who have taken part in the grand distribution of God’s Word at the Bible Kiosque must have felt it to have been a
Miscellaneoiis: Past and Present. 207
blessed privilege. Who could have remained cold or unmoved while the teeming multitude, like a stream, poured from the principal entrance and passed by the Kiosque to receive the unspeakable gift of glad tidings ’ without money and without price ‘? At times it was most difficult to convince the passers-by that the distribution was gratuitous. ‘Passez par ici; e’est gratuit; il n’y a rien a payer,’ was barely sufficient; and many an unbelieving one would pass by, till the example and faith of the others caused him also to draw near and put out his hand for a book. Many a foreigner would stand and gaze at the pretty building, unable to understand either what was being said or done. With curious glance he would scan the invitations, written in various languages, till his eye would fall on his own; and then, with marked pleasure, he would approach and ask for ’ a Russian,’ or ’ an Italian,’ or ’ a Spanish,’ or ’ a Chinese,’ as the case might be.
“It was most interesting to observe the mode in which the gift was received. Almost invariably it was accepted with a hearty ‘Merci beaucoup! ’
“Now and then an infidel or sceptic would lay it down with a look of sarcasm or contempt, as if they, and they alone, knew the depths of wisdom.
“Some would tear it in pieces to express the enmity of their heart.
“Others, moved by fear, would quickly yet respectfully return it.
“Sometimes a child would receive a sound blow from his mother for daring to stretch out his hand for an ‘heretical book.’
“The questions, and utterances too, were both interesting and amusing: —
“‘What is it r
“‘How much ] ’
“‘In French? ’
“* A present! ’
” ‘La propagande protestante! ’
“‘La Bible!’
“‘Good books! ’
‘”Bad books!’
“‘The English religion! ’
“‘Nothing to pay 1 That’s good.’
“‘Here there is nothing to pay; with them it is quite the contrary: pay, pay, pay, nothing without money.’
“To all these remarks our answer was, ‘The precious Word of God without money and without price.” The glad tidings of salvation for nothing.” Take and read the Book that all should have.’
“A fact worthy of notice, and one which speaks much for the truth of the Gospel, is that nothing but evangelical truth was offered to meet the spiritual wants of that vast multitude, drawn from all parts of the civilised world for pleasure or business. No other sect or religion was represented. Neither Jew nor Catholic, Mohammedan nor infidel, felt deeply enough the truth of the doctrines to warrant his coming and sacrificing time and money in propagating them. Only those who had felt the ‘2:)oiver of God’ in their souls deemed it worth while carrying on such an expensive and difficult undertaking. ‘Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.’ The seed has been thrown broadcast. Some has been picked away by the enemy; some has fallen into stony ground, some among the thorns, and some into good ground. Let us pray earnestly that, watered by the Holy Spirit, much may be found ‘after many days’ to the glory of Christ.”
The following extracts from the ‘’ Kiosque” report
help to fill up the extraordinary picture, which only
those who witnessed the scenes can fully realise: —
“The Kiosque itself was exceedingly pretty, and was quite in harmony with the surrounding temporary structures erected for the occasion. The various texts decorating the panels of the hexagonal structure at once arrested the eye and attention of passers-by. The words came with singular newness to a people, the masses of whom are ignorant of the Word of God. The bulk of Frenchmen may be divided into three classes: the devotees of Kome, the infidel, and the absolutely ignorant. The Eomanist has an idm of some of the teachings of God’s “Word, the infidel is wrapped up in his worldly wisdom, and the ignorant are impressed by either of the two former; but when the message of salvation is boldly declared, and Christ Jesus exalted, as the Son of God and Saviour of mankind, all are impressed, and it has been seen that vast multitudes have been led to inquire for themselves regarding a matter professedly affecting their eternal welfare. Fifteen thousand parts of the Bible, chiefly separate Gospels, were put into the hands of persons of all ranks and classes who applied for them on the very first day. Some well-wishers were apprehensive lest the movement might produce a disturbance by arousing the fanaticism and ill-will of the populace; but a few moments sufiiced to dispel this illusion, for never was there a greater desire evinced to obtain the precious gift; and friends came gladly forward to personally assist in the arduous task of meeting clamorous demands. It was a wonderful sight. To prevent accidents from happening through the tremendous pressure round the Kiosque, the windows had to be closed again and again. ‘C’est VEvangile,^ they cried; and down all the avenues, in trams, buses, cabs, and vehicles of all descriptions, in cafes and on steamboats, indeed in every direction, persons might be seen perusing the books they had received, and it was astonishing to remark the almost universal interest manifested. The crowd itself was quite a picture, being largely made up of people of different nationalities dressed in the respective costumes of their countries. Thus Turks, Spaniards, Arabs, Zouaves, Italians, in their national costumes, quaintly dressed Chinese, soldiers in difi“erent uniforms, mingled among well-P dressed Parisians in the crush to the windows. No exception was made, — rich and poor, young and old, male and female, were supplied each in turn; a respectful thanks being invariably given by way of response. As might have been expected, such a work could not be carried on without Satan seeking to hinder: for some made derisive remarks, though a kindly word soon disarmed opposition, for we know nothing but Christ and Him crucified. Very few copies were destroyed. After the day’s work, those who had been engaged in it kneeled down with overflowing hearts, and thanked God for the gracious opening He had afforded for making known the Gospel of His dear Son; for the honour conferred in permitting them to participate in it, and for a blessing upon their labours.”
“Italians, Russians, Poles, Greeks, Turks, Dutch, Danes, Swedes and Norwegians, Hungarians, Bohemians, and Basques, and negroes from Angola, Loando, and Senegal, were among those who visited us and received the Scriptures; and a record of the various conversations held among them would of itself constitute an intensely interesting volume.
“The work increased in importance and extent as the Exhibition advanced. The demand was at tunes so great that it was no easy task to keep up the supply of books. Readers of the Gospels were to be met everywhere in Paris, in the public gardens, in omnibuses, seated on the Boulevards, and on walking through the streets. M. Abric, pastor at the Evangelical Church of Passy, in whose district the Exhibition was situated, at the closing meeting of the services in the Salle Evanglique, gave the following testimony of the work carried on at the Kiosque Biblique. In his pastoral visitation, he said, he found men surrounded by their families reading the Word of God, whose custom before was far otherwise. Often he met with groups of men in the Bois de Boulogne, reading the Portions of Scripture given away at the Kiosque, and often was appealed to for an explanation of some passage not well understood. Still more encouraging was the testimony of the rich blessing which he had himself received as pastor of the Passy congregation. Souls, he said, had been revived, whole families had been added to the Church, and many conversions had taken place.”
“The happy and blessed work at oiu’ Kiosque began in right earnest at an early hour yesterday morning. The grand cortege, had to pass our Kiosque, and you may therefore easily imagine what crowds of people we had around us. I never saw anything like it, not even in the Exhibition of 1867. Early in the morning our own agents, together with a band of other Christian workers, assembled in our Kiosque, and implored the blessing of our gracious Lord upon the good seed about to be sown. Encouraged by the precious promises of a covenant-keeping God, all were refreshed and strengthened to do battle against sin and Satan, seeing the sole weapon to be employed was the sword of the Spirit.
“No sooner were the windows of the Kiosque opened, than crowds flocked to them to obtain Gospels. Language utterly fails me to give you an idea of the impressiveness and solemnity of the scene. The whole place at the Trocadro was one mass of human beings. Persons of all ranks and from many countries, rich and poor, could be seen struggling for a portion of the Word of God, with, in almost every instance, an expression of joyful thanks. I only noticed one copy being torn up. This was done by a so-called gentleman, who threw it into the face of one of the distributors. Among the crowd were large numbers of soldiers, sailors, ofi&cers, and policemen, to whom we gave by preference. Also several priests came uj) and received portions of the Word of God. The best idea of the eagerness of the populace to get the books you may gather from the fact that we had to shut the windows of the Kiosque more than a dozen times to lessen the pressure of the crowd.
“An English gentleman came up and asked one of the distributors how and by whom this work was carried on. He directed him to me. When I told him that it was done by voluntary contributions, he gave me £h for the work. I commenced to explain the effort to him, but he said, ‘I and my two daughters have watched your work for some time, and were delighted to see the people flocking to you for the books; I don’t require to know more, it is a most blessed work.’”
“This summer in Paris will be long remembered as one of the most eventful for many years — eventful not by reason of blood and war, but for the wonderful array of the achievements of science, invention, and art, as seen in the Exposition. This has been an amazing centre of attraction, not only to the French people in particular, but to the world in general. Every visitor to Paris must have been struck with the gathering together of individuals from among the different nations of the earth, more especially by the numbers of people from the East. Among these may be seen the noble-looking Indian, with his stately gait. Looking at such, his bearing so grand and self-possessed, one wonders what he thinks of the Westerns as he mingles with ’ us meaner things.’ Then there are Jews, Turks, and Mussulmans, along with the German, the Swede, the Spaniard, and the Italian. Among the Orientals, there are perhaps none who seem to be more at home than the Chinaman, as he moves about in his own part of the Exhibition. He is quick-witted, and full of humour, his dress always suited to the weather. When the sun is fierce, it is a mass of snowy whiteness (giving an idea of delicious coolness), with a stout umbrella overhead, the long tail of sleek, plaited hair adding greatly to effect in the picturesque appearance of this wonderful Eastern; whilst on cooler days his attire is different, being then more substantial, and showing a combination of fine artistic colour.
“It would be most instructive to know what impressions these people will carry back with them of European life and manners. Many of them, it is believed, will take with them a priceless treasure, even the Gospel of the grace of God. Among the different works done in Paris at this time for the advancement of the kingdom, one of the chief has been the distribution of the Word. This has been going on all during the Exhibition, at the Kiosque of the Crystal Palace Bible Stand — week after week, Sunday after Sunday. To those who have not seen it, it is almost impossible to give an idea of that great sight. By the rules of the Society, the Gospels are given gratuitously, one to each person in his own language, thereby recalling the old days when each man in his own tongue heard ’ the wonderful works of God.’ As the multitudes pass by, the Gospels are offered to them, either from the window of the Kiosque or by some one standing outside. One hears the words quietly spoken, ‘Acceptez, acceptez, messieurs; c’est gratuit; c’est une portion de la Parole de Dieu; c’est I’Evangile.’ Gladly are the little books taken, and often the receivers appear to go on their way rejoicing. Many of them, having occasion to pass frequently, evidently take the opportunity to make a complete set of the Gospels, and ask for the different colours: ‘Donnez-moi un bleu, un vert, un jaune,’ &c. &c. Thus millions of copies have been distributed.”
“Upon the other side of this &alU stood the Kiosque of the Crystal Palace Bible Stand, covered with well-selected life-giving texts in French, &c., such as ‘God so loved the world, that he gave His only-begotten Son,’ &c. (John iii. 16, 17). Thus they who ‘ran might read.’ From its open windows were distributed, in twenty-two of the languages of the world, one million and a-half of Gospels and Testaments. Numbers came and sought for them, prince and peer and peasant, and even priest.
“I would to God that ‘a great multitude might become obedient to the faith.’ Children eagerly besought, and priests anxiously and respectfully asked for the words of eternal life. I saw this, and so can attest it. Sometimes a carriage would drive up. Perhaps it was Madame MacMahon, who bought two Bibles. Again, it would be the Prince and Princess of Wales, who took great interest in the work, and were presented with a copy of the smallest Bible in the world.* The opportunity given of God was not neglected, and the harvest at the reaping day will, with the Divine blessing, be bountiful. The sight was noble. The great space inside and outside of the Trocadro was often thronged. I have watched the people, sometimes nearly 100,000, at others nearly 200,000, like successive waves of the sea, passing in dense masses the Pont d’lena, and pouring out of the Trocadero gates.
“Outside the Kiosque there would be hurrying crowds, whilst inside the quiet distributors were handing out the priceless treasure of the truth ‘without money and without j)rice,’ so fertilising and blessing the world.”
So much for the distribution. But this was only a part of the work done in connection with the Balle. The Word was preached by the living voice; and (it is estimated) was heard by above a hundred thousand people.
But I must not linger over these scenes, so
* The Times of 3rd November, 1S78, has the following paragraph: — “The Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by Sir Philip Owen, Colonel Probyn, and Mr. Sykes, paid a visit yesterdav to the Kiosque of the Crystal Palace Bible Stand Committee, opposite the Trocadtro. They expressed great interest in the work, particulars of which were given them by Mr. James Alexander, who has had the superintendence of it, and accepted a copy of the smallest Bible in the world; a book printed at Oxford in minute type, and on very thin, silky paper. On leaving, the Prince and Princess, each, made a handsome contribution to the fund. The Kiosque will close this day week. Nearly a million and a-half of Gospels and New Testaments, in twenty-two languages, have been given to applicants at its wickets, the number last Sunday alone being 41,000; and English, French, and other influential visitors have evinced cordial sympathy with the undertaking, which is regarded as having been highly successful.”
Miscella7ieoiLs: Past ani Preseit. 215
marvellous, so unique, and so cheering. Mr. M’All’s workers were, in addition to their ordinary labours, busy at the Balle and the Kiosque. How they were able to undergo this increase of labour is a wonder; especially when we take into account the distances between their several stations and the Trocadero.