Rise of the Work

MUST return to the visit of the English stranger referred to in my previous chapter.

I have ventured on a long episode, but by no means a needless one, though, perhaps, it may not seem to others so indispensable as it does to myself. For my object in this little volume is not merely to call attention to a modern mission, but to awaken a fervent and intelligent interest in the religious history of a noble country. Having as briefly as possible sketched this outline, I proceed with my main narrative.

The quarter of Paris known by the name of Belleville was originally outside the city walls or Boulevards, but now forms the north-eastern part of the city, the circle of fortifications having been so widened as to embrace this suburb or fauhourgy as it is called. It contains a population of about 100,000.

Rise of the Woyk. 33

Though inhabited by the poorest classes, it is the most elevated in situation, and about the healthiest quarter of the town. It commands an extensive view on most sides, though not by any means so wide as that from our own Calton Hill or Castle rock, here in Edinburgh.

The houses in general are inferior, and the streets narrow; the latter very roughly paved, and the former rising to several storeys in height, with something like what we call a ‘’ common stair” as the entrance to the whole. In a small room at the foot of this stair dwells the concierge or porter, who takes charge of the outer door, and is responsible for the flats above. ■^’’

The character of the district for poverty and crime is so well known in Paris, that the railway officials wonder at so many English parties, on their arrival at the station from the north, inquiring the way to Belleville; and our cabman, when told to drive to Belleville, asked seriously if we really knew the quarter of the city we were going to.

From being built on a considerable eminence, this faubourg presents slopes of sometimes rather formidable steepness in its different thoroughfares,

* There are no less than 50,000 of these porters in Paris, to each of whom a lady has proposed to offer a copy of the New Testament. Upwards of 10,000 of these have been already distributed and gratefully received.

D which the omnibus surmounts, but which the tramway declines to attempt. A very large amount of misery, poverty, and sin is concentrated here; ^’” and from the dens with which its lanes abound went forth the communists or levellers, who with liberty, equality, and fraternity on their banners, once sought to sweep away not only rank, but property, going out through the city as murderers, or incendiaries. Soured against the wealthy, and enraged against a priesthood who never approached them but for money, and who during the great siege were feeding luxuriously when they were starving, or sustained in life upon the vermin of the common sewers, they struck right and left when their opportunity came. Nor could any one say that their provocation had not been great, though their revenge was terrible.

Not far from one of the present mission-stations is the street Haxo. Passing the foot of it one day, and seeing the name written very legibly at the corner, we asked a soldier whom we met, where the slaughter of the priests took place. He pointed to the highest part of the Rue, some three or four hundred yards off. We followed his directions, and found ourselves in front of a large garden with an

* Yet not far off, a little to the south, is the celebrated cemetery of Pfere Lachaise; and still nearer, and forming part of Belleville itself, we have the BuUt& Chaumont, one of the finest parks to be found in any European city.

iron gate; and looking through the bars, we saw, at the further end, a wall, — a blackened wall, — with an inscribed stone. Into that garden numbers of the priests of Paris were brought by the exasperated communists; to that wall they were fastened and shot. It must have been a dreadful scene of blood and butchery. The men of Belleville were the perpetrators of it. Awfully was that blood avenged by the Government, when the army of Versailles burst in upon the city and bore down the wretched communists. All then was massacre and fury. Hundreds of them, men and women, wxre shot down in the streets, and hundreds more were carried off to prison, to be tried, condemned, and executed or exiled. Five hundred were, in one mass, hurried off to Pere Lachaise, placed upon the edge of a long deep ditch, shot down by the soldiers, and then buried there.

No excuse can be offered for the communists save their ignorance, and the provocations received in days past from aa unsympathising aristocracy and an unfeeling priesthood. That their passions broke loose, and found vent to themselves in the destruction of those whom they knew to be their worst enemies, was only what might be expected of men who were profoundly ignorant both of religion and morality, and who had been kept in this ignorance by those who ought to have taught them, out of the Bible, the principles of true liberty, true equality, and true fraternity. The poor degraded men were mostly atheists, and had been driven into atheism by a priesthood whose lies had become transparent, whose licentiousness was notorious, and whose indifference to the wants of their fellow-men was a thing not attempted to be concealed. The retribution upon the priesthood was cruel, but it was too well deserved.

What self-restraint could be expected from ignorant, excited men, who had been goaded first into atheism, and then into despair? They needed teaching, and they got none from their priests. They needed the gospel, and they were mocked with mummeries and demands for money. They needed the example of a holy, loving life, and they saw nothing but selfishness and wickedness. “Ah,” said one of them to one of Mr. M’All’s missionaries, ^’ had you been here some years ago, there would have been no insurrection, and no bloodshed.” In those awful scenes of slaughter, Protestants and Protestant ministers were left unhurt and untouched, for even in their blind fury these unhappy men knew who were their oppressors and ho were their friends.

It is among these that Mr. M’All’s remarkable work has been going on these seven years past; by which, and by other kindred efforts, the aspect of the district has been changed, and the lion transformed into the lamb; so that, during the political excitement in Paris in the summer of 1877, all was quiet at Belleville,

Mr. M’All is a genuine Scotchman by descent, and delights to make mention of his Highland ancestry as Celts of the Hebrides, and for ages having had their dwelling in the lonely island of Coll, almost due west of the larger and better known island of Mull, off the Argyleshire coast.

His father was the well-known Dr. M’AU of Manchester, noted for his genius, his piety, and his eloquence. The son was the minister of a Congregational church in Lancashire; and here our story begins, — and it begins something like that of the Apostle Paul in Greece of old. There was no vision, certainly — no man of Paris, like that of Macedonia, saying, “Come over and help us;” but there was something not less explicit and remarkable.

Happening to be in Paris soon after the war, he went into a cafe shortly before leaving. He was distributing tracts at the door, and Mrs. M’All in the inside. A workman grasped his hand and said, “Will you not come and tell us the true religion?” These words were enough. They clung to Mr.

M’All as he journeyed home; and as he pondered them, he could not help recognising in them a message from God to come over and help these poor Parisians. He severed his home ties, and, with his zealous and indefatigable partner, took up his abode in Belleville, in the very midst of these strange communists, whom everybody dreaded. He was entreated not to throw himself into danger; he was warned against communistic violence; he was told that his life was not safe. But he had, in the strength of God, resolved to face the great work, and he had counted the cost; so he took up his abode in that poor district, and threw himself for missionary work among those men and women whose hands were yet red with blood.

He hired a room for a hall, sent out his invitations, and gathered round him soon a goodly number of these outcasts, eager to hear his words and to listen to the hymns he sung to them — hymns which seem to be to the men and women of that district what the Marseillaise was in other days, rousing and quickening them, not to martial deeds or works of violence, but to wonder at the unknown love of which they speak, the new religion which they embody, and the glad tidings which they proclaim.

In the autumn of 1872 Mr. M’All read a paper at the meeting of the Congregational Union of England and Wales, giving his own narrative of the beginning of his work. It is very brief, occupying only eight printed pages, bat it is to us a singularly interesting document: very modest, with no self-obtrusion; yet ample enough to give the reader a full idea of the work. From this we mean to quote largely; both because of its excellence, and also to prevent the paper from being lost sight of. As it is not generally known, I am sure that the reprint will be most acceptable.

“I wish to speak of our work with great caution. The political and moral state of France, and, above all, of its metropolis, beset such an enterprise with peculiar difficulties. Where the travesty of Christianity has driven multitudes to the extreme of atheism; where, consequently, reckless self-indulgence goes hand-in-hand with hatred of the misused name of religion, the attempt to testify for truth and Christ involves trials of patience and courage. Our ambition has been to act as pioneers; by Almighty help to clear a few spots of the thorn-infested ground, and to scatter therein the good seed of eternal life. We therefore would present our enterprise only in the light of an essay, the hidden results of which rest with our Master.

“How were we led to undertake it 1 In August, 1871, Mrs. M’All and I made a first visit of three or four days to Paris. No thought was more remote than that of quitting friends and country in order to become workers in France. The eager reception of the tracts we offered, first impressed us. At that period the populace, fresh from heart-rending disasters, seemed specially responsive to any manifestation of kind feeling. We would not leave the city until we had taken tracts into the heart of the artisan district — Belleville. We contrived to meet the workmen as they returned homeward at night. At the corner of two great thoroughfares a large group gathered round us. One intelligent man, who could speak a little English, stood forward, and asked if I were not a Christian minister. Then, very earnestly, he spoke to this effect — ‘Sir, I have something to tell you. Throughout this whole district, containing tens of thousands of ouvriers, we have, to a man, done with the priests. We cannot accept an imjosed religion. But if any one would come to teach us religion of another kind, a religion of freedom and reality, many of us are ready for it.’ As we retired, the voices of the people might be heard, — ‘Bons Anglais! Bons Anglais! ’

“Such words, uttered on such a spot, could not be forgotten. Whence should these inquiries after truth be met 1 Had the devoted Christians of Paris resources sufficient to cover these neglected districts with effort? Was it possible that English or American workers would have advantage for gaining the popular ear in consequence of their palpable freedom from political complications! Could this, so unexpected, be a call to break the ties of home, pastorate, and country, and to gird on the missionary harness for the bold essay 1

“Months of anxious consideration followed. Correspondence with experienced Christian labourers in Paris, especially with our kind friend Dr. Fisch, brought us to decision. The work would, doubtless, be difficult and arduous: yet it was viewed as practicable. Our friends at Hadleigh, to our unspeakable comfort, came to give full weight to the motive constraining us to the pain of leaving them. Gladly devoting our small jDrivate resources in order to give ourselves quite freely to the enterprise, we betook ourselves, nearly a year ago, to the great foreign city, and fixed our residence in Belleville, among the workmen.

“After spending two months in study of the language, and in countless preliminary arrangements (searching out suitable localities, obtaining the necessary authorisation from the Prefecture, &c.), we, with the new year, opened our first mission-room, that in Belleville. On the day of our first meeting, the Commissary of Police for the district, though cordially approving our object, expressed his fear, that in consequence of the prevailing disposition to mock at religion, we should be unable to go forward. The worst spot in St. Giles’s, London, he said, would be far more easily worked.

“With trembling hand we opened our door. At first the people seemed to hesitate and pass by. The little company, however, numbered forty. There was no molestation. Our hopes began to revive. At the next meeting (Sunday evening), the place was quite filled, more than 100 being present. Our friend the Commissary attended, saw all things orderly and quiet, and helped to sing the hymns. I may mention that in all arrangements with the municipal and police authorities of Paris, we have been most politely treated. Two styled our work ‘an apostolate;’ another said, ‘Bonne chance a votre charitable enterprise.’ Two well-attended services per week, besides a fortnightly children’s meeting, have been regularly held in the Belleville room ever since.”

All this is what men call “an experiment;” but it was the experiment of faith. Here is a believing man, and his like-minded wife, setting about a work of which it was impossible to estimate the success, or fully to count the cost. It must be all committed to God; and it must be gone about in His strength, with the assured consciousness that the cause was His. It was not human philanthropy setting up some benevolent institution to civilise or soften or subdue a people that had hitherto set all benevolences, as well as all sternnesses at defiance; but it was faith attempting the impossible in the name of the Lord of Hosts.

Will God fail His trusting servant? Will He leave him to his own resources, and allow him, unhelped, to fight his own battle? Will He give him a settlement in Belleville, — that faubourg of 100,000 communists? Will He gather in the strange crowd from their strange dwellings, from which they have so often issued to shed blood? And will He not only give him Belleville, but open doors for him in in other places? To such questions as these Mr. M’All’s answer is as follows: —

“The interest evidenced at Belleville encouraged us to extend our operations. After careful inquiries and some experiments, we increased our stations to four. We opened that of Menilmontant (close by the celebrated cemetery of Pere Lacliaise) at the end of February. Our little room was thronged from the first day. We have been obliged to hire a larger one, and that also is crowded. It is a cheering sight, as the men in their white or blue blouses enter, often accompanied by their wives and children, and sit down attentively to read until the meeting shall commence.

“In April we opened a third station, at Charonne, close by the Place du Trone, in a sjDot noted for irreligion in every shape. Patience and forbearance have been tested there. But we now have a number of earnest listeners; and the insufficient accommodation renders a larger room necessary, which we expect to open on our return.

“Our fourth station, on the new Boulevard Ornano, Montmartre, amidst a dense mass of superior artisans, was also opened in April. At the outset, determined eflbrts were made by representatives of the ultra-atheistic party to interrupt us there. We were also ’ written down ’ in newspaper articles. These men wished to assert that religion and liberty cannot co-exist, that the name of Christ is but a symbol of tyranny, &c. &c. While this opposition lasted, we had the expressed sympathy not only of Protestants of all communities, but of several liberal-hearted Koman Catholics. My valued friend, the Rev. Theodore Monod, and others, aided me to answer these cavils, and ere long the interruption ceased. Every Monday evening, from the beginning, the room, accommodating 150 or more, has been densely thronged, the workmen forming a large majority in the audience. At this station we have also an English service, undertaken at the request of a small colony of Englishmen chiefly connected with the gasworks.

“Including two children’s gatherings, eleven meetings are held every week. All these are continued as usual, by the aid of various friends, during our brief absence.”

The meeting-places are not of the grand order; rather poor and peculiar; but clean and well lighted. Sometimes too narrow and awkwardly shaped both for speaking and hearing; projecting angles and wooden beams marring all architectural symmetry; they still are quite sufficient for their purpose, and well situated for drawing an audience, especially of the humbler classes. Unornamented certainly they are, save as respects the texts of framed calico, beautifully executed, of green and white or blue, that hang all round, and act as silent preachers. We give Mr. M’ All’s account of them: —

“All our stations are sho’^s, and consequently on the track of

44 Te White Fields of France.

the passers-by. Three are on wide boulevards. The rental of these, with incidental expenses and simple fittings, involves a heavy outlay. Friends in London, Manchester, Sunderland, Leicester, Hadleigh, &c., together with some generous-hearted Christians in Paris (including Dr. Monod and others), also several American visitors from New York, who most kindly aided us in our meetings, have so far enabled us to meet these increasing claims. Extended resources would enable us to spread our operations to other populous and most destitute districts of the vast city.

“A large calico sign over each shop invites the workmen to enter. AVe also distribute small bills of invitation in each district, telling the people that ‘English friends wish to speak to them of the love of Jesus Christ.’ Some young Englishmen, Swedes, and Frenchmen have greatly helped us at the doors by encouraging suitable persons to come in. Warm apj)reciation of the kindness of these helpers is often evidenced. Recently an old man at Montmartre said, on leaving, ‘I came in here the first time because, from outside, I saw a young lady offer a hymn-book to an ouvrier with a smile.’ In each room we have an harmonium. Most of our hymns we have ourselves imitated from the English. They are generously printed for our use by a friend at Sunderland. The cheerful tunes evidently delight the people. They make great efforts to sing. Often it is touching to hear their voices in such stanzas as —

* Vive le nom de Jdsns-Chvist,’

*Des paysfroids et ddserts,’ &c.

We rejoice to reflect that unconsciously they learn the words, and so come to have at least some outlines of the Gospel impressed on the memory.”

How to conduct such meetings must have been at first an anxious thought to their originators. Much depended on this. They must be attractive and interesting as well as instructive. They must not be controversial, and yet they must be evangelical. Mr. M’All has not told us the process by which he arrived at his permanent order and arrangement; nor how he was led to adopt some of the peculiarities which distinguish his meetings from others. What he tells us is as follows: —

“The meetings are very simply conducted. On entering, a magazine, a Bible, or other book is lent to each attendant. The French counterpart of the ‘British Workman ’ is a great favourite. Also ‘L’Ami de la Jeunesse.’ I wish extremely that we had publications in French fully corresponding with the Leisure Hour and Sunday at Home. The Bible and Tract Societies, and the other agencies for Scripture portions and suitable books, have generously aided us by free grants. We have also a small free lending library at each station.

“Most striking evidences of the lamentable ignorance of the Word of God prevalent in these districts meet us from time to time. For example, more than once, after borrowing from us successively the New Testament and the Bible, an ouvrier has requested the loan of ’ another volume of the same work.’ An old lady, after receiving copies of several of the Gospels at our room, was anxious for ’ the Gospel of St. Paul ’ to complete the set. We often feel much on seeing a man take away on loan, with evident delight, a Bible ’ for his children to read,’ the first Bible ever seen in his house ‘!

“In the meetings we have hymns alternately with short addresses or readings. Variety and brevity are aimed at. On Sundays something more of the usual form of a religious service is adopted. We give a short sermon, and the feature of prayer is added. The reading of the Bible is listened to on all occasions with marked interest. Political allusions and religious controversies are wholly shunned. We wish it to be under-L stood that we attack no Church or system, that our sole aim is to direct our hearers to Christ, Many French pasiteurs and Christians, besides those mentioned, help us from time to time (M. Eobin, of Belleville, M. Armand Delille, M. Gaubert, with evangelists, &c.) Our friend and brother, the Kev. T. B. Hart, is always ready with his kind aid.

“When English or American friends visit us, if they prefer to speak in English, the people listen with eagerness while each sentence is translated into Erench. These visits are quite a kindness and a real source of strength to us. The sympathy so manifested tends to awaken the people to our earnest purpose. During the summer this has formed a very pleasing feature.

“We feared at the outset that when the charm of novelty should fail, our audiences might melt away. Thus far we have, on the contrary, witnessed a steady increase. The attendances were maintained throughout the sultry summer.

“The statistics (corrected to November 25th) are as follows: —

No. of sittings (chairs) in the 4 rooms

French meetings held

Of which for children

Aggregate attendance

Average for each meeting throughout

Average attendance per week, for some time

500
382

85
900

(The majority of attendants are men at the adult meetings, boys at the children’s meetings.)

Books issued from lending libraries.. 524

Tracts and Scripture portions distributed.. 48,000

(Exclusive of 2779 given during short summer journeys in Normandy and in the Vosges, and in ten French meetings held with the people there.)

“In addition, 22 English services have been held, and 130 books issued from our little English library.”

Rise of the Work. ^.y

The following is a page of fragments well worth the reading, as affording us some glimpses of the people’s feelings as they went and came; giving out to one another, or to the workers, their casual remarks on this strange novelty that had arisen among them, and which without difficulty, and almost without opposition, had found a place in a district the unlikeliest to have welcomed such messengers, and such a message: —

“A few candidly spoken words may reveal much respecting the contrasted attitudes of different sections of the populace towards religion. One rugged son of toil, in answer to our question — ‘Do you not want a true Friend? ’ — repHed, ‘Non; je n’ai besoin de rien. Pour moi, j ‘adore le soleil. Ma religion n’est que la religion du travail.’

“Again, a man, evidently full of himself, said, at the door, * Religion is a good thing for the young and for old people; but as for me, who am in full life, I have no need of anything of the kind.’ A profound philosopher, truly!

“A kind-hearted Roman Catholic lady, a frequent attendant, had asked us to her house. Her husband, a man of wealth, received us very kindly, and spoke freely. He said, ‘No man cares to be religious here. The priests have made the way to heaven so very diiiicult that no one cares to go.’ He added, ‘Only the women go to church. It would be reckoned a disgrace to one of us if we should enter such a place.’

“Turn to the opposite side. A hard- worked ouvrier came eagerly to us, saying, ‘I want to be taught religion. I do not understand it. I want to learn what it is.’ Another man, addressing a hesitant group of his neighbours at one of our doors, said, ‘I am a Catholic; but go you in. You will hear only the Gospel there; and there is nothing to pay.’” People are constantly telling us that they wish to ’ change their religion.’ Parents, especially, desire that their children should be ’ trained as Protestants.’ A few days ago a sergent-de-ville requested me to come to his house and explain to him how he and all his family might learn our ’ religion ’ — meaning the Gospel in its simplicity.

“Another very pleasing feature is to find workmen inducing their fellow-workmen to attend, and bringing them to us to borrow Bibles, &c.

“Various incidents seem to show that our simple mode of conducting the meetings is not unsuccessful. An intelligent man said to me, ‘I like your reunions, because there is no mixing of politics with religion. I do not say this to flatter; I sincerely feel it.’ The utmost care is needed in avoiding political allusions. A well-to-do tradesman said to me, after a meeting, amidst a group in the doorway, evidently to test me: — ‘Votre reunion est jolie; mais moi, je dis surtout, vive la rpublique! ‘I replied, ‘Vive la liberty! ’ and every one seemed to be satisfied.

“The people are often, at first much puzzled to understand who and what we are. They have been heard whispering to each other outside, ‘C’est la J^suites! C’est un pretre, n’est ce pas?’ The pretty Scripture prints ornamenting our rooms, supplied by the Sunday School Union and by friends, are useful in this respect. They form a quiet expression of our true position, being so markedly unlike the Roman Catholic pictures.

“One evening when the congregation was dispersing, a bourgeois came up, full of self-assertion. After questioning our young English friend at the door, he said, ‘Ah, this is all very well for the ouvriers; it is not the thing for me.’ A sergent-de-ville on his beat, hearing this, addressed the bourgeois: — ‘Sir, it is a very good thing for everybody; it is a very good thing for Belleville.’ The policemen have been repeatedly heard recommending the bystanders to go in, assuring them that they would hear only what is for their good. Many times we are cheered by the warm pressure of our hand on leaving, and the words, ‘Je vous remercie infiniment; je reviendrai.’ And they do return. Nor is it unusual to hear during the meeting, after some home truth has been spoken, such expressions as, * C’est bon,” C’est vrai.’

“The Sunday before our leaving, a French friend who helps at our doors mentioned that the same afternoon two or three young men, who, on entering, e’idently intended to make sport, had remained as attentive listeners, and that he had recently observed the same thing more than once at Montmartre.

“It is amusing to observe the surprise of the people when assured that everything is gratuitous. ‘■ Do you give all this for nothing! ’ they ask. Some seem almost offended when we decline to take their money. The other day, during a discussion outside, after the meeting, whether we were Catholics or Protestants, several were heard to say, * Never mind which they are; we will come again, for here all are treated alike; everything is free, and every one is made welcome.’ It is something to disarm prejudice and elicit kindly feeling. We therefore hail every such token, as giving hope of some higher result afterwards.

“We are not left wholly without indications of that higher result. A widow and her daughter had formed the dark and terrible impression that there was no God, because, they reasoned, if He had existed, He could not have allowed them to be so heavily afflicted. The husband had perished in the Commune, and nearly all the children had died in rapid succession. They refused to enter any place of worship. Led, somehow, to one of our rooms, they there learned to see a Father’s correcting love, where, before, only cruelty and vengeance had appeared; and, we trust, have been brought to a heartfelt reception of the Saviour.”

The last extract which we give from this interest-

£ ing address contains the writer’s impressions, on a review of the first year of labour: —

“After a year of close observation, our first impression respecting the attitude of this vast populace towards religion is confirmed. In this view, three groups may be distinguished. The first consists of men so steeped in atheism and self-indulgence that they seem well-nigh impervious to all ameliorating influences. The second is composed of those who have no idea of religion, save under the distorted shape of a system which they have utterly rejected. In meeting f/iem, the first and difficult task is to awaken them to the existence of life, freedom, love, where they had supposed only exaction, artifice, imposition to have place. The third group is that of those who are already convinced that there is a reality in religion, and are in waiting posture, ready to welcome the life-giving message.

“In view of the disposition to hear, evidenced at our four unobtrusive stations, we cannot doubt that, were similar arrangements extended to every district in Paris, attentive listeners would be multiplied. My excellent neighbour, Monsieur Kobin, Protestant pastor of Belleville, says that there is room in Paris for fifty such places, and for fifty missionary ministers. Very recently, an intelligent workman, one of our constant attendants, came to me, after a meeting at Menilmontant, to express his firm conviction that if a building ten times the size were thrown open for Christian preaching on that spot, it would be crowded with willing listeners.

“With what pain do we feel our inability to occupy more than a corner of the vast field! A generous-hearted Liverpool merchant, himself a descendant of the Huguenots, said to me after our meeting at Montmartre, a few days ago — ‘Every quarter throughout Paris ought to have a religious meeting-place for the workmen.’ Alive to the impossibility of our meeting the vast exigency alone, he suggested that resources and additional labourers might be found in England, so as to secure ’ a girdle of mission-stations round the lohole city.^ Could this be effected, the warm co-operation of French pastors and Christian workers might be relied on.

“It is our fond hope that, on the basis of our stations, permanent Christian institutions may eventually arise. If, in each quarter, a plain but spacious building could be secured, comprising a large room for meeting and services, a reading-room, and a small lending library, who can doubt that great blessings would flow from it throughout its neighbourhood ]

“In these arrangements the children ought not to be lost sight of. Every observer of the religious needs of Paris and of France must receive a profound impression with reference to its rising race. Our weekly juvenile meetings, on the holiday afternoon, enabled us to reach, more or less, about 300. In these children, most of them grievously destitute of moral home training, we see that which convinces us, that could wholesome teaching be spread everywhere among the French children of this generation, the nation would, under God’s blessing, rise wp moralhj renovated in the next. In spite of the efforts of the dominant Church to monopolise education, there can be no doubt that a multitude of parents would thankfully place their families under such teaching. Often, as I remarked, they come to us expressing the wish that their children should be trained as Protestants. Their meaning is not that they desire a sectarian education, but that they wish their children to imbibe principles of Christian morality.

“It is touching to hear these young voices in the h;yTims we teach them, the only words of the kind some of them are ever taught! Parents (fathers as well as mothers) often come in, pleased to listen while their children sing, and answer Scripture questions.

“But the thought of the tens of thousands of the young in Paris not brought under even this modicum of influence is overwhelming! The Protestant schools, though worked with

52 The White Fields of Frarice.

intelligent devotedness, are but thinly scattered, and leave many populous quarters untouched by such agencies.

“Such, brethren, is our essay, to which, after two or three days, we hope to return, and enter on the long winter campaign. “Will you not attend us, throughout it, with your prayerful sympathy? The assurance that we are thus remembered in our own land is unspeakably helpful.

“If we may be blessed in conveying to even a few of those who were sitting in the shadow of death’ the light and love which shall render them as leaven to the mass around, what is any small personal sacrifice or hardship, in the balance! To be permitted even to make, the attempt in our Lord’s name is a sacred privilege. Ask, then, for us, that we may, during the winter, not only see interested listeners around us, but hear from many the inquiry after eternal life. Ask, too, that other hearts may be stirred, and the way of other labourers made plain, who shall come over and strengthen our hands. Ask, for us, wisdom, patience, courage, strength of every kind, that we may use our privilege rightly, to the glory of Him in whose name we go forth!”

We have given, piece by piece, the whole of this statement, not only because of its great importance, as the first intimation to the public of what was going on, but because in a work like this, it is both interesting and satisfactory to discover the beginnings, however small, and to watch the gradual, or rather the rapid rise, of this mighty enterprise, which the Churches of Great Britain are only beginning to appreciate.

The report announces the opening of the Belleville station in January, 1872; of the M^nilmontant station in the following February; and of two others, Montmartre and Faubourg St. Antoine, in the April of the same year. “In our four rooms,” it says, “we have 515 sittings.” The last report (1878) gives 5192 sittings! The first report gives the aggregate attendance for the year at 37,957, the last at 421,370. The first gives the number of French meetings during the year at h, the last at 2788.

It is interesting thus to compare the first year with the last; to mark the rapid growth of the work and the enlarging of the circle; and to trace back to the Belleville station, in the Rue Julien Lacroix, with its 108 sittings, the small fountain-head of this great Mission. “^^

The French pastors early united with Mr. M’All, and threw themselves into the work. Dr. Fisch, M. Theodore Monod, M. Kobin, and others, gave important help. Several laymen did the same. And it is evident that the ultimate success of the Mission will depend greatly on the native workers, whether pastors or laymen. A native agency is

* At Montmartre and Belleville a new expedient was attempted. Two tea-meetings were held; the first for English friends, the second for the French people at Belleville, on the anniversary of the opening of the station there. The innovation on French customs was most successful and pleasant. At the English gathering three or four intelligent men got up to thank Mr. M’All for having come to them.

specially to be desired and aimed at. Foreigners may do something; but ultimately the French Christians must take up the work, if it is to be permanent and aggressive; if it is to permeate, not only Paris, but the cities and villages of France. French liberality must also be stimulated. The pecuniary burden must devolve on French shoulders. Not that we grudge English gold. It is a noble position for a nation to occupy, — to stretch out a helping hand to all nations of the earth; which Great Britain, in the midst of all her sin and selfishness, at this day is doing. It is no common honour that God has put upon us to make England the religious metropolis of the world, so that from us go forth not only tracts and books and Bibles in all languages, but missionaries of the cross to every nation. In the Continental wars of the earlier part of this century, England was described as

“... The fond ally,
That fights for all....”

And, perhaps, when it was added —

“But ever fights in vain,”

there was truth in the sarcasm. In England’s better warfare of the last fifty years, there has been a truer and a holier “fighting for all,” the issues of which have been life and not death; — victories over all the earth, which the world neither applauds nor chronicles, but which are not the less on that account blessed and glorious. In these battles she does not “fight in vain.” In the former warfare she lavished millions without grudging, and shed blood without scruple, in behalf of one and another and another kingdom. And, doubtless, she achieved something for earthly liberty and order. But the cost was great. In the latter warfare, against darkness and sin, with no carnal weapons, but seeking only to bring the prisoners out of their prison-house, and to give light to them that sit in darkness, she need not grudge her gold; she need not shrink from bloodless triumphs, the triumphs of peace and holiness. Let all the world know that there is a nation whom God delights to honour; and whom He honours by making use of her gold and her power, to transmit His Book, and the Gospel which that Book contains, to all kindreds of the earth.

But there is a limit to this. This small island, with its thousand responsibilities and burdens, cannot draw inimitably upon its resources. The nations whom she helps must help themselves. We cannot continue subsidising the whole world; not because we grudge it, but because there are limits to our exchequer, and our own people have claims upon us, even superior to the whole Continent together.

France especially is now a prosperous nation. The hoarded gains of her population in all her towns and villages, which were lying useless, perhaps in chest or cupboard, were drawn out by the Prussian demand for the late war-indemnity, and are now bearing interest of five per cent, or more, to their owners; so that her citizens, and, not least, her peasantry, have become much richer than before; their incomes increased and made permanent and unfluctuating. As a prosperous community, we may now appeal to her to help herself. We cannot do everything for her. She must step forward herself both with the money and the men.

If the breath of a new life has gone over France this will not be long of being done.”’^ The same

*” France, beyond all doubt, is labouring to detach herself from Roman Catholicism, whether this is to be done gradually or at once. The last elections turned out against clericalism, and as Roman Catholicism among us will not separate her cause from that of Ultramontanism, one may say that the elections struck a blow at Roman Catholicism. It is enough to listen to the lamentations of the clerical papers, to the complaints of the Abbe Bougaud, Vicar-General of Orleans, about the daily increasing difficulty of recruiting the priestly ranks, to the despairing appeals for Peter’s pence, and for the furtherance of other Catholic contrivances; it is enough, on the other hand, to see the churches deserted in three quarters of the provinces, and the increasing number of civil interments — to understand the reality of the rupture, daily widening into a divorce, that has taken place between the Romish Church and the populations of France. Is it hard to explain this rupture — this divorce? We do not need to speak of the new dogmas of her own invention that Romanism has thought proper to proclaim, as if to do her upmost to deepen the mighty spirit, that has been quickening the dead, can raise up an apostolic ministry. The Bartholomew massacre slew 100,000 of her best and noblest; but now out of their ashes is arising another host to do the work which they expected to do. If the land of Coligny is true to herself she will rise to the responsibility of the crisis. Native evangelists and pastors will be sent forth to carry out a mission for t)ie whole of France, which no foreigner can undertake. The present work has been begun by the English stranger; but unless the stimulus which it is giving to the Protestants of the land issue in some large, noble, — shall I say, daring, — enterprise, for the evangelisation of their fellow-countrymen, the M’All Mission will not have fully served its end, nor accomplished the aspirations of its founder.

It may be true that the present rulers of France are of foreign origin, and that the French do not

gulf between the blind faith that she requires from her followers and the scepticism of the century. We do not need to speak of the new and unusual phase of pilgrimages, or of Catholic Clubs, or of the materialistic and pagan devotions to the Sacrt-Coeur, to our Lady of Lourdes or of La Salette. Nor need we refer to the contrast, always offensive, between the doctrines of Christ and the practices of Popery — between the simplicity and humility which the Gospel teaches and the pomp and parade of our prelates, some of whom will only enter their episcopal cities when announced by the noise of cannon, and preceded by a military cm^Urje; unlike the Son of David, who entered Jerusalem riding on an ass.” — M. Reveillaud.

object to foreign help. The Prime Minister is English, the President of the Chambers Italian, several of the Government officials are, by descent at least, foreigners, so that France is governed by “■ exotic Frenchmen,” or rather, by nationalised foreigners. To this the nation assents. But, then, all these have been fused by education and long residence into French ways and sympathies. No difference comes to the surface. But it will take years before the like fusion or naturalisation can take place in the present mission, and the ungospelised millions of the land cannot afford to wait. The white fields demand immediate reaping; and the present labourers are quite inadequate to the task, both in numbers and in fitness: and He who has so unexpectedly ripened the harvest can alone provide the reapers. As in the first century the fields of Europe and Asia ripened, and the Lord of the harvest sent forth His apostolic band of labourers into Greece and Italy to cut down the corn-fields of Corinth, and Thessalonica, and Galatia, and Rome, — of Antioch, and Ephesus, and Colosse; so may we expect that experienced sickles are now preparing for the fields of France. Only this singular honour has been conferred on England, to lead the way, and by herself-denying zeal to stimulate the energies of the Christians of the French fatherland. Instead of the imperfect sickles wielded by foreign hands, He will provide implements more efficacious and more successful.”^’*

There are wealthy Protestants in France; let them consecrate their abundance to God, and not waste it on themselves.

Meanwhile it is no common privilege thus to help a neighbour, and to communicate of our plenty to a people to whom we have so many ties of interest and sympathy; yet with whom we have been so often at war.

* Yet let us not forget the following striking incident and testimony: —

“During the period of the meetings of the Evangelical Alliance in London, in 1851, one speaker was recommending the Foreign Aid Society, on the ground that it only employed French and Swiss preachers, and did not send out Englishmen, when Dr. Merle d’Aubigne rose and said, that he for one could not accept this as a recommendation; for if it had not been for the grace of God in ordering the mission of the venerable Robert Haldane from Scotland, I myself, so far as man can see, would not have been here to-day.” — “Lives of the Haldanes,” p, 471.