Progress and Expansion

“J^5^7’JE come now to the first regular report issued by M’All, from which we mean largely to borrow, for the same reasons for which we drew so unsparingly on his Congregational address.

It is headed, “Mission to the Working Men of Paris; Report for fourteen months, November, 1871, to January, 1873.” We confess to the great interest we ourselves have felt in perusing this report. Subsequent reports contain, of course, more information, and deal more in incident and detail; but this, as the authentic and official narrative of the origin and development of the work, has special interest for all who love to trace a great and successful undertaking to its first beginnings. One likes, not merely in the spirit of poetry or sentiment, but as an interesting piece of geography, to go back along a river’s banks, and to stand in the quiet upland glen where it first arose.

Progress and Expansion. 6 r

To this report the late Dr. Binney, of London, wrote an introductory note, giving his own impressions, which are worth preserving: — “I can hardly say that I was requested to write these few lines; the more correct statement, perhaps, would be that I offered to write them, for such is my appreciation of the disinterested zeal and laborious self-denial of my dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. M’All, and such my interest in their work, that I felt moved to help, in any way in my power, what they had undertaken. It is no doubt a somewhat singular form of benevolent agency, — this sitting down of two English people in one of the less attractive districts of Paris, in order to labour gratuitously for the religious benefit of the working class. The very idea of the thing will to some seem strange and Quixotic, and may be regarded as something which will turn out to be wanting in depth and permanence.”

This is just the very thought that must have occurred to many at the time, perhaps even to the originators themselves, trying their faith, and it may be burdening their spirits. Alone in a land of strangers, face to face with the great Parisian mass of human wickedness, with no organisation to assist, and no society to fall back upon, they could not but sometimes ask themselves why they had ventured on such an enterprise, and whether a work begun with such very slender appliances was likely to last, or to make any permanent impression on that city of atheism and Popery and pleasure.

‘’However this may be,” Dr. Binney adds, “in respect to the scheme itself, it is not to be doubted that, in individual minds, iTYipressions will he made which, though the machinery tuere to vanish to-TYiorrow, will be lasting as eternity, and have inestimable results, immediate and remote, in time.”

We have italicised a few words in the above sentence, which seem specially worthy of attention. Were nothing more to come out of this work than what this first report records, and had it ceased after only a year’s existence, it would not have been in vain for Paris and for France.

When we remember that the following sentence was written within little more than a year after the mission had been set on foot, and before it had reached anything like the dimensions to which it has now come, we shall be inclined to ask, if Dr. Binney spoke thus at a time when there were but few stations, what would he have written had he lived to see the twenty-three?

“It is wonderful,” he writes, “to us how much our friends have done, in the number of stations established and services sustained; it is obvious that the work must demand much thought and incessant labour; and it is reasonable to expect that what was begun in faith, and is carried on with prayer and painstaking, will, through the Divine blessing, be followed by some encouraging measure of success.”

His concluding sentence deserves special notice. It speaks to the Churches of Great Britain. It is a call for workers; a summons to Christian men and women. It has been in some measure responded to, but the increasing necessities of the case, and the widening of the field, demand a much larger response. He asks for labourers, — the right men and the right women to do the work of God in Paris. “■ Who will go for us?” is his question. He did not live to see the largeness of the answer given. We see it to-day. Yet we still call for more. The 100,000 of Belleville alone would require at least fifty labourers; how many shall we ask for the 2,000,000 of the whole city?

“If another English couple, like-minded with our friends, and able to devote themselves to such a work, were to become colleagues and coadjutors in the Mission, it would both lighten labour and increase it, by cheering our friends, sharing their toil, and giving vigour and variety to existing or projecting forms of service. In the meantime, that this singularly interesting work of Mr. and Mrs. M’All may be strengthened and sustained, it is hereby heartily commended to the loving prayers and liberal contributions of the English friends into whose hands these words may come.”

We think it important to preserve such an early testimony as this to the excellency of the work, both because it is interesting in itself, and because our narrative will show, as it proceeds, how fully the opinion of the writer has been justified and borne out by the subsequent history of the Mission.

We come now to the report itself, which, exclusive of accounts and subscription lists, consists of only seven pages. Yet upon these seven pages we dwell with even greater interest than upon the more extended reports of subsequent years. This first report (1872), with its seven pages, chronicles four stations, with the prospect of a fifth; the second (1873), consisting of ten pages, sets down eight stations; the third (1874), with its fifteen pages, registers eleven stations; iliQ fourth (1875), with its seventeen pages, gives us a list of seventeen stations; the fifth (1876), with its twenty- three pages, records nineteen stations; the sixth (1877), with its thirty-eight pages, tells us of twenty-two stations; the seventh (1878) and last, with its thirty-six pages, numbers twenty-two stations, though more properly they are twenty-three.

In some of the quotations’” which follow the reader may notice a slight repetition of some of the earlyfacts, which he will easily know how to excuse. This could hardly be avoided without mutilating the extracts, which we are unwilling to do: —

“Two months after our arrival in Paris were spent in anxious and laborious preparation for our work. Locahties had to be sought out, the sanction of the municipal authorities obtained, and the meeting-rooms furnished and made ready. Our first meeting was held in our Belleville room on Wednesdav even-

* We give, in a note, the following statement as to a peculiar feature of the work: — “The development of the work has called for several new features. At three stations we have recently formed classes for teaching English to the workmen — a method which appears to promise well for securing their confidence in our friendship. At two stations we have just organised French Sunday schools. Could we obtain additional helpers, we should rejoice to extend these arrangements to all the districts. As we come to know the people more, the requirements in visitation, &c., constantly increase. We are seeking to engage part of the time of an excellent Christian friend, a man of experience, to aid us especially in this department. In addition, would that some brother in the ministry, with his wife, could come out and join us.

“On opening our Montmartre station, we found ourselves amidst a, little colony of intelligent English workmen, who requested that a meeting should also be held for them. With this desire we gladly comphed, and have, since April last, conducted a Sunday afternoon English service there, together with an English Lending Library. The pressure of French work now leads us thankfully to confide the chief charge of this section to our friend and brother, the Rev. T. Baron Hart. Having had to reHnquish two out-stations at the time of the siege, he is able to undertake two meetings weekly, and has also just now succeeded in forming a small English Sunday school. The work will, however, still depend upon our Mission Fund for its support as before.”

F ing, 17th January, 1872. Twelve months of unbroken effort being completed, -we wish to lay before the numerous friends who have spontaneously enabled us to meet the necessary outlay a statement of the mode in which their contributions have been employed.

“Before entering on financial details, a few words may be offered on the effort in itseK. The general features of its origin and history are contained in a paper read before the Congregational Union of England and Wales at Nottingham, in October last, kindly inserted by our esteemed friend, the Rev. R. Ashton, in the Congregational Year-Book for 1873. Notwithstanding the entirely unsectarian character of our undertaking, we gladly made that statement, in response to the invitation of the Committee of the Union, conveyed by the Rev. A. Hannay, desiring to elicit the praj’erful sympathy of our brethren.

“For the information of those friends into whose hands the Year-Book may not fall, it may be well to present a sketch of the enterprise from its commencement.

“During a brief smnmer holiday in 1871, Mrs. M. and I made a first visit to Paris. No thought was more remote than that of quitting friends and country in order to become workers in France. Such, however, was the impression produced on our mind by the eagerness with which the tracts we offered were received, and by the earnest words of an intelligent workman, who, standing amidst a large group of his comrades in the heart of Belleville, assured us that many of them were ready for the teachings of a free and pure religion, that we were led to most anxious thought on the possibility of a Christian enterprise in those neglected districts, so recently the scene of dire calamities.

“After consultation with experienced Christian labourers in Paris, especially with Dr. Fisch, we deemed it our duty to leave our kind friends at Hadleigh, and, girding on the missionary harness, to fix our residence in Belleville, among the workmen.

Progress and Expajision. 67

We resolved to endeavour to open niis^ion-rooms, and to mldte to them the workmen and their families. The fact that those we specially desired to influence were wholly unused to attendance on religious serT.ces, suggested the idea of meetings in which there should be no lengthened speaking, but a number of short, pointed readings or addresses, varied by the singing of hymns, and, as soon as the people might seem prepared for it, the off’ering of prayer. The reading of the Bible would, we felt, form an interesting feature; that book having, sad to say, for multitudes here the charm of absolute novelty! To those arrangements we proposed to add the jDrovision of illustrated magazines, such as ‘L’Ouvrier Frangais,’ and of other periodicals, so that all entering our rooms might iDe invited to read until the meeting should commence. We also proposed to open a Lending Library, for the issue of Bibles and New Testaments, and other good books, at each station. The excellent society at Toulouse enabled us to form these libraries. These, with the distrilnition of tracts and of Scripture portions at the doors of our rooms, formed the chief features of our plan.

“We are thankful to state that, in carrying it into eff’ect, we have been greatly encouraged. Such an attempt, put forth in such districts, could not fail to involve many difficulties and trials. At Montmartre, the opening of our room in April last was the signal for determined and bitter opposition on the part of the atheists of the district. Each Monday evening representatives of that party attending for the purpose of disputing all our statements. The newspaper press- was also brought into requisition to ’ write us down.’ We deemed it best to allow questions, and these, with the aid of Messrs. Theodore Monod, Leuzinger, and others, were answered. After the last of these bitter cavils had been met, it was delightful to hear the favourite French hymn, sung with voice and heart in the crowded room, Qu’ils sont beaux sur les montagnes, ‘How beautiful upon the mountains,’ &c. Ever since, the full attendance and marked attention on these Monday evenings have been most cheering.

So far as we can ascertain, since the formation of the fine new Boulevard Ornano, no religious meeting of any description had been attempted within its precincts until the opening of our room. We account it an unspeakable honour to have been the first to endeavour to plant there the standard of Divine truth and love.

“The marked fondness of the people (the men especially) for the hymns we have imitated for them from the English is worthy of mention. They evidently take great pleasure in learning to sing them with us to the cheerful tunes familiar in England, but entirely new to them. To a valued friend at Sunderland we are deeply indebted for gratuitously printing 1000 copies of more than forty of these hymns. The words becoming imprinted on the memory, it is not too much to hope that these germs of heavenly truth may spring into life even after many years.

“When we were about to open our earliest stations, it was even the opinion of the municipal authorities in several of the quarters that, in consequence of the prevailing disposition to mock at religion, we should be unable to proceed. Those who entertained these fears have since congratulated us on the moralising tendency of the meetings. Members of the police force, especially, have repeatedly borne this testimony. They have everywhere shown themselves friendly to our object. We had the pleasure of presenting the ‘Almanach des Publications Populaires ’ to each man in the Belleville force, eighty-one in number, as a small New- Year’s recognition of their civility in preserving us from interruption throughout the year. They decline to receive money, but are delighted with our books and pictures. Great politeness has been observed towards us by the civic authorities; but the utmost care is required to avoid every j)olitical allusion and all religious controversy in our meetings, the terms of our authorisation expressly forbidding both.

“Many who have visited us have been surprised on witnessing the respectful attention of those whom they had supposed to be inaccessible to any such influence. It is a pleasing sight to look round on the group, often densely packed, of ouvriers in, their blouses, with their wives and children; to observe their eager listening to some incident or illustration pointing to the vital truth and the almighty Saviour. Still more,’their cordial shake of the hand, and kind expressions of thanks, at the close of the meetings, often revive our hearts and lighten our toil. Would that we could rejoice over many as fully devoted to Jesus! There are a few respecting whom this joy is allowed us. Many others, at each of the stations, have become constant attendants. Vve ask the fervent prayer of Christians at home that many may indeed be ’ brought out of darkness into marvellous light.’ Meanwhile, we feel that even to gain the ear of numbers for the Gospel is a result over which we have reason to rejoice.

“Our mission rooms are all shojjs, which we have to rent wholly for the purpose. These, being situated on public thoroughfares, attract the notice of passers-by. Some of our kind helpers always stand at the doors, inviting the people to come in. At each station, from its opening, we have held, with unbroken regularity, two meetings weekly, one on the Sunday, one on a week-night, besides two weekly meetings for children, on their holiday afternoon, which are also largely attended. We have been enabled to carry out the whole of our arrangements amidst wintry cold and summer heat; and it is a gratifying fact that not on a single occasion have we been without an audience.”

But the most important part of the report remains to be cited. We have seen something of the Mission in its external appHances; let us learn something of its workings and results. Mr. M’All thus writes: — “We frequently hear expressions which evidence that the view of religion as an affair of the heart and life is absolutely new to the thought of many around us. A remarkably intelligent young man, now a constant attendant, said, only a few days ago, ‘I have been reading carefully the little Evangiles (Scripture portions) you have given me, and I find in them a religion, not of buying and selling, not of forms and absolutions, but “la vraie morale,” something which goes to our heart and life; and I approve it.’ The men are especially interested in the recital of examples of moral courage, self-denial, patience, &c. An English workman, who attends many of our French meetings, tells us that he often hears them say at the close, referring to such recitals, ‘Ah! c’est gentil ga. lis sont bons, ces anglais: C’est la liberte, I’egalit, la fraternity.’ These favourite words are used by them with reference to our receiving no payment, and to the fact that all who come are treated alike.

“Again and again they will say to us, ‘Vous vous donnez beaucoup de peine pour nous: nous en devons etre bien reconnaissants.’ A few evenings ago, after we had taught an English class of sixty persons or more at our new station Faubourg St. Antoine, a most respectable ouvrier, a constant attendant, stood forward amidst them all, and said to me, ‘I wish to thank you and maclame very much for all the pains you take on our behalf here; and we hope that great good will be the result.’ Bright looks and a hearty shake of the hand all round seemed to assure us that this ouvrier spoke the general sentiment.

“We are tempted to record the heart-cheering words with which an intelligent medical man, a Swedenborgian, who has himself laboured much to lead the ouvrier s towards religion by the aid of scientific inquiries, received us to his house — ‘Je desire vous faire un bon accueil dans ma maison si humble; vous qui etes les anges gardiens de nos pauvres ouvriers frangais.’

“A few weeks ago the first of our regular attendants who,

Progress and Expansioji. 7 1

to our knowledge, has been called into eternity, died very suddenly of paralysis. He was an old man, respectable but poor. We had often exchanged a few words with him respecting the sorrows of the present and the glorious hope beyond. His sister, a confirmed invalid, said, in speaking of his death, * Well, he is happy, doubtless. He was a good man. He loved Jesus.’ On another occasion, a gentleman who had never, I believe, attended any but Roman Catholic services before, said to a friend, * I feel, after all, that I want something more than I have yet found.’ A kind invitation brought him to one of our meetings while we were in England. A French pasteur conducted the service in our stead. The gentleman listened with interest to his words, and on leaving said, ‘I shall come again when ]Ir. M’All returns.’ On the day in which he had planned to be with us he was laid in the grave.

“It was only on the evening of writing this that a French gentleman said to us, ‘Je vous felicite de votre bonne oeuvre pour notre classe ouvriere.’ He went on to express his belief that, could similar efforts be multiplied, an important influence would be exercised for the amelioration of morals and the elevation of the people. He said earnestly that the classe ouvriere had been long and disastrously neglected; but he was of oj)inion that even yet they could be made alive to the realities of morals and religion. As a Roman Catholic, he added, he admired the unsectarianism of our procedure.

“Such spontaneous testimonies (and we are cheered by them frequently) encourage the belief that the mode we have adopted commends itself to the judgment of those who know the French populace well.

“We are thankful to add that expressions, both oral and written, could be recorded, leading us to believe that the good seed has already yielded its fruit of spiritual life in some hearts. Some of these have filled us with inexpressible gratitude and joy.

“Reviewing the year’s history, we are encouraged to go for-

72 The IVhite Fields of Fi-ance.

ward, relying on Divine help. The impression of the urgent need for such an enterprise which led us to break the ties of pastorate and home, has been deepened day by day. Yet it is but little that so few labourers can hope to accomplish towards the reclaim of so vast a spiritual desert. Would that the hearts of others might be moved, and their way made plain, to come over and strengthen our hands, and thus render possible the planting in each dark and desolate quarter of this vast city, of a little centre whence heavenly light and love may radiate!

“Amidst many toils and not a few hardships, pressed by a profound sense of responsibility, in need of wisdom to direct, and, above all, of the influence of the Divine Spirit to render our humble endeavours eftectual, we crave to be had in ceaseless remembrance before our Father’s throne!”

We close this chapter, then, with the above conclusion of the first report, dated thus — “R. W. M’All, 28 Rue Clavel, Belleville, Paris, January 16th, 1873.” It is a valuable document, and, because of its value, we have made large use of it. Its simplicity and modesty commend it to every reader. The writer does not obtrude himself, nor magnify his own efforts, nor dilate upon his hardships and sacrifices, nor mar the noble narrative by calling attention to the agents. He writes quietly, barely, — too barely, perhaps; without ornament. He has made sacrifices; but he does not speak of them. He has had days and nights of toil and weariness and anxiety; but he passes over these. Only those who have been upon the spot, and have seen the interior of the work, can have any idea of what these have been.

Progress a7id Expansion. 73

Perhaps with more self-assertion he might have borne down some of his difficulties. But, refusing, like his Master, to ‘’ strive,” he has doubtless chosen the better and, ultimately, the more successful part. Yet, knowing how to yield, he knows also how to stand; knowing how to conciliate, he does not know how to compromise. Compromise in a position such as his would be fatal.

First from Rue Clavel, Belleville, latterly from Rue Fessart, Belleville, he has gone forth to do his daily work for nearly eight years; known in Belleville as the friend of the people; appreciated and honoured as if he were both pastor and priest of that vast parish.

The personal influence he has acquired is undoubtedly great, and mighty results have often been accomplished by “personal influence.” The affection with which he is regarded is no less remarkable, so that if he were injured, or assailed, all Belleville would turn out in his defence. As (in a sense) the resident Tiiinister, he has won a position which he could not have had if he had taken up his dwelling in some other part of the city. He has cast in his lot with the people for whom he came to spend and to be spent. “^

* Since this was written he has been led by circumstances to leave Belleville, and to take up his residence in 147 Boulevard Malesherbes.

It has been said that religious influence descends, hut does not ascend; that the lower ranks are influenced by the higher, not the higher by the lower; that therefore efforts for the regeneration of such a city as Paris will be failures unless we get hold of the upper classes first; and that it is a mistake to begin at the lowest faubourg. We question the theory of ascent and descent, for history has often recorded the reverse. But even though it had been true, “the thing was of God” in the present case, and Mr. M’All had no choice but to follow where he was led. He did not choose Belleville; God chose it for him, and set him there, to do a work which was to spread itself wide and far. The theory of ascent and descent does not trouble a true evangelist. He does not calculate nor choose. He enters in at the door which a Divine hand has opened, and works according to the strength given, leaving it to the great Master to determine what the fruit is to be. In the present case, there are signs not doubtful, that the upper Parisians are not uninterested in what is so profoundly moving the lower; that the boulevards are asking what is this that is tranquillising the faubourgs, and making them so easy to be governed. Once they might have said. Can any good thing come out of Belleville? But now, when they see that some good thing has come out of it, that its atmosphere has been purified, and that the whole tone of the masses has been bettered by the change, they are not disinclined to listen to a Gospel that has wrought such a transformation, which has not only smoothed over a political crisis, but warded off social shipwreck, absorbing those unruly elements among the “fierce democracy,” which, if again let loose, would not have been satisfied with levelling the Vendome Column, or setting fire to the Tuileries, but of which the unsparing watchword would have been, Down with the rich! and death to the priests I

The Gospel has come in between Paris and revolution. It has conserved, and not destroyed. “Peace, be still!” has been its political message to the ouvriers of the French capital. By proclaiming the true “equality” of men in Christ Jesus, it has prevented the proclamation of an equality which would have simply meant plunder, bloodshed, and misrule.

Yet, let us not be prematurely confident. Romanism shakes its clenched fist at liberty in every form, resolved on exasperating the Republic to deeds of bloodshed; while the latter, though exhibiting in general wonderful self-restraint, sometimes seems on the point of accepting a challenge, in which “Death to the priesthood! “would be the gathering cry. In April of the present year (1879), a monk preached in a provincial cathedral, and in his sermon attacked lay teaching. A group immediately gathered round him in the church, and began the “Marseillaise/* In the midst of the confusion, a voice was heard “Vive la Commune!”

One man lighted a cigar; another shook his fist at the preacher, shouting “Down with the priests!” An official present stepped forward and requested the preacher to stop. The danger of violence was imminent; but the parties seem to have retired scowling at each other.

The Municipal Council of Paris has recently passed a singular decree, — striking out “religious music” from its prize competitions. The report of their committee runs thus —

“Your Committee, gentlemen, think that religious art has had its day. It reached the height of grandeur with S. Bach, Handel, and Haydn, because those men of genius knew how to express and convey human passions while dealing with imaginary beings. The more the extent of human knowledge increases, the more this art is incompatible, on account of what it expresses, with the scientific spirit and free thought of our age; the Municipal Council of Paris ought not to encourage it, and we propose to you, therefore, to exclude from competition religious music in all its forms. We understand by religious music, not only church music, properly so called, that is to say, every musical composition having words that belong to the domain of liturgy, but also the Oratorio which the old commission, far from excluding, held up as a model for competitors to follow.”

This decree has been represented by some newspapers as a return to the atheism of the first revolution. Possibly it carries no such meaning in the strange sentences just quoted. Sacred music is with these authorities associated with the Church of Rome; and they know how by means of it the priesthood is trying once more to get the ear of France. They say, therefore, We will have nothing to do with it, as part of a competition which draws upon our funds. They who wish it may have it for themselves without us. There may not be any infidel dislike of religion in all this; there may only be the dread of an art which has been so often perverted to evil ends, and made use of in the reactionary tactics of the Church of Rome.

We wish that the municipality would go for itself and hear the sacred songs at Belleville, or Ornano, or La Villette, or Batignolles. They would not hear a performance, an oratorio, or a piece of “religious art,” or anything belonging to “the domain of liturgy.” They would not hear anything, perhaps, regarding which they might think it worth their while either to give or refuse prizes; but they would hear something that would not “restrain freedom,” but speak its praises; something which even their “revolutionary logic,” as it has been called, could not condemn: something which was not the utterance of priestcraft nor the symbol of ecclesiastical domination: something altogether unlike, both in melody and sentiment, the artificial sounds with which men thought to please God and to soothe their spirits into the dreamy unrealities of musical ritualism. Even the municipal dignitaries of the city, — communistic as their opinions are, — would not feel aggrieved by the simplicities of such a hymn as this, —

“Oh, que ton joug est facile!

Oh, combieii j’aime ta loi!

D’lm triste et rude esclavage

Aflfranchi par J^sus-Christ,

J’ai part a son heritage

Au secours cle son Esprit

An lieu cl’un Maitre severe

Pret h. juger et punir,

Je sers le plus tendre Pere,

Toujours pret a me bnir.”

But whatever their impressions might be, the “sweet singers” of the Mission would neither feel angry at their contempt, nor elated at their applause. A music-prize may be a great thing to the frequenters of cathedral concerts, or the composers for a ritualistic orchestra; it would be nothing to the happy choristers of Bercy or Grenelle.