THE CHURCH IN FRANCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1842, 30 August 1913, Page 9

THE CHURCH IN FRANCE.

YOUN'G MEN OF TO-DAY. 11l a paper read at tlio Roman Catholic Congress recently held at Plymouth, tlio Rev. C. C. Martindalc, S.J., states: 1' should like to have time to quote ' to yon extensively from a book recently published in French called "Young Jlen of To-day," which incidentally puts straight out of dato a hook called "France To-day: Its Religious Orientation, " translated rjuito lately from a book by 31. l'aul Sabaticr, a French Liberal Calvinist and scholar. This book I mention tells you about a sido of tliG revival of Catholicism in Franco which is not tlio sido you seo when you go over there. For, of course, travellers with 0110 voice tell of tlio astonishing crowds now returning to the churches, the high percentage of men, the decrease of human respect, and so on. It is not even the sido insisted on by social students liko M. Georges Goyati, who show us all the Church has been able to do since slio is freed from the shackles of tlio Concordat— the freedom, despite tlieir impoverishment, of tlio bishops and clergy; the creation of new parishes; the building of liugo barn-liko churches in pagan districts—suburbs round Paris each with' tlio population of a fair-sized town, whero neither last Sacraments nor marriage or baptism had for long been availablo, nor Christ's name preached —the reorganisation of Catholic institutions and tlio bringing of tlio Church into touch with the working classes. All that could bo dwelt upon and it supplies a page of history as romantic as, it is spiritually consoling and inspiring. But theso writers—the joint authors of "Young Men of To-day"—in-sist oil exactly what I havo been speaking of as truo for our country. They pile up evidence to show that the generation now just gono was ono of pessimistic scepticism, and waste. AH tradition was i snapped; all principle, shaken; all ideal oclipsed. Patriotic-, ally, politically, and religiously, inertia had fastened on men's brains and bodies, or if any passion survived it was that which led to yet further destruction. But France, with her amazing power of recuperation, struggled with this Hydra which was strangling her, and demanded a new principle, ideal, and, as I have said, dogma. And as 3lr. Belloe has so well pointed out, dogma for Franco means only 0110 thing, the Church's dogma, Catholic dogma, in the family, in tlio political, artistic, and intellectual, and spiritual spheres. Of theliterary revival I liavo 110 time to speak; but it is extraordinary. Of the less sensational, but far nioro significant intellectual change, I will only say this: Ten years ago, the great training schools of professors, tlio Paris Ecole Xormalo, the University of the Sorbonno, could bo described as through and through un-Christian, and ■ often anti-Christian. Now one-third of the students at the Paris Ecole Normale, some forty, that is, arc Catholics, practising Catholics, and mostly members of tlio S.V.P. confraternity; from the great lyeees—C'cndorcet, Henri Quatro, Louis le Grand, como words like these: The majority of our men are practising Catholics. Among tlio indifferent, wo detect 110 anti-clcrical passion, Even those who are temperamentally sceptical, realise how precious a- thing is belief. At the Sorbonne itself the professor elected to teach philosophy. M. Victor Delbos; is a Catholic. What is true for Paris is true too in its measure for tlio provinces. Ten years ago, this, and twenty times more than this which I have not spoken of, would liavo been unthinkable. c!m.s. advance. SPECIAL OFFERING OF £100,000. For- tlie last feiv years the Church .Missionary Society, has leer, marking time (says the "Westminster Gazette"), but it is now to make a great forward movement. Increased opportunities for usefulness have presented themselves, but until now the leaders of the society have felt unable to seize theso in view of the temperament of tlio homo churches. Including tho balanco of £28,000 at the close of the last financial year, there was an accumulated deficit of £7-1,000, which had boon taken from the capit-.il of the society A lack of elasticity was therefore apparent in tho Veceipts, and this fact nll'ectcd the general outlook. The conference of the society's .supporters held in "Hay at Swaniclc recommended advance, and contributed £12,000 towards a suggested fund of £100,000. ■ . At Sion College a meeting of tho Goneral Committee of tho society was held on July 8, when the resolutions of the Swanwiek conference were adopted. These recognised "tho clearness and urgency of the Divine call to tho Church of Christ to mako strenuous advance ill the evangelisation of the world, and is convinced that God- is now calling t'ho society to a strong move forward, especially along tho linos indicated by the open doors 111 China, tho mass movements in India, and tho Moslem activities in Africa." Another resolution expressed 'tlio importance of evoking a deeper spirit of Christian stewardship if God's call is to bo obeyed and His claim lor fuller saerifico 011 the part of His people recognised, and would urge upon tho whole Church of Christ, and the C.31.5. constituency ill particular, the need for a more Ghrist-liko simplicity of life, and for such deliberate limitation of personal expenditure as may.releaso more .of t : he resources, with which God has put them individually in trust." In addition to tho passing of the resolutions it was announced during the meeting that tho specia-l fund had been increased from £12,000 to £80,000, which moro than clcarcd off tlio accumulated deficits of tho society. It is hoped that this fund will be still further augmented in order to provido another £10,000 for tlio now offices of the society now being erected in Salisbury Square, Fleet Streot. Dr. 11. Lankoster, tho lay secretary, in explaining tho situation to a representative of tlio "Westminster Gazette," stated that not only would their deficits be wiped out, but tho society had obtained promises from a larfjo iiumlwr of i'ssociations of an- increase ill annual contributions amounting to 25 per cent. The whole proceedings ].*rovcd of a most inspiring and encouraging character, apd at the close of tho meeting resolved itself into 0110 for thanksgiving and praiso. In fact, as Dr. Lankoster stated, very much nioro is involved than the raising of tho money. The whole spirit of tho society has been enlarged, and tlio effect will bo seen in numerous directions, both at home and 011 tho mission field. Those attending t ! lio general committee included representatives from all parts of England and Wales, and tlio gathering may bo described as historic in the history of the society.