THE STUDENT CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4500, 4 September 1930, Page 3

THE STUDENT CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT.

NEW ZEALANDERS IN FRANCE. MR. AND AIRS. TROUP’S EXPERIENCES. Writing from Paris, under date of June 22nd, Air. and Airs. G. A. Troup, who left New Zealand shortly after their marriage in Palmerston North to take charge of a hostel in Paris in connection with the Student Christian Aloveinent, give an interesting account of their journey from the United States to France. On arrival at Plymouth Sound they had but a brief glimpse of the English Coast before departing for their destination in a French lighter. They landed at Cherbourg and visited Harve and Rouen on a sight-seeing excursion, arriving in Paris two days later where they Were welcomed on the station by the full staff of the French Student Christian Alovenient in that city. On their second night in Paris they were accorded a '.great welcome at headquarters and introduced to their new headquarters. Touching on house hunting in Paris, Mr. Troup states that this is by no means an easy business. It Look them a fortnight to locate a suitable place arid this was only made possible by paying a. month’s subscription to a ' city-wide house agency for which subscription they were allowed to ransack their card indexes from a quarter to nine every morning and then after selecting' a number of likely places they .would spend the. remainder of the day, map in hand inspecting, interviewing and depreciating different places. The language question was found to be somewhat difficult, despite the fact that both had schooled themselves in French. The pitiless speed of French conversation often left them somewhat bewildered and overtired at first hut they soon ticca me accustomed to it.

Tlieir first “foreign student” was a Negro on his way from Cambridge to Palestine to do research work for his American professorship, and with him they attended their first meeting with a national group of students. This was the Raster service of tlie Russian Student Alovement, celebrated over midnight on the Saturday in a liturgical service held in a chapel which had formerly been a stable in the building they had bought for tlieir Foyer on the Boulevard Alontparnasse. From 11.30 until 3.30 they stood in a crowd of fervent worshippers while incense burned. Songs broke out apparently spontaneously on all sides and on the stroke of midnight a procession which had been going round the building came knocking at the door dramatising the arrival of the first disciples of Christ’s tomb on Easter Sunday morning. Thereupon broke out the chant “Now is ‘Christ Risen from the Dead,” and all the worshippers took it up with wonderful fervour. 'When each had finally taken a lighted taper away to set up at home there was a great supper given at the Russian Foyer adjoining for those who had no homes to go to, and they were many. For varying periods up to this service the members had been fasting and this common meal kept alive the Russian custom of going home to break the fast together with rejoicing. Their first French conference was a great experience. It was Hie animal camp of the movement held 35 miles out of Paris. The language difficulty' was again experienced her but both Mr. and Mrs. Troup felt the fine spirit of fellowship prevailing and a good start was made in tackling the foreign student task. The first Federation Conference was held shortly after at Paris in the form of the European Council. The League of Nations International Intellectual Co-operation conference was attended just after. Numerous meetings have been attended and volunteers enrolled in connection with the movement while many “foreign students” have passed through their hands including a young Japanese who came from Utrecht to the French conference, a Chinese specialising in bacteriology, several Americans, the British Student Movement General Secretary and Messrs Fraser, McKenzie, and Dick West and Dr. -and Mrs. Condliffe from New Zealand. Tlie Alovement has now been definitely established in Paris and things are moving along on satisfactory lines.