The post offices, however, often afford a trying experience. The officials seem in no hurry to attend to the customers, and there is no appeal. They do not seem to consider themselves the servants of the public in any way, and so the public suffer. The “Bureaux de Post” are frequently badly ventilated, so that a long delay is not always agreeable.
CHAPTER X.
THE PRESENT CONDITIONS OF RELIGIOUS LIFE ON THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE, AND THEIR LESSONS FOR THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND TO-DAY.
A Paper read at the Yarmouth Church Congress, October 2nd, 1907.
I ventured to accept the proposal that I should speak to you to-day upon the ground that I had been for the past sixteen years chaplain in Paris, with certain opportunities for gathering some information upon the subject before us.
What I have to say will naturally refer chiefly to France, which during the past few years has been passing—with somewhat grim silence—through a bloodless Revolution.
The long story, of which the present condition of religious life in that country is the sequel, has been as to its earlier stages so ably dealt with by the previous speaker that I will not occupy your time by a further reference to it.
To come to recent events. During the years 1897-1900 France was stirred to its depths over the Dreyfus “affaire.” It was in the air—everyone talked about it, and the controversy was full of bitterness. The policy of the Ultramontane party with respect to this question can only be described as deplorable. At any cost this unfortunate Jew must be proved guilty, apparently with the hope that thus feeling would be stirred up in the country against all Jews, and non-Roman Catholics, and the Church come again into the favour she was fast losing. The reaction that came when it was seen that a great blunder had been made was remarkable; and there was considerable irritation against those who had, it was felt, deceived the people. Yet there are some in France who still would have us believe that Dreyfus is guilty! The country had been steadily becoming indifferent to religion, but that indifference was largely changed into open hostility in the reaction after the exposures which were made in this “affaire,” which had indeed brought the country perilously near civil war.
It was in the year 1900 that the French Government took action against the Augustinians, or Assumptionists. Hitherto the “Orders” had been treated with more or less of indifference, but at this time the country woke up to the fact that this body was publishing a newspaper (“The Croix”), which was acquiring a leading position so far as circulation was concerned. In every café, in every village, it had its agents; and while acting under the cloak of religion—the crucifix being printed on the front page, with a representation of the “flag of the Sacred Heart”—it was really a political organ—its object was revolutionary—and aimed at the existing Government. It is only fair, however, to say that this organ, while largely used, was never officially sanctioned by the Church. The Government becoming aware of the danger promptly seized the press, suppressed the Order of the Assumptionists, and proceeded to further measures. M. Clemenceau showed, in an able speech, that in very many cases these so-called religious orders were nothing else than huge trading establishments, some of which had made great fortunes by the manufacture of wines and liqueurs, and that a considerable amount of “sweating” was practised by those in authority over them.