But the people possess, above all, an inexpressible richness of sentiment, together with admirable instincts. These must be laid hold of, cultivated, and profoundly stirred, and then Christianity should be brought in and fused, so to speak, with those good instincts and noble sentiments. Dive down to the bottom of the souls of the people … touch the best chords of their hearts … be inspired with their aspirations … be animated with their passions; I had almost said be agitated with their anger. Possess yourself of what is best in them, and return it to them in vivid expressions and glowing effusions of the soul, that they may think, feel, will, as you do; that their thought may seem to have anticipated yours, while, at the same time, you exercise sway over them. Then your sermon will be the outward expression of the best sentiments of the human heart, ennobled by the Divine word. Such, we take it, is true popularity; such also is the real power of Christian eloquence.
In this way you may lead men onward to the highest speculations, and raise them even to heroism. You may then use the language of scholars, provided that you continue to be of the people in heart.
One noble and powerful sentiment which should be cultivated—a sentiment which may be made to call forth the sublimest aspirations and the most heroic transports—is patriotism. The people love France, they love the glory of France, they love all that concerns France. If, then, you wish to interest them, to induce them to listen to you, to stir them up, to enlarge their hearts, speak well of France to them; dilate to them of their earthly country, and then you will find it much easier to raise them to that country which is in heaven.
An admirable example of this was afforded by Monseigneur the Archbishop of Paris, during his visitations, and he produced one of those magic effects which seem hardly to belong to our times.
The venerable prelate visited a school of adults, consisting of about four hundred youths, all in the flower of their age and the heyday of their passions. On taking his seat, the whole assembly intoned a harmonious and popular hymn, full of patriotic sentiments. The archbishop made this the starting-point of his lecture, and soon there was such a thunder of applause that the floor of the hall shook, to say nothing of the ears of the spectators. The speaker himself must have been stunned, but he resumed with animation:—
"Do you know, my children, why this magic word 'country' electrifies your hearts? It is because one's native country is the sacred home of man, of his duties and his privileges. It is his life, his cradle, his tomb; it is every thing to him after heaven, from whence he comes, and whither he must return; and which is on that account the glorious country, the kingdom of all righteousness, the fruition of all privileges, the communion of all souls, of all happiness, of all good. Chaunt, therefore, your earthly country, but be not forgetful of that country which is beyond the skies.
"Yes, sing it, and love it well. It has need of all your filial love and useful prowess. It has bled much; it still suffers. Respect it, comfort it, for it is your mother. You are indebted to it for birth, instruction, employment, and a livelihood. It behoves you to show yourselves worthy of these benefits, to merit them, to win them, and to preserve them. Young citizens, be men! Young men, be Christians!