THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF ILLINOIS 
 LIBRARY 
 
 From the collection of 
 Julius Doerner, Chicago 
 Purchased, 1918. 
 
 h 
 
 C.4&32rr, 
 
 OAK ST. HDSF 
 


 
 
 
MEMOIR OF THE REVEREND 
 
 CHARLES A. CHASTEL DE BOINVILLE. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2016 
 
 https://archive.org/details/memoirofreverendOOchas 
 
MEMOIR OF THE REVEREND 
 
 Charles A. Chastel de Boinville 
 
 COMPILED 
 
 FROM HIS JOURNAL AND HIS LETTERS 
 
 BY THOMAS CONSTABLE 
 
 AUTHOR OE 
 
 ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND HIS LITERARY CORRESPONDENTS 
 
 WITH A PORTRAIT 
 
 LONDON 
 
 JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET 
 1880. 
 

THE LIBRARY 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
«£/ tew 5o 
 
 £ 
 
 C 1+2^2 rrr\ 
 
 \ 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 It is now fifteen years since I won the friendship of 
 Charles de Boinville, whom I had long heard described, 
 by an aunt who thoroughly appreciated him, as the 
 most perfect Christian she had ever known. She it 
 was who introduced us, saying, “ You will love Charles.” 
 In 1864 I visited him at Bar-le-Duc, and spent several 
 days as a member of his family, never to be forgotten 
 for the enjoyment, while they glided by too quickly, 
 and for the elevating memories they have left behind. 
 
 Our intercourse has since then been frequent, and 
 the estimation in which he has been held by me rose 
 steadily with every opportunity afforded. His loving 
 nature led him to reciprocate esteem, perhaps unduly* 
 and while shrinking from the responsibility involved 
 m an acceptance of her proposal, I felt both gratified 
 and surprised when invited by the widow of my friend 
 to edit a Memorial of his life. 
 
 Of the status of M. de Boinville as a theologian I am 
 incompetent to speak; his efficiency as a pastor will be 
 
 701109 
 
VI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 evinced by extracts from his private Journal, and 
 corroborated by the testimony of those who came under 
 his influence in that capacity, while his character as 
 a man shines forth in every action of his life. A 
 spiritual telescope of no mean power would be required 
 to enable me to follow him to those spiritual heights 
 where he breathed freely, and habitually lived. I 
 feel indeed like the feeble copier of a portrait originally 
 produced by heavenly art, and if I shall succeed in 
 rendering its mere lineaments correctly, must leave my 
 readers to realise the picture as they can. 
 
 If neither a hero, a martyr, an orator, nor a leader 
 and commander of the people, according to the world's 
 acceptance and definition of its great ones, Charles de 
 Boinville possessed a heroic nature and a martyr's spirit, 
 and he had the eloquence of the eye and heart, by 
 which — when he felt himself to be proclaiming the 
 truth of God — he swept away barriers of prejudice and 
 error that the subtlest logic might have altogether 
 failed to move. He abounded in the grace that “ never 
 faileth." 
 
 T. C. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Jean Baptiste Chastel de Boinville, born and brought up at 
 Metz — Marries Mademoiselle de Domangeville, but is soon 
 left a widower — He becomes acquainted with M. de 
 Lafayette, and is closely associated with him in political 
 matters, as one of his aides-de-camp — Attack by the mob 
 on the royal family at Versailles — M. de Boinville’s pro- 
 perty confiscated by the Revolutionary Government — He 
 finds himself penniless in London — Marries Miss Collins 
 — Matrimonial vicissitudes— Joins la grande Armee, and 
 falls a victim to the cold in the retreat from Moscow. — 
 
 Dr. William Lambe, Charles de Boinville’s maternal grand- 
 father, a distinguished physician and chemist — Is the first 
 to introduce the springs of Leamington to public notice, 
 and becomes an earnest advocate of total abstinence from 
 malt and alcohol, and of the exclusive use of vegetables as 
 food — He becomes a believer in Christ’s Divinity at the 
 eleventh hour, ......... 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 1819 - 1841 . 
 
 Charles de Boinville’s early years — His mother’s confidence in 
 him — Determines to become a farmer — Letter from his 
 grandmother — Account of his home life, and of the effect 
 produced on him by reading the third chapter of St. Paul’s 
 Epistle to the Romans — Seized with a strong desire to 
 preach the gospel in France — He joins the Wesleyan 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Methodists, who offered at the time the only open door — 
 Conversation with a Roman Catholic priest — He studies 
 at Lille under M. Marzials, becomes acquainted with 
 Caroline Marsh, and records a curious social experience 
 in a French family — Interesting letter from his grand- 
 mother, and reminiscence of him at Lille by the Rev. R. 
 
 B. Watson, . . 24 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 1842-1843. 
 
 His humble estimate of himself — Determines to be moderate in 
 all things — Records conversation with an old Invalide in 
 Paris — Preaches at Roubaix, Mgzi&res, and Corcelles, 
 visits Strasbourg, and settles for a time at Lausanne — 
 Correspondence with his mother regarding study and his 
 matrimonial prospects — Becomes acquainted with Alex- 
 andre Vinet, lives under his roof, and expresses his 
 reverent admiration of that great man, and deep debt of 
 gratitude towards him — Vinet ’s high esteem for C. de 
 Boinville — CongSnies — Madame Scaulmes and her silver 
 spoon — Death at Cambridge of his sister Cornelia, . . 39 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 i 
 
 1843. 
 
 Visits Paris with his mother and his brother Frank — Inter- 
 course and association there with Frank in evangelic 
 labours, chiefly among the poor at Batignolles — He mourns 
 over the want of spirituality in France — Appointment to 
 Vauvert — Frank accompanies him thither — Intercourse 
 with a Capuchin monk by the way — Frank’s zeal — 
 Brother Gabriel, 53 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 1844-1845. 
 
 A gap in our journal — Correspondence with Caroline Marsh, 
 whom he marries on the 2d of April 1844 — His health 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 IX 
 
 fails — They reside for a time at St. Chamas, and have 
 interesting intercourse with M. and Mme. Faucher — 
 Remove to Hy£res — Letter from Charles and Caroline to 
 Charles’s mother — Eugene Faucher and M. Peyran — 
 Journey to Paris — Their life there — Birth of a daughter, 
 and death of Caroline — Estimate of her character — “My 
 Husband ! ” 65 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 1846-1847. 
 
 Appointment to Lisieux — Some account of the place and dis- 
 trict around it — M. and Madame B. — Progress of his work 
 — Transferred for a time to Beuville — Mademoiselle Lucas 
 — Hears of the death of his grandmother — Is recalled to 
 Lisieux — Gives some account of the superstitions of the 
 people — Notre Dame de la D61ivrande, .... 83 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 1847. 
 
 The Vallge d’Auge — VoiH le protestant — The four Convents of 
 Lisieux — Les dames utiles , and les dames inutiles — A pros- 
 elyte — Reclaimed by her mother — A better spirit arising 
 at Lisieux — Generous confidence — Chapel opened, and 
 continues to be crowded in spite of opposition — The frbres 
 lie St. Yon burn his books — Madame Quesne — A false 
 alarm — Encouragement, and discreditable priestly tactics, 96 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 1848. 
 
 Would-be confessors, and honest inquirers after truth — The 
 year 1848 — Revolutionary disturbances — English work- 
 people driven away — The Lord’s Supper administered 
 after the Protestant fashion at Lisieux, for the first time 
 since the days of persecution — M. de Boinville goes to 
 
X 
 
 CONTENTS . 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Paris for a time — Is received into full connection by the 
 Conference — Temporary good effects of the Revolution, . 107 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 1848-1852. 
 
 On the 14th of September 1848, happily married to Mary 
 Lgontine Graham — His ordination — The Evangelical Alli- 
 ance — The cholera — Death of Madame Calbry — Unautho- 
 rised interference of the priests — Calumnious assertions — 
 Would-be Protestants rejected — Real converts — AdMe 
 Morin and the priest — M. Guizot — The cur6s of St. Pierre 
 — Controversy and its effects — “Pourquoi je suis Pro- 
 testant ” — The spiritual influence of M. de Boinville on all 
 classes, 113 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 1850-1851. 
 
 Threatened removal from Lisieux — Rachel and Elizabeth — 
 Deputation to Guernsey — New Chapel opened, and school- 
 master engaged — Watchnight — Death of Madame Bertre 
 — Priestly interference counteracted — Jean Bertre over- 
 comes all difficulties, and becomes a colporteur. . . 128 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 1852-1854. 
 
 Claudine, Rachel’s nurse — M. de Boinville transferred to Paris, 
 but health gives way and he returns for a time to Lisieux 
 — The dog Rover and his father — M. de Boinville preaches 
 for Adolphe Monod — Trial of M. Jeanne and M. Grelley 
 for doing good without authorisation — M. Jeanne on appeal 
 acquitted — M. Grelley condemned — Returns to Paris — A 
 sincere penitent — Lady H. Host — Health once more breaks 
 down — Visit to Chambourcy — Settlement at Boulogne — 
 
 The Emperor and Empress — Called to Bar-le-Duc, . . 143 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 xi 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 1855- 1856. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Bar-le-Duc — Is joined by liis family there — Describes the place 
 in a letter to his brother William — Burial at St. Mihiel — 
 Verdun — Mr. Newenham — Visits Boinville — Where are 
 the good Samaritans ? — The burials question solved — Love 
 of scenery — Dr. Liandon de Dangeau — The Calvary at St, 
 Mihiel — An interesting funeral, 157 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 1856- 1858. 
 
 His ecclesiastical connection becomes uncomfortable, and he 
 makes up his mind to join the National Church — On the 
 urgent solicitation of his flock decides to remain at Bar-le- 
 Duc, and is inducted in presence of a very varied congrega- 
 tion — Christian liberality and gratitude — A good shepherd 
 and his dog— Encounter with a wild boar — Homely hospi- 
 tality — Invitation to Boinville — Mixed marriage — Borely 
 — A railway accident — Strasbourg — M. Ch&vre, . . 171 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 J ohn Eisenmann — Born at Odeltshofen — Escapes the conscrip- 
 tion — Is robbed by Cossack soldiers — Settles as a weaver 
 at Bar-le-Duc — Marries a Roman Catholic — Falls ill — His 
 curious dream and its effects — Obtains authorisation for 
 Protestant worship at Bar — Will not be discouraged — His 
 patience in hospital, and regard for the Sabbath — Obtains 
 the service of a colporteur — Visit of the parish priest — M. 
 
 F arjat the first resident Protestant pastor at Bar — Founda- 
 tion-stone of church laid, 23d of May 1861 — Opened May 
 25th, 1862 — Eisenmann died January 21, 1863, . .190 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 1858-1859. 
 
 Industry a handmaid of religion — Funeral at Brixey-aux- 
 Chanoines — Vaucoleurs and Domr4my-la-Pucelle — Giard 
 
CONTENTS . 
 
 xii 
 
 in hospital — His assurance of faith — 44 Nous ne nous quit- 
 tons pas ” — M. Martin’s accident and its results — Alex- 
 ander de Boinville comes with his wife to reside for three 
 years at Bar-le-Duc — Begret at their departure — He visits 
 the Ban de la Boche — Named by Imperial decree pastor of 
 Bar-le-Duc — Hospitality and demonstrative affection of the 
 Protestants of Gondrecourt — 44 The Fruits of a Text,” the 
 story of Auguste Bohin — Conflict between a shepherd and 
 a wolf at Dainville — The good priest, . . . .215 
 
 CHAPTEB XVI. 
 
 1861-1862. 
 
 * Body of a drowned child recovered — The slate quarries and 
 mines at Trelaze — The people of Dammarie dissatisfied 
 with their priest — More hatred than love in the place — 
 Completion of the Temple at Bar — M. Guizot — Why do I 
 always say, “How thankful I ought to be,” instead of 
 4 4 How thankful I am ” ?— Letter from Adolphe Monod — 
 
 44 Our China Teacups,” 233 
 
 CHAPTEB XVII. 
 
 1862-1864. 
 
 Comparative estimate of English and French character — 44 Who 
 said that?” — Papineau of Vauvert — The burials question 
 again — 44 The Story of a Monastery ” — Monneaux — Beady 
 Money — Millennial Christianity — The monks of Essommes 
 — The fruits of love — The Abbe Baulx brings blessings in 
 disguise, 253 
 
 CHAPTEB XVIII. 
 
 1864-1865. 
 
 Melanie Champagnol — Her natural tenderness — Her moral cour- 
 age — Her success as a special pleader — Her family remove 
 to Bar-le-Duc — She becomes a Protestant — Is eminently 
 useful — Loses her health, and dies — Madame D. — 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 xiii 
 
 PAGE 
 
 M. Guizot — M. de Boinville visits Scotland — The Empress 
 Eugenie and the Prince Imperial visit Bar-le-Duc — Modifi- 
 cation of theological opinions — “ One more unfortunate !” 
 
 — Call to Cherbourg — Sorrow on leaving Bar-le-Duc — 
 Account of the pleasant society there, . . . .274 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 1866-1868. 
 
 Regret at leaving Bar-le-Duc — Installed at Cherbourg — The 
 place and people — Sionville, a storm and its effects — Poor 
 old Cheminai — Modeste Gueret — The Emperor Maximilian 
 — The Empress Eugenie visits the Arsenal — Anecdote of 
 Lafayette — Prince Murat — Fishermen at St. Yasst — The 
 Book of Job — Visit to Edinburgh — Who is our neighbour? 
 
 — Paris or London, Comparison of comfort — Good 
 Samaritans, ......... 298 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 1868. 
 
 Colloquial controversy with the Abbe Ratisbonne — Recom- 
 mended by M. Guizot to the Bible Society as Inspector of 
 Colporteurs in France — Eminent fitness for the post — Re- 
 trospect of the year — Light sown in darkness, . . .316 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 1869-1870. 
 
 Removes from Cherbourg to Le Vesinet — Anxieties in the 
 present and for the future — Deathbed of Madame de Robert 
 — Beuzeval — Visits Guizot at Val-Richer — Description of 
 the family life there — Monument commemorating the 
 Xorman Invasion of England — A wandering nun — Alfred 
 joins the Garde Mobile — Confident anticipation of French 
 success — Xot justified by the result — The Emperor is taken 
 prisoner — They take refuge for a time at Beuzeval, but 
 leave France finally for England on the 10th of November 
 1870, 328 
 
XIV 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTEE XXII. 
 
 1871-1873. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Supplies for a time Mr. Saphir’s place at Greenwich — Doctrinal 
 difficulties — Is appointed by the British and Foreign Bible 
 Society to superintend its Eastern District — Interesting 
 anecdote of Captain Wilson — Characteristic note from Alex- 
 andre Vinet — G<Dod news from Le Vesinet, both spiritual 
 and temporal — “ What is my country State of religion 
 in England — Death of M. and Madame Champagnol — A 
 conversation which did not end in smoke — Comparative 
 estimate of French and English civilisation — An anomalous 
 grub, 344 
 
 CHAPTEE XXIII. 
 
 1873-1878. 
 
 Enabled to join the English Presbyterian body, resigns his 
 post in connection with the Bible Society, and becomes 
 pastor of the Presbyterian congregation at Kingston-on- 
 Thames — Issues a circular on the subject of the distressed 
 French pastors — Xew iron church opened at Kingston — 
 Letter to his mother on his fifty-fifth birth-day— Death of 
 his aunt Cornelia — Her character — Last letter to his mother 
 — His mother’s death — Kevisits France — Progress of his 
 congregation — Elected Moderator of the London Presbytery 
 — Letters from his widow and his daughter, giving details 
 
 of his last illness and his deathbed, 360 
 
 Appendix, 381 
 
MEMOIR 
 
MEMOIR 
 
 OF 
 
 CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 CHAPTEE I. 
 
 Jean Baptiste Chastel de Boinville, born and brought np at Metz — Marries 
 Mademoiselle de Domangeville, but is soon left a widower— He becomes 
 acquainted with M. de Lafayette, and is closely associated with him in political 
 matters, as one of his aides-de-camp — Attack by the mob on the royal family 
 at Versailles — M. de Boinville’s property confiscated by the Revolutionary 
 Government— He finds himself penniless in London — Marries Miss Collins — 
 Matrimonial vicissitudes — Joins la grande Armde, and falls a victim to the 
 cold in the retreat from Moscow. — Dr. William Lambe, Charles de Boinville’s 
 maternal grandfather, a distinguished physician and chemist — Is the first to 
 introduce the springs of Leamington to public notice, and becomes an earnest 
 advocate of total abstinence from malt and alcohol, and of the exclusive 
 use of vegetables as food — He becomes a believer in Christ’s Divinity at the 
 eleventh hour. 
 
 I HAVE thought [writes the subject of the following 
 Memoir] that after my death and that of my aunt Cor- 
 nelia Turner, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to 
 gather any certain information of the career of my grand- 
 father, a man whose abilities and high connections, together 
 with the part he took in politics and in some of the 
 principal events of the French Revolution, would pro- 
 bably have brought him into greater notice had he been 
 more fortunate in the declining years of his life ; and it 
 may be that our children and grandchildren will be glad 
 to know something of one of their forefathers whose lot 
 was cast in troublous times. From a few old documents, 
 
 A 
 
2 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B01NVILLE. 
 
 and from the recollection of what my grandmother and 
 my aunt have said and written to me, I have collected the 
 following facts : — 
 
 Jean Baptiste Chastel de Boinville was born at Metz in 
 Lorraine, on the 15th of July 1756. His father was Jean 
 Baptiste Ignace Chastel de Villemont, Ecuyer, Grand- 
 maitre des Eaux et Forets du Clairmontois, et Tr6sorier 
 principal de Textraordinaire des guerres a Metz. His 
 mother’s name was Lucie Fran£oise Dupasquier de Dom- 
 martin. According to the custom of the time, and the 
 rights of the French nobility, Jean Baptiste Chastel, who 
 was the second son, took the name and title of de Boinville , 
 from an estate and village of that name near Ftain, about 
 ten miles to the east of Verdun, and between that town 
 and Metz. By some family arrangement, however, he 
 received the estate of Oriocourt, which had been intended 
 for his younger brother. Nevertheless, both brothers 
 retained the appellation originally given them. 
 
 My grandfather was brought up. at Metz, which was 
 then, as now, a thoroughly fortified and military town, a 
 circumstance which, I have thought, may have contributed 
 to give him those military tastes which afterwards distin- 
 guished him. But he was often at Boinville, where the 
 family had then an estate and a tolerably good house, 
 built upon the site of the former Chateau de Boinville, a 
 strongly fortified castle, which had been besieged several 
 times, and was at last taken and burned to the ground by 
 the soldiers of Gustavus Adolphus. 1 
 
 1 In an account of the Departement de la Meuse there occurs the 
 following passage regarding the Chateau de Boinville : — “ Boinville est 
 celebre dans l’histoire de Verdun par la resistance de son chateau en 1543. 
 Les heretiques, commandes par le Comte Furstemberg, se presentment 
 alors devant ce chateau, et furent obliges de se retirer apres avoir essuye 
 
MADEMOISELLE DE DOMANGEVILLE. 
 
 3 
 
 My grandfather received a good education, and was at 
 the early age of twenty-one already employed as Fermier- 
 gen^ral at Moulins, in which capacity he was in the receipt 
 of a very large income — a great misfortune for so young a 
 man — for, ample as were his means, they were insufficient 
 to supply his wants. His chief defect was a too great 
 ductility of character, and a too open-handed inclination to 
 follow his tastes without regard to expense. His temper 
 was remarkably sweet, his spirits even and cheerful ; his 
 mind was cultivated and intelligent, his taste exquisitely 
 refined. In person he was tall and handsome ; in manners 
 and appearance he was singularly agreeable. 
 
 Whilst still young, M. de Boinville met in Paris a young 
 lady — a distant relative, I believe, — Mile, de Domangeville, 
 to whom he became attached, and whom he asked in 
 marriage. Difficulties were raised, chiefly on account of 
 his inclination to extravagance ; but he was just then ex- 
 pecting to enter into the office of Fermier-g6n6ral, and the 
 young lady, who was passionately attached to him, bore 
 down all opposition. They were married, and spent a few 
 happy years together, but after the birth of her only child, 
 Eugene, the young wife fell into bad health, and died of 
 consumption. Eugene Chastel de Boinville grew up, 
 entered the army, and fell honourably in the defence of 
 Paris against the Allies after the battle of Waterloo, 
 leaving no issue. 
 
 de grandes pertes. A quelque temps de la, etant revenus avec des troupes 
 plus considerables, et sous la conduite du meme general, ni la force des 
 tours, ni la bravoure de la garnison, ne purent garantir le chateau de 
 l’incendie et du pillage. Plusieurs pretres et un grand nombre de 
 seigneurs qui s’y etaient refugies, furent faits prisonniers. Le chateau a 
 eu encore la gloire d’etre attaque et pris en 1639 par le comte Piccolomini, 
 general fameux des armees imperiales. Aujourd’hui le chateau de Boin- 
 ville existe encore, mais ce n’est pas l’ancienne forteresse feodale.” 
 
4 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 The widower was thrown more than ever into the 
 world, where he had now for some years been living in 
 the midst of the most brilliant society, and had become 
 acquainted with M. de Lafayette. They were mutually 
 attracted towards each other, and a close friendship 
 ensued, which lasted to the end of their lives. 
 
 Those were days of great political excitement. The 
 French Devolution was beginning, society was split into 
 various factions, and party spirit knew no bounds. This, 
 however, was not the case with M. de Boinville ; like 
 Lafayette he belonged to the liberal and constitutional 
 party, and, without holding as yet any well-digested or 
 organised system of politics, was warmly attached to 
 every principle of liberty. Yet was he never an exclusive 
 party man, and never allowed party spirit to interfere 
 with his private friendships. He continued on the most 
 affectionate terms with his brothers, who were opposed to 
 him in politics. Andr6 Chenier the poet, a royalist, was 
 his intimate friend. The elder Chastel, and the younger 
 brother, De Bazancourt, both in the army, were strong 
 royalists ; the latter fell in a political duel. 
 
 Lafayette was at the height of popularity. Just 
 returned from the American war, a halo of glory shone 
 round him, and his friends drew closer to him, and formed 
 together a kind of social Band of Hope, and of defence 
 against the rising storm of revolution which, rolling wave 
 upon wave amidst contending parties, seemed to threaten 
 the wreck and ruin of all. He and eleven others, of whom 
 my grandfather was one, were the first to wear in public 
 the badge of the Constitutional Government, the tri- 
 coloured cockade. Shortly afterwards the national favourite 
 was called to the command of the newly established 
 
THE PARIS RABBLE A T VERSAILLES . 
 
 5 
 
 National Guard, and he at once named as one of his 
 aides-de-camp his friend de Boinville. 
 
 My grandfather was present on the ever-memorable 
 occasion of the famous attack by the Paris rabble on the 
 royal family at Versailles. The populace were irritated 
 by scarcity, which, by the intrigues and wicked devices of 
 Philippe, Duke of Orleans, commonly called Egalit6, the 
 father of Louis Philippe, they had been led to attribute to 
 the bad will of those in power ; and believing that cheapness 
 would be brought about by the return of the Court to 
 Paris, the mob, headed by evil-designing agents, and a few 
 enthusiasts, turned out at night, and thronged the road to 
 Versailles, fully bent on forcing their way into the Palace, 
 and laying hold of the King and Queen. On the 5 th of 
 October 1789, at early dawn, Lafayette, who had during 
 the night received intelligence of the plot, started with his 
 aide-de-camp, and arrived at Versailles in time to reassure 
 the King and Queen. The Guards were doubled, and all 
 necessary precautions taken. As the excited crowds 
 poured into the town, each group was dispersed by the 
 National Guards. The day was spent in strict watch. 
 
 Towards night all appeared perfectly calm. The streets 
 were empty. The people had retired to rest ; the lights 
 were out. After repeated rounds, at one in ’the morning 
 of the 6 th, M. de Lafayette and his staff passed through 
 the whole town ; all was dark, silent, and apparently 
 steeped in deep repose. General Lafayette had returned 
 to his quarters ; M. de Boinville threw himself still dressed 
 upon his bed. He was very light of sleep, a quality which 
 M. de Lafayette greatly appreciated, for in that respect the 
 General could not place an equal reliance on his other 
 officers. Had he been less so, possibly the Queen might 
 
6 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 have met with a more speedy death. He had hardly 
 slept an hour, when he was awoke by a confused noise. 
 Jumping up, he quickly ascertained that there was an 
 attack on the Palace. At the head of a few men hastily 
 collected, while the drum beat to arms, he rushed with 
 the General thither. M. de Lafayette entered by a secret 
 door and reached the King's apartment, whilst my grand- 
 father, with his handful of men, entered by the great door, 
 which had been forced open. Hurrying up the grand 
 staircase, he found lying upon the steps the mangled 
 bodies of two gardes-du-corps. The head of one of them 
 had literally been cut off. Reinforcements just then came 
 in and joined them. 
 
 The Queen was especially obnoxious to the people, be- 
 lieving as they did that she hated them, as no doubt she 
 did already to a certain extent, and gave bad advice to 
 the King, which by many historians is believed also to 
 be true. Like wild beasts in search of their prey, the 
 mob had already broken open the door of the Queen's 
 apartment, and by the time my grandfather arrived the 
 rooms were full of ruffians, so bent on finding her, that 
 they even stabbed the mattresses of her bed with their 
 swords and knives, thinking she might be hidden under 
 them. They were now, however, driven out, and whilst 
 the Palace was being cleared of the mob, the Queen found 
 her way to the King’s apartment, while the crowd outside, 
 composed not only of the ruffians who had sought to 
 murder the Queen, but of a mass of poor men, women, and 
 children, continued to call out for the King and cheap 
 bread . 
 
 Thousands upon thousands were there at daybreak, 
 whilst Lafayette, the favourite of the people, and trusted 
 
MARIE ANTOINETTE. 
 
 7 
 
 by the King, but hated by the Queen, was consulting with 
 the royal family as to what could be done. He advised 
 satisfying the wishes of the people by returning to Paris, 
 and trying to reconcile the two parties by assuring the 
 crowd of his Majesty’s goodwill, both as regarded them- 
 selves and the observance of the new Constitution. But 
 how could he show his friendly feeling towards her h how 
 convey to such excited noisy multitudes the assurance of 
 his determination to satisfy them, and, at the same time, 
 to protect the Queen % A thought struck him : taking the 
 Queen by the hand, he walked with her to the balcony, 
 and tried, but in vain, to harangue the multitude. 
 Finding it impossible to gain a hearing, he spoke by 
 signs. Presenting the Queen to them, he chivalrously 
 kissed her hand, then taking off his tricoloured cockade 
 he exchanged it for a white one, which he took from one 
 of the guards, giving the latter his own tricolour. These 
 signs were understood, and excited a roar of applause. 
 
 The journey of the King and Queen was safely performed 
 under the escort of the National Guard. My grandfather 
 was appointed to ride on one side of the carriage in which 
 was Marie Antoinette, Lafayette being on the other. The 
 Queen the whole time constantly kept her head turned 
 away from the window, saying to one of her ladies, who 
 afterwards told my grandfather, “ Je ne puis pas souffrir de 
 voir M. de Boinville.” He could never tell in what this 
 aversion originated. I believe it was simply because she 
 felt, which was really the case, that she was more like a 
 prisoner than a Queen. The King openly said so, though it 
 was evident that Lafayette’s conduct could only be explained 
 by his sincere desire to serve his Majesty. It would have 
 been easy indeed to abandon him. It was natural that a 
 
8 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 woman of Marie Antoinette’s character should convey her 
 hatred of the position to the man next to her, who ap- 
 peared to be her keeper, while she knew not that possibly 
 she owed her life to him. Alas ! might it not have been 
 better for her had she been saved the few remaining 
 months she had to live? On the 14th of July 1790 my 
 grandfather was present at the ceremony of the first 
 federation, and stood with Lafayette close to the royal 
 family. 
 
 The Duke of Orleans was at that time in England, 
 together with most of the nobility, and Lafayette was 
 extremely anxious to avert the return to France of so 
 dangerous an enemy to the royal family, and to the then 
 existing order of things. The General felt that Egalite s 
 absence was necessary, in the excited state of the public 
 mind, both for the Duke’s own safety and for that of the 
 King. To urge upon him the various motives which 
 should induce him to remain quietly abroad, Lafayette 
 determined to send a confidential messenger, and for this 
 purpose he chose M. de Boinville, as best able to fulfil so 
 delicate a mission. The Duke received the envoy with all 
 politeness, but the various interviews had no satisfactory 
 result. 1 Philippe Egalit6 returned to France in order to 
 
 1 The following extract from Life and Times of Louis Philippe , King 
 of the French , by the Rev. G. N. Wright, M.A., deals with the same 
 point of history : — 
 
 “The National Assembly now decreed that all the regiments of the line, 
 and the national guards of the kingdom, should send deputies to Paris, 
 who, in their own and the names of their corps, should take the civic 
 oath ; and the 14th July was appointed for the ceremony. The Duke of 
 Orleans, knowing that the ostensible object of his mission was completed, 
 and the prospect of an abundant harvest highly probable, was unwilling 
 to be absent from a ceremony connected, in popular estimation, with the 
 fondest hopes of national prosperity. He determined therefore to leave 
 England in time to be present at this national fete. The Marquis de la 
 
M. DE B0INV1LLE PROSCRIBED. 
 
 9 
 
 work the ruin of his royal kinsman : in so doing he rushed 
 upon his own destruction, and died on the scaffold. My 
 grandfather was at that time aide-de-camp to Lafayette in 
 the regular army, having been appointed by the General 
 himself, who, in the hour of danger from the foreign enemy, 
 had, notwithstanding the King’s repugnance, been called to 
 the command of the army at Metz. 
 
 The tide of revolution was sweeping all before it with 
 increasing violence. Though, while in London on the 
 secret mission above mentioned, my grandfather resided 
 at the house of the French ambassador, M. de Lauriston, 
 a distant relative, his name was ere long put down by the 
 Revolutionary Government on the list of Emigrants, and 
 his property of Oriocourt confiscated, because he did not 
 choose to run the risk of returning at once to France. 
 
 M. de Boinville found himself penniless in London. 
 
 Fayette, . . . who during the absence of the Duke of Orleans possessed 
 an unrivalled influence in the capital, felt considerable alarm at the idea 
 of his return. He was apprehensive lest the presence of the Prince might 
 be made a pretext for an emeute during the meeting of the Federes. An- 
 ticipating such a misfortune, Lafayette directed M. de Boinville, one of 
 his aide-de-camps then proceeding to London, in his name, to place before 
 the Duke the interruption to be apprehended to the public peace from his 
 appearance among the Parisians at a moment of such excitement. Boin- 
 ville, warmly seconded by the French ambassador, waited on the Duke, 
 and urged all those arguments with which Lafayette had supplied him. 
 Having first coolly desired that they would reduce their reasons to a 
 written form, and attach their signatures to the document, as soon as 
 they had complied, the Duke addressed the envoys in the most playful 
 mood, inquiring whether they had any commissions to execute at Paris, as 
 he expected to be there in a few days. 
 
 “ Before his arrival, however, he caused a pamphlet to be distributed, 
 professing to be written by himself, and to contain an explanation of every 
 act of his political existence.” 1 
 
 1 Entitled Expose de la conduite de M. le Due d’ Orleans, dans la revolution de France . 
 Redige par lui-meme d Londres, which was completely refuted by Reponse d l’ Expost, 
 etc. 
 
IO 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 This stroke was all the more painful from the fact that he 
 had sent back his infant child, Eugene, to France, in order 
 that he at least might not lose his right to French citizen- 
 ship, nor be deprived of his mother’s property. He found 
 himself alone in a foreign country, and with no resources 
 but such remittances as his mother, who was still living 
 at Boinville, could occasionally send him. To return to 
 France was out of the question, as he learned ere long by 
 the public prints that no fewer than seventeen of his 
 relatives of varying political views had been sent to the 
 scaffold. 
 
 It was about this time that M. de Boinville was intro- 
 duced to the acquaintance of Mr. Collins, a gentleman 
 whose house was the resort of many of the constitutional 
 emigrants. Mr. Collins had travelled on the Continent, 
 was a good French scholar, and sympathised wdth these 
 emigrants in their political opinions. M. de Boinville 
 became a favourite guest, was always spoken of with 
 praise, and approved of as a high-minded gentleman, who 
 had embraced the principles of a constitutional revolution, 
 for the sake of which he had suffered the loss of fortune 
 and of the brightest prospects. 
 
 It happened naturally enough that, in frequent inter- 
 course, an attachment arose between M. de Boinville and 
 the eldest daughter of the family, who was at that time 
 not only an ardent admirer of all that savoured of liberty 
 — which she remained to the last, — but an exceedingly 
 pretty girl, full of generous feeling, and with a mind of 
 unusual power. She had early imbibed the political prin- 
 ciples of her father, which she carried indeed still further. 
 Bound her slight figure she wore the badge of republicanism, 
 a wide red band, and I have often heard her call herself 
 
MR. AND MISS COLLINS. u 
 
 une enfant de la Revolution. With this she had also unfor- 
 tunately accepted the principles of the false philosophy of 
 the age, but her general conduct, unbounded generosity, 
 devotedness of character, and unfeigned modesty of nature, 
 might well have put many professing Christians to the 
 blush, for in the refinement and elevation of her sentiments 
 she surpassed almost any woman I have ever known. 
 
 Authorised by Miss Collins to communicate with her 
 father on the subject, M. de Boinville wrote to him asking 
 the hand of his daughter. Mr. Collins answered that to him- 
 self personally he had no objection whatever, “ mais qu’avec 
 lui sa fille manquerait le pain;” and he at the same time 
 requested the suitor to discontinue his visits, sternly for- 
 bidding his daughter to think any more of M. de Boinville. 
 At this she was indignant. Her father had large estates 
 in St. Vincent’s : the marriage-portion she had a right to 
 expect was amply sufficient to maintain a family. She 
 had £200 a year of her own, left to her by her grand- 
 mother, and on this she determined to marry. One only 
 objection she had to M. de Boinville : she would not marry 
 a man in the army. In friendly correspondence with 
 M. de Lafayette, my grandfather informed the General of 
 the young lady’s objection to his Epaulettes. Lafayette 
 advised him in these circumstances to resign his com- 
 mission, and to marry in England if he could. This 
 advice was followed. 
 
 Mr. Collins continued to oppose the marriage, and they 
 determined to elope. My grandmother’s brother and 
 sister, who were much attached to M. de Boinville, 
 were both in the secret, and one day, during the father’s 
 absence, they procured a carriage and four ; the pair made 
 off for Scotland, and were married by the famous black- 
 
12 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B0INV1LLE. 
 
 smith of Gretna Green. On returning home Mr. Collins 
 heard of what had happened, and immediately followed 
 the couple, but only met them on their return journey, 
 when he witnessed their marriage according to the 
 Anglican rite, I believe at Arthuret Church, Longtown. 
 In the course of a few months, his anger being appeased, 
 a complete reconciliation took place, and he brought his 
 daughter and son-in-law to his country-house at Willesden. 
 Their first child, named Cornelia, was born in Mr. Collins's 
 house, February 23d, 1795. 
 
 Very different was the lot of my grandfather at this time 
 from that of his dear General. Lafayette and his two aides- 
 de-camp had been captured by the Austrians as they fled 
 from the Revolutionary Government, and being, by the 
 advice of the Baron Breteuil, who represented the King's 
 family, thrown into prison, they suffered the most extreme 
 hardship during a captivity of five years, at Magdeburg and 
 Olmiitz. My grandfather joined with many others in 
 earnest and persevering efforts to obtain their release, 
 especially that of Lafayette, and Mr. Collins subscribed a 
 considerable sum with a view to procure their freedom. 
 Two fruitless attempts were made, the first failing chiefly 
 because Lafayette nobly refused to acquiesce in one 
 necessary step, the killing of a sentinel; the second, 
 because, after making their escape from prison, they missed 
 their road, and were recaptured. Different Governments 
 — those of England and of the United States in particular 
 — tried without success to persuade Austria and Prussia 
 to let them go free. But the aspect of affairs had now 
 changed in France. Louis XVI. had been beheaded, the 
 “ Reign of Terror " had ended, and General Bonaparte was 
 carrying his victorious arms into Italy, driving the 
 
LAFAYETTE RELEASED FROM CAPTLVLTY. 13 
 
 Austrians everywhere before him. It was to his country’s 
 victories, and to the voice of Bonaparte, that Lafayette 
 and his fellow-captives owed their release. 
 
 During the most of this time my grandfather was lead- 
 ing a quiet life in England, though at times actively 
 engaged in correspondence with Lafayette’s friends on the 
 subject of the deliverance of the General and of his former 
 colleagues. 
 
 v His life glided softly by, till news came of a rising of 
 the negroes in St. Vincent’s. Mr. Collins’s estate had been 
 laid waste, his buildings burnt to the ground, and it became 
 necessary for him to go to the island with a view to re- 
 pairing his losses and restoring order. He was very 
 popular amongst the black population. While there he 
 proposed to his son-in-law to join him, holding out the 
 prospect that a part, and perhaps the whole, of his property 
 might be placed under M. de Boinville’s superintendence. 
 This chance of an independence was not to be refused. 
 They embarked with their infant child for the West Indies. 
 
 During those days of warfare merchant vessels never 
 ventured on a long voyage without the convoy of a ship 
 of war, which protected a fleet. In the present instance 
 the place of rendezvous was Cork. Bad weather set in ; 
 the child fell ill, and change of air was recommended. 
 Just about this time the famous French expedition 
 attempted to land at Bantry Bay. A Frenchman’s posi- 
 tion under these circumstances was not a pleasant one, but 
 it happened that they were well acquainted with Lord 
 Jocelyn, the commander of the British troops in those 
 parts, and Lady Jocelyn kindly took the sick child and 
 its parents under her hospitable roof. M. de Boinville 
 thus escaped suspicion. 
 
14 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE B0INV1LLE . 
 
 The French having retired, and the wind changing, the 
 trading vessels sailed. The passage was a stormy one, 
 but they arrived safely in the seas of the Windward 
 Islands. They crossed many vessels here, and one day 
 there was an alarm of French ships in sight. All neces- 
 sary preparations were made for an engagement, the 
 gentlemen on board volunteering their services, and my 
 grandfather among the rest, although by so doing he ran 
 the risk, had he been taken by the French, of being shot 
 as a traitor to his country. This consideration did not, 
 however, prevent him doing what he felt in honour bound 
 to do, and he took his part in the watch. Of the details 
 of this anxious part of the voyage I remember little of 
 what my grandmother told me, but I know that on one 
 occasion she was placed at the bottom of a boat, and 
 heard the balls whistling across from the ships of the 
 enemy. No serious injury was done, however, and they 
 arrived safely at St. Vincent’s, where the chief event of 
 the first year was my father’s birth. The true reason for 
 Mr. Collins drawing M. de Boinville and his family to the 
 West Indies probably was that he might have the pleasure 
 of their society, for his son-in-law was not calculated to 
 direct the estate. He himself not only repaired all the 
 damage that had been done, but rendered the property 
 more valuable than ever, and soon returned with his 
 children and grandchildren to England. 
 
 My grandfather thus remained in a great measure 
 dependent on his father-in-law, and at last the situation 
 became so irksome that he determined, in spite of the 
 entreaties of his wife, to seek some means of gaining his 
 own bread, and of living independently. The property 
 of his son Eugene had been sequestrated, although he had 
 
VICISSITUDES, 
 
 15 
 
 continued to live in France ; but the “ Eeign of Terror ” 
 and of the Directory was over : Bonaparte was now First 
 Consul. M. de Boinville returned to France to get his 
 name struck off the Emigrant list, and found his way 
 thither through Germany. His absence was protracted 
 for many months longer than he had intended, and my 
 grandmother determined, notwithstanding the opposition 
 of her father, to join her husband in France. She sailed 
 in a neutral vessel for Dunkirk or Boulogne, where M. de 
 Boinville again met his family. Here, however, she was 
 detained for some time by the suspicious police, and my 
 grandfather was obliged to go in person to Paris to obtain 
 leave to bring them to the capital, where at length my 
 grandmother was introduced to her husband's family, who 
 esteemed and admired her much, and also to M. de Lafay- 
 ette, who ever afterwards entertained towards her feelings 
 of the highest and most friendly respect. 
 
 M. de Boinville did not conclude his business so soon 
 as he had expected, and Mr. Collins steadfastly adhered 
 to a threat of stopping his daughter's allowance until 
 she returned to England, which she was thus forced 
 to do, leaving her husband on the Continent. Several 
 times during the war, before and after the Peace of 
 Amiens, she crossed the sea with her children, or with 
 money ; no easy matter in those troublous times, but her 
 courage was great. On one occasion she was wellnigh 
 shipwrecked with her little ones; on another she was 
 taken prisoner at the Hague, but the jailer was so fasci- 
 nated by her beauty, and moved by her sorrows, that he 
 contrived to allow her to make her escape. On another 
 occasion, when she had been to fetch money in England, 
 and was on her return to France on board of a smuggling 
 
i6 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINV/LLE. 
 
 vessel, rough weather came on, the vessel was driven 
 ashore, and she had to get upon a sailor’s back to land ; 
 just then a huge wave threw them all down, and she had 
 the sorrow of seeing most of her bank-notes floating upon 
 the foaming sea, without any hope of recovering them. 
 Such were some of the hardships she endured with the 
 most unflinching fortitude, and which ought to have pre- 
 vented all disagreement between her husband and herself ; 
 but England had become distasteful to M. de Boinville as 
 a residence, and war made travelling so irksome that he 
 tarried long before he consented to return. He did so, 
 however, at last, and it was during his stay at Watford 
 that the news of peace, the famous Peace of Amiens (1802), 
 broke unexpectedly on the world. The postmaster was the 
 first to receive the joyful tidings, and wishing to have the 
 pleasure of communicating the intelligence in person to my 
 grandfather, he went to the house where the whole family 
 were assembled, together with several French gentlemen, — 
 amongst them M. D’Arblay, husband of the author of 
 Cecilia (Miss Burney). Deep was the impression produced 
 on all by the reading of the official announcement of the 
 restoration of the blessings of peace — to be, alas ! of short 
 duration. M. D’Arblay was so moved that he went down 
 on his knees, and thanked the Author of every good gift. 
 
 Notwithstanding the hope of lasting peace, M. de 
 Boinville would not reside in England ; he again left his 
 family ; war soon broke out, nor was it till after several 
 years that they were once more brought together. My 
 aunt Cornelia fell ill, and it was thought necessary to 
 remove her to Lisbon. The family touched at Nantes, 
 where M. de Boinville joined them, and where it was 
 agreed that so soon as his daughter’s health was restored 
 
HIS GRANDFATHER'S DEATH. 
 
 17 
 
 they should all meet in Paris, a plan which was carried 
 out. Mr. Collins however died about that time, and it 
 became necessary for my grandmother to return to England 
 on business ; the family took leave for the last time of my 
 grandfather in Paris. During his wife’s absence he 
 determined to accept a good appointment which was just 
 then offered him in the Commissariat department of the 
 army, and was named Directeur des Vivres, a high and 
 lucrative post. In this capacity he accompanied Napoleon 
 and la grande armie in the disastrous campaign of 1812. 
 He was then fifty-six years of age. Full of ardour still, 
 and burning with the hope of regaining an independent 
 position, he left Paris with the army, and shared all the 
 hardships and vicissitudes of the famous retreat from 
 Moscow. With hundreds of thousands of his fellow- 
 countrymen he fell a victim to the cold. In passing the 
 Beresina his feet were frozen, and he was carried to the 
 military hospital at Wilna, where, after lingering for a few 
 days, and frequently calling out for his daughter Cornelia, 
 he died as a prisoner of war, on the 7th of February 
 1813. Here I must leave him in the hands of a merciful 
 God, with this only reflection, that it is better to be a 
 soldier of Christ than to serve in the armies of this world, 
 and that we -cannot feel sufficiently thankful that in our 
 days we have seen nothing but peace between the two 
 great Western Powers of Europe. C. de B. 
 
 William Lambe, the grandfather of Charles de Boin- 
 ville on the mother’s side, was born on the 26th of 
 February 1765, and died on the 11th of June 1847, 
 beloved and lamented, at the age of eighty-two. He is 
 thus described by Dr. Francis Hawkins in the Harveian 
 
 B 
 
i8 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 Oration before the College of Physicians of London : — 
 “ Dr. William Lambe was an excellent chemist — his skill 
 detected lead in water, — a learned man, and a skilful 
 physician. His manners were simple, unreserved, most 
 modest, and his life was pure.” Samuel Johnson, quoting 
 Dr. Parr, eulogises him as “ a man of learning, of science, 
 of genius, and of distinguished integrity and honour;” 
 while Walter Savage Landor, in the introduction to a 
 collection of his own poems, writes of Dr. Lambe as “ the 
 wisest and best man it has ever been my happiness to 
 know.” 
 
 As a boy, William Lambe was head of the Hereford 
 Grammar School, and went when very young to St. John's 
 College, Cambridge, where at the age of twenty-one he took 
 his degree as fourth Wrangler of his year, and was elected 
 Fellow of his College. At Cambridge he continued to 
 reside until his marriage, in 1794, to Harriet Mary, 
 daughter of John Welsh, Esquire, of Warwick, and he 
 devoted himself while there with characteristic diligence 
 to the study of medicine. He became a distinguished 
 member of the medical profession, and was at a later 
 period elected Fellow and Censor of the College of 
 Physicians in London. 
 
 For some years after his marriage Dr. Lambe practised 
 at Warwick, and there it was that he became the intimate 
 friend of Walter Savage Landor, and of the celebrated Dr. 
 Parr. Samuel Johnson attributes to “ the exertions and 
 publications of Dr. Lambe ” the first introduction to 
 general notice of the springs of Leamington, which was 
 then only a village, and is now a large and flourishing 
 town. When about the age of forty years he became an 
 enthusiastic advocate of the use of distilled water as a 
 
DR. WILLIAM LAMBE. 
 
 19 
 
 beverage, and of vegetables as food, to the entire exclusion 
 of malt and alcohol, and of butcher's meat. 
 
 He rode his hobbies gracefully, and, so far as personal 
 health was concerned, with complete success. Until the 
 age of forty he had been of delicate constitution, but 
 under the altered regimen he gained health yearly. His 
 grandson tells us that at the age of seventy-five, after 
 walking upwards of twenty miles in pouring rain, arriving 
 at a hotel so late as “ to deter him from attempting to 
 arouse the servants ” (!), he “ turned into the inn-yard and 
 deposited his exhausted body, wet and weary, in the 
 corner of a fly which stood there. This night’s rest cost 
 him an attack of lumbago.” Four years later, in the 
 month of September, when seventy-nine years of age, having 
 lost his way in a very dark night, and being much fatigued, 
 he selected the driest ditch he could find, and lay down 
 in it, with a double Times newspaper as his only cover- 
 ing, — escaping, wonderful to relate, without evil con- 
 sequence. 
 
 Dr. Lambe, we are told, passed much of his time in 
 chemical experiments, and continued these to the end of 
 his life. The results were frequently disastrous, but his 
 equanimity was never disturbed ; and it is related that on 
 the occurrence of an explosion which alarmed the whole 
 household, his daughters rushed into the laboratory, which 
 they found full of smoke, and in great confusion. Their 
 father was breathing hard, with his head out of the 
 window ; his eyelashes and eyebrows were burnt almost 
 off, his hair and whiskers singed, and his shirt-collar on 
 fire. On their entrance he merely exclaimed, “ Don’t be 
 alarmed ; it is just what I expected, just what I expected!” 
 
 His diet was exclusively vegetarian, and although he 
 
20 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 probably preferred to have his vegetables cooked, we find 
 him telling a friend .that he had breakfasted on one raw 
 cauliflower, and was just going to dine on another ! He 
 did not even disdain uncooked potatoes; and however 
 unpalatable and undainty such food may appear to us, it 
 must have suited the constitution of Dr. Lambe, for he had 
 reached the age of eighty years before his strength began 
 to fail, and he followed the same diet to the last, enjoying 
 life until a few weeks before he died. 
 
 His latter years were passed at Henwood, near Here- 
 ford, on an estate which had descended to him by inherit- 
 ance from his elder brother, and had been possessed by 
 the family of Lambe for upwards of two hundred years. 
 His eldest daughter, Madame de Boinville, who resided 
 near him, gives the following interesting account of her 
 father's transition from the Unitarian creed to an assured 
 faith in Jesus Christ as indeed the Son of God : — 
 
 A Saviour s love at the eleventh hour. 
 
 Dr. L— , a physician residing in London, was a man 
 of great classical and mathematical attainments. He had 
 been a Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and 
 fourth Wrangler in honours of his year. He was an 
 upright, honourable, and irreproachable man in all the 
 relations of life. He held deistical opinions up to the age 
 of eighty years. At that age he was attacked by an illness 
 which he bore with great patience and resignation, and 
 which threatened his life, but from which he recovered, 
 and was induced by his son to give up his practice and 
 live with him on an estate of his own in the country. 
 His eldest daughter resided in the same neighbourhood. 
 
 Though infirm from advanced age, Dr. L — retained 
 
A SA VI 0 UR'S L 0 VE. 
 
 21 
 
 all his faculties, and his love of literature. Under his 
 dictation, only a few weeks before his death, his daughter 
 corrected one of his former publications for the press. 
 One day, shortly after his arrival in the country, when 
 she was alone with him, she reflected painfully on the un- 
 believing state of her father’s mind, and though it was a 
 trying effort to probe the conscience of a revered parent, 
 she felt it to be her duty to make that effort. She there- 
 fore addressed him as follows : — 
 
 “My dear father, you well know how many sorrows 
 and trials I have had to endure, yet I should be perfectly 
 happy, but for one sorrow that still weighs on me.” 
 
 “ What is that ? ” 
 
 “It is that you are not a believer in God’s revealed 
 Word” 
 
 “Well, my dear, I have no desire to disturb your 
 faith.” 
 
 “But I want you to have the same blessed source of 
 peace and happiness.” 
 
 Presently her father rose from his chair, and walked up 
 and down the room with an air of agitation. Suddenly 
 he turned round on his daughter, and exclaimed in a voice 
 that startled her, “ Do you believe that I shall be damned 
 because I can’t believe that God came into this world as a 
 little child?” Faintly, she replied, “It is not for me to 
 say that you will be damned, my dear father; but / 
 should be condemned if I did not thus believe.” 
 
 Again he paced the room, and there was a long silence. 
 At length he stopped, and said, “ I hope I am not so pre- 
 sumptuous as to suppose that I know better than Locke 
 and Newton, and many other great men who were 
 believers.” 
 
22 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B0INV1LLE. 
 
 His daughter then urged, “There is but one thing I 
 wish you would do.” 
 
 “ And what is that ? ” 
 
 “ I wish you would once more read the Bible carefully, 
 and with prayer for the aid of God’s Holy Spirit to teach 
 you to understand it.” 
 
 He replied, “ I promise you I will, my dear.” 
 
 That was enough. She knew that this man of truth 
 would keep his word. She said, “ Will you allow me to 
 read a portion of the Scriptures to you now?” He con- 
 sented. She read the first chapter of the prophet Isaiah 
 and the third chapter of St. John’s Gospel. He said they 
 were very remarkable. From that day he began to 
 “ search the Scriptures,” and an attendant who waited on 
 him said that he kept his Bible by his bedside, and read 
 long in it every morning. 
 
 His daughter had bepn earnestly praying for his con- 
 version, but she thought it wise when visiting him to say 
 little on religious subjects, unless he himself led the con- 
 versation to them. Time rolled on, and she saw with 
 thankfulness that he attended the Lord’s Table. One 
 day she found him alone, standing with his hands placed 
 on the great Bible which lay open on the table, and the 
 first thing he said to her was, “I find from this book that 
 I have been all my life long in error. I have done every 
 action for the sake of man ; I ought to have done all for 
 the sake of God ! ” 
 
 Another day, reading in the book of Job, he remarked 
 what a clear statement of the gospel there was in that 
 ancient record. At another time he asked to have pas- 
 sages pointed out relating to the resurrection ; at another 
 he would, aloud, call over in his mind some former actions 
 
DEATH OF DR. LAMBE. 
 
 2 3 
 
 of his life, probing his conscience. For upwards of two 
 years he continued thus employed in a diligent search 
 after truth, with childlike simplicity, and at the same time 
 he read the New Testament in Greek; but his son re- 
 marked to his sister that he had never yet observed any 
 clear acknowledgment of faith in the atonement of Christ. 
 At length came the day of trial : he again fell seriously 
 ill. His daughter was sent for, and the son and daughter 
 watched over him day and night. He often called the 
 latter to read and pray with him. On one occasion while 
 she was reading some passages of Scripture in a book of 
 selections for the sick, he said, “ 0 yes, we are all sin ; 
 God is all good ; we need a righteousness not our own.” 
 The evening before his death he called his daughter to 
 him ; she placed her hand in his, and he exclaimed, with 
 great earnestness, “I go along with you heart and soul. 
 The Saviour contends for us to the last hour ; the grace of 
 the Saviour is with me to this very moment.’* 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 1819-1841. 
 
 Charles de Boinville’s early years — His mother’s confidence in him — Determines to 
 become a farmer — Letter from his grandmother— Account of his home life, 
 ajid of the effect produced on him by reading the third chapter of St. Paul’s 
 Epistle to the Romans — Seized with a strong desire to preach the gospel in 
 France — He joins the Wesleyan Methodists, who offered at the time the only 
 open door — Conversation with a Roman Catholic priest —He studies at Lille 
 under M. Marzials, becomes acquainted with Caroline Marsh, and records a 
 curious social experience in a French family — Interesting letter from his 
 grandmother, and reminiscence of him at Lille by the Rev. R. B. Watson. 
 
 Alfred Chastel de Boinville, the only surviving son 
 of him whose chequered career has been narrated in our 
 introductory chapter, and which had so sad a close, married 
 in 1818, while still a very young man, Harriet, the eldest 
 daughter of Dr. William Lambe. Of this union were born 
 four sons and one daughter, of whom the eldest, Charles 
 Alfred Chastel de Boinville, the subject of the following 
 memoir, was born at Ashwell, in Hertfordshire, on the 
 1st of July 1819. 
 
 Of Charles’s early years there is scant record, but we 
 know that, although by the serious and disabling illness 
 of their beloved and admirable father, he and the other 
 children were thrown, when he was not above eight years 
 old, on their mother’s sole care, it was in repeating the 
 Lord’s Prayer along with his father, and by his side, that 
 the earliest religious impression was made and left upon 
 his mind. 
 
EARLY YEARS . 
 
 25 
 
 Madame de Boinville felt no anxiety about the younger 
 ones when Charles was with them. Her children were all 
 devoted to her, and an aunt who had been left in charge 
 of them during their mother’s temporary absence writes : — 
 “ Their perfect integrity is delightful : they are delighted 
 at the prospect of seeing you. Charles (then in his tenth 
 year) will come up to me from the garden, ‘ to talk,’ as he 
 says, ‘ for a few moments of my dear mamma.’ ‘ There ’s 
 no one like her,’ he said to me this morning; and he is 
 quite longing for a letter from you. The other day he said, 
 4 1 am afraid she does not love me so much as the others, 
 for she does not write to me as much.’ He is certainly 
 uncommonly fond of you, and he is the kindest little fellow 
 that ever was. He heard me say one morning, with a 
 half-groan, ‘Now, I must get up and go to work!’ ‘Oh, 
 aunt Anne, how I wish I were old enough to help you ! and 
 then you would only have half as much to do,’ — and he 
 looked so kind when he said it, and so sincere.” 
 
 At the age of thirteen Charles had already begun to 
 keep a journal, and in it, on Sunday the 12th of May 1833, 
 he mentions an arrival in Paris in company with other 
 members of the family, under the guardianship of their 
 tutor, M. Gollet ; and a very lively time they seem to have 
 had during the nine weeks they spent there on a visit to 
 their grandmother. The entries in this early diary are of 
 a different character from those of later days, but Charles 
 appears even then to have begun to render obedience to 
 the injunction of Solomon — “ Whatsoever thy hand findetli 
 to do, do it with thy might.” On the evening of 
 arrival he saw with great admiration the fireworks at 
 Tivoli, on the following day visited Notre Dame and the 
 Tuileries, on the next the Jardin des Plantes, and went 
 
26 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 again to Tivoli at night. In short, what with theatres, 
 museums, bathing, lessons in dancing, and the caressing 
 attentions of kind relatives and friends, in Paris and else- 
 where on their homeward route, they had no leisure to mark 
 the flight of time, until on Sunday, the 11th of August, 
 they found themselves once more at home in Hereford. 
 
 Charles having determined to devote himself to farming 
 as his life-pursuit, he was placed with a farmer in the 
 neighbourhood, that he might acquire a practical knowledge 
 of agriculture. His mother removed her whole family to 
 Dilwyn, that she might give him a home, and also continue 
 to him the benefit of home-education from the family tutor. 
 On the 15th of May 1834, his grandmother in Paris — the 
 Miss Collins of our opening chapter — writes to him: “This 
 has been an important year in your life : you are growing 
 fast into a man — a good and valuable one I feel assured 
 you will be ; you have decided an important question, that 
 of your occupation for life. I have no doubt you will 
 pursue it with steadiness, and you will find in it some 
 lasting pleasures and a never-failing interest in a thousand 
 details that will keep you always busy. M. de Lafayette, 
 in the midst of the great interests that have busied him, 
 thinks with delight of his farm, is eager to improve his 
 breed of merinos, and to regulate his crops in the best 
 manner. The brother of the poet Burns says, c I can say, 
 from my own experience, that there is no sort of farm- 
 labour inconsistent with the most refined and pleasurable 
 state of the mind, threshing excepted — glory be to the 
 threshing-machine ! \ You, my dear Charles, will ally the 
 cultivation of the ground to the cultivation of your mind, 
 and out of this will spring pure pleasures and sound health, 
 I trust. The removal of your dear good mother to Dilwyn 
 
MATERNAL DISCIPLINE AND CONFIDENCE . 27 
 
 is an important thing for you, as it will enable you to 
 spend your leisure hours most profitably and pleasantly/’ 
 Mrs. de Boinville was indeed a “ dear good mother,” and 
 she was also very judicious in the training of her sons. 
 Having decided to give them a home-education, she desired 
 that they should pursue together hardy and manly sports, 
 and allowed them great liberty in going about the country 
 without control. One of their chief pleasures was to rise 
 at five or six o’clock in the morning, and take long walks, 
 thereby acquiring that love of scenery which continued to 
 be one of Charles’s greatest pleasures to the end of life. 
 She imbued them with the highest sentiments of truth and 
 honour, and made them feel that she relied on them that 
 they would do nothing when out of sight of which she 
 could not approve. “ Few women,” says her son Alexander, 
 “ have ruled their children with a firmer hand, but it was 
 done chiefly by the confidence she manifested, and by the 
 strong affection and the profound respect which she in- 
 spired.” “When Charles was with us,” writes William, 
 “ our mother was sure that all was right, and I can testify 
 that her confidence was not misplaced, — for, as far back as 
 my memory reaches, I cannot recall receiving anything 
 but a good influence from my dear, dear brother Charles. 
 In my boyish troubles, which arose from having a much 
 more rugged and irritable disposition, it was to Charles 
 that I looked for comfort and protection, and I always 
 found it.” So complete was his mother’s confidence in his 
 discretion that, when Charles was only seventeen years of 
 age, she allowed two of his younger brothers, under his sole 
 guidance, to make an extended tour in England, Scotland, 
 and Wales, in the course of which they visited Staffa and 
 Iona, and most of the Scottish lakes. 
 
28 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE . 
 
 Charles himself gives the following account of his life, 
 and of that of the family, about this time : — 
 
 “ I spent almost the entire day in the fields among the 
 work-people, having risen before sunrise in the morning 
 to study Latin, and in the evening, after one or two 
 chapters of the Bible, our mother read aloud to us the 
 novels of Walter Scott. We much preferred the novels ; 
 but after a time I began to weary of them, and used often 
 to leave the room, that I might read in private books of a 
 more serious kind, of natural history or narratives of travel. 
 On Sunday, after morning service, my mother would as- 
 semble us round the table for a time, that we might read 
 the Bible aloud together by turns. After this we were at 
 liberty during the remainder of the day to read or play, 
 and in the evening we had a game of cards ; but our 
 mother always taught us to respect those persons whose 
 views were stricter than our own.” 
 
 In a diary which begins with these words, “ The way 
 the Lord hath led me,” he writes, “ Towards Christmas of 
 1836, being in my eighteenth year, I was led by the 
 drawing of God’s Spirit to inquire after the way of peace.” 
 He had vainly sought spiritual comfort and enlightenment 
 from works which many other persons have found helpful 
 to them, and even from the Bible, which he had “ always 
 heard that religious people loved,” until at length his 
 interest was arrested by St. Paul : — 
 
 “ I was working hard at a threshing-machine in a barn 
 — for I thought work might make up for the want of a 
 good and happy conscience, and drive away the reproaches 
 of a bad one, — when I drew from my pocket a present that 
 had just been made to me. It was the Epistle of St. 
 Paul to the Homans. I read a chapter, and was so much 
 
THE BIBLE NO LONGER A SEALED BOOK. 
 
 29 
 
 pleased that at every interval of rest I read some verses, 
 till I arrived at the third chapter, when suddenly, as though 
 by a miracle, a new light burst upon me, and it was as the 
 dawn of heaven to my soul ; the burden of my sin seemed 
 lifted olf, with all my sorrow. That day I thought was 
 the only happy one I had ever known. The Bible was no 
 longer a sealed book for me. It was the first religious 
 book I had ever understood ; I thought it clearer than 
 any other, and I have thought so ever since.” 1 
 
 He was not left, however, in undisturbed enjoyment of 
 his newly-found possession ; manifold trials assailed him ; 
 inwardly by waning interest and a temptation to spiritual 
 pride, outwardly by the openly expressed distress of a 
 mother whom he fondly loved, from her fear lest “ the 
 change in my religious views should weigh down my 
 spirits and make me fit for nothing.” Ere long, however, 
 he was enabled to hold rejoicing communion with a 
 brother; and we soon find the following record in his 
 diary, — “ My devoted mother, a most simple-minded and 
 humble woman by nature, such an one as might put many 
 a professing Christian mother to the blush, has gradually 
 yielded to the influence of Gods Spirit, and is now a faithful 
 follower of Christ.” 
 
 In the year 1838, at the age of nineteen, Charles entered 
 on the charge of a farm at Dilwyn near Leominster, in the 
 
 1 Thirty-two years later, when speaking of glorious Continental scenery, 
 he writes as follows : — “ Certain views in Herefordshire I take to be as 
 perfect as any I have seen, superior in woods and fine timber xo anything 
 elsewhere ; the course of the Wye is not to be surpassed, and no spot is 
 more fraught with interest to me than the barn with its large waterwheel 
 and threshing-machine just below Little Dilwyn, for there I first learned 
 the way of salvation through faith, while reading at the resting hours 
 between the hard work of feeding the machine , that glorious Epistle to 
 the Romans, which has ever since been so dear to me.” 
 
30 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 county of Hereford, belonging to his granduncle, and 
 during the short period of his occupation, exerted an 
 eminently useful influence on neighbours and dependants, 
 by his loving and genial nature bringing into friendly 
 Christian intercourse persons of various denominations, 
 who had been accustomed to look askance at one another ; 
 but in his journal he writes, after two years, — “ Being of 
 a feeble constitution, I found farming injurious to my 
 health, which was growing weaker and weaker, and feeling 
 myself unable to remain at work, I left home, by advice of 
 my physician, to take a few months , recreation in France. 
 
 “ When I bid my mother farewell, I must however 
 confess that I had a presentiment that I should never 
 return to Dilwyn as my home. I went out, not knowing 
 whither I went ; but I had not been long in Paris when I 
 was seized with an earnest longing to labour for God in 
 the country of my ancestors, and I wept with joy in the 
 Chapelle Taitbout on hearing for the first time the gospel 
 of salvation in what was still to me as a foreign tongue. 
 I thought of many plans for gaining a livelihood, being 
 unwilling at once to follow the bent of my inclinations, 
 which had led me for some time past to desire to enter 
 the ministry, as I feared that the wish might not be 
 purely spiritual. I wrote to my mother many times on 
 the subject, and after much striving in prayer, when at 
 length I could say, ‘ Lord, do with me as seemeth right 
 unto Thee ! ’ I felt convinced that I was called to the 
 ministry of God’s Word, and my mother readily agreed.” 
 
 A brother who has been already referred to had 
 decided to take orders in the Church of England, of 
 which Church Charles was himself a baptized member; but 
 he writes in his journal : “ I felt a strong desire to 
 
HIS AUNT CORNELIA . 
 
 3i 
 
 preach the gospel in France, the land of my fathers, 
 which, after many shiftings and much argumentation, it 
 was agreed that I should do. During these discussions I 
 became assured that the Lord had begun a work of grace 
 in my mother’s heart, the only thing that was needed 
 to perfect one of His most noble works.” 
 
 During his stay in Paris Charles won, as was his wont, 
 and was indeed his due, the warm affection of the relatives 
 among whom he lived, and I have often in later years 
 heard his aunt Cornelia, than whom I have never known 
 a nobler or more devoted woman, but who was far from 
 being in perfect sympathy with his theology, speak of her 
 nephew Charles as “ indeed a perfect Christian.” To the 
 interesting daughter of this lady there is evidence that her 
 young cousin was privileged to be spiritually useful. 1 
 
 It was from love of country, and not from any sectarian 
 preference, that Charles had chosen to become a French 
 pastor, and at a later period he joined the Wesleyan 
 Methodists, who offered at the time the only open door. 
 We find this from the answer to a friend of narrower 
 views, who counselled his secession from the Church of 
 
 1 Among the papers in my hands I find the following fragment of a 
 letter from Pauline Turner, written three months before her death : — 
 “ Mon cher Charles, — Je t’ai dit que je t’ecrirais a la premiere occasion. 
 Comme la maison va etre triste, car il n’y aura a Paris que mam an, M. 
 Robecchi, Elisa, et moi ! Je pais attention a tout ce que tu m’as dit sur 
 la divine religion chretienne, mais tu ne peux pas t’imaginer comme je 
 suis distraite quand je pense a choses. Plusieurs fois tu m’as dit que 
 je devais etre docile et polie avec tout le monde ; mais pense done, nous 
 avons une maitresse qui est ce qu’on appelle en Anglais fretful. 
 
 “ Tu me disais que tu comprends tout ce que tu lis dans la Bible, et 
 pourtant on m’a dit qu’il y a des passages que personne ne peut comprendre. 
 Comment cela se fait il ? ” This letter came to light only after her death. 
 Her mother showed it me, and I prize it as proving that her mind had 
 evidently been working on the subject of religion for some time previous 
 to her death. — C. de B. 
 
32 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 England, as a Church which he deemed in thraldom. “ I 
 told him my way of thinking, and remained in the Church, 
 free to hold communion where I would, whether in church 
 or chapel.” From first to last he was of a wide and 
 catholic spirit, recognising as Christian brothers all .who 
 evidently loved their Lord, to whatever denomination 
 they might belong. In a note to his journal I find the 
 following passage, in allusion to the time when he was a 
 farmer at Dilwyn : — 
 
 “ The Primitive Methodist Society, with all its faults, 
 had done more for the conversion of souls at Pilwyn than 
 the Church. I at that time held the same views with 
 regard to toleration that I still entertain, and I remember 
 being so convinced of the usefulness of this Society, that, 
 poor as I was, I could not resist giving a guinea for the 
 repairing of their chapel ; and on another occasion I lent 
 my waggons and my meadow for a camp-meeting. I 
 know that the spirit of prayer was poured out on many 
 who were present, and God Himself stood by the preacher 
 of His gospel.” At another time, when the conversation 
 of some clerical friends turned disparagingly upon dissent , 
 he said : “ Why talk of Church matters and dissent, when 
 all the treasures of heavenly love are open for us ! ” 
 
 With a view to preparation for the career he had chosen, 
 and conscious that the distractions of Paris had a deaden- 
 ing influence on his spiritual life, he left that city for Lille 
 in the month of October 1841, and notes in his journal : 
 “ I found that he who easily falls back many steps in the 
 Christian race must labour hard to advance even one step 
 forward. . . . The outward means employed to re-esta- 
 blish me in faithfulness were the ministry of M. Marzials 
 of Lille, his kindness and advice, frequent communion 
 
CONVERSATION WITH A PRIEST. 
 
 33 
 
 with God’s people, the being thrown into the way of active 
 and useful work — ‘ by works is faith made perfect,’ — and 
 last, not least, my acquaintance with Caroline Marsh, whom 
 the Lord subsequently gave to me, a spiritual help meet 
 for me. I was now frequently called to preach the gospel, 
 which I did for the first time in French in the Methodist 
 Chapel, and I soon became sufficiently ready with the 
 French language — which, indeed, I had never forgotten — 
 to speak without difficulty.” ' 
 
 He records at this time a conversation with a Roman 
 Catholic priest : — “ Short as it was, I trust it may have 
 produced some serious thought in his mind. Hearing that 
 I was English, he said, ‘ No doubt, then, we are not of the 
 same religion !’ ‘ I don’t know, sir,’ said I ; ‘ I was brought 
 
 up as a Protestant, but I have since become a seeker after 
 truth.’ ‘ I have no doubt, then,’ said the priest, ‘ you will 
 embrace the Catholic faith ; if you read sound theological 
 works you cannot fail to arrive at the truth.’ ‘ I believe 
 it, sir,’ replied I, ‘ and I have already begun by reading 
 the Scriptures of God, and praying for the teaching of that 
 good Spirit which the Father has promised to all who 
 humbly ask it in the name of Christ.’ The priest was 
 silent. He had probably never before in his life met with 
 a downright heretic, and perhaps this practical view of 
 the matter brought serious thoughts into his mind.” 
 
 Another episode during his stay at Lille so strikingly 
 illustrates the generosity of Charles’s nature that it 
 deserves quotation : — 
 
 “ My friend R — called on me one day at my board- 
 ing-house. He was the father of a large family, and 
 found himself penniless. ‘ If/ he said, c you could lend me 
 five hundred francs you would save me from great distress 
 
34 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 of mind, and I promise to return it to you in a month/ 
 I had six hundred francs, and I could not leave my poor 
 friend in distress. I could easily lend him the five 
 hundred, and the remaining hundred would keep me going 
 for a month. Before the month was out he was at my 
 house again, announcing the lamentable fact that it would 
 be impossible for him to return the money unless I would 
 go and live at his house, where I might board and lodge 
 until the debt was paid. The thing appeared quite 
 feasible, and whether pleasant or no, as I could not at that 
 time ask my mother for a farthing, I had no choice left, — 
 go I must ; and a few days afterwards I was settled in my 
 new abode. I at once perceived that I was in the house 
 of a poor man, but that was a trifle, if I could only live in 
 peace. I had been in the house about a month, when one 
 day I heard noises in an adjoining room, which intimated 
 that peace was not there. First came a sound of voices, 
 as of a man and woman quarrelling, then the banging 
 about of chairs and tables, as if furniture were overturned, 
 and finally the screams of a female. I could stand this no 
 longer ; I rushed to the door, knocked, in vain turned the 
 handle, called, but got no answer. I know they thought 
 I was not at home, but I soon gave proofs of my presence, 
 for with a kick I burst the lock, and entering, found my 
 friend attempting to throttle his wife. ‘ Hallo ! ’ said I, 
 ‘ what are you at % are you mad ? ’ The man let go his hold, 
 and pale with passion, exclaimed, ‘ What business have 
 you here h Get out of my room ! 9 ‘ I shall not go out/ 
 
 I said, ‘ till you have picked up the table, and all the 
 chairs.' The man paused a while, sobered down, and 
 began to do as I had bid him. I helped him to set the 
 room to rights, and made my exit without further remark. 
 
AN UNCOMFORTABLE MANAGE. 
 
 35 
 
 “ An hour afterwards my poor friend came to excuse 
 himself. ‘ Ah, Charles,’ said he, 6 it all comes from one 
 thing — I cannot pay my debts.’ ‘Well,’ said I, ‘I am 
 sorry for you, but strangling your wife won’t help you out 
 of your difficulties.’ Presently the poor wife came to me. 
 ‘ Ah,’ said she, ‘ you see what a miserable existence mine 
 is ; my husband is half mad, he cannot pay his debts, and 
 gives vent to his excited feelings by ill-treating his wife 
 and children. I often seriously think of putting an end 
 by poison to my own life and theirs, and leaving him to 
 himself; he would then perhaps be happier, and we too.’ 
 Floods of tears ran down the poor creature’s cheeks ; I 
 gave her the best advice I could, directing her to look to 
 God for comfort. Of religion these people knew nothing, 
 although they were professed Eoman Catholics, and the 
 man had written a learned history of the Bible. 
 
 “ The idea of poisoning rather alarmed me, for I saw no 
 reason why I should not have the benefit of that remedy 
 as well as the rest, and as the proposal was more than once 
 reiterated, our meagre dinners sometimes seemed to stick 
 in my throat. I had but ten francs left in the world, and 
 dared not yet ask for more. A few weeks later I was 
 again applied to for the loan of a few francs, just to pro- 
 cure food for a few days, until my friend should receive 
 his pay. This happened again, but 1 had not a sou. We 
 went without breakfast, and the children cried for hunger. 
 What was to be done? We must push on to the next 
 day, when money was to be paid to the friend whom I now 
 looked upon as a somewhat dangerous one. 
 
 “ One comfort there was at all events, — that even poison 
 could not be purchased without money. I was determined, 
 however, to get my dinner, and a bright thought struck 
 
36 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 me. I sold an old greatcoat for half its value to a tailor, 
 and returned triumphant with five francs, when the poor 
 wife promised me with a reassuring smile that no poison 
 should enter into the cookery on that day. Thus we went 
 on for several months : many a quarrel I overheard, and 
 many a blow the poor innocent little children got, though 
 from some I was able to save them, till by God’s good 
 providence my purse was replenished, and though the debt 
 they owed me had not been repaid, I suddenly took my 
 departure. 
 
 “ Since then years have passed ; the little ones have 
 become men and women, and I had heard nothing of the 
 family, until a short time ago, when Madame called on my 
 aunt Cornelia, and told her to let me know that not only 
 were their debts paid, but that she had learned to under- 
 stand and feel the force of those truths which were for- 
 merly hidden from her eyes. If this be really true, God’s 
 name be praised !” 
 
 Ere long distractions of a different nature from those of 
 Paris led Charles to record these words : “ I had better leave 
 Lille, where I am necessarily led off from study. I do this 
 not without sorrow, for the Lord hath nowhere manifested 
 more of His loving-kindness towards me. ... I have 
 heard of my sister Cornelia’s conversion, and God hath 
 betrothed to me one of His most faithful servants, a true 
 handmaid of the Lord.” 
 
 It is doubtless to the troubles and distractions just 
 mentioned that his loving grandmother Madame de Boin- 
 ville refers in the following extract from a letter dated 
 Paris, 6th January 1842 : — 
 
 “ How different the opening of this year from the last, 
 when we had you just arrived amongst us, with your 
 
LETTER FROM HIS GRANDMAMAN. 
 
 37 
 
 troubles that were soon assuaged, — or rather transmuted 
 into others of a higher order and more obstinate, — with 
 your pleasant humour, which we all enjoyed, and shall 
 ever miss. And now you are away, not comfortable in 
 any way, so that you are a subject of varied anxiety and 
 regret to me. Our poor little girl gone for ever l 1 and 
 some little circumstance perpetually starting up to bring 
 her suddenly and painfully before us. These days have 
 been hard to get over; and now, what will ’42 bring? 
 Let us not think of that, but hide our faces thankfully in 
 the obscurity of the future. . . . Some of Emily’s kindest 
 thoughts on her birthday flew off to Lille to visit her 
 absent friend, and mine were fixed on him all day, and sad 
 I was to think of him without any circumstance to cheer. 
 A dear friend of mine used to say that a loving unsullied 
 soul carried everywhere a paradise within itself. Is that 
 true ? You, dear fellow, can tell. . . . 
 
 “ The cold has set in with a vengeance. Do tell me if 
 you have plenty of firing, a warm room, and all-sufficient 
 covering at night ; these little things are most important 
 to your old anxious granny, — so mind you answer cate- 
 gorically, or I shall conclude that all is going wrong. Tell 
 me too about your money ; a great part of it, I dare say, 
 has found its way into pockets more empty than your own. 
 I wish you had some watchful loving sister to examine 
 your hoard, and make a calculation for you as Mr. Venn 
 has. . . . Yesterday’s post brought a few lines from R — , 
 despairing over the want of money to go to the end of the 
 month. I fear by this time you repent having gone to live 
 with them, for I suspect their roof affords no quiet of any 
 kind. . . . God bless you, dear boy, and preserve you 
 
 1 Pauline Turner. 
 
38 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 from the dangers of your best qualities, but, 4 Nul ne peut 
 sortir de la region intellectuelle qui lui est assign^, et les 
 qualiUs sont encore plus indomptables que les cMfauts.’ 
 Write, write, write, — tutto, tutto , tutto !” , Hers was 
 indeed a noble nature, and a loyal, loving heart ! 
 
 “ It was at Lille,” writes the Rev. R. B. Watson, “ that 
 I first learned to know and love Charles de Boinville, 
 and felt the elevating influence of his pure and noble 
 nature. One Sunday I remember walking home from 
 church with him ; we and most of the people in the streets 
 were dressed in our best, while there, lying in the gutter, 
 in the face of midday, was a very dirty old drunkard, 
 unconscious indeed, yet pitiful. De Boinville was too 
 good to leave him there, and enlisting my help — not over 
 willing — he drew him out of the dirt, and with each an 
 arm round him we held up his tottering steps — an amaze- 
 ment to all passers-by — till we persuaded a friendly cabaret 
 to shelter his disreputability. 
 
 44 From that year, though occasionally I heard of him, 
 and exchanged greetings through some common friend, we 
 never met till 1875, — thirty-four years, the busiest and 
 most changeful for us both. I went to dine with a friend, 
 knowing whom I was to meet, but he was kept in darkness. 
 I walked straight up to him, held out my hand and said, 
 4 How are you, de Boinville ^ ’ For a moment he looked 
 blank, then interrogative, and then a perfect flush of 
 sweetness broke over his face as he said, 4 What ! no — it 
 can’t be — yes — Robert Watson !’ Was it not characteristic 
 that his heart thus helped his memory ]” 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 1842 - 1843 . 
 
 His humble estimate of himself— Determines to be moderate in all things — Records 
 conversation with an old Invalide in Paris — Preaches at Roubaix, MeziSres, 
 and Corcelles, visits Strasbourg, and settles for a time at Lausanne — Cor- 
 respondence with his mother regarding study and his matrimonial prospects — 
 Becomes acquainted with Alexandre Vinet, lives under his roof, and expresses 
 his reverent admiration of that great man, and deep debt of gratitude towards 
 liim — Vinet’s high esteem for C. de Boinville — CongSnies — Madame Scaulmes 
 and her silver spoon — Death at Cambridge of his sister Cornelia. 
 
 Scougal, in his treatise on the Life of God in the Soul 
 of Man, alleges that the truly humble have unfailing com- 
 fort in the assurance that no one can think more lightly of 
 them or esteem them less than they esteem themselves, — 
 and to this humble estimation was Charles ever seeking 
 to attain. In his journal such sentences as these often 
 occur : — “ When shall I learn to be altogether indifferent 
 about the judgment of men 1 When shall I be humble, 
 and have no pride to be hurt V’ “ Real humility consists 
 not in saying , ‘ I am nothing ! 9 but in being nothing, in 
 the willingness of the heart to be nothing, and to remain 
 nothing in one’s own eyes and in those of others.” His 
 private diary is full of self-accusation and self-reproach, 
 and it is true that the heart knoweth its own bitterness, 
 yet we find it impossible to indorse his severe indict- 
 ments. In conscience and at heart he was alike tender. 
 
40 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 He writes, “ I am apt to do very good-naturedly what 
 costs me nothing; ill-naturedly I refused last night to 
 walk with William, because I was a little tired ; I forgot 
 ‘ If he ask thee to go one mile, go with him twain.’ ” 
 
 In the spring of 1842 he visited his mother and sister 
 in England, and was much cheered by observing the mani- 
 fest increase of their sympathy in spiritual things, and all 
 the more, in the same paragraph he records, because “ most 
 of my friends in Hereford have followed either the Pusey- 
 ite movement or the Plymouth Brethren.” He met at this 
 time the Rev. Charles Bridges, and says, “ I found myself 
 greatly refreshed and confirmed in my views, and deter- 
 mined, after the example of this holy man, to be moderate 
 in all I think and do. The Lord will give me grace, for 
 it is well-pleasing in His sight that I should be so.” 
 
 Yet, in the early stages of his Christian career, Charles 
 was apt to be more abrupt in his attacks on the fortress 
 of the soul than he became in later years, when indeed he 
 was eminently disposed to be “ all things to all men, if by 
 any means he might win some.” The following racy 
 incident probably conveyed a lesson to him, although he 
 made at the time no comment : — 
 
 “ In the evening took a walk to the Invcdides (Paris), 
 and met one of the old soldiers, whom I asked what figure 
 was carved over the gateway, to which he replied gruffly — 
 “ 4 Louis XIV., to be sure !’ 
 
 “ ‘ It is a fine building outside, and I suppose very com- 
 fortable inside, is it not ? ’ 
 
 “ The man seemed very cross, and replied, ‘ There is no 
 such place in your country.’ 
 
 “ ‘ You don’t know what country I belong to,’ said I. 
 “‘What country do you belong to*?’ said he, looking 
 
AN OLD 1NVALIDE. 
 
 4i 
 
 me crossly in the face, and I perceived that the hardships 
 of his past life had soured his temper. 
 
 “ ‘ I belong to God’s kingdom,’ said I, as quietly as I 
 could. 
 
 “ ‘ Let alone,’ said he ; c I know that we ought to honour 
 God as our Creator ! ’ 
 
 “ ‘ Yes, but we must be born again of the Spirit to enter 
 into His kingdom.’ 
 
 “ c Allez-vous-en,’ said he, shaking his stick, and walk- 
 ing away as fast as he could.” 
 
 In the summer of 1842 he preached at Eoubaix and 
 Mezieres, in connection with the Wesleyan Methodists, 
 and he seems about this time to have had intimate inter- 
 course with M. Kostan and Mr. Cook, both respected 
 members of that body. In December he records, “ Went 
 on a missionary tour to Morat. In preaching at Corcelles 
 the Lord was evidently present; a backslider was re- 
 awakened, and it was long ere we could part. This little 
 missionary tour has greatly encouraged me, and it shows 
 how devoted I should be, since the Lord blesses such 
 slight efforts.” 
 
 In the same year Charles visited Strasbourg with a 
 view to study, and writes thus in a letter to his mother : — 
 “ I found that Strasbourg would not do ; it is necessary to 
 learn German in order to study there with profit, and I 
 have enough to do with French, — so I left for Lausanne, 
 where I now am.” With the single exception of his 
 Parisian grandmother, who may have been biassed by 
 affection in her desire to keep him in France, all his rela- 
 tions were anxious that he should complete his education 
 in England, and his mother would have greatly preferred 
 that, like his brothers, he should go either to Oxford or 
 
42 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 Cambridge, and take a degree in an English University. 
 Such a course would have been more comfortable, and, in 
 some respects, more agreeable to himself ; but he had in 
 heart devoted his life to the country of his ancestors, and 
 he withstood all arguments, even such as he could not 
 reasonably answer. After balancing the pros and cons of 
 a pastor s life in the Church of England and in France, he 
 says, “ The thoughts of home often disturb my judgment, 
 so that I am on the point of yielding ; but when my soul 
 is in its best state, it resists with ease the temptation of a 
 snug English parish. My way lies clear before me.” 
 
 To his mother he writes as follows : — “ The grand 
 question is, Am I to live in France or England 1 I answer, 
 In France, for several reasons, which you know ; and that 
 being the case, I should be obliged to leave England sooner 
 or later for good, and it would be as painful hereafter as 
 it is now. If I am to work in France, there are many 
 advantages, for my own sake and for that of others, in my 
 studying abroad. I have considered all the details of the 
 question, and I think there can be little doubt of the truth 
 of what I say ; but I wait in order to get more light on 
 the subject before I decide, for if I thought the two sides 
 of the question at all equal, I should not hesitate a 
 moment. 
 
 “ I am getting on well with my studies. I work eight 
 hours a day without suffering : my health has very much 
 improved. I go on with the meetings regularly now, and 
 the room is always full.” He had hired a room in which 
 he gave evangelistic addresses. 
 
 To the above his mother replied : — 
 
 “ My dearest Charles, — Eight hours a day ! This 
 is the way in which you abuse the gifts of a merciful Pro- 
 
LETTER FROM HIS MOTHER. 
 
 43 
 
 vidence, that has restored you to health ! Will you never 
 be a moderate man ] Considering your delicate constitu- 
 tion, and all the circumstances, you are in your own way 
 the most licentious young man I know. Frank and 
 Alexander never exceed six hours, and for Frank even 
 this is occasionally too much. Yet he gets on so well that 
 his tutor strongly advises his working expressly for a 
 scholarship, which he assures him he will easily obtain. . . . 
 As for your argument, that intending to minister in France 
 you had better be educated there, I think that with that 
 end in view you would have a double advantage in being 
 ordained here. In France they sadly want good English 
 ministers, and they would hear you without prejudice if 
 you were in the Church of England. You would try to 
 get a regular appointment, and then you could preach with 
 great advantage in both languages. . . . What you say of 
 the pain of parting — as we must at last if you should come 
 here — holds good as to every time we meet, dear fellow; 
 that we must bear.” 
 
 Mrs. de Boinville was a liberal-minded woman, but she 
 was a hearty member of the Church of England, had 
 therefore no special favour for dissent in general, and 
 certainly none for that body with which Charles had 
 elected to connect himself, as we may gather from the 
 following passage : — “ I rejoice with you that you have a 
 prospect of regular employment, and you do not depend 
 on man; otherwise, I confess that for myself I should 
 wince under the method of the Wesleyans, of keeping their 
 ministers in pecuniary subjection. I heard a bad character 
 of some of them the other day from a gentleman who 
 professed to know them intimately, — of their ignorance 
 and avarice. We are however such blind and prejudiced 
 
44 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 mortals, that he may have judged of the mass by a few, 
 and on all sides there is but too much zeal without know- 
 ledge. God will be ever with you, dear fellow, and I hope 
 you will not neglect all honest means of securing a sub- 
 sistence, and the power of education for your children.” 
 
 Charles, as he has himself already told us, had given 
 his heart to a young lady whose acquaintance he had made 
 in Lille, and as Caroline Marsh was of delicate constitution, 
 he may naturally have been biassed in the selection of 
 his field of labour by a desire to secure for her a milder 
 climate. To her, when comparing the advantages of the 
 National Eeformed Church of France with those offered by 
 the Wesleyan Methodists, he says: “ I come to you with 
 the same idea that I once before mentioned to you, and in 
 which I am now confirmed, that it were a waste of precious 
 time, and, as I now experience, of health, that I should 
 study for the National Church. I desire to do in France 
 the work of a missionary, and especially to remember that 
 one of the chief characteristics of the gospel, and yet the 
 one that is most ignored in all our smart churches — under 
 the plea that the doors are open to all — is, that to the poor 
 the gospel is preached.” 
 
 “ I do not think that in my case the advantage of gain- 
 ing more head-knowledge would make up for the loss of 
 time and health. If I desired to distinguish myself as a 
 learned doctor in the Church, or if I aimed at obtaining 
 what is called a good income, the time would not be wasted 
 — humanly speaking; but I am convinced that the part in 
 the Lord’s work which I feel to be committed to me would 
 prosper the less, — because, on the one hand, if I do not 
 work very hard, I shall not get through college, and on the 
 other, if I do pass, it will be at the risk of utterly ruining 
 
LETTER FROM HIS MOTHER. 
 
 45 
 
 my health, so that my way is hedged in all round. Felix 
 Neff was not as learned even as I am, and he was despised 
 and opposed in every way for many years, but he prevailed 
 against every enemy, because he leaned upon the Lord.” 
 Charles, not unnaturally, had become desirous to per- 
 suade himself and others that matrimony is not of necessity 
 expensive, and that it need not interfere with the pursuit 
 of learning. Hear his mother on the subject : — “ Re- 
 member that a man takes a wife, not only to live with him 
 in joy, but also in sorrow. Many a woman might make 
 him happy while all goes smoothly, but can she endure 
 with him the rough storms of this world ] I see you are 
 already in love with the lady you allude to ; — if she can , 
 then, dear Charles, win her heart, and wait patiently till 
 you are ordained before you marry, — not fanning your 
 passion at her side, but pursuing your studies honourably 
 and indefatigably till you are fit to enter the ministry. 
 Pour out your heart on paper to your beloved, and visit 
 her occasionally, for a short time . This will be the manly 
 course to take ; in the meantime keep up your spirits, lean 
 on the strong arm of your Saviour, who will keep your 
 soul, and submit humbly to the necessity entailed on us by 
 the first Adam, to war against the flesh. The best arms 
 are hope and industry ; but do not try experiments upon 
 your poor body, which is weak enough without starvation.” 
 In his journal at a later period he writes as follows : 
 — “ I arrived at Lausanne with my mind considerably 
 harassed and unsettled by what I had seen of the Univer- 
 sity of Strasbourg, but with a strong desire to prosecute 
 my studies here. I had no letters of introduction to 
 any one in the place, but M. Vinet I knew by his 
 works, and judged that as he was one of the greatest in 
 
4 6 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE B0INV1LLE . 
 
 Christian learning, he would probably prove to be so also 
 in grace. Hoping therefore that he would not despise a 
 little one, I thought it best to repair at once to head- 
 quarters, and go where I was sure at least of not receiving 
 bad advice. 
 
 “ A letter from M. Marzials to M. Cuvier of Strasbourg, 
 which I had not been able to deliver, served me as an 
 introduction. I was most kindly received, and was soon 
 encouraged, not only by his affable manner and words, but 
 by the remarkably benevolent expression which irradiated 
 his somewhat rough exterior and his thoughtful brow. In 
 answer to my question, where he thought I might find 
 lodgings, he replied, after some consideration, that if I could 
 be contented with a small room in his house, I was most 
 welcome to come under his own roof. He then took me 
 up-stairs, and offered me, at the low rate of eight francs a 
 month, a very nicely-furnished bedroom, with a splendid 
 view of Lake Leman. Of course I at once accepted with 
 gratitude, and then asked him if he could give me the 
 address of Pastor Bridel. He said he would do so if I 
 would come with him ; and then, to my utter confusion, 
 he conducted me himself, without taking off his dressing- 
 gown or putting on his hat, all the way up the street, and 
 round the Cathedral, until he pointed out the house itself 
 to me. 
 
 “Vinet’s admiration of others and low estimation of 
 himself were most remarkable : he begged me one day to 
 lend him the Reverend Mr. Cook's little work, entitled 
 L’ Amour de Lieu pour tous les hommes. I lent it to him 
 early in the morning, and in the evening of the same day, 
 when I returned, I found him reading it. ‘ This is an 
 admirable little book,' said he ; ‘ I have not been able to 
 
ALEXANDRE VI NET. 
 
 47 
 
 take my eyes off it since you lent it to me.’ On a later 
 occasion, in conversing with Mr. Cook himself, when that 
 gentleman remarked that, with all his admiration for M. 
 Vinet’s work on the Manifestation des convictions religieuses , 
 he had not been thoroughly convinced by the arguments, 
 Vinet replied, with his usual humility, ‘ Perhaps I should 
 have done well to have waited a little longer before pub- 
 lishing my opinions/ He had been upwards of sixteen 
 years reading, praying, and writing on the subject ! I 
 shall ever esteem it one of my greatest privileges to have 
 learned of such a man, not only how to prepare for the 
 pulpit, but also how to think humbly of myself.” 
 
 Years afterwards he writes : — “ I saw lately a print of 
 A. Vinet, which brought him back vividly to my mind, 
 and I felt that though I had spent but a few months under 
 his roof, I owed much indeed to his instructions, and 
 especially to the influence of his example. I never felt 
 any mans holiness so much as his. The depth of his 
 thought, the precision of his style, the earnestness of his 
 teaching, were useful to me ; but what has exerted most 
 power over me, and produced an impression which time 
 can never efface, was his humility and charity, his modesty 
 and tenderness. I never knew a man so severe on himself, 
 — never missing a duty, yet so disposed to think and 
 speak well of others, — to see their good qualities, and to 
 excuse as far as possible their defects, even when he was 
 the one to suffer from them. He did not wish to be the 
 first, nor care to be the last ; and he loved retirement and 
 quietness, though he got little. He was a good friend, 
 and his friendship was tender, faithful, and lasting, though 
 not exclusive, — and although he often had to oppose the 
 world, he was desirous of being the friend of all. All 
 
4 8 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 these qualities seemed to flow directly from Christ, and 
 were to my soul, though I drank of the stream for but a 
 short time, like living waters, which produced life, and 
 made me glad. 
 
 “ I remember Vinet used to ask us at the Academy of 
 Lausanne to bring notes or an analysis of a sermon on a 
 text which he gave us. Very few of the men could be 
 induced to do so ; but one day I ventured to bring up some 
 notes on Micah vi. 9 : ‘ Hear ye the rod, and who hath 
 appointed it/ which I had endeavoured to analyse, accord- 
 ing to the rules he had laid down, — one of which was that 
 we should never add anything to what is contained in the 
 meaning or intention of the text, or that flows necessarily 
 from it. 
 
 “ Having received praise for my first attempt, I was 
 bold to try again a few weeks later, when Heb. x. 9 was 
 given us, — ‘ Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, 0 
 God — but he that exalteth himself shall be abased. 
 My performance was found wanting, and was criticised by 
 the Professor and the pupils, one chief defect being that I 
 had not pointed out Christ as setting us an example of ready 
 obedience and self-denial. On our arrival at home, how- 
 ever, I began to excuse myself to M. Vinet, on the ground 
 that that was not contained within the meaning, and was 
 not the intention of the text, and that' I dared not but 
 abide by his own rule ; whereupon he quite unarmed me 
 by one of his broad open smiles : 6 Ah que vous etes 
 malicieux !’ said he; ‘je vois que vous prenez tout ce que 
 je dis au pied de la lettre, mais vous le savez, il n’y a pas 
 de regie sans exception I ’ I felt no longer inclined to 
 enter into an argument. 
 
 “ Switzerland is associated in my mind with all that is 
 
MADAME SCAULMES. 
 
 49 
 
 magnificent in nature, even to oppression, — and with 
 Yinet ! Though I knew him but for a short time, yet it 
 was long enough to learn much from him that was well 
 worth learning, and that from personal intercourse. I 
 saw him not only at his house, where I lived — and would 
 always gladly leave even the sight of Mont Blanc to go 
 and talk with him on the best of subjects, — but also at 
 Montreux and Yeytaux, where we spent some time together. 
 I was sorely tempted to pride, on opening two letters of 
 introduction from him to MM. Verny and Lutteroth, in 
 which he gave me a character I little deserve.” 1 
 
 In the month of February 1843 Charles accompanied 
 Mr. Cook to Nimes, was examined there before the 
 District Meeting, and was received by Conference in July 
 following as a preacher on trial. “ Whilst at Nimes,” he 
 writes, “ I took a trip to Congenies, a village in the D6parte- 
 ment du Gard, remarkable for the piety of many of its 
 inhabitants. There it pleased God, I have every reason to 
 believe, to set a seal to my ministry. I was both delighted 
 and edified whilst I was among this loving people. 
 
 “ The old couple who lodged me sold their house and the 
 chapel to our Society. Madame Scaulmes was one of the 
 nicest women I ever saw — neat and clean in her house and 
 
 1 “Cher Ami,— Je recommande a votre meilleur accueil M. de Bom- 
 vine, frarujais d’origine, anglais de naissance, qui fait des etudes de 
 theologie a Lausanne, et qui vit sous mon toit. II m’interesse beaucoup 
 par son caractere, ses sentimens, son zele, ses talens ; il vous interessera 
 de meme, et bien vite ; j’ai desire qu’il eat le plaisir de vous voir, motif 
 desinteresse ; un autre qui Test moins, c’est que je serai heureux de voir 
 quelqu’un qui vous ait vu. Cela vaut plus et moins qu’une lettre ; mais 
 rappelez vous que l’un n’empeche pas l’autre. — Tres a la hate, votre affec- 
 tionne Vinet. 
 
 “15 Fevrier. 
 
 “ M. le Pasteur Verny, Paris.” 
 
 D 
 
50 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE . 
 
 person, though nearer eighty than seventy I believe — kind, 
 hospitable, sober, and far advanced in grace. I was struck 
 particularly with a little incident that happened during 
 my stay there. 
 
 “ One fine spring morning, having walked many miles, 
 I was surprised to find the door of their house closed. 
 Feeling fatigued, I walked to the outskirts of the village, 
 and there rested myself on a stone. It had grown quite 
 dusk when the small but still active figure of the old 
 woman appeared in the dusty road. ‘ Oh/ said she, as soon 
 as she saw me, e I am so sorry to have kept you waiting. 
 I know~ that you are hungry and tired ; I came home as 
 fast as I could, for I half expected you to-day. My weary 
 old legs will not carry me now as fast as I wish. If you 
 did but know how I have sinned to-day, you would think 
 it right that I should suffer, but you must not suffer for my 
 sin. Please to forgive my being so late, and I will tell you 
 all about* it whilst I am making the supper.’ So I got 
 snugly into the chimney-corner, and begged the chatty old 
 woman to tell me her story. 
 
 “ ‘ You know/ said she, that I have but two silver spoons 
 in the world. Well, this morning a young knife-grinder 
 came into this room and asked me if I had any work to 
 give him to do. As I shook my head, he said, “ I am 
 willing to buy or exchange silver spoons.” I told him I 
 had only two, which (as you know) I cling to very much, 
 because they were left to me by my mother. So the young 
 man took his departure. Half an hour afterwards I missed 
 one of my spoons. I looked for it, as I thought, every- 
 where, but in vain. Then the wicked thought crossed my 
 mind that the knife-grinder had taken it. I went to the 
 neighbours’ houses to inquire if they had seen the man. 
 
THE SILVER SPOON. 
 
 5i 
 
 “ Oil, yes,” replied one, “ and lie offered me a spoon, 
 which I thought very like yours, and now he has gone off 
 in a hurry towards Anjargues.” So I was confirmed in my 
 wicked suspicions. When I returned home, my husband 
 said to me, “ Suppose you were to saddle the ass and go 
 after him, for it is three miles off, and the weather is hot.” 
 I was soon off at a trot, and coming upon the young man, I 
 said to him, “ I have lost my spoon, have you taken it?” 
 He blushed, and replied indignantly that he was as honest 
 as I was. He was an honest-looking fellow, so I begged 
 him to forgive me for suspecting him, and rode sorrowfully 
 back. I had not been at home half an hour, when I found 
 my spoofi at the bottom of a bucket, and in my joy I 
 rushed out into the vineyard to tell my husband. ‘ Only/ 
 I remarked to him, 4 1 cannot be quite happy till I have 
 told that poor lad that I have found my spoon, and that 
 I hope he will forgive me.” My husband said that the 
 ass was too tired to go again, and that I might feel quite 
 sure that the lad would sleep soundly. Still, however, 
 when I got home, the thought pursued me that / should 
 not sleep soundly till I had seen the knife-grinder. I 
 would not, upon any account, displease my husband, so I 
 thought I would leave the donkey in the stable and go on 
 foot ; and I am very glad I did, although I am tired, for 
 the poor boy seemed as glad as I was myself, and he for- 
 gave me, and I was able to speak to him of that forgive- 
 ness of which we all stand in need/ 
 
 “ Whilst she was giving me this simple narrative of the 
 incidents of the day, I thought it carried a useful lesson. 
 How unwilling most of us are to acknowledge error and to 
 make reparation for wrong ! This poor woman was rest- 
 less till she had sought pardon for her unjust accusation. 
 
52 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 Let us feel thus in regard not only to actual wrongs but to 
 ungenerous suspicions towards others. I could not help also 
 admiring the effects of God’s grace in this guileless 
 character. She seemed sensible only of her shortcomings, 
 and exclaimed, 4 How merciful is the Lord, who has en- 
 joined us to pray every day, Forgive us our trespasses, as 
 we forgive them that trespass against us.’ 7,1 
 
 In April, after two months of useful work in France, 
 Charles was called to Cambridge by a very solemn occasion, 
 and the critical condition of his sister Cornelia, whose end 
 was indeed rapidly approaching, detained him there until 
 her disease, which was consumption, had had its fatal 
 issue. 
 
 Cornelia de Boinville was only sixteen years of age, but 
 under suffering had been perfected in faith, and left a 
 blessed memory in the hearts of those around her death- 
 bed. Charles writes, 44 Her patience, her kindness and 
 thoughtfulness for others, which went so far as to restrain 
 all expression of pain, her humility and her simple and 
 unwavering trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, were most 
 striking and edifying to all who beheld her. Her smile 
 when speaking of heavenly things was itself heavenly. 77 
 She died on the 7th of June 1843. 
 
 1 See Sunday at Home , March 1st, 1870. 
 
CHAPTER IY. 
 1843 . 
 
 Visits Paris with his mother and his brother Frank — Intercourse and association 
 there with Frank in evangelic labours, chiefly among the poor at Batignolles — 
 He mourns over the want of spirituality in France — Appointment to Vauvert — 
 Frank accompanies him thither— Intercourse with a Capuchin monk by the 
 way — Frank’s zeal — Brother Gabriel. 
 
 A WEEK after Cornelias death, Madame de Boinville, 
 with her sons Charles and Frank, set out for Paris, which 
 they reached on the 17th of June, and on the 2 2d Charles 
 writes that he has already preached twice, that his mother 
 is happy, and that “ Frank is suffering less from depression 
 of spirits, and has had opportunities of bearing testimony 
 to the truth.” 
 
 Frank de Boinville was by nature tender and loving, and 
 though his brother had some months before him accepted 
 the salvation offered to all through Christ, we are told by 
 Charles, “ I soon found myself far behind Frank in holiness 
 and love and faith. His remarkable simplicity and great 
 faith wrought on me, however, and set me once more to 
 work in earnest, and with fear and trembling. I enjoyed 
 much true communion with him ; we were indeed con- 
 stant companions, and became closely united.” 
 
54 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 About two years later (1838) both brothers had been 
 seized with a strong desire to devote their life to mission 
 work in foreign lands, and Charles writes : “ Thinking it 
 would be right to acquaint our mother before forming any 
 definite plan of action, I told her one evening all that had 
 been passing through our minds. She would not hear a 
 word upon the subject, and forbade us even to think of such 
 a project. ... We therefore abandoned it for the present, 
 convinced, however, that it was God Himself who had im- 
 planted the desire in our hearts, and that if it were His 
 will, a way would open for its realisation, when we should 
 have become better qualified for the work. This convic- 
 tion, in part at least, has been made good.” 
 
 Charles must have rejoiced to meet his fiancde in Paris, 
 but ten days after his arrival there he writes : “ A day 
 of temporal grief, though of spiritual joy : my Caroline 
 left Paris for England. Her energy and devotedness de- 
 light me ; she is gone to do good, and to do her duty, 
 being called thither by the physical and spiritual state of 
 her sister and other relations, and that should be sufficient 
 consolation for me.” 
 
 Two days later he writes : “ My soul was greatly 
 blessed in the usual morning prayer with Frank. We 
 walked together afterwards, and distributed some written 
 tracts. I write out a few lines of gospel truth and give it 
 to any one I meet, thinking this better than a printed 
 tract on many accounts. It is a sign of personal concern ; 
 it is something new, and therefore more likely to fix the 
 attention. Frank approves and follows the method. We 
 met a beggar-woman, an old acquaintance of mine, whom 
 I asked where the poor with whom she was connected 
 lived, being desirous of visiting some. She said if I would 
 
INTERCOURSE WITH FRANK. 
 
 55 
 
 call on her she would show me plenty who were in a 
 wretched state of misery and poverty. I shall go. In 
 the evening Frank expressed some desire of remaining in 
 France to labour in the gospel. I did not press it, but if 
 this be the work of the Spirit on his mind, it will not end 
 here.” 
 
 “ Tuesday , 4 th July . — Went with Frank to the house 
 where the beggar-woman lives ; asked for the proprietor, 
 and had an interesting conversation with him on the 
 poor. He has eight families of chiffonniers in his houses, 
 which are very small and dirty. We proposed holding a 
 meeting there, to which he consented ; then we went to 
 the Commissaire de Police, to inform him of our intention. 
 He referred us to the Prefet, on whom I intend to call as 
 soon as possible.” 
 
 “ 7 th July . — We spend much time together. Frank 
 began to pray in French to-day, and was able to do so very 
 well, although he finds much difficulty in conversation. 
 Took a walk together to Montmartre, and met a man with 
 whom I entered into conversation on religious subjects. 
 Two or three more soon joined us, amongst whom was an 
 infidel, whose arguments were most blasphemous against 
 God and the gospel. Frank joined in the discussion, 
 which became very warm as the disputants increased in 
 numbers, and some took one side, some another. We 
 remained about half an hour, and then took our departure, 
 thankful for an opportunity of declaring the truth. In 
 the evening preached in French. 
 
 “ Next day I read with Frank. Afterwards in our 
 walk talked on subjects on which we disagreed, and 
 suffered in spirit by disregarding the apostle’s exhortation 
 concerning doubtful disputations. It began by Frank 
 
56 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 finding fault with certain views held by Wesley on election 
 and predestination. I pray God to forgive me, and that 
 this destroy not our communion.’ 7 
 
 “ Tuesday , Wth JW?/.— Packed Frank off alone to meet 
 our poor at Batignolles, that he might speak French freely 
 to them. I followed in about half an hour, and found him 
 preaching the Word of Life to thirteen persons. They all 
 seemed pleased, and one or two touched. We were able 
 to pray fervently for them afterwards. Next day we went 
 again to them, and found the number increased to sixteen. 
 Oh, if the Lord should save any, what thanks shall we 
 render to Him for ever ! Lord, increase our faith ! After 
 prayers we departed, promising to return, if it should 
 please God. We have not seen my old beggar-woman 
 there yet, nor her husband.” 
 
 “ Friday , 14 th . — Met Frank, who had been to the 
 chiffonniers at Batignolles. Several strangers were present, 
 which excited the anger of one or more of the inhabitants, 
 and there was like to have been a disturbance, but they 
 conducted themselves well during the preaching. Afraid 
 lest the number should exceed that allowed by law, I 
 advised that we should consult Mr. Toase, 1 who proposed 
 that we should exclude all who did not live on the 
 premises, and offer to go and preach to them at their own 
 homes. This advice seems wise and prudent, and we 
 intend to follow it. . . . Determined on trying to get at 
 some more of the poor. We must not neglect to do as 
 much good as possible during our short stay in Paris.” 
 Charles meant only to remain there until he should be 
 appointed to some station by the Wesleyan body, and 
 
 1 Mr. Toase was at this time General Superintendent of the French 
 Wesleyan District. 
 
THE POOR OF BATIGNOLLES. 
 
 57 
 
 meanwhile, besides frequent clerical duty during the week, 
 he officiated in Mr. Toase’s chapel every Sunday. He 
 had not long to wait for an appointment. 
 
 “ Thursday , 20 th July . — Frank and I visited our poor 
 at Batignolles. Some seemed astonished and touched at 
 the story of blind Bartimseus. We both addressed them. 
 F. seemed discouraged about his French, but my soul was 
 overjoyed at the power of the gospel. I went afterwards 
 to seek out more poor, and found some, whom I hope 
 Frank will be able to visit regularly. We have had several 
 discussions on system . Frank considers all rules as a 
 hindrance to the free working of the Spirit, but I do not 
 see it so unless they be put in its place. Seeing that the 
 Spirit teaches as a principle that all things should be done 
 decently and in order, it will be a matter of conscience 
 with me to follow all such rules as I feel to be in accord- 
 ance with the Word of God. I think time and personal 
 experience will teach Frank also the necessity of this.” 
 
 “ 22 d July . — Went to the poor at Batignolles, and met 
 two who were strict Roman Catholics. Frank got rather 
 warm when one of them spoke of the Virgin Mary as la 
 Mere de Dieu . I thought myself obliged to interrupt him, 
 and to show that we believe her to be ‘ blessed among 
 women/ but that we desire neither to add to nor to take 
 from the Word of God.” 
 
 “ On considering the general state of the French people, 
 I am appalled at the difficulties that lie in the way of 
 doing extensive good in this country. There is not much 
 religious hypocrisy, because the gospel is out of repute, 
 and but little known ; there is however but one mass of 
 moral hypocrisy throughout the whole land. The standard 
 of morals and honour has become particularly low amongst 
 
53 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B01NVILLE. 
 
 the people, and that standard is so often broken, that men 
 have agreed that it is advisable either to deceive one 
 another, or to pass the matter over unnoticed. The love 
 of money also exceeds all bounds. Ambition — even in 
 science and art — no longer prevents this vice laying hold of 
 the heart. It is almost the only point on which general 
 indifference does not manifest itself. A beautiful letter 
 from my mother brings old England, with all its spiritual 
 privileges, so vividly before me as to melt my heart with 
 gratitude and longing. Oh, when will France respect and 
 honour religion ! The laws forbid field-preaching, and if 
 they did not, it would be difficult to bring people together. 
 The greater part of those who call themselves Christians 
 manifest little personal zeal in works of active charity ; 
 the few churches where pure gospel is preached are 
 crowded with smart bonnets ; it is not preached to the poor . 
 The labour of getting at the poor is certainly immense, 
 but there is One who can help, and if He pour out His 
 Spirit, none can resist Him. Let us knock at the door of 
 heaven until He hear us ; this is the only means, and it is 
 the sure, the appointed means ; let us not despise the day 
 of small things, for I am persuaded that if we labour in 
 small things great things will imperceptibly grow out of 
 them, and if we are unsuccessful other men will enter into 
 our labours. I long to be established in the French work, 
 but begin to fear I shall need to remain still a year in 
 Paris. I feel it however to be a comfortable thing, and an 
 honour, to be labouring in union with such a respectable 
 and Christian body of men.” 
 
 “ Tuesday , 5 th September . — Read Romans i. and ii., with 
 notes, being indisposed to study the Greek. Prayed with 
 Frank with more faith and comfort than latterly. We 
 
APPOINTMENT TO VAUVERT. 
 
 59 
 
 took a trip to Meudon and walked in tlie woods. We lay 
 down on the grass and enjoyed the silence, unbroken 
 except by the chirping of birds, and the murmuring of the 
 wind amongst the boughs. How delightful to leave the 
 bustling town and take part in the repose of the country ! 
 This is by far the prettiest spot I have seen near Paris ; 
 the woods are wild, the ponds are natural and large, and 
 the lines of the hills intersect each other, and completely 
 shut out the plain ; the outline is broken and bold, and the 
 woods are lightened by certain open spaces covered with 
 beautiful heather, which enable you to look down on other 
 woods and valleys. Such scenes often make me long for 
 the beautiful country in England, and I am able to resist 
 the temptation only by a struggle. But what is a still 
 greater trial is the difficulty of obtaining access to the 
 people here ; it is so much easier in England. Oh, when 
 will France possess that righteousness which exalteth a 
 nation ! What honour and dignity would it add to 
 the natural cleverness of the French ! They will be light 
 and little till they understand that God made and re- 
 deemed them. If religion were more honoured here, and 
 purely taught, God would bless the land. May they soon 
 learn to fear God and honour the King, and may England 
 be wise to know her day of grace, lest the Lord cut her 
 off ! There seems much danger of it.” 
 
 “ Tuesday , 12 th September . — Received information of my 
 appointment to Vauvert, contrary to my expectation, and 
 owing to Mr. Toase’s kind influence on my behalf.” 
 
 On Thursday the 28th of September 1843 Charles and 
 Frank went together for the last time to Batignolles, to 
 take leave of their poor chiffonniers, but “ found only 
 Madame Sara, one of the proprietors, at home, who, while 
 
6o 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 pleading a good heart, admitted feeling hatred for one 
 individual, and he, I fear, is her husband ! ” On Sunday 
 
 the 1st of October, his last day in Paris, Charles preached 
 three times, and on Monday morning he and Frank set 
 out for Yauvert, which was now to be his field of labour. 
 
 “ On the Phone at Valence we took up a Capuchin 
 monk, a poor man, and uneducated. Hearing him con- 
 versing with some travellers on the rules and dress of their 
 order, I at last ventured to ask him what they did. He 
 said the priests acted as missionaries, and that the poorer 
 brethren waited on them. We got the knowledge of many 
 facts from him. Having heard him say that they were 
 forbidden to touch money, and that he intended to beg a 
 lodging of the priest, I offered to pay for a bed and supper 
 for him, which he accepted. On questioning him in 
 private on the first principles of the Christian religion, he 
 seemed perfectly to understand them ; but he afterwards 
 added things which overthrew the whole. We read the 
 Scriptures to him, and spoke to him in all love, advising 
 him, as Christ’s unworthy servants, not to add to God’s 
 blessed Word, ‘ lest God should add to him the plagues 
 written therein,’ but to give up all for Christ. I heard a 
 priest say to him when on board that the Jesuits would 
 soon carry all before them in France.” 
 
 On Sunday the 8th of October Charles preached at 
 Nimes en route , and on the following day they reached 
 Codognan, where, he writes, “our simple Wesleyan brethren 
 received us lovingly.” 
 
 “ Vauvert, November 10 th . — Since my arrival I have been 
 so busy that I have had no time to write my journal. ... I 
 have been much blessed in preaching, being able now to 
 rejoice in the depths of God’s ways and words. But since 
 
M. VERMEIL. 
 
 61 
 
 I came I have seen no fruit of my ministry in conversion. 
 Before leaving Paris I went to take leave of M. Vermeil, to 
 whom I had written a letter acquainting him with my in- 
 tention of going to Vauvert, and with my motives in joining 
 the Wesleyans. He received me with great coldness as a 
 Wesleyan, whereas he had been all love of old, when he 
 thought I should one day be a Pasteur de 1’Eglise K6form6e. 
 He told me I was not going to do God’s work, and that 
 I ought not to put division in the Church. I replied 
 that my work and my heart lay open before the Lord. 
 He said he hoped I should come to my senses. I 
 answered, ‘ Well, God bless you and your work, for I 
 believe it to be of God/ and took leave. Why did he 
 not give me his blessing as heretofore 1 God’s Spirit has 
 been with me hitherto, testifying that I seek not to put 
 division anywhere, — and indeed, it would be difficult to do 
 so where there is but little union, — but only the conversion 
 of souls. 
 
 “ Frank has preached several times in the street here. 
 I admire his zeal, and I wait to see if it is according to 
 knowledge, and if God blesses his words ; but in this, as 
 in all other respects, I feel that I must follow conscience, 
 and not outrun the Spirit. If I saw the Spirit working on 
 the minds of the people, and circumstances forcing us out of 
 doors, as in Wesley’s time, I should be quite ready. We 
 shall see. I have to preach seven times one week, and 
 nine times the other. This is nothing to what I would do 
 had I strength sufficient. It is remarkable how the 
 character of each little church differs from that of the 
 neighbouring Societies in the different villages : some 
 loving and zealous, but fearful, — others knowing, but in a 
 great measure wanting in love and zeal; others again 
 
62 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 loving and active, but ignorant, or superstitious and 
 bigoted. 
 
 “ The day I arrived at Yauvert, somewhat fearful because 
 of the well-known hatred of the people to the Methodists, 
 as I entered the village up jumped a man who was work- 
 ing in a ditch, and asked if I were not a missionary. I 
 expected to get a blow from his pick-axe, for they are not 
 very scrupulous in this country, but instead of that he 
 hugged and kissed me after the fashion of the country, 
 called me 4 dear brother,’ and led me to the place where I 
 was to remain. It was a thousand to one against my 
 meeting a friend here, as there is only one male member 
 of our Society at Yauvert, and the man I met scarcely ever 
 works where I met him. The same thing happened to me 
 at Aimargues. The first person I met in the village, 
 which contains 2500 inhabitants, was the person at whose 
 house we hold our meetings. Again, at Montpellier, just 
 as I arrived, and was looking round, not knowing Mr. 
 Handcock’s address, and aware that scarcely any one in the 
 town did know it — even at the post-office, — almost the 
 first person I saw was Mile. Hinch, whom I recollected to 
 have met at Nimes last year. I see. the hand of God 
 in all this, that He should always have led me directly to 
 one of those whom I wished especially to see. 
 
 “ On Sunday we held our Love-feast. Frank came, 
 and confessed the good he had received there, and spoke 
 of his experience. All the members spoke but me. A 
 converted Spanish priest was present. . . . My courage 
 was increased by seeing eight strangers in the chapel, a 
 thing unheard of of late at Vauvert. ... In studying and 
 praying over Luke ii. 25-32 for to-morrow, my soul has 
 been wonderfully blessed. I would not give up the privi- 
 
M. GABRIEL AT CA YLAR. 
 
 63 
 
 lege of such preparation as this for anything, so long as 
 the Lord provides me time and opportunity for it. My 
 soul is so fed by the Word of God that I can scarcely bear 
 in mind the preaching. It was not so formerly, but just 
 the contrary. I read the Bible, and the devil kept on 
 whispering, ‘ This is a good text ; you could make a 
 good sermon out of that I 1 just as an artist looks with 
 delight on a beautiful landscape, and flies to put it on 
 canvas. Thanks be to God, this is so no longer. I trust 
 Satan has received a death-wound.” 
 
 During the following months he preached more than 
 once at neighbouring places — Grand Gallargues, at St. 
 Laurent, and at Caylar, — besides his stated work at 
 Yauvert, where he re-established the Sunday-school and 
 founded a Tract Society. 
 
 “ My brother Frank,” he writes, “ has ceased preaching 
 in the street, and I am now pretty well convinced that 
 although the principle may be right, it would be inex- 
 pedient at the present time. I have written to Mr. 
 Cook on the subject, and shall wait to be better informed. 
 On Sunday the 17th our local preacher, Gabriel, went to 
 preach at Caylar. As he arrived before the chapel was 
 open, he went to the National Sunday-school, where he 
 found several persons of the figlise R6form6e, expecting 
 one of their local preachers. As no preacher came, however, 
 the pastor’s daughter invited brother Gabriel to preach, 
 not being aware that he was a Methodist. He expressed 
 astonishment, and refused three times, but at last, as every 
 one said the Lord had not sent a preacher there to be idle, 
 he began. In the midst of the sermon a whisper of horror 
 on the part of some, of delight with others, went round 
 the church. ‘He’sa Methodist , — his doctrine and his zeal 
 
6 4 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 betray him/ This is a curious circumstance, and would 
 be worthy of a place in the annals of French Methodism. 
 I trust many present may have imbibed a little of his 
 doctrine and zeal. There were several poor women, mem- 
 bers of our Society, present, who are persecuted by their 
 husbands, and kept away from our chapel. On visiting 
 their class the day following, I found they had been greatly 
 blessed, strengthened, and comforted.” 
 
 “ Dec . 28.— On Christmas Day my thoughts were home- 
 ward. At 10 A.M. I preached at the Caylar, at 2 p.m. at 
 Codognan, where I afterwards visited the classes. I found 
 them in a better state than I expected; but I fear I 
 was too severe, or rather, I was not severe from pure 
 love. . . . 
 
 “ I feel the greatest cause for gratitude on looking back 
 on the past year. Amongst its mercies I have to remem- 
 ber God's forgiveness of manifold sins and weaknesses, 
 an increase of grace and knowledge, the being permitted 
 to stand by my sisters death-bed, Caroline's preservation 
 from many dangers, temporal and spiritual, the conversion 
 of several souls by my instrumentality, and the providen- 
 tial maimer in which I was united to the Wesleyan 
 ministry.” 
 
CHAPTEK V. 
 
 1844-1845. 
 
 A gap in our journal — Correspondence with Caroline Marsh, whom he marries on 
 the 2d of April 1844— His health fails— They reside for a time at St. Chamas, 
 and have interesting intercourse with M. and Mme. Faucher — Remove to 
 Hyeres — Letter from Charles and Caroline to Charles’s mother — Eugene 
 Faucher and M. Peyran — Journey to Paris — Their life there — Birth of a 
 daughter, and death of Caroline— Estimate of her character— “ My Husband ! ” 
 
 From January 1844 to August 1845 there is a hiatus in 
 our journal that has to be filled up from contemporary 
 correspondence as best we may. This gap is the more 
 to be regretted that it arises immediately before that 
 important crisis of his life, when — after three years of 
 unwavering constancy on both sides — Charles was united 
 in marriage to Caroline Marsh, a lady well worthy of his 
 warm affection. 
 
 Proverbially, the course of true love never does run 
 smooth ; but in this case the difficulties which arose were 
 nearly all pecuniary, and these, when laid before a family- 
 committee of ways and means, were allowed to disappear, 
 for the way was soon made clear, although to an onlooker 
 the adequacy of the means may have remained somewhat 
 doubtful. Mr. Marsh, who was very proud of his gifted 
 daughter, and had besides no favour for the cloth and 
 
 E 
 
66 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 calling of her suitor, took a parental and worldly view of 
 the proposed alliance. Although he acquiesced at last 
 with more of grace than had been expected from him, 
 he gave some trouble in the course of the negotiations. 
 Caroline herself writes : “ I really don’t think he knows 
 his own mind for two days together ; my poor dear Esther 
 used to say, ‘ Carry, it is like living in a whirlwind to be 
 with him.’ No one knows what to expect ; my father is 
 one day a man of exquisite feeling and real delicacy, the 
 next a terrible tyrant. He has always been more proud 
 than fond of me; consequently, on an occasion like the 
 present, he is likely to consult his own inclination rather 
 than mine. I believe he is disappointed at what I con- 
 sider my glory and honour ; he looks upon ministers as 
 he does on men engaged in any other profession, and 
 cannot imagine why you have gone to France, and put 
 yourself out of the way of all promotion; he sets you 
 down therefore in his mind as a man not very fit to take 
 care of a wife and family. ... I cannot express how 
 grieved I am that you do not enjoy the comfort in my 
 father that I myself have found in the uncommon delicacy 
 and warm affection of your mother. 
 
 “ My darling, do not fear that time and distance will 
 have any other effect than that of making me love you 
 more and more. Whenever I think of you I always see 
 you doing or saying something good, so clearly is your 
 image connected in my mind with purity and holiness ; 
 only don’t ask me if I am neat, or I shall say as you 
 do of your studies — ‘ It is contrary to the grain.’ I 
 believe I should sooner learn to dance on the tight-rope, 
 or play at cup-and-ball — a thing I have never been able 
 to achieve, — than I shall learn to be tidy, though I shall 
 
CAROLINE MARSH . 
 
 67 
 
 do my best to give satisfaction to my lord and master. 
 I am certainly more tidy than I was, and that is some- 
 thing, — don’t you think so % As to the h’ s, you know I 
 can’t say them all, — it is too difficult. I think with the 
 French people, that it is very fatiguing, and enough to 
 send one into a galloping consumption, an opinion which 
 is extremely convenient.” 
 
 Caroline must certainly have been a fascinating creature ; 
 wide in her sympathies, quick in her perceptions, she won 
 at once the hearts of all her husband’s family, from his 
 brothers up to the dear old “ Bonne-maman ” of the Bue de 
 Clichy. She was a woman of transparent and decided 
 character, always tender, but varying in epistolary expres- 
 sion with her varying mood. Above all, she was impatient 
 of being misunderstood, as will appear from the following 
 quotation : — 
 
 “ You seem to think I do not understand you or ap- 
 preciate you, while an instant before you speak of my 
 undevotedness to God through loving you too much. My 
 sweet love, you have misunderstood me ; I don’t love you 
 too much or too little ; I thought I was being so good in 
 leaving you so much to yourself, and you talk of undevoted- 
 ness, etc., and all for a stupid letter I sent you when I was 
 not myself. ... I like you to tell me when I am wrong, 
 but I don’t like you to tell me I do not understand you. I 
 am certain it is all that stupid Felix Neff! he has such 
 ideas about women I shall wish you had never heard of 
 him; he will end by making you wish you had no wife. I 
 know you desire to be as like him as possible, but you are 
 not at all fitted for it, and by following him too closely 
 you may miss your way. 
 
 “ I don’t like you to talk about your studies as you do 
 
68 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 in your last letter. It is very pleasant to give up what we 
 do not care to cultivate, but I think it is your duty to 
 make use of the talents you have, for as you get older you 
 will find them very useful ; it is not at all probable that 
 you will be able to scamper about the country like Felix 
 Neff! . . . Tell me if granny likes me. I will try, love, 
 to be a good girl ; you shall see ! ” 
 
 Again, from Lille, where they had first met : “ It seems 
 so cruel to be here alone, just as if I had come to see you, 
 and you did not take any notice of me ; I do so want to 
 hear the sound of your sweet voice, even if it were only to 
 hear you say, ‘ Carry, I am ashamed of you ! 9 . . . I sup- 
 pose it would be impossible for you to persuade your 
 mother to come as far as Lille. Poor woman ! I pity her 
 so much ; I think if I were in her place I could never 
 endure to give my dear son away to a woman I do not 
 know. 
 
 “ I like being here for one thing : everybody talks to 
 me about you, and they all seem to love you. Mrs. 
 Cavalier told me of a sermon of yours which had made a 
 great impression upon her, and that while you were preach- 
 ing she thought how happy your mother must be; but I 
 thought how happy your wife must be. . . . When your 
 examination is passed — that is, if you pass it happily — you 
 will take me to Mezieres, and stay there as long as you 
 can. Peggy and M. Faucher are very glad at the thought 
 of our going back ; and, love, if you should not be able to 
 pass it, I still hope God will make fis contented and happy, 
 and show us the way we ought to take ; you know we 
 shall be together, and that is a great comfort.” 
 
 The happy pair were married on the 2d of April 1844, 
 in Paris, paid a short visit to England, and returned to 
 
LIFE AT ST. CHAM AS. 
 
 69 
 
 Vauvert. Charles’s work there, and at Cong6nies and 
 Grand Gallargues — preaching, as he was in the habit of 
 doing, nine times in the week — was too much for his 
 strength ; his throat became seriously affected, and in the 
 month of June he and his wife betook themselves to St. 
 Chamas, a curious old town on the Bouches du Rhone. 
 He describes the scenery of the neighbourhood as pictur- 
 esque, some of the steep little hills being crowned by 
 villages, and beautifully clothed with vines and olive-trees, 
 while the tideless sea surrounds them like a lake. 
 
 In a letter to his mother he writes : — 
 
 “ Our garden is situated on the side of a rocky hill 
 facing the sea. Carry is going to fit up a cavern which is 
 cut in the rock, and opens into the garden. The hills in 
 the neighbourhood are covered with these excavations ; 
 the poor live in them, and find them more comfortable 
 than houses, warmer in winter and cooler in summer. 
 Just over our house there is a precipice with ten or twelve 
 of those baumes, as they are called. M. Faucher 1 goes to 
 visit the poor in some of them, and sometimes I go with 
 him. I find him a very agreeable companion, and he is a 
 good Christian ; he preaches every Sunday to a few Pro- 
 testants from the valleys of Piedmont, who are working 
 on a railroad near St. Chamas. I help him when my throat 
 feels well, as the doctor said I might do so. This place 
 is filled with superstition, and the priest seems a very 
 ignorant man ; he is a great worshipper of Mary, and his 
 chief argument is ‘ qu’elle est une si bonne mere.’ They 
 have spread a report that the books and tracts we give 
 away encourage all manner of vice and wickedness. At 
 
 1 M. Faucher, the husband of Caroline’s sister Margaret, was a civil 
 engineer in the employment of the Government. 
 
70 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 La Francheville, where M. Faucher was last, the priest has 
 had all the Bibles and Testaments which they distributed 
 burned.” 
 
 In the month of July Charles and his wife removed to 
 Hyeres, which he describes as “ a beautiful little town near 
 Toulon, where there are no winds, and the climate is more 
 steady than it is even at Rome.” It was at Hyeres that 
 he received a letter from his mother, from which citation 
 has been made unfavourable to the Wesleyan Methodists, 
 with whom he was still in relation, though no longer for 
 the time officially connected. He says : “ I am sorry you 
 speak so of the Missionary Society. I am only on trial — 
 my health as well as the rest of me. I think it is a very 
 good and reasonable rule. People who know nothing 
 about the Society, and are enemies to it, catch at anything 
 to prejudice men’s minds. Of a person who, having 
 entered it, began to complain, it might be very fairly 
 asked, Why, then, knowing the rules, did you enter at all 1 
 For my own part, my chief desire is that, whether actively 
 or passively, I may walk as a worthy member of a Society 
 which shows such disinterested zeal in spreading the 
 gospel of Christ, and which, by the voluntary economy of 
 its members and missionaries, is enabled to send more 
 messengers of the glad tidings than any other, I believe, 
 in proportion to its annual receipts, and in missionary 
 work is allowed to have been the pioneer of all the Societies. 
 I speak freely, being no longer employed by it. I trust 
 God will soon give me health to return with renewed zeal 
 to so good and excellent a work.” 
 
 His health did gradually improve, and “ Carry,” he 
 writes a few months later (October 17th) “ is better than I 
 have ever seen her yet, and is getting quite stout. The 
 
HYERES. 
 
 7i 
 
 mornings and evenings are delightful, 4 The face of all 
 nature looks gay,’ and the orange-trees are coming a 
 second time into blossom. ,, 
 
 On the 5th of November he writes to his mother : 44 1 
 am very glad you have gone to the Walkers. Old friends 
 are the best friends after all. I could wish to be at Here- 
 ford with you ; Hereford, Dilwyn, and Cherry Hinton are 
 the places I love best, as far as this world is concerned. 
 As far as the other world is concerned, that place is the 
 best where God chooses us to be, and where we can serve 
 Him best. ... I am learning German, and like it very 
 much. There is a young man here who preaches in 
 German every Sunday, and I go to hear him. I am also 
 going on with my Greek, and am greatly helped by Sir 
 Charles Brenton, formerly a clergyman of the Established 
 Church, and now a Plymouth Brother, highly Calvinistic, 
 and somewhat melancholy, as they all are. There is an 
 excellent clergyman here, suffering from asthma. He has 
 got his wife and family with him, and we are likely to 
 become good friends, as he is a liberal man, quite above 
 petty controversies. His name is Wynch, and he is Lady 
 Sale’s brother. We also see a French pastor once a week, 
 so "that we form an odd company, reminding one of Joseph’s 
 coat of many colours, but affording a striking proof of what 
 I have always thought, that contentions and divisions do 
 not necessarily flow from diversity of opinion, any more 
 than New-Zealanders are obliged to eat up Englishmen. 
 Carry sends her best love to you. We are very happy 
 indeed together/’ 
 
 While at Hyeres, although he had no official duty, 
 Charles preached occasionally, and was able to distribute 
 a good many tracts and Testaments. He went also from 
 
72 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B01NVILLE. 
 
 time to time to Toulon, and addressed the Protestant 
 prisoners on board the convict ships. The pecuniary 
 requirements of the young couple were very moderate, and 
 the spirit manifested by them may convey an instructive 
 lesson to others similarly situated ; for while we find the 
 admirable and generous mother anxious to supply their 
 every want, her considerate children remonstrate against 
 her liberality. 
 
 “ November 20th , 1844. — You say you intend if possible 
 to send us £40 in February. You have given us all that 
 you promised us for this year, and we do not want any 
 more. Far from being at a loss for want of present 
 payment, I have just written to grandmaman not to send us 
 yet the £30 now at Hottinguers’. I should press you a 
 third time not to give us the £30, if it were not that we 
 may find our doctor’s bill fall rather heavily upon us in 
 spring, and that I must go to Nimes to our District Meet- 
 ing in January. Carry is very well, sitting in the garden 
 without any bonnet, and with a parasol over her head, at 
 four o’clock in the afternoon. We find it most delightful 
 to sit out of doors under some shady orange-tree. The 
 rainy season has been unusually long this year, and the 
 storms and inundations awful, but all is over now until 
 next April. Cette, a town near Montpellier, where I used 
 to preach, has been visited with a frightful electric whirl- 
 wind, which came rolling clouds and vapours about the 
 town, sinking five ships, unroofing the houses, casting 
 down the church-steeple, and killing twenty-five or thirty 
 people.” 
 
 Thus far Charles : Caroline finishes the letter : — “ If 
 you seldom hear from me, do not attribute it altogether to 
 neglect. It is true that dislike for my pen makes me very 
 
CAROLINE. 
 
 73 
 
 idle with it ; but, believe me, the chief reason of my silence 
 lately has been a fear lest I should not be able sufficiently 
 to sympathise with one who has so severely suffered as you 
 have . 1 You seem now more cheerful, for which I thank 
 God, and it is this that encourages me to give you a short 
 account of ourselves, as I think nothing more likely to 
 contribute to your happiness than to hear of that of your 
 children. In a few words then, with every necessary and 
 many of the luxuries of life, with our desires moderated 
 by the blessed gospel, and the light of God’s countenance 
 shining upon our happy home, we enjoy, I doubt not, as 
 much prosperity as is good for us at present, and while we 
 offer our prayers for those near and dear to us who are in 
 trial, we endeavour to prepare ourselves — without antici- 
 pating them — for those evils which fall alike to the share 
 of all. Charles is very much improved in his general 
 health. I have been obliged to have all his clothes made 
 larger. His throat is better, but I fear a long way off 
 being quite well. I don’t know if he told you that he has 
 a learned fit, and that he is studying German, in which he 
 makes rapid progress. He sits in an arm-chair wrapped in 
 a comfortable robe-de-chambre — which, by the by, is the 
 most becoming thing he ever wore, — and calls out German 
 till he gives me such a desire to learn it that I don’t know 
 what to do with myself. My pretty red socks, according 
 to your advice, are carefully put by, but I do look at them 
 from time to time, and I feel that if I began German, and 
 were ever so much interested in straining my chest and 
 convulsing my muscles with the effort to pronounce words 
 unpronounceable, I could easily lay it aside, and take up 
 
 1 The state of Frank’s health was at this time causing much anxiety to 
 his family. 
 
74 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 my knitting-needles. But I must not run off to this sub- 
 ject ; whatever is, is best, and so I am quite contented. 
 God bless you ! ” 
 
 Eugene Faucher, who had married Margaret Marsh, a 
 sister of Caroline, was a member of a Roman Catholic 
 family, who, from conviction, and in spite of violent 
 opposition from his father, had been led to embrace the 
 Protestant faith. All other arguments from affection 
 having proved ineffectual to prevent a public declaration 
 of the change by the Protestant baptism of an infant son, 
 the imminent risk to his parent’s life was brought forward 
 as a preventive reason, his mother solemnly declaring that 
 her husband would “ die of apoplexy if he knew Eugene 
 was converted” but even that threat was vainly urged, 
 and happily it did not receive fulfilment. While at 
 Strasbourg, nearly two years previously, Charles had 
 written as follows to his mother : “ I was detained at St. 
 Ponce by circumstances which I shall relate. M. Faucher 
 was converted almost as suddenly as St. Paul on his way 
 to Damascus. Within one hour all his philosophical 
 notions appeared to him but vanity. The veil fell from 
 his eyes, he received a key to understand the Scriptures, 
 and he immediately accepted Christ. This happened a 
 day or two before I went to M6zieres ; he met me 
 with all the warmth of first love, and we had much 
 communion. Hearing that there were a good many 
 Protestants at M6zieres, I proposed that he should 
 establish a regular prayer-meeting there. To this he 
 and all the Protestants consented, and M. Faucher 
 asked me to preside at the first meeting on the following 
 Sunday. After the meeting a consultation was held, at 
 which some one hinted that M. Peyran, a pasteur living at 
 
THE PROTESTANTS AT ME ZI A RES. 75 
 
 Sedan, thirteen miles off, would be displeased if we did 
 not inform him of our intention. M. Faucher, although 
 he could not imagine what M. Peyran had to do with the 
 Protestants at M6zieres, who scarcely ever saw his face, 
 said he would go himself to Sedan, and speak with him. 
 But it was too late ; the very next day M. Peyran, who 
 has never held a meeting at M6zi6res in his life, although 
 it seems he has claimed authority over the Protestants 
 there for upwards of twenty years, came in a great passion, 
 and instead of speaking as a courageous man would have 
 done to M. Faucher himself, he went to all the Protestants, 
 saying to each, 4 1 order you not to go to any of their meet- 
 ings at all ; if you want a meeting I will come to you one 
 Thursday in every month,’ and when some of them com- 
 plained that that was not enough, he only replied that he 
 had been striving all his life to keep the Methodists out 
 of his parish. Speaking to M. Faucher of my discourse, 
 he remarked, — ‘That young man’s doctrine is not orthodox; 
 he said we must be justified through faith only , and that 
 we were to make haste about it, for the world would soon 
 come to an end. You are a Methodist too, and I order 
 you not to put your foot within a Protestant’s house.’ 
 M. Faucher said he had neither reason nor justice nor the 
 law on his side ; that he did not wish to oppose him, but 
 to persuade him to help them. But he would do nothing. 
 Next day M. Faucher wrote him a beautiful calm letter, in 
 which he showed more firmness than in conversation. 
 This matter detained me a week longer than I had intended, 
 and I expect the end of it all will be that they will ask for 
 a regularly ordained minister (but not paid by Government), 
 and that this they will obtain by means of a newly estab- 
 lished Society, — ‘ La Soci6t6 des int6rets g6n6raux.’ ” 
 
76 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 A warm friendship sprang up between Charles de 
 Boinville and the Fauchers, and much good Christian 
 counsel was from time to time received and given. On 
 one occasion when Charles found it necessary to leave his 
 work, without knowing when his health might enable him 
 to resume it, words which brought much comfort were 
 addressed to Caroline by her brother-in-law. 1 
 
 Charles’s time in the earlier months of 1845 was not 
 altogether given to the care of his health, for after attending 
 the District Meeting at Nimes, and visiting St. Chamas, 
 I find that he assisted M. Faucher occasionally in preaching 
 to the Yaudois working on the railway, and did some 
 literary work in the way of translation for the Methodist 
 Magazine. On the 28th of May he writes to his mother 
 from Montelimart : “ Here we are on our way to Paris. 
 We set out on Thursday in a gig, in which I drove Carry 
 
 1 “ Nous avons appris avec beaucoup de peine ce qui est arrive au pauvre 
 Boinville, et nous avons sincerement prie pour lui et pour vous. Vous 
 voyez que Dieu ne veut pas que nous nous hations de jouir, et que nous 
 l’oublions dans nos comptes. Mais heureusement vous le savez, Celui qui 
 fait la plaie est bon pour la guerir, et Celui qui cree l’attente est fidele a 
 donner la patience. Yoici un des cas ou la connaissance de Dieu facilite 
 nos relations terrestres. Sans lui je ne saurais maintenant que vous dire 
 pour vous consoler et vous donner du courage ; mais en lui tout se trouve ; 
 adressez-vous a lui et il vous sera fait a tous deux selon votre foi. 
 D’ailleurs, quoique nous ne puissions prevoir ce que Dieu veut faire de 
 chacun de nous, peut-etre ne nous serait-il impossible de penetrer ses projets 
 sur Boinville. Qui sait ? Boinville est peut-etre un vase d’elite qu’il 
 destine a lui rendre un jour un temoignage eclatant ! Dieu a besoin des 
 temoins dans les villes comme dans les villages. Peut-etre done que s’il 
 s’etait maintenant livre totalement a cette predication, quelque utile 
 qu’elle puisse etre, plus tard aurait-il a regretter d’ avoir neglige des etudes, 
 si non indispensables, du moins utiles ; ce repos force de quelques annees, 
 e’est peut-etre du loisir que Dieu lui cree pour ses etudes ; car si Dieu 
 nous promet de nous eclairer, il ne faut pas nous attendre que pour tous 
 il le fasse miraculeusement, comme pour les apotres ; il peut donner 
 encore aujourd’hui le don des langues, mais sesmoyens d’action paraissent 
 avoir change. ” 
 
THE FIRST FRENCH RAILROAD. 
 
 77 
 
 to Arles, where we got into a steamboat for Lyons ; but 
 the boat was so overloaded, moved so much, and smelt so 
 disagreeably, that as Carry was very nervous, we got down 
 at Avignon and spent Sunday there.’’ 
 
 “Paris, June 12 tli . — After a day’s rest we went on 
 eighteen miles further, and the next day to Valence. We 
 found these short journeys quite enough for Carry. 
 Sunday we spent at Bourg-Argental, where we saw an 
 immense procession. On Monday, in going to Saint 
 Etienne, we crossed a very high mountain. It is about 
 ten miles up, and as many down, and twenty very nervous 
 miles they were for Carry. From the top we had a fine 
 view of the Alps. At St. Etienne we took the railroad to 
 Roanne ; the carriages are drawn by horses on the level 
 ground, but to go down-hill is one ‘of the most frightful 
 things I ever saw. The horses are taken out, and you 
 rush down the rails at immense speed, and as there is only 
 one set of rails, death would be inevitable if there was any 
 mistake in the train coming up ; but they have only had 
 two accidents in the course of many years. It is the 
 oldest railroad in France. We arrived in Paris last night 
 safe and sound. You must not be at all anxious about my 
 health. I am quite well. I believe the irritation was 
 brought on in rather a curious way. I had contracted the 
 bad habit of preventing myself from sneezing by putting 
 my handkerchief to my mouth in order to spare my throat 
 when it was sore. One day as I was running fast up- 
 stairs I did this, and I felt directly that I had done it too 
 effectually, and had hurt myself. The doctor said I 
 might have done myself serious injury, but fortunately the 
 discomfort passed away in a week.” 
 
 In a letter written on the same day as the above from 
 
73 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 Henwood by his mother, she expresses much anxiety on 
 hearing of the projected stay in Paris, lest her son should 
 be led to accept too many clerical engagements, and thereby 
 undo any advantage gained by the rest and comparative 
 idleness at Hyeres : the result of a medical consultation 
 in Paris, when the doctor advised an entire cessation from 
 preaching for at least three months, and said that Charles 
 would never be able to lead a fatiguing life again, was not 
 calculated to calm the fears of an anxious wife and mother. 
 Viewed in the retrospective light of thirty-three years of 
 labour, unremitting and exceptionally hard, the verdict of 
 Dr. Monod does not tend to promote faith in professional 
 infallibility, — and indeed we find it was reversed next 
 day by another distinguished medical man, who, Charles 
 says, “ assured me that he could detect no complaint of 
 the lungs whatever.” His health continued to improve, 
 and the summer months passed happily away, a happiness 
 not diminished, though blended with anxiety, by the ex- 
 pected arrival of a baby to complete it in the months of 
 autumn. 
 
 On the 18th of August Charles writes: “ We had the 
 pleasure of seeing a friend of Alexander's the other day, 
 Mr. Blenkin of Corpus Christi College. We were much 
 pleased to see him, but his entrance into our house will 
 amuse you. At about half-past seven he came to the 
 porter, and asked for M. de Boinville. ‘Au quatri&me, 
 monsieur !’ but poor Mr. Blenkin, not knowing the habits 
 of the country, expected to be ushered into our apartment 
 after the English fashion. How rude he must have thought 
 the porter ! There he waited, and waited most patiently, 
 walking up and down the porte-cochere till it was quite 
 dark, when the porter’s wife, perceiving a mysterious- 
 
CAROLINE. 
 
 79 
 
 looking individual groping about, slipped out, quite angry, 
 half-inclined to think he was a thief : ‘ Monsieur, qu’est ce 
 que vous faites done lap Mr. Blenkin, most meekly — 
 ‘M. de Boinville !’ ‘Ah/ exclaimed the porteress, ‘ce 
 pauvre monsieur qui est la depuis une heure !’ So she 
 took him half-way up, and then counted on her fingers, 
 ‘ 1, 2, 3, 4 6tages ! ’ and about half-past eight o’clock in 
 came Mr. B., but not one word did we know about the 
 difficulties he had encountered till next morning, when the 
 porter’s wife came up to tell us about ‘ ce pauvre monsieur, 
 qui n’entend pas beaucoup le Fran£ais.’ ” 
 
 “ Sunday , October 12. — In the morning I read with 
 Carry the first Epistle to the Thessalonians. My experi- 
 ence with regard to the best manner of reading the Scrip- 
 tures is, that it is of little use to study them, as many do, 
 verse by verse, until you are first perfectly acquainted with 
 the book or epistle you are reading. You cannot under- 
 stand one verse without being able first to take a large 
 view of the whole. It is of little use, and often very 
 hurtful, to ponder and muse over a few verses, until your 
 brain has worked out, by dint of labour, some definite but 
 often erroneous meaning to the passage. I find it more 
 profitable first to read the epistle through very attentively, 
 getting a clear perception of the general tenor and bearing 
 of the whole, and forming as correct an idea as possible of 
 the chief divisions.” 
 
 On the 6th October, to his mother : “ Carry sends her 
 best love. Pray for us, for her time is fast approaching. 
 It is one of the strongest proofs that our religion is divine, 
 that when all earthly hopes and creatures fail, we can be 
 happy still, in patiently waiting for the restoration of all 
 things to their right order, harmony, and beauty.” 
 
8o 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B0INV1LLE. 
 
 On the 2d of November Caroline gave birth to a 
 daughter, and left her, alas ! the same day as a comfort to 
 her bereaved father for the loss of a devoted wife. The 
 only notices I find in Charles’s hand of this sad event are 
 as follow: — In the Journal under November 2 : “ My dear 
 wife entered into rest. ‘ The Lord gave, and the Lord 
 hath taken away : blessed be the name of the Lord.’ I 
 can say that; but I can say no more. God’s will be 
 done !” 
 
 Elsewhere: u Nov. 2. — Lost my dear wife in childbed; 
 a great loss to me, and to all who knew her well. She 
 died saying I should preach the gospel again, and be 
 blessed in the ministry. My throat began to recover rapidly 
 soon after, and I preached frequently both in French and 
 English.” 
 
 In a letter to his mother of December 8th he says : 
 “I have begun a long letter to you, giving you some 
 account of dearest Carry’s death, but as I find it impossible 
 to finish it at present, and as I know you must be getting 
 anxious to hear from me, I write a few lines in haste to 
 tell you we are well.” 
 
 Somewhat later Charles writes : “ I try to keep up my 
 courage, and I feel thankful to God that, in spite of the 
 severe trials that now press upon and surround us, my 
 spirits are good, and the comfort I derive from dwelling 
 on the glory that shall one day be revealed in us and all 
 God’s people surpasses all that I can describe to you, — the 
 peace of God passeth all understanding. 
 
 “ You ask me to describe my child ; it is difficult to say 
 who she is like at present. I think she has my eyes, and 
 Carry’s head and forehead. . . . She was baptized yester- 
 day, and called Rachel, — the name her mother gave her. 
 
CAROLINE. 
 
 81 
 
 I enclose lier godfathers (Eugene Faucher) letter, which 
 will show you what an excellent man he is. Please send 
 it hack to me next time you write.” 
 
 “ I remember a few days after our marriage, Dantan 
 the sculptor said to me, ‘ Je n’ai jamais vu personne 
 comme elle ; elle a la tete si bien constitute et en meme 
 temps un veritable cceur de femme.’ Such indeed I ever 
 found her to be. She certainly united considerable 
 talents, sound judgment, and almost manly vigour and 
 strength of mind, with a great share of female excellence, 
 the tenderest affection, and the most scrupulous attention 
 to domestic duties. In these respects I never saw one 
 like her. Her affection for me was very great ; during 
 her illness she frequently said, ‘ You are my best friend 
 after Christ.’ One day I said to her, ‘ You must pray to 
 God that I may be upheld if I should lose you, lest I 
 should fall into despair.’ 4 Oh no,’ she said, c you will not 
 fall into despair ; I know your quiet, calm mind ; and God 
 will be with you. You are blessed ; you ever have been 
 blessed; and you will be blessed. You will go on and 
 be blessed in the work of the ministry. Remember what 
 Cornelia said when she was dying : “ Charles will have 
 many jewels in his crown,” — and think how I shall love 
 you there !’ 
 
 “ At Hyeres just after her illness there she composed the 
 following lines, the only verses she ever attempted to 
 write. They serve at least to show how fond she was 
 of me : — 
 
 “ Who makes me honour’d and caress’d, 
 
 And says that in me he is bless’d, 
 
 And takes me to his faithful breast ? — 
 
 My Husband ! 
 
 F 
 
82 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 Who watch’d me with a mother’s care, 
 And begg’d of Heaven my life to spare, 
 And strengthen me my babe to bear? — 
 My Husband ! 
 
 Who to make known God’s holy Book 
 His native land and friends forsook — 
 
 His high commission in his look ? — 
 
 My Husband ! 
 
 Still true — when passion rules my heart — 
 To inflict a wound, but heal the smart, 
 Then most beloved by me thou art — 
 
 My Husband ! 
 
 — Why hast Thou given me such a man ? 
 No worth of mine e’er caused the plan ; 
 And very frail thou know’st I am — 
 
 My Husband ! 
 
 Oh when I join yon glorious band, 
 
 At Zion’s gate I ’ll ask to stand, 
 
 And meet thee, if I ’m first to land, — 
 
 My Husband ! ” 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 1846-1847. 
 
 Appointment to Lisieux — Some account of the place and district around it — 
 M. and Madame B. — Progress of his work — Transferred for a time to Beuville 
 — Mademoiselle Lucas — Hears of the death of his grandmother — Is recalled to 
 Lisieux — Gives some account of the superstitions of the people — Notre Dame 
 de la Delivrande. 
 
 The baby Kachel was for a time intrusted to the care 
 of her nurse in her nurse’s mountain home at “ La fontaine 
 du pare,” in the Commune of Aligny. An interesting 
 account of their simple m6nage will be found in Charles’s 
 journal, at a later date, and the tenderness with which 
 the babe was treated seems to have been all that could be 
 desired. After having been weaned, however, she was 
 transferred to her loving grandmother at Hereford, and 
 the bulletins of her welfare were thenceforth eagerly 
 looked for and devoured by her doating father, at Lisieux, 
 Caen, Paris, or wherever the lonely peripatetic Wesleyan 
 preacher might for the time be placed. 
 
 In the month of March, Mr. Toase, General Superin- 
 tendent of the French Wesleyan District, engaged Charles 
 to assist him for a few months in Paris, — “ a time,” he says, 
 “of great happiness and peace of mind, but, on the 14th 
 
84 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 of September 1846, he left Paris for Lisieux, which was 
 now for some time to be his field of labour. The cir- 
 cumstance which led to the appointment of a missionary 
 agent in Lisieux by the British Conference of the Wesleyan 
 body was the following. Admiral (then Captain) and Mrs. 
 Wauchope, who had been for some time resident there, 
 had taken much interest in the spiritual enlightenment of 
 the inhabitants, an interest heightened and made actively 
 permanent by the death at Lisieux of an only and beloved 
 son. After their return to England they applied to various 
 religious bodies to establish an agent there, and finally 
 induced the Wesleyan Missionary Society to undertake the 
 enterprise, themselves promising liberally to assist it. M. 
 de Boinville’s enthusiasm in the work, and his perfect 
 fluency both in French and English, led to his appoint- 
 ment. 
 
 Four days after his arrival he writes thus of the condi- 
 tion of the town : — “ This place seems to be wholly under 
 the influence of the priests. I calculate that there are 
 not less than 3000 persons who depend almost entirely on 
 them and on the nuns for support. Nearly all the women 
 go regularly to confession, and yet there seems to be little 
 real religious conviction of any kind. Even among the 
 English I can find but one or two who rejoice in the for- 
 giveness of their sins through faith in the blood of Christ. 
 Several of them have been baptized by the Catholics, and 
 have died in that religion. I have found four or five 
 Swiss, German, and French families, some members of 
 which are Protestants, but they seem to be without reli- 
 gion, and live just as the Catholics do. These are coming 
 to my room, however, this evening, to fix an hour for com- 
 mencing our religious services. Lord, send down Thy 
 
EARL Y DAYS AT LISLE UX. 
 
 85 
 
 Spirit ! Open their hearts to the truth ! Appear among 
 us in power and mercy, and grant me grace with liberty 
 and love to preach Christ crucified to them ! 
 
 “ In my visits I have met with several Roman Catholics 
 who pleased me by their simplicity, and by the manner 
 in which they received my exhortations. But the work 
 is entirely to begin. My courage almost fails me at times. 1 ” 
 
 Same evening . — “ We have just held our meeting. Two 
 heads of families only came, but God was with us ! They 
 seemed desirous to learn, and willing to assist me. Let 
 us not despise the day of small things, for a small begin- 
 ning with warmth and life is better than great show with 
 the coldness of death, and, ‘ Behold how great a matter 
 a little fire kindleth ! ’ For all that is past, I can say, 4 My 
 Father must forgive/ 
 
 “ On Tuesday I went to St. Germain-de-livet, and called 
 on fifteen Scotch and Irish families. I hope to be made 
 useful to them/ , 
 
 “ October 2. — I have just returned from a two days’ 
 voyage of discovery. Thinking I might meet with some 
 Protestants in the towns in this neighbourhood, I deter- 
 mined to visit them, and have begun with Trouville and 
 Pont rLveque. At the former I saw several of my Eng- 
 lish Paris acquaintances, who had spent the bathing season 
 there without any public means of grace. I met also with 
 two or three French Protestants, and told them that if 
 they could get fifteen or twenty persons to meet together 
 I would visit them from time to time. At Pont l’Eveque 
 I did not find one Protestant, but gave away several tracts. 
 As there was no coach, I was forced to walk back most of 
 the way to Lisieux ; which was well, however, as I had 
 one or two occasions for speaking a good word ; and seeing 
 
36 
 
 MEMOIR OF C EARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 a large factory at some distance from a village I passed 
 through, I inquired if there were any English there, and 
 was told, ‘ a great many. 7 I had asked the same question 
 at Lisieux, and wa.s answered that there were none . I 
 purpose to visit them occasionally. 77 
 
 “ October 3. — I met an Englishwoman to-day, who told 
 me, with the utmost gravity, that when she came to this 
 country she turned Catholic to find a husband ! She is 
 now a widow, and gives lessons in English in Lisieux to 
 gain a morsel of bread ; but she seems, poor creature, to 
 be half-starved. 77 
 
 “ October 8. — Went to St. Germain- de-livet. Several 
 
 persons expressed a desire to meet in class. I read them 
 the rules of the Society, and said I would meet them on 
 Sunday evening. Most of the French receive me with 
 pleasure. The Normans are a polite people. 77 
 
 “ October 21 st . — Sunday was a happy day with me, both 
 for inward and outward blessings. After morning service 
 I went home to dine with a man and woman whom I had 
 invited from St. Germain-de-livet, French people, the man 
 a Protestant. About four years ago the man had seduced 
 this woman, who was a poor orphan, and they had since 
 then lived together as man and wife, and such all took 
 them to be, although they had not been married. When 
 I came into the country, they say they felt as if I were a 
 saviour sent to rescue them from their sins. About a 
 fortnight since, the man told me they were not married, 
 but desired to be so secretly. That I knew to be impos- 
 sible in this country ; I determined to be faithful, and 
 advise them to bear the reproach. When we entered into 
 conversation, I perceived that although they were evidently 
 humbled, and to a certain extent convinced of sin, they 
 
ENCO UR A GEMENT. 
 
 87 
 
 attempted to excuse themselves. I told them God never 
 excused sin, and that they must not excuse themselves, or 
 they would never obtain forgiveness. 
 
 44 After about an hour’s conversation they both appeared 
 in deep distress. I said, 4 There is a free pardon; believe 
 in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.’ They 
 could not yet understand this. At last the man said, 4 In 
 two years’ time I hope to be altogether another man.’ 
 
 4 In two years’ time ! ’ said I ; 4 what right have you to 
 expect to be converted in two years V 4 By the grace and 
 help of God,’ said he. 4 Is it by grace ? ’ I asked ; 4 then 
 why not now ? Will God be more merciful and more ready 
 to be gracious in two years than He is now V ‘Well, but 
 I feel that I do not deserve it.’ ‘ That is why it is by 
 grace, a pure unmerited favour,’ said I ; 4 it is not by the 
 works of the law, nor by anything you can do, even if you 
 take twenty years.’ Then I read and explained Romans 
 iii. 10-20, and x. 4-9. Suddenly the man exclaimed, as I 
 was explaining this last verse, 4 1 think that even now I 
 do believe.’ 4 Let us then praise God,’ said I, and down 
 we fell on our knees. The man wept like a child, and 
 when he got up, he said, 4 1 am happy now ; I am not the 
 same man.’ — The woman also glorified God, and M. and 
 Madame B. have not lost that which they then found. 
 Great is the mercy and grace of God ! ” 
 
 44 October 30. — St. Germain-de-livet : saw much wicked- 
 ness, at which my heart felt sick and faint. On my return 
 home I was inclined to murmur, because the Lord had laid 
 such a burden on me. The country looked beautiful, and 
 as I passed by a field and smelt the fresh mould which 
 was being turned up by a plough, I envied the man who 
 followed it, and said to myself, 4 How quietly that man 
 
88 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 spends his days ! he has only his own sins to bear : why 
 did I not remain a tiller : of the ground V But the Lord 
 soon rebuked me, and I was deeply humbled as I re- 
 membered, ‘ Himself took our infirmities and bore our 
 sicknesses/ The Lord reminded me, that having put my 
 hand to the Gospel plough, I must not look back, and that 
 the seed I was sowing was not perishable, but would spring 
 up unto life everlasting/’ 
 
 “ November 2. — Began the catechetical instruction of 
 three French lads of about sixteen years of age, to prepare 
 them for receiving their premVere communion. . . . Seeing 
 some time ago the children at St. Germain-de-livet running 
 wild about the lanes without any possibility of obtaining 
 schooling or religious instruction, I determined, as soon as 
 I could procure a room, to catechise and teach them to 
 read for two hours twice a week, and I began to-day. 
 About seventeen attended, several of whom have almost 
 forgotten English, their native tongue.” 
 
 “ November 28. — My mind has been disturbed of late 
 by the cares of this world. I stood in want of money, 
 having by force of circumstances got rather behind. I 
 besought the Lord to deliver me from all carefulness, and, 
 blessed be the good providence of God, I was not unheard : 
 this morning brought me a letter from the best of mothers, 
 enclosing a five-pound note.” 
 
 “ JFatchnight 1846-47. — This time two years ago I was 
 watching with my wife at Hyeres ; she is gone to glory, 
 and I am now left alone with my God, but in spirit I unite 
 with many brethren who, like myself, are watching for the 
 beginning of another year. I have to be thankful for many 
 temporal and spiritual blessings vouchsafed to me during 
 the past one, and yet on looking back I feel as if my whole 
 
TEMPORARY REMOVAL FROM LISLE UX. 
 
 89 
 
 life had. been a mere dream. Will another year when 
 past appear more substantial % will it not also be like a 
 vapour which has disappeared, and left no trace behind % 
 All things pass, and are forgotten ; but, blessed be God, I 
 am content it should be so, and to be lost in Him is to be 
 lost in love and bliss.” 
 
 On the 4th of January 1847 Charles went to Paris to 
 attend the Annual District Meeting. He writes on the 
 6th : “ Last summer, when in Paris, I visited a poor 
 Koman Catholic woman who was dying of consumption. 
 During my absence she had frequently expressed a desire 
 to see me. On the 4th I arrived, and went at once to visit 
 her. She said, 4 1 place all my confidence in the merits 
 of Christ. I have no fear of death, and I have only one 
 desire left, — that you should bury me/ She died just 
 after, blessing her family. I buried her on the 7th, and 
 preached in the churchyard, not far from my wife’s grave.” 
 
 “ January 8. — The District Meeting has decided that 
 Mr. Pilter’s residence at Lisieux renders it unnecessary for 
 me to remain there, and I am therefore to remove to 
 Beuville, in the neighbourhood of Caen.” 
 
 “ Sunday , January 1 7. — Preached at Lisieux and St. 
 Germain-de-livet, and bade adieu to my friends; on the 
 20th preached at Caen, and went on to Beuville. On the 
 2 2d January to Periers, where I visited all the Protestant 
 families, and saw, amongst others, the famous Mile. Lucas. 
 I had conceived a prejudice against all famous Christian 
 women, because I had hitherto been able to discern in 
 them only one great gift — that of loquacity ; but when I 
 saw Mile. Lucas, though she chatted pretty well too, yet 
 all my prejudice vanished in a few minutes, for she knew 
 when to cease talking, and when she spoke it was to make 
 
90 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 mention of her Saviour’s love. Her appearance struck me 
 very much : she was ill, in bed ; but happiness and a 
 living hope of glory beamed in her eyes, and lightened up 
 her whole countenance. She lay in a good bed, and every- 
 thing was perfectly clean about her, but her bed was in 
 the cow-house, as is the habit in this part of the country. 
 Two customs I have observed here that I never saw else- 
 where : one, that people sit and sometimes sleep in the 
 cow-house for the sake of warmth, and the other, that 
 the men knit, like the women.” 
 
 After a severe attack of inflammation, he was able to 
 resume his labours on the 21st of February. On the 24th 
 he writes : “ On walking into Caen, I met to my great 
 delight M. B. and his wife. I thought I had observed 
 some vacillation in his conduct before I left Lisieux ; but 
 they had come all the way from St. Germain-de-livet to 
 pray with me, and to tell me they were fully determined 
 to forsake all things to follow Christ. Oh how my heart 
 rejoiced, and how earnestly I prayed God to teach them 
 the way of the Lord yet more perfectly !” 
 
 On the 2d of March he made from Beuville a mournful 
 announcement to his mother : “ I do not know whether 
 you have received the sad intelligence from the Rue de 
 Clichy. The enclosed from Mr. RufAni will tell you all. 
 I received it this afternoon. Though this event was not 
 unexpected, my grief is very great. I always met with 
 such love and kindness from her. The mother, grand- 
 mother, and great-grandmother of us all is gone. I wrote to 
 Aunt Cornelia as comforting a letter as tears would allow.” 
 From Mr. Ruffini’s letter we learn that the dear, kind 
 old lady had died on the previous day. He writes : “ Je 
 viens remplir un douloureux devoir au nom et lieu de 
 
RECALLED TO LISLEUX. 
 
 9i 
 
 votre tante Cornelia, bris£e par la douleur et la fatigue. 
 H6las ! mon pauvre Charles, notre douce et bien-aim6e 
 Bonnemaman-a-tous n’est plus. Ce matin a 6 lieures elle 
 rendait le dernier soupir.” She was, as she deserved to 
 be, sincerely mourned. 
 
 On the 4th of March Charles received a letter from 
 Mr. Toase, recalling him to Lisieux, in consequence of the 
 death of Mr. Pilter, 1 * * * * and on the following day he writes : 
 “ The sorrow of many here at my being called away seems 
 so sincere that it touches my heart. They long to have a 
 minister among them, and the attachment of the people to 
 the Methodist ministry in particular is very marked. I 
 wish the Society could keep a preacher here for some time 
 longer. The Lord once poured out His Spirit abundantly 
 on these villages, and when I see the weeping, and hear 
 the prayers of that holy woman Mile. Lucas and of others, 
 I cannot but believe that He would do so again, — but 
 ‘ faith cometh by hearing/ and how shall they hear without 
 a preacher ] ” 
 
 “ Lisieux , April 3. — To-day I have witnessed as strange 
 a piece of superstition as ever came under my observation. 
 I was called by a German woman to baptize her grand- 
 child, who was sick. ‘ The child does not look ill/ said I, 
 ‘ what do you suppose to be the matter with it V 6 Oh/ 
 replied she, casting her eyes towards the door, ‘ I can give 
 a shrewd guess ; I know — I am certain — it is that wicked 
 woman. Look at these gimlets/ said she, pointing to two 
 
 1 Of the Rev. Mr. Pilter M. de Boinville writes as follows : — “ The Rev. 
 
 Robert Pilter was an excellent minister, and tliongh weak and infirm, was 
 
 able to conduct the two little English services, so that, as far as the Eng- 
 
 lish were concerned, I was scarcely needed. He was willing, however, that 
 
 I should take the chief part of the work, until I should have found enough 
 
 to do amongst the French, to whom I wished chiefly to turn my attention.” 
 
92 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 gimlets, one enormous and another very little one, which 
 she had screwed into the beam above the doorway. 4 I’ll 
 keep her wicked spirit out. I ’m sure it was she ; I know 
 when she did it, but she ’ll not come again.’ 4 And pray,’ 
 asked I in astonishment, 4 what are those gimlets stuck up 
 there for V 4 Why, don’t you know,’ said she, 4 the blessed 
 Saviour’s hands were nailed to the wood % He remembers 
 it well, and I have stuck the gimlets there that He may 
 keep that bad woman out.’ 4 And do you call yourself a 
 Protestant 1 ?’ I asked; 4 you are as superstitious as any 
 Papist I ever met with.’ 4 No, no,’ replied she; 4 1 am as 
 good a Protestant as yourself ; you are a learned man, and 
 cannot believe these things, but I know them to be cer- 
 tainly true.’ I was just going to reach the gimlets and 
 pull them down, but the woman was in such a state I 
 thought it better to walk away. It appears this is not 
 an uncommon piece of superstition in the country from 
 which she comes. On the following Sunday I baptized 
 the child, Sophie.” 
 
 The following extracts from a lecture delivered in Eng- 
 land by M. de Boinville, on the state of religion in France, 
 have special reference to Lisieux and its neighbourhood : 
 — 44 Soon after I first arrived at Lisieux I remember that 
 a lady, who desired to have a Bible, went to every book- 
 seller’s shop in the town, and that a town of 17,000 
 inhabitants, but there was not one to be had. A col- 
 porteur related that he had gone into one of the convents 
 and sold a Bible to the lady superior, who actually shed 
 tears whilst she told him she had longed for many years 
 to possess one. The book was, however, taken from her 
 next day by the chaplain, saying that although it was a 
 
SUPERSTITION . 
 
 93 
 
 Catholic version it had been printed and sold by Protes- 
 tants, and that she had done her religion very well hitherto 
 (this is the literal expression — faire sa religion ) ; and that 
 she might be content to go on as formerly. 
 
 “ So ignorant were they, that most of the people did 
 not know the difference between a Protestant Christian 
 and a Jew, and several persons asked me very seriously if 
 the object of our worship were not a pig , — they had been 
 told it was. 
 
 “ As to superstition , it is most prevalent — it even abounds 
 — in the provinces. It is indeed encouraged and turned 
 to good account by some of the priests. By others it is 
 only laughed at. Many superstitious observances, specially 
 the veneration and supposed miraculous power of relics, 
 are, as you well know, enjoined by the Church of Rome. 
 At Lisieux on the first Sunday after Easter a priest goes 
 to the top of the hill on the Paris road, where there is a 
 plain cross most beautifully situated on a green eminence 
 covered with trees, and commanding a fine view of the old 
 church. He stands on the step of that cross, and a boy 
 with a bag stands by his side. Hundreds of the faithful 
 flock on an easy pilgrimage to the spot; they one by one 
 approach the cross, and kneel at the feet of the priest, who 
 recites over their heads a gospel , that is, a portion of the 
 Gospel in Latin ; they then drop a few pence into the bag, 
 which is soon filled, and retire fully persuaded that good 
 fortune will attend them in consequence. The cross itself, 
 or rather I should say the ground on which it stands, is 
 greatly venerated on account of its miraculous power of 
 healing. Its history I have been able to gather only from 
 a picture in one of the churches, and from oral tradition. 
 
 “ During a prevalence of the Plague it had been revealed 
 
94 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 that the relics of St. Ur sin de Tours, from Bourges, would 
 alone stay the fearful scourge. The bones were sent for, 
 and as they entered the town, health and safety returned ; 
 not one other death occurred. Shortly afterwards the 
 inhabitants of Bourges went for the precious remains, 
 when, in grateful acknowledgment of benefits received, 
 the whole town of Lisieux turned out to conduct in solemn 
 procession the bones of the saint towards their former 
 resting-place. Strange to say — miracle little less wonder- 
 ful than the staying of the Plague, — when the chariot had 
 arrived quite at the top of the steep ascent, the saint would 
 proceed no further ! So far all authorities seem to agree, 
 but here tradition takes different roads, and I cannot vouch 
 for the truth of what follows. The most current report is 
 that the saint thought sufficient honour had not been done 
 to him, — that something better than bullocks should 'be 
 attached to his car, and that he intended to signify that 
 some portion at least of his remains were to be left at 
 Lisieux. The bullocks were then unharnessed, and re- 
 placed by twenty-five virgins, — which having been done, 
 the saint once more rode on in triumph before the 
 assembled multitude. Since that day the ground on which 
 the car stood still has acquired a miraculous gift of heal- 
 ing : when doctors and medicines fail, a linen bracelet filled 
 with this holy earth is placed on the arm of the invalid, 
 and if he have but faith, he must recover. The bracelet 
 containing the earth must then be carried back to the spot 
 whence it had been taken. So widespread is the fame of 
 this cure, so confident are the people of its efficacy, that 
 numbers of sick folks in the town make use of it. I have 
 myself counted four hundred and fifty of these bracelets 
 lying round about the cross ! 
 
NOTRE DAME DE LA DALIVRA NDE. 
 
 95 
 
 “ Time would fail me to tell of similar specimens of 
 Popish superstition, and of miraculous cures supposed to he 
 wrought by St. Juste, by Notre Dame of one place, and 
 Notre Dame of another, within a few miles of Lisieux ; 
 but the way in which the miraculous powers of Notre 
 Dame de la D£livrande, so celebrated for its convent, were 
 found out, is worth relating. 
 
 “ A shepherd — so goes the story — was feeding his flock, 
 and as he watched his sheep by day and by night, he per- 
 ceived one which never grazed, but spent its time in 
 scratching the ground like a dog. Days and nights passed, 
 the shepherd tried in vain to drive the sheep home. It 
 scratched and scratched without intermission, and never 
 ate a mouthful. The shepherd expected it to die, but, lo ! 
 it grew always fatter, till at length the matter became 
 noised abroad. Some mysterious power was believed to 
 be there : a hole was dug, and deep beneath the earth 
 was found an image of the Virgin. The visitor may see 
 with his own eyes in these days the crutches and other 
 proofs of miraculous healing which the impotent have left 
 behind them at Notre Dame de la D6livrande ! Hundreds 
 from the neighbourhood of Caen and Lisieux, and thousands 
 for many miles around, flock every year to obtain, by a 
 pilgrimage to the famous Virgin of D6livrande, the cure of 
 some disease of their own or of their friends, and not a few 
 as an excuse for seeking a little enjoyment and recrea- 
 tion. ,, 
 
CHAPTEE VII. 
 
 1847 . 
 
 The Vallee d’Auge — Voila le protestant— The four Convents of Lisieux — Les dame 
 utiles, and les dames inutiles— A proselyte — reclaimed by her mother — A better 
 spirit arising at Lisieux — Generous confidence — Chapel opened, and continues to 
 be crowded in spite of opposition — The freres de St. Yon burn his books — 
 Madame Quesne — A false alarm — Encouragement, and discreditable priestly 
 tactics. 
 
 “ I well remember my thoughts on re-entering Lisieux. 
 It was a fine morning, and before I had visited any one, 
 I walked up a hill to meditate on my new position and my 
 duties. A beautiful scene presented itself, — the richest 
 pasture-land in the Yall6e d’Auge, and, indeed, in all 
 France, slightly overshadowed by the rising mist. The 
 wooded hills on either side, the pleasant orchards, the 
 cream-coloured cattle, the sparkling brooks, and in the 
 midst the busy town, embosomed among trees, with its 
 beautiful churches, lay just below me. All external 
 objects tended to raise my thoughts to the great Creator 
 of them all. Of all the spots I had ever seen, none 
 seemed to me more beautiful, or so invitingly to say, 
 ‘ This is the place for thee to dwell in/ — ‘ the land of 
 Goshen/ and in Egyptian darkness. But has not God 
 
LES DAMES UTILES ET INUTILES. 
 
 97 
 
 perhaps a people here? Frequently afterwards would I 
 wander up these hills and exclaim : ‘ Lord, teach my 
 hands to war, and my fingers to fight for Thee; Thou 
 seest the strength of the wicked ones, and knowest my 
 weakness. Here I stand alone in the midst of thousands. 
 But who sent me here — is not the cause Thine own f 
 
 “ Wishing to have intercourse with as many individuals 
 as possible, I went to live at a hotel,' dined daily at the table- 
 d’hdte, made the acquaintance of several young men, con- 
 versed freely with every one I met, and spoke as often as 
 I thought right on spiritual subjects. I obtained per- 
 mission wherever I could to enter the factories, bought 
 many trifles at different shops, and thus soon became 
 acquainted with a vast number of people in the town. 
 Many would say as I passed, ‘Yoila le protestant !’ I 
 had precious opportunities of conversing with people about 
 their best interests, and was thus the better able to judge 
 of their wants, and of what was likely to enlighten their 
 minds on religious subjects. 
 
 “ Of the four convents of Lisieux, some were more popular 
 than others. The congregation of the Sisters of Mercy 
 connected with the hospital vied in labour with the Sisters 
 of Providence, whose business it was to teach the young. 
 The Sisters of the strict order called Carmelites spent 
 their whole time in silent devotions, fasting, and prayer, 
 to enable them to do which money was collected annually 
 in the town for their maintenance. The former were justly 
 preferred to the latter by the common people, who sur- 
 named them les dames utiles and les dames inutiles ; but the 
 largest convent was that called the Abbaye, which pos- 
 sessed a large house and school, with delightful grounds 
 and orchards overlooking the town. In this convent were 
 
 G 
 
98 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 several English and Irish ladies, some of whom had gone 
 over from the Protestant faith. I was therefore grieved 
 when I was told that a young English lady of my 
 acquaintance had resolved to finish her education at the 
 school connected with this establishment. In vain did I 
 and others advise, entreat, and warn her ; she said she 
 was to be left quite free ; she knew from her late school- 
 mistress that the Sister who managed the school was 
 liberal in her sentiments : she was to attend Protestant 
 worship every Sunday, and might even at times receive 
 the visits of her friends. Her mind was made up ; she 
 went ; but soon she became unwell, and we saw her less 
 regularly on Sunday at service. By degrees she grew 
 worse. It was thought advisable she should lead a more 
 secluded life. She was not then a deeply pious person. 
 I began to fear for her faith, and wrote on the subject to 
 her parents, who lived in the north of England, but 
 received no answer. I believe her father thought nothing 
 of it. At last, when at the urgent request of a common 
 friend she was allowed to spend an evening at her house, 
 I had some conversation with her. She seemed consider- 
 ably reduced in strength both of body and mind, and 
 confessed that she was reading books which I knew to be 
 dangerous. She informed us that she was often pressed 
 to enter the Roman Catholic Church, and we drew from 
 her that she had been removed to a room at the bottom 
 of the garden, adjoining the convent chapel, where she was 
 kept awake, sometimes in great fear, by unaccountable 
 noises which proceeded from it, and that the Sisters who 
 brought her tisanes to drink at night would silently make 
 the sign of the cross on her forehead. She acknowledged 
 that her mind had been somewhat shaken by the books she 
 
A PROSELYTE . 
 
 99 
 
 was reading, but said she had no intention of changing her 
 religion. I believe she then spoke the truth, but I told 
 her the time would perhaps soon come when, if she did 
 not yield herself up willingly to the influence of her 
 convent friends, she would find herself forced either to 
 embrace the Eoman Catholic faith or to leap over the 
 garden wall, as some of my acquaintance had done before. 
 We entreated her to remain at her friend’s house, and not 
 to return, but she would not. 
 
 “ A few days after this her friend called at the convent 
 to see her ; it was said to be impossible : Mademoiselle was 
 ill and cloistered. It was plain that no time must be lost ; 
 we appealed to the Procureur du roi, who with great diffi- 
 culty, and only by threats, obtained admittance. The 
 young lady spoke plainly : she was determined to become a 
 Eoman Catholic, and we soon learned that the day was 
 fixed for her recantation. In haste her mother was written 
 to ; the preparations were going on, and great was to be 
 the solemnity. Tisanes were now no longer needed ; in a 
 few days she would no doubt be quite happy and quite 
 well. But had she opened her mind to her poor mother, 
 or had she forgotten the revealed law of God, ‘ Honour 
 thy father and thy mother’? Not one word had she 
 written to her parents. 
 
 “ Time crept on ; the day was fast approaching when 
 
 Mrs. called at the convent accompanied by an unknown 
 
 elderly lady, and asked to see her young friend. No 
 danger was now apprehended, or possibly they were afraid 
 of the Procureur du roi. The ladies were allowed to enter, 
 and Mademoiselle was sent for. She came forward. The 
 elderly lady was her mother, but no emotion was depicted 
 in her countenance, no eagerness in her embrace, whilst 
 
100 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B01NVILLE. 
 
 her tenderest earthly friend clasped her in her arms. 
 Little was said. ‘ Yon are coming with me, my dear/ said 
 the mother. Probably it never entered the young lady’s 
 mind that she might perhaps legally have resisted her 
 mother’s will, for, I believe, she was of age. At all events 
 she obeyed, and immediately left. In the course of a day 
 or two they landed in England. Old recollections and 
 other impressions rushed into the heart and mind of the 
 poor girl as she saw once more the scenes of her happy 
 childhood. She was free ; no longer were there walls and 
 bars and bolted doors, and of her own choice she is still, 
 after the lapse of several years, a Protestant, — but narrow 
 indeed was her escape.” 
 
 “June 8th. — To-day I visited St. Germain-de-livet. Oh, 
 what grief and sorrow I feel when I consider their hard- 
 ness at that place, and their unbelief, and their misery 
 and danger ! How I pant for a revival of religion among 
 them ! At Lisieux I think there is a better spirit abroad. 
 One thing that has encouraged me is the manner in which 
 I have been admitted to see a prisoner. The keeper of 
 the prison presses me to go every day, and the prisoner 
 himself wept to-day whilst I exhorted him to repent and 
 seek the mercy of God. I feel more happiness in visiting 
 the poor than the rich, the sick than the healthy, the 
 afflicted than the prosperous, and the prisoners than the 
 free.” 
 
 “I have generally met with more generosity amongst 
 the poor than amongst the rich in this country. An 
 example of this occurred when I was leaving Eue de 
 Ponthieu, Paris. Not knowing that the law of France 
 authorised the proprietor of the house to exact the pay- 
 ment of my rent on leaving, although my lease was not 
 
GENEROUS CONFIDENCE . 
 
 IOI 
 
 out, I had packed up and got all my furniture ready to 
 start, when the porter, a very worthy man, came with a 
 message from his master, to say that he would not allow 
 me to leave without paying all my rent. The poor man, 
 who had never received any gift from me but that of a 
 Bible — for which he was most grateful, appeared quite 
 shocked at his master s suspicion. I told him to return 
 and beg his master to wait only till the next morning, as 
 I was not prepared at that moment to pay him the money, 
 and it would put me to great inconvenience to get it at 
 that late hour in the evening. But it was of no use ; the 
 poor man returned quite indignant, saying, ‘ They are all 
 alike, sir ; these rich men and misers don’t know an honest 
 man when they see him. But,’ said he, thrusting his hand 
 down one of his master’s boots, which he happened to be 
 brushing, ‘look here: I have just got 200 francs which I 
 had locked up. Now, there it is ; pay your rent, and I 
 know you’ll return me the money to-morrow morning.’ 
 I found means to get out of the scrape without accepting 
 this kind offer, which nevertheless remained engraved on 
 my mind and heart, and led me to these reflections. The 
 servant is often better than his master ; honesty produces 
 confidence, and engenders generosity, and he that is richest 
 in this world’s goods will often be found to be poorest in 
 those of the next.” 
 
 “ On the 5th of September 1847 I opened in Lisieux a 
 chapel for French preaching; but as I had met with consider- 
 able difficulty in obtaining an authorisation from the Mayor, 
 and knew that the influence and opposition of the priests 
 were strong, I did not expect many persons to attend. God, 
 however, brought numbers to hear His blessed gospel. 
 The room was crammed, as well as the staircase outside, 
 
102 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 and more than a hundred were obliged to go away. I 
 endeavoured to give them an earnest call, whilst I preached 
 from ‘ This is none other than the house of God/ etc. 
 After service was over several persons surrounded me, and 
 said it was the pure Word of God, and that they had been 
 deceived when told that Protestants did not believe in 
 Christ or preach about Him/ Thus ended, without inter- 
 ruption, the opening service. From that time I met with 
 no opposition of any kind from the Mayors of Lisieux, and 
 frequently with great kindness and attention/’ 
 
 “ September 20th . — What proofs I have of God’s mercy 
 and love ! I had been obliged to advance more money 
 even than I possessed, in order to fit up the chapel, when 
 poor Madame Quesn6 besought me with tears in her eyes 
 to enable her to pay a bill, as otherwise she must sell her 
 furniture. I felt obliged to give her the last twenty francs 
 I possessed, and I owed twenty in the town for chairs for 
 the chapel. Not two hours afterwards a lady put into my 
 hands thirty francs for the work of God, and two days 
 later I received a gift from my mother for the same 
 object.” 
 
 “ Sunday , September 2 Oth . — The room still crowded, 
 although the cur6 of St. Pierre preached against us in 
 the morning, and told the people to burn our books. I 
 think it is best to take no notice of this, but to preach the 
 gospel, and leave the people to judge. What attention 
 they paid as I preached from 6 1 am the way, and the 
 truth, and the life ; no man cometh unto the Father but 
 by me ’ ! Surely the bud of life is about to burst, and this 
 desert shall at last rejoice and blossom as the rose.” 
 
 His ministry at Lisieux was certainly most effective, and 
 numerous instances might be cited, not only of slumbering 
 
FR&RES DE ST. YON. 
 
 103 
 
 believers thereby awakened, but of others brought out of 
 the darkness of unbelief or the haze of superstition to 
 assured faith in Jesus Christ, as indeed the way, the truth, 
 and the life — the only Saviour of sinners. It was natural, 
 therefore, that the Romish priests should do all in their 
 power — or rather, that they thought likely — to arrest his 
 progress, though what they did turned out to be not for 
 the hindering but the furtherance of the gospel. “ To- 
 day,” he says, “ several lads and a man have been to ask 
 me for some tracts, which I readily gave them. They told 
 me that the priests and frbres de St. Yon had ordered all 
 the boys who attend their school to bring the tracts I had 
 given them, that several had done so, and that they had 
 made a fire of them, whilst the children danced round it. 
 Several other boys had promised also to bring tracts, 
 because they get Roman Catholic books in exchange. I 
 was also informed that some persons who had read the 
 tracts, and found no evil in them, were indignant at this 
 conduct. May God grant that this opposition may kindle 
 a fire of holy indignation, and of zeal for the truth in many 
 hearts ! The Spirit is certainly working in the heart of 
 poor Quesn6. He has been very ill, and at the door of 
 the eternal world ; but, as he expresses it, ‘ God would not 
 let me visit Him yet ; it is not time to die ; I have 
 still something to do/” 
 
 “ Wednesday , October 6, at 10 p.m. — I had a call from 
 Madame Quesn6, who, of her own accord, entered into 
 conversation about her soul. She told me that all day 
 long, while at work, the subject of her soul’s salvation 
 pursued her, and she could not help thinking of all I had 
 told her. 1 Oh ! how I wish I could understand,’ she said. 
 How welcome such words were to my ears, those only can 
 
104 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 tell who have lived in such a spiritual desert as Lisieux. 
 I once more explained to her the way of salvation through 
 faith in Christ ; and we knelt and prayed together. 
 When she went away, her heart was too full to speak ; 
 but no one ever truly sought in vain/’ He tells, after 
 seeing her next day, “ What was formerly darkness to her 
 is now light. Joy beams in her countenance, and I doubt 
 if her joy is greater than mine.” 
 
 “In reading the Psalms my soul has been greatly 
 blessed and comforted, and I have found these words 
 peculiarly applicable and consolatory : c I have preached 
 righteousness in the great congregation; lo, I have not 
 refrained my lips, 0 Lord, thou knowest. I have not 
 hid thy righteousness within my heart. I have declared 
 thy faithfulness and thy salvation. I have not concealed 
 thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great congre- 
 gation. Withhold not thy tender mercies from me, 0 
 Lord ; let thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually 
 preserve me. Innumerable evils have compassed me about, 
 mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not 
 able to look up ; they are more than the hairs of my head, 
 therefore my heart faileth me : be pleased, 0 Lord, to 
 deliver me ; 0 Lord make haste to help me/ I never 
 felt my weakness more than at present, and I wonder that 
 people come to hear me ; but I know that if the manner 
 is bad, the gospel I preach is worth coming to hear. 0 
 Lord, I want to see souls turned to Thee. Lord, I will 
 feel myself less than nothing though Thou bless my 
 ministry, for what is man % Open my eyes to behold the 
 height and depth of love divine, and give me a mouth to 
 preach Christ to all, ‘ then will I teach transgressors thy 
 ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee/ 
 
A FALSE ALARM. 
 
 105 
 
 “ As we were singing this evening there came a tremen- 
 dous peal of thunder, such as I never heard in my life 
 before : the bolt fell very near, the people shrank, and 
 appeared to sink under it, and some cried out. It put a 
 sudden stop to the singing, but God gave me perfect calm- 
 ness, and I took occasion to warn the ungodly and to 
 encourage the penitent and faithful. I think a gracious 
 influence was felt through the wdiole service, and we sang 
 the last verse of our hymn with more than usual fervour, 
 — ‘ Qui croit en lui ne sera point confus.’ ” 
 
 “ November ls£, All Saints Day . — At the request of 
 several Roman Catholics I held a service and preached 
 on All Saints from Rev. vii. 9-17. I was informed that 
 the Commissaire de Police had received anonymous letters 
 warning that we should have a row at the Temple, and 
 advising him to attend. I believe it was a false and 
 malicious report, for all went off quietly, although the place 
 was crowded to excess.” 
 
 “ Thursday , 1 8th November . — Preached in French on 
 Mark v. 25-34. On my return home I found a letter 
 signed by eight persons, none of whom I knew. Its con- 
 tents deeply moved me. They begin by professing affection 
 for me personally, and their belief in my sincerity. They 
 express a strong desire to see the cause of God prosper, 
 and say that they consider the desecration of the Sabbath 
 to be the chief obstacle to piety here. They advise that I 
 should dwell at greater length on this subject. Surely 
 God is now working in the midst of us. Whence these 
 earnest desires — these expressions of love for God’s law 
 and word ? Do such things come from earth or heaven 1 
 On the next Sunday I preached in French on keeping holy 
 the Sabbath-day.” 
 
io6 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “ December 22 d . — About 100 lads have called to-day 
 to fetch books, but as we suspected them we refused to 
 give any ; and we did well, for it came out before evening 
 that the freres St. Yon had offered them tickets and books 
 for every Protestant work they would bring, and that they 
 had already got hold of a few, which had been burned.” 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 1848. 
 
 Would-be confessors, and honest inquirers after truth— The year 1848— Revolu- 
 tionary disturbances — English work-people driven away — The Lord’s Supper 
 administered after the Protestant fashion at Lisieux, for the first time since 
 the days of persecution — M. de Boinville goes to Paris for a time — Is received 
 into full connection by the Conference — Temporary good effects of the 
 Revolution. 
 
 “ Meantime the priests were outrageous in their invec- 
 tives against Protestantism. I answered them only by 
 preaching Christ. The people were struck with the 
 difference. They would say, ‘ The Protestant is not like 
 our priests : he does not tell us to come to him , but to go 
 straight to Christ/ . . . Many persons came to talk to me 
 about religion, some of whom are evidently spies ; others, 
 even women, would .confess to me all their sins with the 
 greatest effrontery, as if to a priest. Often I sent them 
 about their business, and told them never to return to me 
 till they had really repented of their wickedness.” 
 
 “ January 19, 1848. — A poor woman who has been a 
 constant attendant at our chapel, and who has already 
 called on me several times, came to-day to beg of me to 
 give her religious instruction. Her earnestness and sim- 
 plicity please me much, and she seems determined to cast 
 in her lot with the little band of Protestants. 
 
io8 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “ Friday , 21 st . — A respectable woman, whom I have 
 constantly seen at chapel, called on me to-day, and told 
 me how her confessor had scolded her, and refused her 
 absolution, because she had attended Protestant worship 
 and had spoken well of Protestantism. She replied that 
 she derived benefit from worshipping with us, and avowed 
 her intention of continuing henceforth to do so.” 
 
 “The year 1848 will long be remembered as being one 
 of the most memorable epochs in the history of nations. 
 Louis Philippe attributed his fall in great measure to the 
 high price of provisions during the preceding year, and 
 there is indeed no doubt that great discontent everywhere 
 prevailed amongst the lower orders. In Lisieux itself a 
 riot had occurred in which some 3000 persons turned out, 
 and one baker, who had perhaps justly incurred the dis- 
 pleasure of the people, narrowly escaped with his life. It 
 was said that his house had been set fire to three times, 
 and I myself saw all the windows smashed with brickbats. 
 Instead of dispersing the mob at once, the authorities acted 
 with great pusillanimity. 
 
 “ After several hours of deliberation, during which the 
 concourse of people had more than doubled, they gave 
 utterance to their terror by causing the drums to beat la 
 gdndrale for the National Guards, of whom there were 
 about 1200 in Lisieux, to turn out. Only forty came to 
 the call, and these would have been killed had not the 
 gendarmerie on horseback come to their rescue, and given 
 them an opportunity to escape. Night, however, dispersed 
 the throng ; and before nine o’clock next morning seventy 
 of the rioters had been lodged in prison. Scenes of this 
 kind occurred in almost every part of France. Neverthe- 
 less, when the Eevolution in Paris was announced, it came 
 
LA R&PUBLIQUE. 
 
 109 
 
 like a thunderbolt in the provinces. In Lisieux every 
 fresh announcement was received by all parties, not indeed 
 with stupid apathy, but with the greatest apparent sub- 
 mission to the all-powerful centre. Paris, as usual, decided 
 everything. At length, after three days of painful suspense, 
 the Republic was proclaimed; the greatest excitement 
 prevailed ; the bread and flour stealers of the preceding 
 year were released, and a golden age was proclaimed.” 
 
 “ April 10. — The Revolution has driven away all the 
 English work-people. Thank God, no harm happened to 
 any of them but to one girl, who received a deep gash on 
 the head. The agitation has not much affected our French 
 congregation, and, while overlooked by the noisy world, 
 we have enjoyed peace in the presence of God.” 
 
 “ Sunday , April 22. — M. Langlade has arrived to take my 
 place here, while I go to Paris and remain there, to supply 
 the place of Mr. Arthur. This day has been one of the 
 happiest of my life. At nine o’clock we met to take the 
 Lord’s Supper. Several Roman Catholics having expressed 
 a desire to be admitted, I visited them and conversed 
 freely on spiritual matters, especially on those points 
 which distinguished us from the Romanists. Some judged 
 themselves unworthy, or not sufficiently grounded in the 
 Protestant faith, to join us, and I thought it best not to 
 press the matter, but ten of them came, and three Pro- 
 testants, besides M. Langlade and myself. When we had 
 sung a hymn, I asked the Catholics to stand up, and 
 addressed them as follows : — 
 
 “ ‘ Mes chers fibres et sceurs, vous avez exprim6 
 le d6sir de vous joindre k nous pour c6l6brer la mort 
 expiatoire de notre divin Sauveur en prenant la sainte 
 Cene. Par cet acte vous d^clarez que vous faites cause 
 
no 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE , 
 
 commune avec nous et avec tous les freres des 4glises 
 Protestantes. En prenant la parole de Dieu pour votre 
 seul guide, pour seul regie de votre foi et de votre conduite, 
 vous protestez contre les erreurs de l’6glise Komaine. 
 Yous reconnaissez Jesus Christ, Fils de Dieu et fils de 
 l’homme, comme seul chef de l’Eglise, et comme seul 
 Auteur de votre salut ; vous voulez vivre et mourir dans 
 cette foi, qui vous unit a votre Sauveur. Vous d6sirez 
 glorifier le Seigneur par vos paroles et par vos oeuvres, 
 vous n’ aurez pas honte de sa croix, et vous aimerez vos 
 freres en la foi en cherchant a leur faire tout le bien qui 
 dependra de vous, comme vous d6sirez aussi qu’ ils vous 
 aiment. C’est la, n’ est-ce pas, le sincere desir de vos 
 
 coeurs % ’ They all answered with firmness, ‘ Oui.’ I then 
 said : ‘ Appro chez- vous done, chers freres et sceurs, sans 
 crainte de la sainte table. Mangez de ce pain, et buvez 
 de ce vin, en memoire de Celui qui nous a aim6s jusqu’ a 
 la mort, et nous a appris a nous aimer les uns les autres, 
 et comme nous ne sommes membres que d’un seul corps 
 spirituel, ne soyons qu’un cceur et qu une ame.’ 
 
 “ We then sang the first verse of the 368th hymn, after 
 which we partook of the Lord’s Supper together. Several 
 were moved to tears, and I myself could scarcely help 
 weeping for joy and gratitude, while I reflected that now, 
 for the first time since the terrible days of persecution, a 
 little band of French Protestants had gathered once more 
 together at Lisieux to receive the tokens of Christ’s dying 
 love.” 
 
 On the 20th of June Charles returned from Paris, and on 
 the 6th of August received a letter from Mr. Toase, telling 
 him that he had been received into full connection by the 
 Conference, with reference to which he writes with char- 
 
EXTENSION OF HIS WORK. 
 
 iii 
 
 acteristic humility : — “ I have had many a doubt of late 
 whether I was worthy and a fit person to be fully acknow- 
 ledged as a Methodist preacher, but since the brethren 
 receive me into their body, and that under peculiar circum- 
 stances, and when they might have kept me another year 
 in probation, I have much reason to thank God and take 
 courage. What little I can do, that let me do, and may 
 God not let me feel my nothingness without causing me to 
 experience His all-sufficiency.” 
 
 “ The Revolution having, for the time being, thrown 
 down the barriers to the free celebration of public worship 
 — a mere declaration of one’s intention to preach at any 
 given place was sufficient, — and the Lord having thus far 
 blessed my labours at Lisieux, I became anxious to see the 
 work extended to the towns and villages in the neighbour- 
 hood, and seized the few months of religious liberty for 
 opening new places of worship ; and had I been strong 
 enough for the work, I believe we might have had a 
 congregation in every town for thirty miles round. At 
 Bernay, a town of 9000 inhabitants, about twenty miles 
 from Lisieux, I hired a room where the gospel was blessed 
 to the conversion of a man who became a member of our 
 Society, and afterwards a most efficient colporteur. At 
 Orbec the congregation was encouraging, and though sub- 
 sequent trials and persecution scattered the flock after my 
 departure, good had been done. We began a service at 
 the village of La Chapelle, where some of our brethren 
 were badly treated by some priest-ridden people, and 
 forced to fly ; and at La Carbonni&re we had a small con- 
 gregation. At Marolles our numbers were so large that I 
 used to preach in the shade of a beautiful orchard. One 
 day I found an unusually large congregation, brought. 
 
1 1 2 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B0INV1LLE. 
 
 together, I believe, by the opposition of the priest, for on 
 the previous Sunday, after bestowing all manner of con- 
 temptuous epithets on Protestants in general, he wound up 
 by warning his parishioners against me in particular, say- 
 ing that I was Satan's eldest son . I told them that if the 
 priest had seen me, he would have perceived that I was 
 too young to claim such primogeniture. One woman who 
 seemed to have been much hurt by the insolence of the 
 priest, I told that she should rather pray for him, as it 
 was our duty to pray even for our enemies. c Pray for 
 him ! J said she ; ‘ I dare say ! why, he is well paid, has 
 plenty of time, and has nothing better to do all day than 
 to pray for himself !’” 
 
 “ No sooner, how r ever, had the fearful insurrection of June 
 broken out than both religious and political liberty began to 
 feel the effect of the reaction. I was forced to give up out- 
 door preaching in the villages, and content myself with 
 preaching in the towns.” 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 1848-1852. 
 
 On the 14th of September 1848, happily married to Mary Leontine Graham — His 
 ordination— The Evangelical Alliance— The cholera — Death of Madame Calbry 
 — Unauthorised interference of the priests — Calumnious assertions — Would-be 
 Protestants rejected — Real converts — Adele Morin and the priest— M. Guizot 
 — The cures of St. Pierre — Controversy and its effects — “ Pourquoi je suis 
 Protestant ” — The spiritual influence of M. de Boinville on all classes. 
 
 Charles had led a life of solitude, and occasionally 
 of what most men would have accounted hardship, since, 
 on the 2d of November 1845, he lost his Caroline; but 
 on the 14th of October 1848 we find him once more 
 writing to his mother from a home which is brightened by 
 the presence of a loving wife and a charming little daughter. 
 Mary Leontine Graham, to whom he had been married 
 on the 14th of September, was like-minded with himself, 
 suited in every way to make him happy, and she cordially 
 accepted a maternal responsibility which has been faithfully 
 and tenderly fulfilled. Before marriage her prayer had 
 been, “ Oh that we may love each other as mother and 
 child ! May the dear child feel hereafter what I feel already 
 in my heart, and all will be well ! ” This prayer has been 
 answered. 
 
 Mrs. de Boinville tells me that during his widowhood 
 Charles’s life at Lisieux was one of great discomfort and 
 
ii 4 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 continual self-denial. She says : “ Haying given away all 
 his money, he had no fire even at Christmas ; his room 
 was perfectly hare, — no curtains, no carpet ; it was like the 
 apartment of the poorest of workmen ; to gain souls for 
 Christ he would have done anything. I visited Lisieux, 77 
 she adds, “ before my marriage, and saw this myself; of 
 course after I had been there things changed, for his friends 
 found it out, and he was made more comfortable. 7 ’ 
 
 To his mother Charles now writes : “ Whilst Mary is 
 cuddling the child to sleep my heart feels inclined to tell 
 you how happy I am. It seems as if it would be some 
 kind of consolation for you to know it. I have been 
 selfish in having taken my darling child away from you ; 
 but she is very happy, and is growing fatter. Lately, in a 
 very sweet and tender tone, she has often wished you to 
 come here ; she never asks to go away, but she often 
 inquires if grandmamma is putting on her bonnet to come 
 to us. This almost makes me weep, whilst I wish that it 
 were true. Mary takes all possible care of her, and is, I 
 am sure, an example to many mothers ; my fatherly heart 
 is quite content. 
 
 “ Gratitude and grief possessed me as I left Hereford 
 with my precious ones, perhaps never to return ; but in 
 heaven we shall part no more, and baby often makes me 
 sing, ‘Oh that will be joyful! 7 We were very kindly 
 received by our friends, and Mary seems as happy as the 
 day is long. 77 Unfortunately the journal has again gone 
 missing, so that we shall once more depend for a time on 
 epistolary gleanings for keeping up the thread of our 
 biography. 
 
 About the middle of January 1849 Charles left Lisieux 
 for Paris, in company with M. Lucas, a brother pastor, 
 
THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. 115 
 
 and on the 23d instant, at the close of the District Meeting, 
 was ordained. He says : “ We had a very delightful 
 service. MM. Fr£d6ric Monod, Armand Delille, Audebez, 
 and Edmond de Pressens6 assisted in ordaining me, and 
 have signed their names on my ordination paper, so that 
 even an Alexander ought, one would think, to be satisfied 
 with my consecration.” His brother William had lately 
 been ordained in the Church of England, and in reference 
 to that event Charles writes : “ Ever since dear William’s 
 ordination I have been half as happy again, and am con- 
 stantly thanking God for it.” The correspondence of the 
 brothers, always affectionate, must have been mutually 
 helpful, and was often very interesting. 
 
 “ With regard to the Evangelical Alliance,” of which 
 Charles was not yet a member, he writes to his dear 
 brother, “it is a subject which interests me. I do not 
 know much of its spirit and acts, but I like what little 
 I have heard and read of it. It ought, I think, to regard 
 private individuals rather than sects or bodies, and the 
 idea of the fusion of sects should be kept quite in the 
 distance. I think it ought to keep up a high standard of 
 evangelical character, and yet make as wide a basis of 
 doctrine as possible. The only objection I have ever heard 
 Christians make to it is contained in the question, What 
 practical object is to be attained by it % It seems to me, 
 the highest practical object, that for which Christ came and 
 the Spirit was given, and that is charity . The moment 
 brethren meet in love that object is gained. The Evan- 
 gelical Alliance rests on brotherly love, and leads to 
 brotherly love. As to whether it will last or not, I think 
 that is a question which regards individuals ; if they love 
 one another, it certainly will last ; if not, or if they despise 
 
1 1 6 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 those who doubt its utility, it will fall.” A few months 
 later he writes : “ I will tell you why I joined the Evan- 
 gelical Alliance. In the first place, I like its principles. 
 It seems to me that the only chance of a real union of 
 Christians lies in allowing each to keep his private opinion, 
 and to remain in his own particular Church, and therefore 
 that the bond of union should lie in the adhesion of indi- 
 viduals to the common principles of Christian faith. I have 
 thought it my duty, or rather privilege, to acknowledge 
 this openly by joining the Alliance. I believe God will 
 bless even the outward recognition of such principles, and 
 that the mere outward union of Christians on such a basis 
 is useful to them ; that God blesses the meetings of its 
 members is matter of fact. 
 
 “ I am ashamed to say I have only lately begun to read 
 through Milton’s Paradise Lost , and I was struck the other 
 day with a passage where he says — 
 
 ‘ 0 shame to men ! — devil with devil damn’d 
 Firm concord holds, men only disagree 
 Of creatures rational, though under hope 
 Of heav’nly grace : and, God proclaiming peace, 
 
 Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife 
 Among themselves, and levy cruel wars, 
 
 Wasting the earth, each other to destroy: 
 
 As if (which might induce us to accord) 
 
 Man had not hellish foes enow besides 
 
 That day and night for his destruction wait ! ’ ” 
 
 On the 5th of March 1849 he writes from Lisieux : 
 “ The weather here is splendid, not a cloud to be seen. The 
 leaves are peeping, and the banks and hedges are full of 
 violets and primroses. Mary and I enjoy it beyond every- 
 thing, and Rachel as much as either of us. . . . Last night 
 
THE CHOLERA . 
 
 ii 7 
 
 I had a large congregation, almost all men ; I preached on 
 ‘ The zeal of thine house hath eaten me lip/ and, after 
 speaking of Christ driving the pigeon-sellers and money- 
 changers out of the temple, I showed that He would drive 
 all superstition, abuses, and false doctrine out of His 
 Church, and all sin from the hearts and lives of His 
 people, for that if Christ was zealous for His temple at 
 Jerusalem, He is so also for the spiritual house of God 
 and the temple of the Holy Ghost. We had the largest 
 morning congregation I have yet seen, which is a good sign, 
 as the service is at the same time as Mass.” 
 
 “ During the prevalence of cholera, which raged in May 
 and June of the year 1849, I was weakened by a pro- 
 longed attack of cholerine, and went to England to recover 
 strength, leaving my flock for six weeks under the care of 
 M. Prunier, and rejoicing that none of them had fallen 
 victims to the terrible epidemic. But, alas ! when every- 
 body thought that the disease had left the town, Madame 
 Calbry, an old childless and almost friendless widow of 
 eighty years of age, was carried off very suddenly. She 
 had sought the Lord at the eleventh hour, and her death 
 is worth recording. 
 
 “ No sooner did M. Prunier hear she was ill, than 
 he repaired to her bedside, read, conversed, and prayed 
 with her. She expressed her conviction that she was 
 about to die, and assured him that she had a good hope 
 through faith. The parish priest also went to see her, 
 and in vain endeavoured to induce her to return to the 
 Church of Pome. He then left her, but returned an hour 
 after, accompanied by two witnesses. 4 1 am come/ said 
 he, ‘ to ask you, in presence of these two witnesses, whether 
 it is your final determination not to die in the Catholic 
 
1 18 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 faith ; will you not return to the bosom of our holy Mother 
 Church ] ’ She shook her head. ‘ Then I warn you/ he 
 continued, ‘ you will be eternally damned, and you shall be 
 deprived of Christian sepulture — and how do you think to 
 be buried % 9 The poor old woman gathered up all her 
 remaining strength, sat up in bed, and extending her arms, 
 exclaimed, ‘You shall do what you like with my body, 
 but you shall never have my soul.’ An hour afterwards 
 she was no more. 
 
 “ Who was to carry the body to the grave ? The frkres de 
 charity whose business it was to do so, refused to pollute 
 their funeral-pall with the body of a heretic, and it was 
 soon suspected by M. Prunier that the priests and the 
 friends of the deceased intended to have her buried as a 
 Roman Catholic. A cross was placed upon her breast, 
 tapers were lighted, and it being found, on examining her 
 will, that she had provided that her body should be 
 decently interred, her relations feared that they might 
 involve themselves in a lawsuit by interference in the 
 matter, and persuaded the frlres de chariU to lend us their 
 aid. They brought the oldest rag they had in the shape of 
 a pall, and whilst but a few mourners followed the bier, 
 the crowd of curious spectators wondered that Protestants 
 should allow their dead to be buried so shabbily. Soon 
 after my return, I was deputed to call on the Mayor, 
 which I did, when he promised to do his best to induce 
 the town-council to grant us a cemetery and the use of a 
 hearse, with every convenience for funeral occasions. The 
 request was granted. — These things may appear trifling, 
 but they materially improved our position in the place, and 
 saved us from the possibility of the recurrence of such 
 unpleasant interference.” 
 
WOULD-BE PROTESTANTS . 119 
 
 Among other calumnious assertions made by the adver- 
 saries was this, that the Protestant pastor offered 400 
 francs, some said even 1000 francs, to all who would 
 apostatise. “ Alas ! ” wrote he, “ I knew but too well that 
 for much less I might have had hundreds of proselytes. . . . 
 Occasionally, when I saw that poverty was the real cause 
 of a visit, I would lay a piece of money on the table and 
 say, c I cannot give money to Protestants ; now choose the 
 money or religion, for you cannot have both ! They 
 almost invariably, after a little feigned hesitation, took the 
 money and went their way. This, however, I did but 
 rarely. A certain fish-woman came to me one day, saying 
 openly, ‘ I am come to change my religion, because I under- 
 stand you give 400 francs for a Protestant ! ’ I told her 
 I would not have anything to do with her if she herself 
 would give me a hundred thousand francs! She opened 
 her eyes in astonishment, and went and told all the people 
 in the fish-market. Not less than two hundred persons 
 called on me, hoping to receive money by becoming 
 Protestants. Could there be a more convincing proof of 
 the degradation of such people, or of the sincerity, I 
 may say the heroism, of the real converts, who were willing 
 to brave the imputation of having made so disgraceful a 
 bargain ! 
 
 “ One of these had been in former years a notoriously 
 bad character — a drunkard, who had gained a dishonest 
 livelihood at fairs by cheating. The first time he entered 
 our chapel his conscience was aroused ; he returned again 
 and again, until under the teaching of the Word and of 
 God’s Holy Spirit he became a new man. Of him indeed 
 it might be said that ‘ old things had passed away, and all 
 things had become new.’ He was by nature a superstitious, 
 
120 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 weak man, easily led astray, but with a warm heart. In 
 the course of time he became a most useful member of our 
 church, opened the way for the preaching of the gospel at 
 Bernay, of which town he was a native, and by his 
 example and zeal in distributing tracts, led several persons 
 to become regular hearers, both at Lisieux and at Bernay. 
 
 “ He said to me one day, 4 Whilst I was digging this 
 morning the thought struck me, and I must tell it you, 
 although I am afraid you will think it a superstitious one, 
 that if I could but save all the souls in Lisieux by so 
 doing, I would willingly lose my own soul for their sakes.’ 
 What sublime thoughts does true piety produce ! That 
 is the very thought St. Paul had (Bom. ix. 3). That was 
 the charity which led Christ to offer the saving sacrifice of 
 Himself. Would to God I had more of that feeling ! 
 Then might I hope to do more good. 
 
 “ One of our earliest converts was a servant, the 
 youngest of three girls born at a birth. She was so weak 
 that she was thought dead, and in the bustle occasioned 
 by the extraordinary circumstances was left unbaptized. 
 A few days afterwards her two sisters died, and Ad61e was 
 the only one who survived. When already thirty-five 
 years of age she came as a Boman Catholic to our chapel, 
 became convinced that ours was really the religion of 
 Christ, and was then baptized — not with water only, but 
 with the Holy Ghost. Her former confessor was greatly 
 incensed, but instead of conversing with her openly, he 
 devised a means of catching her with guile. He was the 
 same man who had been so zealous in collecting and burn- 
 ing our tracts. He undertook to convert Adele Morin, and 
 got a common friend to send for her, while he secreted 
 himself behind a large chest of drawers. When Adele 
 
ADALE MORIN. 
 
 121 
 
 was fairly in the house he popped out from his hiding- 
 place and began to expostulate with her on her apostasy. 
 She was amused by his having thought it necessary to 
 hide himself, and remarked that she had nothing to conceal, 
 and that she was not afraid to reason with him. She 
 then promised that if he would allow her to go and fetch 
 her Bible she would return. Seeing her openness he 
 consented, and then began a discussion which she was 
 forced to carry on, not then only, but frequently after- 
 wards, with several priests at a time. Her faith was too 
 enlightened and firm for them, and with her Bible in her 
 hand, and, as she said, ‘ the religion of their Peter in her 
 heart/ she was a match for them all. 
 
 “ Since poor Madame Calbry’s death my people have 
 often had to bear severe trials, but if this makes me 
 anxious on their account, it also acts as a sieve to separate 
 the wheat from the chaff, for people will soon see that 
 there are no temporal advantages to be gained by becom- 
 ing a Protestant.” 
 
 In August he writes to his mother : “ We are now quite 
 settled again in our snug little home ; and though we still 
 feel solitary after being surrounded with friends such as 
 Avening affords, we are happy and contented. ... I rode 
 over on Monday to Yal Bicher, to call on Mile. Guizot. I 
 was very kindly received by all of them, and M. Guizot 
 said he could not allow his daughters to go at present to our 
 chapel at Lisieux, but that he was desirous that I should 
 come and preach at his house. I felt, of course, some 
 hesitation, which I expressed ; but he took me kindly by 
 the hand, and said, ‘ Come and dine with us on Wednes- 
 day, and we will then settle the day and hour.’ To her 
 husband’s letter Mrs. de Boinville makes the following 
 
122 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 addition : “ Charles tells you of his visit to M. Guizot, but 
 he does not tell you of the compliment that was paid him. 
 M. Guizot had inquired very minutely about him of several 
 persons — some friends and some known enemies — and 
 Mile, de Chabaud told him, ‘ M. Guizot n’a entendu dire 
 que du bien de vous, par vos amis et meme par vos ennemis.’ 
 In this time of persecution, I can assure you that such an 
 evidence is to me truly comforting. For Charles’s sake I 
 am very glad he is to go to M. Guizot once a week, for 
 though the preaching will be a fatigue, yet the comfort of 
 friendly intercourse with such a family will be a great 
 relief. He went there quite cast down, and returned 
 encouraged. 
 
 “ Towards the close of the year, the cur6 of St. Pierre, 
 the largest parish in Lisieux, died suddenly of cholera, 
 four months after it had apparently left the town. He 
 was regretted by all parties. Though somewhat stern 
 and dignified in outward appearance, he was simple, kind, 
 affable, and discreet in private conversation. He was no 
 great orator, and rather cold in his delivery, but there was 
 a good deal of sense in his discourses, and he spoke to the 
 point. He was rather narrow and bigoted in his opinions, 
 but not sufficiently enthusiastic to annoy his opponents or 
 his friends, and he was very charitable to the poor. 
 
 “ Different indeed was his successor. Ambitious in the 
 extreme, pompous in gait and conversation, he added to 
 a corpulent exterior a coarse mind and an uncharitable 
 spirit. ... It was not likely that such a man would pass 
 us over, and I was curious to watch the manner of his 
 attack. It was just what I had expected. After inveighing 
 against the Reformers and the Protestant religion in 
 general, he expressed his regret that we should ever have 
 
POURQUOI JE SUIS PROTESTANT , 1 123 
 
 been allowed to set foot in Lisieux again. Soon afterwards 
 he instituted controversies in his church. A priest was 
 employed to personate a heretic, who threw out objections, 
 which had previously been concocted in the cur6’s study, 
 and which were no doubt easily answered. Although 
 vast numbers were attracted by the novelty of the thing, 
 I constantly heard people say, ‘ What a farce this is ! there 
 is a real Protestant minister in the town, — why does not 
 M. le Cur6 invite him to join in the discussion V I was 
 asked by several Roman Catholics why I did not reply to 
 these attacks. I told my congregation that as I was 
 unable to hear the discourses myself, and could only judge 
 of their character by hearsay, I would not deviate from 
 my usual mode of preaching ; that they knew I preached 
 neither Luther nor Calvin, but Jesus Christ alone as the 
 Author and Finisher of our faith, but that if anything 
 tangible appeared in print, I would not fail to answer it. 
 
 “ Then it was that I determined to write a tract on the 
 Roman Catholic controversy, and having already made 
 many notes on the subject, I was able in a short time to 
 take my manuscript to the printer’s. Ere it had been 
 in his hands for two days the priests were aware of it. 
 Indeed, I believe I never took a step or spoke a word 
 without their knowing it almost immediately. The late 
 Professor of Rhetoric at the College, the same who had 
 played the part of heretic at church, called several times, 
 first to beg that he might see the manuscript, which was 
 refused him, and then the proof-sheets, which were also 
 refused ; lastly, the tract itself the moment it should 
 appear, which was agreed to if M. de Boinville should 
 consent. Of course I did so, informing M. FAbb6 that it 
 was not my intention to spread them about the town, but 
 
124 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B0INV1LLE . 
 
 only to distribute them among my hearers, promising 
 however, that if he answered it publicly, I should then feel 
 myself bound to give it also to the public. Answer it he 
 did not, but his friends of Saint Pierre advertised me 
 loudly by forbidding the faithful to read it. It was 
 reported in the town that even young priests under thirty 
 years might not see so foul a production ; curiosity was ex- 
 cited, and several copies were abroad before I received one. 
 
 “ The effect of all this opposition was to bring more 
 hearers to our little chapel, which became inconveniently 
 small, and looked outside more like a badly-built stable 
 than a place of worship. I began to think seriously of 
 building a chapel, and soon found a suitable site within 
 fifty yards of the same spot. Setting myself immediately 
 to collect sums for the undertaking, I was enabled, in the 
 course of a few days, by the kindness of my friends, and 
 especially of my mother, to lay the foundation of the 
 building. Up to this time it had been commonly reported 
 that, though my arrival had created some stir, yet my stay 
 hung upon a thread ; that our chapel was but a tem- 
 porarily hired room, and that we should not remain long 
 in the town. Many were thereby discouraged and deterred 
 from attending our worship at all ; but when they saw 
 that a burying-ground had been given us, and that a 
 chapel was being erected, all hope vanished that the 
 Protestant minister would soon be removed, and there was 
 nothing left but to attack our reputation. They stated, and 
 even caused to be printed in the Normand newspaper, that 
 the Protestant propaganda was very active at Lisieux, that 
 it was building a 4 temple] was opening schools, and that as 
 it had in its hands all the gold of the Bible Societies, who 
 could tell but that some poor wretch, struggling with the 
 
CONTROVERSY. 
 
 125 
 
 cravings of hunger, might be induced to sell his soul and 
 his eternal happiness % 
 
 “ Now, it happened that I was in the bureau when a copy 
 of this wretched production was brought in to be printed 
 also in the Lexovien. The publisher nobly refused to insert 
 it, and handed me the copy, assuring me, however, that it 
 would certainly appear in the other paper, which was devoted 
 to the priests. It did appear ; and feeling that something 
 must now be done to justify my ways before men, I wrote 
 a reply, which the Normand declined to insert. The 
 Lexovien also shrunk from the task ; and a lawyer in the 
 town having assured me that I could compel the Normand 
 to accept it, I sent my letter with a threat, and on the 
 following Saturday it made its appearance in print.” 
 
 This correspondence was continued for some time, to 
 the comfort of neither party, and certainly not to the 
 credit of M. Cagniard, the cur6 of St. Pierre, while the 
 public, “ who cared very little who was really right or 
 wrong, were very glad that somebody at least dared to 
 withstand the domineering priest, and, as they said, teach 
 him a lesson of good behaviour. I was sorry for the whole 
 affair; but I hoped it might prove a lesson to all who 
 thought they might with impunity attack the private 
 character of honest men.” 
 
 Although M. de Boinville’s pastoral labours were for the 
 most part among the humbler classes, and by them most 
 cordially welcomed, his Christian love and interest were 
 all-embracing, and his teaching was greatly prized as well 
 as spiritually useful among those of a higher rank, as is 
 shown by the following letter from an English lady whose 
 parents resided for some years in the neighbourhood : — 
 “ My mother has often told me that in a time of long- 
 
126 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 continued trouble, it was M. de Boinville who taught her 
 where to go for the only real comfort at such times. She 
 was very young, and she always thanked God for having 
 brought her under his influence. We lived eight leagues 
 from Lisieux, and it was not often that my father could 
 drive over for the Sunday service ; but it was always an 
 exertion well repaid. M. de Boinville taught her the full 
 value of the Protestant faith ; his pamphlet, Pourquoi je 
 suis Protestant , was most valuable to her, placed as she w r as 
 for years in an entirely Roman Catholic town. 
 
 “ For years after, we were still the only Protestants and 
 English the inhabitants had ever seen ; we used to go by 
 the name — among rich and poor — of ‘Les enfans de la 
 petite h6r6tique ; ’ but my mother was loved and reverenced 
 by all, and her name has not faded from their memories 
 even now. . Taught by M. de Boinville, she taught us what 
 to say when we were talked to by the priests, as we often 
 were ; and as far as I can recollect, these answers were 
 only texts out of the Bible. I know the priests always left 
 off very soon, particularly if any Roman Catholic children 
 were by, listening. 
 
 “ Another thing connected in my mind with M. de 
 Boinville’s teaching is what charity really consists in, from 
 an anecdote my mother used to tell us ; that one day there 
 was a poor family without clothes or food, when he had no 
 money ; he went to his children, and seeing they would 
 not suffer, as it was warm weather, he took a garment 
 from each of them, and at dinner carried off a dish from 
 the table, saying to his family, 4 You have had your 
 breakfast, and will have your supper ; if you eat this 
 dinner, that poor family will have no food all day/ This 
 story made a great impression on me. 
 
HIS SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE . 
 
 127 
 
 “ We lived in Paris at one time when M. de Boinville 
 was there, and I remember even now the pleasure I used 
 to feel when I knew that mamma was going to his service 
 instead of to the other church, — I could not have been 
 seven years old, — why, I do not know, except that I had 
 a strong feeling of reverence for him, and Madame de 
 Boinville used always to speak so kindly to mamma when 
 coming out of church. I looked upon Rachel as a sort of 
 angel. Mamma used to tell me how useful she was to her 
 mother and father. 
 
 “ This all seems cold and disconnected, but one cannot 
 put feelings into words. My darling mother was all in all 
 to us as a family, and she always said she owed her peace 
 of mind to having been led by M. de Boinville to seek that 
 true peace which passeth understanding. My dear father 
 had his mother to lean on, but my mother’s mother leant 
 on her , and it was Pourquoi that saved my grandmother 
 from perversion to Roman Catholicism. She died some 
 years after my mother, in simple faith in Jesus; and often 
 when we young ones were arguing about High Church and 
 Low Church, she used to say, ‘ Cling to Christ ; let nothing 
 come between you and Him, — you ’ll find it all you need, 
 to believe in Him.’ ” 
 
CHAPTEE X. 
 
 1850-1851. 
 
 Threatened removal from Lisieux— Rachel and Elizabeth — Deputation to Guernsey 
 — New chapel opened, and schoolmaster engaged — Watchnight — Death of 
 Madame Bertre — Priestly interference counteracted — J ean Bertre overcomes all 
 difficulties, and becomes a colporteur. 
 
 The affairs of the Society with which Charles was 
 connected appear at this time to have been in some 
 difficulty. On January 25, 1850, he writes as follows to 
 his mother : u We have had a dreadfully cold District 
 Meeting. I returned on Wednesday morning, and have 
 not yet recovered. I think good old Mr. Pilter was right, 
 when he sent his love by me to the brethren, saying that 
 he should be most happy to join them at the District, but 
 that he did not feel quite sure that it was scriptural to 
 take one’s flight in the winter. At all events, it is not 
 very comfortable.” In consequence of some mismanage- 
 ment on the part of the Missionary Committee, a serious 
 diminution of salaries already too small was anticipated. 
 There had been rumours of a threatened removal to Paris, 
 but the state of Wesleyan finance was such that this could 
 not be effected. “ My removal from Lisieux this year is, 
 of course, out of the question, as the Society would be 
 obliged to buy furniture for the house of my successor.” 
 
RACHEL AND ELIZABETH. 
 
 129 
 
 “I have received a letter from Mrs. Wauchope, in which 
 she says : 4 We hope there is no danger of your being soon 
 removed from Lisieux. When Admiral Wauchope wrote 
 to Dr. Beecham (one of the Missionary Secretaries) in 
 February or March, to send him money, he said he 
 hoped you would not be removed ; and his answer was 
 that there was no intention to remove you from your 
 present promising field of labour. Lady Anna Maria 
 Donkin mentioned this to Madame de Witt (M. Guizot’s 
 newly-married daughter), who expressed pleasure at hearing 
 it; and Lady A. Donkin hopes, as she is to return to Yal 
 Biclier, that she will now (being married) feel at liberty 
 more openly to show interest in the Protestant cause at 
 Lisieux.’ 
 
 “ I pray with Rachel, and make her pray occasionally; 
 but I do not yet follow the regular system. I am afraid 
 of it at present. On Saturday she was alone with me, 
 looking out of the window, when, of her own accord, she 
 began : 4 Papa, I want to be good so much.’ 4 Well, my 
 darling, you must try.’ 4 But I cannot. Elizabeth always 
 makes me naughty. I want God to make me good.’ 
 
 4 Then, my dear, you must ask Him.’ ‘ Oh, but I don’t 
 like to pray.’ 4 Why notV 4 Because Elizabeth would 
 hear me!’ 4 But you can pray quietly.’ 4 But I like 
 to pray out loud.’ 4 You know, my darling, God can hear 
 you without that ; He knows all your thoughts.’ 4 Dear 
 papa, will you pray for me now'?’ 4 Yes, my dear.’ So 
 we prayed together. I thought it very pleasing, as it all 
 came simply and spontaneously. I hate cant. It is the 
 ruin of the children of religious parents. By cant I do not 
 mean using religious expressions, but using them for no 
 reason, or without feeling, or with a purely sentimental 
 
130 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 feeling. It is a kind of religious prostitution of lan- 
 guage.” 
 
 In the month of March in this year he was sent as a 
 deputation to Guernsey, and writes to his mother after a 
 week's experience : “We have had a meeting every day 
 since I have been here, except Saturday. My chief object 
 has been to give the people some idea of the state of 
 religion in France and other countries, and to contrast it 
 with the privileges they enjoy here. I am very glad it is 
 nearly over, as I am obliged to make a new speech every 
 night, for the people follow me about from place to place, 
 the chapels being only two or three miles apart. The 
 Wesleyans predominate here, and have the greatest 
 number of communicants, and although they are chiefly 
 poor, they raise above £500 a year for missions. Their 
 French is almost unintelligible. The barristers and 
 preachers speak rather better. Their psalmody is extra- 
 vagantly bad ; they put English tunes to bad French verse, 
 and in singing often pass over syllables, and even words. 
 Two people may often be heard talking to each other, the 
 one in English the other in French. At this season the 
 whole island smells of sea-weed, which is used as manure. 
 The sea is beautiful all round. The people are serious. 
 The theatre is empty, and all the churches and chapels 
 full. There is a considerable amount of gossiping and 
 small-talk ; disagreeable place for preachers’ wives ; much 
 kindness, however, especially to young men, and over- 
 whelming hospitality. There are pretty little farms and 
 Guernsey cows. In some of the congregations I saw much 
 good feeling and attention, and several men and women 
 came to shake hands with me with tears in their eyes. 
 Altogether, this is a remarkable little island.” 
 
NEW CHAPEL OPENED . 131 
 
 He sailed from Jersey for St. Malo, where, at the 
 Custom-House, he says, “ we were searched inside and 
 out. I never underwent such an examination ; they were 
 almost bringing an action against me for having a letter 
 addressed to myself, and were so zealous in assuring them- 
 selves that the said letter was really addressed to myself, 
 that they allowed cakes, ribbons, dress, etc., to pass free. 
 When I got home Rachel ran out to meet me with delight, 
 and when I entered the house I was introduced to a huge 
 fat boy, who, I was told, was mine, and indeed such, after 
 examination held, I found him to be.” 
 
 “October 14. — We have begun to-day to build a new 
 chapel. The land and chapel will cost £300. What 
 induced me to begin was a letter from Admiral and Mrs. 
 Wauchope. It is very possible, if not probable, that you 
 will see me very shortly. The affairs of the chapel will 
 call me to London, if not to the north, and I wish, if 
 jmssible, to go and to return before winter has quite set 
 in.” An attack of illness prevented this journey. 
 
 “ The new chapel was opened on Sunday, the 3d of 
 August 1851, and the day was to me one of the most 
 complete joy, and ever to be remembered with the deepest 
 gratitude. My dear brother William was present on the 
 occasion. 
 
 “ It happened providentially just at this time, when I 
 was through illness forced to seek rest, that M. Guiton, 
 who had lately been appointed superintendent of the 
 circuit, felt himself free to undertake my duty; and 
 finding that I did not rapidly recover strength, he finally 
 decided on taking up his residence at Lisieux till the 
 District Meeting, which was held in January, and where it 
 was determined that Lisieux should become the residence 
 
i3 2 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B01NVILLE. 
 
 of the superintendent preacher, and that I should take the 
 Paris circuit. 
 
 “ The prospect of having to leave a place where God 
 had blessed me in many ways was a trial ; but my comfort 
 was that the circuit would be left in the hands of a faith- 
 ful minister, who was acquainted with the wants of the 
 people, and with the peculiar difficulties of his new post. 
 I had entered on the work there as an utter stranger, 
 and I was leaving the place amidst the farewell blessings 
 and prayers of Christian friends, surrounded by a happy 
 family, and having only to mourn over my own short- 
 comings.” 
 
 On the 11th November 1851 he writes: “ We are to 
 leave Lisieux, our dear Lisieux, to go to Paris, — I suppose 
 towards March 1852. Dr. Cook will have it so, and I 
 must obey. M. Guiton is a truly pious and charitable 
 man, and the people here seem to like him. I am getting 
 tired, and shall leave Mary to finish this letter.” 
 
 Charles de Boinville might echo with truth, “ The zeal 
 of thine house hath eaten me up,” for in addition to a 
 lavish expenditure of physical strength, he seems to have 
 been ready — perhaps too ready — at all times to ease others 
 of their burdens, and take on himself responsibilities 
 which they at least should have equally shared; e.g. he 
 writes, “The cause is prospering here. We are going to 
 have a schoolmaster, and I shall want you to try and get 
 me annual subscribers. We have spent £120 more than 
 we have received for the new chapel. I fear it will 
 be a long time before we are paid — if ever. We must 
 scramble out somehow. The Lord will provide.” And 
 He did, for in his next letter Charles says, “Mr. Duffrin, 
 the owner of the mill at St. Germain-de-livet, has most 
 
DEATH OF MADAME BERTRE. 
 
 133 
 
 kindly offered to lend me for two years any money that I 
 may want, and that without security ; but I think I shall 
 feel more comfortable if I send him the Policy.” 
 
 “ New Year's Eve . — In a few hours we shall be entering 
 on a new year. With us it is called JVatchnight , that is, as 
 I suppose you know, because it is the habit of Wesleyans 
 to meet together, and sit up till past twelve o’clock. We 
 read, sing, pray, and return thanks for the past ; one or 
 two persons exhort. A few minutes before midnight all 
 kneel in silent prayer, till the clock has struck. The hour, 
 the silence, the entering on a new year, everything con- 
 tributes to make it one of our most solemn services. It is 
 now nine o’clock, and in about an hour many of our friends 
 will be dropping in, for we dare not here — on many 
 accounts — hold the service in chapel. ... Do what you 
 can for the school. It may interest you to know that our 
 schoolmaster was, till he met with us, a Roman Catholic, 
 has his diploma, and was employed in a Government school. 
 He loses greatly at first by coming to us, but I hope, if the 
 school prospers, that we shall not allow him or his family 
 to suffer. He is a married man and has four children.” 
 “March 23, 1852. — Last Friday a poor old woman who 
 had joined us in her old age, and whose son, Jean Bertre, 
 is now a colporteur, died at her house near Orbec, about 
 thirteen miles off. She was eighty-four; we visited her 
 for about six months regularly, and had held what we 
 might almost call meetings at her house. She was taken 
 suddenly worse, and, her son being absent, was exposed to 
 painful trials. She had left a request, written by her son, 
 and signed in presence of three witnesses, that if she died, 
 she might be buried by the Protestant minister. On 
 Friday the priest hearing that she was near her end, came 
 
134 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 into her room and began to talk to her. At last the 
 woman who took care of her, hearing the priest tell her 
 that ‘ her son had given her to all the devils in hell/ 
 interfered, and a friend who came in at that moment told 
 him to leave the house. Two hours ‘afterwards the poor 
 woman died. Her death was, according to law, declared 
 at the Mairie. You know, of course, that the French law 
 allows that persons may be buried twenty-four hours after 
 death. She died at half-past five on Friday, and therefore 
 the earliest hour at which she could be buried was six 
 o’clock on Saturday. On Saturday morning a messenger 
 came bringing the news of her death, and a message from 
 the Mairie, that owing to the lateness of the hour, we 
 might bury the poor woman on Sunday morning if we 
 preferred it. We therefore fixed on nine o’clock on 
 Sunday morning, and a large party of us went over 
 accordingly, when to our utter dismay we were told there 
 had been a council held at the cur6’s, and that the Maire 
 had buried the old woman at seven o’clock on Saturday 
 evening. You may imagine our indignation. On Monday 
 morning I despatched M. Grelley to Yvetdt, where the son 
 is. It will bring him back to-day if possible, and I have 
 consulted a lawyer to know if we may not have the body 
 disinterred and brought to our burial-ground here. The 
 effect of such a thing as this, if we took no notice of it, 
 might be very hurtful and discouraging to the Protestants. 
 I will let you know the end.” 
 
 “ April 1 6th . — The son came, and having obtained autho- 
 risation from the Sous-Pr6fet and the Maire of Lisieux, M. 
 Guiton went over with several of our friends to bring the 
 body to Lisieux, and preached to about two hundred 
 persons in the garden which had belonged to the old lady. 
 
. JEAN BERTRE. 
 
 135 
 
 They arrived here at three P.M. ; the corpse was left outside 
 the chapel, under care of the commissaire of police, whilst 
 I preached to a crowded congregation inside. We 
 proceeded afterwards, followed by crowds of persons, to 
 the burial-ground, where I again gave an address, so that 
 we not only had our rights acknowledged, but some six 
 hundred persons heard the gospel, who would not have 
 done so if the priests had not endeavoured to molest us.” 
 The following pages, contributed to the Sunday at Home , 
 give some account of the widow’s son : — 
 
 “ Jean Bertre, the son of this good old woman, was by 
 trade a weaver, and lived in a neat thatched cottage with 
 his widowed mother, who was upwards of eighty years of 
 age. The cottage and garden were their own property, 
 and a sweet little dwelling it was. Honeysuckles and 
 monthly roses were trained round the door and latticed 
 windows, and a jessamine reached even up to the thatch, 
 and ran along the eaves of the house. 
 
 “ Every moment that Jean could spare from his loom he 
 spent in his garden, which was well stocked with fruit- 
 trees and vegetables. The hedge was neatly clipped ; 
 violets, stocks, and every cottage flower in its season 
 sweetly scented the air. This peaceful little residence 
 stood on a flat at the top of a hill, not far from the 
 small town of Orbec, in Normandy ; yet it was almost 
 entirely hidden from view, because it lay in a sequestered 
 spot, embosomed in trees, — fruit-trees chiefly, and beautiful 
 orchards. But there were also here and there rows and 
 avenues of beech, and oak, and elm-trees, which sheltered 
 and hid other cottages, thickly scattered over the country 
 round. Not a sound was heard there save the singing of 
 birds in the spring, or the distant crowing of cocks in the 
 
136 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B 01 NVILLE . 
 
 farm-yard, or the weaver’s shuttle as you passed by the 
 cottage-door. You would scarcely have thought that such 
 rest could ever be disturbed. Yet in the revolutionary 
 days of 1848 that quiet village had its political clubs — 
 noisy ones too — -where peasants spoke grand swelling words 
 in broken French, the patois du pays , and were judged by 
 their compeers as eloquent and as wise as the noblest 
 statesmen in more august assemblies. Sometimes the 
 postman called to leave a letter or a newspaper; but in 
 ordinary times no footstep was to be heard, and he who 
 sat indoors would hear naught but the rustling of the 
 leaves in the gentle breeze. 
 
 “ One day, as J ean Bertre was busily engaged at work, 
 he heard a knock at his door. 
 
 “ ‘ Come in,’ said he. 
 
 “ It was a colporteur, who offered to sell him a Bible or 
 a New Testament. After a little conversation the weaver 
 was induced to purchase the Scriptures, and commenced 
 at once reading them daily with his mother. The neigh- 
 bours soon informed him that his book was a Protestant 
 one ; for some of them had already heard the Protestant 
 pastor preach from a book like that at Lisieux, a curious 
 old town situated in a beautiful woodland district in the 
 valley of the Touques. Here a work had been commenced 
 in connection with the Wesleyan Methodist Society a 
 few years previously. The congregation had been increas- 
 ing, not a few Roman Catholics had joined the little 
 church, several colporteurs had already gone forth from 
 amongst them, and a new chapel had been built. It was 
 about twelve miles from Jean Bertre’s cottage ; neverthe- 
 less he not only became himself a frequent attendant at 
 the service, but he also brought with him several times 
 
JEAN BERTRE . 
 
 137 
 
 his aged mother. They loved the Word of God, and in 
 course of time openly forsook the errors of Popery, and 
 became recognised members of the little Protestant com- 
 munity in that place. 
 
 “ After a time Jean Bertre, being earnestly desirous of 
 becoming a colporteur, begged his minister to recommend 
 him to the Bible Society as worthy of being employed in 
 that capacity. The committee in Paris accepted the pro- 
 posal ; but then, as now, no colporteur was allowed to sell 
 books as a hawker without the permission of the Pr6fet, 
 and he must first obtain a certificate of good character 
 from the Mayor of his parish, countersigned by the Sous- 
 Pr6fet. 
 
 “Now our friend’s conversion had produced considerable 
 sensation in the village, and although the Mayor did not 
 refuse to give him a certificate, some of his devout neigh- 
 bours, in order to prevent his success, informed the Sous- 
 Pr6fet that he had belonged to a club, and had meddled 
 with politics. Those were what were called the days of the 
 reaction. The priests were trying to regain their former 
 ascendency, and, not content with their usual broad 
 assertion that Protestant and revolutionary principles were 
 closely allied, they cleverly insinuated that political designs 
 were always at the bottom of every religious evangelical 
 movement. 
 
 “ When poor Jean therefore went to the Sous-Pr6fecture 
 he was very roughly received. His request was rejected ; 
 and when he wished to know why, he was informed that 
 he had taken too active a part in the political strifes of 
 his village. He replied that he had always led a quiet 
 life, had loyally sought his country’s interests, had never 
 under any Government been a rebellious subject, and 
 
138 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B 0 INV 1 LLE . 
 
 his desire was that the blessing of God might rest on 
 Prince Napoleon, then President of the Kepublic ; and 
 ‘ if/ said he, ‘ I have formerly attended the meetings of 
 one of the clubs, it was before I knew this book. 7 As he 
 said these words he held out the New Testament for the 
 inspection of the Sous-Prefet. • 
 
 “ It was of no avail ; he was forced to return home empty- 
 handed and disheartened. Yet, whilst working at his 
 trade, or digging in his garden, or walking across the 
 country to and from the place of worship, the thought, 
 the desire still pursued him- — ‘ This blessed book was the 
 means of my conversion ; would that I were permitted to 
 scatter the blessed seed far and wide ! 7 And as he read 
 the book the more difficult did he find it to divest himself 
 of the conviction that he was called to be a colporteur. His 
 mother, old as she was, was both willing and desirous that 
 it should be so, and prayed that the way might be opened. 
 
 “At the end of a few weeks, Jean Bertre, thinking 
 it possible that the Prefet might be more just than the 
 Sous-Pr6fet, or that further information might have given 
 the authorities a better opinion of him, walked over to 
 the chief town, about thirty miles distant, and asked for the 
 necessary authorisation ; but here again he met with the 
 same disappointment. To use his expression, he was 
 received 1 comme un chien dans un jeu de quilles (like a 
 dog among ninepins), 7 that is, as badly as possible. 
 
 “ He was returning sorrowfully home when, being wearied 
 by the length of his journey and the heat of the summer’s 
 sun, he sought rest under the shade of a tree. There he 
 read his New Testament, and prayed and mused upon the 
 hopeless condition of his project ; for there was no appeal 
 from the Pr6fet to any higher authority. 
 
JEAN BERTRE. 
 
 139 
 
 “ Suddenly a thought occurred to him ; and at the same 
 time, striking his forehead with his hand, ‘ Why/ said he 
 aloud, 6 should not I ask the Prince himself'? The pro- 
 verb says, “ II vaut mieux s’adresser a Dieu qu’ a ses saints ! ” 
 I am a bit of a poet ; I will just write a few verses to the 
 President of the Republic/ So he took out his pencil 
 and wrote his petition. 
 
 “ A copy of these verses, if such they can be called, lies 
 before us in Jean Bertre’s handwriting. Of the rhythm 
 and rhyme we had better say as little as possible ; nor will 
 we attempt to give a translation, for half the interest of 
 the composition consists in the ludicrousness of the 
 Norman idiom. After pressing upon the Prince’s attention 
 the earnestness of his desire to spread the Scriptures, and 
 the benefits that would accrue to himself, his old mother, 
 and the world at large, by causing him to obtain the neces- 
 sary permission, he ends the piece by calling down God’s 
 blessing on the brave French nation, through the special 
 instrumentality of the great Napoleon’s nephew. Now 
 this last thought cleverly met the secret desire of Prince 
 Napoleon’s friends, and was calculated to overthrow the 
 machinations of Jean’s opponents. 
 
 “ But how were the said verses to be put into the Prince’s 
 hands ? A thousand difficulties lay in the way. On 
 thinking the matter over, Jean boldly determined to go to 
 Paris himself, and present the lines to the President of 
 the Republic. He would not, however, undertake the 
 journey without first consulting his pastor. So he went 
 to Lisieux and stated his purpose, begging the minister at 
 the same time just to look at his composition, and to give 
 his opinion. The latter dissembled as well as he could the 
 efforts he was obliged to make to refrain from laughter, 
 
140 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 and charitably hinted that it would, almost to a certainty, 
 be time, money, and talent, all thrown away. 
 
 “ Poor J ean Bertre ! The Mayor had deceived him, the 
 Sous-Pr6fet had handled him roughly, the Pr6fet had cruelly 
 rejected his demand, and now his own minister discouraged 
 him ; but he was not to be daunted. He had made up his 
 mind to try, and try he did. 
 
 “ With his stick in his hand, and a few francs in his 
 pocket, having provided himself with a passport, the good 
 man might have been seen the next day trudging over 
 hill and dale in the direction of Paris, which lay about 
 one hundred and fifty miles to the south-east. He had 
 never seen the great city, and when he arrived at the gates 
 his first inquiry was where the Prince President of the 
 Republic lived ! He was told, with a smile, that he 
 generally lived at the palace called the Blys^e Bourbon. 
 He had still some miles to go through long crowded streets, 
 though fortunately for him almost in a straight direction. 
 Any other country clown might have felt somewhat em- 
 barrassed : but good Jean had but one thought, one end 
 in view ; ‘ and,’ said he to himself, ‘ there is a true pro- 
 verb, “ Avec une langue on va a Rome (with a tongue in 
 your head you may find your way to Rome).” ’ 
 
 “ In the dusk of the evening he stood in the Place Beau- 
 veau, just opposite the palace, and, after considering all 
 things, he determined to go to the nearest inn he could 
 find, and rest till the next morning. 
 
 “When daylight returned — as soon as he thought he 
 might decently do so — he sallied forth in quest of the 
 Prince, and stood at the entrance of the palace. Here he 
 entered into conversation with the military and the porter 
 — who seemed highly amused — and protested that France 
 
JEAN BERTRE. 
 
 141 
 
 ought to have twenty Presidents to attend to such fellows 
 as he was. He made a few vain attempts to gain admit- 
 tance, hut finding himself repulsed, and perceiving that 
 the porter was getting cross, he reluctantly returned to his 
 room, where he found it was easier to obtain access to the 
 King of kings and the Prince of glory than to the President 
 of the French Republic. 
 
 “ The noise and bustle of Paris somewhat annoyed him ; 
 he did not care for sight-seeing, and as he had failed in 
 the one object for which he had come to the capital, he 
 prepared to depart. 
 
 “ Before leaving he was obliged, like all others in those 
 days, to go to the Prefecture de Police to have his passport 
 signed. As he was going there a new thought struck him. 
 The Norman peasantry are considered very rusS, or 
 cunning. Jean Bertre determined to use a little of his 
 Norman ruse. So when he got to the Prefecture he 
 whispered to one of the officials that he wished to see 
 Monsieur le Pr6fet. 
 
 “‘Have you/ demanded the official, ‘any important 
 communication to make ] ’ 
 
 “‘It is necessary/ replied Jean, ‘that I should have a 
 private interview with him.’ 
 
 “ The state of the country in those days was such, and 
 this man’s manner seemed so mysteriously earnest, that 
 he was admitted into the presence of the Pr6fet, who 
 inquired what he wanted. 
 
 “ ‘ My business, Monsieur le Pr£fet, is simply this : I 
 want an authorisation to sell Bibles in Paris.’ Jean well 
 knew that with a Paris authorisation he could easily obtain 
 one in any of the departments. The Pr6fet declared he 
 had no time to attend to him, expressed his surprise 
 
142 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 that the man should have disturbed him for so trifling a 
 matter, and bade him depart. 
 
 “ 4 Ah ! if I could but have seen the Prince/ exclaimed 
 Bertre, ‘ as I hoped to do, he would have dealt more fairly 
 by me.’ 
 
 “‘What claim have you on the Prince's kindness V 
 asked the magistrate. 
 
 “ At this juncture our friend put his hand into his pocket 
 and produced his verses. 
 
 “ As the Prefet read them, the stern frown disappeared 
 from his brow, by degrees his features expanded into a 
 broad smile, and at last he laughed outright. 
 
 “ ‘ Well,' said he at last, ‘ my good man, you will return 
 to the Pr6fecture at two o’clock.' At two o'clock Jean did 
 not fail to come, and, as he passed along the passage 
 between the offices, he found that his fame had spread 
 amongst the clerks. ‘ Here he comes ! ' ‘ Here comes 
 
 our poet ! ' said one and another, whilst a young man 
 whispered in his ear, ‘It’s all settled; you’ll have the 
 authorisation ! ' 
 
 “ Half an hour afterwards our good Norman was cheer- 
 fully walking back to Normandy; but fearing lest the 
 permission might not avail him in his own department, he 
 went to Rouen, where no difficulty was made, and a few 
 days afterwards he walked over to Lisieux, and made his 
 appearance at the pastor’s house, clapping his hand on his 
 pocket, and exclaiming, ‘ I have got it ! I have got it !’” 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 1852-1854. 
 
 Claudine, Rachel’s nurse— M. de Boinville transferred to Paris, hut health gives 
 way and he returns for a time to Lisieux — The dog Rover and his father- 
 M. de Boinville preaches for Adolphe Monod — Trial of M. Jeanne and M. Grelley 
 for doing good without authorisation — M. Jeanne on appeal acquitted — Grelley 
 condemned — Returns to Paris— A sincere penitent — Lady H. Host — Health 
 once more breaks down — Visit to Chambourcy — Settlement at Boulogne — The 
 Emperor and Empress — Called to Bar-le-Duc. 
 
 On the 3d of September 1852 Charles writes from 
 Nunes, whither he had gone to attend Conference : “ At 
 the railway I heard a woman with a child speak of Aligny. 
 I contrived to get near her, and found that she had known 
 Claudine, who nursed Rachel. Judge what pain I felt 
 when I heard Claudine had died of cholera at Auteuil, and 
 that she had left her husband and four children in great 
 poverty and wretchedness. My heart, if not my con- 
 science, told me that I ought to do something for the poor 
 man ; so I gave the woman my address, and told her to 
 ask the husband to write to me in three weeks, when I 
 hope to be back amongst my dear ones.” 
 
 On the 1st of May he arrived in Paris, his new sphere 
 for labour which very shortly afterwards he found too 
 severe, and in an undated letter he writes : “ My plan is, 
 to rest for three or four months, and then see how I am. 
 
144 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 I have misgivings as to my strength and ability for the 
 Paris work. I find the distances so great. I suppose 
 you know that in coming to Paris I have been promoted, 
 and have now to do the work of superintendent, having a 
 younger man under me ; but I would rather be as I was. 
 We have fixed on Lisieux as our temporary residence.” 
 This return for a time to Lisieux was a great pleasure 
 to all, and there, on the 10th of January 1853, another 
 son, William, was added to their family. He writes from 
 Glatigny pres Lisieux as follows : “ Here we are, settled 
 again near dear old Lisieux, about three-quarters of a mile 
 above our old house, in the middle of an orchard. The 
 change from noisy Paris to this perfect repose is indeed 
 delightful. Fancy how glad we are to go down to our 
 dear little chapel, and see the old faces all so pleased at 
 our arrival. At this moment Rachel and Alfred are cling- 
 ing together to defend themselves by mutual assistance 
 from the bouncing attacks of a great Newfoundland puppy, 
 five months old, of whose existence you have not perhaps 
 as yet been made acquainted. His name is Rover.” Five 
 months later he says : “ Our dog is now a splendid fellow ; 
 the breed is said to be crossed with the present St. Bernard 
 breed. They are wonderfully powerful and intelligent, 
 ours literally understands what we tell him, the first time. 
 For instance, he used to annoy us by putting his head on 
 the table at dinner-time. I told him to lie down, and 
 only fed him when lying down ; ever since, he lies down 
 to be fed. Another time, the postman brought a letter, 
 and Madame Piel told him to take it up to his master, 
 which he did immediately. Again, when playing in the 
 garden with Rachel’s box, I called him in, but Mary said 
 to him, ‘Go, fetch the box;’ he instantly brought it. 
 
SLIGHT OFFENCES. 
 
 145 
 
 Yet, we have never taught him anything. His father — 
 for whom Pierre Bonaparte offered 1200 francs — stops 
 you in the street to beg a sou, and if you do not give it 
 immediately, he puts his nose into your pocket. When 
 he has got it, he goes to the next wine-shop to buy a 
 biscuit, and if they have none, he goes to the baker’s, 
 drops the sou through the hole into the counter, brings his 
 biscuit home, and eats it there. His master told, me he 
 had taken no pains to teach him. Ours is so faithful that 
 he never leaves our door, and will not allow any one to 
 molest our children, who really love him. He is quite a 
 lesson of love and faithfulness, even for Christians. 
 
 “Nov. 17 th . — I have had the honour of preaching in 
 Paris, at the Oratoire, for Adolphe Monod, and last night 
 we met here, at M. Quiton’s, to pray for the Madiai, and 
 for M. Jeanne, our schoolmaster, whose trial comes on 
 to-day. He is guilty of having sent some copies of my 
 tract to his old friends at Trouville, and the priest there 
 used this opportunity for taking his revenge on the 
 apostate, as he was called before the tribunals. Jeanne’s 
 son is included in the indictment, and Grelley the colpor- 
 teur, who is also accused of having sold books before he 
 was authorised by the authorities, — a more serious accusa- 
 tion. You may imagine with what anxiety I am waiting 
 to know the result. 
 
 “ Nov. 28/A — They have been condemned, M. Grelley to 
 twenty days’ prison and four-fifths of the law expenses, M. 
 Jeanne to ten days’ prison and one-fifth of the expenses, 
 as being an accomplice with Grelley in colportage, which is 
 false, and of which no evidence was given. We also feel 
 it in fact to be merely an attack on religious freedom, and 
 that they wish to terrify us. Jeanne will appeal to a 
 
 K 
 
146 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 higher court at Caen, where we expect him to be acquitted, 
 but in any event he must pay his lawyer’s expenses, i.e. 
 we, or in other words i, must contrive to find the money, 
 for poor Jeanne has not got it. The feeling of the people 
 is evidently with us, and perhaps that makes the judges 
 the more bitter. 
 
 Dec . 1 8 th . — To his mother: “ I am rather surprised 
 that you should ask to have it proved that Jeanne was 
 unjustly condemned. The law r forbids distributing books 
 in the street, in caf6s, or other people’s houses, but says 
 nothing about giving them in one’s own house. I may 
 also state that the above law was made to prevent the 
 circulation of Socialist books. What Jeanne did was to 
 write names on twenty-two books, and it is certainly a gross 
 misapplication of the law to condemn a person for having 
 had the intention of giving a few religious books to his 
 private friends. That there is a moral injustice is evident, 
 but as to whether by quibbling and making a somewhat 
 obscure law the tool for bringing about the destruction of 
 religious, and even of civil liberty, Jeanne may not be said 
 to have been legally condemned, I will not pretend to say. 
 Our blessed Saviour Himself was condemned according to 
 law ; law has nearly always been the excuse for persecut- 
 ing Christ’s people, and very often law itself is morally 
 unjust. 
 
 “ February ith , 1853. — I have good news to tell you : M. 
 Jeanne is acquitted, and to-day is a sort of fete for us all. 
 The affair has cost me about £10, but the result is a suffi- 
 cient compensation ; we have saved both the poor man and 
 an important principle. Alexander sent me some help, 
 and he will be glad to hear how Jeanne’s case has ter- 
 minated. As for poor Grelley, he is condemned, which I 
 
WORKS 
 
 LADY* HOPE, 
 
 A Maiden’s Work. Crown 
 8vo, 5s. cloth. 
 
 Sunrise Gleams. A Series 
 of Daily Readings for a Month. 
 i6mo, is. cloth. 
 
 Sunset Rays. A companion 
 volume to “Sunrise Gleams.” 
 i6mo, is. cloth. 
 
 Touches of Real Life. 
 Crown 8vo, 5s. cloth. 
 
 Sunny Footsteps ; or, When 
 I was a Child. Fcap 4to, 
 3s. 6d. cloth. 
 
 Lines of Light on a Dark 
 Background. Small crown 
 8 vo, 3s. 6d. cloth. 
 
 Our Coffee-Room. With 
 Preface by Lieut. -General Sir 
 Arthur Cotton, R. E., 
 K.C.S.I. Crown 8vo, 3s. 6d. 
 cloth. 
 
 More about “Our CofTee- 
 Room.” Crown 8vo, 3s. 6d. 
 cloth. 
 
 Invitations. i6mo, is. 6d. 
 cloth; in a packet, i6mo, is. ; 
 or separately, 2d. each. 
 
 James Nisbet & Co., 
 
 21, Berners Street, London, W. 
 
WORKS 
 
 BY 
 
 Stevenson A. Blackwood, C.B. 
 
 The Triumph of Faith. 
 
 The Substance of Addresses 
 on the Book of Joshua. Small 
 crown 8 vo, 2s. cloth limp ; 
 2s. 6d. boards. Cheap edition, 
 i6mo, is. cloth limp. 
 
 Heavenly Places. Addresses 
 on the Book of Joshua. Small 
 crown 8vo, 2s. cloth limp ; 
 2s. 6d. boards. Cheap edition, 
 i6mo, is. cloth. 
 
 The Shadow and the 
 Substance. Addresses on 
 the Passover. Small crown 
 8vo, 2s. cloth limp ; 2s. 6d. 
 cloth boards. Cheap edition, 
 i6mo. is- cloth. 
 
 Forgiveness, Life, and 
 Glory. Small crown 8vo, 
 2s. cloth limp ; 2s. 6d. cloth 
 boards. Cheap edition, i6mo, 
 is. cloth. 
 
 Things which God hath 
 Joined Together. Ad- 
 dresses on Isaiah xlv. 21-25. 
 Small crown Svo, is. limp. 
 
 Heavenly Arithmetic. 
 Small crown 8vo, 2s. 6d. cloth ; 
 2s. limp. 
 
 Position and Progress : 
 A New Series of Addresses. 
 Small crown 8vo, is. cloth limp. 
 
 James Nisbet & Co., 
 
 21, Berners Street, London, W. 
 
SINCERE REPENTANCE. 
 
 147 
 
 expected ; they have however diminished the term of im- 
 prisonment by one half. You will be amused to hear that 
 my little book ( Pourquoi ) has been spoken of as quite a 
 learned production; but I rejoice in this at least, that the 
 attention of a great many persons has thus been called 
 to the subject. All the judges and lawyers have had the 
 tract, and the priests, I doubt not, have done their bad 
 cause more harm than good. 
 
 “ Paris , March 2d . — There is some improvement in our 
 French congregation; it has nearly doubled, and seven 
 members have been added to our little church. One of 
 these is a very interesting young man. He was a Roman 
 Catholic, and many years ago attended a Wesleyan school 
 in Paris ; when twelve years of age he was apprenticed to 
 a tradesman, fell into bad company, and stole 800 francs 
 from his master. He was sentenced to several years' con- 
 finement. Instead of hardening him, as is generally the 
 case, by God’s grace punishment softened his heart. The 
 very day he left the prison he found his way to our chapel, 
 and asked me after service where his former schoolmaster 
 was. That is about eight months ago; he sought and 
 found work, and, what is better, a changed heart, and the 
 peace of God. He has not indeed been as yet admitted 
 to partake of the Lord's Supper, but he has become a 
 member of our Society, and has given, both by word and 
 deed, good proof that his repentance is sincere, the real 
 fruit of God’s Holy Spirit. Amongst other pleasing evi- 
 dences of this, I may tell you that he does not consider 
 that his punishment has atoned even before men for his 
 crime, and although he gains but thirty sous a day, he has 
 already brought us a hundred francs for his former master, 
 who is now rich and has retired from business. Such 
 
148 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 proofs are as practical as possible, and rejoice one’s heart. 
 He intends to pay him all. 
 
 “ Yesterday I had three soldiers at chapel, two of whom 
 were converted in the south. I believe there are few 
 French regiments where there are not one or two such 
 witnesses for Christ. I should not be surprised if that 
 dear young convert whom I mentioned in a former part 
 of this letter became at last something great as well as 
 good. He has a beautiful countenance, and perhaps we 
 may see fulfilled in him that saying, which has sometimes 
 no doubt been abused, ‘ The greater the sinner, the brighter 
 the saint.’ ... I find that in Paris I have not time to 
 attend to the children at all, so that we shall be obliged 
 to pay some one to teach them if we remain here ; in the 
 country I could teach them myself, as at Glatigny. Rachel 
 has already fallen off since our return. I am also terrified 
 at our expenses in Paris ; it is impossible for us to live on 
 our income here ; we should be obliged to have a coup d'ttat 
 before long. I have been taken with a strong desire to 
 labour in the villages near Caen — Beuville, P6riers, and 
 others. I see there a large field for usefulness, which I 
 think suited to my taste and turn of mind. It would 
 require a man who would live amicably with the National 
 Church. The chapels were built chiefly by the Methodists, 
 but legally, I believe, they belong to the National Church. 
 There cannot be less than a thousand Protestants in these 
 villages who are woefully neglected. The old pasteur visits 
 each village only once a month, and he lives at Caen. I 
 believe a good deal might also be done amongst the Roman 
 Catholics, who greatly outnumber the Protestants ; but I 
 fear the Society will not think it worth while to go to the 
 expense of sending a man like me. If I do succeed in 
 
LADY H. HOST. 
 
 149 
 
 getting there it will be with the intention of remaining 
 for good. 
 
 “ Now for the chief object of my letter. The other day 
 I called with Lady H. Host, of Hampton Court, on a poor 
 woman whose history would be too long to tell you. She 
 was a governess, and had a love-affair; being a natural 
 child she had been nearly forsaken by every one. She 
 came to Paris, and was conveyed one day by the landlord 
 (now dead) of the house she lived in to a lunatic asylum. 
 Whether she was insane at the time she was taken there 
 seems uncertain ; she says not, but that she was taken 
 there to be got rid of by a certain man. Just then her 
 father and mother died, and all she knows is that a 
 
 Mr. , a native of Ireland, sends over £30 a year to 
 
 the master of the Maison de Sant6. This Mr. came 
 
 to Paris two years ago on business, called on this poor 
 creature, and was so distressed at seeing her that he 
 begged Dr. Campbell, Mr. L.’s son-in-law, to attend to her, 
 saying he would do anything in his power to alleviate her 
 sufferings. Mr. L. has not himself had courage to call on 
 her ; it affects his nerves. She has been confined in this 
 house for eleven years, was dreadfully beaten for crying — 
 this is acknowledged by the doctor, — is wretchedly kept 
 altogether, utterly forsaken, and never sees a soul. In 
 conversation she told me much of her past history, and 
 says that it her mind is affected, as it is occasionally by 
 hallucinations, it is only since her arrival. She knows 
 what true religion is, and had a Bible under her pillow. 
 Lady Host is the only person who ever sees her, and 
 she has determined to take her back to England with 
 her, if she can obtain leave from the Pr6fet and the 
 British Ambassador, but fears that she will have diffi- 
 
i5o 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 culty in finding help to keep her. The case is a very 
 distressing one.” 
 
 In anticipation of a visit from his mother he writes : 
 “ Complete rest in Paris will do you good. By means of 
 two or three bars on the staircase we can keep the children 
 quite away from your room. Our house is a large one. 
 The worst of it is, I think of leaving Paris altogether in 
 three or four months, as I find the place disagrees both 
 with Mary and myself. We shall soon be able to talk 
 matters over with you. Oh what a blessing ! . . . Our 
 District Meeting ended yesterday. It was proposed by me, 
 and agreed to, that I might rest for a year if I could 
 not be placed in a circuit to suit me ; and as I was 
 chosen to be on the stationing committee, of course 
 I shall have considerable influence in placing myself 
 where I like, though perhaps it may only make the 
 matter more delicate and difficult. The formation of 
 the Comitt consultant pour la liberty religieuse has been 
 made quite public ; the newspapers have even published 
 our names, and the whole affair has found its way, with 
 some incorrect statements, into the Journal des Debats 
 and the Sihcle , but I do not anticipate any interference 
 on the part of the authorities, and if they should inter- 
 fere, I scarcely see what they can do until we have begun 
 to act. 
 
 “ September 28 . — Mary went with Piel, Marianne, and 
 Eover to Lisieux ; left them all there, and returned on 
 Saturday night. I preached my farewell sermon yesterday, 
 and we think of starting on Wednesday or Thursday, so 
 that you may expect us in England at the end of the 
 week. Last Friday I walked over from the Gatayes to 
 Chambourcy, where I had not been for twenty-three years ! 
 
SETTLEMENT A T BOULOGNE . 15 1 
 
 I went up amongst tlie ch&taigniers and found there a 
 new burial-ground, already full, — old Germain dead, and 
 his wife too, several years ago ; a grandson of his — not born 
 when we lived there — now a grown-up man. I saw the 
 very trees we used to climb, and the window of the study 
 where M. Gollet gave us our first lesson, and where I 
 flung the book in his face. I thought what discipline the 
 Providence of God had employed since then to change my 
 heart, and how He was even then, without my knowledge, 
 preparing me for that work which has filled the happiest 
 years of my life. ... It was a day I shall not soon forget 
 on account of the extraordinary and, I trust, salutary im- 
 pressions made on me by the scenes of my boyhood. I 
 was able to say but little to the people I saw ; it was a 
 day for receiving more than for giving. From Chambourcy 
 I walked to Poissy, and rode back through the forest ; it 
 did good to my body as well as to my soul.” 
 
 How long he remained in England does not exactly 
 appear ; but in July or August 1854 he writes to his wife 
 from Boulogne, whither he had gone at the suggestion of 
 his old friend Mr. Toase, then labouring there, but found 
 on inquiry the expenses of living so great that he feared 
 his wife might shrink from the experiment. “ Why then, 
 you will ask, do I think of remaining here % First, because 
 I think we may find a house within reach convenient and 
 quiet. Secondly, because Mr. Toase has promised me £10 
 towards my house-rent before next Christmas, and to have 
 one public collection made in his chapel every year towards 
 the support of the evangelistic work ; also, because if we 
 cannot find pupils, we may, I find, with some degree of 
 certainty, depend on being able to let a room or two 
 during the season. If it were possible for you to come 
 
152 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 and choose your own house I should prefer it ; and 
 to-morrow I will see if it can be done. Friday . — My 
 darling, I have taken a house for a year at 600 francs, 
 which will be 350 for us. 
 
 “ The English people seem most desirous to promote the 
 good cause amongst the French. I have sought God’s 
 direction ; and, judging from what I have seen and heard, 
 I believe I do right in staying here. Five thousand troops 
 of the line have come in to-day ; about eight o’clock 1600 
 poor soldiers came into town dripping wet from a thunder- 
 storm. Some from Verdun died of heat the other day on 
 their way here. The town is full of soldiers. Poor 
 fellows ! they look serious, though they sing through the 
 streets. Ten thousand sailed the other day; more are 
 going. What awaits them ] I pray for them ; probably 
 each one is loved by some one : how many anxious hearts ! 
 Sometimes I feel terribly cut up at leaving home; but 
 when I get amongst these dear French people I long once 
 more to preach to them the glad tidings. Besides, if we 
 live at Boulogne we shall be within reach of those whom 
 we love best, and there is certainly a wide field of labour 
 here, which I should wish tc* see fairly tried. I hope, my 
 precious Mary, that you are not anxious over-much ; the 
 fact is, there is very little cause for anxiety at present ; and 
 as for the future, let us hope for the best, as we have good 
 reason to do/’ 
 
 On the 1 9th September he announces to his mother the 
 arrival of his family at Boulogne. “ By God’s blessing we 
 arrived here safe and sound ; while crossing, we passed a 
 man-of-war laden with poor Russian prisoners, and towed 
 by two steamers.” After two days: “We are getting a 
 little more settled ; Mary is better, because she was forced 
 
AT BOULOGNE. 
 
 153 
 
 by God’s command to rest yesterday ; reasoning with her 
 was useless. All will be right in time ; and if I can but 
 be useful here I shall be happy. There are still cases of 
 cholera in the town, and we are forced to feel how entirely 
 dependent we are on God’s protection. . . . Fanny finds 
 the French people’s dress so ugly, especially the women’s 
 short petticoats, and no bonnets — shocking !” 
 
 “ October 3. — The weather has been glorious, and our 
 town very gay. The Emperor and Empress live near us. 
 I took the children to see 12,000 troops pass by at the end 
 of the street — and they also passed by. The lady is 
 certainly a most beautiful creature : as for the Emperor, he 
 has a dull and sullen look ; but it appears he is sometimes 
 animated ; he was so on Saturday at the Review, when he 
 announced to the army the news, which I fear still needs 
 confirmation, of the taking of Sebastopol. In the evening 
 the town was illuminated. On Sunday we joined with you 
 in the general thanksgiving for the abundant harvest.” 
 “October 22. — My mind always turns towards you, 
 particularly when I think of those things which are the 
 best of all. I am very happy here. To think that God 
 should have preserved us all in the midst of danger ; to 
 see our children looking better than I think I ever saw 
 them before ; to have Mary the joyful mother of another 
 daughter [Cornelia had been born on the 11th inst.] ; — 
 these are temporal mercies of so much value to me that 
 I feel they ought to become spiritual blessings to my 
 soul. I am trying to find a comfortable berth for poor 
 Rover, whom it costs us too much to keep. I have offered 
 him to the SocidtS Humaine here, that he may be trained to 
 save people who are drowning. In Paris they have got six 
 of these animals for this purpose, and I should like to think 
 
154 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 that our noble dog is thus employed. The Society here is 
 very active, and saved thirty-six people last year. I am 
 afraid they will not take him, and I know he would be 
 well taken care of. 
 
 “ Now with regard to my work. I was disappointed at 
 the camp ; the General received Captain Drummond and 
 me well, but he explained to us how it was impossible 
 for him to let me hold meetings amongst the soldiers : 
 all meetings are expressly forbidden, except such as 
 are authorised by the highest authority, and we must 
 apply to the Minister of War and the Minister of Public 
 Worship ! — that is, practically, there is an end of the 
 matter. Meanwhile, however, the colporteur has sold six 
 thousand New Testaments amongst them, and a vast num- 
 ber of tracts have been distributed. 
 
 “ My little French meeting, which I have held only 
 three times as yet, interests me, but it is a* very small 
 affair ; still, it has increased from five to ten and eleven. 
 I have been unable to ascertain whether the French 
 meeting was ever authorised, and therefore, if I get the 
 police after me, I shall run the risk of getting into trouble, 
 even into prison for a few days ; and if so, I should not 
 call it persecution. Why then not ask permission % First, 
 because it would to a certainty be refused. Secondly, 
 because the meeting being held in an English chapel — 
 which is beyond doubt authorised — would be a protection. 
 Thirdly, because it is a notorious fact that the French meet- 
 ings have been held there from time to time for years past. 
 Lastly, I had rather run the risk of getting into a little 
 trouble than throw away, to a certainty, all chance of 
 preaching to the French. As long as the meeting remains 
 so small, we shall not be interfered with. 
 
CALLED TO BAR-LE-DUC. 
 
 155 
 
 “ Another work connected with the same I have also 
 undertaken. Poor Samuel, who was taken up for dis- 
 tributing tracts in the camp, was afterwards employed as 
 a kind of Scripture-reader amongst the English, for which 
 he received fifty francs a month from Captain Drummond 
 and others. This man has left for America, and, as they 
 have not found any one to take his place, I have offered 
 to do the same work, on condition that the French might 
 have their share, of which they appear very glad, and I 
 am to do the work as I please and when I please. I do 
 not know what you will think of it, but my object is to 
 do all the good I can in connection with these good men, 
 and, whilst I shall be doing a little towards helping us out 
 of our present difficulties, I shall perhaps be opening the 
 way for something better in the future/ 7 
 
 In the postscript of a letter written to his mother on 
 the 1st of November, he says: — “ Now. 3 d . — Two days 
 sometimes bring forth great changes, for in the last two 
 days all our plans have been changed. A presentiment of 
 this had already passed through my mind a few days ago, 
 when I received a letter from M. Gallienne pressing me to 
 go to Bar-le-Duc; which is without a pastor, to succeed 
 poor Ogier. A visit from M. Lucas has pretty nearly 
 decided the matter. Bar-le-Duc is in great want of a 
 pastor, and there is nobody else to send. Is it not a call % 
 The people are longing for some one, and the brethren 
 naturally look to me, so that I scarcely dare refuse, lest 
 God's blessing should not rest upon me. There is, it is 
 true, much of personal enjoyment to give up, in so far as 
 the happiness of looking forward to a visit from you next 
 spring is concerned, and I fear that you may not be able 
 to go so far as Bar-le-Duc. But I find that I shall after all 
 
156 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 have to choose between two things, — either going on for 
 the present in my old course or changing it altogether. I 
 would willingly, if God by His providence opened the way, 
 go and live for the rest of my life in England, if I could 
 there exercise the ministry, in order to be near you ; but 
 if not, I must abide in my present calling, in which indeed 
 I have been greatly blessed.” 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 1855 - 1856 . 
 
 Bar-le-Duc— Is joined by his family there— Describes the place in a letter to his 
 brother William — Burial at St. Mihiel — Verdun — Mr. Newenham — Visits 
 Boinville — Where are the good Samaritans ? — The burials question solved— Love 
 of scenery— Dr. Liandon de Dangeau — The Calvary at St. Mihiel— An 
 interesting funeral. 
 
 In his next letter to his mother, which is undated, and 
 in which he tells he has decided to change his field of 
 labour, he writes : “ Let me set your mind at rest about 
 the work I shall have to do at Bar ; it is the easiest 
 station in all France. I have just returned from thence, 
 having spent four days there to see how matters really 
 stood. I find I have only two services on Sunday and one 
 in the week. Of course there is the general pastoral work 
 besides, which consists of baptisms, marriages, funerals, 
 etc., but in so small a flock there is little of this. Visiting 
 is the only work likely to take up much time. A singular 
 thing happened to me between Paris and Bar, which gave 
 me much pleasure : four English people, two gentlemen 
 and two ladies, travelled with me. At Meaux I pointed 
 out to them the cathedral, of which Bossuet was bishop. 
 This led to some religious conversation, in the course of 
 
158 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 which I found that they were good people, and one of the 
 gentlemen proved to be a member of the committee of the 
 Bible Society. He asked me many things about colpor- 
 tage, and the Bible in France; he inquired if I knew M. de 
 Pressens6, and if I happened to know M. de Boinville. To 
 the latter question I answered that I ought to know him, 
 for I was he, at which they seemed much pleased, and 
 said they had known you years ago at Odsey and Ash- 
 well. One of the gentlemen said his name was Shepherd, 
 and the other of the Bible committee wrote his name in 
 my passport as Joseph Beldon. After this interesting 
 little episode I got to Bar-le-Duc. The country was ugly 
 all the way till we entered Lorraine, and half an hour 
 later reached Bar, which is a very pretty town, situated 
 partly in a valley and partly on a hill surrounded with 
 vineyards, which of course are bare at this season. The 
 town is cheerful, and contains 18,000 inhabitants; there 
 are some beautiful walks around it, for, although the vine- 
 yards alone are not picturesque, the town itself is so, and 
 there are orchards and hills covered with wood, steep little 
 ravines, and public walks shaded by trees, two of which I 
 observed were very large. The people I found were very 
 pleasant, earnestly desirous to have me amongst them ; 
 attentive to my sermon. There were about 150 hearers, 
 all work-people or tradesmen, respectably dressed. There 
 are thirty-five children in the Sunday-school, who came 
 and shook hands with me. All the people seemed to be 
 most affectionately attached to the memory of M. Ogier, 
 whose grave I visited, and not without tears.” 
 
 Bar-le-Duc , 15 th December . — To his mother: “We ar- 
 rived here safely yesterday afternoon, after a most fatiguing 
 journey ; we are however so glad to have it over, that we 
 
BAR-LE-DUC, 
 
 159 
 
 are happy. I in particular feel quite joyful to be at my 
 post, and know not how to be sufficiently grateful. We 
 had a narrow and providential escape of running into a 
 luggage-train in the misty night. The engine-driver fortu- 
 nately was looking out, and was able to stop in time. 
 We found the luggage- train unable to get up a hill : we 
 helped it on, and all we lost was three-quarters of an hour. 
 I was quite glad Mary was not with us, though she had 
 been obliged to come on all alone from Boulogne.” 
 
 Bar-le-Duc , January 25, 1855. — To his brother William. 
 “ How wonderfully God has led us, — you to the immediate 
 neighbourhood of the old family estate, where the portraits 
 of our English forefathers still hang, and me to the neigh- 
 bourhood of the chateau of our French ancestors, — both of 
 us in the exercise of the blessed ministry of the gospel of 
 Christ ! Boinville is within about ten miles of Verdun, to 
 which place I shall occasionally be called, there being there 
 some few Protestants, one of them an English gentleman, 
 who pays the expenses of the journey. If we are favoured, 
 as I expect we shall be, with a colporteur, I intend to send 
 him to the village with Bibles. I feel my present field of 
 labour to be a most interesting one in every respect, and 
 especially so to me; if I can I shall remain here a long 
 time. We have at Bar about 300 Protestants, including 
 sixty children. Of about 100 constant hearers, one-half 
 seem to be uncommonly well-disposed people. There is a 
 pleasant religious feeling amongst them ; one-half are from 
 the very borders of Germany, and speak broken French 
 and German. The German blood, I suppose, gives the 
 congregation a serious tone of feeling, pleasant to behold, 
 and to their singing a musical tone, pleasant to hear. There 
 are about seven very pious converts from Popery. This 
 
i6o 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 place was taken up by the SocttU Evangdlique some twenty 
 years ago, and abandoned after twelve years ; after an inter- 
 val of two years it was adopted by us, and has prospered 
 ever since, especially since M. Ogier came. I have to 
 preach three times a week, twice on Sunday, when I also 
 attend the Sunday-school at one o’clock, and lead a 
 prayer-meeting at seven. On Monday evening I lead a 
 class ; on Thursday from two to four I have a catechumen 
 class consisting of the elder children of the Sunday-school. 
 One good feature amongst the people here is that they 
 seem very generally to love one another.” 
 
 “ March 28. — A fortnight ago I was called to bury a 
 man at Saint Mihiel on the Meuse, a town of 6000 in- 
 habitants. There is some extraordinarily beautiful sculp- 
 ture in the church there, and there are rocks which give a 
 picturesque appearance to the place. I knew nothing 
 about the poor man who died, except that he was a wheel- 
 wright, and was astonished to find quite a commotion in 
 the town. I was suddenly surrounded by the National 
 Guards, and had to walk between two rows of soldiers and 
 behind two drums to the cemetery. They fired over his 
 grave. I was, however, able to keep my ground amidst a 
 throng of at least a thousand people, who pressed around. 
 Some got upon the walls, and some into the trees. The 
 Lord stood by me, and I rejoiced to be able to preach to 
 so many who had never before heard a Protestant minister 
 deliver the message of salvation. Some women wept, and 
 one man said : c Cela vaut mieux que De profundis / Be- 
 side me stood a young man of the town who had been 
 driven away by his father when he was converted, and 
 became a member of the church at Bar, but his father was 
 now dead, and great numbers of people recognised him, 
 
VISITS BOINVIILE. 
 
 161 
 
 and stopped to speak with him. Thus it is that by dif- 
 ferent means God spreads the savour of His name in 
 places where He was not known before. May the seed 
 spring up !” 
 
 “ May 2, 1855. — Having long had a desire to visit Boin- 
 ville, the land of my forefathers, I took the coach to 
 Verdun, the chief town of the arrondissement. There is 
 here a citadel and fortifications, though it is not a Sebas- 
 topol! The population is about 12,000, and there is a 
 garrison of 2000 soldiers. Bar-le-Duc is somewhat larger, 
 and in my opinion more picturesque. At Verdun there 
 were about 1200 British prisoners during the late war, 
 one of whom, Mr. Newenham, an Irishman, still resides 
 there. He is a man of property, and a truly Christian 
 man. His history is in many respects remarkable, and 
 his sojourn at Verdun has been blessed in a wonderful 
 way. His wife and his daughter-in-law, both originally 
 Roman Catholics, have become Protestants, and he has 
 been the means of converting several other persons, among 
 them a Romish priest, who is now a Protestant pastor. I 
 slept at Mr. Newenham’s. 
 
 “May 3. — Next morning, having bought half-a-dozen 
 Testaments, I set out for Boinville. The road from Ver- 
 dun lies first across the valley of the Meuse, and then rises 
 over a ridge of hills, from whose summit you have a fine 
 view, extending for miles over the plains of the pays de 
 JVoeuvre to the Moselle, and in clear weather into Belgium 
 and the borders of Prussia. In the middle of the plain of 
 Woeuvre lies the village of Boinville, about three miles 
 south of Etain, a small town containing about 3000 souls. 
 The plain is the most fertile I have seen on this side of 
 France, being of a heavy clayey loam, producing great 
 
 L 
 
1 62 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 quantities of wheat. The little river Orne runs by Etain 
 and Boinville, and falls into the Moselle below Metz. The 
 meadows on its banks are the best pasturage I have yet 
 seen in the Meuse. The country is gently undulating, not 
 picturesque, but fine, rich, and smiling, and from Boinville 
 you have a distant view of the wooded hills that lie between 
 Verdun and St. Mihiel. The woods, which are chiefly oak, 
 give variety to the scene. 
 
 “The chateau, if it can be called such, looks on one 
 side over the meadow towards the distant hills, and, if the 
 grounds were planted and properly laid out, it would be 
 still a pretty place enough. At present it is in sad want 
 of repair. A gardener lives in the chateau, which resembles 
 a neglected farm-house, nor could one guess that it had 
 ever been a place of importance, except from some indica- 
 tions in the ground of the spot where the walls of the old 
 chateau stood. To me, however, the scene was very inter- 
 esting. To think that I was treading on the very ground 
 where my progenitors lived, and perhaps fought in so bad 
 a cause ; to think that I bore the same name and that the 
 same blood was running in my veins ; it seemed a dream, 
 yet it confirmed my faith in the electing grace and provi- 
 dence of God. The mayor of the village, whom I went to 
 see first, said, ‘ Your forefathers did not know the extent 
 of their domains/ ‘ Yes/ said I, ‘ they were like me, only 
 that I am far richer, for my inheritance is incorruptible, 
 and fadeth not away.’ The good man stared, but I ex- 
 plained myself, and endeavoured to persuade him, and 
 left him a Testament. He told me he had known very well 
 M. Chastel d’Oriocourt, my great-uncle, and that the wife 
 of the sous-pr6fet of Verdun was une demoiselle Chastel. I 
 found the church in a most dilapidated state ; it is a 
 
WHERE ARE THE GOOD SAMARITANS? 163 
 
 building altogether devoid of architectural beauty. The 
 priest does not live at Boinville, but at a neighbouring 
 village called Warcq. ... I found nearly all were poor, 
 and most of them had been born and bred in the village, 
 as were their fathers before them for generations past. 
 I conversed on religious subjects with several persons, 
 some of whom could not read, and all seemed to admit 
 the truth of the things I said; but what will they say 
 when the priest has been among them ? I left Boinville 
 at two P.M., and reached Bar at two o’clock next morning.” 
 
 “ Ascension Day. — In the afternoon I visited a poor Pro- 
 testant girl at the hospital. She had been brought by her 
 father in a wheelbarrow twelve miles across the country in 
 a dreadful state of health ; and he had been obliged to 
 walk 140 miles in order to do this, so little humanity 
 is there to be found among men ! Where are the good 
 Samaritans 2 ” 
 
 “ July 1. — Thirty-six years old ! I thought when I left 
 Lisieux that probably my best and happiest days might 
 be past ; yet these are every whit as good, and in some 
 respects better.” 
 
 u July 21. — Went to Joinville. Here stood, on a hill 
 above the town, the magnificent chateau of the Due de 
 Guise, who massacred the poor Protestants at Yassy, on 
 Sunday the 1st of March 1562. . . . Returning home, 
 travelled by train with three maiden ladies, all cousins, and 
 above fifty years of age, just starting, as they said, to see 
 the world ! One of them, a zealous Papist, lived with her 
 brother, a country priest. She told me she had never read 
 the Bible — not even the New Testament ! !” 
 
 “ Thursday , August 2. — At St. Dizier I preached to 
 a congregation of fifty, chiefly Romanists. Just after 
 
1 64 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 service a fearful thunderstorm burst over the town ; the 
 hailstones, or rather bits of ice, fell as big round as 
 shillings, and as heavy as a good-sized marble. The storm 
 increased during the night, the lightning flashing vividly, 
 and keeping up an almost constant light. At Bar I found 
 that it had fallen on three crosses in the cemetery, and 
 destroyed them. It fell also twice on the Pont de Fains. 
 Such a storm I do not recollect to have witnessed ; and on 
 the next night there occurred another fearful one. Torrents 
 of rain have done much damage ; trees and branches lie 
 shattered everywhere ; and I fear we shall shortly hear of 
 much loss of life. An earthquake has been felt in various 
 places in the Department.” 
 
 “ Paris , Sept 3. — I have come in for the last day of the 
 Evangelical Alliance meetings. It was a feast indeed to 
 partake of the Lord’s Supper at the Chapelle Taitbout on 
 Saturday evening. There were Krummacher and Tholuck, 
 Bergmann from Sweden, De Sanctis from Italy, and 
 brethren from all parts, most of whom spoke, and amongst 
 them Dr. Duff, who was quite extraordinary ; and J ohn 
 Bonar, who also preached an excellent sermon at our 
 chapel yesterday morning, on the excellency of the gospel, 
 from Galatians i. 9.” 
 
 “ September 22. — Was called to bury a child at Erige St. 
 Dizier. The father is a Romanist; the mother, dangerously 
 ill, a Protestant. The infant had been baptized by the 
 parish priest while I was at Conference in Paris : this had 
 been done through the father’s weakness, at the priest’s 
 request, and in spite of the mother’s entreaties. At the 
 appointed hour I attended, and proceeded with the corpse 
 to the burying-ground, where we were met by the priest, 
 who addressed me thus — 
 
THE BURIALS QUESTION. 165 
 
 “ ‘ You have no right to bury that child ; he is a 
 Catholic ! ’ 
 
 “ c His soul is gone to God, and, according to law, his 
 body belongs to no Church, but to the parents, who have 
 asked me to bury him. Here is the child’s father.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Monseigneur l’Eveque has given strict orders that 
 none but Catholics are to b'e buried in Catholic cemeteries, 
 therefore you cannot bury the child in that grave.’ 
 
 “ ‘ You say the child is a Catholic ; therefore, according 
 to your own showing, the child may be buried there.’ 
 
 “ c Then you shall not bury him.’ 
 
 “‘I appeal to the father: Is it your desire that I, or 
 M. le Cure, bury your child]’ 
 
 “ 4 1 will have you to bury the child,’ said he. 
 
 “ ‘ I forbid it, or you shall bury it there ’ — pointing to a 
 corner reserved for still-born infants and suicides. 
 
 “ 6 The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof,’ said 
 I ; ‘ nevertheless, I shall do no such thing ; allow me to 
 say, M. le Cure, that this matter concerns neither you nor 
 me, nor Monseigneur the Bishop, but the civil authorities : 
 I appeal to the Mayor ! ’ 
 
 “ Meantime the people were crowding into the cemetery. 
 After a few minutes the Mayor came. 
 
 “ ‘ You are no doubt aware, Mr. Mayor,’ I said, c that the 
 commune is obliged to give a burying-ground to Protes- 
 tants ! ’ 
 
 “ ‘ I am aware of that,’ said he. 
 
 “ ‘ Where, then, am I to bury this child ] M. le Cure 
 says there ’ — pointing to the coinmaudit. 
 
 “ 6 Is that the Protestant cemetery]’ Several voices 
 called out, ‘ No, no.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Give us a cemetery,’ said I, ‘ and I will bury the 
 child in it.’ 
 
1 66 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “ 4 Mr. Mayor/ said the priest, 4 he has no right to bury 
 the child at all, because I baptized it/ 
 
 “ 4 M. le Cure/ said I, 4 1 have already told you that it 
 depends entirely on the will of the parents, and I cannot 
 spend the whole day in discussing the matter here. Let 
 the father now give me a letter to the Prefect of the 
 Department, and I will ride back to Bar. We shall soon 
 see who has right on his side/ 
 
 44 No sooner had I mentioned the Prefect’s name than the 
 wind changed, and all went smoothly. The priest yielded, 
 and with him the Mayor, who was in a 4 fix/ A Protestant 
 cemetery was measured out, a grave was dug in presence of 
 priest and people. I then stepped forward and told the 
 people, the priest standing by, that I was sorry such a 
 scene had occurred in such a spot ; that I had intended to 
 avoid all allusion to any difference of religion, but that the 
 subject was now forced upon me by the contempt with 
 which we had been treated. We had however, I said, gained 
 a cemetery by the circumstance, and being now on our 
 own ground I would speak openly, and desired all who did 
 not wish to hear to remove. None moved. I then stated 
 what Protestants were, and why we were such ; and after 
 exhorting the people, who were most attentive, to repent 
 and believe the gospel, I concluded with prayer, not 
 forgetting to intercede for the Mayor and the cur6 ; and 
 after saluting the latter, I left them to their own reflections, 
 thanking God, who brings good out of evil/’ 
 
 October 6. — To his brother William : 44 One of the things I 
 most enjoy in this world is scenery. I enjoy it more and 
 more, and I find nothing else — except the Bible, when God 
 grants me a happy frame — so refreshing. I want more of 
 God ; and where does He manifest Himself so conspicuously 
 
LETTER TO HIS BROTHER WILLIAM. 
 
 167 
 
 to the Christian as in the spiritual hills (or delectable moun- 
 tains) and in the works of Nature ? Sometimes I feel as if 
 the latter produced more impression on me than the 
 former ; the impression is made on the senses, and is 
 therefore more exciting — one feels more conscious of it ; 
 but what comfort and what sanctifying influence would one 
 derive from nature, were it not for the Word and Spirit to 
 reveal Nature’s God to our mind and heart, and throw a ray 
 of eternal glory over this vale of shadow by the doctrine of 
 redeeming grace, bringing hope and immortality to life? 
 It seems to me, however, there is in Nature sufficient 
 evidence of God’s glory to make intelligent creatures inex- 
 cusable for not owning His eternal power and Godhead. 
 Addison says of the stars : 
 
 In Season’s ear tliey all rejoice, 
 
 And utter forth a glorious voice ; 
 
 For ever singing as they shine, 
 
 ‘ The hand that made us is divine.’ 
 
 “ I sometimes think I might go to England and enter the 
 Church, but some power, over which I have no control, keeps 
 me here, and I shall probably live in France till I am called 
 to a better land, for I cannot give up the work in which I 
 am engaged. It sometimes seems to me a small one, some- 
 times awfully great ; but at all events I am unworthy 
 of it, and I often wonder that I have been admitted to a 
 place in that band which is called from generation to 
 generation to proclaim the Saviour. I suppose we must 
 wonder till we die, and then wonder perhaps still more.” 
 
 “ October 23. — This day ten years ago Eachel was put 
 into my arms, and I found myself a father, little thinking 
 that, in ten days thereafter, I should be a widower. M. 
 
i68 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 Eostan baptized her, and returned her to me, saying, ‘ May 
 God give you grace to pray much for this child ! ' Blessed 
 be God, she has hitherto been only a source of joy and 
 comfort to me ! " 
 
 “ December 14. — Dr. Liandon de Dangeau, at St. 
 Mihiel, received me like a Christian into his house. He 
 is a most interesting descendant of Du Plessis de Mornay. 
 I visited with him Eichier’s chef-d'oeuvre , commonly called 
 The Calvary, and by others The Sepulchre. It is the finest 
 and most complete piece of sculpture I ever saw. There 
 are different groups, all cut out of the solid rock, represent- 
 ing, with admirable expression, the Saviours body just 
 taken down from the cross, Joseph of Arimathea, the 
 women preparing the spices, Mary's agony, and the soldiers 
 casting lots for the robe. These latter are said to be 
 likenesses of the sculptor's personal enemies. At all 
 events, they represent to the life every vilest human 
 passion. Eichier was a pupil of Michel Angelo, and is 
 said by some to have been a Huguenot." 
 
 “January 5, 1856. — Went to St. Mihiel to bury a good 
 woman, the wife of a Marechal de Logis of the 2d 
 Chasseurs. She had been an excellent mother, and had 
 brought up five sons, all of whom are serving in the same 
 regiment, two of them already officers, and all highly 
 respected. Her good husband being about to retire from 
 active service, the mother became broken-hearted at the 
 prospect of being separated from her five boys. A mother's 
 heart cannot always be reasoned with, and she said to her 
 husband, ‘ My hour is come ; I have brought up my 
 children ; I may say with my Saviour — I have finished 
 the work Thou gavest me to do, and now, Father, I go to 
 Thee.' A few days later she fell ill, and died praying, at 
 
INTERESTING FUNERAL . 
 
 169 
 
 the age of forty-seven years. Every officer in the regiment 
 attended her funeral, and about 400 soldiers, uninvited. 
 There were in all about 1200 persons in the cemetery, 
 to whom I preached the Word of Life, and I saw not a 
 few shedding tears. A young officer spoke to the public 
 very feelingly. The coffin was then lowered into the 
 grave, when, at the widower’s request, he and his five 
 sons each cast a spadeful of earth on it as a last fare- 
 well. Several of the officers then came forward and 
 embraced the mourning family, and we prayed and left the 
 cemetery.” 
 
 “ February 7. — Preached at St. Dizier to about sixty 
 people, chiefly Roman Catholics, from Proverbs xxx. 24-28, 
 and there met an old man, aged eighty-four, with whom I 
 had a most interesting conversation. I have only met with 
 one like him among Roman Catholics. He appears from 
 his words and conduct to have genuine faith in Christ. 
 He is old and feeble, and may very likely go down to 
 the grave a Papist, but he is an heir of life.” 
 
 “ March 9. — The last companies of the 2d Chasseurs 
 passed through Bar on their way to Le Mans, and amongst 
 them our young friend Edouard Roussel, taken by the 
 horrible conscription to be a soldier, though as fit for the 
 army as my daughter. It is a good thing that he is under 
 the protection of such a distinguished man as Dr. Liandon 
 de Dangeau, whose friendship I shall always remember as 
 one of the chief privileges I have enjoyed in Lorraine. 
 Descended on the mother’s side from Du Plessis Mornay, 
 he has not a few of the same traits in his character. He 
 is a man of fine and vigorous understanding, of unweary- 
 ing diligence, devotedness to his profession, unflinching 
 moral courage and stern integrity. He has a high sense 
 
170 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 of honour, coupled with deep Christian humility, and 
 appears equally fitted for this world and for the world to 
 come. It may be said of him, which can be said of few 
 French soldiers in this age, that he serves his Lord as 
 well as his country. He is besides a pattern of parental 
 affection and wisdom. In religion he is a man of sound 
 Protestant evangelical principle, without bigotry or in- 
 tolerance. In the closet he is studious, being fond of 
 literary pursuits, and has already distinguished himself 
 with his pen. In society he is open, free, and lively. 
 He was ever the first to call for me if any case of sickness 
 or affliction occurred in the regiment, and he appeared to 
 be equally beloved by his family and by his companions 
 in arms. Some of the pleasantest hours I have spent since 
 I have laboured here have been in company with this 
 excellent man.” 
 
CHAPTEE XIII. 
 
 1856-1858. 
 
 His ecclesiastical connection becomes uncomfortable, and he makes up his mind 
 to join the National Church — On the urgent solicitation of his flock decides to 
 remain at Bar-le-Duc, and is inducted in presence of a very varied congregation 
 — Christian liberality and gratitude — A good shepherd, and his dog — En- 
 counter with a wild boar— Homely hospitality — Invitation to Boinville — 
 Mixed marriage — Borely — A railway accident — Strasbourg — M. Chevre. 
 
 When Charles de Boinville had been earnestly desirous 
 in 1841 to enter on his sacred calling in the land of his 
 fathers, the one gate of entrance to the vineyard open to 
 him — and that was only as it were held or left ajar — was 
 in the keeping of the Wesleyan brethren, and in the para- 
 graphs which follow he gives a succinct narrative of his 
 connection with them, and of its dissolution, which came 
 about in a perfectly natural way, and, happily, without 
 breaking the pastoral tie to his attached flock at Bar-le- 
 Duc. On February 11th, 1856, he writes : — 
 
 “ Having entered on a new stage in my life, it will be 
 well to note how this change was brought about. I have 
 often thought that I was not perhaps sufficiently impressed 
 with the importance of purely ecclesiastical matters. When 
 I came to France and determined to labour here, one thing 
 only occupied my mind, viz., how I might preach Christ to 
 
172 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 the people. The Wesleyans first offering to employ me, I 
 thought my object attained, and I entered in amongst 
 them the more cheerfully and confidently, because I saw 
 their zeal, and also because I did not wish to spend more 
 money — having already spent much — nor more time in 
 classical studies which I thought might be more profit- 
 ably spent in acquiring an experimental knowledge of 
 pastoral duties, by the active life of a Methodist preacher. 
 Also, having no desire to ‘ naturalise,’ I was precluded from 
 entering into the National Church. Can I now say I 
 repent of what I then did ? I cannot ; though I do repent 
 of the spirit in which I did many things. But I will rather 
 thank God for the way in which He led me. I would not 
 now give up my eleven years of active ministry for an 
 equal number spent in academical studies, though at the 
 same time I would not judge any one who thought dif- 
 ferently from myself in this respect. Had I been educated 
 in France instead of in England, or had I received a public 
 instead of a private education, it is possible that I should 
 have taken another course. As it was, God blessed that 
 which I did take. I entered on the ministry amongst the 
 Wesleyans without caring much to sift and weigh the 
 peculiarities of their discipline. I saw nothing to prevent 
 my preaching Christ freely, and that was sufficient. It is 
 true that the congregations were generally small, and I 
 was struck and pained by a remark made to me on my 
 arrival at Yauvert : ‘We are glad to see you,’ said the 
 good people, ‘ but we will try not to love you too much, 
 because they always take away those we love.’ At that 
 time, however, good Mr. Toase was the General Superin- 
 tendent of the French Wesleyan District, and, in accord- 
 ance with the directions of the Missionary Committee in 
 
DENOMINATIONAL DIFFICULTIES . 
 
 173 
 
 London, he rather discouraged frequent itinerating from 
 circuit to circuit, though he counselled constant travelling 
 within the circuits. When I was sent to Lisieux he took 
 me by the hand and said, ‘ Now, my dear M. de Boinville, 
 we send you to Lisieux, and you will remain there as long 
 as you are blessed/ 
 
 “When Mr. Toase left, Dr. Cook tried to remove me 
 every year; I remained, however, six years, Mr. Toase 
 having remained eleven years in Paris. When the French 
 cause became independent of the British Conference, it also 
 became a question whether we should make a law to limit 
 the duration of each preacher s sojourn in the circuits. We 
 succeeded, however, in preventing any such law from 
 being passed. I, for one, pleaded that the missionary 
 committee had not carried out in France the English 
 usage, that many of the English thought this a great evil, 
 and that in the missionary work it was peculiarly detri- 
 mental to the prosperity of the cause. But it was evident 
 that several of the preachers seriously contemplated getting 
 the law passed. In the year 1854 I was a supernumerary, 
 and, being absent, I wrote to the brethren in our semi- 
 official Correspondance fraternelle , begging that if any law of 
 the kind were passed an exception should at all events be 
 made in favour of solitary or missionary stations, such as 
 Lisieux, Calais, Bar-le-Duc, etc., but a sweeping law was 
 passed comprehending all circuits without exception. At 
 the following Conference I asked for the abrogation of that 
 law, having previously resolved on sending in my resigna- 
 tion if I did not succeed in my object of getting the law at 
 least modified with regard to all our stations in Roman 
 Catholic districts. After a painful struggle, in which I 
 failed to obtain what I wanted, I resigned my office ; but 
 
174 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 Dr. Cook haying requested me to remain another year 
 amongst them, I consented, and I obtained a promise that 
 in the following year the law should be reconsidered. 
 
 “ Two months afterwards, however, in corresponding with 
 the brethren, it became apparent that I should have to 
 fight a pitched battle with several, and amongst others 
 with Dr. Cook, concerning whose letters to and about 
 me I will say nothing, for I believe him to be an excellent 
 man, though too warm on the subject of itinerancy. He 
 being my father in the Wesleyan ministry, and having 
 written that he would rather see me retire from the work 
 than that the law should be changed, I wrote to him in 
 January last to say that I did now finally send in my 
 resignation, being thoroughly convinced that these regular 
 and constant removals were hurtful to the work and to the 
 ministry, and apprising him that it was my intention to 
 connect myself with the National Church. What it cost 
 me to sever myself thus far from my old and beloved 
 colleagues, and what faith it required to cast myself afresh 
 with five children on the providence of God, may I long 
 remember, that I may praise God for His sustaining mercy. 
 
 “ Considering that the law they have made cannot be 
 greatly modified, and that the usage will after all remain, I 
 praise the Lord for having given me the courage necessary to 
 break through all barriers and get free. My heart’s desire 
 and prayer to God is, that His blessing may ever rest on 
 the Zion of Methodism, and that, with Providence for my 
 guide, I may yet be enabled with more freedom to do my 
 heavenly Master’s work in bringing souls to Himself ; and 
 how can I doubt that Providence ? I wrote only to two 
 of my friends of the flglise Rtformde, and immediately three 
 places were offered me, one of which, Fresnoi-le-grand, I 
 
LETTER FROM HIS FLOCK, 
 
 175 
 
 shall probably accept : I might also, if I chose, remain at 
 Bar-le-Duc, for Government has created a pastor's post 
 here, but as the Wesley ans will not withdraw their agent, 
 prudence and delicacy forbid my doing so, lest an un- 
 edifying conflict should ensue in presence of the Boman 
 Catholics.” 
 
 Before the close of the next month the path of duty was 
 made quite clear, by unanimous action on the part of the 
 congregation to whom he had become deservedly so dear. 
 He writes : — 
 
 “ All doubt, however, was removed from my mind on 
 the last Sunday in March by the step which was taken by 
 the whole church in a solemn assembly. M. Larcher had 
 preached in the afternoon, so that the congregation was a 
 very full one. The men all gathered together after the 
 service, and drew up and signed the following appeal, 
 which they presented to me in the afternoon : — 
 
 “ ‘ Monsieur et cher Pasteur, — Nous venous vous ex- 
 primer le vif desir que nous eprouvons de vous voir accepter 
 la place de pasteur a Bar, qui vous est offert par le Con- 
 sistoire de Nancy. Yous savez Y affection que nous avons 
 pour vous et le prix que nous attachons a votre ministere. 
 Depuis que le Seigneur vous a envoy6 parmi nous, vous 
 avez ete pour l’figlise de Bar une benediction ; vos travaux 
 ont re 5 u du Seigneur la sanction que sa fideiite accorde 
 toujours a ceux qu’il a choisis pour conduire son peuple, et 
 il nous est impossible de vous voir partir sans un profond 
 douleur. 
 
 “ ‘ Nous avons acquis la conviction que dans les circon- 
 stances graves et difficiles dans lesquelles la Providence 
 nous a places, vous etes l’homme necessaire et indispensable 
 pour maintenir bunion dans l’Pglise et la conduire paisible- 
 
176 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 ment dans la connaissance et 1’ amour du Seigneur. Nous 
 esp^rons que vous prendrez en consideration ce voeu 
 unanime de vos paroissiens, et nous demandons a Dieu de 
 vous mettre au coeur ce qu’il a arrete pour sa gloire et 
 notre plus grand bien.’ 
 
 “ This was signed by all the men present, the heads of 
 all the families, and certainly the most pious members of 
 the flock. On the following day I wrote to Dr. Cook : 
 ‘ I have been invited and pressed by the whole church at 
 Bar to accept the post which has been offered to me. 
 Individually they had all begged me to remain, and some 
 had warned me not to oppose myself to the will of God, 
 as evidently shown by His providence ; but yesterday the 
 men who were at chapel, comprising the Methodist friends 
 and the heads of all the families, made a united and 
 solemn appeal to me, and having heard that I was this 
 week to be appointed to the post of Fresnoi-le-grand, they 
 one and all besought me, in the name of their best interests, 
 not to forsake them, but to accept the place that has been 
 created by Government. When the providence of God, 
 who knows and directs all things, and the unanimous call 
 of the church, which feels its own wants, and over which 
 the Holy Ghost has made me overseer, seemed to require 
 me to remain, I dare not refuse, let the consequences to 
 myself be what they may, for who am I that I should 
 resist God ? I can indeed, though with some difficulty, 
 understand that, holding particular views, and not seeing 
 and feeling the position and wants of this congregation, 
 you may see things in a different light, but no theory on 
 earth, no human system, considerations, or motives what- 
 ever, must be allowed to interfere with the first and 
 incontestable duties of a Christian pastor towards his 
 
LORRAINE AND ALSACE . 
 
 177 
 
 flock. I must and shall, if the committee of the Soctttd 
 Chrttienne da Nord hold me free, remain here, and do what 
 in me lies to keep the church together among the peasants 
 of Lorraine and Alsace. I can only thank God that I was 
 thus preserved from leaving this dear flock in the hour of 
 danger. 
 
 “ My induction took place in presence of a crowded 
 congregation. My good friend M. Henriot, several of the 
 Professors from the College, and many other Roman 
 Catholics, came to the service. This day will never be 
 forgotten by me ! ” 
 
 “ January 29. — Walked over to Vavincourt with the 
 colporteur to baptize Marie Christine Lahm. Spent a 
 pleasant, and I trust profitable, time amongst a little flock 
 of shepherds , who gave me some interesting accounts of 
 their encounters with wolves and wild boars/’ 
 
 The following pages contributed by M. de Boinville to 
 the Sunday at Home , entitled “ Among the Peasants of 
 Lorraine and Alsace,” were probably suggested by the visit 
 thus alluded to : — 
 
 “ Very clearly defined is the line of demarcation which 
 separates the French-speaking villages in Eastern Lorraine, 
 bordering on Alsace, from those where German, or rather 
 a dialect of the German language, is spoken. The lan- 
 guage, habits, manners, and costumes are as distinct as if 
 the inhabitants were separated by hundreds of miles. 
 Until the late Franco-German war, French was universally 
 taught in the day-schools, was understood by all, and was 
 pretty correctly spoken by the younger portion of the 
 German-speaking population. But, though the utmost 
 good feeling prevailed between the neighbouring villages, 
 the customs were essentially different. Very rough and 
 
 M 
 
178 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B 01 NVILLE. 
 
 rustic are many of the habitations and ways of the 
 peasantry in the German-speaking districts. Yet amongst 
 these country people many a rough diamond has yielded 
 to the polishing influence of Christian piety. 
 
 “ Through one of the retired villages, close by a large 
 beech and pine forest, which extends for miles across the 
 undulating country, and down the steep sides of the Vosges 
 mountains, there passed some thirty years ago a French 
 evangelist. He stopped at a friend’s house, spent a week 
 or a fortnight in the neighbourhood, and returned from 
 time to time to speak of Christ to the people, partly 
 Protestants, partly Roman Catholics, who all at that time 
 lay in profound darkness. It pleased God to bless his 
 words. Several souls were brought out of darkness into light. 
 
 “ Amongst these was a woman of a poor but respectable 
 shepherd’s family. From father to son for generations 
 these people had been shepherds. The wife, the mother 
 of several children, was the first ‘ whose heart the Lord 
 opened,’ like Lydia’s, c that she attended unto the things 
 which were spoken.’ And she too, like Lydia, at once 
 showed her desire to help on the work of the Lord by 
 helping His servant. 
 
 “ Here is an instance of the spirit that was in her. One 
 day as the evangelist was crossing a bridge over the clear 
 rippling brook which ran at the foot of the hill, about a mile 
 from the village, early in the morning, cold and frosty, he 
 heard the wooden bat of a washerwoman beating the 
 linen, as is the fashion in that country, with earnest strokes, 
 as if she would keep herself warm as she stood knee-deep 
 in the crystal stream. Turning his head in the direction 
 whence the sound proceeded, our evangelist recognised the 
 shepherd’s wife. 
 
CHRISTIAN GRATITUDE. 
 
 179 
 
 “ 4 What \* he exclaimed ; 4 is it yon, already hard at 
 work this morning V. 
 
 44 4 Yes/ she replied ; 4 1 want to get all my washing done 
 before breakfast, for the clothes to have the benefit of the 
 sun during the da} r / 
 
 44 This reminded the evangelist that this good woman had 
 been acting as his washerwoman for many months, during 
 all which time she had never chosen to settle accounts 
 with him, nor had he been able to induce her to accept 
 anything by way of remuneration. She would always say, 
 ‘Under God I owe to you the knowledge of a Saviour/ 
 or she would ask, ‘Does not the Lord say, “Freely ye 
 have received, freely give ” P or, 4 1 can do but little to 
 show my gratitude. I feel it a pleasure and an honour to 
 help God’s servant.’ 
 
 “But on the present occasion the evangelist waxed warm ; 
 and when he entered the shepherd’s house, after earnest 
 expostulations, he almost angrily threw on the table what 
 he thought a sufficient compensation. The good woman’s 
 colour rose to her cheeks. 4 Oh ! ’ she exclaimed, 4 1 
 would not wound you for the world. You look on this as 
 mine. Well, as you will give it me, you will let me do as 
 I like with it/ She took the money in her hand, walked 
 across her kitchen, and cast the whole into a missionary- 
 box which was placed on a shelf. 
 
 44 It was my privilege to visit that household unexpectedly 
 some years afterwards. The parents were not at home at 
 the moment of my arrival. One of the daughters was pre- 
 paring the evening repast for the family. She was attired 
 in the ndgligd costume of that district, with a green bodice, 
 indicative of the religious persuasion of the family — the 
 Protestants wearing green, and the Roman Catholics 
 
i8o 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 red. She told me in good French (better, probably, than 
 her German) that her father was with his flock in the 
 fields. ‘ He is not far off, but he will not return yet, I am 
 afraid/ she said, ‘for at least a couple of hours. He 
 always comes in late, for the sheep give him a great deal 
 of work.’ 
 
 “ I sallied forth in quest of him. Not finding him at 
 once, I inquired of a farmer whom I saw at plough where- 
 abouts I could find him. I might surely have thought 
 myself amongst the colonists in the backwoods of America ; 
 for, instead of replying at once, he said to me, inquisitively, 
 ‘ Who are you ? and where do you come from ] 7 
 
 “ ‘ Why, my dear sir/ I replied, somewhat facetiously, 
 ‘ I am only a shepherd myself, looking for a shepherd. 7 
 
 ‘“That is it!' said he. ‘Say rather you are a liar, or 
 a thief, or both! 7 he growled out at me. ‘You are like 
 many more of late who have come to these parts. Since 
 he has had those bronze and silver medals from the Agri- 
 cultural Society, he has been known all round the country 
 for a good shepherd that he is. Everybody wants to steal 
 him from us. But he has been with us more than a 
 quarter of a century, and he is the best shepherd in all the 
 country round, and the most honest man in the place. I 
 won't let him go, if I can help it, although he is a 
 Protestant, and our priest does not like him; and I must 
 own he has grown uncommonly devout since his wife has 
 converted him. 7 
 
 “ My loquacious accuser was soon informed of what he 
 had partly guessed, that I was only a Protestant pastor, 
 and had no wish to steal either shepherd or sheep. 
 
 “ I soon came upon the man I sought. He was standing, 
 clad in a long cloak, with his crook in one hand and a 
 
A SHEPHERD AND HIS DOG . 
 
 1 8 1 
 
 book of poems in tlie other. Now and then he lifted up 
 his head to look after his sheep. His faithful dog walked 
 slowly by his side, apparently ready to obey any order. 
 In conversation I soon discovered how just was the farmer’s 
 appreciation of the good shepherd’s character. Presently 
 I noticed a wound on the dog’s side. 
 
 “‘Yes, indeed,’ said the shepherd; ‘we had a terrible 
 affray only the other day. My faithful companion and I 
 had a battle with a wild boar that came out of yonder 
 wood. I heard the dog bark, and soon saw him in close 
 combat with what I took at first to be a large black pig. 
 The boar turned furiously on my poor dog. I rushed off 
 to his rescue. The boar did not appear to hear my 
 approach. Coming behind, with this stout crook I ad- 
 ministered such a tremendous blow on his hind-legs that I 
 broke one. The infuriated animal turned round; and, 
 maimed as he was, began a violent attack on me. Had he 
 not been so severely wounded from the first, I should pro- 
 bably have been killed by him. I defended myself by 
 striking at his head. Then my dog bit hard at the beast’s 
 heels. The animal again turned round, and it became a 
 real struggle for life or death for at least twenty minutes. 
 The boar gave us no breathing-time. At last, as we were 
 two to one, and that one a wounded enemy, he fell ex- 
 hausted by sheer fatigue, and was soon despatched. I 
 called for help, and we dragged him triumphantly into the 
 village. And,’ he added, after a few seconds, ‘ I thanked 
 God for the deliverance.’ 
 
 “ ‘ But,’ I asked, ‘ what became of your sheep all the 
 while V 
 
 “ ‘ Oh, the sheep looked on in wild amazement, poor 
 innocent creatures!’ 
 
182 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “ ‘ Are there many of these wild boars in this neighbour- 
 hood'?’ I asked. 
 
 “ ‘ Plenty of them. Too many for our comfort. They 
 do not hurt people unless they are attacked, but they do 
 harm to the vineyards and gardens in the immediate 
 vicinity of the woods. It reminds me of the Psalmist’s 
 complaint to the great “ Shepherd of Israel:” “The boar 
 out of the wood doth waste it’” (Psalm lxxx. 13). 
 
 “ Conversing thus, we gradually drew nigh to the village, 
 and I re-entered the shepherd’s dwelling, where I found 
 the family, now neatly attired to receive the stranger ; 
 and I was requested to partake of a humble meal. They 
 would not let me sup with them, or like them, they said, 
 for I should not like their fare. The gentle daughter took 
 down the coffee-mill from the cupboard, and began to 
 grind the coffee. Milk fresh from the cow was boiled 
 upon the blazing fire. The shepherd now begged me to 
 ask a blessing on their evening repast. I did so, and ex- 
 pressed a desire to join them at their table. ‘ Oh, you 
 may try if you like,’ they replied, with a smile. 
 
 “ Two large dishes were placed on the table, with salt and 
 bread. One dish or large pan contained potatoes boiled 
 in their skins ; the other, sour milk or curds. I did as 
 they did : peeled a potato. Then each one dipped his 
 spoon in the dish of sour milk, and conveyed it to his 
 mouth. But after one mouthful, for courtesy’s sake, I 
 thankfully turned to the sweet aroma of a delicious cup of 
 coffee, with brown bread and fresh butter. 
 
 “ The conversation was cheerful, and yet serious withal. 
 Care, order, and cleanliness were apparent all over the 
 rough floor, walls, and furniture. That humble dwelling 
 seemed to me, as indeed I knew it was, a pattern and a 
 
7 HE VOICE OF NA TURE. 
 
 183 
 
 model of a Christian home for all the neighbourhood, and 
 to the numerous family of children the cradle of piety, 
 industry, love, and virtue. When, on taking leave, I re- 
 marked how happy and united they seemed to be, the good 
 woman replied, 4 We owe it all to Christ and the blessed 
 Book, and to those who brought it here. ,,, 
 
 “ February 6. — The country is now beautiful, and never 
 more than at present did I enjoy walking on the hills and 
 in the valleys. This neighbourhood has many beauties, 
 and now that I am accustomed to the vines, I cannot but 
 admire how Providence has taught man to clothe with 
 such riches the sides of these hills, which would otherwise 
 have been but very meagre sheep-walks, whilst the fertile 
 valleys and the magnificent forests add endless variety to 
 the scene. In summer you may chat with the vine- 
 dressers on the sides of the hills, and within ten minutes 
 find yourself either on some wild common, or in the shady 
 forest, where human footsteps seem hardly ever to pene- 
 trate, but where everything is teeming with life, and where 
 the nightingale and the wood-pigeon, and the woodpecker 
 tapping the hollow beech-tree, recall to one’s mind the 
 pleasantest associations. At this season the valley has a 
 dark shade, while the tops of the hills are still covered 
 with snow, that glitters in the sun, and crackles under 
 your feet as you walk along, until you plunge into the 
 dark woods, where the atmosphere is comparatively warm, 
 and the ivy and green moss relieve the eye, reminding you 
 of more genial seasons. At this time, too, the woods are 
 more open than in summer, you get glimpses down into 
 the valleys, and at noon the distant village-bells call the 
 labourer to return to his home, and the toiling woodman 
 
1 84 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 to sit down by his forest fire and eat his humble mid-day 
 meal. Then winding down some small ravine, by the side 
 of one of those sparkling brooks which God sends into 
 the valleys, and which run among the hills, you return to 
 your own ‘ sweet home ’ among the haunts of men, echoing 
 at heart the Psalmist’s words, ‘ 0 Lord, how manifold are 
 thy works ! in wisdom hast thou made them all !’” 
 
 “ May 7. — Gained a prize of a bronze medal and 
 thirty francs at the Concours Agricole , for our Dorking 
 poultry, — fifteen francs for new chapel, and fifteen for the 
 poor. Something better! our good friend the shepherd 
 at Vavincourt got a reward for having been a faithful and 
 intelligent shepherd in the same parish for sixteen years. 
 This is for the good of our cause, and to the honour of 
 religion.” 
 
 “ July 6. — Legrand, the colporteur, returned from the 
 country pretty well satisfied with the result of his efforts. 
 He has sold another Bible at Boinville, and while there 
 he met a woman who told him that for several generations 
 her family had served our uncles and grandfathers, and 
 begged that if I returned I would go to see her, with the 
 children. She took him up to a large and well-furnished 
 room, and said that if I would go and spend a fortnight 
 there with my family she would charge nothing for it, and 
 that it would give her great pleasure. I thought this 
 rather a rare and touching instance of gratitude and 
 generosity — too rare in these days!' 
 
 “ August 4. — Married a couple at Dammarie; felt both 
 sorrow and pleasure — sorrow at seeing a Protestant take a 
 Roman Catholic for his wife, and pleasure at seeing so 
 many Roman Catholics bathed in tears at our simple cere- 
 mony, and a few words of exhortation. God grant they 
 
BORELY. 
 
 i85 
 
 may never forget them ! There was something very pleas- 
 ing in the fete that was given ; to see the rich and the 
 poor mingling together, and to witness the affection mani- 
 fested by the labouring people for the bride, who is indeed 
 a very interesting person. We sat down about thirty to 
 dinner, under a tent in the park, and about two hundred 
 work-people in an adjoining building. Food was dis- 
 tributed to about seven hundred persons, many of whom 
 walked in the grounds. A musical band, composed of 
 peasants, played very well, cannons were fired, and at 
 night there was a display of fireworks.” 
 
 66 September 6. — Three interesting soldiers now attend 
 our service very regularly. One is a Roman Catholic, who 
 appears to be earnestly seeking the Lord. The second is 
 a Protestant drummer from the south of France, and the 
 third is a man named Borely, from Nimes. Borely’s 
 fathers house was plundered by the royal troops in 1815, 
 for no offence except that he was a Protestant, and there- 
 fore presumably a Bonapartist. He himself escaped with his 
 life by making a hole in the roof. The mother had two 
 pistols presented at her, and was ordered to deliver up all 
 her treasures. This event plunged the poor man, with 
 seven children, into deep poverty and ill-health, from 
 which he never recovered. After giving me these details, 
 Borely added, ‘ I know it is my duty to forgive all injuries, 
 but people must not be surprised if the Protestants of 
 Nimes, with these atrocities still living in their memories, 
 should find it difficult to draw the line between the per- 
 petrators of them and their religion, and know how to 
 hate the one and love the other/” 
 
 “September 19. — The Moniteur de la Meurthe of August 
 24th has the following : — ‘ On se rappelle le malheur qui 
 
1 86 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 arriva il-y-a quelque temps sur la ligne du chemin de fer 
 de l’Est,et les condamnations prononc6es contre quelques uns 
 des agens de la Compagnie. Parmi les voyageurs se trou- 
 vait un Anglais [Dr. William Smith] homme de m6rite et 
 savant linguiste ; il avait avec lui sa femme et ses deux 
 filles. Lorsqu’on releva les victimes, Madame avait les 
 deux jambes bris6es. En reprenant ses sens, elle dit 
 simplement, “ Je suis bien heureuse ! quand l’accident est 
 arriv6 ma fille Marie allait prendre ma place.” Cette 
 parole vaut tous les mots touchants et sublimes que l’amour 
 maternel a dict6s, et que garde l’histoire.’ Mrs. Smith 
 said the same with tears of gratitude in her eyes, the first 
 time I saw her, and I rejoice to see such feelings appre- 
 ciated; but what the paper does not say, and what the 
 writer did not know, is that that mother had a Christian 
 heart, and was upheld and moved by faith. Her husband 
 also showed the power of Christian principle, for he might 
 have obtained a large sum of money from the Company ; 
 but he only asked that his expenses might be paid . The 
 Company, let it be said to their honour, treated' the family 
 as they deserved, with the greatest respect and kindness. 
 By God’s mercy Mrs. Smith is going on well, and is ex- 
 pected to walk soon. We saw much of this excellent 
 family.” 
 
 “ November 9. — Went to Strasbourg to pass my examina- 
 tion, but had to remain a week before I went up. Fred. 
 Monnier came on the 13th pour soutenir sa thlse. He 
 attacked the doctrine of the substitution of Christ, of His 
 vicarious sufferings and sacrifice, and tried to explain away 
 the atonement. The learned Professor Reuss. remarked that 
 it was a serious thing to attack a doctrine which has been 
 considered hitherto as fundamental; yet he commended 
 
NICOLAS FERRY AND NICOLAS BLAISE. . 187 
 
 him for his courage. The Professor, however, though he 
 did not himself admit the doctrine of substitution, stated 
 that he thought it might be found in the writings of St. 
 John and St. Peter, and in the Epistle to the Hebrews ; 
 but he remarked that the apostles might be justly con- 
 sidered as writing under the influence of their old Jewish 
 prejudices. The discussion was deeply interesting. I felt 
 pained at witnessing this sort of courage and independence. 
 The old bulwarks, however, will stand firm against this 
 small shot ; and surely Peter and J ohn may be considered 
 as enlightened divines as Professor Reuss, however learned 
 and clever he may be. 
 
 “ Among the chief blessings I received at Strasbourg, I 
 reckon that of becoming acquainted with several excellent 
 Christians — French, Germans, and converted Jews, . . . 
 and notwithstanding the unsatisfactory state of the theology 
 of the faculty several of the students are young men with 
 whom I was glad to become acquainted.” 
 
 “ January 30, 1858.— M. Chevre is one of the happiest 
 men I ever saw. . . . The story of his maternal grandfather 
 is worth relating. His name was Nicolas Ferry, and he was 
 born the same year and in the same village as his friend 
 Nicolas Blaise. Both learned at the same school, and 
 celebrated their fete of St. Nicolas together through their 
 whole lives. They were inseparable friends ; and as they 
 lived to a very advanced age, and felt their growing 
 infirmities, they used to say, ‘ I wonder which of us will go 
 first.’ They agreed that the one that first left this world 
 should come and tell the other what the next world was 
 like ; but both were spared the trouble either of returning 
 to this world or of seeing the other depart, for both died 
 on the same day, and that day happened to be the Feast of 
 
1 88 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 St. Nicolas ! The one was ninety-nine years and seven 
 months old, and the other ninety-nine years and five 
 months. f Who knows/ said old Chevre, £ but I may live 
 to be as old. God will do as He sees fit.’ 
 
 “ M. Chevre’s mind was first awakened by reading an 
 old Romish translation of the Bible whilst he was porter at 
 the College . He said to himself, ‘ The priests say this is 
 the Word of God : if it is, then they do not teach the truth.’ 
 Some years afterwards he spoke openly to several persons 
 on the subject. A man who was present said to him, 
 ‘ Why, you are a Protestant.’ ‘ God forbid,’ said he, ‘ I am 
 a Christian.’ The man replied, ‘ Come with me, and I will 
 show you that you are a Christian and a Protestant too.’ 
 M. Chevre became anxious to have a Bible. No colporteurs 
 had yet arrived at Bar-le-Duc, but it was easy to procure 
 one for him from Paris. Some time afterwards it happened 
 that a good man, knowing that he had a Bible and read it, 
 advised him to go and hear the Protestant preacher, M. 
 Farjat. He did so, and found out that he was indeed a 
 Protestant. About the time when he forsook Popery, 
 Chevre lost by a murrain two good milch cows. The 
 calamity was at once attributed by the neighbours to his 
 having become a Protestant. His reply was, ‘ Why, then, 
 have those good Catholics at Naives lost so many V A 
 short time afterwards his neighbour there had both legs 
 broken, and to Chevre’s great surprise sent for him to 
 assist in setting and dressing the broken limbs. He would 
 allow no one else to attend to him, saying, c I wish you to 
 remain with me, if you will ; you are my best neighbour ; 
 and I feel now by my two broken legs that we serve the 
 same Master who took your two cows.’ Since then 
 Chevre has been so consistent that he has been thought 
 
M. GANGLOFF. 
 
 189 
 
 worthy to be named the first delegate to the Consistory of 
 Nancy, which I take to be an honour both for him and for 
 the Church which named him.” 
 
 “ M. Gangloff, the treasurer of our Conseil Presbyt^ral, 
 was one of the most consistent Christians I ever knew. 
 When the Church had to elect its Conseil Presbyt6ral, M. 
 Gangloff got every vote but one, and that was his own.” 
 
CHAPTER XIY. 
 
 John Eisenmann — Born at Odeltshofen — Escapes the conscription — Is robbed by 
 Cossack soldiers — Settles as a weaver at Bar-le-Duc — Marries a Roman 
 Catholic— Falls ill— His curious dream and its effects— Obtains authorisation 
 for Protestant worship at Bar — Will not be discouraged— His patience in 
 hospital, and regard for the Sabbath — Obtains the service of a colporteur — 
 Visit of the parish priest — M. Farjat the first resident Protestant pastor at Bar 
 — Foundation-stone of church laid, 23d of May 1861 — Opened May 25th, 1862 — 
 Eisenmann died January 21, 1863. 
 
 “ Old Eisenmann, the weaver of Bar-le-Duc, 1 surnamed 
 the Patriarch, was the oldest member of our church, and 
 may be considered to have been its founder. 
 
 “ John Eisenmann was born at Odeltshofen, near Kehl, 
 on the German side of the Rhine, and within sight of the 
 elegant spire of Strasbourg Cathedral, the loftiest in the 
 world, on the 21st of March 1788. His parents were Pro- 
 testants, honest, hard-working people ; and his father, who 
 was a wheelwright, brought his son John up to the same 
 trade. 
 
 “ Of his early life little can now be ascertained. John 
 always spoke with respect of his parents, who had him 
 taught to read at school, and gave him good advice, which, 
 unfortunately, the boy was not always careful to follow. 
 He was, however, fond of work, and was a real help to his 
 1 From the Sunday at Homey August 1863. 
 
JOHN EISENMANN. 
 
 191 
 
 family, when, on reaching twenty- one years of age, he 
 was called to draw for the conscription. In continental 
 countries this is always an anxious time both for parents 
 and children. The young men each draw a number, and 
 the lowest numbers fall a sacrifice to the inexorable law 
 which forces them, except in certain rare cases of exemp- 
 tion, to bear arms in defence of their country. This 
 system may be advantageous in countries liable to easy 
 invasion, where it is thought necessary to keep up large 
 standing armies ; but at all times, and especially in times 
 of war, every tender parent's heart throbs when the lot is 
 cast. How many a mother, how many a sister, sheds bitter 
 tears, when the hardy young man, the joy and pride of the 
 house and family, may be forced from his home into the 
 ranks, to be exposed to hard treatment, and thrust into 
 the din and danger of war. 
 
 “ When John Eisenmann drew No. 2, it was at first a 
 cause of great joy, for Odeltshofen, being a mere hamlet, 
 had, under ordinary circumstances, to furnish only one 
 young man every year for the army, so that the young man 
 who drew No. 1 being sound in mind and limb, John was 
 free. Shortly afterwards it became noised abroad that the 
 want of men was so great in those days, when Bonaparte’s 
 enterprises called forth all the warlike energies of the 
 nations, that many more soldiers were to be placed under 
 arms, and John, fearing lest the report should prove true, 
 and having no mind to be a soldier, contrary to his father’s 
 advice, just crossed the Rhine into Alsace, and found him- 
 self in France. Although he could not be treated as a 
 deserter, by this imprudent step he exposed himself to 
 severe punishment in his own country. He now often 
 turned a lingering look of despondency across the noble 
 
192 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 river which separated him from his family. He could see 
 the land of his birth, the village where his parents' aching 
 hearts yearned over their absent son ; but he dared not 
 venture even for one hour across the rolling waters which 
 were to cut him off for years, and, as the event proved, 
 even for life, from his native land and the scenes of his boy- 
 hood. But he was young and spirited, and he determined 
 to seek at once some means of earning his daily bread. It 
 was then he took to weaving, which was at that time a good 
 trade, and he lived pretty comfortably. 
 
 “ Though he had received some religious instruction 
 when a boy, he was still a stranger to vital faith and 
 godliness, and lived ‘ without God and without hope in the 
 world.' He had neither Bible nor Testament, but he had 
 a hymn-book which he still made use of occasionally, and 
 being in a province where there were many German- 
 speaking Protestants, he might, when he pleased, go to 
 church. Although little is known of his sentiments or 
 manner of life at that time, we may presume that he 
 cared little indeed for religion, for he soon went where 
 he knew there were no religious privileges or means of 
 grace at all. 
 
 “ Being of quick apprehension, he speedily acquired a 
 knowledge of the French language, in which he learned 
 both to read and write, and accepted a post of interpreter 
 to some Prussian officers who were marching into the 
 country. He accompanied them to the interior. On 
 reaching Eheims, however, being tired of the life he was 
 leading, and having saved some money, he determined to 
 retrace his steps as far as Bar-le-Duc, where he had a friend 
 and fellow-countryman ; and placing his gold in a leathern 
 belt, which he fastened round his waist, under his coat, he 
 
JOHN EISENMANN. 
 
 193 
 
 took the shortest cat back on foot, following the old Roman 
 road which led in past ages from Rheims to the city of 
 Nasium (some vestiges of which still remain). Poor John 
 little thought how soon he would lose the fruit of his late 
 services among the Prussian officers. He had arrived at 
 the entrance of the valley of the river Ornain, where he 
 was to spend the remainder of his life. He was all alone, 
 within sight of Bar-le-Duc, when he was met by some 
 Cossack soldiers, who knocked him down, stripped and 
 ransacked him \ and so he lost his precious gold, that he 
 might learn betimes not to trust in uncertain riches. 
 Never, indeed, did John Eisenmann again possess so large 
 a sum of money, though he, by God’s grace, acquired better 
 and more enduring riches. 
 
 “ As soon as he recovered from the shock he had 
 received, he made off as speedily as his legs would carry 
 him, arrived safe at Bar-le-Duc, and poured his complaints 
 into the ears of his friend, who comforted him as well as he 
 could. John knew not as yet the comfort of being able to 
 carry his troubles to the best, the Almighty Friend of the 
 poor and disconsolate. 
 
 “ As soon as he possibly could, John Eisenmann, who was 
 always industriously inclined, cheerfully took to his trade 
 as a weaver, and easily earned an honest livelihood. His 
 constitution was a good one ; his character was naturally 
 gay; he was far from handsome, but his countenance 
 beamed with warmth of expression. His dark eyes 
 sparkled beneath a thoughtful brow, and his face was often 
 lighted up by a pleasant, intelligent smile. 
 
 “ He had not as yet learned to devote the energies of 
 his youth to the service of God. He was indifferent to 
 religion, and had adopted as his motto the French proverb 
 
 N 
 
194 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 which slays its tens of thousands, ‘ Toutes les religions sont 
 bonnes’ (All religions are good), and so lived without any 
 religion at all. Nor did he scruple, as soon as his means 
 allowed him, to marry a Roman Catholic, named Anne 
 Maginot, concerning whom, as we shall not have occasion 
 to speak of her much hereafter, I will only say she was 
 respected as being a good wife and a kind mother. She 
 had neither her husband’s strength of mind, nor his 
 independence of spirit, and had adopted as the natural 
 consequence of the proverb above mentioned the logical 
 conclusion, which has also passed into a popular proverb, 
 ‘ On ne doit pas changer de religion’ (Never change your 
 religion). Ponder this, Christian reader : John Eisenmann, 
 who was afterwards converted himself, and was made a 
 blessing to many, was never enabled to convert his wife. 
 
 “ The time of John Eisenmann’s spiritual deliverance 
 drew nigh. He had been married nearly eight years, and 
 as yet no sickness had visited his family. He had not been 
 brought to feel the uncertainty of all earthly blessings, and 
 the necessity of seeking a hope beyond the grave. The 
 solemn words— God, Eternity, Heaven, Hell, so often 
 heard by him when a child, had produced no lasting 
 impression on his mind. Like his companions, he was 
 living respectably and cheerfully on the empty toys and 
 visionary hopes of time, in sinful separation from God. 
 The voice of conscience seemed lulled, though at times he 
 felt he was not fulfilling the real object of life. He had 
 no Bible. No man called him or his companions to 
 repentance; and if he had ever had any early religious 
 impressions, they seemed to be clean gone for ever, when 
 the Lord sent the rod of affliction to bring the wanderer 
 
JOHN EISENMANN. 
 
 *95 
 
 home, that he might be able to say to others, ‘ Come, and 
 I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my soul/ and 
 be the means of bringing the light of the glorious gospel of 
 Christ to a part of Lorraine where it was never before 
 permitted to shine. 
 
 “In the year 1825 he fell ill of fever. During his 
 illness, one of his children, a fine intelligent boy, sickened 
 and died. Only two days afterwards, his wife gave birth 
 to another boy, whom they named Auguste. The excite- 
 ment produced by these concurrent circumstances so 
 increased his fever that he soon became dangerously ill, 
 and was constantly delirious. His dreams or visions 
 assumed an extraordinary character, and were made a 
 blessing to his soul, fixing Bible truths on his mind, and 
 leading him to the Saviour. 
 
 “ I will not enter into any nice disquisitions or curious 
 inquiries as to the possibility of the Lord's revealing 
 Himself to the human soul in dreams, or the' degree of 
 confidence to be placed in them as a channel of Divine 
 communication ; my business is that of a simple narrator 
 of facts. 
 
 “ At the time of his illness, J ohn Eisenmann lived close 
 by the Church of Notre Dame. He dreamed that he was 
 carried up to the top of its lofty tower, where a scaffolding 
 was erected for his execution. His anticipations made him 
 shudder with horror, whilst he looked upon the gibbet, and 
 thought he was to be made a spectacle to so many. His 
 accusers surrounded him, and placed in array before him 
 all the sins of wdiich he had been guilty, and which his 
 conscience told him would ruin him for ever. He felt as 
 if he was about to drop ignominiously and miserably into 
 hell. Some laid claim to money which they said he owed 
 
196 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVTLLE . 
 
 them, whilst he declared the only debts he owed were to 
 his offended God. Swallows and other birds flew round 
 his devoted head, reminding him of the lot of Pharaoh’s 
 butler (Gen. xl. 19). Multitudes now assembled below the 
 tower to witness the execution, and were preparing to beat 
 him and force from him an acknowledgment of his guilt. 
 To them he felt called to preach, and in doing so openly 
 confessed that he was deserving of eternal damnation. 
 At another moment he imagined himself walking in the 
 infernal regions, and shuddered afterwards in rehearsing 
 the things he saw and felt. He might have used the 
 words of Eliphaz : ‘ Now a thing was secretly brought to 
 me, and mine ears received a little thereof. In thoughts 
 from the vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth on 
 men, fear came upon me, and trembling which made all my 
 bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face ; the 
 hair of my flesh stood up. It stood still, but I could not 
 discern the form thereof ; an image was before mine eyes, 
 there was silence, and I heard a voice saying, Shall mortal 
 man be more just than God V (Job iv. 12-17.) 
 
 “ His delirium lasted for several days, almost without 
 intermission. The anguish of his mind was extreme, the 
 chief feature being a conviction that he was guilty of sins 
 of deepest dye, and was fit only for everlasting condemna- 
 tion. Thus he continued, until suddenly a text of 
 Scripture which he had learned in his youth was applied 
 with extraordinary power to his conscience ; it was this : 
 4 The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth from all 
 sin.’ At once (whether he was delirious still or not, he 
 could not tell) he found peace and comfort ; and although 
 he had not read the Bible for many years — not since his 
 boyhood — numberless consolatory passages and sweet pro- 
 
JOHN EISENMANN. 
 
 197 
 
 mises of Scripture crowded to his memory. The fever 
 rapidly abated. He was made whole at once, both in body 
 and soul. And now, being made a new creature in Christ, 
 he felt he must lead a new life, and devote all his energies 
 to the service of Him who had saved his life from death, 
 and his soul from the ‘ pit of destruction.’ 
 
 “ When John Eisenmann awoke to a sense of the danger 
 of sin and the happiness of knowing and serving the Lord, 
 he took a survey of the religious state of his fellow - 
 Protestants, of his own family, and of the country in which 
 he was now quite settled. All seemed dead around him. 
 He first asked himself what he could do for his own, and 
 for the ten or twelve Protestants who lived at Bar or in 
 the neighbourhood. His wife and family were Roman 
 Catholics ; neither he nor the other Protestants had a Bible 
 between them ; no pastor was near to care for their souls ; 
 their spiritual destitution — nay, their very existence — was 
 unknown to any minister of the gospel. Were things to 
 remain in this state ] Would it not be for the glory of 
 God and the honour of Protestantism, and lead perhaps to 
 the salvation of many souls, if he could find some means of 
 introducing the preaching of the gospel among them ] But 
 what could he, a poor weaver, obliged to work hard for his 
 daily bread, in a foreign and Popish land, do to attain so 
 desirable an object ] These questions pressed upon his 
 mind day and night. 
 
 “ His first step was to procure a Bible for himself, out 
 of which he might instruct his family, for he felt that 
 nothing but the Word of God could lead to their conver- 
 sion. He also called constantly on his fellow-Protestants, 
 who were all of them poor men like himself, in order to 
 exhort them to repentance, and he gathered them together, 
 
198 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 as often as he could, round the Holy Scriptures, which 
 they now began to read in German. To them he com- 
 municated his desire to obtain, if possible, the occasional 
 visit of some good pastor; and, finding they made no 
 opposition, he proposed to them to make a collection, in 
 order to pay the pastor's travelling expenses. To his great 
 joy they assented, and he wrote immediately to M. Boissard, 
 then pastor of the Lutheran Church in Paris, begging him 
 to obtain from the Minister of State for Public Worship 
 the necessary authorisation for allowing the Protestants to 
 hold their meetings. He himself took all the preliminary 
 steps at Bar-le-Duc. The proposal met with some opposi- 
 tion from the Romish party, but the civil authorities were 
 liberal, and the law was in their favour. Nevertheless, the 
 struggle occasioned some delay, and several months elapsed 
 before the required authorisation arrived. The joyful news 
 came at length, and reached Bar-le-Duc on the very day 
 that Charles X. ascended the throne of France. Soon 
 afterwards, M. Boissard held the first meeting in a room at 
 the town hall, which the mayor placed at the disposal of 
 the little Protestant community. 
 
 “ On his way from Paris to Strasbourg and back, the 
 pastor visited the little flock from time to time, his expenses 
 being partly defrayed by them. At that time John Eisen- 
 mann was in all the fervour of ‘ first love,' and, as he often 
 expressed it afterwards, he had not legs enough to carry him 
 about on the Sunday to exhort his brethren to meet 
 together, and to collect weekly the pence which were paid 
 for the pastor’s occasional visits. These visits occurred 
 about every six months ; and when the time came round, 
 often was he obliged to make up, in addition to his own 
 share, what was lacking in the sum collected. 
 
199 
 
 JOHN EISENMA NN. 
 
 “ It was not only M. Boissard that visited them ; several 
 others followed — the venerable M. Cuvier, then pastor of 
 the Reformed Church at Metz, M. Schmidt of Nancy, 
 M. Filhol, and others. 
 
 “ The flock was indeed very small, the hearers some- 
 times amounted to not more than ten or twelve people — 
 sometimes twenty, when Roman Catholics dropped in ; 
 but John Eisenmann’s fervent piety gave life to them, and 
 through his incessant perseverance and labour the meetings 
 were not allowed to drop. Much there was to discourage 
 him. Although his Protestant friends generally hailed 
 with pleasure the visits of the pastor, and acknowledged 
 that it was to their friend's zeal chiefly that they owed 
 them, most of them looked upon him as a fanatic. 
 Sometimes the meetings were so thinly attended that it 
 could scarcely be thought worth while to make a pastor 
 come so far to meet so few. M. Boissard told John on 
 one occasion, that'much as he admired his zeal, he thought 
 there was nothing to be done at Bar-le-Duc. John replied 
 that what they wanted was an evangelist to reside amongst 
 them. The pastor smiled, but said the Protestant com- 
 munity was far too small, their families all Roman 
 Catholics, the Catholics themselves unprepared to receive 
 the gospel ; his advice was to give the matter up altogether. 
 With a heavy heart John took leave of the pastor, who was 
 borne away by the diligence to more favoured quarters. 
 On returning home he cast all his cares on the Lord, 
 earnestly beseeching the Good Shepherd, who seeks the 
 one lost sheep, not to forsake His solitary ones in the 
 wilderness, but to send them help. After this prayer he 
 opened his Bible, as his manner was, and, placing his 
 finger on a verse, he read Luke ii. 25, 26, how Simeon 
 
200 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOTNVILLE. 
 
 waited for the consolation of Israel, and how it was revealed 
 to him that he should not see death before he had seen the 
 Lord’s Christ ; ‘ nor shall I die, by God’s mercy,’ said he, 
 4 till I have seen good done in Bar-le-Duc.’ 
 
 “ If the reader be disposed to think that such feelings as 
 those expressed by J ohn Eisenmann savour of enthusiasm, 
 let him remember the peculiar position in which he was 
 placed, and that nothing short of direct help from above 
 could strengthen him to fulfil the task laid upon him by 
 Providence and his own conscience ; that there were no 
 outward incitements to sustain him, but all things and men 
 — yea, even some of God’s ministers — seemed to rise up 
 to discourage him, if not to thwart his plans ; and, finally, 
 that events proved that the Lord Himself was truly direct- 
 ing him, for what appeared to others to be but a fond 
 dream was afterwards fully realised, and, in fact, he was 
 granted the very rare privilege of witnessing, before he 
 ‘ saw death,’ the fruits of his earnest endeavours. 
 
 “ Being now comforted by God’s Word and the remem- 
 brance of His promises, instead of allowing his zeal to flag, 
 and his hands to hang down, John Eisenmann determined 
 to take more pains than ever — first, in his own direct 
 endeavours to do more spiritual good to his family and 
 friends ; and, secondly, in procuring help from others. 
 
 “ Whilst he was forming these good resolutions, he was 
 again reminded of the uncertainty of life. In the year 
 1832 he was attacked by cholera, which had already 
 carried off many hundreds in the town. As he was 
 carried to the hospital, he shed tears on seeing his wife and 
 children weeping around, him. No sooner had he entered 
 the hospital than he sent for his New Testament and 
 hymn-book. Notwithstanding the severe pains accompany- 
 
JOHN EISENMANN. 
 
 201 
 
 ing the fearful disorder, he retained his usual calmness 
 and serenity of mind, and prayed earnestly for his family, 
 who were allowed to visit him every day. The priests and 
 sisters of charity soon perceived, by the books that lay 
 under his pillow, that he was a Protestant. One day John 
 overheard the lady superior saying, 4 This is the quietest 
 and most patient of all our sick ones ; what a pity that 
 he should be a Protestant !’ John raised his voice, 
 and said, ‘ You ought to judge of the tree by its fruit.' 
 Notwithstanding the difference of religion, he was 
 taken good care of, and ever afterwards spoke with 
 gratitude of the treatment he had met with. At the 
 end of three weeks he returned to his family, and was 
 able in three weeks more to work again for their daily 
 bread. 
 
 “ His children, as we said, had been baptized as Roman 
 Catholics before their father had become alive to his 
 religious duties. His wife insisted that they should con- 
 tinue- to be brought up in their own religion. He thought 
 it would not be advisable to bring his paternal authority 
 to bear on them in bringing about a change; but he 
 resolved to use all due influence, and to put the light of 
 the gospel before them. He determined not to send any 
 of them to school, lest they should be biassed by the priests 
 or Roman Catholic schoolmasters, and become prejudiced 
 against Protestantism. He himself taught them to read 
 and write, and they learnt to read in the New Testament 
 both in German and in French. 
 
 “ On the Sabbath John ceased all work — a thing which 
 particularly struck all his neighbours in a country where 
 entire rest on the Lord's Day is almost unheard of. That 
 day he spent with his family and with his Protestant 
 
202 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE B01NVILLE . 
 
 friends, who would leave their work for a time to chat with 
 him. Then he would take his little ones by the hand and 
 lead them out into the fields and vineyards, upon the hills 
 or into the forests which surround the town, and would 
 not allow them to associate with other children on Sunday. 
 He was very fond of contemplating the works of nature ; 
 and the situation of Bar-le-Duc, with its old chateau and 
 towers on the rising heights and sinking ravines, which 
 formerly made it a strong fortress and gave it the name it 
 bears , 1 was sufficiently picturesque to afford him and his 
 family many pleasant walks. Sometimes he would show 
 them the rich valley of the Ornain, in which the lower town 
 is situated, with the distant hills of Champagne, and point 
 out to them the rich provision which the Creator has laid 
 up in the bosom of the earth to supply the wants of his 
 weak and sinful creatures. At other times he would take 
 them into the depths of the neighbouring forest, and speak 
 to them of the happiness he felt in communion with God. 
 Then he would pick up a blade of grass and say, 4 Look, 
 boys, how singular ! It would be as impossible for us to 
 make this little bit of grass as that great oak. But God 
 has painted it and every flower with as much care as if 
 they were of great value. He attends to all our little 
 wants, and I hope you will never complain, nor doubt His 
 care for you/ Thus he endeavoured to lead their minds 
 
 1 Bar-le-Duc, the door or gateway which bars up the entrance into 
 Lorraine. Part of the old chateau of the Dukes of Lorraine is still to be 
 seen. The Princess Catherine, sister of Henri iv., who married the Due 
 de Bar, lived here for some time. Here, too, was born the notorious Due 
 de Guise, who was victorious at the siege of Calais, who massacred the poor 
 Protestants at Vassy in 1562, and headed the League. At Bar-le-Duc 
 was born and educated as a monk Augustin Marlorat, who afterwards 
 became an eminent Protestant divine and a great friend of Calvin. He 
 suffered martyrdom at Rouen, October 30, 1562. 
 
JOHN EISENMANN \ 
 
 203 
 
 up to their Creator, and give them a sense of His presence 
 and goodness, and a fear of His all-seeing eye. 
 
 “ Their mother’s influence, backed by that of their worldly 
 or Popish neighbours, for a time prevailed, and it was 
 several years before the eldest son was brought to feel the 
 force of Scripture and to give his heart to God. Auguste’s 
 testimony as to the wisdom of his father’s management is 
 remarkable. Urged by his mother’s advice, and by the 
 example of his little companions, he begged his father to 
 allow him to be confirmed as a Roman Catholic. ‘ I feel 
 pained at your request,’ said his father, ‘ but you are free ; 
 I pray God to open your eyes. Of one thing I feel sure — 
 you will soon see how contrary the priests’ teaching is to the 
 Word of God.’ Thus no spirit of opposition was created in 
 the child’s mind ; he only felt the more admiration for his 
 father’s justice and kindness, and began to doubt if he was 
 doing right to continue to be a member of the Romish 
 Church. He conformed, however, to his mother’s injunc- 
 tions, and was confirmed in the Romish faith when he was 
 but twelve years of age. Yet what he saw then of Popish 
 superstition, which he compared to his father’s enlightened 
 and scriptural religion, and the disgust he felt at the 
 questions put to him by the priest, who amongst other 
 things endeavoured to set him on his guard against his 
 father and his father’s Bible, opened his eyes; he asked 
 God’s forgiveness, grew more serious, and determined to 
 serve his father’s God. 
 
 “ On the Bible which he had bought for himself and his 
 family, and which afterwards proved to be a blessing to his 
 children and grandchildren, the good weaver wrote these 
 words: 4 This Bible belongs to John Eisenmann, and let 
 it go from one generation to another.’ Every day, so long 
 
204 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 as the children remained unmarried and at home, that Bible 
 was opened and read at the family altar. 
 
 “ £ Were it only for my children’s sake/ he used to say, 
 ‘ I would endeavour to obtain the teaching of God’s 
 servants. Let us write again/ would he add, addressing 
 himself to one or two of the more zealous Protestants, 
 ‘ and see if we cannot obtain more help.’ He wrote 
 accordingly to M. Durr, a zealous pastor, expressing a hope 
 that the Bible Society or the Societe Bvangelique would 
 send them a colporteur or an evangelist, and begging his 
 advice and help. He used to say : ‘ I have read of the 
 angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting 
 gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to 
 every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. Are 
 not these societies which are springing up that blessed 
 angel ? I see him flying, and he will surely come this 
 way/ In after years he told the author that this text had 
 often been a source of great joy to him. 
 
 “ A few months after he had written to M. Durr, to his 
 great joy a colporteur was sent, and was succeeded by 
 another in the department of La Meuse. As these men 
 visited the Eoman Catholic families, and endeavoured to 
 distribute the sacred Scriptures wherever they could, their 
 arrival excited the attention and hostile feelings of many 
 who took occasion to speak evil of Protestant propagandism, 
 so that several of the unconverted Protestants refused to 
 acknowledge them, and declared that these men did not 
 belong to the good old Lutheran stock from which they 
 sprung ; that they were teachers of new doctrines. They 
 even tried to set John Eisenmann’s mind against them by 
 assuring him that they were doing more harm than good 
 to the cause of Protestantism by exciting the opposition of 
 
JOHN EISENMANN. 
 
 205 
 
 the Papists. ‘ God knows what is best for the spread of 
 His truth/ replied John ; ‘ what are these men sent for but 
 to spread the gospel ? You talk of their new doctrines ; 
 are there two gospels, and is not their gospel the same as 
 ours ? Why should not the Bible be given to the Roman 
 Catholics 1 Let not the fear of the world deter us from 
 giving these servants of God the right hand of fellowship. 
 As for me, I bid them God-speed ; and if you will not 
 serve God with all your heart, be sure of this — God will 
 raise up a people from amongst the Roman Catholics.’ 
 Some were convinced by his words and rallied round the 
 colporteurs. 
 
 “ These good men also gave John Eisenmann more 
 particulars with regard to the Societ6 £vang6lique in 
 Paris, and informed him how he might possibly obtain an 
 evangelist for Bar-le-Duc. He accordingly wrote to several 
 persons connected with the committee, and some hopes 
 were held out to him. This, he used to say, was one of 
 the most anxious periods of his life. His eldest son 
 remembers distinctly his praying earnestly during these 
 months of suspense at least ten or twelve times a day. 
 
 “ One day he took the Bible and opened it at the first 
 chapter of Jeremiah, and laying a peculiar stress on verses 
 6-10, he said to his children, ‘ I am not a prophet, and I 
 cannot speak as I would ; but I have a work to perform, 
 and I do believe God has called me, though a poor weaver, 
 to build and plant in this town. The work is already 
 begun, and by God’s grace I shall lay the foundation for 
 you, my dear children, and for your children’s children. 
 My prayers will be heard, and God will soon send us help.’ 
 
 “ About this time he was visited by the parish priest, 
 who was aware of his zeal in propagating the Protestant 
 
206 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 faith, and of the efforts he was making to establish Pro- 
 testant worship in the town. In order to gain access to 
 him, the priest feigned to be in search of some sick person. 
 He entered the room where John was weaving, and said, 
 4 Is this the house where the sick person lies ’ 
 
 “‘No,’ replied John; 4 thank God we have no sick 
 person in our family/ 
 
 44 4 All !’ said the priest; 4 are you not Mr. Eisenmann, 
 the Protestant ? ’ 
 
 44 4 I am/ 
 
 44 4 It is a pity a respectable man like you should not be 
 a Catholic/ 
 
 44 4 Thank God I am a Catholic, though not a Roman 
 Catholic ; catholic and apostolic, but not Roman / 
 
 44 The conversation turned naturally on the Reformation : 
 the priest cast aspersions on the character of the Reformers ; 
 but John showed him the Bible, and added, 4 Neither the 
 Inquisition nor the dragonnades could make our forefathers 
 forsake their religion/ 
 
 “ The priest remarked that those days were gone by. 
 
 44 4 Yes, thank God/ said John ; 4 but if we were sub- 
 jected to the same persecution, God would, I doubt not, 
 give us grace to abide by His Word/ 
 
 44 So the priest took his leave of him and never returned ; 
 probably he felt that no arguments that he could use were 
 likely to move such a man. Our friend’s feet were firmly 
 fixed upon a rock, and that rock was Christ. 
 
 44 Thirteen years had elapsed since John Eisenmann’s 
 conversion. With the utmost difficulty and the most 
 exemplary perseverance he had been able, during all this 
 time, to keep up the visits of the pastors about twice a 
 year. He had succeeded in obtaining the visits of a 
 
JOHN EISENMANN. 
 
 207 
 
 colporteur. The attention and interest of several Eoman 
 Catholics had been awakened. The number of Protestants 
 had increased a little, and a few had begun to seek and 
 serve the Lord with more zeal. Small in appearance as 
 had, hitherto, been the results, they were the fruit of much 
 toil and fervent prayer. The good seed which John 
 Eisenmann had sown was beginning to grow, when an 
 event occurred which relieved him at once from a great 
 part of that peculiar weight of responsibility which had 
 been to him a source of much care and constant anxiety. 
 The petitions which he had sent to God above and to his 
 brethren on earth were at length favourably answered. 
 
 “ On the 24th of June 1838, the Soci6t6 Bvang^lique 
 sent an agent, who was at that time an unordained 
 evangelist, to make a trial in order to see if it was really 
 advisable to take up the post. 
 
 “ Of M. Farjat, the first preacher who was appointed to 
 reside at Bar-le-Duc, it is not my business to speak here at 
 any length. He was a young man of evangelical principles, 
 full of Christian life and burning zeal. The chief features 
 of his character were seriousness and faithfulness. He 
 remained five years at Bar-le-Duc, where he laboured with 
 incessant perseverance, and his ministry was blessed to the 
 conversion of the brothers Larcher, now both of them 
 faithful pastors of the Beformed Church. 
 
 “ His arrival was hailed by John Eisenmann with un- 
 speakable joy and the deepest gratitude. But it was not 
 so by all. The new preacher was too strict for some of 
 them. The meetings, which were held frequently, were 
 very thinly attended. Sometimes not more than five or six 
 persons were present. John Eisenmann always stood by 
 the preacher, and used to say to his old friends : ‘ This is 
 
208 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 a time of sifting ; we shall see who is for and who is 
 against the gospel ; you take offence at our turning to the 
 Eoman Catholics ; but have I not already told you that if 
 you will not come, others will % Take heed to yourselves, 
 for it is written, “ the first shall be last, and the last 
 first.” ’ 
 
 “ Thus, as John had been the pioneer and forerunner, 
 he now looked upon himself as the coadjutor and fellow- 
 labourer of Christ’s servants. At all the meetings he 
 invariably sat humbly to listen to the words of life, and 
 frequently accompanied the preacher in his visits. 
 
 “ The weaving trade became less and less lucrative ; 
 but notwithstanding his poverty and constant hard work, 
 he was a friend to all the successive pastors ; and 
 what he did at first he did to the last, till his failing 
 health and strength and the infirmities of old age pre- 
 vented him. 
 
 “ He outlived many of his early companions ; but the 
 few who remain still speak of him with the most affectionate 
 gratitude, and acknowledge that if it had not been for his 
 zeal and faithfulness, for the example he set, for the letters 
 he wrote, and the prayers he offered when all around him 
 were dead in religious indifference, no church would pro- 
 bably have sprung up at Bar-le-Duc. He had not ‘ despised 
 the day of small things.’ 
 
 “ When it became known that there was a preacher and 
 public worship in the town, by degrees several Protestant 
 families were induced to come and reside in the place. 
 Not a few Eoman Catholics also joined the church, which 
 gradually increased, and prospered more and more. After 
 the occasional visits of the Lutheran and Eeformed pastors, 
 the flock was fed by ministers, sent first by the Soci^te 
 
JOHN EISENMANN. 
 
 209 
 
 Evang6lique, and then by the Wesleyan Methodist Con- 
 ference ; and, finally, the community became sufficiently 
 numerous to induce the Imperial Government to create a 
 post for a national pastor at Bar. 1 
 
 “ John Eisenmann lived to see the gradual development 
 of the church. He was respected by all who knew him, was 
 frequently styled the patriarch, and was looked upon as the 
 founder of the church. It was a touching sight to see him, 
 when an old man, bent beneath the weight of years, look 
 round at the retiring congregation with a grateful heart. 
 He would then say to the pastor, ‘ What hath God 
 wrought ! We have now four hundred Protestants in the 
 town and neighbourhood. I see a hundred and twenty 
 communicants gather round the Lord’s table, and the little 
 children in the Sunday-school are far more numerous than 
 our whole church was a few years ago.’ When it was 
 found necessary to build a church, and the company of 
 elders were taking the first step towards its erection, the 
 poor old man exclaimed : 6 If I live to see the building, it 
 will indeed be the crowning mercy of all those I have 
 received.’ 
 
 “ In the year 1861, when the foundation-stone was about 
 to be laid, the elders met to choose a person to perform the 
 ceremony. The builders and masons had requested that it 
 might be a young child, according to the custom of the 
 country; but the elders unanimously decided that the 
 honour belonged to old John Eisenmann, who had laid the 
 spiritual foundation, and that the pastor’s youngest child, 
 a girl six years of age, should accompany him, to represent 
 the rising generation. On the 23d of May a large number 
 
 1 i.e., a post of the Reformed Church of France, which is paid by 
 Government. 
 
 0 
 
210 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 of Protestants and Eoman Catholics had assembled on the 
 spot, with some of the municipal authorities, when the 
 pastor and the elders arrived. Poor old Eisenmann, who 
 was now turned seventy-three years of age, and had been 
 lately ill, was exceedingly weak, and scarcely able to walk. 
 He was placed in an easy-chair, and lifted to the place 
 where the foundation-stone stood. There sat the old saint, 
 beside the blooming child, who stood, looking somewhat 
 appalled, close to him, whilst the pastor spoke to the 
 hearers of the gospel which was to be preached in that 
 edifice, and reminded them of the ‘ chief corner-stone ' on 
 which they ought to build their hopes. An inscription, 
 engraved upon zinc, and placed within the stone, stated 
 that it was laid by John Eisenmann and Cornelia de 
 Boinville, and the following text was attached : ‘ Built upon 
 the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ 
 himself being the chief corner-stone.' The old man, raised 
 and supported by his son, laid hold of the trowel, spread 
 the mortar, and with a trembling hand struck the stone ; 
 the child did the same. After the ceremony he said to the 
 pastor : ‘ Often have I wondered if I should live to see 
 a Protestant church built at Bar-le-Duc. If my life be 
 spared to see this building finished, I shall surely have 
 reason to say, like old Simeon, “ Lord, now lettest thou 
 Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word ." 9 
 
 “ It did please God to spare the old man's life. He 
 recovered a measure of strength. The summer and autumn 
 of that year were peculiarly fine and dry. The building 
 was carried on vigorously ; and exactly one year after the 
 laying of the foundation-stone, a neat and elegant stone 
 church of the Norman style of architecture was erected in 
 the centre of the town. Immediately over the entrance 
 
JOHN EISENMANN 
 
 21 1 
 
 there was carved, in the stone above the door, a large open 
 Bible, with the text, c Search the Scriptures/ And yet 
 higher, in large letters, round an arch, ‘ Glory be to God : 
 and on earth, peace/ The building was intended to seat 
 four hundred people ; but on the day of the opening, May 
 25th, 1862, seven hundred people, nearly half of them 
 Boman Catholics, crowded into it, whilst some hundreds 
 were gathered round the door and in the street. Several 
 pastors from Paris, Metz, and other places, attended. Old 
 Eisenmann’s chair was placed just in front of the pulpit. 
 M. Guillaume Monod, who preached the sermon, touch- 
 ingly alluded to the fact of the old man’s presence, and to 
 the singular manner in which he was permitted to see on 
 that day the happy result, so little anticipated, of his early 
 efforts. ' 
 
 “ As in the days of his strength, he was able to say in 
 the midst of all the difficulties he encountered, ‘ None of 
 these things move me;’ so now, in age and feebleness 
 extreme, he showed no signs of pride, as though he might 
 attribute aught of what he witnessed to his own exertions, 
 but he gave glory to God. 
 
 “ He remained cheerful and contented with his lot to 
 the last. Throughout his life, though very prudent, 
 perhaps I should say because he was prudent, whilst he 
 had confidence in God’s providence, he never took undue 
 thought for the morrow. One day, it being bitterly cold, 
 a friend sent him some fagots. ‘ There,’ said he to his 
 wife, ‘ I told you not to fret ; I thought the Lord would 
 send us wood before night, without our being obliged to 
 ask our children to help us \ and turning to his friend, he 
 added, ‘ God sent you just in time ; our last stick is on the 
 fire/ A favourite text of his was, ‘ Seek ye first the 
 
212 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things 
 shall be added to you.’ 
 
 “ When he felt his infirmities increasing upon him, he 
 would say : ‘ When the Lord will, I am ready to depart ; 
 but I am willing to remain/ 
 
 “ In affliction he was patient. When it pleased God to 
 remove his wife by death, an event which occurred a few 
 weeks after the opening of the church, he said : ‘ I can 
 hardly realise the fact that I am a widower ; but what the 
 Lord has done is well done. I myself have not long to 
 dwell on earth ; I think my work is done/ 
 
 “ After his wife's death he went to live with his son 
 Charles, in whose house he was well cared for. One day 
 he remarked to his pastor : c I have seen hard days and 
 gone through many trials. I have been very ill four 
 times ; I have lost eight children and my wife, and have 
 been poor all my life ; yet I have been happy in the Lord 
 and in His work, and I have always trusted that God would 
 not forsake me in my old age.' 
 
 “ He did much good in spite of his poverty, because he 
 loved much : his was a large heart. 
 
 “ As a neighbour he was ever kind, willing to lend a 
 hand to any one in need ; a lover of peace and of good 
 men. Though an earnest Christian, he was a man of strong 
 practical sense, and, as such, was often consulted by the 
 worldly in matters connected with this life. He shunned 
 bad company, was never known to be tipsy, and never 
 visited the worldly, except to seek their salvation or to do 
 them good. Such was his faithfulness and earnestness that 
 the wicked have been seen to hide themselves from him, lest 
 he should see them enter a wine-shop, and follow to bring 
 them out. 
 
JOHN EISENMANN. 
 
 213 
 
 “ As a father he was firm, yet kind, and never struck his 
 children, but ever set them a good example of moderation 
 and of purity, both in word and deed. From the time of his 
 conversion till his death no oath ever passed his lips, neither 
 c corrupt communication, nor foolish talking, nor jesting.’ 
 
 “ As a member of the church he was ever zealous in 
 promoting peace and good-will. Nothing but sickness 
 ever prevented him from attending the means of grace, and 
 he was in his place at church the Sunday before his last 
 illness. Though very faithful and jealous for the truth, he 
 was not, like too many bearing the Christian name, of a 
 sectarian and fault-finding disposition. He cared little for 
 points of secondary importance, and burned with the love of 
 Christ, and the Bible, and immortal souls. 
 
 “ One day, when his minister visited him in sickness, and 
 spoke to him of death and meetness for heaven, and of the 
 forgiveness of enemies, he said, ‘ Thank God, I have none to 
 forgive.’ ‘ That,’ said the pastor, ‘ is indeed a blessing ; 
 but you have one enemy whom you need not forgive.’ 4 Ah, 
 yes!’ said the old man, quite* cheerfully, ‘ you mean the 
 devil. Well, I do know him without fearing him; for I 
 know by experience that Christ is stronger than he, so he 
 does not trouble me much.’ 
 
 “ The day of his departure came at last rather suddenly. 
 He was seized with inflammation of the lungs. Seeing 
 that he was suffering from shortness of breath, his minister 
 asked him if the Lord was upholding him. He replied, 
 with difficulty, 6 Shall we receive good at the hand of God, 
 and shall we not receive evilF (Job ii. 10.) Calling 
 again, and seeing that the good patriarch’s end was at 
 hand, the minister asked him if he could now feel the 
 power of that word which first brought peace to his soul, 
 
214 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 viz., 4 The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth from all 
 sin.’ Opening his eyes, he said distinctly, in a faint voice, 
 laying a stress on the last words, ‘ I was thinking of the 
 chief corner-stone/ These were the last words he 
 uttered. 
 
 “ On the evening of that day the church was assembled 
 for the usual week-night service, and earnest prayers were 
 offered up for the departing spirit, when it took its flight to 
 a better world, January 21, 1863. 
 
 “ Thus John Eisenmann departed this life, surrounded 
 in spirit by those who loved and honoured him as the chief 
 founder of their church. He was seventy-five years of age. 
 A large number of persons attended the poor weavers 
 funeral. His remains were interred close beside those of 
 two of the former ministers of the little church at Bar. 1 
 No tombstone marks, as yet, the spot where the poor man 
 lies ; but the remembrance of him will not soon be effaced ; 
 and if the words are never written on a monument of 
 stone, let them be written henceforth by the Spirit of 
 God on the heart of the author and of the reader of this 
 little memoir : ‘ As poor, yet making many rich/ 2 Cor. 
 vi. 10. 
 
 “ The example of good John Eisenmann, the. German 
 weaver, may serve to illustrate the manner in which God 
 raises up the most unlikely agents to carry forward his 
 designs ; how He 4 chooseth the weak things of the world 
 to confound the strong/ and how much a poor man who is 
 ‘ rich in faith , may be used as an instrument in the 
 advancement of God’s kingdom/’ 
 
 1 Philip Lebas and William Ogier. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 1858-1859. 
 
 Industry a handmaid of religion — Funeral at Brixey-aux-Chanoines — Vaucouleurs 
 and Domremy-la-Pucelle — Giard in hospital — His assurance of faith — “ Nous 
 ne nous quittons pas”— M. Martin’s accident and its results — Alexander de 
 Boinville comes with his wife to reside for three years at Bar-le-Duc— Regret at 
 their departure — He visits the Ban de la Roche — Named by Imperial decree 
 pastor of Bar-le-duc— Hospitality and demonstrative affection of the Pro- 
 testants of Gondrecourt — “ The Fruits of a Text,” the story of Auguste Bohin 
 — Conflict between a shepherd and a wolf at Dainville — The good priest. 
 
 “ March 8. — Let me seek the temporal welfare of my 
 flock, even with a view to their spiritual welfare, and not 
 only that they may be convinced that I love them, but that 
 they may the more readily care for their own souls, not 
 being distracted by the pains of poverty, A hard-working 
 and sober man is not sure to seek the Lord, but he will not 
 be so liable to be kept back as he would be by extreme 
 poverty. Yet the cares of the rich and the poor may alike 
 be made by God the means of leading them to Christ, who 
 will deliver them from all care. God has given me a flock 
 chiefly composed of hard-working men, and I find that the 
 most industrious are the most earnest Christians, A 
 begging professor is generally a sorry Christian, and a 
 laborious Christian is generally a consistent one.” 
 
 “March 13. — Started for a’ funeral at Brixey-aux- 
 Chanoines. The snow was falling fast, and the night was 
 
216 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 awfully dark, but the son of the deceased being with me, 
 we made light of it. After sleeping two hours and a half 
 at Pagny, we started again on the morning of the 1 4th. 
 The weather was warmer. By half-past seven we got to 
 Vaucouleurs, which is chiefly interesting from the fact that 
 Jeanne d’Arc was living there when the voice she heard 
 first called her to deliver France and its King from the 
 English. At half-past ten o’clock we reached Brixey-aux- 
 Chanoines. The old woman I was called to bury had died 
 at the age of eighty-three. She had been a widow for forty 
 years, and was a pious Mennonite. At half-past twelve we 
 waded through the mud and snow to the village cemetery. 
 The Mayor met us at the entrance to the village, and having 
 girded himself with his tricoloured scarf, accompanied us to 
 the place of burial, where — to his honour be it said — he 
 had, in spite of the remonstrances of the cur6, provided our 
 friends with a perfectly suitable piece of ground. The 
 whole population of the village, amounting to about 400 
 persons, gathered round us. The cur6, who had been 
 joined by another, attracted by curiosity, was inside the 
 church, and opened a window to listen to what was going 
 on. After the service, the Mayor showed me the spot 
 where the old chateau and convent formerly stood, and 
 then, being within three miles of Domr6my-la-Pucelle, I 
 walked over to see the hamlet where Jeanne d’Arc first saw 
 the light. At half-past nine P.M., the miller, whose mother 
 we had buried, showed me my bed, made after the German 
 fashion ; and after a few hours sleep, I rose at three 
 o’clock and started for the railway. In the extreme dark 
 ness, my young driver, the millers son, nearly upset the 
 carriage several times. Our conversation naturally took a 
 somewhat melancholy turn, and the snow, which had been 
 
GIARD. 
 
 217 
 
 drifted into all sorts of fantastic shapes, like spectres, round 
 about us, brought to the young man’s mind all the horrors 
 with which the imagination of the ignorant has filled that 
 neighbourhood, which has been before and since Jeanne 
 d’ Arc’s time the classic land of superstition.” 
 
 His young companion told of many marvellous appear- 
 ances which were vouched for by friends of his own ; but, 
 says M. de Boinvilie, “ we saw no ghosts or spectres, and 
 no accident befell us. I got home safely, and in time for 
 the eclipse of the sun, having had to travel nearly ninety 
 miles. On the 17th inst. I buried Mme. Sterle at Com- 
 mercy, where about 800 Catholics were gathered round the 
 grave ; and on the 18th I buried a poor mad woman at the 
 Fains Hospital, having travelled one hundred and fifty 
 miles in four days, to bury three women whose united ages 
 amounted to 2 1 3 years. These are precious opportunities 
 for preaching Christ to Roman Catholics.” 
 
 “ May 23. — The chaplain of the hospital, in his rounds, 
 called on poor Giard, who is, I fear, dying, but rejoicing in 
 Christ. The chaplain said to him, ‘ On dit que vous etes 
 Protestant ! ’ ‘ J’adore J6sus Christ et le Pere en v6rit6, 
 
 en esprit, et avec foi. — Et vous h ’ The chaplain made no 
 reply ; so Giard said, ‘ Pour nous, nous ne regardons plus 
 loin que cela : c’est tout ce qu’il nous faut. Si je n’etais 
 pas si malade j’aurais cependant encore plusieurs choses 
 a vous dire.’ — ‘ J’espere que vous vous convertirez.’ — 
 Oh, grace au Seigneur, je le suis deja.’ As the good man 
 told me this, a heavenly smile lighted up his countenance.” 
 “ 2 5th . — Giard grows weaker in body, but is strong in 
 faith. To-day, after I had prayed with him, he said, 
 
 ‘ C’est bien ! ’ I asked him how he felt. He answered, 
 
 ‘ C’est un corps qui s’en va, je le sais bien ! ’ I said, ‘Le 
 
2l8 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 Seigneur est-il avec vous ] ’ f Oh oui.’ ‘ Et vous avec 
 ImV ‘ Nous ne nous quittons pas ! ’ ” 
 
 The Sister of Mercy who overlooks the men's ward told 
 him she was astonished that a man who had only a few 
 months to live should have changed his religion, and said 
 that the Protestant minister was very wrong to have 
 received him ; she would see to it that I should never put 
 my foot near him again, and that the best thing, therefore, 
 he could do would be to return to the Catholic religion, — 
 that if he would not, he might leave the hospital, and that 
 if he died a heretic his children would not follow him to 
 the grave. The poor old man, whose mind no doubt is 
 weakened as well as his body, but who remains strong in 
 faith, and in his determination to live and die a Protestant, 
 called for his clothes, and said he would go home. The 
 Sister refused to let him have them ; so, weak as he was, he 
 got up and put on what clothes he could find. When I was 
 informed of the circumstances, I went down, to show the 
 good man that the Sister could not keep me away, and got 
 him calmed again, but he had been up for three hours, and 
 I fear his life will be shortened by the occurrence. I in- 
 formed the Sister that if Giard had left the hospital she 
 might possibly have had to leave also, and that I hoped 
 for her sake what had occurred would not shorten his life. 
 I assured her that if she said another word to him on 
 religious subjects I should feel bound to lodge a complaint 
 against her. She promised me to let him alone ; so, after 
 a little conversation, we parted on friendly terms. One is 
 obliged to claim one’s rights occasionally. ; Is it lawful to 
 beat us, being Eomans ? ’ On the 5 th of August we buried 
 poor Giard. All present testified by their seriousness that 
 his character was universally respected, and the tears of 
 
VISIT FROM HIS BROTHER ALEXANDER. 
 
 219 
 
 many showed how much he was beloved as a husband, a 
 father, and a neighbour.” 
 
 “ July 15. — M. Martin had for many years had a vague 
 desire to become a Protestant, and attended our worship 
 now and then. But there had not been sufficient depth in 
 the desire, for the resolution was never taken. Three 
 weeks ago he was in a cart, bringing home some sacks of 
 barley, when, hearing a cry of fire, he jumped off his cart, 
 slipped on the pavement, and broke his leg, which forced 
 him to take to his bed. Soon afterwards I was informed 
 that a man who had broken his leg would like to speak 
 with the Protestant minister, and when I went I was glad 
 to find a respectable man who wished to speak of religion, 
 and that I should pray with him. He related his story to 
 me, and it is marvellous to see how grace is working in 
 the man’s heart. The house was burnt, the leg was 
 broken, but a soul has been brought to repentance, and 
 angels rejoice in heaven, though few persons on earth know, 
 or care to know, the blessed news of a sinner’s salvation.” 
 
 “ August 8. — To-day M. Martin was just able to leave 
 his bed, and, with a thankful heart, to crawl to church, 
 and the presence of young Giard at all the services rejoiced 
 our hearts, for until his father’s funeral he had avoided all 
 communion with Protestants, and we may now hope that 
 the promise, 4 instead *of the fathers shall be the children,’ 
 is about to be fulfilled.” 
 
 It was in the month of August of this year that Charles 
 had the refreshment of a visit from his brother Alexander, 
 who, with his wife, came to reside at Bar-le-Duc, and 
 remained there until the summer of 1861, a time of much 
 enjoyment, briefly chronicled in the following extracts from 
 letters to his mother : — 
 
220 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “August llth . — We suppose you have received letters 
 from the travellers en route , but they are not to be here 
 till Friday. The children have grumbled and cried several 
 times at the oft-repeated disappointment, and Rachel says 
 she hopes they will find it as difficult to go as to come. 
 My heart feels now for your losing them, and I want to have 
 you here too. Perhaps we may have that joy for a short 
 time next year. ... In a few days you will hear from some 
 of us again to tell you how the new-comers are getting on.” 
 “September 14. — This day ten years ago Mary and I 
 were married, and little did I know when I took the step 
 what an invaluable wife I was getting. Ours has hitherto 
 been one course of peace and happiness, in so far at least 
 as our union is concerned. . * . To-day I am to be sub- 
 jected by our dear ones to a John Gilpin kind of expedi- 
 tion to M. Henriot’s garden, it having been agreed that 
 my birthday should not be kept till Alex, and Lill came. 
 Great is our joy at having the darling ones over yonder. 
 Dear Lill is gradually getting accustomed to her new mode 
 of existence. She is very sweet. Yesterday Alex, and I 
 took her through the forest on donkey-back ; we went by 
 the place where we had our picnic on my birthday, and 
 Lill made me pick up a pebble as near as possible to the 
 place where you sat. We went up the hill to that pretty 
 common above Savonniere. Lill was in ecstasies. Only 
 think how delightful for me to have them here. They 
 take up all my spare time ; but I do hope that you will 
 not make your letters to me shorter or less frequent 
 because they are here, else it will diminish half my 
 pleasure. ... Now mind and write to us ; we love you as 
 much as they do at least, and are quite as selfish , but don’t 
 want to be jealous. They only read bits of your letters, 
 
ALEXANDER LEAVES BAR-LE-DUC. 
 
 221 
 
 and it is not at all the same thing. Your letters to me 
 for nineteen years have been my meat and my joy. I 
 daresay Lill feels it hard not to be able to write so often 
 as in England, and I like you to write to her, but don't 
 deprive us of our former quantum. Nina said this morn- 
 ing, ‘ When will my grandmamma come ] ’ 
 
 Three years later, on August 27th, 1861, Charles writes 
 as follows : “ They are gone, and I wish to be thankful for 
 the three years they have spent with us. Three years ! 
 It seems but the other day that they arrived. This morn- 
 ing before I went over to see him — rather thin, and help 
 him to pack up, I opened my Bible at the 133d Psalm, 
 ‘ Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to 
 dwell together in unity ! ’ Our communion may have 
 been lacking in depth of spirituality, but on the whole our 
 fellowship has been, I believe, truly Christian, and our 
 intercourse uniformly open, sincere, sweet, and peaceful. 
 For this I would praise the Lord. Now we are once more 
 alone, and it is almost like beginning life over again, but I 
 suppose that feeling will soon pass by.” Two months 
 later he writes : “ Kachel and I had a delightful walk 
 this morning. The sun was lighting up the golden leaves, 
 which hang long on the trees this year, the woods are 
 truly magnificent, but this country more than most requires 
 verdure to make it pleasant ; soon our only resource will be 
 to walk into the woods. No Alexander ! but I have 
 pleasant musings on the past, the present, and the future, 
 and it is well to be with God in the country alone some- 
 times.” 
 
 “ September 21. — Went to Le Mesnil, and saw some Pro- 
 testants, who gave me help for our new church, and seem 
 to be really walking in the fear of the Lord. One of 
 
222 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 them, whose family had escaped from the massacre at 
 Yassy, had been for many years ill-treated by her husband, 
 when one day, as he came into his kitchen, he found his 
 wife at prayer with her seven children. He ordered them 
 all to withdraw, and never to let him catch them at such 
 mummery again. His wife replied meekly, that she could 
 not promise never to pray with her children, but that she 
 was willing to do so in the barn or in the field, and that 
 she would pray for him too. Since that day he has come 
 to prayer himself.” 
 
 “ October 21. — Visited the Ban de la Boche, where I was 
 received by Oberlin’s old friends as he himself would have 
 received a Christian brother. The kind family Legrand 
 gave me a seat at their weekly gathering round a hospit- 
 able table, and there each one with the utmost simplicity 
 gave me his offering for our new chapel. With what 
 feelings I trod on the ground where the venerable pastor 
 had laboured, shid visited the graves where he and his 
 family lie ! The same brooks still run down the everlast- 
 ing hills, clear as ever, and their soft murmurs seemed to 
 whisper to me that the pure water of life which refreshed 
 so many souls in the days of Oberlin would never cease to 
 flow freely in those sweet valleys till the day of Christ. 
 The water-courses may be changed, but the springs will 
 give their waters, and the brooks must continue to flow.” 
 
 “ October 30. — Our good friend Brinkmann, the Saxon 
 tailor, was carried to his long home, followed by at least 
 300 persons. What a testimony to the worth of a work- 
 man ! How few either among rich or poor are so honoured ! 
 and it was he who first brought M. Ch^vre to the house of 
 God. He glorified Christ in life and in death, and none 
 more than myself feel that we have lost a friend ! ” 
 
PR 0 TES TA NTS OF GONDRECOURT. 
 
 223 
 
 “December 6. — Beceived this day the information that I 
 have been named definitively pastor of Bar-le-Duc by an 
 Imperial decree of the 2d of December, the anniversary of 
 the coup d’dtat, and the very day, perhaps the same hour, in 
 which the Emperor signed the pardon of the Count Mon- 
 talembert ! Thus has the Lord brought all my anxiety on 
 this head to a close.” 
 
 On the 21st of January 1859 he went to Gondrecourt 
 by special invitation of some Protestants, of whose exist- 
 ence he had been previously unaware, and preached to 
 about one hundred people on Matt, xviii. 3. “ Several of 
 
 the most notable inhabitants attended. The delight of 
 these Protestants at seeing a minister among them was 
 curiously manifested. I found them assembled in a room, 
 with bottles of wine and sumptuous fare already prepared, 
 and every man, woman, and child came to kiss me on both 
 cheeks, an operation I would gladly have dispensed with, 
 and I had much difficulty in preventing them from taking 
 too much, and in persuading them that they should seek 
 only holy joy, and to be filled with the Spirit. Next day, 
 the 2 2d, they were more serious, which I preferred; at 
 prayer several wept. After visiting Demange-aux-eaux, 
 where there are about ten Protestants, I returned at night 
 to Bar.” 
 
 “ July 1. — Forty years old to-day ! — years of numberless 
 blessings. In reviewing my past life I feel more than ever 
 that I did not begin to live really, consciously, till I felt 
 my sins forgiven through Christ. Oh, that was a blessed 
 day; and it was no dream, no fancy, no mere effect of 
 youthful excitement, — it was the work of God’s mercy and 
 of God’s Spirit ! — and now, after more than twenty-two 
 years’ experience of Christian life, I am convinced that all 
 
224 
 
 MEMOIR OF C MARIES DE B01NVILLE . 
 
 happiness, and peace, and joy, and hope, are to be found 
 only in and through the gospel of Christ. . . . My early 
 experience was like a clear and rapid torrent on the 
 mountains. I have now got down into the plain, where 
 the waters, though quieter, are deeper, and I trust more 
 fertilising. May I not hope that the stream will yet grow 
 wider till it meets the tides of everlasting bliss, and is 
 lost in the ocean of eternal love ! ” 
 
 Under the title of “ The Fruits of a Text,” Charles de 
 Boinville contributed to the Sunday at Home the following 
 account of Auguste Boliin, reprinted by permission from 
 that periodical : — 
 
 “ Some of the best pastors in France, like nearly all of 
 the colporteurs, have been called from amongst the Roman 
 Catholics. As an illustration of the manner in which God 
 raises up His instruments for the salvation of souls, we 
 present the following account of the conversion and call to 
 the ministry of a young man whose early life was cast in a 
 remote village of Lorraine, far away from any influence 
 that was calculated to lead either his heart or his mind to 
 the knowledge of the truths of the gospel. It is true there 
 must have been in former years a Protestant community at 
 Lahey Court, the birthplace of Auguste Bohin, for there 
 still exists, in a little dell by the brook-side, a small vine- 
 yard which goes by the name of Le Cimetiere des Hugue- 
 nots, where, tradition reports, some of the poor fugitives 
 who escaped from the terrible massacre of Vassy were 
 interred. Singularly enough, this little plot of ground is 
 the property of Auguste’s parents, respectable farmers of 
 the Roman Catholic persuasion, like all the other in- 
 habitants of the village. 
 
 “ Their eldest son, the subject of this little memoir, was 
 
AUGUSTE BOHIN. 
 
 225 
 
 sent to the village school, where he was considered one of 
 the most intelligent pupils. His father had no intention 
 of turning him into a scholar, and would have preferred 
 his following the plough if the lad had not shown symptoms 
 of very delicate health. Auguste was therefore bound 
 apprentice to a shoemaker in the village, where he remained 
 earning his livelihood till he drew for the conscription. 
 Fortunately for himself and his parents, his lot was not to 
 be a soldier. The following year he went, in search of 
 work, to the neighbouring town of Bar-le-Duc. There 
 the good providence of God led him to the shop of a 
 Protestant shoemaker, who engaged him as a workman. 
 I have read and heard of many a Christian shoemaker, but 
 I never knew a better than this excellent man. Much 
 good spiritual advice, no doubt, our young friend now 
 received. He was induced to read attentively his New 
 Testament. Several of the workmen were Protestants of 
 German origin, and used to sing sweetly together the 
 psalms and hymns of the Protestant Church. Auguste 
 remained only one year at this good man’s, and it was not 
 until the last Sunday of his sojourn at Bar-le-Duc, the eve 
 of his departure, that he was induced to go to the Pro- 
 testant Church. On the evening of that day a prayer- 
 meeting was held, at which he was present, and earnestly 
 commended to God’s keeping and blessing. 
 
 “ On the following morning his friends and fellow- 
 workmen accompanied him (as is the custom) to the 
 station, to bid him farewell, when, on taking leave of him, 
 his good master laid hold of his hand, and said, with that 
 impressive warmth which sincere affection and earnest 
 piety are apt to give : ‘ You are going now into the world, 
 an inexperienced young man, in order to better yourself in 
 
 p 
 
226 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 your trade. I pray God to bless you, and I leave with you 
 a text which I also pray God to place on your heart/ Then, 
 taking the young man’s New Testament, he pointed out to 
 him and marked the following passage : c If any of you 
 lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men 
 liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him’ 
 (James i. 5). 
 
 “ For more than a year Auguste was working his way 
 towards Paris, spending a few months only in the several 
 towns through which he passed. At last he found work 
 in a village a few miles from Paris. Having a real thirst 
 for learning, he used to walk into Paris whenever he had 
 time, in order to get books. On one of these occasions, 
 finding himself, on a very hot summer’s day, in the streets 
 of Paris, he sat down to take rest on some steps under the 
 shade of a church, and his attention being attracted by 
 the sound of music within, he entered and found himself, 
 with pleasure, in a Protestant place of worship. The 
 psalmody recalled to his mind the pleasant and edifying 
 time he had spent with his former master at Bar-le-Duc, 
 and predisposed him to religious influences. Shortly after- 
 wards the pastor rose, and, with the serious and full-toned 
 voice peculiar to nearly all the Monod family, gave out his 
 text, ‘ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that 
 giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall 
 be given him.’ 
 
 “ Auguste recognised at once the text that had been 
 given to him at the station at Bar-le-Duc. He did not 
 attribute it to mere chance; and although the preacher 
 spoke faithfully and eloquently, it seemed to him that the 
 Spirit of God was speaking to him with far greater power, 
 calling him to repentance and faith and a new life. 
 
AUGUSTE BOHIN. 
 
 227 
 
 “ A few months after this he wrote to the pastor at 
 Bar-le-Duc, informing him, in glowing words of joy and 
 gratitude, of the remarkable circumstance that had taken 
 place, and of the change in his religious sentiments, 
 expressing at the same time his regret that his education 
 was so imperfect as to preclude the possibility of his 
 becoming a minister of the gospel. He felt an inward call 
 to make known to others that wisdom of God which had 
 brought so much happiness to himself; but he did not see 
 how the making boots and shoes could ever open the way 
 to such a result. He wished to know if, where the means 
 seemed to be lacking, the desire was a sinful one which 
 he ought to check. 
 
 “ A few months afterwards a circumstance occurred 
 which made his calling clear. Illness had made it desirable 
 that he should leave Paris, and return to his own village in 
 Lorraine. The country air soon restored him to his wonted 
 health. He paid frequent visits to the pastor at Bar-le- 
 Duc, and finally came to reside under his roof for a few 
 weeks, in order chiefly to test his capability as a student. 
 Whilst he was there a death occurred in a neighbouring 
 village, where the pastor happened to be laid aside by serious 
 illness. In a country where, as at Bar-le-Duc, there is only 
 one pastor within a circuit of fifty miles, it is usual, when 
 necessary, to ask a layman to replace the minister at a 
 funeral, and the elders of the church judged that Auguste 
 was the fittest person to officiate on this occasion. 
 
 “ With a trembling heart the young man went forth to 
 preach for the first time — the funeral rite, as is usual at 
 funerals in the Reformed Church of France, being confined 
 to extempore prayer and preaching. 
 
 “ The deceased was the only Protestant in the village. 
 
228 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 He left behind him three children, who had also lost their 
 mother — a Roman Catholic, — and were now left to the care 
 of their maternal grandmother. The case was a painful 
 one, and sympathy, as well as curiosity to see a Protestant 
 ceremony, brought round the grave the entire population of 
 the village. Auguste spoke so impressively that several 
 of the inhabitants came afterwards to the Protestant 
 Church at Bar-le-Duc ; he prayed, and the effect of his 
 fervent prayer at the house of mourning has been felt by 
 the dear children ever since. Auguste returned home 
 convinced of his calling, and sold the whole of a little 
 property which belonged to him, to enable him to pro- 
 secute his studies. 
 
 “ The story of the poor orphans, as it served to convince 
 Auguste of his calling, may also interest the reader. 
 
 “ These poor children had been brought up in the Roman 
 Catholic faith, and the eldest, a promising girl of sixteen, 
 had been confirmed, and was at service when they were all 
 called round their father’s sick-bed to witness his few 
 remaining days of suffering, and gather his last expiring 
 words. He expressed his regret, but too late, that he had 
 weakly yielded to the desire of his wife’s family, and had 
 allowed them to be brought up in a faith which was not 
 his own ; but he added that, as he had sometimes read the 
 Bible to them, he hoped they would follow its precepts ; 
 and so he departed. 
 
 “ The day of his funeral produced a deep impression on 
 the minds of the dear children. Auguste’s prayer at the 
 house of mourning, his evangelical discourse at the grave, 
 his earnest intercessions for the poor orphans, his quota- 
 tions from the same Scriptures which their father used to 
 read to them, the favourable impression made on the 
 
THREE ORPHAN CHILDREN. 
 
 229 
 
 numerous bystanders, the tender sympathy expressed by 
 their father’s Protestant relations, come from a distance — 
 all these things had comforted them, and given them a 
 favourable leaning towards evangelical religion. But how 
 dismal was to be the close of that day ! Night had come 
 on; all their friends were dispersed; the doors were 
 closed, and the only glimmer of light was from the embers 
 of the wood fire. Then their old grandmother rose up 
 and exclaimed, ‘ The rascal is dead ; now we will burn his 
 book.’ And a moment afterwards the weeping and 
 trembling children saw their father’s Bible burning on 
 the fire. 
 
 “ The sighs and tears of these dear children reached 
 their heavenly Father. The eldest girl returned to service, 
 whilst the younger children, a boy and a girl, fell into the 
 hands of their Protestant relations, who were willing to 
 maintain them at their own expense. The eldest girl never 
 lost the good impressions she had received. She bought 
 a Bible, and after a while was admitted, at her own 
 request, into the Protestant Church ; and, by a strange 
 coincidence, her old grandmother, who had come that day 
 into the town, and, for the first time in her life put her 
 foot within a Protestant place of worship, was present at 
 the ceremony of her reception. When I last heard of 
 them, the three children, having gone through many trials 
 regarding their faith, were steadfastly adhering to those 
 comforting truths which they first imbibed on the occasion 
 of their father’s funeral ; and he who was the first instru- 
 ment in making known these truths to them lived to 
 receive many other seals to his ministry.” 
 
 “ July 17. — In conversation, my brother and I discussed 
 
230 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE B01NVILLE. 
 
 the propriety of my leaving Bar-le-Duc for a larger town or 
 congregation. I did not come here to please myself, but 
 to do God’s work, and I feel bound to stay where He has 
 placed me till He Himself shows me that I ought to go. 
 I think no man should leave the flock confided to him 
 merely from a notion of his own or of others that he is 
 qualified to occupy a more important post. Bar-le-Duc is 
 a humble one, amidst the poor, nor does it offer the interest 
 or excitement connected with the laying the foundation of 
 a church as at Lisieux, but somebody must needs feed the 
 dear flock here, and humble as it may be in the sight of 
 the world, I feel that it requires all my energies, and I 
 might well be confounded if I sought to enter into another 
 field. I feel also how blest this little flock has been. It 
 is gradually increasing ; several Bomanists attend our 
 worship, and about a dozen have joined us since my 
 arrival, while no Protestants have gone over to Borne. 
 I cannot but thank God and take courage, and hope that 
 God’s Spirit may be poured out abundantly on Bar-le-Duc 
 and Gondrecourt, and that a blessing may be granted to 
 our great undertaking of building a convenient and decent 
 place of worship.” 
 
 “ August 15. — A singular thing happened to the old 
 Protestant shepherd of Dainville, near Gondrecourt, a few 
 days ago. He was looking after his sheep, when he saw a 
 large wolf come out of a wood and lay hold of one of his 
 finest ewes. He immediately made up to him, and began 
 to belabour him with his crook. The dog took fright, and 
 ran away. The wolf let go, rushed at the shepherd, tore 
 his blouse, and threw the poor man down. He then turned 
 again to the ewe, and was making off with her, when the 
 shepherd returned with energy to the fight. The wolf, 
 
* BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS: 
 
 231 
 
 feeling again the blows of the crook, turned round and 
 made a rush at the man, with his mouth open. The 
 shepherd tried to push him off with his crook, and in doing 
 so, providentially thrust it down the wolf's throat. The 
 animal at once fell, and was helpless, when the shepherd 
 despatched him in a few seconds. A collection was made 
 the same evening in the village to reward him for his 
 courageous conduct. This is the good shepherd who had 
 already received a reward from the Agricultural Society 
 for his faithfulness and honesty.” 
 
 “September 27. — Received the glad tidings that at last 
 the authorisation of Government has arrived for us to build 
 our temple , together with a grant-in-aid of 8000 francs.” 
 “November 17. — Our good friend Adolphe Larcher has 
 told me a story of a priest of his acquaintance, which forms 
 such a touching contrast to what I have generally met with, 
 that I wish to record the tale in my journal. At Pont de 
 Comoris, where M. Larcher was pasteur suffragant , there 
 was a priest whose kind and charitable spirit was so much 
 the more felt and appreciated that his predecessor had, 
 through his bigoted and unconciliatory disposition and 
 conduct, been the author of bitter strife between the Pro- 
 testants and Roman Catholics. 
 
 “This good priest soon won the respect of all parties, 
 and all were beginning to understand that there is no true 
 faith that does not work by love. Kind, neighbourly 
 feeling had begun to spring up and bear fruit when the 
 good man fell ill. M. Larcher was travelling, and on his 
 return, his colleague, M. Fourquet, told him that their 
 poor friend was not expected to live a week : he proposed 
 that they should go together and ask to shake hands with 
 him once more, that they might bid him farewell. They 
 
232 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B0INV1LLE. 
 
 went, and were met by his vicaire, who told them that the 
 doctor had forbidden him to receive visits ; ‘ nevertheless/ 
 said he, ‘ I will take your message to him/ A few minutes 
 later, the good priest, who had been a tall, stout man of 
 athletic appearance, came in, bent, and leaning his feeble 
 emaciated frame on a stick, with trembling hand; the tears 
 rolled down his cheeks as he expressed how touched he 
 was by their kind attention, and that he also wished to 
 shake hands with them before he left. M. Fourquet laid 
 hold of his hand, and said, ‘We must not stay to fatigue 
 you ; but one word let me say ’ — and he said it with a 
 tender tone of voice peculiar to himself, — ‘ Blessed are the 
 peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God/ 
 Deeply moved, they left, knowing it was the last time they 
 should see their friend. The priest died next day ; and 
 on the day of the funeral, a very unusual sight surprised 
 and edified the whole population. The two Protestant 
 pastors, accompanied by the elders of the church, went to 
 the parsonage, where some thirty or forty priests from the 
 neighbouring villages were assembled, and in spite of the 
 coldness of their reception, they followed the body of their 
 departed friend to the grave, thus testifying their friend- 
 ship for the man and their belief in his sincerity, piety, 
 and charity/’ 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 1861 - 1862 . 
 
 Body of a drowned child recovered — The slate quarries and mines at Trelaze — The 
 people of Dammarie dissatisfied with their priest— More hatred than love in 
 the place— Completion of the Temple at Bar— M. Guizot— Why do I always say, 
 “How thankful I ought to he,” instead of “How thankful I am”? — Letter 
 from Adolphe Monod — “ Our China Teacups.” 
 
 “ January 9, 1861. — Went down in tlie morning to marry 
 a couple. Whilst there, poor Herscher of Guerpont came 
 in and told me they had found the body of his son, who 
 had been drowned in the swollen stream on the 28tli of 
 December, and I went off by train to Noncort-le-petit, and 
 walked from thence to Guerpont to bury the poor fellow. 
 No sooner was this painful duty performed, than a man of 
 the village came up to me, and asked me to baptize his 
 child, which I did at once, in presence of some persons 
 who had assisted at the funeral. This is the first time 
 that I have had within a few hours, and so unexpectedly, 
 to marry, bury, and baptize. 
 
 “ February 6. — In reading Vinet’s lectures on the French 
 Protestant preachers of the seventeenth century, I have 
 felt both delighted and deeply impressed in recalling, after 
 twenty years of experience and practice, what I heard from 
 the lips of that excellent man so many years ago. I feel 
 
234 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 now how little I then knew how to profit by what was so 
 ably taught, and yet I doubt not that, unconsciously to my- 
 self, I learned many things which have been of use to me.” 
 
 On the 1 2th of March Charles started on a collecting 
 expedition to the west of France. “At Vitry-le-fran<jais,” 
 he says, “ the snow fell thick, and some of the flakes for a 
 few minutes were actually four inches long, and many three 
 inches square, or rather, in diameter. . . . From Angers, 
 Edgar Duval took me to see the slate-quarries and the 
 mines at Tr61az6 : they are well worth visiting, and strike 
 one all the more from their being in an otherwise flat 
 district. The open quarries present all the grandeur of 
 some parts of rocky mountain scenery. You look down 
 precipices of 600 feet upon hundreds of workmen busily 
 employed in blasting the rocks. Winding down the narrow 
 paths, along a wooden balcony which overhangs a precipice 
 of several hundred feet, and while you have high rocks 
 overhanging you, if you turn into the huge vaults under 
 ground, you see men working beneath you by gas-light. 
 The red light, the blasting, which sounds like thunder, the 
 shouting of human voices, the continual floating up and 
 down of the wooden boxes full of slate-stone, combine to 
 make a scene of real grandeur. Four thousand workmen 
 are employed here.” 
 
 “ May llth, Sunday: Dammarie . — After service, seven 
 men begged to have an interview with me, — the maire and 
 six conseillers : they came to ask me to go and preach the 
 gospel in their village. They said that at least half the 
 village wished it, because they were dissatisfied with their 
 priest — that he preached all sorts of nonsense, and not the 
 gospel. I replied that I did not wish to serve as a 
 stepping-stone to get them another priest, and inquired 
 
INVITATION TO DAMMAR IE. 
 
 235 
 
 what would happen if the bishop sent them one, or if per- 
 secution occurred — would not many draw back? They 
 said, with perfect openness, that very likely many would ; 
 that God alone knew what was in the hearts of men, and 
 they could only answer for themselves ; but that they were 
 tired of seeing so many abuses, and never hearing the 
 real gospel. I told them to pray earnestly for God’s 
 guidance; that they should write me a full statement of 
 the circumstances and of their desires ; and I assured them 
 that if they were willing seriously to serve the Lord, I 
 should be glad to make myself one with them. They told 
 me the Prefet was already informed of the matter, that 
 they were not acting lightly, and that they wished at once 
 to build a Temple for Protestant worship. Whereunto 
 this will grow remains to be seen. May the Lord graciously 
 direct both them and me ! ” 
 
 On Monday, the 3d of June, he notes that he went to 
 Dammarie, called on some of the friends there, and, in order 
 that he might not infringe the law as to meetings without 
 special Government authorisation, agreed to meet with 
 them in separate parties of nineteen persons. While he 
 was addressing the first limited congregation, about 500 
 people had collected in the street, of whom some were able 
 through the half-open door to hear what was said inside ; 
 but after he had addressed four successive sets, he was 
 compelled, from exhaustion and by the lateness of the hour, 
 to dismiss the assembly. He says : “ If I could but have 
 had them all together in one room, it would have been a 
 fine meeting ; nevertheless, although it was in fact out-of- 
 door preaching, and there was some restless motion, I trust 
 there were some who, like Lydia, had their hearts opened 
 that they might attend to the things which were spoken. 
 
236 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE B0INV1LLE . 
 
 To-morrow morning, if it please God, I go to Paris, to try 
 and get a preacher of the Socittt Centrale to help me, for 
 these people ought to be constantly attended to, and 
 visited on Sunday, and their village is about twenty miles 
 from Bar-le-Duc.” 
 
 He was successful, and on the 1 3th June he writes: “ Went 
 with Paulin Roussel to Dammarie, and left him there as a 
 reader, to go from house to house to teach inquirers, for 
 that is what they want. It is a difficult work : may the 
 Lord assist him, and may we at least gather some fruit ! 
 The people are generally in a dreadful state ; there is more 
 hatred than love in the place. One of our friends has been 
 beaten for his Protestantism , and the cur6 has had stones 
 thrown into his house through the windows at night ! 
 Should this state of feeling continue, it will be an indica- 
 tion that there is no real spiritual work at all, but only 
 hatred of the priest !” 
 
 “ August 2. — Read in the life of Daniel Wilson, Bishop 
 of Calcutta, concerning Mrs. Wilson, — ‘ As a daughter she 
 had her fathers testimony, that she had never given him 
 one hour’s uneasiness. She had been a guide and protec- 
 tor to her younger sisters (deprived of their mother) in very 
 early life, and her character was always distinguished for 
 self-denial, charity, simplicity, lowliness of mind, unaffected 
 modesty, sound judgment, and true piety.’ All this, by 
 God’s unspeakable blessing, I might say regarding the 
 character of my own precious child.” 
 
 “ August 31. — To see our new and beautiful Temple , now 
 almost completed externally, after so much anxiety, is a 
 pleasure indeed. What thanks should I, unworthy as I 
 am, render to the Lord for having been permitted to help 
 to build two places of worship in France, where prayer and 
 
GUIZOTS VIEW OF LIFE . 
 
 237 
 
 praise shall be offered to Him, and the everlasting gospel 
 proclaimed, when I shall have been long forgotten in this 
 world ! How pleasant to think that God’s work shall still 
 go on, till Christ shall come Himself to complete it ! How 
 gracious God has been, to allow me to be a link in the 
 chain of His ministers in this land, and to have placed me 
 here in times of peace, and not in those days of cruel 
 persecution through which our fathers passed ! ” 
 
 “ Saturday , September 7. — This day the cross and the last 
 stone has been placed on the top of our building. . . . My 
 children and several of our friends were present ; and some 
 of us trembled as we looked up at the workmen, suspended, 
 as it were, in air, whilst the cross waved to and fro. When 
 at last it was fixed, the flags fastened, and the bouquet tied, 
 I exclaimed, ‘ B6ni soit le nom du Seigneur !’” 
 
 “September 11. — What powerful emotions the name of 
 an old friend may call up ! I felt this to-day, as I read 
 in the Echo de TEst the following words from a letter of 
 M. Guizot’s from Yal Bicher : ‘ Je suis ici dans la paix, 
 pr6sidant a l’6ducation de mes petits enfants, cueillant mes 
 raisins, surveillant mes peches. Je nai jamais compris que 
 trois genres de vie : la vie de famille, la vie politique, et la 
 vie religieuse. Je mene ici la premiere au milieu des 
 souvenirs de la seconde, et avec les esp6rances de la 
 troisieme.’ God grant that his sun may set clear and 
 bright, and that his sky be cloudless at the last !” A few 
 days later : “ I have just read Guizot’s book, which speaks 
 in favour of the Pope’s temporal power. Many of the 
 religious sentiments are beautifully expressed, orthodox, 
 and convincing ; but it is still a marvel to me how such a 
 mind as Guizot’s can uphold the Pope’s temporal power, 
 either upon religious or political grounds.” 
 
238 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “ October 24. — My Rachel’s birthday. Took a solitary 
 
 walk. Just as I was starting I met coming in, and I 
 
 was wondering why a man of his principles and habits took 
 pleasure in walking. I felt humbled when he said to me, 
 ‘ I never understood so well as now the happiness of living 
 — the country is splendid, and walking delightful ! ’ To 
 think that such a man was perhaps living up to his 
 standard of enjoyment and privilege better than I to mine! 
 . . . Why do I always say, ‘ How thankful I ought to be !’ 
 instead of ‘ How thankful I am ’? I turned into the forest, 
 and sat down on the stone seat at St. Roch, before a sweet 
 little green opening in the midst of the trees. Here I 
 remember to have sat with my brother William and many 
 other dear ones, some of them far away, but none as yet 
 gone to rest ; and again I said, ‘ How thankful I ought to 
 be! ’ The leaves were beginning to fall, and I thought how 
 melancholy we should feel if we did not know that spring 
 would bring all to life again ; and how sorrowful I should 
 be at seeing my mother growing old and my own hair 
 getting grey, if I had not a Christian’s hope. I read the 
 other day the 7th Ode of Horace, Ad Torquatum , and 
 thought a Christian could not write anything so devoid of 
 hope and comfort, till I remembered having heard in my 
 youth a song which I considered heathen on the very same 
 account. I can only recollect these words : ‘ Love not ; the 
 thing you love may die !’ We see the leaf fall, in hope, 
 because experience has taught us that spring will return ; 
 but faith in a risen Saviour alone enables us to face decay 
 and death. We are saved by hope ! ” 
 
 In the journal, under date December 17th, I find the 
 copy of a letter from the Rev, Adolphe Monod, which I 
 think it desirable to print, because it is not only character- 
 
LETTER FROM ADOLPHE MONOD. 
 
 239 
 
 istic of the writer, but because it shows his appreciation of 
 the kindred nature of his correspondent : — 
 
 “ Bien cher frere, — Je suis vraiment touche de votre 
 lettre, oil je reconnais toute votre delicatesse. Ne craignez 
 pas que le bruit qui a couru, par l’effet d’une phrase mal com- 
 prise, me fasse de la peine. Si Ton s’est tromp6 sur le fait , 
 on ne s’est pas tromp6 sur les sentiments ; et il faudrait peu 
 de chose pour que ce qui a 6difie le bon Sir Culling devint 
 une reality. Je suis essentiellement homme de 1’ Alliance 
 Evangelique. Seulement, dans un moment oil les circon- 
 stances nouvelles et graves imposent des devoirs nouveaux 
 aux pasteurs orthodoxes qui demeurent au service de 
 l’eglise etablie, je me crois oblige de peser tres mfirement 
 mes demarches, ne devant adopter comme acte que ce que 
 je suis pret a adopter comme ligne de conduite. Laretraite, 
 le silence, la priere, voila ma portion, jusqu’au moment oil 
 le Seigneur aura daigne me tracer un chemin bien uni. 
 Joignez vos prieres aux miennes pour qu’il hate ce moment, 
 et surtout pour qu’il me rende entierement fidele, devant lui 
 toujours , et devant les hommes autant que possible, me 
 souvenant que c’est a lui seul, apres tout, que nous avons a 
 faire au jour de jugement. J’implore toutes les benedic- 
 tions sur votre personne, et sur votre ministere. — Yotre 
 affectionn6 frere en J6sus Christ. A. Monod.” 
 
 “ Somehow or other, 1 ” writes Charles, “ it had been noised 
 abroad that Adolphe had joined his brother Frederic in 
 ordaining me, and I believe it had been published in some 
 religious periodical, which was the cause of my writing to 
 him to explain the mistake. ,, 
 
 “March 1, 1862. — To-day found for the first time 
 
 a grey hair in her head, and I finished my yearly reading 
 
240 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 of the Bible, — two things which made me feel that time 
 flies. Found in Silvio Pellico a sentiment which is my own 
 whenever I hear people inveighing against other nations, — 
 
 ‘ J’aime passionn6ment ma patrie, mais je ne hais aucune 
 autre nation/ I need not think all other women odious in 
 order to prefer my wife.” 
 
 “ May 27. — Went to Yadonville to bury an old Pro- 
 testant German lady who had lived there since her mar- 
 riage with a Roman Catholic in 1809. She was eighty- 
 seven years old, and had always read her Bible, and per- 
 severed in the Protestant faith to the last, although her 
 only child and all her grandchildren were Romanists, and 
 one grandson a priest. When I arrived at the house, the 
 priest, who is now the owner of the house, said he had 
 sent for me, but he wished me to bury his grandmother 
 according to my ritual and not to speak, for he had sent 
 for me for the dead and not for the living.” 
 
 The incidents connected with this interview, and its 
 results, are so graphically narrated in the following paper, 
 that, although it has already appeared in print, and also 
 in some degree anticipates events in the life of its author, 
 I think it well to give it here without abridgment : — 
 
 Our China Teacups. 
 
 “ Many a set of tea-things, if they had ears to hear and 
 mouths to speak, could no doubt tell strange tales of joys 
 and sorrows, and reveal the secrets of many hearts, as round 
 ‘ the cup that cheers but not inebriates ’ friend to friend 
 has spoken of his own feelings, and perhaps too often of the 
 failings, sometimes of the virtues, of others. 
 
 “ Well, we have a set of tea-things that would cry out 
 
‘ OUR CHINA teacups: 
 
 241 
 
 against us if we refused to be reminded by them of many 
 things for which we should be thankful; and although 
 some of these are too intimately associated with our private 
 concerns to be divulged, others may not be uninteresting 
 to the reader. 
 
 “ What connection there exists between these cups and 
 the facts they recall to our memory will be seen as we pro- 
 ceed with our story. 
 
 “ Far away from the quiet shelf on which they now 
 stand in our tranquil home, in what I call this dear, dull 
 old country, far away in the east of France, they once 
 stood on the sideboard of a good old Saxon lady who 
 resided in a remote village called Vadonville. Not so 
 remote, however, is this village but that the whistle of the 
 express train, as it rushes down an inclined plane into the 
 valley of the Meuse, on its way from Paris to Strasbourg, 
 may be heard by the peasants at plough and the women 
 as they sit at their spinning-wheel. 
 
 “ The country is not without its beauty, for the banks 
 of the Meuse, though rather bare, are hilly, with rocky 
 heights here and there, whilst Roman remains and feudal 
 castles add historic interest to the valley. Nor are the 
 inhabitants themselves uninteresting. ‘ Mangeurs de lard/ 
 no doubt, they are, and very good too their bacon is ; but 
 ‘ traitres k Dieu et au prochain 5 1 they certainly are not, 
 for of all the provinces of France none contain a more 
 truthful, honest, and industrious race than Lorraine. On 
 the banks of the Meuse many of the cleanly habits of the 
 Netherlands prevail, with the love of bright shining pans 
 
 1 The saying of their enemies used to be, “ Lorrains mangeurs de lard, 
 traitres a Dieu et au prochain ” = “ Eaters of bacon, and traitors to God 
 and to their neighbour.” 
 
 Q 
 
242 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE B0INV1LLE . 
 
 and kettles, and plates and cups and saucers as clean to 
 match. 
 
 44 Amongst these villages, almost entirely Eoman Catholic, 
 a good colporteur of the name of Legrand laboured with 
 considerable success, selling Bibles and Testaments to not a 
 few, in spite of the opposition of the priests. He one day 
 called on me at Bar-le-Duc, the chief town of the depart* 
 ment. It was his duty to call on the pastor whenever he 
 passed that way, and many an interesting conversation we 
 had on the difficulties of Bible circulation in France. 
 
 44 On one occasion he informed me that at the above 
 village of Yadonville I had a parishioner, a good old 
 Saxon lady, who had bought a Bible and read it daily. 
 4 I am sorry/ he added, 4 that you cannot see her. It 
 would be a dangerous experiment ; for the other day when 
 I called on her, I had not been in the house two minutes 
 before a priest, her grandson, came into the room in a 
 perfect fury and threatened to kick me out of the house if 
 I did not leave at once/ 
 
 “ 4 And what did you do V asked I. 
 
 44 4 Why, I drew myself up, and said, 44 Ah ! Monsieur 
 lAbb6, my name is Legrand” (the great) ; 44 and you see I 
 bear it well, for my shoulders are broad, and I look down 
 on you.”’ 
 
 44 Legrand was a very powerful man. 
 
 44 4 But/ continued he, addressing the priest, 4 1 am not 
 going to stop here to be insulted. Only I am glad your 
 grandmother has a Bible to be her guide to heaven/ 
 
 44 Then, addressing me, the colporteur added in conclu- 
 sion, 4 1 assure you this good lady can do without your 
 visits, for I fully believe she has found the way to heaven 
 in reading the Scriptures/ 
 
OUR CHINA teacups: 
 
 243 
 
 “ Some time after this, duty called me to a village in the 
 direction of Yadonville, through which I had to pass on 
 foot. The snow lay deep on the ground. As I drew near 
 to the house, something told me that, notwithstanding the 
 colporteurs warning, I should step in and make the 
 acquaintance of the old Saxon lady. 
 
 4 4 That first interview I shall not forget. She sat by a 
 bright wood fire, with her spectacles on, reading her Bible, 
 which was on a little round table. She wore a neat little 
 cap, and had still much that was German about her, both 
 in appearance and in accent. Though upwards of eighty, 
 she retained the marks of former beauty. Indeed she was 
 still beautiful, and I wished I had the pencil of a David 
 Wilkie to sketch the scene before me. 
 
 44 We soon became acquainted with each other. In a 
 few words the old lady explained how, during the inroads 
 made by the French into Saxony under the first Napoleon, 
 she had become attached to a French officer, and being 
 without religious convictions she had married him ; and 
 how now, in her old age, the love of the Bible and of her 
 Saviour had been given to her with the blessed assurance 
 of eternal life. 
 
 “ The young priest did not make his appearance. I 
 did not see him, though I returned many times to the 
 house. 
 
 44 As time passed on, and the old lady became weaker in 
 body, though ever growing stronger in faith, I began to 
 think the priest purposely kept out of my way. But I 
 did not expect, if I outlived her, to be permitted to bury 
 her, for the priests have in France a way of stepping in at 
 the last moment and declaring that in private confession 
 the dying one had confessed, recanted, and received abso- 
 
244 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE . 
 
 lution. When, therefore, at the age of eighty-seven, the 
 good old lady died, I was somewhat surprised that the 
 priest should send for me to bury his grandmother. 
 
 “At the appointed time I went to the village, which 
 was about fifteen miles from my home. As I entered it 
 I was struck with the unusual appearance of the place. 
 On funeral occasions, in general, the friends of the deceased 
 would come forward to meet the pastor and carry his gown 
 for him. The people would gather together in groups and 
 stare at him as he passed by as if he were some strange 
 being. In fact, I was frequently called ‘ le loup blanc/ the 
 white wolf, an animal rarely, if ever, to be seen, and to 
 which superstitious ideas are attached. 
 
 “ But on the present occasion no one met me ; the 
 streets were deserted, the doors and windows were all 
 closed ; if not by common consent, it must have been in 
 obedience to strict orders. 
 
 “ I found my way to the house of mourning and was 
 ushered into a back parlour, where for the first time I saw 
 the priest. He sat with his back to me, and seemed rapt 
 in thought. 
 
 “ Thinking he was not aware of my presence, I accosted 
 him with ‘Bonjour, Monsieur l’Abb6/ 
 
 “ He rose with a start, rubbing his rubicund cheeks 
 with a rapid, nervous motion of the hand, and after a 
 few seconds said to me, ‘ Monsieur, I wish you at once, 
 before we proceed further, to promise me that you will 
 confine yourself to your ritual and prayers for the dead, 
 and that you will not speak to the living. On that 
 condition alone can you be permitted to bury my grand- 
 mother/ 
 
 “ Pastor . — ‘ I can promise no such thing. I have no 
 
‘ OUR CHINA teacups: 
 
 245 
 
 ritual. Your grandmother is in heaven, and needs not my 
 prayers. If I speak it can only be to the living/ 
 
 44 Priest. — 4 What ! You refuse me such a reasonable 
 request ! I will inform your superiors/ 
 
 “ Pastor . — 4 My superiors, if you mean the Consist oire, 
 would not approve of my entering into the engagement 
 you wish to force upon me. Besides, I have another and 
 greater Master to whom I owe implicit obedience/ 
 
 44 Priest . — 4 I should like to know who that is. I will 
 complain of your conduct/ 
 
 “ Pastor , drawing out his Bible. — 4 Go ye into all the 
 world, and preach the gospel to every creature ; ’ and 
 added, 4 1 dare not disobey that command/ 
 
 44 Priest , reddening, and apparently preparing for a 
 battle. — 4 1 tell you what, Monsieur : if you will not 
 promise me what I ask, you will get — something you will 
 not like/ 
 
 44 The pastor, remembering the colporteur’s faithful 
 warning, and asking God for the spirit of meekness, 
 inquired what he meant by this threat. 
 
 44 Priest , with great excitement. — 4 Why, you will get a 
 serious affront.’ 
 
 44 Pastor . — 4 What affront, pray ? ’ 
 
 44 Priest , hesitating. — 4 Well, you shall not bury my 
 grandmother.’ 
 
 44 Pastor , taking up his gown. — 4 Oh, if that is the case, 
 I will return by the way I came.’ So saying, he walked 
 rapidly out into the passage. 
 
 44 Priest , rushing after him, and violently laying hold 
 of his arm. — 4 Monsieur, you are in a great hurry to 
 g°-’ 
 
 44 Pastor . — 4 Monsieur l’Abb6, when the owner of a 
 
246 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 house tells you that you may expect an insult, it is time 
 to be off/ 
 
 “ By this time the other inhabitants of the house, 
 relatives and friends, came forward and began to pacify 
 the irate little priest. Whilst they reasoned with him and 
 advised him to yield, the street-door opened, and the 
 pastor perceived a crowd of people with outstretched 
 necks, listening to catch some sounds of the affray. They 
 were delighted to find that some one at least was not 
 afraid of the hot-tempered abbe. 
 
 “ Alas ! it is so in most of the villages of France. The 
 people spend much of their time in criticising their priests, 
 frequently expressing a cordial hatred for them. But if 
 the cur6 turns the corner, they at once doff their hats and 
 make a profound reverence. 
 
 “ The pastor felt the advantage he had gained by the 
 presence of so many people, and said, ‘ Monsieur l’Abbe, 
 you fear, perhaps, that I shall be inveighing against your 
 Church. Such is not my practice when we meet round 
 the grave of the departed. Besides, the whole parish 
 knows that you were not able to convince your own grand- 
 mother, whom all revered as a holy woman. That says 
 far more than I could do, I maintain my right to preach 
 the gospel on the present occasion ; or if not, I go/ 
 
 “ The priest seemed to hesitate. I went out into the 
 street. He ran after me and whispered in my ear, ‘ You 
 shall do as you please.' 
 
 “ I returned, and proceeded to perform the ceremony. 
 
 “ The people now crowded into the room where the 
 dead lay. There was the coffin, and on the little round 
 table the old lady's Bible, now closed. 
 
 “ It brought solemn thoughts, and thoughts of hope and 
 
‘ OUR CHINA teacups: 
 
 247 
 
 peace and glory to my mind, as I told them the ‘ old, old 
 story,’ and showed how the dear old Saxon had read it to 
 her soul’s comfort and salvation in that wonderful book 
 which I exhorted them all to procure for themselves. 
 
 “ We then walked slowly to the cemetery, and the whole 
 population, with the exception of the priests, seemed to 
 stand round the grave, while the pastor spoke to them of 
 Him who is ‘ the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ We 
 returned towards the house, crowds of people accompanying 
 us to the door, where the abb6 stood waiting for us ; and, to 
 my astonishment, he came out to meet me, and presented 
 his cheek for me to give him the kiss of sympathy. 
 
 “ I had never kissed a Romish priest before, and would 
 gladly have dispensed with that part of the ceremony ; but, 
 though it did not form part of the ritual, I went through 
 the ordeal with as good a grace as possible. He then took 
 me by the hand, led me into the house, declared I must 
 breakfast with the family, and thanked me warmly for 
 the ‘ good action ’ I had performed. All which greatly 
 surprised me. 
 
 “ At breakfast he informed me that during that part of 
 the ceremony which had been performed in the house he 
 had been hidden behind his grandmother’s bed-curtains. 
 ‘ And,’ said he, ‘ I confess I was edified and comforted by 
 all you said, and I hope you will accept my grandmother’s 
 Bible as a token of gratitude.’ 
 
 “‘No,’ I replied; 4 the reward I ask is that you keep 
 that book as a memorial of her and of this day, and tell 
 your people only what you find there.’ 
 
 “ We parted excellent friends, and remained so; and 
 when after this we met in any place, he would give me a 
 cordial shake of the hand. 
 
248 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “ Now, the day after the funeral, came a few lines of 
 grateful acknowledgment from the abb6 and other mem- 
 bers of the family, with a ‘ souvenir de la chere d6funte,’ 
 in the shape of a complete set of china tea-things ; plain 
 indeed, but whole and neat, which had belonged to her. 
 
 “ And think you we can look at these without remem- 
 bering whence they came and all they tell us of a pastor’s, 
 I might almost say of a missionary’s, life in the towns and 
 remote villages of the Meuse % 
 
 “ In the course of years they travelled, these tea-things 
 did, from the east of France to the west, some four or five 
 hundred miles, and back again to the neighbourhood of 
 Paris. But what of that ? Do not all people take their 
 goods and chattels with them when they remove from 
 house to house ? True ; but not always without breaking 
 or losing some of them, especially if they pass through a 
 Franco-German war, as our poor cups and saucers did. 
 No wonder we set store by them, for they remind us of 
 strange adventures, excruciating anxiety, and blessed de- 
 liverance, though they lay quietly unconscious all the 
 time. 
 
 “ Some ten years had rolled by since these cups had 
 come into our possession, when all round the once quiet 
 village of Yadonville might be heard the roar of French 
 and German artillery. The victorious Germans were 
 marching on Paris, and French officers assured us that 
 within three weeks Paris would be invested. 
 
 “ We lived at that time in a village not far removed 
 from the great fort of the Mont Val^rien, between Paris 
 and St. Germain-en-Laye, where our eldest son, serving as 
 an officer in the Garde-mobile, was then stationed. 
 
 “ In that pretty village we had formed a small Protes- 
 
‘ OUR CHINA teacups: 
 
 249 
 
 tant congregation, when news of the French disasters at 
 Sedan reached ns, and all felt that it would be impossible 
 to remain where we were, exposed to the cross-fire of the 
 French forts and of the besieging army. The Germans 
 came on. The Uhlans had already been seen in the woods 
 round Paris. The villagers were flying. The Protestants 
 were all gone. The captain quits the ship the last. We 
 did not leave till the trains had ceased to carry passengers 
 to and from Paris. It was time to make our way to 
 Poissy, the nearest station, whence we might find our way 
 into Normandy. 
 
 “ In haste we packed up a few things to take with us ; 
 our clocks, our linen, and most of our wearing apparel. 
 
 “ In the night I dug a deep hole in a grass-plat, and 
 then slanting sideways, right under the trunk and roots of 
 a tree, I hid our chimney ornaments and other articles, 
 valuable only from association as relics of departed friends, 
 to rest there till after the war. The priest’s tea-things, 
 for so we called them, and indeed all our furniture and 
 goods, were left to take their chance during the siege, 
 which we expected might last for about three weeks — 
 some said three days. 
 
 “ Then taking a sheet of paper, I wrote on it in French, 
 English, and German, ‘ This house belongs to a French 
 pastor, who will feel thankful to those who may come here 
 if they will leave things as they find them.’ This humble 
 request I left on the drawing-room table. 
 
 “ We took leave of our pretty home, and went first to 
 St. Germain, where we bid farewell to our son. Of that 
 hour we scarcely dare speak even now. The young soldier 
 himself seemed fearful of breaking down, gave a last 
 affectionate look, and was out of sight. 
 
250 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “ Of all that happened afterwards it would be too long 
 to entertain the reader. How we crept slowly along in 
 the omnibus, in and out amongst the trees of the forest, 
 for the high-road had been uselessly cut up in trenches to 
 prevent the advance of the Germans : — how we passed by 
 hundreds of old men, women, and children; peasantry 
 carrying their furniture, provisions, and little ones ; many 
 of them weeping, driving their flocks before them, leaving 
 their homesteads behind them — some, they said, had been 
 burnt, and they sought refuge in flight : — how we found 
 thousands at the Poissy Station waiting for some train to 
 take them away : — how at last as many of us as could do 
 so scrambled into a long dirty train of empty cattle-trucks, 
 and gladly moved off towards Beuzeval, a beautiful little 
 watering-place on the sea-coast of Normandy, close to the 
 spot from which the Duke of Normandy sailed to the 
 conquest of England ; where I was warmly received by an 
 interesting flock of evangelical Protestants, refugees like 
 ourselves, whose pastor I became during that memorable 
 autumn, and where we received many letters per balloon 
 post from our son, whose regiment was marched into Paris 
 just as the German armies were closing round the capital : 
 — and how it pleased God mercifully to spare the young 
 man, who, almost within sight of his comfortable home, 
 was now engaged in throwing up some earthworks only 
 three hundred yards from the German outposts, where for 
 weeks he lay, sometimes exposed to the enemy’s shells, 
 one of which would have killed him but for the providen- 
 tial shelter of some crumbling remains of a wall in the 
 open field; sometimes lying in the snow; and how he 
 was spared the necessity of taking human life in defending 
 his own, and was permitted to save life, even that of a dear 
 
‘ OUR CHINA TEACUPS .’ 
 
 251 
 
 and beautiful little girl, the daughter of a neighbour, ready 
 to perish for want of food, by capturing on the snow some 
 larks, which he took into Paris for her : — all these things, 
 and many others, are brought to our memory in rapid suc- 
 cession, and seem like a dream that is past ; but they have 
 left an indelible impression on our mind, and probably on 
 our character and destiny in life. 
 
 “For a time we looked upon the house we had left to 
 German occupation as our home, but it was not to be so 
 any longer. Unable to get back for months, we were 
 pressed by our friends in England to come over to this 
 peaceful land. At last the war was ended, and our anxie- 
 ties concerning the safety of our son being now removed, 
 we began to think of recovering our worldly goods. 
 
 “With a courage which might seem strange to those 
 who had not witnessed four revolutions on the Continent, 
 my wife entered Paris the day after the insurrection of the 
 Commune had been quelled. From the omnibus which, 
 the day before, had carried the dead, she saw the smoulder- 
 ing ruins of the Hotel de Yille and of the Tuileries, and 
 then passed into the country, and by boat over the Seine, 
 for all the bridges were destroyed, to our former habitation. 
 What desolation she beheld ! Yet our house remained 
 untouched, filthy in the extreme — indescribably so — for 
 Bavarian soldiers had lodged there; but few things had 
 been taken. 
 
 “ The chimney ornaments were found safe in their hole 
 under the tree; and some French neighbours, who had 
 returned to the village, and who traded with the Germans, 
 cleverly concealed in the loft some of the best of the things 
 we had left behind. They passed them through a trap- 
 door, over which they threw a quantity of old mortar and 
 
252 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B01NVILLE. 
 
 rubbish. The Bavarians did not think it worth while to 
 examine the loft; probably they had other and sharper 
 work to attend to. The rubbish having been removed, 
 the trap-door of the loft was now opened, and there, 
 amongst many other things, were discovered the good old 
 Saxon lady’s tea-things, which now lie complete and 
 without a crack on our shelf in Merry England. 
 
 “ And think you we could look at them and forget, how 
 we came by them, and all the adventures through which 
 they unconsciously, and we too consciously, had passed ! 
 
 “No; as long as we live these cups and saucers will 
 remind us of Yadonville and of our house at Le V6sinet 
 — of some of the most stirring events in our history, and 
 of all that we owe to that good Providence which kept us 
 through every trial, and ever set before us an ‘ open door,’ 
 or ‘ made a way of escape that we might be able to bear 
 it.’ ” 
 
CHAPTEE XVII. 
 
 1862-1864. 
 
 Comparative estimate of English and French character — “Who said that?” — 
 Papineau of Vauvert — The burials question again— “ The Story of a Monastery ” 
 — Monneaux — Ready money — Millennial Christianity — The monks of Essommes 
 — The fruits of love — The Abbe Raulx brings blessings in disguise. 
 
 “ June 19. — The Englishman is generally rather prouder 
 than the Frenchman, the Frenchman vainer than the 
 Englishman. The Frenchman takes a childish pleasure 
 in exalting himself ; the Englishman despises others, 
 and justifies himself in doing so. When I hear a 
 Frenchman talk, I say, ‘ How jealous all men must be 
 of France ! why don't they fall down and worship 
 her V When I hear an Englishman talk, I say, ‘ What 
 a mistake God Almighty made in not making all men 
 English ! 1 That is my impression almost every time 
 I hear them talking of themselves. The Frenchman says, 
 ‘ Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die — when 
 will he be serious h The Englishman says, ‘ God, I thank 
 Thee that I am not as other men are !’ — when will he be 
 humble ] But there are serious Frenchmen, and humble 
 Englishmen. The Englishman talks of duty , and never 
 forgets Dieu et mon droit , — the Frenchman talks of honour 
 and glory, and tells lies ! But when truly serious, and 
 
254 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 converted to God, the Frenchman speaks the truth, and 
 France has given more martyrs for the truth than any 
 other country : the Englishman can give up self, and 
 sacrifice his money and the comforts of life for the salvation 
 of souls ; and when sanctified, it would be hard to decide 
 which character is the more noble or the more useful. 
 God is no respecter of nations.” 
 
 The following account of a pastoral visit, which, if 
 unexpected, was both providential and effective, was con- 
 tributed by Charles de Boinville to the Sunday at Home , 
 and will be read with interest : — 
 
 Who said that t 
 
 “ At five o’clock one morning our servant, who had just 
 risen, was summoned to the street-door by a sharp ring of 
 the bell. Servants rise early in the east of France. A 
 labouring man who stood at the door, but did not give his 
 name, told her in a few hurried words that a traveller 
 passing through the town on the previous day had 
 fallen seriously ill, and desired to see her master, the 
 pastor of the little Protestant church in the town of 
 Bar-le-Duc. He gave the address of the lodging and said 
 no more. 
 
 “ Two or three hours afterwards the pastor went to the 
 house that had been indicated, but could hear of no sick 
 stranger. Thinking a mistake might have been made in 
 the number, he went to the right and to the left, but could 
 hear of no traveller, and was about to give up the search as 
 fruitless, when, seeing a long dark; passage, he thought he 
 would" make another attempt, and went knocking in vain 
 at several doors. A narrow dark staircase led from the 
 bottom of this passage to some squalid-looking apartments 
 
4 WHO SAID THAT V 
 
 255 
 
 inhabited by the poorest of the poor. But no sick man 
 seemed to be there. 
 
 “ A flight of open steps, little better than a ladder, with 
 an old rope for a banister, led still higher to some attics. 
 The bare possibility of the stranger being up there in- 
 duced the pastor to ascend these steps and knock at the 
 door. Beceiving no answer, he ventured to lift the latch, 
 and entering, he saw a man lying on what was intended for 
 a bed, and apparently on the verge of the eternal world. 
 
 “ Could this be the stranger ? The minister drew near 
 and asked if he had sent for him. But the sick man 
 showed no apparent consciousness of his presence. 
 
 “ There was absolutely nothing in the room to afford any 
 clue to the man’s identity, or to show what, in that Boman 
 Catholic country, might be his religion — no picture, no 
 crucifix, no Bible, no book — nothing but a broken chair ; 
 no trace of friendly hand or nurse or earthly comfort. All 
 looked bare and cheerless. 
 
 “ After asking several questions which elicited no reply, 
 the pastor, trusting the sick man might still retain some 
 slight degree of consciousness, drew from his pocket a New 
 Testament, which opened at the fourteenth chapter of St. 
 J ohn’s Gospel, and he read slowly and distinctly, ‘ Let not 
 your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, believe also in 
 Me. In my Father’s house are many mansions : if it were 
 not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for 
 you.’ 
 
 “ Here the dying man, greatly to the surprise and 
 pleasure of the minister, opened his glassy eyes and 
 asked, 4 Who says that?’ 
 
 “The minister replied, ‘ Jesus;’ and thought it better 
 to go on reading. 
 
256 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “ When the sixth verse was read — 4 Jesus saith unto 
 him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life : no man 
 cometli unto the Father, but by Me ’ — the sick one again 
 opened his eyes and said, ( Is that your Jesus V 
 “ ‘ Yes, and I hope He is yours also/ 
 
 “ The chapter was read to the twenty-seventh verse : 
 ‘ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you : not 
 as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart 
 be troubled, neither let it be afraid/ 
 
 “ 6 Does your Jesus say that 1 ’ asked the man with 
 earnestness, but in a faint voice. 
 
 “ ‘ Yes, He says that.’ 
 
 “ c Then I love Him ! ’ 
 
 “ He said no more. These must have been his last 
 words. 
 
 “ The pastor offered a short prayer to God, in the name 
 of that Jesus, and left the house musing in his heart who 
 this dying man could be, and whether or not he were the 
 stranger whom he had been asked to visit. There was 
 about the man a strange undefinable mixture of ignorance 
 and love. How singular that, appearing deaf to the voice 
 of man, and dead to all human and earthly concerns, the 
 tender voice of Jesus should have at once opened his eyes 
 and moved h’is lips ! 
 
 “ ‘ Surely/ thought the pastor to himself, ‘ whoever the 
 stranger may have been whom I was asked to visit, but 
 cannot find, this is the man to whom God has sent me 
 to-day/ 
 
 “ In the dusk of the evening he returned to the sick 
 man’s chamber, hoping he might find him still alive. But 
 he was gone, and upon inquiry amongst the neighbours, it 
 turned out that he was a Jew. 
 
PAPINEAU OF VAUVERT. 
 
 257 
 
 “ What his past life had been the minister asked not. 
 Had he lived consistently as a Jew 1 What opportunities 
 had been given him of hearing about the true Messiah % 
 Was there not already some preparedness of the heart and 
 of the mind to receive the truth 1 The pastor was content 
 to leave the answers to these questions till that day when 
 all secrets shall be revealed ; but he doubted not that, 
 like the simple-minded Nathanael, he was ‘an Israelite 
 indeed/ 
 
 “ Hidden amongst the silver birch and willow trees that 
 skirt the northern declivity of a steep hill, quite out of 
 sight of human habitations, lies the little Jewish cemetery. 
 Curiosity as yet had not led my footsteps in that direction. 
 But now something more than mere curiosity drew me from 
 time to time to this romantic spot. Once and again, not 
 only while the grave was still fresh, but after it was over- 
 grown with the flowering herbs of that hilly district, I 
 would make my way through the thick brushwood, and 
 looking over the rude fence which protected the burial- 
 ground from the profane feet of Gentile neighbours, I 
 would gaze on this quiet nook, and ever and anon remember 
 the dying words of the poor Jew, whilst the tender mighty 
 voice of Jesus seemed to say to me, ‘ Thy brother shall rise 
 again/” 
 
 “ Papineau of Vauvert, a wheelwright, was a famous 
 wrestler and bowler. His reputation was so great that the 
 innkeepers were glad to board him gratis, because he 
 attracted so many strangers ; but when his conscience 
 forbade him to mix in worldly company, and he declined 
 their invitations, his former friends despised and forsook 
 
 Pv 
 
258 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 him. Nothing, however, moved him ; he became a local 
 preacher amongst the Methodists, and was for many years 
 the only male member of the Society in Yauvert. Being 
 a clever workman, he was sought after by many of the 
 farmers, but otherwise, after ar lapse of twenty years, he 
 appeared to have been forgotten. His example must, 
 nevertheless, have told upon the people ; and if his con- 
 sistent conduct appeared to be forgotten while he lived, it 
 was owned and honoured at his death. Quietly, and 
 apparently unknown to the world, he gave up his spirit 
 into the hands of God ; but at his funeral, to the surprise 
 of his Christian friends, crowds of people flocked to the 
 cemetery. A general whisper went round, ‘ We have lost 
 the best man in the town.’ The funeral service was blest 
 to the hearers : from that day the chapel became filled 
 with attentive listeners, several of whom were eventually 
 converted. A large Sunday-school was formed, which 
 prospered for many years, and I trust does so still. All 
 this sprang out of a good man’s holy life, and he knows 
 nothing of it. He died, but his fruit remains.” 
 
 “ March 30, 1863. — After a whole year of happiness we 
 bade adieu at the railway station to our excellent mother, 
 — the second cause of most of the blessings we enjoy.” 
 
 “ April 10. — Glorious soft weather. The earth basks 
 in the rays of the sun, and returns heaven’s dews. Even 
 so shall it be spiritually, Psalm lxxxv. 1 1. Went up with 
 the children into the forest. They sang hymns with the 
 Guignards. To me their voices sounded like some angel- 
 choir echoing in the groves.” 
 
 “ April 30. — Poor Madame Schneider died just five days 
 after her infant child had been buried at Naives. Her 
 poor husband was quite distracted ; we had to hold him 
 
THE BURIALS QUESTION AGAIN. 
 
 259 
 
 down during several hours. I never witnessed such a 
 sight. The priest at Naives has chosen the occasion to 
 bring discredit on himself. The Mayor of the village gave 
 us a place in the cemetery to bury the child. On the 
 following day a poor respectable old man had to be buried, 
 but the priest refused to enter the churchyard unless the 
 body of the child were removed. The Mayor refused, upon 
 which the priest said he would have it done. A Eoman 
 Catholic friend of M. Schneider informed him that the 
 priest would be liable to imprisonment if he dared do such 
 a thing. He then refused to go to the cemetery at all, and 
 abused the Mayor, who told him that by his want of 
 charity he made his parishioners regard him as a monster, 
 and did injury to his own religion. When, a few days 
 later, the family caused the child’s body to be removed, 
 that it might be buried with that of the mother at Bar-le- 
 Duc, in the Protestant burial-ground, a large concourse of 
 Eoman Catholics went to the village cemetery, in order to 
 protest against the conduct of their cur6, and afterwards 
 the whole parish came to the house of mourning, when I 
 spoke to them of the Christian’s warfare, victory, and in- 
 heritance. . . . Poor M. Schneider’s grief was heart-rend- 
 ing to witness, and there was scarcely a dry eye to be 
 seen amongst the attendants.” 
 
 “ October 1. — Heard of dear old Mr. Toase’s death. He 
 was the kindest man I have ever known, and so long as I 
 live his memory will be dear to me.” 
 
 “November 9. — Started for Monneaux, to preach the 
 sermon at the re-opening of the Temple , — which has now a 
 beautiful tower, a steeple, a bell, and a clock, — a great 
 event in this quiet village. . . . My visit to Monneaux 
 leaves a sweet impression on my mind. The people, the 
 
26 o 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 place, and the interesting historical reminiscences all com- 
 bine to do so.” 
 
 We here reprint an account of the inherited charity and 
 toleration of the inhabitants of Monneaux, reprinted by 
 permission from the Sunday at Home , entitled 
 
 Story or a Monastery. 
 
 “ About half-way between Paris and CMlons, in Cham- 
 pagne, lies, rather picturesquely situated on the banks of 
 the Marne, the little town of Chateau-Thierry, the birth- 
 place of the famous fabulist, La Fontaine. Report says, 
 that since the days when he made beasts speak so cleverly 
 the town has produced no man of wit. However that may 
 be, I did not stay to test the fact, but proceeded onwards, 
 where duty led me towards the village of Essommes, some 
 two miles further down the river. 
 
 “ It was a beautiful autumn day, soft and still. As I 
 entered the village I was struck with the richness of the 
 scenery. In the midst of a number of neat and comfort- 
 able-looking cottages rose the lofty remains of an old abbey 
 church, formerly dependent on a monastery, of which 
 scarcely any vestiges remain. The abbey, which looks as 
 if one half of it had been just cut off and removed, is still 
 a noble building of pure Gothic style, and is now used as 
 a parish church. The clock is hung in a small projecting 
 tower, and the large stones, which serve as weights to 
 propel it, and to make it strike the hours, come dangling 
 strangely down the wall on the outside of the edifice, so that 
 he who enters hopes that the ropes to which the weights 
 are attached are sufficiently strong to keep them aloft. 
 
 “ Turning abruptly to the right, and leaving the main 
 valley of the Marne, to follow the course of a brook which 
 
MONNEAUX. 
 
 261 
 
 runs rapidly down between the vine-clad hills, amidst 
 orchards of pear, and apple, and cherry, and plum trees, 
 after walking for about three-quarters of an hour I came 
 to the remote and peaceful village of Monneaux. 
 
 “ It was evidently a holiday time. The peasants, who 
 appeared to be well-to-do in the world, were clad in their 
 best apparel. The population here is composed chiefly of 
 Protestants, some of them prosperous farmers and small 
 landed proprietors ; some are wood-merchants, and others 
 makers of musical instruments of various kinds. Rough- 
 looking fellows they were, some of them, but polite in con- 
 versation ; and the younger members of the community as 
 polished in manners as any Parisian. The inhabitants of 
 this Protestant village bear the highest reputation for 
 intelligence and industry, as well as for truthfulness and 
 honesty; and the roughest of them would feel deeply 
 wounded if a momentary suspicion were cast on their 
 probity. 
 
 “ A man was pointed out to me as a fair specimen of 
 the rougher sort amongst them. His honest face and 
 somewhat neglected toilet certainly bespoke more careful- 
 ness for the reality than for the appearance of respecta- 
 bility. One day, when this good man was toiling in the 
 fields in his shirt-sleeves and wooden shoes, he pulled out 
 his watch and said to himself, ‘ If I am to buy that piece 
 of land which lies next to mine, the sale takes place at ten 
 o’clock, and I have no time to lose.’ 
 
 “So, without changing his apparel, down he went to 
 Essommes, and bid the highest price — twenty thousand 
 francs. As the auctioneer knocked it down to him, our 
 uncouth-looking friend perceived that his ability to pay so 
 large a sum of money was doubted, and the auctioneer 
 
262 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 reminded him that the money must be paid before a 
 certain date. Some of the gentry from Chateau-Thierry 
 smiled as they saw the good peasant walk away, looking 
 somewhat annoyed. Other pieces of land were to be dis- 
 posed of, and the sale went on. In the course of three- 
 quarters of an hour the farmer returned, still wearing his 
 wooden shoes, and in his shirt-sleeves. He was out of 
 breath and perspiring, because he bore on his back, in a 
 hotte , or large basket fastened to the shoulders, a burden 
 of considerable weight. 
 
 “ ‘ Please to make room/ said he ; ‘ and now, Mr. 
 Auctioneer, as you seem to be in such a hurry for your 
 money, I have just brought it in hard cash. Please to 
 count it, and give me the receipt ; but take care of your 
 fingers/ 
 
 “ So saying, he abruptly turned over the basket, and the 
 twenty thousand francs, in large silver pieces, fell with 
 a tremendous crash upon the table, to the great amuse- 
 ment of the bystanders. 
 
 “ But let us return to the village. On the day it was 
 my privilege to visit it for the first time, an interesting 
 ceremony was about to take place. The Protestant church, 
 which had originally been built, like the Temple at 
 Jerusalem, in troublous times, that is, during the French 
 Revolution, had been undergoing some very important 
 repairs. Both Roman Catholics and Protestants had con- 
 tributed towards its erection ; and now again it was by 
 their combined efforts that a new front had been built, 
 with the addition of a tower and spire, containing a large 
 clock and a fine-toned bell. 
 
 “All the most notable men from the villages round, 
 the Sous-Pr6fet from Chateau-Thierry, and the Mayor of 
 
MILLENNIAL CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 263 
 
 Essommes — both Roman Catholics, — Protestant pastors 
 from distant towns and villages, had met together for the 
 re-opening, or fresh dedication of the church, and the 
 utmost good feeling prevailed. The officiating minister, 
 who had taken for the subject of his discourse, ‘ Faith, 
 which worketh by love,’ after explaining and enforcing 
 these words, alluding to the particular occasion which 
 drew them together on that day, begged the Protestant 
 parishioners, whenever they looked at the new spire of 
 their church, pointing, as it did, towards heaven, to lift 
 their hearts in earnest prayer to that God above, who 
 alone could send them temporal and spiritual prosperity. 
 He advised them never to allow their new bell to remind 
 them in vain of God’s holy Sabbath, nor to call them in 
 vain to the house of prayer. He besought them never to 
 hear that clock strike without remembering the words 
 which he had once read on a sun-dial, ‘ It is time to work ’ 
 — to work and to live for the Lord ; and when in the 
 field they heard its distant solemn strokes, might it ever 
 be their earnest prayer, 4 So teach us to number our days, 
 that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.’ 
 
 “ In the afternoon, when the religious ceremony was 
 concluded, a banquet was given, and upwards of a hundred 
 of the inhabitants, with a few strangers, sat down to 
 dinner, and several toasts were drunk, Protestants and 
 Roman Catholics seeming to forget for awhile their 
 religious differences. Amidst the greatest cheerfulness 
 and hearty good-humour, there was not the least appear- 
 ance of excess of any kind, nor the slightest indecorum. 
 A rustic poet of the Roman Catholic persuasion composed 
 impromptu, and sang with singular vigour, some stanzas, 
 the whole party joining at last in the chorus. 
 
264 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “ It was a curious and thoroughly French scene. 
 
 “ ‘ If all France were like this village/ said the Sous- 
 Pr&fet, ‘ it would not be a difficult country to govern. , 
 
 “ ‘ And yet/ remarked I, ‘ the inhabitants are not all of 
 the same religion/ 
 
 “ ‘ No, indeed/ replied the Sous-Pr6fet ; 4 and some of 
 them are very zealous. I have been informed that not 
 less than thirty Roman Catholics have, within the last few 
 years, become Protestants. Nevertheless, I have been 
 informed that practical charity exists to a remarkable 
 extent amongst all classes in this happy village — rich and 
 poor, Protestants and Roman Catholics, vying with each 
 other in doing good/ 
 
 “‘I am afraid/ remarked one of the oldest Protestant 
 inhabitants, ‘ that Monsieur le Sous-Prefet has been led to 
 form too high an opinion of us ; but it is true that in our 
 village, whatever a man's religion may be, we are willing 
 to lend him a helping hand. If any man falls ill, and lies 
 in his bed for six months, he will find, on his recovery, 
 that his neighbours have tilled his land, and pruned his 
 vines as carefully as he could have done himself. We 
 have discovered that the prosperity of all depends on the 
 prosperity of each. Our pastors also tell us that the 
 royal law of Christ teaches us to bear each other’s 
 burdens/ 
 
 “ I remained some days amongst these people, and tried 
 to solve the mystery of this rare — too rare — example of 
 harmonious living. It is not uncommon, indeed, to find 
 those who are utterly indifferent to all religious principle 
 and the salvation of souls, willing, as they say, to live and 
 let live. But this is a very different thing from the 
 earnest doing of good to one another which I saw exem- 
 
THE ABBOT OF ESSOMMES . 265 
 
 plified in an imperfect, but yet very remarkable degree, at 
 Monneaux-Essommes. 
 
 “ At last I found the secret in the history and religious 
 traditions of this particular locality ; and as it had borne 
 such sweet fruit in this remote valley, I hope it will prove 
 neither uninteresting nor unprofitable to the reader. 
 
 “ From Meaux, where the principles of the Reformation 
 were proclaimed by Bishop Britjonnet and others as early 
 as the year 1520, the knowledge of the gospel spread in 
 every direction; and notwithstanding the persecution of 
 Leclerc, the martyrdom of Jacques Pavannes, L’firemite de 
 Livry, and fourteen other notable inhabitants of the neigh- 
 bourhood, who were burnt in the fires, Protestantism 
 continued to gain ground. Troops of low and lewd fellows 
 were sent from Paris, who came up the valley of the 
 Marne, beating, hanging, or drowning all those of the new 
 religion on whom they could lay hands. Many, however, 
 escaped, running further up the valley towards Chateau- 
 Thierry, where they settled in different villages of the 
 neighbourhood. About fourteen small congregations were 
 formed in those days, by those who had been dispersed, on 
 the confines of the Pays de Brie and of Champagne ; but 
 they were ere long scattered by the cruel hand of persecu- 
 tion, and not a trace of them could be found after the 
 fearful massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day, 24th of August 
 1572. 
 
 “ During those days of fearful trial and bloodshed the 
 monastery of Essommes was enjoying full prosperity. The 
 abbot, who was at the same time lord of the manor, was a 
 kind and charitable man, more enlightened and tolerant 
 than most of the monks and prelates of his day. 
 
 “In a village just across the river there were a few 
 
266 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 Protestant families, who had as yet escaped the notice of 
 the persecutors. One of these families was in the habit of 
 conveying daily to the convent various articles of food, the 
 quality of which the monks knew how to appreciate. 
 Their mutual intercourse was so friendly, that when, a 
 short time afterwards, the Protestants were obliged to fly, 
 the good abbot consented to receive some of them, and to 
 hide and protect them in the woods behind the convent. 
 It was a wild, uncultivated district, consisting of thick 
 copse-wood and forest-trees, which ran for many miles over 
 hill and dale, with bogs and marshes at the bottom of the 
 valleys. The country was inaccessible except to the most 
 daring sportsman, who might occasionally have courage to 
 tear his way through the brambles in quest of the wolf or 
 the wild-boar. 
 
 “ It was in these back-woods that the good Protestant 
 families from the village were permitted to hide them- 
 selves ; and there, with that vigour and energy which 
 strong religious convictions and love of liberty generally 
 produce, they laboured and toiled to gain their daily bread. 
 Every now and then some new family, half-starved and 
 terrified, would seek and obtain admittance to the wild 
 refuge; and by degrees these industrious families had 
 cleared the woods and drained the land, and tilled the 
 ground, and made roads, and built bridges, and planted 
 vineyards. And the fruit-trees blossomed, and the convent 
 cellars were full of delicious wines, and the monks rejoiced 
 in the temporal benefits they had derived from their 
 charitable action ; for the wilderness had in the course of 
 years become a little paradise — one of the richest and 
 most cheerful valleys in France. But it was no longer so 
 safe a refuge. 
 
THE MONKS OF ESSOMMES. 
 
 267 
 
 “ Monneaux, which had now become a prosperous village, 
 was occasionally visited by the enemies of Protestantism ; 
 and during the reign of Louis xiv., and of his successor, 
 its peaceful inhabitants were not allowed to worship God 
 unmolested. Their place of worship in those days consisted 
 of a square room, with a door at each side ; and a sentinel 
 was posted at both ends to warn the worshippers of any 
 approaching danger, in order that they might speedily make 
 their escape. They were not allowed to bury their dead 
 decently, but were forced to dig a hole in some field, and 
 pass the plough over it to hide the place. How different 
 were those times from the present days of sweet repose, 
 when the church-spire and sweet-toned bell, and spacious 
 school-house, and quiet burial-ground, speak of toleration 
 and religious liberty, and equality before the law ! 
 
 “ Be it said to the honour of the monks at Essommes, that 
 during all the long years of unjust persecution they never 
 joined in any outrage. The cruel injustice came from a 
 distance ; and it was owing to their protection in part that 
 the Protestant community of Monneaux was preserved, 
 whilst fourteen other congregations in the neighbourhood 
 were swept away. 
 
 “The edict of 1787, commonly called the Edict of 
 Toleration, opened a new era of peace and hope to the 
 Protestants. Many exiles returned to their fatherland ; 
 and amidst the distant sounds of the coming Revolution 
 several Protestant churches were erected, some of which 
 were afterwards converted into club-houses. It was in 
 those days that the church was built at Monneaux. 
 
 “ Men's minds became too much excited by the burning 
 political questions of the day to give much consideration to 
 religion. To be an atheist, to worship the goddess ‘ Reason,' 
 
268 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 was deemed an honour. Ere long the tide of revolution 
 ran high throughout France. Churches were destroyed ; 
 priests and monks were imprisoned, banished, or put to 
 death. All social elements were convulsed. The infuriated 
 populace, too easily influenced by their misguided leaders, 
 rose in all parts of the country, glad of any excuse to burn, 
 destroy, or pilfer. 
 
 “ In 1793 the quiet village of Essommes was visited by 
 a mob of revolutionists, determined to destroy the mon- 
 astery and to take the lives of the monks. Several of the 
 latter had made their escape, and found their way up to 
 the village of Monneaux, where the Protestants received 
 them with open arms, having never forgotten the kindness 
 shown to their forefathers in bygone days. It was now 
 their turn to show sympathy and charity. They were well 
 able to do so, for they had become a large and almost 
 wealthy community. 
 
 “ Those who had made their escape informed the inhabi- 
 tants of Monneaux that several of their brethren were at 
 that moment exposed to the greatest danger, the convent 
 being on fire, and the monks shut up in a room, whilst the 
 populace without were threatening them with immediate 
 destruction. The Mayor’s assistant, who was a Protestant, 
 sent at once a messenger to the commissary of the Govern- 
 ment at Chateau-Thierry, requesting his presence at 
 Essommes. Then seizing his sword, and listening only to 
 his courage, he hastened to the spot, and, placing himself at 
 the door of the room where the monks were confined, he 
 endeavoured to pacify the people’s minds, and succeeded 
 in keeping them in check till the gendarmes arrived from 
 Chateau-Thierry. The officer at their head demanded of 
 what crime the monks were accused. Some answered one 
 
THE FRUITS OF LOVE . 
 
 269 
 
 thing and some another, whilst the Mayor’s assistant 
 exclaimed, ‘ My life for theirs if they are not honest men.’ 
 It was in the dusk of the evening, and night was drawing 
 on apace, when, amidst the glare of the fire and the uproar 
 of the people, the door was burst open, and behold ! the 
 room was empty. Some well-wisher to the monks had 
 secretly let them out behind, and helped them to escape to 
 Monneaux, from whence most of them fled to different 
 hiding-places. The Prior, who was at the same time the 
 parish priest of Essommes, remained for a long time under 
 the protection of the Protestants, who, though they deplored 
 his errors, would not allow him to be molested. Thus did 
 the charity of kind monks of former years bear its fruits 
 long afterwards, when the tide of popularity had turned 
 against their order; and thus it was that that kindly 
 and neighbourly feeling between men of such opposite 
 religious persuasions was so firmly established in that 
 happy valley.” 
 
 “ I never enjoyed the autumn more than this year. 
 Perhaps this was the doing of the Abb6 Raulx ; for it was 
 sweet to turn for refreshment from the vileness of 
 humanity to the loveliness of God’s works, and the hand 
 of our Maker and Father. If that man had attacked us 
 when first I came here he might have done us harm. As 
 it is, he has caused the light to shine, he has strengthened 
 the Protestants in their faith, brought the faithful more 
 closely together, cleared us of hypocrites, and made the 
 Nicodemus show his colours. It is now nine years since 
 we came here, and I feel less inclined than ever to 
 leave. . . . The Abb6’s second book is out, full of greater 
 lies and impudence than the last. Going to St. Mihiel, I 
 
270 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 travelled with him, and told him I should not answer it. 
 He asked me why, and I replied, Because I was advised, 
 even by all my Boman Catholic friends, as well as the 
 Protestants, not to answer insults, and I assured him he 
 had done his own cause more harm than good.” 
 
 “ December 30. — At half-past twelve o’clock last night 
 we were awakened by the tocsin and fire-drum. The 
 heavens were lighted up by the reflection of the glare. 
 As I ran down the hill, great was my terror when I saw 
 the flames rising right over our church ! M. Bengenbach’s 
 vermicelli magazine was in a blaze. Such showers of 
 sparks I never yet saw, and at one time I feared for our 
 roof, but by God’s blessing no building fell a sacrifice to 
 the flames but the magazine itself. We had fire-engines 
 at work till four o’clock in the morning, and every man 
 did his duty.” 
 
 “ December 31. — The end of a year, which has been 
 one of many blessings and a few hard conflicts. L’Abbe 
 Baulx disturbed our peace for a time, but his attack has 
 brought out another edition of Pourquoi je suis Protestant , 
 and has done more good than harm, and many have been 
 our personal, family, and church blessings. How much 
 received, how little done, — yet God be praised for all !” 
 
 The tenderness of his affection for his mother is so 
 simply expressed in the following paragraph that it 
 deserves quotation: — 
 
 “ My darling precious Mother, — What a blessing to 
 be permitted to write to you again with the happy con- 
 sciousness that you are well, and not suffering, and in no 
 danger, — if one can ever be said to be out of danger in 
 this world ! We were in such a way about you ! The 
 news of your illness came on Sunday morning, three 
 
• pourquois: 
 
 271 
 
 quarters of an hour before service, and I spoke to nobody 
 about it, for fear of being upset.” 
 
 “ January 27. — I could not but weep on reading the 
 account of the funeral of Fr6d6ric Monod. He was, 
 indeed, a gallant officer in Christ’s army ! I shall never 
 forget the conversation I had with him when — just before 
 he left the Reformed Church of Paris — he consented to 
 join Armand Delille and others in ordaining me. He was 
 faithfulness itself, and full of brotherly love.” 
 
 “ January 31. — Got the Abb6 Raulx’s answer to my 
 third letter. It would be easy to show from his own 
 words and quotations all that I asserted, viz., that tradi- 
 tion contradicts itself. But it is out of the question that 
 I should answer such a piece of coarse, impudent composi- 
 tion, and for my comfort I satisfied myself with reading 
 the 64th Psalm.” 
 
 “ February 12. — Arrived at Lisieux, and walked alone 
 over the hills and across the meadows, from which the 
 snow had just melted. My own heart seemed to melt as 
 each turn and every peep over town and country brought 
 sweetest recollections to my mind of mercies innumerable.” 
 
 “ Sunday , 1 4 th . — Preached in the morning, with some 
 difficulty on account of emotion. In the afternoon, in 
 English, at St. Germain-de-livet. Again in the evening at 
 Lisieux. The affection the people show me moves me 
 deeply. One conversion has specially affected me : M. 
 Pontain, a shoemaker, living at Breuil, was walking across 
 a meadow nine years ago, when he spied a little book 
 lying on the grass near an unfrequented path. He picked 
 it up, read it, and became a Protestant in consequence. 
 It was my poor Pourquoi , and he has walked to Lisieux 
 to see, hear, and thank its author ! I was indeed thankful 
 
272 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 to God, especially at this moment, when the Abb6 Raulx 
 is attacking me so sharply.” 
 
 “ February 27. — Archdeacon Cather spent part of the day 
 with us looking for a house. If he comes, may the Lord 
 bless his coming! When I went to England to collect 
 money for our church, Dr. William Smith gave me an 
 introduction to Mr. Murray, the great publisher, — so, 
 calling on him one day, I mentioned our wants. Mr. 
 Murray — for I suppose it was himself — took down from a 
 shelf ms. notes for his Guide , and read what concerned 
 Bar-le-Duc. ‘ Now/ he said, ‘ can you correct any of these 
 statements, or give me any further information h 9 I told 
 him all I could. He then said : ‘ Now, if you do not 
 object, I shall state that the pastor is half English. Do 
 you mind that ] 1 1 Why/ said I, ‘ I do not see how I 
 
 can prevent you/ ‘ I thank you for your information/ 
 said he, and added, ‘ Here are two pounds for you!’ I 
 felt rather abashed. But it was reading that fact that 
 made Archdeacon Cather write to me, and then come 
 here.” 
 
 “ March 20. — I cannot see that the Abb6 Raulx has 
 done us any harm. Never had we larger congregations, 
 although the Jesuits are attracting crowds just now to the 
 church of Notre Dame. Roman Catholics are flocking to 
 our church in numbers. Mme. Schramm has joined us.” 
 
 “ May 22. — On Wednesday evening, as I was returning 
 from Vassy, having had no time to prepare for the pulpit, 
 I felt anxious, and unable from fatigue and weakness to 
 face the difficulty, but was upheld by a text that presented 
 itself to my mind. It was this: ‘None of these things 
 move me/ I thanked God, and determined to take 
 that as a subject. God blessed it to a dear man, M. 
 
M. CHAMPA GN OL. 
 
 273 
 
 Champagnol, who was present, and has been up to tell me 
 his experience and intentions. For a long time he has 
 been a constant attendant, and he told me how wonderfully 
 God has led him. Twelve years ago, when he lived at 
 Metz, he attended the funeral of a Protestant neighbour, 
 and after hearing M. Cuvier give an exhortation, exclaimed, 
 ‘ Oh, that is a better religion than ours, and if my little 
 daughter (who was his idol) were not a Catholic, I would 
 seek to become a Protestant.’” 
 
 S 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 1864-1865. 
 
 Melanie Champagnol — Her natural tenderness— Her moral courage — Her success 
 as a special pleader — Her family remove to Bar-le-Duc — She becomes a 
 Protestant — Is eminently useful— Loses her health, and dies. — Madame D. — 
 M. Guizot — M. de Boinville visits Scotland — The Empress Eugenie and the 
 Prince Imperial visit Bar-le-Duc — Modification of theological opinions — “ One 
 more unfortunate!” — Call to Cherbourg — Sorrow on leaving Bar-le-Duc — 
 Account of the pleasant society there. 
 
 “ Sunday , May 29th, 1864. — On this day no less than six 
 Komanists joined us, amongst others, Mile. Maria and the 
 Champagnols. When poor M6lanie Champagnol came up 
 to the table, pale and weak, yet still beautiful, many were 
 deeply moved, and wept. Joy and sorrow, love and 
 gratitude, were blended in the expression of her counten- 
 ance. 
 
 The following account is reprinted from the Sunday at 
 Home of January 1, 1868 : — 
 
 “ M6lanie Champagnol was born at Metz, a large and 
 strongly-fortified town on the north-east frontier of France. 
 Her parents were honest working people * and being them- 
 selves Eoman Catholics, they brought up their daughter in 
 that faith, and gave her as good an education as their 
 pecuniary circumstances permitted. Endowed with more 
 than ordinary ability, and earnestly desiring to please her 
 
M&LANIE CHAMPA GNOL. 
 
 275 
 
 parents, she made rapid progress in her studies, and soon 
 outstripped her companions. She was a beautiful, loving, 
 and amiable child. 
 
 “ From her early years Melanie showed the tenderness 
 of her heart by kindness to the poor. Her mother used 
 to put her dinner into a little basket which she carried 
 to school ; but as it was noticed that her basket was 
 frequently empty when she arrived there, a neighbour 
 watched her on the road, and saw that she parted with 
 her provisions to a poor woman, keeping nothing for 
 herself, and never complaining of hunger when she re- 
 turned home. After this one of her parents used to lead 
 her by the hand to school. 
 
 “ On one of these occasions her father perceived that 
 Melanie was weeping, and inquired of her the cause of her 
 distress. ‘ Oh, father,’ she said, ‘ do you not see that poor 
 little boy without any shoes on his feet % If you will 
 allow me, I will just run home and get my little boots to 
 give him.’ The father wisely consented, and his child’s 
 heart was relieved when she saw the little boy happy, and 
 wearing her boots. 
 
 “ As Melanie grew older, it was thought that, on account 
 of her talents, she should become a schoolmistress. But 
 her parents preferred that she should be a milliner ; and 
 in this employment she excelled, as she did in everything 
 she undertook. 
 
 “ Moral courage was one of the most striking features 
 in her character ; and once convinced that she had a duty 
 to perform, nothing could deter her from its fulfilment. 
 At the same time this courage was united to a gentleness 
 of manners which threw an inexpressible charm round the 
 whole life of this remarkable girl. 
 
276 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE B 01 NVILLE . 
 
 “ M6lanie was seventeen years of age when a regiment 
 that had been quartered at Metz left the town to join the 
 forces then engaged in the Mexican war. Amongst the 
 officers of this regiment was one who, shortly after his 
 arrival in Mexico, having been accused of embezzling a 
 sum of money, received orders to return at once, to be 
 tried by court-martial. This brave officer, who knew 
 himself to be innocent, returned to his country much 
 broken in health, anxious in mind, and wearied by his 
 journey. There was some family connection between him 
 and the Champagnols ; and to them he naturally related 
 all the circumstances of the case in the presence of M6lanie, 
 who at once expressed her astonishment that he did not 
 communicate these to General B — . He replied : ‘ It is 
 my intention to do so; but, believe me, a young and 
 innocent creature like you is much more easily convinced 
 of my innocence than a court-martial will be. 7 
 
 “ Melanie contrived to be allowed to be the bearer of 
 the documents which had been prepared, and which she 
 desired herself to place in the hands of the general. That 
 officer being from home, Melanie requested to see his wife ; 
 and, being introduced, spoke so feelingly in favour of her 
 friend that the lady consented to take charge of the docu- 
 ments, and requested her to return on the following day, 
 in order to have an interview with the general himself. 
 
 “ Melanie returned at the appointed hour, and though 
 the sentinel refused her admittance, she was not to be 
 turned from her purpose, but expostulated with him, until 
 fortunately a servant who had seen her on the previous 
 day recognised her, and she was ushered in. Like his 
 wife, the general felt the influence of her persuasive plead- 
 ing, and became as thoroughly convinced of the officer’s 
 
MELANIE CHAMPA GNOL. 
 
 277 
 
 innocence as Melanie lierself. His conviction being shared 
 by the court-martial, the accused was acquitted ; and when, 
 a few days later, he went to take leave, previous to his 
 return to Mexico, the general said, ‘ No lawyer could have 
 pleaded your cause so ably as your young relative/ 
 
 “ On leaving France, the gallant officer confided to 
 Melanie a curious work-box which he had brought with 
 him from Mexico, begging her to convey it to the lady of 
 General B — as a token of his gratitude. The proffered 
 gift was declined. ‘ And now/ said Melanie, ‘ what shall 
 I do with the box ] It is not mine/ The young girl felt 
 embarrassed. On leaving the house a thought crossed her 
 mind. Since she felt some scruple in keeping the box she 
 would make good use of it. A bazaar was just at that 
 time being opened for the benefit of the poor. She took 
 the box immediately to the managers, who valued it at 
 eight pounds. — What might not be expected from such a 
 nature, especially when sanctified by divine grace 1 
 
 “ About two years after the incident related above, 
 the Champagnols removed to Bar-le-Duc, where Melanie’s 
 father had found work. The young girl, who had become 
 an accomplished work-woman, was appointed head over 
 the female department in one of the principal establish- 
 ments of the town. Bright prospects now opened before 
 the family ; but already the hectic bloom and short cough 
 betrayed too surely that this delicate girl was being led 
 inevitably towards the grave. 
 
 “ 4 All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the 
 flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower 
 thereof falleth away ; but the word of the Lord endureth 
 for ever/ It was this JVord which the God of love merci- 
 fully made known through the gospel to Melanie Cham- 
 
278 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 pagnol before He withdrew her from this world, and which 
 she was permitted to deposit in the hearts of her parents 
 as a treasury of comfort in their sorrow. 
 
 “ A fortnight after her family had settled at Bar-le-Duc, 
 Melanie was walking about the town one Sunday, from 
 curiosity to see the objects of interest in her new place of 
 abode. Her attention was attracted by a church, over the 
 door of which she read those words of joy, sung by the 
 shepherds at the birth of Jesus, — ‘Glory be to God on 
 high ; peace on earth ; ’ and, engraved upon an open Bible, 
 carved in stone, the words of Christ, ‘ Search the Scrip- 
 tures/ She was induced to enter. The pastor was just 
 beginning to preach the gospel to a number of people 
 whom she soon discovered to be a congregation of Protes- 
 tants. When she returned home she exclaimed, ‘ Oh, 
 father, I have heard the gospel preached to-day, and I 
 have learnt in one hour more of true religion than in 
 all my life. Next Sunday you must come with me !’ 
 
 “ 6 1 will come with you, my daughter ; and all the more 
 willingly/ replied her father, ‘ that many years ago I heard 
 the prayers of a Protestant pastor at the funeral of a child 
 at Metz, and I thought at that time that if my child had 
 not been baptized a Boman Catholic, I would have pre- 
 ferred the Protestant faith. I was fearful it would be 
 against your worldly interests. How strange it is that 
 you should now be the first to lead me to a Protestant 
 church ! ’ 
 
 “ A short time after this conversation, you might have 
 seen Melanie humbly teaching the alphabet to a group of 
 Protestant children at the Sunday-school. Judging from 
 her gentle and modest demeanour, the superintendent of 
 the school could not but think her worthy of the honour 
 
MELANIE CHAMPA GNOL. 
 
 279 
 
 she solicited, and allowed her to become a teacher before 
 she had so much as signified her desire of becoming a 
 member of the congregation. As time passed on, she 
 showed more and more earnestness in her endeavours 
 to do good. She united herself to a circle of young girls 
 who had been glad to make her acquaintance, and with 
 them she worked for the poor. She also joined a singing- 
 class for practising sacred music, and seemed ever occupied, 
 both at home and abroad, in seeking the advancement of 
 God’s kingdom. 
 
 “ One day we missed Melanie from her usual place, and, 
 as none of us had yet become acquainted with her father, 
 we knew not what had become of her. The pastor feared 
 she was ill, for, long before her parents did so, he had per- 
 ceived the symptoms of incipient consumption. 
 
 “ After a month’s suspense she again appeared at church. 
 She still had a cough. A few weeks more, and the damp, 
 cold days of winter forbade her to leave home. Again she 
 disappeared without having given utterance to her con- 
 victions. The father attended our service, but his only 
 reply to inquiries after his daughter’s health was that he 
 hoped she would soon be better. Several weeks passed, 
 but Melanie did not return. 
 
 “ Monsieur Champagnol called one day on the pastor to 
 say that his daughter wished to speak with him on the 
 subject of religion. He said that she was a Protestant in 
 heart, and would never be able in future to conform to the 
 rites of the Church of Rome. 
 
 “ How great was the minister’s joy, when, shortly after, 
 entering the chamber of the invalid, he found M6lanie 
 Champagnol, though greatly enfeebled and altered by 
 disease, peacefully rejoicing in a sense of God’s favour, 
 
28 o 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 and in the knowledge of free salvation. There seemed 
 to be every evidence of a divine work in her soul ; deep 
 sorrow at having been so long ignorant of the grace of 
 the Lord Jesus, and at having been separated by sin and 
 indifference from her Bedeemer; joy at having at last 
 found Him ; earnest desire to glorify Him to the end of 
 her life; the spirit of prayer and intercession; love for 
 the Word of God, which she read every day with her 
 father in a Bible which they had purchased from a neigh- 
 bour ; simple, firm faith in the promises of Scripture. 
 Seeing this, all present knelt together, blessing 4 the 
 Author and Finisher of our faith ’ for this new proof 
 of His 4 good-will towards men,’ and for the comfort which 
 He gives His people in seasons of affliction. 
 
 44 From this time forward the invalid was regularly 
 visited by the pastor, who can testify that nothing could 
 be more admirable than the patience, resignation, and 
 tranquillity of mind shown by this young girl through 
 those weary months of suffering, during which, every now 
 and then, hopes of cure were raised, soon to fade away, 
 and finally to disappear. The poor parents saw their 
 tender plant withering daily in their hands. Their only 
 child — a child so justly loved — was fading day by day. 
 
 44 As for Melanie, if outwardly she was perishing, in- 
 wardly she was being renewed. It was touching to watch 
 the care with which she sought to hide from her parents 
 her sufferings and her fears ; and especially from her father, 
 when he returned home from his daily labour, fatigued, 
 and with an anxious mind. Nor did she like to be a 
 burden to them. As long as she could hold a needle, 
 her trembling hands still sought to earn a few pence, — 
 even the very day before her death. Such was her 
 
M&LANIE CHAMPAGNOL. 
 
 281 
 
 industry, and such her desire to hide her extreme weak- 
 ness from those who so tenderly loved her. 
 
 “ Sometimes when her father came home in the evening 
 she would say to him, ‘Father, do not be sorrowful ; I 
 think I feel a little better this evening/ Then she would 
 sing feebly a hymn which she had learnt at the Sunday- 
 school : — 
 
 1 Je voudrais etre un ange — 
 
 Un ange du bon Dieu, 
 
 Vivre au ciel en echange 
 De ce terrestre lieu ; 
 
 J’aurais une couronne, 
 
 En main la harpe d’or, 
 
 Et vers Dieu sur son tr6ne 
 Mon chant prendrait l’essor/ 
 
 ‘ Oh, would I were an angel bright 
 To dwell with God above ! 
 
 This earth I ’d leave with true delight 
 For that fair world of love. 
 
 A crown of glory there I ’d wear, 
 
 And strike the harp of gold ; 
 
 And God would lend a willing ear 
 While I His praises told.’ 
 
 “ When asked whether she wished to live longer on 
 earth, she answered, ‘ As God wills. If it is God’s will 
 that I should suffer longer, I know that His will is best.’ 
 When her minister asked her if she was enjoying the peace 
 of God, she said, ‘ Whilst I am looking to Christ, I must 
 needs be at peace.’ 
 
 “ She had hopes that the return of spring would restore 
 her failing strength sufficiently to enable her to go to 
 church and take the Lord’s Supper. She wished to be 
 openly admitted as a member of the Protestant Church. 
 Two such opportunities had been lost through her inability 
 
282 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 to attend, and she continued to grow weaker. Nevertheless, 
 this child was destined, after having guided, her parents 
 into the way of truth, to show them, by her example, how 
 to walk in the path of duty and of Christian faithfulness. 
 
 “ There were in the neighbourhood several little Pro- 
 testant congregations scattered t amongst the Roman 
 Catholics. To these the pastor for some days had been 
 preaching, and administering the Lord’s Supper; after 
 which, he found on his return home that he must travel 
 thirty-five miles to attend a funeral service, and be back 
 at Bar-le-Duc for evening service at eight o’clock. Feeling 
 much fatigued, both in body and mind, and having had no 
 time to prepare his discourse, he felt somewhat troubled 
 and anxious. At last he thought within himself how 
 much greater were St. Paul’s trials than his owm, while, 
 in the midst of all he said, ‘ None of these things move 
 me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I 
 might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which 
 I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of 
 the grace of God.’ The devotedness and the faithfulness 
 of the apostle struck him so forcibly that he determined to 
 preach on that text. Monsieur Champagnol was present 
 at the service on that evening, and gave M6lanie a faithful 
 account of all he had heard of the duty of bearing testimony 
 to the gospel. 
 
 “ 4 My dear father,’ said she, c that is what we have not 
 yet done. The last time the Lord’s Supper was ad- 
 ministered, I think we ought to have asked to be admitted. 
 In a few days the Church will be celebrating the ter- 
 centenary of Calvin’s death, 1 and I understand that a 
 
 1 This fete was celebrated in all the Reformed Churches in France on 
 the 29th of May 1864. 
 
MELANIE CHAMPA GNOL. 
 
 283 
 
 number of young people are to be admitted to the Sacra- 
 ment on that day. I should be so glad if you would go 
 and ask the pastor if we may be received at the same 
 time/ 
 
 “ Her father carried the message ; but nobody thought 
 the thing possible, for by this time Melanie only rose from 
 her bed for an hour or two in the day to sit in a chair. 
 The minister proposed that she should receive the Lord’s 
 Supper with a number of friends at her own house. £ No,’ 
 said she, ‘ I cannot be happy unless I testify publicly before 
 the whole congregation my faith in the Lord Jesus and 
 His gospel. God will give me strength.’ Admiring her 
 determination and courage, we could not persist in our 
 refusal, but said, ‘ The will of the Lord be done.’ 
 
 “ On the appointed day the Church was unusually full. 
 A little before the Communion service commenced, 
 Melanie walked in supported by her mother and a young 
 friend. On seeing that face, lately so beautiful, — the 
 expression as interesting and as serene as ever, though 
 the features had become so thin, the mother weeping, the 
 father admiring her courage as she walked up the aisle, — 
 many shed tears. Strength was granted her to com- 
 municate, and with the assistance of her mother and her 
 young friend she was enabled to reach home on foot. 
 Looking up into her father’s face with a smile, she said, 
 ‘ Now I am happy. My conscience feels as if it were 
 relieved from a great burden. I so longed to bear this 
 testimony. We have obeyed Christ, who said, “ Do this 
 in remembrance of Me.” I feel as if I could bear anything 
 now.’ In the simplicity of her devotion she may have 
 attached an exaggerated importance to this act. But she 
 had made a supreme effort, and was obliged to retire to 
 
284 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 bed, where, notwithstanding her cough, the Lord granted 
 her some hours of sweet rest. 
 
 “ Three weeks after this Melanie had a fainting-fit. 
 Her friends thought her end was approaching, and a zealous 
 neighbour introduced to her bedside a young Romish priest 
 who professed to be ignorant of the fact that she had 
 become a Protestant. He was informed that the whole 
 family had taken the Communion together at the Protestant 
 Church. These declarations, however, did not prevent 
 him from renewing his visits, and Melanie herself did not 
 at first wish him to be prevented from coming, because, 
 she said, it gave her another opportunity of bearing 
 witness to the truth. At length, however, his inter- 
 rogatories became so fatiguing to the invalid, that her 
 father felt it necessary to put a stop to them. 
 
 “All that her weakness now permitted her to bear 
 was a few chapters read from the Bible, and a short 
 prayer offered by the pastor. Peace was depicted on her 
 countenance : she said she was ready to depart to be with 
 Christ. 
 
 “ On the 1st of July 1864, while leaning her head on 
 her father’s shoulder, Melanie became weak and faint, and 
 breathed with difficulty. 
 
 “ c Just lift me up, father,’ she said, ‘ that I may be able 
 to see.’ She was looking straight before her. 
 
 “ ‘ What do you see, my child h ’ asked her father. 
 
 “ ‘ Oh, look! Don’t you see 1 ? It is Jesus come to fetch 
 me; but we shall meet again!’ She bowed her head. 
 They looked at her. She had fallen asleep in Jesus. 
 
 “ On the day of the funeral, notwithstanding torrents of 
 rain that fell, more than three hundred people followed her 
 remains to their resting-place. Her grave is constantly 
 
MADAME LOUIS AND MADAME D-. 285 
 
 visited and taken care of by her tender and afflicted 
 mother, who has lost her only child : and on the tomb- 
 stone, which is covered each year with garlands, placed 
 there by some unknown friends, the passer-by may read 
 the following words : — 
 
 EN M^MOIRE D’UNE ENFANT 
 CH^RIE DE SES PARENTS, AIM^E DE TOUS CEUX 
 QUI L’ONT CONNUE, 
 
 MELANIE CHAMPAGNOL, 
 
 MORTE LE lER JUTLLET 1864 1 L’AGE DE 19 ANS. 
 
 Regardant a Jesus. — (Ep. aux Hebreux xii. 2.) 
 
 La mort des bien-aimes de l’Eternel est precieuse devant ses yeux. 
 
 Ps. cxvi. 15.” 
 
 “ November 14. — The Friend of sinners is ever the same 
 in His works of grace and mercy. Poor Madame D — 
 was living in sin with a manufacturer, who was not 
 her husband. Her brother, who had gone to America, 
 offered to take her into his house, but she had refused. No 
 wonder she was sorrowful : one day she was seen weeping 
 by an old woman who was working for her, old Madame 
 Louis, who said to her : ‘ Perhaps if you came with me to 
 prayer this evening, you might hear words of comfort.’ 
 6 To prayer ! at which church ] ’ ‘ Oh, I mean to the Pro- 
 
 testant church, where I always go now/ said the old 
 woman, and they went together. Madame D — under- 
 stood the gospel as she had never understood it before, 
 and returned many times. The Eoman Catholics scoffed 
 at her, and laughed at us ; and I always thought she would 
 either leave our place of worship or the man with whom 
 she lived. But this was no easy matter. She had a 
 worthless husband, lost in vice, who had forsaken her 
 long before, and she was penniless, and yet accustomed 
 
236 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B01NVILLE. 
 
 to luxury. Long and painful was the struggle in her 
 mind ; we knew it by many signs, and hoped till hope 
 seemed vain. But God's mercy is boundless, His power 
 infinite, and ways and means to Him are never want- 
 ing. 
 
 “ Her husband died : she still corresponded with her 
 brother in South America ; and when most she needed it, 
 he renewed his offer to receive her into his house. She 
 left as a bird flying from captivity, and went at once to 
 our good brother Gangloff, and poured out her soul so 
 freely, that they were deeply moved. She now came to 
 church with a lighter heart, and spoke to us with hope and 
 joy, saying that her only desire was henceforth to serve her 
 God and Saviour faithfully. She has given her Bible to 
 a brother at Nettancourt, and has procured another for 
 herself. She is to start on Wednesday for the Argentine 
 Republic, where her brother has a large flour-mill, with 
 twelve Frenchmen and their families in his employment, 
 to whom she longs to communicate the blessings she has 
 received.” 
 
 “ January 4, 1865. — On my remarking to our Pr6fet 
 that the only unpeaceful occurrence during the past year 
 had been the Abb6 Raulx’s attack upon myself, he wittily 
 replied, with allusion to the Pope's late thundering letter : 
 ‘Ah, il fallait une ency clique aussi k Bar-le-Duc.' This 
 bon-mot is being repeated about the town.” 
 
 “ January 19. — Finished Guizot's History of Cromwell , 
 and began his Histoire de la Civilisation en Europe . These 
 are critical times : the Pope declares war against modern 
 civilisation ; the clergy in France seem to join him ; 
 will the Emperor be firm ? will his people stand by 
 him V’ 
 
M. GUIZOT 
 
 287 
 
 “ January 27 . — Got the news of the Paris elections for 
 the Consistoire. By the mercy of God the rationalists 
 have not succeeded in getting their men named, notwith- 
 standing their utmost efforts ; but things are in a bad state, 
 and it is a fearful and dangerous defect in our Church, that 
 even declared infidels should be able to vote on Church 
 matters. Let every man be free in his own house, but let 
 no man have a right to invade mine : the Church and the 
 world cannot pull together. 
 
 “ M. Guizot is not re-elected, not having obtained an 
 absolute majority. I suppose there are two causes for 
 this : first, political feeling with some of the electors ; 
 secondly, that many think him inconsistent in his practice 
 as a politician (witness Tahiti), and in his views concerning 
 the temporal power of the Pope, especially as revealed in 
 his late work, in his speech at the Oratoire, and in his 
 discourse at the Institute with reference to Pere Lacordaire. 
 At all events, the Liberal political press, who have laughed 
 at the Protestants about Pope Guizot, will see that what 
 has guided the electors has not been men, but principles. 
 The Evangelicals have been chosen, but not Guizot. 
 Perhaps he will still be elected in preference to a 
 rationalist. As for me, though I am not blind to his 
 defects, I acknowledge his greatness.” 
 
 “ March 9. — Having heard that one of the masters had 
 been frightening our little Protestants by telling them that 
 Protestants would all go to hell , which he had not even a 
 legal right to do in a mixed school, I called on the head- 
 master, who seemed highly displeased, but said he was not 
 surprised, as the young man had lately come from a 
 seminary where he was educated for the priesthood. He 
 promised to rebuke him sharply, and to see that the thing 
 
288 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 was never done again. Would that we had funds to open 
 a Protestant school ! ” 1 
 
 “ March 10. — Thank God, Guizot is elected/’ 
 
 “ March 17. — One of the Committee of Management of 
 the Hospital informs me that M. Mayeur has obtained from 
 the Archdeacon of Notre Dame, whose curates visit the 
 sick, a promise that there shall be no renewal of such 
 attacks upon our Protestant patients. Be it so : qui vivra 
 verra” 
 
 “ April 6 .— A curious state of things at the Lyc6e : the 
 chaplain gives a course of religious instruction to the upper 
 class, which has lately been rather noisy and disturbed 
 owing to the introduction of the Abbe Raulx’s Pourquoi 
 je suis Catliolique . The lads, having seen one side of the 
 question, thought they would like to see the other, and so 
 secretly procured some of my ‘ Pourquoi .’ ... I pray that 
 the light may shine at the * Lyc6e, and gain ground every- 
 where, especially among the young.” 
 
 “ May 6. — Here I am in dear Scotland. Went to 
 Penicuik : next day, Sunday, heard a young student of the 
 name of Bell preach very admirably in the Free Church. 
 In the evening I preached on Prov. xxv. 25, and told the 
 good folks about France and the work of God there, 
 particularly in my parish. Collected at the door, and by 
 gifts unasked for, in that nice village, which may stand as 
 a model, £20. On the following day John Cowan, whom 
 I esteem more and more as I know more of him, took me 
 to see the site of the battle of Bullion Green, fought under 
 the Pentland Hills in December 1666, and where that holy 
 martyr, M‘Kail, was taken prisoner. Good Mrs. Thompson, 
 
 1 “ June 18, 1866. — At last, after many difficulties and long waiting, we 
 to-day opened our school.’ ’ 
 
THE FUTURE OF FRANCE. 
 
 289 
 
 who gave me £5 for a tombstone in honour and memory 
 of John Eisenmann, also took me to visit the Wellington 
 Keformatory. I never heard boys sing so sweetly as those 
 poor fellows did.” 
 
 “July 26, Bar-le-Duc . — When I stand on some high 
 hill and look over the towns and villages of this land, and 
 think of the many difficulties that must be overcome, of the 
 mighty moral change that must take place before anything 
 like spiritual religion can be established, I shudder, and 
 wonder if such a change can ever be wrought by the means 
 employed. The influence of the priests, and the force of 
 habit, and the slavery of sinful practices, and the power of 
 prejudice, and the lightness of vanity, and the indifference 
 of unbelief, — all these and other mighty obstacles must be 
 overcome. But is not the gospel a power % and has not 
 Christ said, ‘ All power is given unto Me in heaven and on 
 earth’'? . . . Yes, these very priests may become true 
 ‘ kings and priests unto God,’ with many of their people ; 
 these churches, now full of paltry images of imaginary 
 saints, may become houses for spiritual worship and true 
 gospel teaching, and the intelligence and energy of this 
 great nation be turned to the establishment of truth and 
 godliness in the world !” 
 
 “ September 9. — Pascal says somewhere, ‘Nous n’estimons 
 pas que toute la philosophie vaille un quart d’heure de 
 peine.’ I believe it would not be absurd to say as much 
 of theology in general, as it is often taught in the schools, 
 and separated from religion or true piety, which is to be 
 learnt only at the foot of the cross — spiritually, and not 
 scientifically. . . 
 
 “July 15. — We were this day honoured with the pre- 
 sence of the Empress and the little Prince Imperial. As 
 
 T 
 
290 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 we were presented, each passed rapidly by, bowing low to 
 the Empress and the Prince ; yet, as I retired, I looked for 
 some time at the little boy, and wondered what his future 
 destiny was to be ! If he knew what is reserved for him 
 in this high-spirited and generous but unsettled nation, 
 would he smile or weep ? How wisely is the future hidden 
 from our eyes ! ” 
 
 “ August 9. — Reading over some old papers and journals 
 of some twenty years ago, I saw how much my views have 
 been modified — not indeed that my opinions have changed 
 on any great point of doctrine, but my feeling as to the 
 relative importance of doctrines has much changed. I no 
 longer even see the necessity of seeking to establish any 
 systematic theory of doctrine on most of those points in 
 theology which have raised so much sectarian dust amongst 
 divines, except in so far as every man ought to seek the 
 truth when he thinks he can get at it, in all things, even 
 the most trivial. But now , Christ the Head seems to me 
 so completely to overtop all the rest in importance, — I 
 mean, Christ in His divine and human life, in the world, 
 in the Church, in history, in me , — that I look far more 
 calmly, if not with indifference, on all secondary matters in 
 religion, and believe that it is well to be more moderate, 
 less systematic, and especially less absolute , in laying down 
 dogmatical truth. Many dogmas may be proved to be 
 strictly true, and satisfy more or less the intellect, but I 
 need more than that : Christ alone can fill my heart ; and 
 the reason why I cannot abide the modern rationalists is 
 not so much because they oppose dogmatical theology, 
 but that they use the weakness of dogmatical theology 
 as a pretext for destroying Christ and His words. The 
 best way to arrest their progress is, not to apologise for any 
 
4 ONE MORE UNFORTUNA TE ! ’ 
 
 291 
 
 system of divinity as a system, but to show forth Christ 
 and His words, not in theological argument, but by the 
 demonstration of the Spirit. It is not logically nor 
 theologically, but spiritually, that the things of Christ can 
 be discerned. Yes, by the Spirit alone, — the truth in 
 love! 1 
 
 “ September 4. — Buried a poor girl who had fallen into 
 the water and been drowned. Hers is a sad tale. Her 
 father is in a lunatic asylum ; her stepmother is said to have 
 been unkind to her, and she found herself, at the age of 
 seventeen, friendless and pretty. She must have had 
 education, for she spoke and wrote well French, English, 
 and German. She fell into a career of wickedness, and 
 came about a month ago to Bar-le-Duc, where she lived on 
 in sin. She had been rioting last Sunday with her 
 companions in a ball-room, and retired early, saying, with 
 every appearance of cheerful gaiety, that she had made an 
 appointment to go with a young man to the American 
 Circus. She was gaily dressed, and held her purse in her 
 hand. The night was dark, torrents of rain were falling, 
 and the wind howled in the trees, so that we had all been 
 pitying any poor travellers who might be abroad, while 
 that poor creature was going to her rendezvous. She 
 must either have fallen or been pushed into the river, 
 and was taken out dead next morning, still holding her 
 purse in one hand, and with a willow bough in the other. 
 
 “ Her newly-made acquaintances came to me to beg that 
 I would bury her, saying that they could not give me any 
 proof that she had been a Protestant, but that they 
 thought she had said she was, and that, at all events, the 
 priests would not bury her. ‘ Whether she was a Protes- 
 tant, a Papist, a Jewess, a Mahometan, or a heathen,' 
 
292 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 replied I, c she is a human being, and as such I will bury 
 the poor girl/ Only ten persons came to the cemetery, and 
 these, her old companions in sin, I exhorted to repent- 
 ance and faith in Christ, the friend of sinners, — and let him 
 who is without sin first cast a stone at her memory/ 7 
 “ November 14. — Received my nomination as pastor of 
 the Reformed Church at Cherbourg ! After twelve blessed 
 years spent at Bar-le-Duc, we shall have now to remove to 
 a new field of labour, in dear old Normandy again. It has 
 come to pass thus : having seen in the Esptrance an account 
 by M. Melon of poor M. Dussaud’s funeral, I wrote to my 
 dear friend on the occasion, and received from him an 
 earnest invitation to come to Cherbourg as pastor. The 
 advantages to myself and family were evident ; but 
 although I thought my removal from Bar-le-Duc might be 
 to the advantage of the flock, who lean perhaps too much 
 on me, my efforts, and my purse, yet the thought of 
 leaving was so painful that I gave the matter up. Still, 
 M. Melon pressed me to go to Cherbourg and see it, and 
 preach the trial sermons. On seeing the church and 
 people and the work, I felt it was better that I should 
 bear the painful separation. Ere long, I feel I should not 
 be able to do the work here, on account of the continual 
 travelling in this rough climate, and should be too old to 
 take another post — and so the sacrifice to feeling must be 
 made ; and we trust that although trials await us every- 
 where in the world, the Lord will bless my labours, and 
 still make us happy. In many respects Cherbourg is 
 evidently far more suited to me and to the family. May 
 God mercifully accept my efforts at Bar-le-Duc, forgive my 
 sins and shortcomings, and still bless this dear flock, and 
 ever send them faithful and loving pastors l” 
 
A RETROSPECT. 
 
 293 
 
 “ December 1 3. — On Sunday, at the afternoon service, I 
 took leave of my dear people. The trial of separation I 
 felt to be greater than I can express, and for the first time 
 in my life I broke down in the pulpit, and we all wept 
 aloud. On the next day I and my family arrived at 
 Cherbourg. It is just twelve years to a day since we 
 first went to Bar-le-Duc. 
 
 “ There are times when one looks back over one’s past 
 life, when it seems to lie as on a map before one. Some 
 portions of it, like countries one has passed through, seem 
 to have left a more indelible impression on the mind. 
 They are not always those that would strike a stranger as 
 the most important epochs in our history. So it is also 
 with passing events. Sometimes that which appears an 
 event of little importance leaves the deepest marks on the 
 mind, and influences the entire course of the future life. 
 . . . For instance, my asking Mr. Murray for a donation 
 for the church at Bar-le-Duc led to the formation of quite 
 a little English colony there. For myself, the most 
 important parts of my life have been my five years at 
 Lisieux, and the twelve at Bar-le-Duc. A kind of romantic 
 halo seems still to hang about my recollection of life at 
 Lisieux, where I certainly spent some of my happiest years. 
 I was there married to Mary ; our three sons were born 
 there. 
 
 “ The twelve years at Bar-le-Duc were different, — more 
 active perhaps, more pastoral, less purely missionary, but 
 not, I trust, less useful. There were already some 
 Protestants and a little church when I arrived there. 
 One peculiar feature was the exceedingly pleasant position 
 we held in the town, notwithstanding the opposition of 
 the Romish priests; but what was still more important 
 
294 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 for us was the little circle of intimate and intellectual 
 friends that gathered round us. For some years our house 
 was the rendezvous and centre of some of the most agree- 
 able companions it is possible to imagine. I tried to 
 influence them for good, and I trust that good was done. 
 Indeed, I know that God did in several instances bring 
 souls nearer to Himself by our means. Of one thing I am 
 sure, — nothing could be more pleasant than our weekly 
 gatherings. The conversation not unfrequently took a 
 literary turn, for all our friends belonged more or less to 
 the literary world. Sometimes we had music, and delight- 
 ful music too. Sometimes our guests played simple games 
 with our children. 
 
 “ The most beautiful sight was to see our dear doctor, M. 
 Henriot, with a couple of children on his knee, or holding 
 their little hands, and telling them stories. No one could 
 tell a story like M. Henriot, no one could talk like M. Henriot. 
 Full of esprit y he enjoyed a chat, and riveted attention, 
 whilst he gave others also time to speak. As a neighbour 
 he was one of the kindest and most serviceable. As 
 Justice of the Peace he was considered most just and able. 
 As a medical man he was both skilful and devoted. As a 
 citizen he was honoured indeed, and the Emperor decorated 
 him with the Legion of Honour with his own hands. He 
 was the author of the Chroniques Lorraines , and has been 
 called the Walter Scott of Lorraine. To us he was an 
 invaluable friend and neighbour, and from the beginning 
 was the life of our little parties. Although a Roman 
 Catholic, he frequently conversed with us on religious 
 subjects, and always gave me good advice when I got 
 into trouble with the priests. His daughters also became 
 our dear friends. Eliza was in all respects very like her 
 
PLEASANT SOCIETY AT BAR-LE-DUC. 
 
 295 
 
 father. Maria sang as I have never heard another sing, 
 especially little simple romances. She had a great deal of 
 the country girl about her, and had the most touching, 
 sympathetic voice I ever heard. The first time I heard it 
 I was in my garden, and as the tones of her voice were 
 borne to me on the evening air, a thrill pervaded me which 
 I cannot express, and on looking up I saw two of our 
 children standing at an open window with the tears 
 running down their cheeks. 
 
 “ Then we had M. Theuriet, a poet, and a writer in the 
 Revue des deux Mondes . He also not unfrequently came 
 to our church when there was some particular ceremony. 
 M. Edmond Laguerre, Professor of Mathematics at the 
 Fcole Polytechnique, would also drop in during the vaca- 
 tion. He was a very serious student, and had translated 
 some German works into French. 
 
 “ Besides dear M. Henriot we had amongst the Roman 
 Catholics some friends whose occasional visits and conver- 
 sation were singularly agreeable. Foremost amongst these 
 was M. Felix Gillon, President du tribunal de jpremifoe 
 instance, a man of great intellectual power and of consider- 
 able erudition. He was a person of as simple tastes as he 
 was of a simple mind and transparent character. His 
 memory was wonderful, and the clearness with which he 
 delivered judgment in the Court or made known his 
 opinion on any subject was admired by all. M. Thouvenel 
 was one of those who expressed their astonishment at his 
 eloquence and precision. He was a serious man, yet full 
 of humour, and an earnest student and worker even to old 
 age. When he was about sixty-five he began to translate 
 into French — just for the sake of the work itself — Grote’s 
 History of Greece , and many a pleasant hour I spent with 
 
296 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 him in reading and correcting the translation, which I 
 believe he entirely accomplished after I left the town. He 
 was universally honoured by his fellow-citizens, and for the 
 sake of remaining at Bar he refused all promotion. His 
 intimate friends were few, — M. Henriot was one, — and he 
 was intensely fond of them. His only son and child died, 
 and I shall never forget the dear man’s appearance at the 
 funeral ! Now he himself is gone. He was not a good 
 Papist, but he was no atheist, and a great admirer of 
 Channing. M. Paulin Gillon, a relation of the above, was 
 also a very gentlemanly and agreeable man. He was an 
 eloquent barrister, and for many years Maire of the town 
 and Deputy of the Department. 
 
 “ A more humble and most worthy man was the Abbe 
 Douillot, formerly a cur6 who had spent his little all in his 
 parish. He had as little of the priest about him as any 
 priest I ever met with, and much less than many a 
 Protestant minister. In his old age he became an ardent 
 lover of fish-husbandry, though I do not think he was very 
 successful in pisciculture. Being free from the trammels 
 of episcopal authority, he frequently called on me. We 
 generally avoided controversy, and kept to subjects on 
 which we could agree. Two of his favourite topics were 
 Renan and the plurality of worlds. Nor ought I to forget 
 M. Millon, Maire and M.P. for the Meuse, an earnest 
 Roman Catholic, but fair and honest withal, so that as he 
 acquired experience he became tolerant and charitable. 
 He was a constant friend to us, visited us at Cherbourg, 
 and afterwards befriended my son Alfred during the war 
 by recommending him to a G6n6ral de Division, who was 
 his personal friend. 
 
 “ On the whole, I think Bar-le-Duc offered more resources 
 
SOCIAL ADVANTAGES OF BAR-LE-DUC. 
 
 297 
 
 in pleasant and intellectual companionship than most 
 provincial towns of 16,000 inhabitants, and Lorraine and 
 the east of France generally I found to be superior in 
 many respects to the provinces on the west and south. 
 
 “The strange intermingling of French and English 
 minds, with a sweet laisser-aller , and the almost sanctifying 
 presence of simple and happy children, made these parties 
 so pleasant that I confess I have never witnessed anything 
 of the kind either before or since. In most places the 
 elements themselves would be wanting, and I do not 
 suppose that such combinations could be long maintained. 
 — The communion of saints will last for ever.” 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 1866-1868. 
 
 Regret at leaving Bar-le-Duc — Installed at Cherbourg— The place and people — 
 Sionville, a storm and sad effects — Poor old Cheminai— Modeste Gueret— The 
 Emperor Maximilian— The Empress Eugenie visits the Arsenal — Anecdote of 
 Lafayette — Prince Murat — Fishermen at St. Vasst — The Book of Job — Visit to 
 Edinburgh — Who is our neighbour? — Paris or London? — Comparison of 
 comfort — Good Samaritans. 
 
 “ Christmas Day 1866. — My precious Mother, — I have 
 been so weary both in body and mind that I could not 
 find courage to write to you. Besides which, room, time, 
 quiet, pen, ink, and paper, table and chair, everything has 
 been wanting to enable me to write comfortably. You 
 may imagine what it has been, in the midst of all the 
 bustle, trouble, and fatigue of such a removal, to have to 
 preach farewell sermons, and call on so many friends; 
 then to travel and preach again, and call on friends and 
 officials at Cherbourg. I assure you the trials have been 
 great, and one of the greatest has been the sorrow we all 
 felt at leaving Bar-le-Duc, after twelve years of almost 
 uninterrupted prosperity. The last Sunday was such that 
 I believe two or three more such would have killed me. 
 I knew the good people loved me, but I had hardly 
 realised how much I loved them, nor how much they 
 
INSTALLED AT CHERBOURG , . 
 
 299 
 
 would feel my departure. But the sacrifice was to be 
 made, and I am sure you know me well enough to believe 
 that there is nothing more painful to me than to give pain 
 to others. I would gladly, if I had thought it to be my 
 duty, have spent the remainder of my life amongst those 
 dear people at Bar-le-Duc, and the sacrifice was sufficiently 
 great to make me, and all, I trust, feel that in leaving I 
 was not seeking to please myself. M. Melon came to 
 preach.'' 
 
 “ January 21, 1867. — My dearest Mother, — We are 
 on the eve of an immense war, — not this year, probably, 
 but after the Exposition , — with Prussia of course, and 
 perhaps with the world. All the news we get from Paris, 
 all that the naval officers tell us here, confirms the opinion. 
 Now, if there should be war, shall I remain here, or go 
 over to England ] If the Emperor forces every man to be 
 a soldier, and if, as is proposed, power to have yourself 
 replaced by another is taken away, forasmuch as — with 
 all my love for France — I do not intend to let my boys 
 be French soldiers, I should to a certainty return 
 to England.” 
 
 “ M. Melon came to preach the sermon and perform the 
 ceremony of my installation. We have been received 
 most kindly by all the people here. The trial of leaving 
 Bar still oppresses us. If I am enabled to be useful here, 
 and can love and be loved as at Bar, I shall not be likely 
 to expose myself, without some special call or absolute 
 necessity, to any more such painful separations till the 
 Lord removes me to another world.” 
 
 “ Cherbourg , 1 now a city of some seventy thousand 
 
 1 This and the eight following paragraphs are taken from a paper entitled 
 “The Field of Rest,” which appeared in the Sunday Magazine. 
 
300 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 inhabitants, and one of the great naval strongholds and 
 military ports of France, was, but a few generations back, 
 an insignificant fishing town. The naval and military 
 genius of France has made it a safe harbour on one of the 
 most boisterous seas and most dangerous coasts of the 
 Channel. Behind the digue , or breakwater, which was 
 completed by Napoleon in., and is about two miles and a 
 half long, all the fleets of Europe might cast anchor. By 
 the maritime population the forts and arsenal are thought 
 impregnable. The town and buildings generally are ugly 
 melancholy-looking objects, when seen from the flat sandy 
 plain on which they are built, but when viewed from any 
 of the rising grounds in the neighbourhood, the beauty of 
 the situation becomes very striking, whilst the rocks and 
 wooded hills and green pastures and purling trout-streams 
 in the vicinity rival anything of the kind on the English 
 side of the Channel. 
 
 “ There is Le Roule, a fine rock on which a small fort 
 was built at great expense by the Imperial Government, 
 and which drew from the lips of Louis Napoleon, on his 
 first visit to it, these few words : 4 It is but a magpie’s 
 nest/ an expression which gave rise at the time to various 
 commentaries and ironical remarks. From this point 
 there is a splendid view of the sea, and town, and arsenal, 
 which lie like a map at your feet. When salutes are fired 
 from the forts, or when the mighty waves on a tempestuous 
 day burst in foaming spray, and dash over the breakwater, 
 the effect, as seen from the Roule, is grand beyond 
 description. 
 
 “ A little further inland the scene changes, though you 
 still get peeps at the blue sea. Precipitous heights and 
 craggy rocks, Vancien UUgraphe and la roche qui pend , hang 
 
THE NORMAN PEASANTRY. 
 
 301 
 
 over woods and orchards, picturesque farms, rippling 
 brooks and water-wheels, diversified by undulating com- 
 mons covered with heath and gorse. 
 
 “ Within a walk is the old chateau de Tourlaville, 
 belonging to the family de Tocqueville. Legendary tales 
 of princely wickedness and bloodshed, and of heavenly 
 wrath and chastisement, connected with the history of this 
 chateau, are believed by many. The place is haunted, the 
 blood of the murdered may occasionally be seen on the 
 walls. A more romantic spot can scarcely be imagined, 
 with all the ivy-covered remains of ancient grandeur, 
 nestling among the thick foliage of oak, and elm, and ash, 
 surrounded by old moats and running streams and deep 
 Devonshire-looking lanes, with here and there a rustic 
 weather-beaten cottage. You feel carried back to feudal 
 times. 
 
 “ The peasantry generally are somewhat uninteresting 
 in this part of Normandy. Their food, consisting chiefly 
 of galette de sarrasin , a kind of pancake made of buckwheat 
 flour, and a superabundance of sour cider, has a weakening 
 effect on the constitution and intellect, and the proximity 
 of a large maritime and military population brings down 
 upon them many a demoralising influence. Like all true 
 Normans, however, they never forget the value of money, 
 and are tolerably thrifty. However humble the cottage, 
 the clay or stone floor is well swept, and they have good 
 beds and plenty of clean linen. 
 
 “ In retired villages they have at least religious habits, 
 though they are generally ignorant. On Sunday morning 
 the men as well as the women go regularly to mass. Not 
 a few of their churches were built when Normandy and 
 England were governed by the same king, and many an 
 
302 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 Anglo-Saxon tradition still shows itself in the habits and 
 dialect of the country people. There is an air of antiquity 
 about the whole district. 
 
 “ During my stay in Normandy, where, as a pastor of 
 the Reformed Church, my work lay amongst the living, I 
 always felt as if we were yet closely associated with the 
 dead. The influence of the unseen departed, through the 
 visible though crumbling works they left behind, and 
 probably still more by the invisible links of tradition, 
 unconsciously, mysteriously, yet very powerfully, affected 
 the whole population. We seemed to be standing between 
 the dead and the living, just as our house stood between 
 the old country with its antique chateau and unchanged 
 costumes, and the new modernised town. And is it not 
 so through life, in each successive generation ? Is it not 
 so in the case of each individual % And should not this 
 thought, intensifying our interest in life, lead us thoroughly 
 to sift whatever we have ‘ received by tradition from our 
 fathers,’ lest we accept and transmit to others any principle 
 of error % And should it not incite us to ‘ hold fast the 
 traditions ’ of the word taught by the holy apostles and 
 prophets ? 1 Between the past and the future, heavy 
 responsibility rests surely on the present. 
 
 “ There is a little Protestant church at Cherbourg, and, 
 as is usual in all towns where there is a Reformed church, 
 a portion of the cemetery is allotted to the Protestant 
 community, wherein they, may bury their dead.' The law 
 of the land insures professedly equal rights to the adherents 
 of all religions, whether Roman Catholics, Protestants, or 
 Jews. But if those of different creeds may dwell together 
 and intermarry during their lifetime, in death they must 
 1 See 1 Peter i. 18 ; 2 Tliess. ii. 15 ; 2 Tim. i. 13. 
 
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH . 
 
 3°3 
 
 be divided. The husband and the wife, the mother and 
 the son, if differing in their belief, must then be separated 
 by all the distance, if not the essential difference, of con- 
 secrated and unconsecrated ground. The religious dis- 
 tinctions of this life, though brought together and borne 
 with at the same hearth, when death has thrown its 
 equalising pall over the departed, are not allowed to pass 
 unjudged, nor to be forgotten in the grave. Will this 
 custom be handed down to the next generation % ” 
 
 “ February 3, 1867. — At Sionville. Splendid, sunny, 
 soft air, and a charming day. 6 th . — Only three days later 
 — how things have changed ! A few hours after we left 
 Sionville a storm arose which lasted several days and 
 nights, and many a sailor has found a watery grave. On 
 that very coast, close to Di61ette, a Norwegian vessel was 
 wrecked, and out of a crew of fourteen seven only were 
 saved, — amongst them the brave captain and his mate, — 
 after swimming for two hours, clinging to pieces of the 
 wreck. One poor fellow met his death there, who wore 
 around his neck the portrait of the girl whom he loved, 
 and to whom he was soon to have been married. His 
 body has not been found, but the picture was cast ashore 
 by the tide, and has been taken, by his captain, home to 
 the poor girl, a lasting pledge of the constant love of her 
 jianc4. On hearing this, my Mary wept. 
 
 “ The lanes near Cherbourg are most picturesque, run- 
 ning between high banks and hedges full of primroses, now 
 in blossom, reminding me of my earliest recollection of the 
 lanes in Devonshire. This country is indeed most varied 
 and charming in every direction, rich and well wooded, 
 and the valley of the Divette, with its purling stream and 
 and its hills, sometimes rising in gentle slopes, covered 
 
304 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE B0INV1LLE . 
 
 with orchards, sometimes overhanging with rocky preci- 
 pices, with, here and there, sheep-walks bright with 
 heather and gorse, is equal to almost anything I have 
 seen in any part of France. You have in addition the 
 sea, ‘ the blue, the fresh, the ever free,’ with some of the 
 finest shipping in Europe, and vessels from all parts of 
 the world.” 
 
 “ March 2. — Poor Cheminai — who was converted many 
 years ago by reading a Bible which had been brought to 
 France by a prisoner at the close of the war — was work- 
 ing yesterday, and died to-day, in presence of myself and 
 my wife, without a groan or a sigh. I prayed by his 
 bedside ; he drew two hard breaths, and was gone. He 
 was a great smoker, and died with his pipe in his 
 mouth ! 
 
 “ Not friendless was old Cheminai, 1 though he had 
 never married, and had no next of kin who could have 
 helped him or have waited on him, if it had pleased God 
 to afflict him with weary days of lingering sickness. His 
 retired hermitage was a low thatched cottage, situated, by 
 a singular coincidence, in a hamlet also called Cheminai. 
 The only fault, that he could be justly reproached with, 
 was that his name was but too appropriate. He was 
 named Cheminai, 2 and truly an itinerant smoking chimney 
 was he. His pipe was always in his mouth ; he lived and 
 died smoking, yet he was a very sober man, and a con- 
 sistent Christian. He could tell of the Saviours love and 
 of sweet communion with God in his lowly cot. For 
 many years he had known the narrow path, and had 
 
 1 The following account of Cheminai is reprinted from the Sunday 
 Magazine. 
 
 2 Pronounced like cheminee , chimney. 
 
OLD CHEMINAL 
 
 305 
 
 walked in it ; and when he was asked how he had learnt 
 that way, he replied it was through reading the Bible, 
 which at the same time convinced him of the errors of 
 Popery, and led him with repentance and faith to the 
 Saviour. He had bought a Bible from a man who had 
 received it when a prisoner on the pontoons at Ports- 
 mouth, and it had become his constant companion. c The 
 Bible/ said he, 4 is the real source of all that is Protestant 
 and evangelical at Cherbourg. It was brought over here 
 during the truce by some good English people, who spread 
 a great number about the country. We had no pastor in 
 those days, but the great Pastor was with us. There are 
 only two of us left now, out of about a dozen who used to 
 meet together to read the Bible ; but Modeste can tell you 
 more about those small beginnings than I can. I do not 
 expect to be here long/ 
 
 “ Old Cheminai spoke earnestly. He worked with his 
 usual vigour on that day. The next morning news reached 
 his minister that the old man was ill. The pastor and 
 his wife went at once to see him. He lay apparently 
 asleep. 
 
 “ 4 He sleeps/ said the lady. 
 
 “ ‘ He breathes still, no doubt/ replied the pastor, long 
 accustomed to witness deathbed scenes, ‘ but in a few 
 seconds he will be gone/ 
 
 “ ‘ But see/ said the lady, ‘ he is smoking/ 
 
 “ Smoke was indeed coming from the pipe in his 
 mouth. 
 
 “ We prayed for a few moments. We rose from our 
 knees. He was gone. 
 
 “ Two days afterwards we carried him to his grave. It 
 was Shrove Tuesday, and carnival time. The usually 
 
 u 
 
30 6 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 quiet lanes were thronged with townsfolk. Children were 
 gathering fresh primroses from every grassy bank. As we 
 approached the town, some of the more worldly kind wore 
 masks, and shouted and scoffed as we passed by ; others 
 followed the procession to the grave. About four hundred 
 people gathered around it. Standing once more between 
 the living and the dead, the preacher spoke of Him who 
 brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 
 Some laughed ; some sneered ; some, especially those who 
 had known old Cheminai, wept. It was a strange scene ; 
 but the seed of the kingdom had been cast into the ground. 
 
 “ And who was Modeste Gu6ret, of whom old Cheminai 
 spoke, and what had she to say of the past ? An odd 
 figure was she too. A little old woman, bent down with 
 age and work, with skin and complexion like whity-brown 
 paper all crumpled up, but having still a pair of sharp 
 bright eyes in her head, and great volubility of speech. 
 She was at that time eighty-two years of age, and, though 
 poor, was respected by all her neighbours. A cheerful 
 happy Christian, she loved to sing the praises of God, as 
 she went about the fields and lanes gathering herbs for the 
 druggists. One day she fell and broke three ribs, and 
 might have died if a kind-hearted sailor had not carried 
 her home. In her agony she wept aloud ; but suddenly 
 she began to sing a hymn of praise, saying, ‘ I do sing, I 
 will sing and bless God for the good sailor who picked 
 me up. 
 
 ‘ I shall not die, but live, and shall 
 The works of God discover ; 
 
 The Lord hath me chastised sore, 
 
 But not to death given over.’ 
 
 She recovered, and may be alive still. 
 
MODESTE GUj&KET. 
 
 307 
 
 “ Now when we inquired of her if she could give us any 
 account of the origin of the little church in that place, 
 4 The Bible is the foundation of the whole/ she replied. 
 6 We were about a dozen at first, who used to meet and 
 pray together without any pastor. I learned to read out 
 of that dear old book, and out of it I learned the way of 
 salvation. Of these twelve I am the only one left, but I 
 love their memory still. For many years we had no 
 minister, but we used to ask for one, and God heard our 
 prayers. But I have never seen any like those first good 
 people that came over during the truce, and brought us 
 those Bibles and Testaments. We owe it all to them. 
 They did not seem to mind the sea, for they came in a 
 little ship with a large number of the books ; and they 
 went along the coast, and into the country too, and they 
 were so kind and gentle and loving ; and they spoke in 
 broken French about the loving Saviour and the Holy 
 Spirit. They were English people, but I have always felt 
 ever since that I wished to be like them, and be a Kackair .’ 
 
 “ I wondered what that religion was, and asked her to 
 describe it. 
 
 “ * Oh !’ she continued, ‘ I hardly know it myself. You 
 ought to know better than I do. They were the pleasantest 
 people I ever saw ; and the ladies had pretty little bonnets, 
 and the gentlemen broad-brimmed hats.’ 
 
 “ These last words dispelled the mystery. Kackair was 
 intended for Quaker . 
 
 “ She loved the Quakers, as well she might, and many 
 others, for taking them the Bible, and for the spirit of love 
 in which they did the work. 
 
 “ Deeply touched, too, was I, to think of those dear 
 Friends ! Friends of peace, and friends of all, seizing the 
 
308 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 very first opportunity, without loss of time, in a moment 
 of truce, to bring over to benighted France the lamp of 
 life. 
 
 “ Their names I have sought in vain to ascertain ; but 
 they too, surely, stood bravely between the living and the 
 dead, and nobly did their work in their generation. Their 
 names are written in God's 4 book of remembrance. And 
 they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I 
 make up my jewels.' 
 
 “ Dear reader, these things are true ; and what say they 
 to thee and me % The time is short. Between the dead 
 and the living, between the past and the future, between 
 time and eternity, thou hast just now a work to do. Let 
 every work be done for God, then it will be fruit that will 
 remain. Do the great work earnestly, patiently, faithfully, 
 for ‘ now is the accepted time ; behold, now is the day of 
 salvation.' " 
 
 “ July 5. — The news of poor Emperor Maximilian’s 
 execution by Juarez seems to be but too true. ... He 
 was a Prince of Lorraine ; and when for the first time he 
 passed through Bar-le-Duc, my good friend M. Henriot 
 went down to the station to meet him, and pointed out the 
 remains of the old chateau in which his ancestors had 
 lived. The German Prince expressed no feeling of any 
 kind ; he scarcely even looked round to see the spot, and 
 uttered not a word. Little did we think at that time that 
 he would become immortalised by such sufferings and such 
 a death, and thus deserve, if not our admiration, at least 
 our deepest sympathy and our tears." 
 
 “ July 27. — The Empress Eugenie had been expected in 
 the morning, to visit the arsenal, but the gales had pre- 
 vented her from coming round the Finisterre. The heavens 
 
M. DE LAFAYETTE. 
 
 309 
 
 were charged with electricity, and the fluid fell with 
 dreadful crashes, but without rain, close to our new house 
 at Octeville. Soon, however, the weather cleared, the sea 
 became as smooth as glass, and the huge men-of-war were 
 beautifully reflected on the water. Her Majesty came in 
 her yacht, amidst a terrific noise of cannon from the 
 French and American ships. It seemed as if, when God 
 had stilled all nature, man would not enjoy quietness and 
 peace ; and later, as though he could not allow God’s 
 night to rest upon the face of the deep, they lighted up all 
 the rigging of the ships, and made the roads like a fairy 
 ocean.” 
 
 “ August 27. — Mr. Salter, chaplain of the ‘Minnesota,’ 
 U.S. Navy, called on me to-day, and was pleased to see a 
 photograph of Bishop Macllwaine hanging in my drawing- 
 room beside a portrait of Adolphe Monod. When I told 
 him that my grandfather had been aide-de-camp to M. de 
 Lafayette, he related an anecdote which I had never heard 
 before, and which, for its originality, is worth recording. 
 During the General’s last visit to America, when he met 
 with so warm a reception, the old soldiers who remained 
 of the regiment he had commanded came to see him. 
 Lafayette, of course, remembered only a few of them ; but 
 shook hands with each as they came forward, and said to 
 each man, ‘ Are you married ? ’ If the man replied in the 
 affirmative, he said, ‘ Ah, happy man !’ if he said ‘ No !’ 
 he exclaimed, ‘Lucky dog! lucky dog!’ Mr. Salter 
 himself heard him say this to each man as they came up. 
 Lafayette spoke English well.” 
 
 “ October 27. — I see by the papers that Prince Murat is 
 given to duelling, and I am not surprised at it, for I 
 remember that when he was about eight or ten years old, 
 
3 io 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 his Methodist nurse occasionally brought him with her to 
 chapel, and when I used to speak to him he invariably up 
 with his fists as if he wished to knock me down.” 
 
 “ Sunday , Nov. 10. — Buried poor Madame Yenny; 
 about two hundred people came to her funeral. I had 
 intended to leave next day for England, but a telegram 
 coming to inform me of the death of an Englishman at St. 
 Yasst, I went there on the 12th to bury the poor man. I 
 had heard that there were a few English at this place, 
 which is twenty-two miles from Cherbourg. To my 
 astonishment I found twelve small oyster-fishing boats in 
 the harbour, all manned by Jersey men. I was extremely 
 gratified to find that these fishermen were respected by the 
 inhabitants, being honest, and generally sober men. They 
 informed me that they read their Bibles, never fished on 
 Sundays, and would be glad to have a service. There 
 must have been upwards of seventy of these men ; some of 
 them bring their wives over, and spend nine months of the 
 year at St. Yasst. I promised that I would do what I could 
 for them. I was so tired the next day that I rested, and 
 on Thursday, the 14th, I buried a poor Norwegian sailor. 
 Spoke in French to the French sailors, and afterwards in 
 English to the Norwegians who understood that language.” 
 
 “ December 31. — This has been on the whole a good and 
 happy year. My congregation has greatly increased — 
 almost doubled. Two Roman Catholics have joined us, 
 and no one has left. Though I have been in France so 
 long that it is now I may say my country, I still feel like 
 a missionary in the land.” 
 
 “ j February 24, 1868. — Went again to St. Vasst to bury a 
 poor fisherman. Found seventeen fishing craft there, and 
 about a hundred and twenty Jersey folks. I called the 
 
THE BOOK OF JOB. 
 
 3ii 
 
 captains together, and told them what steps I had already- 
 taken to try to get a preacher for them; they seemed willing 
 both to receive one and to help towards the good work 
 themselves. The Maire promised me to do his best with 
 the authorities to obtain the necessary permission, if we 
 can find the means and the man. Got back to Cherbourg 
 at five o’clock and buried a poor actor, which gave me an 
 opportunity of speaking of Christ to some who hardly ever 
 put their foot within a church.” 
 
 “ April 4. — Beading the Book of Job, which I find each 
 time I read it more instructive, edifying, and comforting. 
 I look upon it as a divinely inspired poem , based on 
 historical fact. For several years I had difficulty in 
 understanding the beauty and drift of this book ; but one 
 day a sceptic told me I could not judge of the dulness and 
 tiresomeness of many books of Scripture till I had imposed 
 on myself the task of reading the story of Job through 
 without stopping. I thought I would try at once, and 
 then for the first time I understood the argument, and 
 was lost in amazement at the beauty and divine power 
 of this poem. It is indeed God’s Word, for He speaks 
 therein.” 
 
 On June 3, 1868, M. de Boinville, on a collecting tour 
 for the church at his dear old Bar-le-Duc, found himself in 
 Edinburgh, and writes as follows : “ The most remarkable 
 event in this collecting tour has been the gift of £100 by 
 dear good Mrs. T., in remembrance of her husband, who 
 spent the early part of his life in France ; and to-day, 
 needing the help of a dentist, I visited Mr. Imlach. 
 When, on leaving, he ascertained that I was a French 
 pastor, he would receive no fee, and when I expostulated, 
 he said, 1 No, not from a French minister. I was for 
 
312 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 sixteen years in Paris before I came to Edinburgh.’ ” “ At 
 
 Glasgow I fell ill while in the house of Mrs. Thomson at 
 Camphill, whose kindness, with that of all her family, 
 I shall never forget.” On June 28th he returned to 
 Cherbourg. 
 
 “ August 1. — The following conversation I had with a 
 gentleman I met on my way to London : — 
 
 “‘I guess you are an Englishman !’ 
 
 “ 4 How so ? ’ 
 
 “ ‘ Because you said just now, “ I don’t know, I am sure ; ” 
 we don’t think it necessary to say I am sure when we don’t 
 know.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Ah, you are an American ! ’ 
 
 “ ‘ And pray, how are you sure of that 1 9 
 “ ‘ Because you guessed I was an Englishman.’ 
 
 “ ‘ I guess you call yourself a Christian.’ 
 
 “ 6 I hope I am one.’ 
 
 “‘Well, I don’t profess to be one, but I guess I’m a 
 better one than you ! ’ 
 
 “ ‘ I hope you are.’ 
 
 “ ‘ You eat meat ? ’ 
 
 “ ‘ Yes, when necessary.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Then you are guilty of breaking God’s command, 
 Thou shalt not kill’ ! 
 
 “ 4 That surely means that I am not to murder my 
 neighbour, as our Lord explains it. Is an ox or a sheep 
 my neighbour $ ’ 
 
 “ ‘Why not V 
 
 “‘Pray, sir, do you eat cabbages'?’ 
 
 “ 5 Yes, when I get them good.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Are you sure that the cabbage is not your neighbour ] ’ 
 “ ‘ I guess you are laughing at me ! ’ 
 
COMPARISON OF COMFORT. 
 
 313 
 
 “ ‘ It seemed to me that you were laughing at me when 
 you said that an ox was my neighbour/ 
 
 “ Meantime our fellow-travellers were in fits . ,? — Redudio 
 ad absurdum. 
 
 “ August 4. — It is well to look fairly on all the sides of 
 any question. When I was in Westmoreland two months 
 ago, I called on good Archdeacon C — , the Vicar of K — , 
 and while conversing on the state of the Continent, he 
 told me that he had been lately in Paris, but remained 
 there only one day, because he so disliked the place ; ‘ I 
 mean,’ added he, ‘the moral atmosphere of the place. I 
 had rather/ he added, ‘ spend a day on London Bridge 
 than on the Boulevard des Italiens — would not youP 
 “I replied, that the streets of Paris appeared to me 
 pleasanter externally than London Bridge, and that the 
 money-getting spirit of London, though wearing apparently 
 a more serious aspect, was not a very pleasant atmosphere 
 to live in. 
 
 “‘Well/ said he, wittily and candidly, ‘I do think it 
 is a choice between Belial and Mammon/ ” 
 
 “ A lady lately expressed to me her astonishment that 
 such an intelligent people as the French had not learned 
 to put a carpet and a good chest of drawers into every 
 bedroom in the hotels, and so make a traveller feel more 
 comfortable. There is no doubt that many things are 
 lacking in French hotels, and generally in life in France ; 
 but I question whether an Englishman arriving in Paris 
 is not on the whole far more comfortable than the 
 Frenchman who arrives in London : the latter traveller 
 might wonder that with a good carpet and chest of 
 drawers he had not a better bed to lie on, and a light 
 omelet to eat. People sometimes say, What queer people 
 
3H 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 the Chinese are ! Yes, queer to us, but they are nearly 
 one-third of the human race, and might be excused if 
 they thought us exceptional. 
 
 “ When I was last in Scotland, I met a very pleasant man, 
 who related the following interesting story : — Many years 
 ago there lived in Glasgow a gentleman and his wife with 
 their son and daughter. The latter was a beautiful young 
 girl, whose hand was sought by an officer then quartered 
 with his regiment in the town. The offer being rejected, 
 he eloped with the young lady, and they lived together in 
 London for a couple of years, at the end of which time 
 the poor girl returned home, emaciated and miserable in 
 the extreme, and craving the forgiveness of her parents. 
 The mother’s tender heart was soon won, but her father, 
 a proud and hard man, turned his child into the street. 
 What became of her I know not, but the mother, driven to 
 despair, fell into habits of intemperance. When this 
 became apparent, her cruel husband sent her to reside in 
 an establishment on an island where such persons are in 
 Scotland often placed by their relations, either to be got 
 rid of as incurable, or in the hope of their recovery. At 
 all events, this poor lady was doomed never to see again 
 the husband of her youth. 
 
 “ It was the custom to carry the best of the inmates of 
 this establishment to take the Lord’s Supper on the main- 
 land once a year, when it was administered by the 
 clergyman of the parish. On such occasions the habit 
 was to take a little refreshment at the neighbouring inn, 
 to strengthen the communicants, some of whom had come 
 ten or twelve miles on foot, for their homeward journey. 
 On one of these occasions, the father and mother of my 
 informant were of the number who communicated, when 
 
GOOD SAMARITANS. 
 
 315 
 
 the latter, perceiving a lady sitting on the grass at some 
 distance, and apparently shunning the society of her fellow- 
 communicants, thought she might be ill, and approaching 
 her, tenderly inquired if she were ailing. ‘No/ she said, 
 ‘ but I came from the island, never take stimulants of any 
 kind, and I have brought with me all that I require/ 
 My friend's mother saw marks of deep dejection in the 
 lady’s countenance, and spoke to her so tenderly as to 
 draw forth from her a full account of her sad experience. 
 Here the narrator’s voice faltered, and for a time he was 
 silent. I looked and saw tears in the eyes of my stalwart 
 Scotch friend. What heart, if it have any feeling, will not 
 melt at the remembrance of a mother’s goodness ? After a 
 time he continued : ‘ From that day — she was then more 
 than forty years old — that lady came to live in my father’s 
 house, and she stayed more than forty years with my 
 parents — until her death.’ ” 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 1868. 
 
 Colloquial Controversy with the Abbe Ratisbonne— Recommended by M. Guizot 
 to the Bible Society as Inspector of Colporteurs in France— Eminent fitness for 
 the post— Retrospect of the year — Light sown in darkness. 
 
 “ One very severe winter, years ago, travelling by 
 diligence from Lisieux to Paris, I took my place in the 
 inUrieur , and when I got to Louvier, I saw indistinctly 
 through the window of the carriage, which was coated 
 with ice, the figure of a priest pacing rapidly up and down 
 the street. It was night, but the lamps enabled me to see 
 that he was a tall man, of a fine figure, and with a Jewish 
 cast of countenance. It struck me that he might be the 
 Abb6 Ratisbonne, a well-known preacher of St. Sulpice, 
 who had lately been at Lisieux. I inquired of the con- 
 ductor if he were not a fellow-traveller of mine, and having 
 ascertained that he was in the coupd, and alone, I begged 
 to be placed beside him. 
 
 “ I soon found out that he was the man whom I had 
 supposed he might be. We entered into conversation, and 
 I found, as I would have expected, that he was an intelligent 
 companion, and more willing to listen to an argument 
 
THE ABBE RA TISBONNE. 
 
 317 
 
 than priests generally are. I made inquiries about his 
 establishment for converted Israelitish women in Paris, 
 and gathered interesting information. He of course soon 
 discovered that I was a Protestant. I told him with all 
 openness the story of my own conversion, and then asked 
 him to what he attributed such a change. 
 
 “ ‘ Undoubtedly/ he said, ‘ to the grace of God. But/ 
 he added, ‘ what a pity that you are not a Catholic priest, 
 instead of a Protestant preacher ! Are you married ! ’ 
 
 “ ‘ Yes/ said I. 
 
 “ ‘ Have you any children ] ’ 
 
 “ ‘ Two/ 
 
 “ ‘ What a pity ! ’ 
 
 “‘Why?’ 
 
 “ ‘ You would make such a good priest/ 
 
 “ ‘ But how could a staunch Protestant become a 
 priest V 
 
 “ ‘ Why, you seem to have some life in you, and Pro- 
 testantism is dead : you do not belong to M. Coquerel’s 
 school !’ 
 
 “‘No, I acknowledge only one school — that of Christ, 
 — and His gospel is my rule/ 
 
 “ ‘ That is mine too, — -I may say entirely , only we need 
 the Church to interpret/ 
 
 “ ‘ That is the point at issue. I find your tradition 
 contrary to the testament or will of Christ/ 
 
 “ ‘ Ah, there I have you/ said he ; ‘ you speak of a Will : 
 now do you not think that the mind or spirit of a good 
 father would be likely to be better known and preserved 
 by the traditions kept up among his loving descendants, 
 than by any dry Will, couched in a certain number of 
 articles 'l ’ 
 
3 18 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B0INV1LLE. 
 
 “‘Well, but,’ I retorted, ‘in the first place, the New 
 Testament, if looked upon as a Will, is not a dry one, in so 
 many articles : it contains a glorious expression of Christ's 
 character and life, as given by the Spirit of God. Besides, 
 suppose the said descendants were to fall out, and dispute 
 about their forefather’s character and will and intentions 
 — what is then to decide between them V 
 “ ‘ The tribunals.’ 
 
 “ ‘ What ! contrary to the will V 
 “ ‘ No, but according to the will.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Let the tribunals alone then.’ 
 
 “ M. l’Abbe consented, but asked how we could tell that 
 there was any will, any inspired testament at all. 
 
 “ ‘ Why,’ I asked, ‘ I thought you professed to build on 
 St. Peter!’ 
 
 “ ‘ Yes, surely : Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will 
 I build my Church.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Admitted ; Peter was the first to preach to and 
 convert Jews and Gentiles.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Assurdment , that is our basis.’ 
 
 “ ‘ And mine also.’ 
 
 “ ‘ How so ] you Protestants of the evangelical school 
 seem to me to prefer St. Paul.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Peter and Paul are one ; and see now my proof that 
 the New Testament itself contains the statement of its own 
 inspiration. I say we build on Peter when we say that 
 the Epistles of Paul are to be regarded as the word of God.’ 
 Here I quoted 2 Peter iii. 16. 
 
 “ ‘ Well, and what then ] ’ said he. 
 
 “‘Well,’ continued I, ‘what if your tradition be 
 contrary to the teaching of the New Testament]’ 
 
 “ ‘ That is not the case.’ 
 
COLLOQUIAL CONTROVERSY. 319 
 
 “‘If you can prove your doctrine by the Word of God 
 I will become a Roman Catholic.’ 
 
 “The diligence had brought us to St. Pierre-Louvier, 
 where it w r as hoisted upon the rails, and we were rapidly 
 approaching Paris. We conversed freely, and I may say 
 amicably, passing in review successively most of the 
 Roman Catholic doctrines. 
 
 “ ‘ You Protestants/ said he, ‘ always seem to think that 
 we shun discussion on the sole basis of Scripture ; but you 
 see I am willing to take my stand on the Bible, although I 
 do not believe it to be the sole source and test of truth. 
 I was reading St. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians just 
 before you joined me.’ 
 
 “ ‘ St. Paul thought, as you see from that Epistle, that 
 death to him was gain, — it was to depart and be with 
 Christ. That is a more blessed assurance than to believe 
 that we may possibly spend millions of years in purgatorial 
 fires.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Yes ; but you and I are not perhaps as pure as the 
 blessed Paul.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Possibly not, but Paul calls himself the chief of 
 sinners, and he based his hopes, not on his own purity, but 
 on the blood which was shed, and which is as available 
 for us as for him. That blood availed also for the thief 
 on the cross, who went straight to paradise.’ 
 
 “ ‘ If the Scriptures contained no assertion of the doctrine 
 of purgatory, philosophy would require me to believe it. 
 Your doctrine of salvation by faith, without works, by 
 reliance on Christ’s sacrifice, is very dangerous.’ 
 
 “‘Though we are not justified by the merit of any 
 works of ours, we do not go to heaven in the company of 
 bad works, nor without good works as a fruit of faith and 
 
320 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 of grace. Your doctrine produces pride, the root of sin 
 and bitterness. As for philosophy, it is of man, and as 
 uncertain as he/ 
 
 44 4 Is there not a Christian philosophy ? 1 
 44 4 1 know of none of any authority but that in the 
 Bible. In its connection with religious matters Pascal 
 said : Je ne crois pas que toute la philosophie vaille un 
 quart d’heure de peine/ 
 
 “ 4 Yet your Protestantism seems to us Catholics to be 
 more like philosophy than religion. You have shorn the 
 Christian religion of some of its most comforting doctrines, 
 purgatory, the authority of the visible Church, the inter- 
 cession of saints, the real presence of Christ upon the 
 altar, and many other things which we enjoy in the 
 Komish Church/ 
 
 44 4 It was not philosophy but revelation that guided 
 the reformers; nor can I see the comfort of the doctrines 
 you have enumerated, but I seek truth: show me your 
 scriptural authority for the intercession of saints/ 
 
 44 4 Did not the rich man in hell pray to father Abraham V 
 44 4 First of all, observe, he was in hell/ 
 
 44 4 Ah, but you know, that is a word of wide significa- 
 tion, — in the original it may mean purgatory/ 
 
 44 4 Then you condemn your own doctrine, for there was 
 a great and impassable gulf fixed between them/ 
 
 44 4 That may be a metaphor, and you must not press it/ 
 44 4 But, M. TAbbe, you chose the example, and it is not 
 an encouraging one, for father Abraham was not able to do 
 anything, and sent the brethren of Dives back to the true 
 source, the Scriptures of Moses and the prophets/ 
 
 44 4 Say what you will, there is comfort in feeling assured 
 that the saints are interceding for us/ 
 
COLLOQUIAL CONTROVERSY. 
 
 321 
 
 “ ‘ According to the Scripture, which you consented to 
 take as our rule, there is one Advocate and one Mediator 
 between God and man, and I know of no love like His/ 
 
 “ ‘ Ah, the blessed Virgin is such a good mother !’ 
 
 “ * Could you show from Scripture that she is our 
 mother V 
 
 “ ‘ Yes, certainly : Behold thy mother / 
 
 “ ‘ Surely John could not understand that she was to be 
 his spiritual mother, but, rather, that in the absence of 
 Christ — her son according to the flesh — he was to treat her 
 as a mother, and therefore he took her to his own home. 
 That is no proof that she is our mother, now that she is in 
 heaven/ 
 
 “ ‘ Nay, you admit that we are Christ’s brethren, there- 
 fore she must be our mother also/ 
 
 “ ‘ Christ was Mary’s son according to the flesh ; we are 
 not, and we are His brethren only in the Spirit, and if we 
 do the will of His Father. According to your doctrine, if 
 Mary be our mother because Christ took human flesh, then 
 all flesh is of Mary, all the wicked, — and then what of those 
 who existed before Mary? They could not be Christ’s 
 brethren, yet they were God’s children, though not Mary’s.’ 
 “ ‘ You are too logical ; there are facts, religious facts, 
 which are above all human logic. What say you to my 
 brother’s conversion at Borne ? ’ 
 
 “ ‘ Here we forsake Scripture, but tell me of that ! ’ 
 
 “ ‘ My brother, who, like myself, was a Jew, went to 
 visit Borne. A friend accompanied, him to the church of 
 St. Andrea delle Frate, and left him there. In going 
 round the edifice, he saw in a side-chapel a picture of the 
 Madonna ; he looked earnestly ; she fixed her eyes on 
 him, and, raising her hands, came towards him, as shining 
 
 x 
 
322 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE. 
 
 as a brilliant flame. He tried in vain to retreat ; he fell 
 into a trance, from which, when he awoke, with his friend 
 anxiously watching over him, he was, and has ever since 
 remained, a fervent Catholic. Was not that a miracle ? 
 is it not a proof of the Virgin's power V 
 
 “ ‘ Stay a bit, sir : I have read the account written by 
 your brother, — do not I remember that he had before that 
 acceded to his friend’s desire, and that he wore a medal of 
 the Virgin, and repeated a prayer to her every day V 
 “ 1 What harm was there in that ? ’ 
 
 “ ‘ You, who were once an Israelite, know it was an act 
 of unfaithfulness to the religion he then professed, and, in 
 my opinion, to the God of Israel. He that is unjust in 
 the least is unjust also in much; he forsook his own 
 mercy. Then, again, I remember that he says about the 
 apparition : Elle ne m’a pas parl6, mais j’ai tout compris. 
 Now, I believe he understood all wrong/ 
 
 “ ‘ Why suppose such a thing V 
 
 “ 1 Suppose Alexander vi. were to appear to me in the 
 same manner, I might fear it was some flame from the 
 infernal regions. I honour, I revere the name of the holy 
 Virgin, but I do not believe that apparition was she.’ 
 
 “ 4 You are very unbelieving.’ 
 
 “ ‘ Because I believe God’s Word.’ 
 
 “ ‘ I have another proof to show in favour of our being 
 able to claim Mary as our mother ; but although it is 
 taken from Scripture, I fear you will not accept it. Christ 
 says, in instituting the blessed Eucharist : ‘ This is my 
 body, this is my blood.’ Now, our bodies are composed 
 of flesh and blood, and these are nourished and preserved 
 by food. If Christ’s flesh and blood become identified 
 with ours, we are one with Him, His brethren in flesh and 
 
COLLOQUIAL CONTROVERSY. 323 
 
 blood, and therefore in fact also we become the children 
 of Mary.’ 
 
 44 4 Is this logic, philosophy, or revelation? or neither 
 one nor the other ? Your Sacramentarian doctrine car- 
 nalises everything spiritual. Do the wicked, who com- 
 municate unworthily, become also the children of Mary V 
 “ 4 No, it requires faith to eat so as to profit.’ 
 
 “ 4 Faith in God’s Word shows that Christ’s blood was 
 represented by wine, and His body by bread, for after the 
 consecration the elements are not called flesh and blood, 
 which they are indeed only spiritually, but bread and wine. 
 Is wine blood V 
 
 “ 4 Why not ? Christ says He is the true vine.’ 
 
 “ 4 Then take it literally : If we suppose Him to be 
 literally a vine, then His blood is the juice of the grape ; 
 if He is literally bread, then is He bread and not flesh. 
 Why interpret literally in one case and not in another ?’ 
 
 “ 4 I think it better,’ said the Abb6, 4 to trust to the 
 teaching of the Church than to any human reasoning ; the 
 Popes and Councils are infallible.’ 
 
 44 4 1 prefer to the Popes and Councils the plain declara- 
 tions of Scripture.’ 
 
 44 4 1 will not undertake now to prove to you the infalli- 
 bility of the Popes and Councils. I have shown that clearly 
 in my Life of St. Bernard , to which I take the liberty of 
 referring you.’ 
 
 44 4 1 promise to read it.’ 
 
 44 4 You reject my words, but have you ever thought of 
 what our Lord says : 44 He that heareth you heareth Me ; 
 and he that despiseth you despiseth Me” ? Jesus said 
 that to His apostles. And to their successors, for He says : 
 44 1 am with you to the end of the world.’ ” 
 
324 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE , 
 
 “ ‘ Yes, with those who teach men to observe His 
 commandments. M. l’Abbe, suppose that in rejecting my 
 words you were despising Him that sent me as well as 
 you , — but surely to preach the truth only 
 
 “ ‘ I was not aware that Protestants took such high 
 ground/ 
 
 “ ‘ We believe that apostolical succession exists in the 
 faith, and the doctrine, and the life, and not in the mere 
 outward order/ 
 
 “ ‘ Well, well ! all I can say is, I am grieved that you do 
 not accept my word; but our Lord said : “ I thank Thee, 0 
 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast 
 hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast 
 revealed them unto babes.” * 
 
 “ ‘ Yes, unto babes, unto children in malice ; in under- 
 standing be ye men, says St. Paul/ — and here, being moved, 
 I lifted up my heart in prayer , — ‘ Lord, evermore give me 
 a simple childlike spirit. I would be led by Thee alone, 
 and not by the doctrines of men. I will not know the 
 voice of strangers. Thy word, and not the traditions of 
 men, is the truth/ 
 
 “ The Abb6 was silent for a time ; then he said, ‘ I will 
 pray the holy Virgin, the mother of God, for you/ 
 
 “ We had got to our journey’s end ; he gave me his 
 address, and we parted, probably to see each other no 
 more until we meet before the throne of God. I pur- 
 chased his work on St. Bernard, found it deeply interest- 
 ing, and it served me not a little when I wrote Pourquoi 
 je suis Protestant .” 
 
 “ Le Fdsinet, October 3, 1868. — I received to-day a letter 
 from Mr. Jackson, clerical secretary of the Bible Society, 
 asking me if I would allow my name to be mentioned to 
 
RECOMMENDATION BY M. GUIZOT 
 
 325 
 
 the committee as one willing to become a candidate for a 
 very important post in connection with the operations of 
 the Society in this country. Surely it would have been 
 more presumptuous in me to reject than to agree to such 
 a proposal. If I am not the fit man I shall gladly accept 
 the humbler post of a country pastor, since I must leave 
 Cherbourg on account of the health of my family. But, 
 should I be called to labour in one of the greatest of 
 works in these days, may His strength be given me 
 whose grace is sufficient in any sphere of labour ! The 
 Bible was the direct means of my conversion; I found 
 peace in reading St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans at a 
 time when I had but very little religious knowledge, and 
 I have always looked on the Bible Society as the noblest 
 and most purely Christian of all religious institutions. I 
 think I shall remain at Cherbourg till the committee has 
 decided what course they will follow." 
 
 “ December 2. — M. Melon writes : ‘ J’ai re<ju ce matin 
 meme une lettre de notre illustre coreligionnaire M. Guizot. 
 Je vous transcris ici le passage qui vous concerne : — J’ai 
 6crit au comte de Shaftesbury pour lui recommander M. 
 de Boinville. Je serais fort aise de contribuer a son succes 
 dans ce qu’il desire. Je le crois tres propre a un tel poste 
 dans la Soci6te Biblique de Londres.’ 
 
 “ In a letter dated December 10, Mr. Jackson writes as 
 follows : — ‘ The committee have finally decided on appoint- 
 ing the Rev. A. Fisch to the inspectorship of colporteurs in 
 their French agency. The testimonials which have been 
 sent to us on your behalf are of the highest class, and 
 seemed to designate you as qualified for a more important 
 office, and as entitled to a higher remuneration than M. 
 Fisch will receive/ — I trust the committee have done 
 
326 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 rightly. It is a disappointment to me not to be employed 
 in connection with such a Society and work. I would and 
 shall accept the humblest post. ,, 
 
 Taking the fact into consideration, that from Lisieux 
 alone M. de Boinville had sent forth eight zealous and 
 well-qualified colporteurs, it may be doubted whether the 
 London Bible Society could have found an agent better 
 fitted than himself to superintend their operations in 
 France. 
 
 “December 24.— A deeply interesting ceremony took 
 place to-day. Four young persons were received into the 
 church, I trust with feelings of true piety ; all are from the 
 ranks of Popery.” 
 
 “December 31. — This has been a year of heavy trial. 
 May affliction by God's grace bear its fruit in the sancti- 
 fication of my soul ! I am about to leave Cherbourg. . . . 
 The ship is driven of the winds, but Christ is at the helm. 
 Light is sown in darkness; these steep steps are the 
 threshold of glory. 
 
 “ 0 Father ! in this trial hour 
 How much I need some genial shower ! 
 
 How much I need Thy helping grace, 
 
 Thy pard’ning love, Thy smiling face ! 
 
 The days gone by were soft and calm, 
 
 No wound to heal, no need of balm ; 
 
 Our simple wants were satisfied, 
 
 Our simple tastes were gratified. 
 
 Our garden shone with sweetest flowers ; 
 
 Our children strolled beneath its bowers ; 
 
 At every turn God seemed to say — 
 
 ‘ Rejoice now in the light of day !’ 
 
LIGHT SOWN IN DARKNESS. 
 
 327 
 
 We did rejoice, nor did forget 
 Life, though a dream, should still beget 
 A holy trembling, and prepare 
 The soul a better lot to share. 
 
 This text was written in the bower, 1 
 And on my heart with greater power. 
 Ah, now I’ve lived to see the day, 
 
 And learnt that trembling ’s not dismay . 
 
 I ’ll love His hand that sent the rod ! — 
 
 Himself the path of sorrow trod ; 
 
 He, sinless, suffered ; Him I ’ll love 
 Till, freed from sin, I stand above. 
 
 0 Father ! in the trial hour 
 
 Thou send’st me now the genial shower ; 
 
 Oh yes, I feel Thy helping grace, 
 
 1 see Thy hand, Thy smiling face ! 
 
 All things are well. — If Thou be near, 
 
 No foe, no solitude I fear ; 
 
 With Jesus near, and sin forgiven, 
 
 I still hold on my way to heaven.” 
 
 1 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. — Ps. ii. 11. 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 1869 - 1870 . 
 
 Removes from Cherbourg to Le Vesinet — Anxieties in the present and for the 
 future — Deathbed of Madame de Robert — Beuzeval — Visits Guizot at Val- 
 Richer — Description of the family life there — Monument commemorating 
 the Norman Invasion of England — A wandering nun — Alfred joins the Garde 
 Mobile — Confident anticipation of French success — Not justified by the result 
 — The Emperor is taken prisoner— They take refuge for a time at Beuzeval, 
 but leave France finally for England on the 10th of November 1870. 
 
 A concurrence of disastrous and apparently untoward 
 circumstances had tended about this time to depress 
 Charles's buoyant nature, and but for the perfect unanimity 
 that existed between him and his admirable wife, and their 
 unwavering submission to a heavenly Fathers will, might 
 have submerged it. They were indeed at one in every 
 aspiration, thought, and feeling ; as having “ two hearts 
 within one breast," they rejoiced together in the sunshine. 
 “ As for deliverance from care in this world," wrote Charles, 
 “ it is a dream, except through that faith that casts all care 
 on Him who careth for us." 
 
 The most prominent cause of chronic anxiety for several 
 years — indeed throughout the Franco- German campaign — 
 was the position of their two elder children, through 
 the serious illness of a daughter, and the dangers and 
 privations to which their son Alfred was exposed, while 
 serving as an officer in the Garde Mobile , and shut up in 
 
LEAVES CHERBOURG . 
 
 329 
 
 Paris during the protracted siege, without any means of 
 communication with friends outside the walls, except the 
 uncertain one afforded by “ the blessed balloon-post.” 
 
 Not long after the settlement at Cherbourg, where 
 Charles had thought to end his days, the interference of 
 Government with the Synodical action of the Reformed 
 Church had led a sensitive conscience to consider his official 
 status as morally untenable, while rumours of war — soon 
 after realised — had alarmed him for the future of his sons 
 in France, and made him think seriously of transplanting 
 his family at once to England. He resigned his ecclesias- 
 tical position, but the resignation not having been accepted, 
 and as his flock at Cherbourg were evidently dismayed at 
 the thought of losing him, he was for the time content to 
 have entered his protest, though the health of his daughter 
 made a change of residence necessary, in consequence of 
 which Mrs. de Boinville removed to Le V6sinet, in the 
 neighbourhood of Paris, while he remained behind in the 
 discharge of his pastoral duties. 
 
 At length, however, it was found necessary to make the 
 dreaded change, and Charles once more left a loving flock 
 that he might rejoin his family, and lessen his wife’s anxieties 
 by sharing them. He sought and found occupation in Paris, 
 but it was for the most part unremunerative, and ere long 
 the gates were closed by ruthless war. He was always 
 ready to do what health and opportunity permitted. “ I 
 sometimes ask myself,” he writes, “ if I shall ever be up 
 to work again. But why not 1 the Lord is my strength : 
 our present state of dispersion and uncertainty is very 
 painful ; but like all other things, it will pass away, and we 
 shall each get settled in our place, till some other change 
 occurs. We have no abiding city here.” 
 
330 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 We shall now resume the journal at Cherbourg. 
 “January 1, Cherbourg , 1869. — As the sun shines bright 
 on this New Year’s morn, so may God’s face shine on me 
 and mine during this year ! Various roses in flower. 
 Received a serious proposal to become chaplain to the 
 Maison des Diaconesses in Paris. This is a delicate post 
 to occupy, and may, by the use of a holy influence, become 
 a very important one. It seems highly improbable that I 
 should obtain the appointment.” 
 
 “January 18. — Some people seem to have a fund of joy 
 and contentment in their nature which, when sanctified, 
 is a blessing not only to themselves, but also to those 
 around them. Old Modeste Gueret, 1 who is, I believe, 
 eighty-two years of age, has broken three of her ribs. One 
 moment she groans with pain, and the next, as soon as she 
 feels relief, laughs and talks and sings hymns, and weeps 
 for joy over the kindness of a sailor who picked her up.” 
 
 “ April 2. — This day I have performed a most painful 
 duty at the funeral of our dear friend Madame de Robert. 
 On Good Friday she was at church, and spoke to me kindly 
 after service. Next day she was taken seriously ill. We 
 prayed for her on Easter Sunday. On Tuesday night she 
 was dying, and I went to spend the night with her — a 
 night never to be forgotten. My poor friend was in great 
 pain, her husband and dear children were in tears, her 
 maids waiting on her in anxious suspense, and the medical 
 attendant was without hope. She has been the chief guide 
 and counsellor of her family — a model wife, and a most 
 excellent mother. 
 
 “ I asked her if her confidence were in the Lord. 
 
 “ She replied, ‘ Not enough,’ whispering in my ear — lest 
 1 See ante , p. 306. 
 
MADAME DE ROBERT. 
 
 33i 
 
 she should distress her family, — ‘ It is hard to leave those I 
 love, and who want me so much/ 
 
 “ We prayed, and I begged her to remember the promises 
 of Scripture. 
 
 “ She said aloud, ‘ Yes, it is hard to die/ 
 
 “ Her sufferings were intense. After a while, remem- 
 bering the hymn — 
 
 ‘ II s’est charge de toutes nos languenrs, 
 
 Et sur sa croix a port4 nos douleurs 
 
 she exclaimed, ‘ He hath borne our griefs/ 
 
 “ From that moment she grew calmer, as if she had 
 cast her sorrows on Him who carried them. Her mind 
 seemed bent on relieving the distress of her husband and 
 children. 
 
 “ She said, ‘ Ils ne sont pas perdus, ils nous ont 
 devances/ 
 
 “ For more than half an hour she was silent, after which, 
 gathering up her remaining strength, she called the whole 
 household around her. With intense earnestness she 
 exclaimed, ‘ Into the hands of my Saviour I commit my 
 spirit/ 
 
 “ She then kissed her maids, and thanked them, whisper- 
 ing something in the ear of her faithful old cook, who has 
 been with them nearly thirty years. She then kissed each 
 child, beginning with poor Jeanne, and as she bid them 
 adieu gave them good advice, such as they can never 
 forget, and which may they have grace to follow ! This 
 scene was of truly sublime grandeur. What but Christianity 
 can enable any one to die thus ! She turned her head 
 towards her husband and children, and looked placidly on 
 them till her eyes closed in death. 
 
 “ Poor M. de Eobert said to his children immediately 
 
332 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 after the funeral : ‘ We will not have anything removed 
 from her room; and, my dear children, when we want 
 good advice we will retire there, and think of what she 
 would have said to us.’” 
 
 On the 11th of April M. de Boinville took leave of his 
 congregation at Cherbourg amidst many tears, and arrived 
 the next day at Le V6sinet after several months of separa- 
 tion from his family. On Sunday, the 18th, having no 
 special charge, he instituted a service in his own house, 
 preaching in English in the morning, and in French in the 
 afternoon. On the 6th of June he writes : “ My time is 
 now employed in preaching as I have opportunity, wherever 
 I am called, sometimes at the infirmary at Nantoue, some- 
 times at the Deaconesses’ Establishment, sometimes at St. 
 Germain, and I also hold a little meeting at times in my 
 own house. To-day I have been to Versailles, where I 
 preached to about a hundred people under the beautiful 
 trees in Madame Anglais's grounds, while the birds sang 
 in the branches overhead." 
 
 On July 3d he writes: “I came to-day to Beuzeval, 
 passing through districts which reminded me at every 
 turn of bygone days spent happily at dear old Lisieux. 
 This is a beautiful place, and abounds in the fruits of 
 righteousness. We have a nice church, and a congrega- 
 tion amounting, in the bathing season, to nearly three 
 hundred people ; then there is a Maison Evang^lique for 
 bathers who are not rich enough to go to the hotels. I 
 have engaged to remain here for a month." 
 
 “ July 17. — Went with M. de Neufville, M. Toupet, and 
 Guillaume Monod to Val-Bicher to see M. Guizot, now in 
 his eighty-second year. I found him looking better than 
 for some years past. His is a vigorous old age ; his mind 
 
VAL-RICHER . 
 
 333 
 
 is as powerful and his memory as clear as ever. He seems 
 to take interest in all things, both in the political and in 
 the religious world, and knows an immense number of our 
 pastors and of our theological students. I find that age 
 and, I trust, divine grace have given more softness and 
 tenderness to his character. He spoke very candidly 
 about the present crisis in the government, and expressed 
 his opinion that the Corps L6gislatif had the future 
 liberties of France in its hands. But how often has that 
 great mind of his been mistaken ! Let us hope that it is 
 not mistaken now, and that the Chamber will show itself 
 worthy of its present position, and able to take advantage 
 of the circumstances. 
 
 “ I found all things at Val-Richer more changed than 
 M. Guizot himself. The house and grounds are much 
 altered, and have undergone not only changes but improve- 
 ments since M. de Witt has been at work there. His 
 farming implements are mostly English. Madame de 
 Witt’s children are nearly as tall as their mother was 
 when I first saw her twenty years ago, but the old man 
 stands nearly as erect and firm as ever. Many of his 
 trees have been split asunder, or uprooted by the winds, 
 but he has as yet resisted the storms of time, and is now 
 bearing his best fruit, while he finds shelter in the valley 
 of old age. 
 
 “I first became acquainted with M. Guizot in 1849. 
 He had returned from exile, and was bearing his own 
 trials and those of his country with Christian rather than 
 stoical fortitude. Had he not loved his country so 
 ardently, it would have been difficult for him to bear with 
 equanimity the invectives which were poured upon him at 
 that time, whether they were merited or not. I thought 
 
334 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 I perceived how the severe discipline through which he 
 was then called to pass was made useful both to his mind 
 and his soul. At that time I resided at Lisieux, about 
 seven miles from Val-Richer, and was frequently called to 
 visit the family. Nestling amongst the green trees in a 
 lovely valley, the old Benedictine priory, which was con- 
 verted into so sweet a home, was visited by few in those 
 days. To be called a Guizotin was a reproach. There, 
 however, in the comparative solitude of those days, it was 
 my privilege to hold Christian intercourse and fellowship 
 with the fallen statesman, and many a time we talked 
 freely together as we walked up and down the gravel 
 paths in the park. Sometimes we were joined by a good 
 Christian lady, Mademoiselle de Chabaud-Latour, sister to 
 the present Minister of State, who had educated his 
 daughters, at that time young unmarried girls. 
 
 “ M. Guizot’s heart would then open itself in uncon- 
 strained conversation, and he would talk freely both to 
 young and old. On one occasion he took my little 
 daughter, a child four years of age, in his arms, and 
 carried her all round the hall, up the staircase, and along 
 the lengthy gallery, pointing out and explaining to her in 
 infantile language the different characters whose pictures 
 hung upon the walls, and fondling her with every demon- 
 stration of tenderness. 
 
 “ On such occasions we used to assemble in his study. 
 The bell was rung, and the whole family, the indoor and 
 outdoor servants included, met round the written Word. 
 He would ask me to conduct the service ; and the child- 
 like simplicity with which he listened to such expositions 
 and exhortations as I was able to give, the warmth of his 
 thanks, and seriousness, and prayerfulness of his whole 
 
THE NORMAN CONQUEST. 
 
 335 
 
 demeanour and spirit, told of genuine Christian humility, 
 faith, and piety. 
 
 “ We prayed, too, for France. I asked him once to 
 what he attributed the revolutionary spirit of the French, 
 and the moral and social evils of the country. He 
 answered, 4 To want of principle. There is so little faith 
 of any kind. We are wanting in religious, social, and 
 political faith. If men have no faith in God, they cannot 
 have faith in one another/ 4 What, then/ I asked, 4 would 
 you consider the best remedy 'l 7 4 The only remedy I see/ 
 
 was his immediate reply, 4 is to circulate the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, and to preach the simple truths of the gospel. 7 
 
 44 Midway between Beuzeval and Dives, just over the 
 port of the latter town, there stands a plain monument, 
 with the following inscription : — 4 Au souvenir du plus grand 
 6v£nement historique des annales Normandes, le depart du 
 Due Guillaume le Batard pour la conquete de l’Angleterre, 
 1 06 6. Pendant un mois la flotte du due Guillaume stationna 
 dans le port de Dives, et son arm6e de cinquante mille 
 hommes campa dans le voisinage avant de mettre a la voile. 7 ” 
 
 44 September 8 ih . — The day before yesterday a poor old 
 nun, seventy-seven years of age, came to the door of the 
 Deaconesses’ Establishment, escorted by two policemen, who 
 stated that they had accompanied her from convent to 
 convent, trying to find her shelter for the night, but in 
 vain. Her lettres d'oMdience not being in perfect order, 
 she was rejected everywhere. The poor creature was 
 almost penniless, and wished to visit her relations in the 
 south before she died. The fact was, she had been afraid 
 to ask for leave to go, because hitherto it had always been 
 refused. She had fallen twice in the street; the police 
 were indignant, and as she entered the Deaconesses’ Estab- 
 
336 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 lishment, — not knowing she was amongst Protestants, — 
 she exclaimed, ‘ I have never before met with real charity ; 
 my own community reject me !’ The next day Dr. Morin 
 went to a neighbouring convent to expostulate with the 
 Superior, and ask for help. The nuns pleaded poverty. 
 Dr. Morin said the public knew well enough how rich they 
 were, and advised them to help the old woman on her way. 
 ‘ What would the public have said if we had received into 
 our house a robber in disguise'?’ asked a nun. ‘ The 
 public would have said the good nuns were taken in by a 
 wicked nun, but now they will say the nuns have not 
 shown charity towards a poor old nun of their own com- 
 munity.’ They gave him five francs; a collection was 
 made by the deaconesses, and when they sent the old 
 woman on her way, they advised her to remain with her 
 nephews. 4 No, no,’ she said, ‘ I will go and see them 
 before I die, and then return. I know I shall have to 
 suffer for what I am doing, but I shall not be punished 
 long. I shall soon die.’” 
 
 To the tender heart of Charles de Boinville the expres- 
 sion of love by his friends ^was always dearly welcome. 
 On the 7th December 1869 I find the following entry in 
 his journal: — “M. G. Monod, recommending me to the 
 Alliance at Derby, said in his own kind way that I was a 
 good and dear link between the brethren there assembled 
 and those in France, between their country and ours ; and 
 good Hermann Schmettau writes to G. Monod, ‘ I cannot 
 tell you how very much pleased we have been to see the 
 dear brother de Boinville at the Conference at Derby. He 
 has indeed strengthened by his presence and loving spirit 
 the bond that united British and French Christians. He 
 has made many friends.’ This is love.” 
 
WAR WITH PRUSSIA . 
 
 337 
 
 “ January 24, 187 0. — Preached to-day at Saint Denis for 
 the Independents, at Asnieres for the Methodists, at Rue 
 Bellefond for the National Church, — and with equal 
 pleasure on all occasions, for if I have predilections and 
 preferences, I know hut one Christ and one Church of 
 Christ. As for the particular Churches, whatever their 
 name may he, I am a debtor to all, and will make myself 
 all things to all men that I may win souls to Christ. 
 Some think this contrary to good principle, because it is 
 contrary to their own principle, hut I see no other in 
 Scripture, and to me it is the highest of all. Unum corpus 
 sumus in Christo .” 
 
 “ April 29.- — Kept at home by a feverish attack and a 
 sunstroke, fortunately not serious. I might have wished 
 it more so, if Saul of Tarsus, as Renan asserts, could trace 
 his conversion, and consequently all his subsequent career, 
 to a sunstroke. What powers of faith a man must have 
 to believe that ! but surely he has not received the c spirit 
 of a sound mind/ The credulity of unbelievers often 
 astonishes me, and it is painful to see how the enmity of 
 the human heart to its only Deliverer inclines it to believe 
 any nonsense, rather than the plain truth of the Gospel.” 
 
 “ June 2 . — Went to the Revision with Alfred, whose 
 number was 83, the first good number. One lower and 
 he would have been taken. This is a saving of about £80 
 to us. Thank God for His mercy.” 
 
 “July 14. — War with Prussia! a war of pride and 
 jealousy. Looking out of our windows over the woods 
 and distant country, all seems to speak of peace, but soon 
 we shall hear from afar the sound of chassepots, — irregular, 
 nervous, rapid, like the age we live in. Yet God to us 
 has as yet shown mercy 3 our son Alfred drew the first 
 
 Y 
 
338 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 number that saved from the regular service, and stood the 
 first on the list for the Garde Mobile . So delighted was 
 he, that in running out to tell me, he fell over a gendarme, 
 and stopped to apologise. The gendarme took it good- 
 naturedly, and said, ‘Etes vous content, moi aussi.’ 
 To-day brings news that the Garde Mobile is called out, 
 but only up to Alfred’s class, so that as yet he is free, — 
 but for how long?” 
 
 “ August 1. — Our dear Alfred has been called to join 
 the Garde Mobile . When, for the sake of France, I claimed 
 my rights as a Frenchman, had I seen that such a law as 
 that which now prevails would ever exist, it is probable 
 that I would not have acted as I did. As far as our dear 
 son is concerned, we still, however, see God’s protecting 
 hand, for he has obtained, what very few have been able 
 to obtain, a sub-lieutenancy, and as an officer will suffer 
 less in every way, besides receiving pay and better food. 
 
 “I have been deeply distressed by the Committee of 
 the Evangelical Alliance not accepting my proposal that 
 we should call on all the Christian Churches to appoint a 
 day of prayer on behalf of the poor soldiers, and to seek 
 from the Prince of Peace the restoration of peace between 
 France and Prussia. In the latter country they have had 
 such a day appointed, and all Christians joined in common 
 prayer. Our being unable to do so is an ominous indica- 
 tion of the low state of religion, and also of political feeling 
 in this land.” 
 
 On the 10th of August a letter from Mrs. de Boinville, 
 senior, tells that she is going to Burton, in Westmoreland, 
 with William and Nina, her two younger grandchildren ; 
 that Alexander has gone to an appointment in London, 
 and Alfred to the seat of war. On the 16th instant 
 
THE FRANCO-GERMAN WAR. 
 
 339 
 
 Charles writes to his mother : “ Most thankful are we to 
 know that you are all safe at Burton with the beloved 
 people there. The sight of France has its grandeur now; 
 drawn into a foolish war, the people were at first disgusted, 
 but the invasion of their soil by Prussians has turned the 
 tide, and the whole nation is literally rising in a mass. 
 In a fortnight there will be six millions of men under 
 arms, and I have little doubt as to the issue. If the 
 Prussians had come on at once they might have taken 
 Paris. They have given time to the French, who have 
 just gained a victory, and whether they win many battles 
 or not, they will outnumber the Prussians in their own 
 country. Meanwhile however, Lorraine is half-ruined, 
 the enemy is at Saint Mihiel, and close to Bar-le-Duc.” 
 
 “ August 17. — Went to see the 3d Ambulance leave 
 the Palais de lTndustrie for the seat of war. It was a 
 solemn sight to see these determined and serious-looking 
 men walk along the streets, with all the appliances neces- 
 sary to relieve the wounded. There were three priests, 
 and my old friend Edmond de Pressens6, who took an 
 affectionate farewell of me, and about a hundred men 
 with them wearing the red cross on white; there were 
 ladies receiving alms for the wounded, some of whom I 
 knew had given largely themselves, and crowds accom- 
 panied them to the station. Some women shed tears as 
 they passed along the streets, and some said ‘ God go with 
 you;’ the coachmen, as they drove by, lifted their hats. 
 All seemed to feel that this is a mission of love. I hurried 
 on to get our school children out to see the sight ; it is 
 a picture which conveys a lesson they may not forget.” 
 
 “ Le Vesinet , August 28. — The news of the approach of 
 the Prussians has produced such a panic that all our neigh- 
 
340 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 bours have left for Paris, and we alone remain. Our little 
 flock is dispersed; the ship may be wrecked, but the 
 Captain leaves the last. If the enemy come on, however, 
 our position here will be untenable. 
 
 “ August 29. — There is a complete dearth of official 
 news — all we get is from the Prussian telegrams ; our 
 generals keep an awful silence. No one knows where 
 they are nor what they intend to do ; we only gather 
 what the state of things is from travellers and from the 
 wounded ; but not the slightest doubt is now felt that 
 Prussia will succumb in this dreadful war, that whatever 
 may be the number of her armies and their apparent ad- 
 vance, they are so entangled that they must be beaten, and 
 in every engagement they lose so many more than the French 
 that they cannot hold out long : the whole population 
 is now rising to fall upon them if they come to Paris. 
 Something is going on to-day, and will be to-morrow, for 
 hourly trains are taking thousands of troops from Paris to 
 the scene of action. It is a solemn moment, I assure you. 
 
 “ If the cause were less terrible it would be amusing 
 to see the effect of the general panic on the population 
 around Paris; all are taking refuge within the walls. 
 The waiting-rooms are turned into warehouses, the plat- 
 forms are covered with heaps of trunks ; country carts, 
 with peasants driving their cattle and carrying their corn, 
 are mingled with the soldiery in the streets. As for us, 
 we have buried some of our goods, but I cannot bring 
 myself to believe the Prussians will come to Paris. It 
 would surely be madness ; the ground is undermined, and 
 steam mitrailleuses run along the ramparts ; but if they do 
 come near the place, before they blow up the bridges we 
 will go. Mrs. Pilter has offered us her house at Beuzeval. 
 
LEAVES LE V£ SINE T FOR BEUZEVAL . 341 
 
 “ September 4, Sunday . — I was the first who had to 
 preach this morning at the Oratoire after the disaster of 
 Sedan ; the Emperor is taken prisoner. The second 
 preacher was Guillaume Monod, who forgot himself, and 
 prayed as usual for the Emperor, who was no longer such ; 
 then recollecting himself, he said, ‘ Donne-lui une cou- 
 ronne plus belle que celle qu’il vient de perdre.’” 
 
 “ September 6th . — We are now about to leave our pretty 
 house, our pretty home at Le Y^sinet, and we little expect 
 to find anything left in it when we return. This war will 
 be to many the end of life, while many will have to begin 
 life over again. May it prove to them the beginning of a 
 new and holy one ! 
 
 “In three days the Prussians are expected under the 
 walls of Paris. We do not know in the least how they 
 will be received, but your mamma and Eosa are packing 
 up, and we are going to Beuzeval.” 
 
 “ September 8th . — Took leave of Alfred at St. Germain. 
 Shall we ever see that dear face again ! . . . Crowds 
 of people from the neighbourhood of Paris and of the 
 forts had remained at the station since early dawn 
 without finding places. Towards the close of the day a 
 train came up with trucks in which cattle had been sent 
 into Paris ; a fearful rush was made to find standing-room 
 in these. Into one of them we clambered, and sat on our 
 sacks. At two in the morning we arrived at Lisieux, and 
 wandered in vain about the well-known streets in drizzling 
 rain in search of beds. None were to be had, and at last, 
 weary and wet, we were glad to find shelter in the kitchen 
 of a tavern. 
 
 “ On the 10th we arrived at Beuzeval. We noticed as 
 we passed through the forest of St. Germain and along the 
 
342 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 roads, a great number of farmers driving their sheep and 
 cattle, and carrying corn and furniture. On our inquiring 
 where they were going the only reply was, c We cannot 
 tell ; we fly from the Prussians/ In the carts were little 
 children, huddled up in straw, the elder sons were with 
 the army. In the train which followed ours, and which 
 contained, as ours did, about 2000 people, a child fell from 
 a truck and was killed, and an old woman, having to cut 
 some bread, in the pressure of the throng cut her stomach 
 open, and died. The panic is frightful to behold. With- 
 out God, without hope, men’s hearts are failing them for 
 fear.” 
 
 “September 11. — I see by to-day’s EspSrance that the 
 brethren in Paris have at last felt the propriety of appoint- 
 ing a day for humiliation and prayer ; but was it necessary 
 to pass through such disasters before Christians could agree 
 on such a point as this]” 
 
 To his children at Burton he wrote on September 14 : 
 “ We have received two letters to-day from our dear 
 Alfred in Paris, but we do not expect to hear from him 
 again, for all communication will probably very soon be 
 cut off. If our minds were at peace, we should be happy 
 here at Beuzeval, in the Pilters’ humble cottage, which is 
 covered with creepers and is close to the seashore. . . . 
 This is the land of Goshen. The milk is rich, and the 
 butter delicious ; the fish and shrimps are brought alive, 
 and we have but to pick up the peaches that fall from the 
 tree. As for there being danger here from the Prussians, 
 we do not anticipate any. No doubt, Uhlans might come 
 by small detachments to ransack the farm-houses, and take 
 food and cattle, but even then we should not have to suffer 
 much, for we have nothing, and besides, facts prove that 
 
CROSSES THE CHANNEL FOR THE \i\TH TIME. 343 
 
 English Protestants have little to fear. The neighbour- 
 hood of Paris is untenable because of the fighting and the 
 perfect destitution of the country; but here you cannot 
 starve, for you have only to go down to the sea to catch 
 fish, crabs, and shrimps for yourself, and the Prussians 
 cannot carry off the sea, nor the millions of apples, and 
 fruit of all kinds.” 
 
 “ October 2. — A letter received by balloon post from our 
 dear Alfred to-day made me feel somewhat sad during the 
 service, which was indeed a very solemn one. To know 
 our son ill in Paris at one of the hospitals without being 
 able to go to him or to communicate with him is a severe 
 trial, but how ixiany fellow-sufferers have we ! The Lord 
 sanctify every sorrow ! I have become for a short time 
 the pastor of an interesting congregation of refugees at 
 Beuzeval. I trust this episode in my ministerial life may 
 be blessed to myself and others.” 
 
 “ November 9. — Left Beuzeval and its dear congregation 
 of refugees. M. Mettelal is now well and can feed the 
 flock. Is this my last stage in France ? It seems probable. 
 Dear France, I have suffered with thee ! We arrived at 
 Southampton on the 1 Oth inst. This is my one hundredth 
 and fourteenth time of crossing, and I do not much wish 
 ever to cross again.” 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 1871-1873. 
 
 Supplies for a time Mr. Saphir’s place at Greenwich — Doctrinal difficulties — Is 
 appointed by the British and Foreign Bible Society to superintend its Eastern 
 District — Interesting anecdote of Captain Wilson — Characteristic note from 
 Alexandre Vinet— Good news from Le Vesinet, both spiritual and temporal — 
 “What is my country?” — State of religion in England — Death of M. and 
 Madame Champagnol — A conversation which did not end in smoke— Compara- 
 tive estimate of French and English civilisation — An anomalous grub. 
 
 “ January 14. — A twentieth letter from Alfred — he has 
 been out with his regiment sleeping on the ground and 
 on wooden floors for six weeks during this very severe 
 cold, but he is well and strong and cheerful. ,, 
 
 “ Greenwich, Feby. 14. — Having undertaken to supply 
 Mr. Saphir’s place for two months, I came here with my 
 family to-day. This is both a trial and a privilege. I 
 must say the people have received me well and kindly, 
 but I hope Mr. Saphir will soon be able to return. On 
 this day also we have got a letter from dear Alfred, dated 
 at Paris, where he is now a prisoner of war.” 
 
 “ May 13. — Mr. M. spoke to me approvingly of what I 
 had done with regard to signing the Westminster Con- 
 fession. I ought here to record the whole affair. I much 
 wished, both in my own interest and from my attachment 
 to the Presbyterian Church government, to become a 
 
ELECTION UNTO DAMNATION. 
 
 345 
 
 recognised minister amongst the English Presbyterians. 
 It seemed the natural course to be pursued by the minister 
 of a sister Church on the Continent, and I accordingly 
 spoke of it at the meeting of Presbytery preceding that of 
 the Synod, and a committee was appointed to confer with 
 me. The committee seemed satisfied ; but I found that I 
 must sign my adhesion to the Confession of Faith, and 
 declare that I believed the whole to be truths contained in 
 God’s Word. After a careful revision, there were some 
 clauses with reference to the reprobation of the wicked 
 that I could not declare to be there contained. ... I do 
 not believe that the number of the reprobate has been 
 from all eternity designed and fixed, and that these are 
 reprobate because they have been passed by. Such 
 doctrines I see nowhere revealed in Scripture, and their 
 character appears to me to partake too much of human 
 logic, which is far more absolute in its conclusions than 
 revelation authorises us to be. The point of contact 
 between grace and the human will and responsibility 
 seems to me to be hidden behind a cloud of mystery 
 unrevealed. From behind that cloud I see coming forth 
 the election of grace, those who are born of the Spirit ; but 
 even the manner of that great fact is not revealed to us, 
 and I do not see any everlastingly foreordained election 
 unto damnation. 
 
 “I could not therefore sign the Confession of Faith, and 
 must rest satisfied, though it distresses me much, to remain 
 as I am, without a permanent position amongst the Presby- 
 terians. Very many to whom I have spoken think I take 
 too rigid a view, and would have me sign it as a matter of 
 form, — but that I look upon as a bad principle. On such 
 a principle I do not see why Unitarians should not sub- 
 
346 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B 0 INV 1 LLE. 
 
 scribe to the Christian faith. I do think, however, that 
 the Presbyterian brethren might modify to a certain extent 
 their present Confession, or at least the terms of subscrip- 
 tion.” 
 
 “ June 2. — Mary left for France in the coldest weather 
 I remember for the month of June. I heard to-day a man 
 singing the Marseillaise in the streets ! A feeling of deep 
 sadness came over me. How many exciting and painful 
 recollections are associated in my mind with the Marseillaise 
 since as children we sang it in 1830 under the windows of 
 the vile and cruel young cur6 at Chambourcy. Three or 
 four revolutions have I seen since then, and what have the 
 poor deluded people gained by them t I have now lived 
 to see a naturally chivalrous and generous nation lowered 
 
 to the very dust by her own sons *1 am very sure 
 
 that the Bible, known and read with reverence, can alone 
 regenerate and lift her up again.” 
 
 “ June 6. — Went to Lower Sydenham to see dear Amy 
 W — , dear to us for her own and her mothers sake.” 
 
 “ June 13. — Deceived from Auguste Bohin his thesis, 
 dedicated very touchingly. ... If I had spent so many 
 years in France only to be instrumental in bringing such a 
 man to God and the Christian ministry, I should not have 
 laboured there in vain. . . . He entered on his work in 
 the parish of Bellocq, has taken Oberlin as his model, and 
 he will surely do God’s work, and not his own.” 
 
 “ June 24. — I have been appointed by the British and 
 Foreign Bible Society to superintend the Eastern District. 
 This is one of God’s crowning mercies to me, and is indeed 
 an honour.” 
 
 “ August 28. — Captain Wilson called to thank me for 
 having been useful to his daughters, and told me the 
 
INTERESTING ANECDOTE . 
 
 347 
 
 following interesting anecdote. Some years ago he was 
 sailing between England and Holland, when a clergyman 
 entered into serious conversation with him. They spoke 
 of the gospel and the ministry, and the clergyman remarked 
 that the most eloquent sermon he had ever heard had 
 fallen from the lips of a sailor. ‘ It was rough weather, 
 and the storm became so violent that we were in danger 
 of sinking. At that time I did not know the Lord, and 
 was afraid to die. I exclaimed, in the hearing of a common 
 sailor who stood by, “ I am afraid we shall soon go to the 
 bottom.” The sailor turned to me and said with much 
 earnestness, “ Oh, dear sir, do not be afraid ; is not God 
 your Father h Like as a father pitieth his children, so the 
 Lord pitieth them that fear Him. He knoweth our 
 frame; He remembereth that we are dust.” He said no 
 more, but I felt deeply impressed, — the arrow stuck fast 
 in my heart. I read the Scriptures, and became a Christian 
 indeed, for before I was a worldly man, and a Jew. As 
 the clergyman spoke, the captain looked hard at him, 
 seemed to be recalling the circumstance, and said, “ Why, 
 that sailor, my dear sir, was myself.” ’ The clergyman was 
 Dr. Solway, at that time the minister of a large congregation 
 in Kotterdam, and afterwards of London. He was Mr. 
 Saphirs brother-in-law. — A word in season, how good 
 it is ! ” 
 
 Immediately after his return to England, during the 
 Franco-German war, M. de Boinville set himself to 
 endeavour to find clerical work, which even for economical 
 reasons it was absolutely necessary that he should have ; 
 and two friends, who knew that although he had for many 
 years been practically a dissenter, he was a baptized 
 member of the Church of England, and still regarded her 
 
348 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE. 
 
 as alma mater, made a joint representation to the Archbishop 
 of Canterbury on his behalf, in the hope that work might 
 be found for him within her borders. The Archbishop 
 was, as ever, very kind, and referred the matter to the 
 Bishop of Dover, with a view to the fulfilment of their 
 desire. On hearing of the step that had been taken M. de 
 Boinville wrote to one of these friends as follows : “ I am 
 truly thankful in these trying times for the tender sympathy 
 of such friends. It was kind of you and dear A. W. to 
 mention me to the Archbishop, and very kind in him to 
 say what he did ; but I fear the difficulties in the way of 
 my being ordained in the Church of England would be 
 great. In England I have always looked on myself as a 
 private member of the Church in which I was baptized 
 and brought up, and for whose services I have sincere love 
 and admiration, — but for ordination other things are re- 
 quired. My degree of ladielier en ThMogie, which I took 
 at Strasbourg, goes for nothing in this country. There 
 would be an examination to be passed ; I am now fifty-one 
 years of age, and have devoted myself so entirely to the 
 practical duties of the pastorate that I have, I imagine, 
 forgotten much of the little Greek I ever knew. Never- 
 theless, if you think these difficulties are not insurmountable, 
 direct me in the way I should go, and I will follow your 
 advice. As the Archbishop must already have too much 
 occupation for his strength, I presume you will not like to 
 consult his Grace on this matter, but very possibly you 
 may be able to counsel me yourself.” 
 
 Shortly after, on the 12th of January 1871, he wrote 
 again : “As you would not advise me, I have acted for 
 myself, and have answered the good Bishop of Dover, who 
 wrote to me a few days before I received your last. I told 
 
ALEXANDRE VINET. 
 
 349 
 
 him that, taking all things into consideration, I deem it 
 advisable to remain as I am ; and I assure you that since 
 I have done so, I have felt as if a burden had been 
 removed, for, with all my admiration for the Church of 
 England, I somewhat dreaded beginning, at my time of life, 
 a new career ecclesiastically, and withdrawing from brethren 
 who are receiving me with open arms, and giving me 
 practical proofs of sympathy.” 
 
 “ February 24, 1872. — Before sending a scrap of A. 
 Vinet’s writing to a friend who collects autographs, I shall 
 copy it here, because it reminds of a touching circumstance, 
 and is, besides, characteristic of the man. I owed him 
 fifteen francs for attendance at his lectures, and had paid 
 for the course before leaving town for a time. On my return 
 I found the money on my table, and the following note : — 
 
 “ ‘ Mon cher Monsieur, — J’apprends k l’instant meme 
 que ces 15 francs viennent de vous. Permettez moi 
 de vous prier de les reprendre. Qui sait si je ne serai 
 oblig6 d’interrompre mon cours, et si, dans ce cas, je ne 
 serai pas l’injuste d^tenteur de cet argent ? mais en tout 
 cas je l’aime mieux ne pas le garder, et je vous prie de me 
 faire le plaisir de le remettre dans votre bourse. Je serai 
 mieux pay6 de mes le£ons par le plaisir de vous y voir. 
 Votre d6vou6, Vinet/” 
 
 Although devoting himself loyally and with all his 
 abounding energy to the work of the Bible Society, it is 
 evident from his journal that Charles yearned for occupa- 
 tion more directly involving the cure of souls. On the 2 2d 
 of June he writes : “ In England, in some respects, I feel 
 out of my element. I am so ecclesiastically. I belong no 
 doubt to the Church of Christ, and have and enjoy fellow- 
 
350 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 ship with all Christians ; but I have no position in any 
 particular church or assembly, and apparently I cannot have. 
 I am like a fish out of water. Yet I have a position 
 in the work of God as carried on by the best and noblest of 
 Societies, and perhaps the very fact that I hold no 
 ecclesiastical position in any English Church, makes my 
 connection with the Bible Society and my work all the 
 easier. I am neither Churchman nor Dissenter, neither 
 French nor English, or rather both, and thus am at my ease 
 everywhere in all that concerns the British and Foreign 
 Bible Society. Here, then, I should feel at home ; and 
 here I shall probably remain till God shall take me to 
 a better home, or shall open to me some work more 
 immediately connected with the interests of France or the 
 French Church and pastorate.” 
 
 In the course of prosecuting his work at Bedford, he 
 writes on the 8th of June : “ This has been an interesting 
 week ; the place is replete with reminiscences of John 
 Bunyan and of Howard. On Thursday I called the 
 attention of a meeting to the fact that on that day the 
 Synod of the French churches was to meet for the first 
 time after 213 years of legal suspension, and recommended 
 them to the prayers of English Christians. May God put 
 into the hearts of the brethren now met at Paris divine- 
 wisdom, that shall not only enable them to settle their 
 differences, but lead to a more simple and earnest proclama- 
 mation of Christ, as indeed * the way, the truth, and the 
 life’ I” On July 15 he writes: “ Thank God for the 
 immediate results of the Synod, for the unity and the 
 faithfulness manifested. There must be a time of sifting, 
 and the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed; but at all 
 events there will be a Church , however weak in numbers 
 
WHAT IS MY COUNTRY ? 
 
 35i 
 
 and in influence, and that Church will bear fruits, for it is 
 Christ’s.” 
 
 “ June 28. — My wife has returned from Paris, bringing 
 good news. All our friends have returned to Le Vesinet, 
 and have asked the Mayor for authorisation to begin again 
 the services commenced before the war. I began with one 
 person besides my own family. It grew to forty, and I 
 have no doubt they will have that number every Sunday 
 in summer. Some day, if they are ministered to regularly 
 and faithfully, with love, there will be a large Protestant 
 community at Le Vesinet. . . . Our flight from thence 
 had been in haste, but we took what we could with us. 
 Some few pieces of family china, etc., we hid deep under 
 ground, and there my wife found it safe after the war. 
 The Prussians first, and then the Bavarians, took possession 
 of our house ; the latter left the place filthy, but, wonder- 
 ful to relate, most of our furniture had not been moved. 
 We should have taken cheerfully the spoiling of our goods, 
 now that we are safe in England.” 
 
 At the close of 1872 he writes: “ Here ends a year of 
 hard work in connection with the best of our religious 
 institutions. I have sometimes felt almost too old for it, 
 but I have done my best, and have been blessed in my 
 labours. Many a time, however, my thoughts revert to my 
 missionary work in France, and in that I shall always take 
 the most lively interest. Not unfrequently I say to 
 myself, ‘What is thine occupation] what is thy country]’ 
 and I should not be surprised if, sooner or later, I were 
 again more immediately connected with the French people, 
 even in England. After nearly a year and a half’s work in 
 nine or ten of the counties of England amongst various 
 denominations, I have gained some insight into the state 
 
352 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES BE BOINVILLE . 
 
 of this country. Nearly two years ago I expressed to those 
 two excellent men, Henry and John Venn, my fears as to 
 the religious state of this land. I said I was afraid 
 evangelical religion, if not decidedly on the decrease, was 
 beginning to lose its influence. They reassured me, and 
 said they thought that England was never in a more 
 hopeful state than at present, that there never was more 
 earnestness in the Christian Churches, and that the true 
 gospel was faithfully preached by many, even of the 
 ritualists. The opinion of two such men is worthy of 
 profound respect ; but I confess that I have come to a very 
 different, and even opposite conclusion. I do indeed see 
 that there are a great number of God’s dear children in 
 England, but I doubt whether they are either as earnest as 
 Christians were twenty or thirty years ago, or are making 
 sufficiently diligent use of the means of spreading gospel 
 principles among the High Church folks — who seem to me 
 to differ little in essence from the Romanists — or amongst 
 the masses of semi-heathens in the towns, who, because of 
 their natural coarseness, appear to me fully as bad as, if 
 not worse than, our French Socialists. I fear much for the 
 future, unless God in His mercy revive His own work in 
 these days.” 
 
 “March 2, 1873. — The death of M. and Mme. Cham- 
 pagnol of Bar-le-Duc has been a touching one. Years did 
 not efface from their minds the memory of their blessed 
 child. As age brought on infirmity, they still, though 
 with difficulty, visited every Sunday, after divine service, 
 the grave of Melanie. With them both this seemed to be 
 a religious duty, for, as they often said, she has shown to 
 us the way to heaven. At last the mother fell ill, and 
 could no longer walk so far. The father then went alone. 
 
NOT A SMOKING COMPARTMENT. 
 
 353 
 
 One Sunday last year lie had just visited the grave, when 
 on returning home to his sick wife he complained of 
 faintness, and in an instant had gone to meet his daughter 
 in the land of rest and glory. Within a few days after- 
 wards Melanie’s mother followed her husband thither. 
 All three now rest close to each other, in a sure and certain 
 hope of resurrection to eternal life. 
 
 “ The following conversation I had in a railway carriage 
 with a jolly old man, who thus began it : — f Has any one an 
 objection to smoking V Two ladies looked at each other 
 and said nothing. ‘ Yes, sir/ said I, ‘ I have.’ One of the 
 ladies thanked me, but added, ‘ If this is a smoking- 
 carriage we will get out at the next station.’ 6 This is not 
 a smoking-carriage.’ At the next station the ladies got 
 out, and several men came in. The jolly old man repeated 
 his question : ‘ Now the ladies are gone, has any one an 
 objection to smoking?’ I now remarked, ‘ Sir, the next 
 compartment is a smoking-carriage ; I have no particular 
 dislike to the smell of tobacco myself, but I have a decided 
 objection to breaking rules.’ 6 You are right, sir,’ said a 
 neighbour. ‘ Oh, I dare say,’ said the jolly old gentleman ; 
 ‘ I have made plenty of rules for home use, but my wife 
 don’t keep them.’ ‘ Of course, sir,’ said I, ‘ if you do not 
 respect rules yourself, you cannot expect your wife to do 
 so/ A laugh, but no smoke. 
 
 “A Frenchman is taught blind obedience, rather than 
 prepared by education to think and act for himself. He 
 is taught, indeed, that in religion and matters of conscience 
 he must not form his own opinion, by thinking, praying, 
 reading, and acting for himself, in dependence on the 
 immediate help and grace of God. These things are 
 ready prepared for him by the Church. The conscience, 
 
 z 
 
354 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES EE BOINVILLE . 
 
 and therefore the moral being, is only half cultivated ; it 
 lies dormant. A good-hearted Frenchman, polished, kind, 
 benevolent, generous by nature, is yet, therefore, by a 
 general rule, only half a man. Rough Englishmen have a 
 conscience, a will, a religious opinion, a faith of their own. 
 An Englishman is a man, though not always a very 
 pleasant one. He has a rule of his own, which he believes 
 to be the very best, and he will not swerve from it. He 
 is cold, and grumpy often to moroseness ; but he will do 
 his duty if he is convinced. The French are a nation of 
 half-educated though not uninstructed schoolboys, with 
 generous impulses. They do not know how to wait, and 
 are, in a sense, too practical. Full of hope and elasticity, 
 cheerful, contented, and laborious, — I speak of the rural 
 population, — what a fine nation they would be if they only 
 had moral culture : but there can be no real moral culture 
 where the individual conscience is fettered, and private 
 judgment is kept down. No open Bible, therefore no faith ; 
 but vague sentiment or blind fanaticism. No faith, and 
 therefore no morality, — no power to sanctify. Dr. .Moffat 
 once said to me that he knew of no such admirable 
 Christian men, no such successful missionaries, as the 
 French Protestants in South Africa. They have the Bible, 
 and faith, and power; so had the old Huguenots. 
 
 “ It is for want of this faith that the French pass from 
 one form of government to the other, through revolutions 
 which have not yet ended. They feel the yoke of the 
 priest, and rebel against tyranny and undue authority : 
 then, having no rule of life and conscience to fall back 
 upon, they cast off all religion and authority, and fall into 
 anarchy. Feeling themselves then worse off than before, 
 they throw themselves once more into the arms of their 
 
FRENCH AND ENGLISH 
 
 355 
 
 blind guides. It will always be so till they receive the Word 
 of God. I asked M. Guizot what, in his opinion, was the 
 cause of the moral, social, and political evils of France ; 
 he replied, ‘Want of faith. There is no confidence in 
 God, therefore no principle, and men do not trust one 
 another. Nothing can stand, nothing can prosper, without 
 faith.’ ‘ What then,’ I asked him, ‘ do you think the best 
 remedy for these evils'?’ ‘I see but one,’ he said; ‘the 
 gospel. Preach the Word, and circulate the Holy Scrip- 
 tures.’ 
 
 “ A Frenchman is first taken and bound up tight in stiff 
 swaddling-clothes, and he never morally or religiously gets 
 out of them, — but he kicks. Why do they not let him 
 have the free use of his legs and wits, and teach him 
 to think and walk for himself *? At school he has but 
 little play in small space, at college he is drilled, and goes 
 to his books at the sound of the drum. He is not trusted, 
 and is never free. When he goes home he finds his father 
 as unfit to guide him by example as he is to guide himself. 
 Even in the superior schools and colleges the training is 
 the same. The yoke is galling ; a love of resistance is ever 
 lurking, and there is no training for real freedom of thought 
 and action. Yet the perpetual sound of rebellion against 
 authority is to be heard everywhere. Outward freedom 
 comes at last, but the man is as unfit to be free as the poor 
 black man who was yesterday driven to work with the cat, 
 and finds to-day that he may do what he pleases, and go 
 where he likes. English boys learn to take care of them- 
 selves , and an unruly set they often are. The poor stroll 
 about the streets ashamed of their parents, the better sorts 
 are up to all kinds of mischief, but yet they are alive to a 
 sense of honour and duty among themselves. The poor 
 
356 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 are the shame of England ; they are less honest and thrifty 
 than the French poor, who are comparatively neat, and 
 have a good deal of self-respect, which replaces, to a certain 
 extent, high principle. Yet even amongst them, though 
 they are freer in heart than those in the upper and middle 
 classes in France, you will find less comprehension of 
 religious truth than in the English poor. Much more is 
 done now than formerly to bring the poor of England to a 
 knowledge of the gospel, but they have not yet been 
 reached as a class, and, on the whole, they are less civilised 
 than the French. But if you step up to the middle and 
 higher classes you at once feel how superior these are, not, 
 indeed, intellectually, but morally and religiously, to the 
 same classes in France. They are also more numerous and 
 far more influential, and are the strength of the country. 
 It is they who fill the churches, and maintain the moral 
 order of the land. If they were to forsake the Scriptures 
 and the good old gospel truth, old England would ere long 
 sink far below the continental nations, for these have 
 advantages which England has not, and the so-called Latin 
 races have a quickness and refinement about them which 
 are wanting in this country. ‘ Thou standest by faith, be 
 not high-minded, but fear.’ 
 
 “ People talk of English homes as if there were no love 
 of home abroad. They see the caf^s open and crowded in 
 Paris , and think that nobody in France remains at home, 
 and that there is no famity-life. This is a mistake, even 
 in Paris. Very many who frequent Paris cafes are 
 travellers, foreigners, and clerks. In France the climate 
 allows of a man going out more ; in spring and summer 
 the whole family turns out together into the streets, the 
 boulevards. In the country, in the woods, you meet them 
 
ENGLISH AND FRENCH COTTAGES . 
 
 357 
 
 with the little children, and all will go together to the 
 guinguette y 1 thus they often spend the Sabbath-day, without 
 prayer, yet in families. I take the family tie to be fully 
 as strong in France as in England, — nay, a Frenchman 
 loves France and his home and habits so much, that of all 
 men he is the one who finds it most difficult to leave them. 
 Generally, also, the French house is better kept, neater, 
 with more white linen, a larger and more fruitful garden, — 
 and, where there is not a religious spirit, there is less con- 
 tentment in England than in France, at least in all the 
 rural districts. There is, however, nothing like an English 
 home, where there is plenty, along with grateful hearts. 
 
 “ The English cottage is sometimes very beautiful, but 
 in many districts the cottages are wretched hovels. So 
 are they frequently in Normandy ; but the Norman peasant 
 has plenty of linen, and a thrifty wife who knows how to 
 make good soup, and to make the most of everything. In 
 other parts of France the houses are not roomy in the 
 sense of having many rooms, but the rooms are large, with 
 screens, and excellent beds. I remember that when her 
 mother died, I sent my baby Rachel with her wet-nurse 
 into the country to her nurse’s home, warning the woman 
 that when she least expected me I should pop in upon her. 
 Just at that time I had heard of a poor French pastor who 
 had lost his child under very painful circumstances. The 
 poor little creature had had the croup, and the nurse wrote 
 describing the infant’s pitiable condition. They had sent 
 for the doctor, but he despaired of the child’s life, so, as a 
 last remedy, they had hung it up by the heels when it was 
 not yet quite dead ! The father took coach and found the 
 child in its coffin ! Off I went to see my Rachel : first to 
 1 Tea-garden. 
 
358 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 Sanlieu by diligence, then on foot to the Commune d’ Aligny. 
 I there inquired where La Fontaine du Parc was. 4 Oh, 
 up at the top of the mountain!’ Where had I sent my 
 child ! After climbing for three quarters of an hour, at the 
 end of a barren bit of ground I suddenly came on the 
 house. The nurse was furious with me ; but I reminded 
 her of my warning, and she was well paid. At last she 
 calmed down on my remarking how clean and neat the 
 child was, and how well she looked. She ordered her 
 husband to go immediately and catch a fish or two in ‘ la 
 fontaine,’ a splendid bubbling spring close by. I sat down 
 to a plain meal. A violent storm came on, and it was 
 decided that I could not possibly that night regain the 
 town, which, if I remember rightly, was about ten miles off. 
 
 “ The house consisted of two rooms, — large rooms. In 
 one were five cows, which gave plenty of milk for the 
 family, and brought them in a little income. But what 
 was the family ? Not only the nurse and her husband and 
 children, but also the nurse’s sister and her husband and 
 children. These occupied the other room, in which I saw, 
 behind curtains and screens, some beds and cribs, — good 
 large beds. My little Rachel had a nice little cradle of 
 her own. Now where was I to sleep? I should have 
 preferred sleeping in the cow-house, as peasants often do 
 in parts of Normandy : but the good folks would not listen 
 to that, and said, ‘We will manage.’ Being worn out, I 
 retired early, and had a good large bed, — I might say all 
 to myself, were it not for fleas innumerable, which disturbed 
 me now and then. In that room we lay, not a few of us ; 
 there was myself and my child, the nurse, her husband, 
 and four children, the nurse’s sister, her husband, and six 
 children, two dogs, and two fishes in a bucket of water ! 
 
AN ANOMALOUS GRUB. 
 
 359 
 
 Yet the room was so large and airy that I felt none the 
 worse in the morning for so many fellow-sleepers. I do 
 think I heard some of the poor children complain in the 
 night, and I suspect I had taken their bed. The fishes 
 were intended for my breakfast next morning. This is a 
 specimen of the life which the poor lead in a retired hamlet 
 of France. These were worthy people, but not over 
 devout, for one of the men remarked to me that he did 
 not see why he should not eat beef on Friday, as the ox 
 ate nothing but grass ! 
 
 “ Clough, of the Amazon Mission, told me that he had 
 seen a tree which produces a large nut, out of which 
 comes a living grub which lies for a time on the ground, 
 then creeps into the earth and produces a tree. This 
 seems to me the most wonderful example of the connection 
 between animal and vegetable life, — almost to confusion ! 
 I never heard the like before, and so sceptical is my nature 
 that I shall await further proof.” 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 1873 - 1878 . 
 
 Enabled to join the English Presbyterian body, resigns his post in connection with 
 the Bible Society, and becomes pastor of the Presbyterian congregation at 
 Kingston-on-Thames — Issues a circular on the subject of the distressed French 
 pastors — New iron church opened at Kingston — Letter to his mother on his 
 fifty-fifth birthday — Death of his aunt Cornelia— Her character — Last letter 
 to his mother — His mother’s death — Revisits France— Progress of his congre- 
 gation — Elected Moderator of the London Presbytery — Letters from his widow 
 and his daughter, giving details of his last illness and his deathbed. 
 
 “ May 6th . — The Presbyterians have proposed a new 
 formula, which may, perhaps, open for me a door of 
 utterance amongst them, but in all things the Lord shall 
 direct.” 
 
 “ May 1 8. — Preached twice at Kingston-on-Thames.” 
 
 “ May 21. — Having been offered work in connection 
 with the Presbyterian Church extension, and feeling that 
 my health does not permit me to look forward to working 
 much longer as a district secretary, I have accepted the 
 proposal, and resigned my post. To have been thus 
 connected with the Bible Society will, at least in my 
 eyes, have been my greatest honour in the Church of 
 Christ, but if I can have more church communion, and be 
 more directly useful to souls, and also to the cause in 
 France, I shall be plus que d6dommag6 for what I lose, 
 and it will be to me more congenial work. During the 
 
THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION 361 
 
 last two years I have been often offered titles to different 
 curacies, and if any bishop had come forward and offered 
 to ordain me I might have hesitated to refuse, — although 
 in the present state of the Church of England I might 
 have accepted with fear and trembling. But to remain as 
 I am, a Presbyterian, and to fall naturally in with the 
 English Presbyterian Church, now that I can do so con- 
 scientiously, is more agreeable to all my feelings. I am 
 not a high Calvinist, and believe that our good ancestors, 
 in framing some of the clauses of the Westminster Con- 
 fession, endeavoured to teach and to explain what God 
 has left unrevealed. They were led to that course by 
 their desire to exalt the free grace of God and to over- 
 throw the Pelagian ism of Rome. I adhere, with all my 
 heart, generally to the doctrine of the Confession. When 
 two years ago I refused to sign the terms of subscription, 
 Mr. Matheson said to me : c I wish there were just now 
 twelve such men as you. Perhaps the Synod might be 
 induced to alter the formula.' I do not venture to think 
 that my decision has had any influence in this matter, but 
 I do feel glad that God has given wisdom and moderation 
 to the Synod, and that I can now officially join them. I 
 believe that Presbyterianism, adhering, as it does, so 
 strictly to the written Word, so free from mere traditional 
 teaching, and so firm in upholding the doctrines of grace, 
 is one of the main bulwarks of Protestantism in the world, 
 and the strongest and most consistent opponent of the 
 inroads of Popery ." 1 
 
 1 With reference to the above, Mr. R. Lorimer writes as follows : 
 “Although M. de Boinville was urged to join other denominations, he 
 selected the Presbyterian Church as most nearly conforming to his ideas 
 of what a church ought to be. One difficulty he had in the subscription 
 to the Confession of Faith, . . . but this difficulty was overcome by an 
 
362 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE B0INV1LLE. 
 
 “ June 23. — How wonderful are God’s merciful dealings! 
 I find that unknown to me my kind friends at Blackheath 
 had promised £150 a year for four years, if necessary, to 
 the Church Extension Committee if they employed me in 
 any field of labour, — a touching proof of their affectionate 
 regard for me. That was the sum I expected to .receive, 
 but when calling to-day on the convener, I was informed 
 that I am to receive £300 — my present salary.” 
 
 “September 9. — Attended as deputation for the Bible 
 Society a meeting at Leominster, where I had not been for 
 more than thirty years. I went next morning to see and 
 to sketch the barn at Little Dilwyn, where first I read St. 
 Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. There it was I received, 
 when only seventeen, such deep impressions as were to 
 change my career, — impressions lasting as my life. They 
 were indeed based on a new principle of life, and I fully 
 believe at this day that they were the operation of the 
 Holy Spirit. That Epistle, a separate portion, was given 
 to me by the hand of a child who was, no doubt, uncon- 
 scious of the blessing she conferred.” 
 
 “April 2, 1874. — Issued a circular letter on the subject 
 of distressed French pastors and the duty of relieving 
 them. May God bless this effort ! It would give me un- 
 feigned happiness if I could still be a blessing to France and 
 to my former colleagues ; but may the Lord do it for His 
 own sake and glory ! I am sure something ought to be done .” 1 
 
 act of wise liberality on the part of the Presbyterian Church of England, 
 which has substituted the signature of a formula by which the signatary 
 signifies his adhesion to the doctrines stated in the Confession of Faith 
 as founded upon the Word of God and agreeable thereto. M. de Boin- 
 ville was a man of a singularly catholic and charitable spirit, who 
 sought to persuade men to receive Jesus as the Saviour. He sought at 
 all times to walk in His footsteps.” 
 
 1 See Appendix, p. 381. The Report issued by the Committee of the 
 
FUND IN AID OF FRENCH PASTORS. 
 
 363 
 
 Some extracts from the circular above referred to, and 
 statement of its results, will be found in an appendix to 
 this volume, and it is to be hoped that many readers of 
 the Memorial of this devoted man will feel it to be a 
 privilege to assist in maintaining and greatly extending 
 the usefulness of the fund he instituted for relief of what 
 may be truly called the necessities of his brethren in the 
 ministry of the Reformed Church of France. No cause 
 lay nearer to the heart of Charles de Boinville ; no tribute 
 to his memory could be more appropriate, or more valued 
 by his family, than contributions freely given for its 
 advancement. 
 
 We have seen that wherever M. de Boinville might be 
 placed in pastoral charge, though only for a short and 
 uncertain period, as in the days of his connection with 
 the Wesleyan body, he immediately became anxious to 
 secure the permanence of Christian ministrations, and 
 following the example of the wisest of men, built for the 
 Lord a house. Thus, on the 29th of July 1874, just a 
 year after his settlement at Kingston, we find in his 
 journal this entry : “ To-day God has permitted me to see 
 the opening of our iron church by the Rev. Dr. Fraser, 
 who preached from these words : ‘ In the name of the 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost/ This is 
 the third place of worship I have been permitted to assist 
 in erecting, and about the twelfth which I have been 
 privileged to open, — four in Normandy, two in the south, 
 
 French Pastoral Relief Fund for the past year, after the expression of 
 their deep sympathy with Mrs. de Boinville, pledges its members to 
 “ continue with increased energy the good work to which their dear 
 brother had devoted so much thought and prayer.” This is indeed 
 desirable, as the dimensions of the fund are very narrow, while the need 
 of the poor French pastors is very great. 
 
364 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 four in Lorraine, and one at Le Vesinet, near Paris, many 
 of which are prospering at the present time. ‘ I am not 
 worthy of the least of all Thy mercies ‘ Thy praise shall 
 he continually in my mouth.’” 
 
 On the 1st of July he writes to his mother from 
 Highdown near Hitchin : “We have been affectionately 
 received by Mr. Pollafd at this delightful residence. On 
 a little eminence, and about eight miles off, I see a clump 
 of trees called Ash well Bush, quite near the place where I 
 was born. When you gave birth to me on this day fifty- 
 five years ago you little knew what afflictions awaited 
 you, nor yet the spiritual blessings which God would send. 
 The years are now a tale that is told, but we are yet living 
 epistles to tell how God has loved us and led us to the 
 Lamb. Well! I keep my birthday with good friends; the 
 dear children here came with flowers and French verses 
 for me, and amongst other things I have got a photograph 
 of the house. At a juvenile meeting the collection for the 
 Bible Society has exceeded that of all preceding years. 
 They have also held a Dorcas meeting, and presently we 
 shall have our Bible meeting in the great barn. The day 
 glides pleasantly away, but my thoughts turn ever and anon 
 to you, to whom I owe so much. Peace be with you in 
 Christ Jesus.” 
 
 In the autumn of this year he became officially connected 
 with the Evangelical Alliance as assistant-secretary, but 
 not finding his position in relation to it an agreeable one, 
 though continuing cordially to approve the principles of 
 the institution, he resigned the appointment before the 
 close of the following year. 
 
 “ Oct. 27. — Received the painful news of dear Aunt Cor- 
 nelia's death, which was sudden, on the 25th inst., at 4 A.M.” 
 
CORNELIA TURNER. 
 
 365 
 
 If to be Christlike is to be a Christian, this noble 
 woman was eminently one. In charity never failing, the 
 life of Cornelia Turner (nde De Boinville) was indeed an 
 epistle worthy to be known and read. She lived for 
 others, and found her highest happiness in promoting 
 theirs. Love was the motive principle of her life. It 
 was her daily work to cheer and comfort the sorrowful, to 
 relieve the poor, and to help the bowed down to bear their 
 cross with patience and in hope. Her smile was as sunlight, 
 and radiated the love of which it was the expression 
 directly into the hearts of those who looked on her. One 
 to whom she had for many years been as mother, sister, 
 friend, wrote thus of her last days a week after her death : 
 “ She lived chiefly by her heart, and so long as she could 
 love and be loved life smiled upon her. Her son, some 
 dear and devoted friends, and myself, we vied with each 
 other as to who should make the most of her, and no day 
 passed without her saying : ‘What have I done to be loved 
 and petted as I am V — to which I invariably answered : 
 ‘You reap what you have sown, my best of friends.’ 
 She had sown indeed, sweet soul. ‘Je ne souflre pas’ 
 were the last words she addressed to me, — a holy lie, — 
 but she gently passed from the world without a struggle. 
 Alas ! those loving eyes are now closed for ever, silent for 
 ever is the sweet voice. . . . Yes, my dear friend, it is my 
 firm belief that we shall find again — never to part with it 
 — the dear presence, only veiled from us now, — but in the 
 meanwhile what shall I do 1 I have lost my all in all ! 
 So help me God to bear my cross in peace ! ” 
 
 “ Glasgow , March 17 th, 1875 . — My dear Mother, — 
 Mr. Buffini’s letter is very comforting, and very beautiful. 
 I will keep it safe and bring it back. To rest on the 
 
366 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 promises is safety : do not fret about your want of conscious- 
 ness in the great salvation. It would be well to enjoy 
 perfect peace, but safety and a sense of safety are two 
 distinct things ; those may be safest who little think so, 
 and those in greatest danger who cry, ‘ Peace, peace, when 
 there is no peace/ The disciples were as safe on the 
 rough sea as on the calm, though they did not feel so, — 
 for Jesus was with them. Try to look out of yourself, be 
 willing to give up your peace, and take just what Christ 
 gives. He is peace, and gives peace to us in giving 
 Himself.” 
 
 On the 18th of April in the next year he thus records 
 the death of this beloved mother: “ To-day at 10 o'clock 
 we parted from one of the holiest of women and the best 
 of mothers. She had been ailing for two days, but this 
 morning she grew rapidly worse. After expressing the 
 comfort she derived from a prayer offered, she ceased to 
 speak intelligibly, and about two hours afterwards suddenly 
 and quite gently she drew her last breath and departed. 
 She dreaded suffering, she said, because she was not 
 patient. The Lord took her without suffering. Oh what 
 a woman was that ! but 4 The Lord gave, and the Lord 
 hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord.’” 
 
 “ June 2 bth, 1876. — I scarcely wished, after my blessed 
 and revered mother’s decease, to continue my journal : on 
 the one hand, much of the personal interest of life seems 
 to have departed with her, and on the other, I feel as if I 
 had arrived at a stage in my earthly career which calls for 
 a halt ; but on mature consideration, and on reading over 
 past records of God’s merciful dealings toward me and 
 toward others, which I should probably have forgotten but 
 for my occasionally writing down the chief facts and experi- 
 
LAST VISIT TO FRANCE . 
 
 367 
 
 ence of my life, I have thought it better for my own sake 
 and for my children’s to keep up this record, at least for a 
 time. Since my mother’s death the chief events have 
 been the meeting of Synod in Liverpool authorising the 
 London Presbytery to admit me a member of the same, 
 my induction on May 25th, when Dr. Donald Fraser and 
 Dr. Moore officiated, and the happy consummation of the 
 union, at which I was not fortunate enough to be present, 
 having been called to attend our conseil de famille in Paris 
 on June 10th. 
 
 “ I have not been to France since the war, and it was 
 not without considerable emotion that I revisited the scene 
 of former labours, and looked upon the beautiful city, — 
 never more beautiful, though the Tuileries and the Hotel 
 de Ville are not yet rebuilt. I called on several friends. 
 The scenes that most impressed me were the sight of one 
 aged and venerable-looking figure walking in the park at 
 Ivry, whom I had not seen for forty-eight years ! — the 
 Chateau Ch6rincourt, where I spent a quiet Sunday, and 
 where my wife and I joined in worship with M. Strohl 
 and his son. I also went to Le Y6sinet, where my heart 
 was filled with the remembrance of sorrow and joy as I 
 wandered alone amongst the old familiar woods and paths. 
 I called on two families, and was glad to find that the good 
 cause is prospering, and that they still have public worship 
 every Lord’s Day, and a Sabbath-school. These good 
 people look on me as their father ; the visit did me much 
 good, and greatly rejoiced me. On the 16th we recrossed 
 the Channel — I for the 1 1 6th time, — and arrived safe at 
 our dear home.” 
 
 “ July 23. — Ordained three elders and three deacons, as 
 good men as we could desire to have to fill these offices. 
 
368 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 My picture and description of Joan of Arc’s cottage is in 
 the Leisure Hour for this month.” 
 
 “ August 20. — It is now three years since we came here. 
 Though our church is still weak and small, God has 
 blessed us. I feel to be getting old, and hardly up to 
 taking charge of a large church ; besides, I have my 
 French work, which I do not wish to give up, and which 
 I could not attend to if I had a wider field. But above 
 all, I feel that if I left Kingston many would be grieved, 
 and I myself might be grieving the Spirit. Nothing but 
 a very clear and decided call would induce me to leave my 
 present dear little church, although perhaps, owing to the 
 fact that the gospel is preached now, I believe, in every 
 church and chapel in the town, I should, if it had been left 
 to my choice, have preferred work of a more missionary 
 character. But here, as everywhere, I endeavour quietly 
 and faithfully to preach to those whom God sends to hear 
 me, and to visit those to whom God sends me as members 
 of my flock, without trespassing on other men’s ground. 
 As to other Churches, I wish to take a Christian interest in 
 all. . . . The great problem still is, how to bring the gospel 
 to bear widely on the lower strata, as it does generally on 
 the middle strata, of society.” 
 
 “ September 10. — Received tidings of the birth at Yeddo 
 of our first grandchild, Mary Agnes ; the Lord bless the 
 child ! She was born on July 17.” 
 
 u December 31. — The chief events of this year in my 
 personal history are soon told. The chief one, surely, is 
 the departure of my blessed mother, for the rest and glory 
 above ; the remembrance of her is as a savour of life unto 
 life.” 
 
 “January 12, 1877. — The Committee of the French 
 
FAILING HEALTH . 
 
 369 
 
 Pastoral Relief Fund met, and we divided amongst tlie poor 
 pastors the same sum as last year. At the recent meeting 
 of the London Presbytery, I brought forward a motion for 
 the appointment of a committee to consider and report 
 upon the expediency of forming closer friendly relations 
 between the Presbytery and other foreign Churches within 
 the bounds.” 
 
 “ May . — 111 of ague, but have been able to preach till 
 the last Sunday of this month.” 
 
 “ June . — Very ill ; replaced by excellent supplies. May 
 this be blessed to my people ! My sketch of Bersier 
 appears in Sunday at Home!' 1 
 
 “ July . — Somewhat better, but very weak and unable to 
 begin work again. God’s will is good, perfect, acceptable. 
 May I be perfectly submissive, yea, and be made happy, 
 peaceful, spiritually joyful ! I have reason to be very 
 grateful for news from France,— first ' from my most 
 sympathising cousin C — , whose piety is edifying and 
 consoling. She is particularly my child in Christ Jesus. 
 She reports well of the w T ork we began at Le V6sinet. 
 Then from Cherbourg M. le pasteur Meyer writes to ask 
 me for copies of my little book of family prayers, which are 
 used by some of the people, and others want to have them 
 for daily use. Then, too, my good friend Label, whom I 
 received into the Church, has become a colporteur, and the 
 most successful one in France. This is, I think, the eighth 
 of my sons who has become a colporteur. In sickness these 
 things revive the spirit.” 
 
 On the 1st of July he records the fifty-ninth anniversary 
 of his birth, and also that he took his seat on that day 
 
 1 M. le pasteur Bersier, the well-known preacher of the Eglise de 
 l’Etoile in Paris. 
 
370 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 (probably for the last time) as Moderator of the London 
 Presbytery. A brother member, the Kev. Mr. Matheson, 
 writes to me as follows : — “ M. de Boinville had only been 
 a member of Presbytery for two years when he was 
 unanimously elected Moderator for the usual term — six 
 months, — an honour which, in a body consisting of a 
 hundred and forty members, conferred on one so recently 
 admitted, and one who made himself so little prominent, 
 very emphatically marked the estimation in which he was 
 held by his brethren. The office entailed a good deal 
 of fatigue, owing to the frequent and protracted meetings 
 of the Court; but up almost to the end of his term of 
 appointment he was able to discharge the duties of the 
 chair. At the last meeting, however, at which he should 
 have presided, another had to take his place; and the 
 Presbytery, apprised of his serious illness, offered united 
 earnest prayer on his behalf .” 1 
 
 1 Mr. Matheson adds, that special prayer continued to be offered at each 
 subsequent meeting for his restoration to health, and that when intima- 
 tion of his death was made, the Presbytery inserted in their Records the 
 following minute : — 
 
 “ The Presbytery have heard with much sorrow of the death of the Rev. 
 Charles Chastel de Boinville, their late Moderator, and desire to record 
 their sense of the loss they have sustained by the removal of a brother so 
 beloved, and who during the few years he has been among them has done 
 such good service as is evidenced by the formation of the congregation at 
 Kingston-on-Thames. After many years of abundant and successful 
 labours as a Protestant minister in France, the land of his ancestors, when 
 compelled to return to England, the land of his birth, he threw himself 
 into the work of this Church with much quiet energy and no little self- 
 denial ; and now that he rests from his labours, he has left behind him 
 many pleasant memories in the hearts of fellow-labourers and of those who 
 were benefited by his ministry. The Presbytery would express their interest 
 in the flock deprived of the care of a pastor so watchful and Christlike ; and 
 they would tender also the assurance of their sympathy with the bereaved 
 and sorrowing family of their lamented brother.” This was the expression 
 of the feelings of the Presbytery as a whole ; but those who were more 
 
LATEST LETTER BY HIS OWN HAND. 
 
 37i 
 
 The latest entry in his journal is that he preached in 
 Brighton in the month of September. The last letter 
 written by his own hand , which I have seen, is addressed to 
 his brother William, and begins as follows : — 
 
 “July 9, 1877. — My dear William, — I write because 
 I think it will give you pleasure to see my handwriting. I 
 have been very ill, and thought for a time I was going to 
 leave you all, and that my work was done upon earth. 
 But though I am still very weak, I am getting gradually, 
 very slowly, better, and I can praise God that after feeling 
 almost dead to earthly enjoyments, and hardly able even to 
 pray and be alive to God, I am comparatively alive again ; 
 I could rest on Jesus — that was all. But I felt very much 
 what the Psalmist says : 6 1 was as a beast before thee/ 
 Now I can pray for you all. . . . Kiss Beatrice and the 
 younger ones for their loving uncle. Mary joins me in love 
 to Amy and all. Peace and love be with you. Do not let 
 yourself get low without hasting to find out the cause. 
 — Your most affectionate brother, 
 
 “ C. DE BoiNVILLE.” 
 
 Later letters there were, which, though not written 
 by his own hand, show that his affection for his friends 
 was unabated, and that his interest was still lively in 
 public questions, especially in the politics of his beloved 
 France. But for the details of his last suffering months 
 on earth we must turn to the following pages, furnished 
 to us by the tender hands of his widow and his daugh- 
 ter : — 
 
 intimately acquainted with him, and who had been drawn to him in warm 
 affection because of his single-heartedness and his loveable spirit, felt his 
 departure a real personal loss. — J. M. 
 
372 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 “ Ivedon Cottage, Kingston-on-Thames, 
 October 1879. 
 
 “ My dear Mr. Constable, — You ask me to do what 
 I feel quite unequal to in many respects, but still I will 
 try to give you the details you want. 
 
 “From the time of his mother’s death in April 1876, 
 my dear husband’s health seemed to be very delicate. He 
 had been a constant sufferer ever since I had known him, 
 but the last few years he w~as scarcely ever out of pain, 
 which he bore in the most uncomplaining manner, and was 
 always cheerful and patient. 
 
 “ At Christmas 1876 we moved into a small house with 
 a nice garden, which had taken dear Charles’s fancy very 
 much. It reminded him of France, and he took great 
 pains in having his flowers, of which he was very fond, 
 planted, and in filling the garden with fruit-trees. He 
 even then used to say : 4 1 like to think that when I am 
 gone, you and the girls will live in this house ; it will be a 
 nice home for you.’ 
 
 “ His preaching had become wonderfully spiritual, and 
 I often felt, with a pang, that my darling was not long for 
 this world. 
 
 “While he was attending the Synod of ’77 in London, 
 the Vicar of Kingston died quite suddenly, and my dear 
 husband, who had the greatest regard for him, attended 
 his funeral. The parish church was crowded, and the 
 procession to the cemetery a very long one, the weather 
 bitterly cold, with a nasty east wind, and my dear Charles 
 came home so poorly that he could not return to the 
 meetings of Synod. We thought he had got a chill, and 
 would, with care, recover, but ague set in, and he got so 
 
LAST ILLNESS . 
 
 373 
 
 bad that at length he had to listen to our entreaties and 
 call in his doctor, who found him dreadfully weak. We 
 left home for a few days, hoping the sea-air would be 
 beneficial, but other and more serious symptoms came on, 
 and we had to return home. Our doctor was called in, 
 and found our dear one dangerously ill. He told me he 
 feared the mischief was of very long standing. He was 
 most truthful in telling me of my darling one’s precarious 
 state. To that and to his kind unceasing attentions I owe, 
 after God, the few remaining months of a most precious 
 existence. 
 
 “ By his advice Charles was kept in perfect quiet for 
 four months, and the remedies used were followed by a 
 partial return to health. Great exhaustion still continued, 
 but by October my husband resumed the greater part of 
 his duties, and preached on Sunday morning till February, 
 when he took both services, and continued them with 
 the week-night service and a Bible class up to his last 
 illness. 
 
 “ He was named Moderator of the London Presbytery 
 for the summer months, and though, from his weakness, 
 it was an effort to attend, yet he keenly felt the honour 
 put upon him, and the love manifested to him by many 
 of his brother ministers, and he considered it a sign of 
 their sympathy for his French labours as he had been but 
 so short a time with them in England. 
 
 “ During these summer months he was often sorely 
 troubled about the French Pastoral Belief Fund, and used 
 to say to me, ‘ I wonder if any one will carry it on when 
 I am gone. It is so much wanted.’ He had been very 
 anxious to get the Sustentation Fund understood and 
 taken up in France, and had corresponded on that subject, 
 
374 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 but his advice was only partially followed, and it was not 
 acted on at the right time. 
 
 “ During all this time Charles’s state of weakness was 
 such that I had to give him nourishment at least four 
 times in the night, and I have often trembled when I saw 
 him get into the pulpit lest he should faint or be unable 
 to proceed with his duties ; yet his energy was such that 
 had it not been for his paleness, and had we not known 
 what his sufferings were, we should scarcely have thought 
 him ill. 
 
 “ In August he was induced to take rest for two 
 Sundays. We spent one with dear friends at Blackheath, 
 when an invitation came to him to replace M. Gonin, the 
 French pastor of Brighton, for two Sundays. 
 
 “ I was very averse to his going, but he had set his 
 heart on it, and I feared to vex him, as he said to me, 4 1 
 think it a duty to do all I can to get strength for the 
 winter. Brighton has done Madame Gonin so much good, 
 it may do the same to me/ We went, and he there grew 
 rapidly worse, and had to return home. He preached 
 three times in French while there, and his sermons did 
 good to many, I was told. 
 
 u We returned to Kingston. The first few days at 
 home, and the feeling that he was near his doctor, to whom 
 he was much attached, and in whom he had great con- 
 fidence, seemed to revive him, and he was able to preach 
 for two Sundays. His last texts were characteristic of the 
 man — Rev. iii. 20 ; 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. 1 
 
 i “ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : if any man hear my voice, 
 and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he 
 with me.” — Rev. iii. 20. 
 
 “ What ! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost 
 which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own ? For 
 
THE END IS NEAR . 
 
 375 
 
 “On September 15th lie was too ill to take his week- 
 night service, but the following day went with me to 
 baptize a child at Hampton Court. This was the last act 
 of his ministry. 
 
 “ He rapidly grew worse, and our doctor proposed a 
 consultation with another medical man, which I did not 
 think at all necessary ; but he urged me, as he thought my 
 absent ones might regret it had not taken place ; so I gave 
 way. The next day he came with a well-known physician 
 and told Charles he had brought a friend to see him. In 
 the night dear Charles had got very much better, and both 
 doctors expressed to me a hope that he might once more 
 rally. When alone with his doctor and me, Charles said 
 to him, ‘Now mind, I have perfect confidence in your skill, 
 and do not want any further advice/ For a time he 
 seemed to get better, but his strength did not increase, 
 and he used to say to me, ‘ It is no use saying I am better, 
 I feel getting weaker/ This state continued for a little 
 while, and he was able to come down-stairs once more, but 
 with such fatigue that we had a bedroom prepared for him 
 on the ground-floor. The day he was to take possession 
 of it, I went to help him up as usual, when he suddenly 
 had a fainting-fit. When recovered, he got down-stairs, 
 but seemed very low, and on trying to feel his pulse, I 
 found it failing. I sent at once for the doctor, who for- 
 tunately was able to come directly and prescribed for him. 
 
 “ Dear Charles seemed to be sinking fast, and said to 
 
 me, ‘ Mr. thinks I am dying * had you not been with 
 
 me this morning, my darling, I should have died/ 
 
 “ We telegraphed to his brothers, and they both came 
 
 ye are bought with a price : therefore glorify God in your body, and in 
 your spirit, which are God’s.” — 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. 
 
37 $ 
 
 MEMO/A OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE. 
 
 the next morning, but the remedies applied had relieved 
 my dear one, and once again I hoped against hope. Then 
 came seven weeks of long agony, weakness, delirium, and 
 pain. My dear Charles manifested such love to us all, 
 such patience, such faith, such trust in God as are never 
 to be forgotten. It was all peace with him, his constant 
 prayer was for patience to the end. He continually called 
 on God for mercy, for faith. He never doubted. He had 
 often lost the power of expressing his wishes, and could 
 not make us understand him. Yet even then he would 
 repeat texts without a mistake, without a wrong word. 
 He used to 4 long for the coming of the Lord Jesus/ The 
 last hymn that he enjoyed hearing, and that he tried to 
 join in, was a great favourite of his — 
 
 1 When I survey the wondrous cross, 
 
 On which the Prince of Glory died.’ 
 
 “ During these last weeks he saw no one, but a few 
 days before his death a dear friend, Mr. Finlay Gibson, 
 came and prayed with him. My dear Charles was very 
 pleased to see him. 
 
 “His last Sunday on earth was a very painful one. 
 Our dear friend the Rev. W. Wright of the Bible Society 
 had to come to supply my husband's place, and he also 
 prayed with him. Charles was quite conscious, and 
 thanked him, but he was in too much pain to say any- 
 thing. His mind was constantly dwelling on the Book of 
 Revelation, — standing by the tree of life, crossing the 
 stream. 
 
 “ He could not bear me out of his sight, and if I left 
 the room for a moment would have a restless look in the 
 eye till I returned. His nervousness and restlessness were 
 
HE FALLS ASLEEP. 
 
 377 
 
 very great, preventing sleep during his illness and at the 
 last. Opiates were of no avail, and seemed to increase the 
 uneasiness. This had been constant for the last weeks. 
 
 “ He fell asleep, and his breathing got more and more 
 easy ; a gentle sigh, and he awoke in glory. 
 
 “ There is nothing, dear Mr. Constable, to tell of this 
 long trial to my dear one, and I should like a veil thrown 
 over it all but one thing. It was all peace with him ; his 
 faith never wavered. What he had preached to others he 
 practised to the last. He was ever fearful of giving 
 trouble and of dishonouring God. He used to say, ‘ I am 
 so weary/ Now he rests, and we can only mourn ; but I 
 think I may say without murmuring, and with great 
 thankfulness, that for thirty years God gave me such a 
 loving, devoted husband, and to my children such a good 
 and tender father. — Yours ever, 
 
 “ Mary de Boinville.” 
 
 The following extracts are from a letter written by 
 Bachel de Boinville to her absent brothers : — 
 
 “ Mamma asked me long ago to write you an account of 
 our darling father’s last illness. I did begin, but partly 
 for want of time, partly for want of courage, it has never 
 been finished. I might wait long for courage. As time 
 passes and the seasons return all is so sad without that 
 gentle hand to guide and to bless ! 
 
 “ It is now little more than a year since I took my last 
 walk with papa. We went to Norbiton, where he visited 
 first a poor woman of his congregation. Though suffering 
 dreadfully himself, he came to console the sorrowful. Then 
 we went to see Mr. and Mrs. Gibson, who had trouble to 
 conceal that they were struck with his altered appearance, 
 
378 
 
 MEMOIR OF CHARLES DE BOINVILLE . 
 
 and he must have noticed this, for when he got outside he 
 said, 'I feel so ill, and sometimes I have such dark fore- 
 bodings of what is going to happen to me.’ I begged of 
 him not to think of what might happen, as I was sure it 
 would make him worse. ‘ You think I ought not ? well 
 then I won’t/ and in an instant, to avoid giving me pain, 
 he threw off his sadness and began to speak of other things. 
 I could not persuade him to have a cab, so we walked 
 back by a pretty lane, every inch of which I love. I 
 shall never forget that walk, and the pain he went 
 through, as well as the fear of fainting. . . . 
 
 “The nights in October were terrible for our poor 
 mother. No watching was too long, or trouble too great ; 
 but the torture of seeing one so dear and so good unable 
 to take the food or the rest he so much needed, — unable 
 to find an easy position, — wretched because he kept her 
 awake, — and yet nothing soothed him but the sound of 
 her voice! Sometimes when she dropped to sleep he would 
 raise himself to look at her and say, 4 Your poor mamma! 
 she ’s so tired.’ . . . When the time came for me to go to 
 bed, she sat up and read to him. In the morning she 
 always read him his portion of Scripture, after which he 
 listened to the daily news, and took a keen interest in the 
 French politics till about the end of September. After 
 that he could only listen to a short paragraph, and some 
 days none at all. 
 
 “ The days were easier to get through than the nights, 
 and one very good reason was that Nina was then able to 
 look after his food and comforts. For months, beginning 
 at five or six in the morning till nine or ten at night, she 
 never ceased attending to him, and during the whole two 
 years of his illness she was his tender and constant nurse. 
 
RACHEL TO HER BROTHERS . 
 
 379 
 
 . . . Nothing that could be done to relieve him was left 
 undone, but the disease increased in spite of skill and care. 
 He suffered with amazing courage; hours were spent in 
 silent prayer, . . . but how can I realise, far less describe, 
 a mind so spiritual, so nearly arrived at that perfection 
 which he now enjoys, wanting nothing. His was a holiness 
 which showed itself less in words than in the absence of 
 all irritability or repining, so completely was he resigned 
 to the will of God. For the two whole years he never 
 uttered one cross word. When it seemed as if all should 
 yield to his wants, he was more careful for others than for 
 himself. . . . Once when his mind had begun to wander, 
 when sitting close by him, I heard him say, very softly, 
 ‘ 0 God, bless me and take care of me. I am a little 
 child/ On a very cold night, when papa had been 
 getting in and out at least every quarter of an hour, I 
 entreated him to remain in bed. 4 I’m afraid,’ he said, ‘ I 
 can’t stay without complaining.’ ‘ Then do complain,’ said 
 I. He replied by one of his loveliest smiles, and remained 
 quiet another hour without complaining. 
 
 “On Sunday the 2 2d December, Mr. Wright preached 
 in our church, and at papa’s request came in and prayed. 
 At about five o’clock he had begged to have a Psalm read 
 to him. Mamma was quite unable to do it, so I read the 
 103d Psalm to the end of the 17th verse. His ' breathing 
 being very difficult, I asked him if he was tired. 4 Yes, 
 very] he said ; so I left off, and he saw the book shut for 
 the last time. Nina was also standing by him, and he 
 said, ‘ God bless you both, my darlings ! ’ Soon after 
 eleven o’clock he said to mamma, ‘ Mary, my darling, we 
 are standing by the Tree ! ’ These were his last audible 
 words.” 
 

APPENDIX. 
 
 FRENCH PASTORAL RELIEF FUND; 
 
 Owing to the extreme pressure of taxation and the 
 great increase in the price of nearly all the necessaries of 
 life since the Franco-German war, the stipends of the 
 Protestant pastors of the different denominations, very 
 inadequate before, have become altogether insufficient to 
 meet the daily wants of those of them who have families, 
 — a state of things which entails on those who have no 
 private means of their own, cares, privations, and sufferings 
 of a most grievous nature. This applies more especially 
 to those residing in the smaller towns and rural districts, 
 where there are none amongst the poor congregations who 
 are able to assist them. 
 
 There are in France, in the Reformed and Lutheran 
 Churches, three categories or classes of pastors, all receiv- 
 ing pay from the Government, on condition that there shall 
 be no fees. Of the first class we need not speak here, 
 because in large towns the congregations generally add 
 a pecuniary supplement to the Government salary, and 
 thus make the pastor’s position at least a tolerable one. 
 Pastors of the second class have 1900 francs (£76) and a 
 house. Of this class there are about 180. Of the third 
 class, residing in rural districts, there are about 300 
 pastors receiving a salary of 1600 francs (£64) and a 
 house, and having nothing more. 
 
 Add to these about eighty ministers of different churches 
 which are independent of the State, or who are employed 
 by the Evangelistic Societies of various denominations finan- 
 cially, but in a similar position, and you have in France 
 about 460 pastors and evangelists who are, many of them, 
 engaged in a painful struggle for their very existence. 
 Not a few of these, almost unknown to the world, are 
 
382 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 nobly and faithfully engaged in the Lord’s work in the 
 midst of the most anxious family cares. 
 
 A little assistance every year to help such would be an 
 inestimable boon, and that is what we now ask from our 
 Christian brethren in Great Britain. The French Pro- 
 testants themselves wish to better the position of their 
 country pastors, and so far as the Reformed Church is 
 concerned, a Society has been established for this purpose 
 at Marseilles ; but its operations, confined to the Reformed 
 Church alone, will necessarily be carried out amidst almost 
 insurmountable difficulties, will be very slow, and for 
 many years will be altogether inadequate to meet the 
 craving wants of those who really need immediate relief. 
 
 The amount subscribed during 1875-76, the first year 
 after the institution of the fund, did not quite reach £200 ; 
 but the committee reported as follows : — 
 
 “ Small as our funds may appear, and inadequate as 
 they are, no doubt, to meet all the demands made upon 
 us, and the wants of many excellent pastors’ families, 
 nevertheless the relief given was such as to call forth 
 expressions of the deepest gratitude. This is the only 
 Society which comes to the temporal relief of French 
 pastors in distress. Other Societies assist in the noble 
 work of evangelisation, carried on with admirable devoted- 
 ness by many whom we would fain relieve if we had the 
 means. But no Society but the French Pastoral Relief 
 Fund comes to the help of those who are suffering from 
 absolute want and penury. 
 
 “ Time and space will not allow us to place before you in 
 detail all the cases which have called for relief. The 
 funds we received last year enabled us to come to the help 
 of fourteen families, comprising nearly a hundred indi- 
 viduals. Our French friends, who have so kindly assisted 
 us in giving the necessary information, and in transmitting 
 the allotted sums, bear witness to the excellence of this 
 work, as do also the following touching acknowledgments 
 
APPENDIX . 383 
 
 cited in the Reports issued with reference to the fund 
 during the two earliest years of its existence : — 
 
 “ ‘ Will you convey to the committee, whose correspondent 
 you are, the expression of my Christian gratitude After 
 the first movement of thankfulness to God, who directs 
 the hearts of men and inspires them with good thoughts, 
 I wish to assure our brethren in England that the moral 
 good they do to the ministers of Jesus Christ whom they 
 are helping is perhaps still greater than the material.’ — 
 This man was rearing a numerous family on a salary of 
 £64 a year. 
 
 “ ‘ How have you been led to know that we were in 
 need ] I have kept our position secret ? But, however 
 it may be, you have formed a right opinion, for we have 
 the greatest need , and I thank you a thousand times for 
 having thought of us. We have five children, who are all 
 growing up, the youngest being 13J years of age, and 
 only one earns enough to support himself. When our 
 children were younger they were much less expensive, and 
 then everything was cheaper than it is now. The assist- 
 ance you have sent us, and which truly falls from Heaven, 
 although it does not entirely remove our difficulties, comes 
 to comfort us, and makes us take heart again.’ ” 
 
 Pastor Berthe, of Troyes, writes : “ My dear Brother, 
 — Yesterday I said in my sermon, The gift freely given 
 makes two persons happy — the giver and the receiver . But I 
 was not altogether right, for in the good which you have 
 done there are four who participate, — the giver , yourself, 
 myself, and the pasteur who receives the aid ; you can easily 
 
 convince yourself of this by reading these lines of : 
 
 ‘ I beg you to thank our excellent brother, M. de Boinville, 
 who remembers his former colleagues with such truly 
 Christian sympathy, and beg him to thank our English 
 brethren, who do us this service. The Christian heart 
 knows no barriers, and charity crosses every frontier. 
 They have wished, in aiding us, to remove from us certain 
 anxious cares, so that we might feel more independent in 
 our work ; and their object has not failed — they do enable 
 
3^4 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 us to labour with greater freedom. Thanks to all those 
 brethren , and may God bless them !’” 
 
 From another correspondent, Dr. Fisch, we have the 
 following extract of a letter addressed to him : — “ It 
 is with profound emotion that we have received your 
 brotherly letter, and the unhoped-for assistance which it 
 enclosed. The Lord has seen our distress, and has put it 
 into your heart to assist us ; His faithfulness is great, He 
 never abandons His children, He has given us to-day a 
 fresh proof of this. May His name be blessed ! Yes, my 
 dear brother, your offering could not have arrived more 
 opportunely ; in the midst of our tribulation we were at 
 the end of our resources, and at that moment our Heavenly 
 Father has sent us deliverance. Oh, that this new evi- 
 dence of His love may teach us ever to repose more surely 
 upon Him, and be more faithful to Him ! I cannot thank 
 you, my dear brother, as I would. How can I express the 
 lively gratitude with which our hearts are filled ! The 
 pen is unable to trace the sentiments which such sympathy 
 inspires.” 
 
 Much more might be added, but we think enough has 
 been adduced in proof of the importance of the work in 
 which we are engaged ; and here we would again remind 
 our friends that this is the only Society in England which aids 
 the temporal wants of the French Pasteurs; the other 
 Societies deal solely with spiritual necessities and evan- 
 gelistic work, and not with the individual pasteur and 
 his family. 
 
 In conclusion, we would heartily commend the Society to 
 the support of all who prize the religious privileges they 
 enjoy in Great Britain, and call to remembrance the words 
 of the Lord Jesus, “ Freely ye have received , freely give 
 
 Contributions may be sent to J. Pollard, Esq., Highdown , 
 Hitchin , Herts . 
 
 PRINTED BY T. AND A. CONSTABLE, PRINTERS TO HER MAJESTY, 
 AT THE EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY PRESS.