Journal in France in 1845 and 1848 with Letters from Italy in 1847: Of Things and Persons Concerning the Church and EducationAllies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Religion
Journal in France in 1845 and 1848 with Letters from Italy in 1847: Of Things and Persons Concerning the Church and Education
Allies, T. W. (Thomas William)
France -- Church history -- 19th century; Italy -- Church history -- 19th century
others are men of education and good faith, and act honourably." Two
Anglican ministers in Sydney, he said, had lately gone over to them;
and a third, the best preacher in the city, was expected. They had a
splendid cathedral there, which had cost 40,000l., and some 15,000
Catholics--the Anglicans about 2000, the Methodists 10,000. (I am told
this is entirely incorrect; the numbers of the English Church are far
greater.) "We want but England to be Catholic," he said, "in order to
convert the world; men we can send in abundance in France, it is
your resources we need." I said, "You must pray for that." "We do pray
constantly for it," he said. He alluded to the corrupt state of morals
in Sydney. At parting he regretted he could not answer my visit, as he
was going to Auvergne, his own country, to-morrow, to see his family
before leaving France.
It is, I think, impossible to conceive a higher degree of charity than
the going to live among savages in Oceania. Banished from country and
friends, without family ties or support from domestic affections--in
danger at times of massacre, and always subject to every species of
personal discomfort. If this be not an Apostolic life, I am unable to
conceive what is.
_Tuesday, July 25._--Went to a Low Mass at S. Roch: this is a poor
uncomfortable church. I do not like the demeanour of people at Paris,
compared with those in the country; they seem afraid to show reverence.
M. des Billiers took me to the Hôpital Necker, for men and women, near
the Rue de Sevres: his friend the almoner took us round; he seemed an
example of the old French character, polite and gay, with a natural
spring of cheerfulness, which woke a corresponding chord in every one
he addressed. I was pleased to see, as we went through the wards, in
which were several wounded in the affair of June, how every face
of man, woman, and child lighted up with pleasure as he addressed
them. This hospital is served by eighteen sisters of charity. After
this nothing would do but he must take us to l'Institution des
Aveugles, though he left a party in his own rooms. I have never been
over an institution more interesting or more worthy of support than
this. I had a feeling of dread in entering, to see all around me boys
and girls deprived of the most precious of the senses--here, however,
charity seems to have done all that is possible to alleviate their
loss. They are employed in a great variety of occupations, not only
reading, writing, and music, but in carpentering, printing, turning
with the lathe, making shoes and slippers, and a great many other
trades. Boys on one side and girls on the other were walking about the
house and the garden as freely as if they possessed the blessing of
sight--all seemed cheerful and even happy. We watched with
astonishment a blind boy using a sharp instrument in turning the
lathe, with as much precision and fearlessness as if he saw. Many
likewise were practising music, and the sudden smiles which mantled
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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