Seventeen Years in Paris: A Chaplain's StoryNoyes, H. E. (Henry Edward)
Religion
Seventeen Years in Paris: A Chaplain's Story
Noyes, H. E. (Henry Edward)
Church of England -- France -- Paris; English Church (Paris, France)
Among the many important appointments he has held, it will be remembered
that he was attached to the late Marquis of Salisbury’s special Embassy
to Constantinople in 1876, and the special Embassy during the Congress
in Berlin in 1878, being assistant private secretary to the late Earl of
Beaconsfield. He is now Commercial Attaché in Paris, and Councillor of
the Embassy, and also Director and member of the Managing Committee of
the Suez Canal Company. Sir Henry Lee takes the warmest interest in the
British charities in Paris, and is Chairman of the Schools and member of
the Committee of the British Charitable Fund. His marriage was the last
held in the Embassy. I officiated with his brother at the ceremony. Her
Royal Highness the Princess of Wales (then Princess May) was present on
the occasion, and H.R.H. the Duke of Teck one of the witnesses.
Sir Charles Ottley, Admiral Sir William May, and Capt. Morgan were Naval
Attachés during my sojourn, and Major-General the Hon. Sir Reginald
Talbot, the late Lt.-Col. W. F. Bonham, and Lt.-Col. H. C. Lowther,
Military Attachés.
[Illustration: SIR HENRY AUSTIN LEE, K.C.M.G., C.B.]
Sir E. Egerton (who has just left Rome), the late Sir Michael Herbert
(who went from us to Washington), Sir Maurice de Bunsen (now Ambassador
in Madrid), Sir Rennel Rodd (lately appointed to Rome), the Hon. Reginald
Lister (who has lately left for Morocco), Sir Charles Harding, Mr. H.
J. O. Beirne, Lord Berwick, the Earl of Sheffield, the present Lord
Monson (whom I married), and many others, were at the Embassy during
my time, and with some of whom I was privileged to work in the various
philanthropic and other efforts in the British Colony.
One of my greatest regrets in leaving Paris was the necessary severance
of my connection with the Embassy, and the parting from those who had
shown me so much kindness.
CHAPTER III.
MEMORABLE SERVICES.
During my chaplaincy there were several memorable services in the English
Embassy Church. The first of these was the funeral of the late Earl of
Lytton, Her Majesty’s Ambassador of France.
Lord Lytton died in November, 1891, at the Embassy. His death was
unexpected and sudden. Upon hearing the sad news I called at the Embassy
and saw Lady Lytton, who was naturally very much affected. I remember
that she took me by the hand and led me into the chamber of death, and
we both knelt down, and I prayed with her. The Earl was very little
changed by death, and lay as if asleep. Each morning afterwards, until
the funeral, I went to the Embassy and conducted family prayers. The
relatives had gathered, and I had quite a large number. Several of the
Balfour family were present, amongst whom was Lady Betty Balfour, the
eldest daughter of Lady Lytton, who has since, as is well known, edited
her father’s classic letters.
[Illustration: BRITISH EMBASSY CHURCH, FROM THE RUE D’AGUESSEAU.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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