The Maréchale (Catherine Booth-Clibborn)Strahan, James
Religion
The Maréchale (Catherine Booth-Clibborn)
Strahan, James
Booth-Clibborn, Catherine, 1860-1955
Such occurrences were not solitary. Here is the testimony of M.
Grandjean, who was for years one of the Maréchale’s best officers. "I
think with gratitude to God of the difficult days in which our faith was
severely tested, when I was cashier in Quai de Valmy, and I had not a
shilling, and we had to pay the 6000 francs for rents and other
expenses. I shall never forget my overwhelming joy when one night I
appealed to the cadets who could pray with faith, and when five or six
of us prayed with me in the little kitchen of the Quai de Valmy. The
next day the Maréchale received by the first post a cheque of 6000
francs from some one who did not know that we were in need."
In one of her _tournées_ the Maréchale was labouring down in the South
of France. Though she was in the greatest need and had a heavy heart,
she went on with her meetings, when a lady who had been wonderfully
blessed, and two of whose children had been saved through her ministry,
was moved to give her a thankoffering of 5000 francs. Having to travel
all night on the way back to Paris, and finding herself alone among a
lot of working-men the Maréchale put the money in her bosom and prayed,
"Now keep Thy little one," but did not dare to sleep.
Among the Army’s unfailing supporters in France were the Maréchale’s
personal friends. One of the dearest of these was Madame de Bunsen, née
Waddington, who wrote _In Three Legations_. They first met in Cannes,
where the Maréchale was conducting a campaign in the theatre; and a
great bundle of letters, partly in French and partly in English,
testifies to the warmth of their friendship. Madame de Bunsen once
persuaded the Maréchale to rest for some weeks in her castle on the
Rhine; and another time she tried to induce her to visit Florence, but
the Maréchale could never quite get over the feeling that taking
holidays was backsliding.
Another of her constant supporters was Mr. Frank Crossley, that
high-souled man of business whose _Life_ has been admirably written by
Rendel Harris. Soon after the Maréchale went to France he wrote to
express his "ardent sympathy" with her work. "I have," he said, "met
and known well several Christian workers—D. L. Moody, Miss Ellice
Hopkins, Miss Mittendorff, and others—but I will tell you that perhaps
none of these have created the same impression that you have done."
In one of her last letters she wrote "Tell me, how is it that what seems
so far off to us is near to you." She was a beautiful soul and found
peace in Christ.
he received hundreds of letters from him, and they are very interesting
reading. What chiefly attracted him to the Maréchale was her intimacy
with Christ, which was the reward, as he saw, of self-sacrifice. His
words on this theme go very deep.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account