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Show A STRIKING LETTER. The Countess de Francqueville, Protestant, Pro-testant, on French Situation. On the subject of the French crisis an excellent letter lias a pp. are. 1 in i 'ne London Daily Telegraph, the writer being the Countess de Franqueville. in whose house the French bishops held their historic meeting in January. The countess, who. according to th? London Catholic Weekly, is English by birth and education, and a Protestant, had received many letters T-king lor iu-fromation iu-fromation abo.it the situation in France. Taking this as evidence of the interest of English people in the subject, sub-ject, she- wrote to the Telegraph. Viie followine passage from Iht letter H especially striking: "The meeting of the French episcopate episco-pate in this house. Jan. ir to l!. brought me for the first time into the midst of the clerical part of the French church. The bishops were full of the heroism and courage of their clergy, and ! f t n,e in profound admiration for themselves. Their cheerfulness, courase. faith spoke of endowment rather th:.:i ruin, and indeed in-deed it is plain that the grace of God is with them, is with Hie church in this tremendous ordeal. Not more than six out of 60,000 clergy have followed the schismatic lead of the Matin. (If I havo understated I shall be grateful for correction, cor-rection, with the names of each cure and parish. I have taken trouble to find out, but up to date this is all I can verify.) There is no cringing; there is every variety of individuality, but on every side in laitv and clergy (both secular and religious) is one splendid, solid rally ronnd the pope, their head. Indeed, there is evr-ry reason to be-encouraged, despite the immense lil!icul-ties lil!icul-ties of the situation. There is unity; the spirit of sacrifice is spreading like a flame. Personally. I could tell of magnificent gifts from the very poor, from artisans and tradespeople, fronj the daily necessities cuf lower, fmni savings of many years. I for one look out in hope. As before in ihis world's history, these whose horizon is limited by flesh and blood have found that there arc still other forces to be reckoned reck-oned with which they had ignored; those of the spirit. The end is yet to see." |