290 AUSTRALIA AND HOMEWARD. 



and hear preaching enough, such as it is, and yet they 

 can say with David, " No man cared for my soul." 



Mrs. Gibson tells me that in their little chapel, at 

 St. Cloud, they have conversions nearly every night, 

 as the result of visiting the homes of the people dur- 

 ing the day. How Christian souls must covet cities 

 so beautiful as Paris, and countries so beautiful as 

 France, for the Saviour. Much must yet be done to 

 bring this about. 



Just now there is a considerable stir over the 

 Boulanger affair. There can be no doubt the General 

 is popular with his army. He is supposed to aim 

 at being President and by-and-by Dictator. He is 

 said to have the blood of the Napoleons in his veins, 

 as he evidently has the ambition and perseverance of 

 the old Bonaparte in his heart. 



It is greatly feared if the good Frederick of Ger- 

 many should die, Boulanger may succeed in bringing 

 on a war between France and Germany for the re- 

 covery of the two provinces lost to France a few years 

 ago. When will war cease from this our poor world ! 

 It would be a sad thing to see these nations destroy- 

 ing each other ; and yet it would not surprise anyone 

 in Europe if, one of those days, France, now most 

 thoroughly equipped, should purposely pick a quarrel 

 with Germany, and perhaps set all Europe ablaze. 



