With his young wife, he began Paris life in a very modest way, living in a three-room apartment in a poor street near the Place de la Bastille, working hard at the University throughout the week, and occasionally preaching on Sundays as a guest preacher.

Besides serving as pastor to a large congregation, he took an active part in many philanthropic and charitable undertakings, and in this work came into cordial relations with men of all shades of religious belief.

Of his publications, The Simple Life attracted particular interest in the United States and was widely commended by religious and ethical leaders.

[3] He was on the committee of the first Université populaire, known as Coopération des Idées, founded by Georges Deherme the purpose of which was to provide evening classes to educate the working man.

[6] The biography Un Homme by his nephew Alfred Wautier d'Aygalliers often refers to his own diary which is now lost which contained information on Wagner's life and thought.