devotional feelings; and it seems only to require the fostering influence of an enlightened ministry, in concurrence with the Divine blessing, to render this isolated part of the spiritual vineyard an oasis in the midst of a desert, verdant with the streams of life, rich in the fruits of righteousness, and fragrant as the garden of the Lord.”*

In the interesting little work, entitled; "A Voice from the Alps," Mr. Burgess states, that touching scenes occasionally occur, when the recollection of other days is awakened in places where the Gospel had been extinguished. This shows the value of the traditionary associations and memorials of the martyrs, and the wisdom of cherishing them: they form a seed which God may bless for the revival of evangelical religion. At Troyes, there has recently been reared a place of Protestant worship. This is the town where the first Protestant pastor, Jean Dubec, was publicly burnt in 1549, where the Popish bishop received the truth, and a flourishing Protestant church was built. Most of the members lived in the same street, which, in derision, was called "The little Geneva." It is in that very street that the present place of worship has been opened, and the circumstances connected with its history have lent a deep interest, and, it is hoped, a salutary impression to the event.

These are interesting cases; still, after making_every favourable allowance, the number of faithful men in France was very small, and they were loaded with reproach by their own brethren as fools and sectaries. On the other hand, the far larger body of the Protestant pastors preached a mixed doctrine, and built upon a self-righteous foundation. Not a few of them advocated the worst errors of Neology and Socinianism. The consequences of this teaching were such as might have been anticipated. The people were ignorant, worldly, and ungodly. The profanation of the Sabbath, both by pastor and flock, was almost universal. The theatre was the usual termination of the Lord's day; so much so, that in some places the Roman Catholics blamed the Protestants as the chief supporters of theatrical exhibitions. One eminent pastor of the Genevan Church, so lately as 1821, published a laboured apology for spending the Sabbath evening in playing at cards,-a practice which was recently, and for aught known to the contrary, is still followed by many pastors and professors of divinity on that evening, though they abstain from it on other days. The result of false doc

*P. 166.

trine, however philosophical, in Protestant Germany was the same. The churches were emptied-the Sabbath desecrated -the theatre filled.

Before proceeding any further, it is necessary to advert to the persecution of the French Protestants in 1815. Some good men may doubt the propriety of the application of the term to the circumstances of the case; and the very fact, that two such able and excellent periodicals, as the "Christian Observer" of London, and the "Christian Instructor" of Edinburgh-the articles in the latter written by the late eminent Dr. M'Crie-were here ranged on different sides-the one contending that there was nothing which deserved the name of religious persecution, and the other that there was much—may satisfy us that the suffering, whatever it was, was somewhat different in circumstances from that of former seasons and generations. There is no question, that there was much suffering among the Protestants of Nismes and its vicinity on the restoration of the Bourbons-a greater amount than is generally imagined. There were plunder, and violence, and a loss of life, and contemplated massacre. Though the Protestants of Gard, of which Nismes is the capital, formed but a third part of the population, yet such was the creditable place which they held in society, that they were proprietors of one-half of the land, and paid two-thirds of the taxes of the district. This should have recommended them to public protection and favour; but instead of this, they were exposed to a persecution which lasted for five protracted months, though the interference of any of the leading powers of Europe could have crushed it in a moment. From three hundred to four hundred Protestant lives were sacrificed, while, according to the showing of the most prejudiced Papists, not above thirteen Roman Catholics suffered. One savage boasted that he had killed forty Protestants with his own hand. It is certain that above fifty were assassinated in a single day. The indignities and atrocities, too, perpetrated on respectable females, were worthy of the scenes of the First Revolution. Such was the general dread, that six thousand Protestants left the town of Nismes alone; and multitudes were kept for months in a state of anxious suspense, more intolerable than death. Not indistinct whispers, but longings for a second St. Bartholomew were publicly expressed by not a few. It need scarcely be added, that the other kinds of persecution were strong and wide-spreadtwo thousand houses were plundered and burnt down

churches were shut up-twenty pastors fled into exile for safety. Nor was the oppression local, rising out of peculiar circumstances. It prevailed in four different departments, and seemed to be dictated by a general wish to reduce the Protestants to the state of wretchedness and woe under which they had groaned previously to the Revolution. Such was the general result. And what was the cause which led to it, and who were the persecuting parties? It could not be true religion, as by this time, with a few exceptions, it is to be feared, evangelical religion had disappeared from among the Protestants, and given place to cold-hearted Neology. The oppression appears to have been dictated by a mixture of political, but mainly religious prejudice and animosity. It was the deed-not of the government, or the army, or the Roman Catholics as a church, but of a violent Popish and political faction-an infuriated mob. The magistrates were most culpable in not interfering as they ought to have done, and restraining this ultra party; and also, in not punishing so much as one of the ringleaders; but they do not appear to have wilfully countenanced them. The truth is, that the faction seem, for a time, to have been too strong for the authorities, even backed by the troops. It was not the Protestants only who suffered; some of the soldiers who were Roman Catholics were violently assailed. Whatever might be the motive, the Protestants were the chief sufferers; and the fact of their being so violently attacked, when they had lost their truly religious character, and therefore possessed only the name of Protestant, is a striking proof how deadly was the Popish hatred to all that savoured of Protestantism, that the very name was sufficient to kindle their enmity into a conflagration. It is pleasing to think, that the manliness and courage of not a few of the Protestants were so great, that when to confess themselves of the Reformed Church was immediate death, they yet boldly declared their Protestantism. The Papists of France, though the proceedings of 1815 are little to their honour, would, perhaps, be glad to identify the sufferings of the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries with them, and to represent the protracted persecution of the saints of God, in early times, as the mere ebullition of popular violence, which no Church or Government can restrain. There is, therefore, the more need that Protestants should remind the friends of the Papacy, that the grand and prevailing persecutions of France, in all ages, were carried on by the active and urgent support of

the authorities, civil and ecclesiastical-by the Church and the State; and that even the more mingled proceedings of a popular faction in 1815, were the fruit of the unhappy prejudices which their anti-Protestant and anti-Evangelical policy had so long maintained and cherished, and were also encouraged by influential men-the clergy and others. It may be added, that the violent proceedings in the south of France in 1815-16, were soon brought to a close. To this, the public meetings in this country, and the discussions in the British Parliament, largely contributed. Since then, down to the present day, there has been no persecution, properly so called, with the exception of the recent jealousy and opposition which have been stirred up in various influential quarters against revived evangelical religion. The accession of the present King of the French, who is much more free from Jesuit influence than his predecessor, was hailed by the Protestants with the warmest joy. But already there are indications that the Popish party may be too strong for him; and should they ever be permitted again to persecute, it will not be as in 1815, from mere religious prejudices, but from deadly hatred to true evangelical religion, which has been awakened in the meantime, and which is the grand, as it is the only, befitting object of the hostility and persecution of the fallen and unrenewed mind of man.

It may be interesting to notice the numbers of the present Protestant Church of France, and the public provision which is made for its ministers. In 1637, or about fifty years before the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, the Protestants numbered six hundred and forty-one ministers to eight hundred and six churches. They had grown considerably during the forty previous years. In 1815, after the Revocation, and the Revolution, and the overthrow of Bonaparte, according to Mr. Cobbin, in his work, entitled "The French Preacher," the whole number of churches was only two hundred and thirty; the whole number of ministers two hundred and fifty. This shows how terribly the Church had suffered under the successive persecutions of Popery and Infidelity, the more especially, if it be remembered that, in the meantime, the general population of the country had greatly increased. In 1829, M. Soulier ascertained that the whole number of pastors was three hundred and five, the churches four hundred and thirty-eight, the elementary schools three hundred and ninety-two. This indicates a considerable increase under the protection and encourage.

ment of the law. Three years ago, an intelligent American minister, resident on the Continent, stated the present French pastors at three hundred and fifty. And there is little question they are advancing in numbers. In 1837, an official document presented to the Chambers, stated them at three hundred and sixty-six; they are now three hundred and ninety-seven, or nearly four hundred. Persons well acquainted with the Protestants of France have remarked, that the number of ministers and churches does not give a correct idea of the Protestant population. The means of religious instruction are very inadequate to the wants of the people. Hence it was stated a few years ago, that many of them are obliged to meet for public worship in out-houses, barns, or in the open air; and in many places one minister has the charge of several distant churches, so that instruction can be supplied only at lengthened intervals. According to the budget of 1837, the expenses of Protestant worship in France amounted to eight hundred and ninety thousand francs. In 1825 they were only five hundred and seventy-five thousand; thus showing the progress of the Protestant feeling and cause. Indeed, there was recently an increased grant of one hundred and eighty thousand francs for additional Protestant pastors and places of worship. Under this head, the Lutherans, two hundred and thirty-two in number, are included as well as the Reformed; but the same point is proved, for both parties are professedly Protestant, and the latter is much the larger body. It may be stated generally, that, since 1825, the public provision for Protestant worship has been doubled, which indicates many additional churches and ministers. Still the Protestants are, proportionally, considerably behind the Roman Catholics, but their share of the grant is annually enlarged. At least there seems no ground of complaint on this score.

With regard to the condition of the French Protestant pastors-they are generally much scattered-are able to maintain little intercourse with each other-are poor in their outward circumstances. Though not unacquainted with general literature, yet, from the adverse fortunes through which they have passed as a Church, and particularly the want of books, they have no opportunity of becoming deeply versed in theology. Hence they do not occupy the same high place in the Christian ministry which was held by their illustrious ancestors. It has been noticed, that there is a marked superiority in the character and attainments of those who have