HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE PROTESTANT CHURCH OF FRANCE, FROM ITS ORIGIN TO THE PRESENT TIMES. WITH PARALLEL NOTICES OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND CALIFORNIA BY THE REV. JOHN G. LORIMER, MINISTER OF ST DAVID'S PARISH, GLASGOW. EDINBURGH: JOHN JOHNSTONE, HUNTER SQUARE. MDCCCXLI. MINISTER OF THE FIRST CHARGE OF THE PARISH OF HADDINGTON, THE FOLLOWING WORK IS DEDICATED, WITH EVERY SENTIMENT OF FILIAL VENERATION AND ESTEEM, BY AN AFFECTIONATE SON. 48680.2 PREFACE. THE following Work originated in a series of papers which I wrote for an excellent and widely circulated periodical, "The Scottish Christian Herald," and were commenced above three years ago. Many friends in different parts of the country having expressed themselves much interested in the series, have strongly recommended their separate publication; and as history is read at great disadvantage when presented in detached papers, appearing at irregular intervals, and in a work in which other historical investigations are pursued, I have been led to comply with the recommendation, the more especially, as it affords me an opportunity of introducing so much additional matter, that it may, with justice, be styled a new work, particularly in what refers to the Church of Scotland. Not less than three-fourths of the entire work are altogether new. Though the claims of more pressing avocations forbid the opportunity, even had I the ability, to make profound researches or original remarks, yet the sketches now presented possess the advantage of being, so far as I know, the only work on the subject. Various books have been written, particularly of late, bearing more or less on the |