The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-11-20 00:00:00

CATASTROPHE AT BEZAUDUN

STATEMENT, BY THE REV. ALEXIS MUSTON, D.D. RESPECTING
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PROTESTANT VILLAGE, CHURCH,
AND SCHOOL OF BEZAUDUN, IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
DRONIE, IN FRANCE.

Bezauclun, a Protestant village in the department of Drome, has
disappeared from the map of France. A frightful landslip of the
hilt on which it was situated took place, from the effect of the rains
which produced the recent inundations of the Rhone and the Loire
All the houses have been destroyed ; the chapel, which dates as far
beck as the Reformation ,is now a heap of rubbish, and the school
and communal house have met with the same fate.
In this unlooked-for calamity there has, nevertheless, been great
reason of thankfulness to Clod. At the first movement of the ground,
the church bell, being shaken, commenced to rimd of its own accord,
and the inhabitants, thus warned, as by the providential interven-
tion of an invisible hand, had time to escape. No one has perished,
but the inhabitants have lost their cCl—provisions, clothes, linen.
tools, furniture— everything has been destroyed. The crops of
this year are likewise destroyed, oral for a long period it will be
impossible to cultivate the ground thus subverted.
In the face of such a disaster, we c,,nnet remain inactive. All the
families of Beaauclun have been lemony ily received into the
houses in the neighbourhood, But how is their village, with its
chapel, to he rebuilt
The whole pecuniary loss is estimated ; t 65,000 frames, or X 2,600.
rowards the reparation of this loss, there has been already received
—from the gift of the Emperor of Fiance, 1000 francs; from the
Adminis•ration of the Department of Drome, 500 francs; from the
Sub-Prefect of We, 100 francs ; and 6000 francs are expected from
the fund raised for beh of of those who suffered from the inunda-
tions; making in all 7,600 francs, ca .W 304, from public sources.
Various sums of less amount have also been collected by the Pro-
testant Churches in ',ranee, especially by those in the immediate
neighbourhood of the scene of the disaster, but a large amount still
remains to be made up.
Bezaudul and iianaiehhourheod were converted to Prctestantism
by the preaching of Farel, at the time of the Reformation, and have
continued Protestant ever since.
It is err behalf of this distressed people that the Rev. Dr. Mutton,
their pastor. author of The Israel of the Alps, ventures to address
his more fortunate fellow-Chri•tians in the words of St. Paul:
"That now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their
want."

RECOMMENDARy LETTERS FROM THE REV. EREDERICX
MtNQD AND THE REV. L. VALETTE, OF PARIS.
(Translation.)
" The undersigned has no hesitation in cordially recommending
to Christian charity the collection und. rtaken by the Rev. Alexis
Boston, of the Church of Bourdeaux (Bruise), on behalf of the
unfortunate inhabitants of the village of Bezaudun, a branch of the
Reformed Church of Bourdeaux.
" On 31st May last, in consequence of the long rains, the ground
on which the vidage is built slid d. wn the slope of the hill, and the
entire village—houses, chu ch. school, and cultivated land adjoining
—has been compiet ly destroye,l. Ihe inhabitants are all Pro.
testants and agriculturists ' • and, nnde,r Providence. can now only
look to the benevolenete of God's people to relieve them in their
distress, and aid them in rebuilding the chapel. sheie they were
wont to warship God, the school who, e their children received in-
struction, and houses to shelter them. The sum of 50.0+0 francs
(4'2000) will snffice, under the Lord's blessing, to repair this mis-
fortune. The case is quite an exceptional one. Christian charity
will respond to the cry of distress uttered by unfortunate brethren,
and will prove itself once more a reality.
" I invoke the blessing of God on the word of mercy undertaken
by the Rev. Mr. Boston, and again recommend heartily his labours
to all my friends who may read this account, In France, Belgium,
Holland, or elsewhere.
(Signed) " FRED. MONOD, Pasteur.
" Paris, 18th July, 18511."
"I cordially concur in all 'hat Mr. Monod has stated above, and
add my warmest wisher for the success of Mr. Muston in the collee,
Lion which he now undertakes. ie the name of Christian charity,
on behalf of his distressed parishioners,
(Signed) "L. VALLETTE, Pasteur.
" Paris, l9tlt July, 185 i." •
Eit ract cf a Naar addressed by the Rev. Caesar Malan, Geneva, to
Dr. AI nate n.
" I introduce the Pastor Muston to my friends in Scotland and
England, recommending his case to them, and praying them to
receive him as if it were myself.
(Signed) " C/ESAR MAI.AN, Pasteur.
" Gen va, 10th July, 1856."
Dr. Muston's cause is also recommended by the Rev. Dr. Grand-
pierre, and the Rev. M. Ara and De Lisle, or Paris, and other
influential individi als.
" I cordially join in the above recommendations. Dr. Muston is
the son of a respected pastor in Vat Lucerne, one of the valleys
of the Vaudois
In addition to his descent from a race of martyrs, his personal
claims are great, as a devoted minister of Christ, and Author of a
Hmtory of the Waldensian Church.
(Signed) " JOHN R. MACDUFF,
" Minister of the South West Church, Glasgow."
" Glasgow, 14th October, 1856.
" From the opportunity mh:cli we have had of examining into the
application of the Rev. Dr. Muston, we have no hesitation in recom-
mending the object of his mlssie•n as one peculiar in itself, and welt
worthy of the literality of Christian men cf all denominations.
(Signed) "JOHN G. LORIMER, D.D.,
" Minister of Free St. David's, Glasgow.
" HAMILTON MACGILL,
" Minister of Montrose-street United Presbyterian Church,
Glasgow.
"JOHN HENDERSON,
"JAS. ALEX. CAMPBELL."
Donations in behalf of this object will he received by Messrs.
Rumilly and Co., 7, Water. treet, Liverpool.