Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-11-07
From the Southern Baptist.
HE HUGUENOTS OF AMERICA

| LII u HUI U Emu > Of AM l. hlSA'
History has celebrated The prosecutions
and virtues of the Husuenots. IN oil her
stored pages, she has recorded of no peo-
pie, solIerings more unjuslly and terribly
inflicted. and has drawn no character so
grand and heroic than that which they
present.
Louis XIV was trembling on the brink
Of the grave. In the fierce pbrenzy of
his superstition, he imagined himself the
chnsen instrument of Heaven. for The con.
version of the Prores,anls Of France. lie
accordingly with the weakness aud folly
of tyranl, endeavored to accomplish by
bribery and force. that which he could not
do by jusr aud honorable means. lie
caused the EdIct of Nantz which for more
than eighty years had secured the religi"us
freedom Of the Huguenols, 10 be- revoked,
and commenced those enormiIies and per
seculiDus which made The land turn pale
with horror, and drew upon his memory
The curse Of mankind.-Vain and futile
however were his efforts. With all equal
success he might have endeavored to chain
the winged winds. or arrest the blazing
comet in its fiery course as to alIenpt 10
crush, when once awakened. the spiri, of
religious freedom. The prosecuted Hugue-
uols would not submit 10 The DEGREES of The
tyrant, and were sacrificed by the butche-
res Of Ills agents, or like conyicts escati0g
from their dreary dungeons, embarked for
oIher shores. In the midsI Of darkness
and temposls, they evaded the guards that
lined the coast, and committed themselves
to the storm tossed ocean.
In few years after the revocation of the
Edict of NanIs, uol less than FIVE hundred
thousand succeeded thus in escaping from
their country. Many took refuge id Eng
land, Holland and Switzerland; some
were captured by the Corsairs, others were
cast upon The inhospitable shores of Spain.
while many wandered to The asylums Of
the oppressed 10 America.
Our American colonies gave the war.
NEST welcome 10 those who reached our
shores, for they felt Them TO he sufferers in
The glorious cause. Some of them settled
in Massachusetts and Rhode Islaud Others
in New York, while The greater number
lprefcrred the more genial climate and fer.
lille soil Of The CaroIinas.
4 l"rwos by faith imneled. -byIreflnrn Il -
BY hope supported and by God inspired,
Twas thus these pilgrims left their fathers
To seek home beyond The waste OF waves
And where il rose all rough and winry here,
They sweed deyUt!vn's song, and dropped
devotlons tear.
Sal,tn,,, NJ norioI ,I,oo ,r,ft,o,,oJ IL
our Atlantic coast more picturesque and
beautiful scene than that which these ear
ly colonies presented. Their neatly pain
led houses surrounded with gardens and
orchards, showed that abundance and con.
lent were not strangers TO their homes,
while their well cultivated farms alIesled
their industry and skill. Nor did they neg
lee, the refreshments aud mpIishmcnls
of education an art. Their dwellings
were ornamen,ed with paintings, aud their
libraries were stored with the choicest pro.
ductions of ancient and modern literature.
Music with her enchanting strain added
new attractions TO their happiness. and The
forest often resnunded with The enlvening
song, or echoed back the solemn chaut
On no OCCASION did they present a more
attractive appearance than on the Sabbath
when old age with his sivery locks. aud
youth with his sprishtIy siep and joyful
counienauce, nigh! be seen winding their
way together to the house Of God.
Their lDurishing condition and estira.
BILE character were The natural growth of
The principles they had cherished and the
sutfrrings they had endured. They had
ahjured their ancestral halls, their beauIi-
ful land, The banks Of the Loire aud Rhine.
The vine clad hills where Industry and arI
had made them opuIent and happy, not as
The adventures Of Corez aud Pizarro,
stimulated by a thirst for gold, NOT TO con.
quer vast territory an! enslave i,s inhabi-
tants, but TO secure for themselves and chill
dren nalienabIe rights of conscience, The
enjoyment Of their own opinions and the
practice of their own worship. Aud when
settled in their new found homes, they did
not forget The glorious heritage oil their
virtues.
These noble hearted victims of French
intolerance far surpass in the moral gran
dcur Of their character. all that has been
tabled Of The heroic ages. Iu their early
history lhey suffered hardships. and trials,
and prosecutions, which came upon them
AS Ihe strokes of the scu ptor on the mar
bio block, forming il to The image of life
aud loveliness. They have exarIcd no un-
important influence in moulding our nation.
al character. Formed as i, is by materials
diverse in their natures. yet combined
harmoniously together, thai character bears
the impress Of The genius and The spiri, of
different races, Just as the several coIors o.
| the rainbow, are so united and bieudpd TO.
geher MS to form one beautiful bow of
promise.
When the American Revo|ulpn broke
out they were among the foremost To es.
pousc the cause of independence. They
as checrfully consecrated their fortunes,
their lives and sacred honnr, upon lhe al.
tar of civil liberty, as they had dedicated
them few years previous to the cause of
religious freedom. They were animated
by one spirit. and rose in their strength to
support the doubtful fortunes of the pevo
luton 1t was NOT for Them 10 bear the
yoke, or submit To- the DEGREES Of tyranny,