The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-07-28
PERSECUTION OF PRoTESTANTS
IN FRANCE.

The trial OF three ProteStantS, MN.
Massey, Rambaud and Ledoux of Tonzac
(Charente -Infereure,) for having been pres
ent at a meeting consisting of more than
twenty persons, held without authorization
of government, was mentioned some weeks
ago. M. Massey was, moreover, charged
with having publicly insulted a cure, and
with having turned. the Roman Catholic
religion into contempt.-The Steele now
offers detailed account of the proceed
ings which led to the trial That journal
says:
IN. Massey was invited by NJ. Rambaud,
a farmer, to visit him and to read the
Scriptures. On the day appointed, NJ.
Massey, not having horse at hand, gave
up the projected visit.-But he subsequent
'ly met M. Ledoux, a tradesman, who offer
ed to drive him to the house of Rambaud.
On arriving there they found that the fami-
ly, after having waited for some time, had
dispersed in the field, and were engaged in
their usual occupations. But the youngest
son ran off to fetch his parents, and in the
meanwhile considerable crowd of persons,
numbering more than one hundred, focked
to the house and courtyard, in order to
listen to the words of NJ. Massey. The lat
ter, surprised at the number around him,
demanded the cause, and was then informed
that the cure of the parish had OH the pre-
ceding Sunday announced from the pulpit
that a leopard devouring all that it encoun-
tered, was prowling about the country; that
the ferocious beast would probably appear
in his parish, but that he should decidedly
go to meet it on his arrival; then dropping
the metaphor, the cure added that tho
leopard was landowner of the name of
Massey. The crowd had consequently as
sembled to witness the encounter between
the cure and the leopard. M. Massey con-
tented himself with reading the 23d chapter
of St. Matthew, in order. as he said, to
prove to the audience that religion is holy
in spite of the faults of those who teach it.
A person present asked M. Massey if he
believed in the Virgin; upon which he re-
plied-"The miraculous conception of our
Lord Jesus Christ is a mystery worship;
no woman has so many claims on our vene-
ration as the Virgin Mary because she was
chosen by God to conceive the Saviour of
the world" "But," said another party,
1--WE are told that the Protestants believe
that the Virgin had other children. and
that she did not always remain young"
M. Massey, in reply, read the chapter in
st. Mark, where it is recorded that Jesus
had four brothers, named James, Joseph,
Judas and Simon, and several sisters, and
the crucifxion the Virgin was thirty three
years of age.
In returning home M. Massey met the
cure, who thus addressed him, II have
already said, and I repeat it to you, what
St. Polycarp said TO Marcion-You are a
demon vomited from hell for the misfortune
of the country" A lively dispute follow
ed, but the provocation was not on the side
of M. Massey. We have not the honor of
belonging to the Reformed Church, but the
religion to which we belong orders US to
protect the weak from the strong, the OPP
pressed from the oppressors; it teaches US
to look upon every man as a brother, with
out inquiring into his religious belief, and
to respect liberty of conscience and of
worship. For those reasons do we struggle
against all aggressive tendencies from any
quarter that they may proceed. We are
the antagonists of every intolerant clergy"