Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-07-09
Railg Iiraiaiaa.
From the Baltimore Exchange.

One ofths most remarkable events that has takeu
place on the Italian peninsula, since the fret
movement Of the Austrians across tho Tioino, 10
the transfer of tho College OF the Waldensian,or
Naudois Church, from La Torre, in the Alpine re-
gion Of Piedmont, to Florence in Tuscany. II may
DO known to some ofour readers that asmall COIN
munity OF Protestants has inhabited, from time
immemorial three narrow and irregular valleys
OF Piedmont, high up Oh the Eastern slopo Of the
Cottian Alps. For many centuries. these Vsudois.
or Waldenses. as they have been improperly
styied-now Numbering some thirty thousand
souls-shut out from the rest Of the world by rug
ged mountain ranges, have kept themselves sepa-
rate from the Church of Romc, and adhered to
what they have always declared to be tho print
tive faith. Six hundred years ago, when Catho-
licsm was paramount in Europe. and when to DO u
hereto was to be possessed OF devil, these Vau-
dois firmly rejected, as they do at this day
whatever is taught. if it be not demonstrabe by
"a text in tho New Testament" Long before
Peter Waldo, TO whom the origin Of this scat has
often been enormously asoribsd. commenced his
labors rs \ religious reformer, the Vaudois pro-
icssed the same creed which they still hold. Dur.
ing the long lapse oi centuries they have changed
neither their time-honored customs nor their an
cient doctrines. They have ever been . simple
pastoral people; pure in morals, devoul in feeling
and hospitable to the extent Of their ability
Yielding prompt obedience to the gov srnment in
all things that did not infringe upon their reli.
Rtouo CouViottouH, uNu cNeE IoouN W buHoF lVT
conscience sake" they kept the faith which thoir
iorefathers kept in spite Of the crusades that
preached against them the many and cruel acts
Of persecution to which they were subjected. and
the civil disabilities by which they were for ages
oppressed. 1t was in behalf of this people whom
harassod BY 6ro and sword. that Cromwell.
through his Latin Secretary, John Milton.
wrote to the Duke Of Savoy. warning him to de-
sist from h's bloody doings, or to beware OF the
consequences. It was also in behalf of this same
people, that Milton wrote his famous sonnet. cum.
mencing:
'Avcnge, Lord thy slaughtered Saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on tho Alpine mountains cold"
CromwelIs stern protest was successful. Whilst
he held rule in England. tho terror Of his name.
and perhaps, the remembrance Of his achievements
Mt Dunbar and at Droghoda, represSed al further
incursions into the country OF the Vautiois The
feeble remnant of the mountaineers, who had ta-
ken refuge in tho fastnesses Of the higher Alps,
returned, on tho withdrawal of the soldery to
their beloved valleys, and resumed their customa-
AIRY religious exercises and their usual pastoral oc-
cupationS. They rebuilt their ruined churches.
reOrganiEsd their parish schools, and re estabs
cd at La Tore their humble Theological College.
Since those evil days many generations have pass
cd. The community has slowly increased in
numbers, but has always been poor, and, on sew
| eral occasions even down to q recent period, has
| found il necessary to solicit in other coun-
! tries contributions in aid of tho young men who
were studying for tho ministry in the College at
| La Tore. lf we except the brief period during
| which Piedmont at tho beginning of tho present
| century, was annexed to France when the Van
| dois were placed by Napoleon l. equal foot
! ing with their Roman Catholic countrymcn and
were assigned funds for the support Of their cler-
gy-thoy cannot bo said 10 have ever enjoyed nb-
solute relief from the intolerance Of bgotry until
the accession Of Victor Emanuel to tho throne of
Sardinia. And now, after series of prosecutions
which make up. in the narration, the larger por-
tion Of history that dates back--as some assert
almost T., the introduction of Christianity into
Southern Europe. this little Church which for
centuries has trained up its youth to tho rastor-
o,e under the shadow Of thu Cottian Alps, and
within sound Of the torrent and waterfall, taking
heart OF grace from the changes that have trans.
pired in Central Italy. has Gverlsaped its rocky
barriers and planted its Theological College ut
Florence, by the waters of the Arno and in the
midst Of
"An's inasterworks when the Art In lis prime"
Is there nothing significant in this transfer of the
germ Of that gious creed which for, perhaps.
more than q thousand yenrs has preserved its vi
tality among the pn.se, of the Western Alps. to
a fruitful roll bordering on the States Of the
Chu'ch Who can tell what results may flow
from this lold movement on tho part OF the des-
pissed pastors Of the Vauduis? If Victor Emanu-
el sanctions tho STEP and we may fairly presume
that Il meets with his concurrence, the bonds Of
Professionalism in Italy are indeed at length un-
loused, and whilst the temporal power of the
Pope is seriously weakened by the loss Of the Ro-
magnas in tho Of tmo his spiritual
thority may be quite as nuch enfeebled by the
doctrines which are taught by the modern desceu-
dants of Mlton's "slaush,cred Saints"