The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-07-06

labors as a religious reformer, the Vaadois pro-
fessed the same creed which they still hold Dur
ing the long lapse of centuries they have changed
neither their time-honored customs nor their an
cient doctrines. They have ever been a simple
pastoral people; pure in morals, devout in feeling
and hospitable to the extent of their ability.
Yielding prompt obedience to the government in
all things that did not infringe upon their reii-
gious convictions, and ever ready to suffer Tor
conscience sake, they kept the faith when 'ie'r
forefathers kept, in spite of the crusades 'ia'
preached against them; the many ana cf"e' avs
of persecution TO which they were supJec'eu' anu
tho civil disabilities by which they were Tor ages
o,,,reSsed It was in behalf of this people, when
harassed by fire and sword, that CROMWELL,
through his Latin Secretary, JOHN MILTON, wrote
to the Duke of SAVOY, warning him TO desist from
his bloody doings or 10 beware Of the consequences.
1t was also in behalf of this same people that NH
TON wrote his famous sonnet, commencing:
'Avenge, Lord, thy slaughtered Saints whose bones
"Le scattered on the Alpine mountains cold"
CRoMwELLs stern protest was successful. Whilst
he held rule in England, the terror of his name,
and, perhaps, the remembrance of his achieve
ments at Dunbar and at Drogheda, repressed all
further incursons into the country of the Vaudos.
The feeble remnant of the mountaineers who had
! taken refuge in the Businesses of the higher Alps,
returned, on the withdrawal ofthe sodery, to their
beloved valleys, and resumed their customary re-
igious exercises and their usual pastoral occupa-
tions. They rebuilt their ruined churches, re-or-
ganized their parish schools and re-establshed at
La Tore their humble Theological College. Since
those evil days many generations have passed.
The community has slowly increased in num-
| bers, but has always been poor, and, on several
! occasions even down to recent period, has found
it necessary to solicit in other countries contrbu-
| tons in aid of the young men who were tudying
| for the ministry in the College at La Tore. IF
we except the brief period during which Piedmont
at the beginning of the present century, was an
nexed to France-when the Vaudois were placed
by NAPOLEON l. on an equal footing with their
Roman Catholic countrymen and were assigned
funds for the support of their clergy-they cannot
be said to have ever enjoyed absolute relief from
| the intolerance of bigotry until the aces
| sion of VIcToR EMANUEL TO the throne of Sar-
DINA. And now, after series of prosecutions
which make up, in the narration, the larger por-
|
| almost to the introduction of Christianity into
Southern Europe, this little Church which for
centuries has trained up its youth to the pasorate
under the shadow of the Cottian Alps, and within
sound of the torrent and waterfall, taking heart OF
grace from the changes that have transpired IN
Central Italy, has overeaped its rocky barriers
and planted its Theological College at Florence,
by the waters of the Arno and in the midst Of
| CARTS masterworks when Art was in its prime"
Is there nothing significant in this transfer
| of the germ of that religious creed which
for perhaps, than thousand years has
preserved its vitality among the passes of the
Western Alps, to more fruitful soil bordering
on the States of the Church? Who can tell wha
results may flow from this bold movement OF
the part Of the despsed pastors of the Vaudois
If VIcToR EMANUEL sanctions the step, and we may
fairly presume that it meets with his concurrence
the bonds of Professionalism in Italy are indeed a
length unloosed, and whilst the temporal power o
the PORE is seriously weakened by the loss of tn
Romagnas in the course of time his spiritual au
thority may be quite as much enfeebled by tn
doctrines which are taught by the modern de
scendants of MnToN's Slaughtered Saints