The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-04-09
The Waldenses.


The Waldenses.
Marvellous have been The changes
social, political, and religious-that have
come over the face of society in Europe
within the last few years, but none have
been more marked than the change which
has come over the condition and prospects
of the Vaudois. Their origin is lost in
obscurity, but for nearly thousand
years, from long before the days of Peter
Waldo-the similarity of whose name was
a mere coincidence-they lived "a pecu-
liar people, holy generation, royal
priesthood" the Puritane (CatharD of
the dark and degenerate ages Of the
Church. They were evidently chosen for
the preservation Of the truth and the or
dinances of the Gospel undefled, and well
did they fulfill their mission.
They were evidently chosen also as a
striking fulfillment Of the type of the
burning bush. Almost from the COM
mencement of their separate existence un-
til within the last twenty five years, they
have been in the fires Of persecution.
They were condemned by Romish Coun-
ellis more than seven hundred years ago,
and all along down the centuries have
been prosecuted and ravaged by Papal
armies, until it seemed that they lived by
miracle AS early as the 18th century a
crusade was started against them by the
Pope, equalled in its diabolical cruelties
only by those of later ages. In the 18th
century they shared with the Protestants
of Franco in one of the bloodiest persecu-
tions which have blotted the pages of the
history of the Romish Church. This was
intended as war Of determination. In
the depth of a rigorous winter, among
the perpetual SHOWS of the Alps, they
were driven from their homes. the aged
and in6rm and sick, all alike compelled
to forsake all things, and hazard life it.
self, or renource their religion. Scarcely
had they escaped the fury of their ene-
mics, even at this hazard, when the sur
vivors we're treachously invited to re.
turn to their homes. Many trusted the
deceptive promise, and returned only to
meet the fate recorded by an historian
just after the occurrence "On the Oath
of April, 1865, the signal was given from
hill near La Tour, called Castellas, for
a general massacre, which extended
through the whole valley, and began at
the same instant. (How like the scene
of St. Bartholomew DayD ,,either
age nor sex was spared. Every refine
ment of cruelty which the malice of dc.
mons could invent, was put in practice
Violation, mutilation and implement
were mere common atrocities. Many
were roasted by slow fires others cut il
pieces while alive, or dragged by mules
with ropes passed through their wounds
Some were blown up by guupowdcr placed
in the ears and mouth many rolled of
the rocks with their hands bound between
their legs among precipices, where they
were abandoned to cruel and ingerin!
DEATH" &c.
These atrocities aroused the indigna
ton and called forth the successful inter
vention Of Oliver Cromwell, enough of it
self to embalm his memory, and inspired
that immortal sonnet of Cromwel's Sec
retary. Milton, which, familiar as it is t.
every reader, and oft quoted, ! canno
torbare here to recite
Avenge, o Lord thy slaughtered saints who's
bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine Mountains cold;
| Even them who kept thy truth so pure Of old,
When all our fathers worshipped stocks an'
stones,
Forget not; in thy book record their groans
| Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold,
Slain by the bloody Piedmontese that rolled
/ Mother with infant down the rocks. Thei
means
The vale redoubled to the hills, and they
To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashC
fow
Ger all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
An hundred folds, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.
In the year 1854 l crossed the Alp
at the very point where, near the begin
ming of the last century, the Vaudois pas
tor and leader carried back from thei
exile the remnants Of his people. i spen
some days among the mountains an
valleys of Piedmont, making my head
quarters at La Tour, the principal tow
of tho Weaknesses. 1t was but few
years after they had been emancipateC
for the first time within their history, ex
cepting for brief period under the frs
Napoleon. They had then just been ad
mitted to citizenship by the constitution
Of Charles Albert, father Of the preser
Victor Emanuel, and had their represen
tative in the Sandman Parliament,
gentlemen bearing the honored name {
Malan, whom | had the pleasure Of NEE
} ing in the valleys.
On Sunday morning | walked out frol
La Tour, about three miles upon Ii
, mountains, to attend the service at Al
grogna, one Of the hillside churches,
was a lovely Sabbath morning. Althoug
late in the fall, the air scene was one {
great beauty. The deep-green vale,
and fertile mountain sides, with the peal
crowned with everlasting SHOWS a
around, formed picture which SCENE
too peaceful and beautiful ever TO hay
looked upon such scenes as those to whiC
| have referred But, by the way,
stood upon the very rock which bea
= the name of the massacre, from whit
scores of all ages were hurled upon Il
i rocks below. On reaching the anciel
= church, found all the young men oftl
? ? congregation drawn up and under arm
upon the green sward-one of the m
i, MORALS of the days when they could wo
!; ship God only under the fear of an attac
from their enemies. AS the congregatit
, entered, each one stood for few momen
, in silent prayer, and then took his sea
These were the descennents of those wi