The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-12-29
CORRESPOND NOE.
Letter from Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. %, 1880

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. %, 1880.
Messrs. EdatorS,-We have been stirred
up unusually during the last several
weeks by way of remembrance of the
Wonderful Work of God in France
first, by the farewell address of Rev Eu-
gene Reveillaud, a converted Catholic, ad-
vocate, and journalist, who has played an
important part in the new movement,
and has represented his Church at the
Presbyterian Council; and secondly, by
the addresses of the Rev. Mr.. Dodds on
the influence of the "McAll Mission" in
Paris. Descendants, as so many of us
are of the Huguenots, or with French
blood In our veins, we cannot but take a
great interest in all that is transpiring in
La Belle France for its spiritual as we'll
as political regeneration. The early his
tory Of Professionalism in France was a
grand one. Unlike the history of most
other nations it was the wise rather than
the ignorant who were first called to the
knowledge of the gospel The principles
of the Reformation were originally intro
duced by some learned Germans who had
been invited to teach literature in some
of the French universities at the begin
ming of the reign of Francois 1, A. D.
1915. The lectures of these foreign pro-
fessors. soon began to take root in the
minds of the students-the new doctrines
made lodgment among the higher ranks
of the clergy, in the Universities, in Par
lament, and even in Caesars house
hold The King was shaken in his he
reditary faith, and went so far as to in
vite Melancthon to Paris. Whatever
convictions he had however were soon
dispelled by treaty with the Pope, by
which his religion gave way to political
interests. The prisons of Paris were
soon filed with men and women who
dared to profess the new religion, and in
1913 a grand procession was seen NOV
ing through the streets of Paris to the
six principal squares-where, amid the
clouds of incense and the alteration OF
the wafer, six victims of intolerance were
offered up by order of the King. Bat
such severe measures did not arrest the
Heresy," and while Satan was playing
his tragedies in Paris the Reformation was
rapidly spreading through every pro
vince. The new doctrines took firm root
in the congenial soil of Languedoc in the
sunny south. The descendants of the
Albigenses gathered in crowds round
about the grayfriars who had been watch
ing for dawn of THIS new era in. the
Church, and as soon as the first rays
darted through the bars of their gloomy
cells, they rushed forth to preach the
gospel with all the energy of first love
They counted not their lives dear unto
themselves, and many of them were soon
called to finish their course. Stephen
Reunier "a good name for an ly mar
tyr was burnt alive at Vienne in Dau-
phiny, in A. D. 1923, and in the same
year many friars of Besancon were con-
sumed In the flames. lie Clerc who founded
the Church at Metz, watered it with his
blood. James Parvannes was the first
who preached in Paris and was burned
alive. The Hermit Of Livry and Louis
Bergnler followed. The former was put
to death In front Of the grand entrance
OF Notre Dame. In the treasure room OF
that grand Cathedral they showed me
the bloody garments Of the Archbishop
Of Paris, murdered in the ebullition OF
the Commune. "They that take the
sword shall perish by the sword, 1 mur-
INJURED as | looked at the tragic robes.
Louis Bergnier was burned in the place
Maubert which was one of the worst
scenes Of carnage in the civil war of 1848.
Religious Persecution However is not
only a Crime--it is a Mistake.
1t never accomplishes the end aimed at.
Its operation, on the contrary, is like
that OF the stormy wind upon the forest
trees, which scatters the seed to an in
credible distance, and another generation
sees a new forest rise. 1t was so in fbe
hrst persecution about Stephen. The
disciples were scattered abroad and new