New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-16

reform 10 the Church couid effect this. the next
measure employed wss cxtirpstion, and the lnoui-
sition rose, under the conduct Of the Dominican
and Franciscan monks, 10 furnish the necessary
instrument for this purpose There could be no
compromise with people who decsred: " As for
US we hold to the doctrine Of Christ and Ills
Apostles, whilst we ignore tho statutes OF the
Church" and who held as general rule tha'
Everything that cannot be found In the gospeH
ought to be repudiated. To be legitimate inc
ordinances Of the Church must date oacR NJ ie"'O
10 the day Of our Lords ascension; othefw' .n.'
should be regarded as non-existene A. M"
over, these people not only insisted upon "non,ns
tho pure gospel, but endeavored themse"es "
in accordance with 10 their influence WIS uouS
great Az to their rule Of life the stfohs.e' 80.
mony 10 borne by one OF their o'"ere'V 1na
the Inquisitor Of Passan. who wr''es as ion'
They must be recognized by their maah.'' "
discourse. They are sober and mooess' 'n'' -
pride In their dress, which is composed OF m"'
neither valuable nor worthless. Ihey haro no.
Ing to do with trade, as they 90 not "'sh 70
-. .,sn,..lvss 70 the necessity OF lying, swearing
on cheating. They live by the work OF their hands
:. ,orrnsvnen, Their very teachers are weaven
AVA shosmakers. They do not accumulate wealth.
hn. a,. content with what Is needful for tbs hie
nv are ehsstc the Ieonists especially, ana mo'-
.ra,s M ,betr meals. They frequent ne''her U'-
s,n MIR ballroom, not being fond OF TINT species
~ vanity; they refrain from anger; athough
alvnyv % work. they find means to study or teoch
Th,y arc also known by their discourse which
"a both sober and modest They avoid speaking
ev, OF any one and abstain from all foolish or IDLE
conversation. ns from lying They do not swe r.
they do not even use the expressions verify OF
certainly or ANYTHING Of the kind, FOR, IN the'f
estimation. such are equivalent TO swearing
Il cannot be considered wonderful that people
who held IN such examples OF holy living 10 the
inersined corruption OF their age shou'o ha''
hon persecuted The only cause for wonder h@
IN the fact that persecution, continued during
centuries, did not destroy them utterly. ihe'f
survival is due to tn. innccessbility OF the Alpine
refuge which sheltered them during 'ne WORM
storms and some recesses OF when t'rIr en'""'''
seem mover TO have penetrated. FROM thh' ino"H'
tain eyrie the Waldensinn doctrine went Out over
all Europe. Dr. Comha trnces their progress III
italy and Germany. That they continued 10 Keep
ol,ye and propa cate the spirit OF reform Wh'ch
finally eliminated in the Reformation the same
historian demonstrates beyond further contro-
yersy. Several Of his chapters are devoted 10 an
examination Of the Waldensian literature ana
their religious life. The datn for forming con-
illusions about the first very defective, though
enough is known to afford necessary information
regarding the character OF their teachings, and OF
the legends which grew up around the story OF
their ORIGIN. These chapters are full OF interest
for the student Of religious history, and throw
much new light upon the doctrines and pracuces
of the Wshcnses up to the time OF the Reiorma-
tion The most important bearing OF tis WORK,
indoad is upon the relation OF these Apostolic ns
senters 70 that great reaction IL Is true that the
current of their influence appears once and again
to sink out Of sight like certain rivers whoe
course lies over quioksands: hut the "aldensiah
spirit ia sure 70 reveal itself again. though Wahs
sian organization may secm TO he lost or eHtin-
r,,ished, and the absence OF definite traces docs
not invalidate the analysis which derives from
this troubled source the Sc eds Of the Reformation
Dr.. Comha devotes some space ~ refutaton OF
the prrposssrous cslumnies circulated against tho
Waldenses A. one time They were charged with
holding orgies under pretence Of worship. 1t is
enough to point out that the precise accusations
brought In this instance have bcen preferred, nb-
solutrly without change Of form. against every
prosecuted sect and orgapi nation from the time OF
the Gnostics Cand perhaps much earlier down 10
,l,a seventeenth century. Christians and Jews
alike have been the objects OF these absurd sian.
dcB, and tho same worn-out calumnies that
served to sharpen the persecution Of the Abg"nses
and Wilderness we're emf loyed To give int to the
venal conspiracy against the Templors The Rest
and most conclusive evidence here, rs Nlsewhere,
on behalf Of the Waldenses is that Of the In
ausitors, who have left on record their expressed
disbelief in the charges referred to. The truth Is
that had the Wsldenses b1n worse than they
were they might have escaped persecution They
were martyrs to their superior virtues and their
purer faith.