France　with　ruin。　〃As　true；　messieurs；　as　I　am　your　king；〃　he　said；　〃if　I
  knew　one　of　my
  229
  own　limbs　spotted　or　infected　with　this　detestable　rottenness；　I　would　give
  it　you　to　cut　off。　。　。　。　And　further；　if　I　saw　one　of　my　children　defiled　by
  it；　I　would　not　spare　him。　。　。　。　I　would　deliver　him　up　myself；　and　would
  sacrifice　him　to　God。〃　Tears　choked　his　utterance；　and　the　whole　assembly
  wept；　with　one　accord　exclaiming：　〃We　will　live　and　die　for　the　Catholic
  religion！〃D'Aubigne；　History　of　the　Reformation　in　Europe　in　the　Time　of
  Calvin；　b。　4；　ch。　12。
  Terrible　had　become　the　darkness　of　the　nation　that　had　rejected　the　light
  of　truth。　The　grace　〃that　bringeth　salvation〃　had　appeared；　but　France；
  after　beholding　its　power　and　holiness；　after　thousands　had　been　drawn　by
  its　divine　beauty；　after　cities　and　hamlets　had　been　illuminated　by　its
  radiance；　had　turned　away；　choosing　darkness　rather　than　light。　They　had　put
  from　them　the　heavenly　gift　when　it　was　offered　them。　They　had　called　evil
  good；　and　good　evil；　till　they　had　fallen　victims　to　their　willful
  self…deception。　Now；　though　they　might　actually　believe　that　they　were　doing
  God　service　in　persecuting　His　people；　yet　their　sincerity　did　not　render
  them　guiltless。　The　light　that　would　have　saved　them　from　deception；　from
  staining　their　souls　with　bloodguiltiness；　they　had　willfully　rejected。
  A　solemn　oath　to　extirpate　heresy　was　taken　in　the　great　cathedral　where；
  nearly　three　centuries　later；　the　Goddess　of　Reason　was　to　be　enthroned　by　a
  nation　that　had　forgotten　the　living　God。　Again　the　procession　formed；　and
  the　representatives　of　France　set　out　to　begin　the　work　which　they　had　sworn
  to　do。　〃At　short　distances　scaffolds　had　been　erected；　on　which　certain
  Protestant　Christians　were　to　be　burned　alive；　and　it　was　arranged　that　the
  fagots　should　be　lighted　at　the　moment　the　king　approached；　and　that　the
  procession　should　halt　to　witness　the　execution。〃Wylie；　b。　13；　ch。　21。　The
  details　of　the　tortures　endured　by　these　witnesses　for　Christ　are　too
  harrowing　for　recital；　but　there　was　no　wavering　on　the　part　of　the　victims。
  On　being　urged　to　recant；　one　answered：　〃I　only　believe　in　what　the　prophets
  and　the　apostles　formerly　preached；　and　what　all　the　company　of
  230
  saints　believed。　My　faith　has　a　confidence　in　God　which　will　resist　all　the
  powers　of　hell。〃D'Aubigne；　History　of　the　Reformation　in　Europe　in　the
  Time　of　Calvin；　b。　4；　ch。　12。
  Again　and　again　the　procession　halted　at　the　places　of　torture。　Upon
  reaching　their　starting　point　at　the　royal　palace；　the　crowd　dispersed；　and
  the　king　and　the　prelates　withdrew；　well　satisfied　with　the　day's
  proceedings　and　congratulating　themselves　that　the　work　now　begun　would　be
  continued　to　the　complete　destruction　of　heresy。
  The　gospel　of　peace　which　France　had　rejected　was　to　be　only　too　surely
  rooted　out；　and　terrible　would　be　the　results。　On　the　21st　of　January；　1793；
  two　hundred　and　fifty…eight　years　from　the　very　day　that　fully　committed
  France　to　the　persecution　of　the　Reformers；　another　procession；　with　a　far
  different　purpose；　passed　through　the　streets　of　Paris。　〃Again　the　king　was
  the　chief　figure；　again　there　were　tumult　and　shouting；　again　there　was
  heard　the　cry　for　more　victims；　again　there　were　black　scaffolds；　and　again
  the　scenes　of　the　day　were　closed　by　horrid　executions；　Louis　XVI；
  struggling　hand　to　hand　with　his　jailers　and　executioners；　was　dragged
  forward　to　the　block；　and　there　held　down　by　main　force　till　the　ax　had
  fallen；　and　his　dissevered　head　rolled　on　the　scaffold。〃Wylie；　b。　13；　ch。
  21。　Nor　was　the　king　the　only　victim；　near　the　same　spot　two　thousand　and
  eight　hundred　human　beings　perished　by　the　guillotine　during　the　bloody　days
  of　the　Reign　of　Terror。
  The　Reformation　had　presented　to　the　world　an　open　Bible；　unsealing　the
  precepts　of　the　law　of　God　and　urging　its　claims　upon　the　consciences　of　the
  people。　Infinite　Love　had　unfolded　to　men　the　statutes　and　principles　of
  heaven。　God　had　said：　〃Keep　therefore　and　do　them；　for　this　is　your　wisdom
  and　your　understanding　in　the　sight　of　the　nations；　which　shall　hear　all
  these　statutes；　and　say；　Surely　this　great　nation　is　a　wise　and
  understanding　people。〃　Deuteronomy　4：6。　When　France　rejected　the　gift　of
  heaven；　she　sowed　the　seeds　of　anarchy　and　ruin；　and　the　inevitable
  outworking　of　cause　and　effect　resulted　in　the　Revolution　and　the　Reign　of
  Terror。
  231
  Long　before　the　persecution　excited　by　the　placards；　the　bold　and　ardent
  Farel　had　been　forced　to　flee　from　the　land　of　his　birth。　He　repaired　to
  Switzerland；　and　by　his　labors；　seconding　the　work　of　Zwingli；　he　helped　to
  turn　the　scale　in　favor　of　the　Reformation。　His　later　years　were　to　be　spent
  here；　yet　he　continued　to　exert　a　decided　influence　upon　the　reform　in
  France。　During　the　first　years　of　his　exile；　his　efforts　were　especially
  directed　to　spreading　the　gospel　in　his　native　country。　He　spent
  considerable　time　in　preaching　among　his　countrymen　near　the　frontier；　where
  with　tireless　vigilance　he　watched　the　conflict　and　aided　by　his　words　of
  encouragement　and　counsel。　With　the　assistance　of　other　exiles；　the　writings
  of　the　German　Reformers　were　translated　into　the　French　language　and；
  together　with　the　French　Bible；　were　printed　in　large　quantities。　By
  colporteurs　these　works　were　sold　extensively　in　France。　They　were　furnished
  to　the　colporteurs　at　a　low　price；　and　thus　the　profits　of　the　work　enabled
  them　to　continue　it。
  Farel　entered　upon　his　work　in　Switzerland　in　the　humble　guise　of　a
  schoolmaster。　Repairing　to　a　secluded　parish；　he　devoted　himself　to　the
  instruction　of　children。　Besides　the　usual　branches　of　learning；　he
  cautiously　introduced　the　truths　of　the　Bible；　hoping　through　the　children
  to　reach　the　parents。　There　were　some　who　believed；　but　the　priests　came
  forward　to　stop　the　work；　and　the　superstitious　country　people　were　roused
  to　oppose　it。　〃That　cannot　be　the　gospel　of　Christ；〃　urged　the　priest；
  〃seeing　the　preaching　of　it　does　not　bring　peace；　but　war。〃Wylie；　b。　14；
  ch。　3。　Like　the　first　disciples；　when　persecuted　in　one　city　he　fled　to
  another。　From　village　to　village；　from　city　to　city；　he　went；　traveling　on
  foot；　enduring　hunger；　cold；　and　weariness；　and　everywhere　in　peril　of　his
  life。　He　preached　in　the　market　places；　in　the　churches；　sometimes　in　the
  pulpits　of　the　cathedrals。　Sometimes　he　found　the　church　empty　of　hearers；
  at　times　his　preaching　was　interrupted　by　shouts　and　jeers；　again　he　was
  pulled　violently　out　of　the　pulpit。　More　than　once　he　was　set　upon　by　the
  rabble　and　beaten　almost　to　death。　Yet　he
  232
  pressed　forward。　Though　often　repulsed；　with　unwearying　persistence　he
  returned　to　the　attack；　and；　one　after　another；　he　saw　towns　and　cities
  which　had　been　strongholds　of　popery；　opening　their　gates　to　the　gospel。　The
  little　parish　where　he　had　first　labored　soon　accepted　the　reformed　faith。
  The　cities　of　Morat　and　Neuchatel　also　renounced　the　Romish　rites　and
  removed　the　idolatrous　images　from　their　churches。
  Farel　had　long　desired　to　plant　the　Protestant　standard　in　Geneva。　If　this
  city　could　be　won；　it　would　be　a　center　for　the　Reformation　in　France；　in
  Switzerland；　and　in　Italy。　With　this　object　before　him；　he　had　continued　his
  labors　until　many　of　the　surrounding　towns　and　hamlets　had　been　gained。　Then
  with　a　single　companion　he　entered　Geneva。　But　only　two　sermons　was　he
  permitted　to　preach。　The　priests；　having　vainly　endeavored　to　secure　his
  condemnation　by　the　civil　authorities；　summoned　him　before　an　ecclesiastical
  council；　to　which　they　came　with　arms　concealed　under　their　robes；
  determined　to　take　his　life。　Outside　the　hall；　a　furious　mob；　with　clubs　and
  swords；　was　gathered　to　make　sure　of　his　death　if　he　should　succeed　in
  escaping　the　council。　The　presence　of　magistrates　and　an　armed　force；
  however；　saved　him。　Early　next　morning　he　was　conducted；　with　his　companion；
  across　the　lake　to　a　place　of　safety。　Thus　ended　his　first　effort　to
  evangelize　Geneva。
  For　the　next　trial　a　lowlier　instrument　was　chosena　young　man；　so　humble
  in　appearance　that　he　was　coldly　treated　even　by　the　professed　friends　of
  reform。　But　what　could　such　a　one　do　where　Farel　had　been　rejected？　How
  could　one　of　little　courage　and　experience　withstand　the　tempest　before
  which　the　strongest　and　bravest　had　been　forced　to　flee？　〃Not　by　might；　nor
  by　power；　but　by　My　Spirit；　saith　the　Lord。〃　Zechariah　4：6。　〃God　hath　chosen
  the　weak　things　of　the　world　to　confound　the　things　which　are　mighty。〃
  〃Because　the　foolishness　of　God　is　wiser　than　men；　and　the　weakness　of　God
  is　stronger　than　men。〃　1　Corinthians　1：27；　25。
  Froment　began　his　work　as　a　schoolmaster。　The　truths　which　he　taught　the
  children　at　school　they　repeated　at
  233
  their　homes。　Soon　the　parents　came　to　hear　the　Bible　explained；　until　the
  schoolroom　was　filled　with　attentive　listeners。　New　Testaments　and　tracts
  were　freely　distributed；　and　they　reached