BOOK III.-OTHER EUROPEAN

COUNTRIES

CHAPTER I.-PARIS AND THE HUGUENOTS.

P

ARIS the beautiful,-the queen of European

cities, made so by Louis Napoleon, the city of splendor, gayety, and vice. Of Paris itself there is much to be said, but a guidebook, like Baedekers will do that. But the religious places in Paris, especially those of the Huguenot church, are not particularly noted in any guide-book and we desire to give them. But Paris is Catholic, says an objector, has Protestantism anything there? We can reply with the apostle, "Much every way.” But again it is objected that Paris is the city of vice. Yes, but it has also much of virtue in it, especially as heralded by the influence of the Huguenot church.

Paris and its vicinity was the cradle of the French reformation. The Evangelical doctrines were first taught at Meaux.* There Lefevre, as early as 1512, five years before Luther, taught the

*It is 28 miles east of Paris.

doctrine of justification by faith and later converted Farel from his papist superstitions. In 1529 Bishop Briconnet of Meaux, sent the translation of the Bible, made by Lefevre and Farel, to Queen Margaret of Navarre. In 1533 Queen Margaret opened the pulpits of Paris to those preachers, who inclined to Protestantism, such as Rosseau and Couralt. Even the bishop of Paris was not unfavorable, although the Sorbonne, the stronghold of the papacy, opposed the act. The churches of Paris were crowded to hear the new doctrines.

It was about this time (1533) that Calvin preached in Paris, but was compelled to leave, because of his part in the oration of the rector of the university, Cop. Then came the unfortunate affair of the placards in 1534, which, by their attacks against the Catholics, angered the king against the Evangelicals. Queen Margaret withdrew to Bearn, where those who were inclined to the Evangelical doctrines followed her. Later the persecutions became less as the king desired to gain political favor with the Germans. During this period Protestantism again won many adherents in Paris. But Calvin was compelled to leave France, and thus France. lost her greatest reformer. Still the reformation

had by this time become too great a movement to depend on one man.

In 1540 the king issued an edict from Fontainbleau, in whose palace he lived,* against the Huguenots. By 1547 the fourteen martyrs at Meaux were taken to the market-place and burned. Thus Meaux, the early home of the Reformed doctrines, blotted them out. On December, 1547, the king issued an edict from Fountainbleau against all Protestant books. However, in the next decade, the times were more favorable to the Huguenots, for in 1555 the Huguenots organized a congregation in Paris with all the church-officers. This organization was copied all over France as congregations were organized at Poitiers, Bourges and elsewhere. Finally they dared even call a synod of these churches at Paris, which met March 25, 1559. In the face of the gibbets, then reared in public places against Protestants, and in the face of laws that hung like the "sword of Damocles" over them, eleven congregations organized this first. French synod, which adopted as its creed the Gallic confession. Thus Paris was not merely the

*It is situated about 37 miles southeast of Paris.

cradle of the French reformation, but also the place of its first organization.

But this rapid growth of the Huguenots alarmed the Catholics and violence was attempted. In 1557 they made an open attack on the Huguenots. The latter were gathered early in September in a house on the Rue St. Jacques under the shadow of the Sorbonne. There were three or four hundred present to celebrate the Lord's Supper. Most of them were of the upper classes and the ladies with five exceptions were of noble families. When they attempted to leave the house at midnight, they were greeted by a shower of stones and driven back. The street was filled with armed adversaries. The gentlemen cut their way through the crowd; but the rest, mainly women, remained in the house till morning. Then they were arrested and thrown into prison. Three of them were put to death and four immolated. Among those put to death was Phillipine of Luns. After being imprisoned for a year, she was led out to die. A priest asked her if she wanted to confess. She replied, "I continually confess in my heart to my Lord and am certain of forgiveness of sin." Just before her tongue was cut out, she bravely said, "I care not if my body