that had held them bondslaves of ignorance； vice； and superstition。 They
began to think and act as men。 Monarchs saw it and trembled for their
despotism。
Rome was not slow to inflame their jealous fears。 Said the pope to the
regent of France in 1525： 〃This mania ＇Protestantism＇ will not only confound
and destroy religion； but all principalities； nobility； laws； orders； and
ranks besides。〃 G。 de Felice； History of the Protestants of France； b。 1；
ch。 2； par。 8。 A few years later a papal nuncio warned the king： 〃Sire； be
not deceived。 The Protestants will upset all civil as well as religious
order。 。 。 。 The throne is in as much danger as the altar。 。 。 。 The
introduction of a new religion must necessarily introduce a new
government。〃D'Aubigne； History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of
Calvin； b。 2； ch。 36。 And theologians appealed to the prejudices of the
people by declaring that the Protestant doctrine 〃entices men away to
novelties and folly； it robs the king of the devoted affection of his
subjects； and devastates both church and state。〃 Thus Rome succeeded in
arraying France against the Reformation。 〃It was to uphold the throne；
preserve the nobles； and maintain the laws； that the sword of persecution
was first unsheathed in France。〃Wylie； b。 13； ch。 4。
Little did the rulers of the land foresee the results of that fateful
policy。 The teaching of the Bible would have implanted in the minds and
hearts of the people those principles of justice； temperance； truth； equity；
and benevolence which are the very cornerstone of a nation's prosperity。
〃Righteousness exalteth a nation。〃 Thereby 〃the throne is established。〃
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Proverbs 14：34； 16：12。 〃The work of righteousness shall be peace；〃 and the
effect； 〃quietness and assurance forever。〃 Isaiah 32：17。 He who obeys the
divine law will most truly respect and obey the laws of his country。 He who
fears God will honor the king in the exercise of all just and legitimate
authority。 But unhappy France prohibited the Bible and banned its disciples。
Century after century； men of principle and integrity； men of intellectual
acuteness and moral strength； who had the courage to avow their convictions
and the faith to suffer for the truthfor centuries these men toiled as
slaves in the galleys； perished at the stake； or rotted in dungeon cells。
Thousands upon thousands found safety in flight； and this continued for two
hundred and fifty years after the opening of the Reformation。
〃Scarcely was there a generation of Frenchmen during the long period that
did not witness the disciples of the gospel fleeing before the insane fury
of the persecutor； and carrying with them the intelligence； the arts； the
industry； the order； in which； as a rule； they pre…eminently excelled； to
enrich the lands in which they found an asylum。 And in proportion as they
replenished other countries with these good gifts； did they empty their own
of them。 If all that was now driven away had been retained in France； if；
during these three hundred years； the industrial skill of the exiles had
been cultivating her soil； if； during these three hundred years； their
artistic bent had been improving her manufactures； if； during these three
hundred years； their creative genius and analytic power had been enriching
her literature and cultivating her science； if their wisdom had been guiding
her councils； their bravery fighting her battles； their equity framing her
laws； and the religion of the Bible strengthening the intellect and
governing the conscience of her people； what a glory would at this day have
encompassed France！ What a great； prosperous； and happy countrya pattern
to the nationswould she have been！
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〃But a blind and inexorable bigotry chased from her soil every teacher of
virtue； every champion of order； every honest defender of the throne； it
said to the men who would have made their country a 'renown and glory' in
the earth； Choose which you will have； a stake or exile。 At last the ruin of
the state was complete； there remained no more conscience to be proscribed；
no more religion to be dragged to the stake； no more patriotism to be chased
into banishment。〃Wylie； b。 13； ch。 20。 And the Revolution； with all its
horrors； was the dire result。
〃With the flight of the Huguenots a general decline settled upon France。
Flourishing manufacturing cities fell into decay； fertile districts returned
to their native wildness； intellectual dullness and moral declension
succeeded a period of unwonted progress。 Paris became one vast almshouse；
and it is estimated that； at the breaking out of the Revolution； two hundred
thousand paupers claimed charity from the hands of the king。 The Jesuits
alone flourished in the decaying nation； and ruled with dreadful tyranny
over churches and schools； the prisons and the galleys。〃
The gospel would have brought to France the solution of those political and
social problems that baffled the skill of her clergy； her king； and her
legislators； and finally plunged the nation into anarchy and ruin。 But under
the domination of Rome the people had lost the Saviour's blessed lessons of
self…sacrifice and unselfish love。 They had been led away from the practice
of self…denial for the good of others。 The rich had found no rebuke for
their oppression of the poor； the poor no help for their servitude and
degradation。 The selfishness of the wealthy and powerful grew more and more
apparent and oppressive。 For centuries the greed and profligacy of the noble
resulted in grinding extortion toward the peasant。 The rich wronged the
poor； and the poor hated the rich。
In many provinces the estates were held by the nobles； and the laboring
classes were only tenants； they were at the mercy
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of their landlords and were forced to submit to their exorbitant demands。
The burden of supporting both the church and the state fell upon the middle
and lower classes； who were heavily taxed by the civil authorities and by
the clergy。 〃The pleasure of the nobles was considered the supreme law； the
farmers and the peasants might starve； for aught their oppressors cared。 。 。
。 The people were compelled at every turn to consult the exclusive interest
of the landlord。 The lives of the agricultural laborers were lives of
incessant work and unrelieved misery； their complaints； if they ever dared
to complain； were treated with insolent contempt。 The courts of justice
would always listen to a noble as against a peasant； bribes were notoriously
accepted by the judges； and the merest caprice of the aristocracy had the
force of law； by virtue of this system of universal corruption。 Of the taxes
wrung from the commonalty； by the secular magnates on the one hand； and the
clergy on the other； not half ever found its way into the royal or episcopal
treasury； the rest was squandered in profligate self…indulgence。 And the men
who thus impoverished their fellow subjects were themselves exempt from
taxation； and entitled by law or custom to all the appointments of the
state。 The privileged classes numbered a hundred and fifty thousand； and for
their gratification millions were condemned to hopeless and degrading
lives。〃 （See Appendix。）
The court was given up to luxury and profligacy。 There was little confidence
existing between the people and the rulers。 Suspicion fastened upon all the
measures of the government as designing and selfish。 For more than half a
century before the time of the Revolution the throne was occupied by Louis
XV； who； even in those evil times； was distinguished as an indolent；
frivolous； and sensual monarch。 With a depraved and cruel aristocracy and an
impoverished and ignorant lower class； the state financially embarrassed and
the people exasperated； it needed no prophet's eye to foresee a terrible
impending outbreak。 To the warnings of his counselors the king was
accustomed to reply： 〃Try to
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make things go on as long as I am likely to live； after my death it may be
as it will。〃 It was in vain that the necessity of reform was urged。 He saw
the evils； but had neither the courage nor the power to meet them。 The doom
awaiting France was but too truly pictured in his indolent and selfish
answer； 〃After me； the deluge！〃
By working upon the jealousy of the kings and the ruling classes； Rome had
influenced them to keep the people in bondage； well knowing that the state
would thus be weakened； and purposing by this means to fasten both rulers
and people in her thrall。 With farsighted policy she perceived that in order
to enslave men effectually； the shackles must be bound upon their souls；
that the surest way to prevent them from escaping their bondage was to
render them incapable of freedom。 A thousandfold more terrible than the
physical suffering which resulted from her policy； was the moral
degradation。 Deprived of the Bible； and abandoned to the teachings of
bigotry and selfishness； the people were shrouded in ignorance and
superstition； and sunken in vice； so that they were wholly unfitted for
self…government。
But the outwo