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Protestantism in the Waldensian Valleys - James Aitken Wylie

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The century passed without any very noticeable<br />

event. The spiritual condition of <strong>the</strong> Vandots<br />

languished. The year 1789 brought with it<br />

astound<strong>in</strong>g changes. The French Revolution rung<br />

out <strong>the</strong> knell of <strong>the</strong> old times, and <strong>in</strong>troduced,<br />

amidst those earthquake-shocks that convulsed<br />

nations, and laid thrones and altars prostrate, a new<br />

political age. The Vaudois once aga<strong>in</strong> passed under<br />

<strong>the</strong> dom<strong>in</strong>ion of France. There followed an<br />

enlargement of <strong>the</strong>ir civil rights, and an<br />

amelioration of <strong>the</strong>ir social condition; but,<br />

unhappily, with <strong>the</strong> friendship of France came <strong>the</strong><br />

poison of its literature, and Voltairianism<br />

threatened to <strong>in</strong>flict more deadly <strong>in</strong>jury on <strong>the</strong><br />

Church of <strong>the</strong> Alps than all <strong>the</strong> persecutions of <strong>the</strong><br />

previous centuries. At <strong>the</strong> Restoration <strong>the</strong><br />

Waldenses were given back to <strong>the</strong>ir former<br />

sovereign, and with <strong>the</strong>ir return to <strong>the</strong> House of<br />

Savoy <strong>the</strong>y returned to <strong>the</strong>ir ancient restrictions,<br />

though <strong>the</strong> hand of bloody persecution could no<br />

more be stretched out.<br />

The time was now draw<strong>in</strong>g near when this<br />

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