Sketches of the Waldenses (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1846 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V. ERA OF THE REFORMATION IN EUROPE. Intercourse of the Vaudois with Luther and fficolampadius--Places of worship--Meetings in the open air--Mountain life--Hostile incurBions--The Barricade--Intercession of the duchess of Savoy--Efforts of Romanists--Framol. The era of the Reformation was now arrived, at which time scarcely an individual existed in any of the courts of Europe before whom the great question of religion was not, in some way or other, presented. From this period, the Waldenses appear more in public view, connected with others who protested against popery, and their history can be traced with more distinctness. They derived advantage from intercourse with the reformers. Some of their barbs, or pastors, conferred with Martin Luther, in 1526; and though not at first prepossessed in their favour, he discovered, on examination, that their views agreed with his on all essential points. "With Calvin and the other Swiss reformers, they were yet more closely connected. Indeed some of these had probably received their tenets, in part, at least, through the Vaudois' instrumentality. The inhabitants of the valleys also availed themselves of the introduction of printing, to obtain a complete edition of the Scriptures, in their own tongue. This translation was made by Olivetan, one of their pastors, assisted by Calvin, to whom he was related; it was printed at Neufchatel, at the cost of 1,500 gold crowns. This was the celebrated version afterwards adopted and revised by the divines of Geneva, in 1588. It may be left to the numerous histories of the Reformation to detail the progress of Protestant opinions in France, Germany, and elsewhere. Nor is it necessary to give the full correspondence which has been preserved, that passed between the Vaudois o...