planations, a mere analysis of the production before us would leave most of our readers uninformed of the circumstances which gave rise to it.

Since the French revolution there has been a serious declension from former doctrines, in two of the Protestant cantons of Switzerland, which, from their having such celebrated universities as Geneva and Lausanne, are supposed to fix the tone of religious sentiment among the other reformed churches of that country. In the canton de Vaud, however, the departure from the strict principles of Calvin has not been so great as in that of Geneva, for while the ecclesiastical body of Lausanne have professed at least to adhere to the articles of the Helvetic creed, some of the members of "the venerable company" of pastors in Geneva have made little scruple of declaring their repugnance to it. In a future number we shall give a more detailed account of the movements in religion, which have occurred at Geneva, and we shall then take some pains to shew, that many pastors of the established church of that canton have seceded so far from the vital articles of the Christian faith, and have become so thoroughly Socinian, that Calvinism, in the most severe acceptation of the word, and any system of the Momiers, however reprehensible, are nearer to the principles of the Reformers, and are more likely by some happy re-action to be brought to flow back to the pure source, from whence they have streamed out, than the principles avowed by the present professor of theology, for example, in the academy of Geneva.

The word Momiers was first applied as a term of reproach to a religious party at Geneva, who endeavoured (whether by discreet or indiscreet measures, is not the question now before us) to restore the ancient doctrine and discipline of the Helvetic churches, from which they complained that their countrymen had declined. In a pamphlet published at Paris last year, under the title of "Histoire veritable des Momiers de Genève, we find the following passage: "Les Momiers, sur lesquels on a eu l'addresse d'appeler la derision populaire par une dénomination ridicule ne sont point une secte, ni une secte nouvelle. Ce ne sont que les anciens Calvinistes." In October 1818, a meeting of these persons, (who probably were hitherto undistinguished by any common name,) which it was understood would be held at a village near Geneva, was thus ironically announced in one of the public newspapers: "Dimanche prochain, a Ferney-Voltaire, la troupe des Momiers, sous la direction du Sieur Regentin, continuera ses exercises de Phantasmagorie, jouglerie, et tours de force simples." A more bitter term of reproach could not have been given: it implies all that buffoonery,

hypocrisy, and grimace, can render contemptible; and therefore we perfectly agree with the Baron de Stael in reprobating the adoption of such a term in a state paper, when applied to a portion of subjects who had not offended against any of the existing laws.

"Il y a une haute inconvenance de la part d'un governement, s'addressant dans un acte solennel au pays dont l'administration lui est confiée, à désigner par une épithète injurieuse des hommes irréproachable aux yeux de la loi, quelque jugement que l'on porte de leur doctrine si les torts des partis ont une sorte d'excuse dans la violence aveugle qui les dirige, comment excuser des magistrats de faire parler à la loi le language grossier des passions populaires." P. 5.

We believe there is no modern instance, in which our own government or parliament speaks of any sect in terms that could be considered offensive to them.

After giving some account of the progress of the party at Geneva, whom the author of the pamphlet calls "Chretiens Evangeliques designès Momiers," he tells us that a change of religious sentiments, analogous to that in the neighbouring canton, soon manifested itself in the Canton de Vaud; but he is by no means clear or satisfactory in the explanation which he offers of this change, or of the necessity of any counteracting influence. His remark seems to be, that the clergy of the Pays de Vaud were more orthodox in their profession of faith, but not less inclined to degenerate from Calvinistic principles than the Genevan pastors; and then follows one of those strange antitheses, which are so common and unintelligible among writers in the French language: "il avait conservé l'orthodoxie de l'esprit, mais cette orthodoxie du cœur, a laquelle les Chrétiens Evangéliques attachent une bien plus haute importance, s' était de plus en plus affaiblie," p. 16. We cannot make out the distinction; and therefore we do not think that those who separated from the established church of the Canton, and formed religious assemblies in Lausanne, and in other towns and villages, were equally justified in doing so with the separatists of Geneva. Several English travellers, and among the rest an English lady resident at Lausanne, took an active part in fanning the flame; and for this the latter was sent out of the country. Perhaps it was an arbitrary act which banished her, but who can approve of a foreigner's meddling with the ecclesiastical affairs of a State, where she has no political existence? It is no new opinion, that it is the business of a stranger in any foreign country to remain a spectator, and not to interfere with its institutions, "Peregrini autem, (says Cicero, De Off. lib. 1.) atque incolæ K

VOL. II. NO. III.

en proche parmi des matières si combustible, et avec la rapidité de l'incendie éclate enfin au dehors, par ces explosions, dont notre pauvre Suisse ne nous a donné que de trop frequens, et de trop déplorable exemples."

Instead of the Baron's double bien, we cannot but see twofold or rather manifold evil in all this, and particularly in a country like our own, (to which he refers as an instance of the imaginary benefits of sectarism,) where the national church has never failed, at any one period since its reformation, to produce the most brilliant examples of uncorrupt faith, and unblemished life and conversation. Great praise is lavished by our author upon Whitfield and Wesley, of whom he is pleased to say, "on doit reconnaitre qu'ils ont puissamment contribué à la régénération religieuse, dont l'Angleterre et L'Amerique offrent aujourd'hui un si frappant exemple," p. 11. In the next page he calls the spirit of disunion, which these preachers fostered, "une heureuse reaction, le developpement d'une nouvelle vie religieuse," and he goes on to attribute all the zeal displayed of late by the church of England, not to the willing efforts of Churchmen, but to the spur which has been applied to her side by sectarists. But if it be true, that the exertions of our established clergy have received an impulse from without, and not from within, we beg that Infidels and Arians may share the credit with Whitfieldites and Wesleyans; for assuredly Churchmen have been roused to do their duty to the utmost as much by the open assaults of anti-christian foes, as by the affected superiority of uncharitable detrac

tors.

It now remains for us to make some remarks upon the execution of the law enacted in the canton de Vaud against the new sects; and to shew, that however we may differ with the Baron upon the beneficial influence of sectarism, we are as sensible as he can be of the pernicious effects, which must always accompany a legislative measure like that of the "Arrêté du Conseil d'etat contre les Momiers." It was followed by a decree issued on the 20th of May, 1824, and published in the "Gazette de Lausanne" of the 21st of the same month, in which the suppression of religious assemblies is confirmed in five rigid articles.

66 DECRETE:

"Article 1st. Toute assemblée des partisans de cette secte; formée de personnes étrangères à la famille, pour y exercer le culte ou y célébrer quelqu'une des cérémonies de l'Eglise, est defendue et sera immédiatement dissoute.

66

2. Les personnes qui auront présidé ou dirigé ces assemblées, y

auront officié ou auront fourni le local, seront responsables et punies de l'une des peines qui suivent.

"3. Toute acte de prosélytisme ou de séduction tendant à gagner à cette secte, est interdit; et celui ou ceux qui s'en seraient rendus coupables seront punis de l'une des peines ci-après.

"Dans l'appréciation de la gravité du délit et dans l'application de la peine, les Tribunaux prendront en considération la séduction exercée envers les instituteurs des colleges ou écoles, envers les personnés du sexe, ou celles qui sont sous l'autorité de parens ou de

tuteurs.

4. Les contraventions aux articles 2 et 3 ci-dessus seront punies, ou par une amende qui ne pourra excéder six cents francs; ou par la défense d'aller ou de séjourner dans telle commune; ou par la confination dans une commune pour un tems qui ne pourra excéder une année; ou par une prison de discipline qui ne pourra excéder une année; ou enfin par un bannissement hors du Canton, qui ne pourra excéder trois ans.

"5. La défense d'aller ou de séjourner dans une commune sera convertie en confination du condamné dans sa commune pour un tems qui ne pourra excéder une année, dans le cas où il aurait enfreint cette défense.

"La confination dans une commune sera convertie en prison de discipline pour le reste du tems, si le condamné avait enfreint sa confination.

"Le bannissement hors du Canton sera converti en prison de discipline, pour le reste du tems, si le condamné avait rompu son ban."

Since the establishment of this law of penalties and imprisonments, several facts have taken place, and come to our know ledge, which shew how rigidly it has been enforced. In the month of July last, a respectable householder at Iverdun invited three of his neighbours to his house on a Sunday evening. After tea the Bible was introduced, a portion was read, and perhaps commented upon by some or the whole of the company, amounting to six in number. We are not sure whether they added the crime of saying prayers, for an alarm was given to this peaceful cottage fire-side, that there were spies or listeners about the door. Two days after an order from the magistrate was communicated to the offender, that he must quit Iverdun in fifteen days. He pleaded the number of years that he had spent in the place as a good and honest member of society; he represented how he must suffer in his affairs, since in so short a time as fifteen days he could hardly hope to dispose of the little property he had, except to great disadvantage: he begged even three days more to superintend his small harvest: the petition was cruelly denied. The next day the good

man's daughter ventured to wait upon the juge de paix,” and ask him, if a person could thus be sentenced without a trial or a hearing; for she was prepared to show that he had not even transgressed the arrêté. "Yes!" replied the minister of the law, "he can be sentenced without a hearing." The persecuted subject of a Christian and Protestant government, is now an exile !!

Monsieur Olivier, pastor at Aubonne, on the borders of the lake of Geneva, was lately brought up for trial at that place for having presided at a conventicle contrary to law. The circumstances of this trial are rather affecting; and remind us of the, persecutions under the Roman emperors, when the martyrs for the faith spake boldly, and contended for the truth as it is in Jesus. M. Olivier pleaded his cause with the meekness and eloquence of a real Christian: the judges condemned him to three years of exile; but we have been assured from eye-witnesses that many of the magistrates were seen to weep in consenting to the cruel sentence. The prisoner was led forth, and the multitude already began to feel some commiseration. "Ah! sir!" said the officer, who conducted the condemned criminal, would that you would return to us, to instruct us and do us good." Since this judgment was pronounced, we understand that the three years of exile have been commuted into one.

A similar circumstance has lately taken place at the well known residence of Ludlow-at Vevay. The victim is ano ther pastor of the name of M. Rochat, who has shared the same fate as the pastor of Aubonne! The trials of two more pastors are now pending at Lausanne; thus is the government employed in "hailing them to prison." But in the true spirit of those times, when bloody tribunals were erected in the feudal castles of tyrannic seniors, when the criminal was at once acicused, condemned, and secretly put away-none of these transactions that we have cited, may appear in the public prints. We have searched the Journals and Gazettes of the Pays de Waud in vain. A person out of the country, and destitute of private intelligence would never know the folly and weakness or the cruelty of this Protestant government. We feel as if we were discharging a duty to every religious community in thus exposing the secrets of a persecution, that has arisen among us in the 19th century. These instances will shew that this law is not made to intimidate, but actually to be executed, -and that in all its rigour; and it is only after having examined these cases that we have cited, that the matter comes home, and we can duly appreciate the nature of the proceeding. It is all very well to say, such fanatics are disturbers of the peace; they

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