We have revived, by means of Dr Heugh, the strong emotions of years gone by, when we waited with trembling the arrival of the post, and read, more in sorrow than in anger, the successive steps by which this servant of the Lord Jesus Christ was driven away. As in the case of the dispersion of the early disciples, it has tended to the furtherance of the gospel; and the savour of Dr Malan's piety and zeal has been extended to many parts of the world. Nevertheless, there is a woe to those who persecute Christ's little ones, deeper we apprehend than the privation which the venerable company inflicted on their own consistory when they expelled this holy man. The next public example of the persecuting spirit was that of the Rev. Dr Gaussen, pastor of Santigny. This man's preaching was distinctly evangelical from his entrance on the ministerial office in 1815, so that we have known foreign travellers forsake the barren pasture of the city to seek the food of the flock from his lips, even before Malan's afflictions had made him an object of interest to all Christian travellers. The aberration from rule which called Dr Gaussen under discipline was his preference as a class book in instructing the youth, of the Holy Scriptures over the now untruthful and dangerous catechism. His replies to the demands and rebukes of the consistory, though not so bold as those of Malan fifteen years before, must, we would hope, have touched the consciences of those to whom they were addressed. If not, at least they affected powerfully the minds of many of the people. Out of this persecution. sprang the Evangelical Society of Geneva, of which we have spoken in our number for July. Though now, under the Divine blessing, it is extending its operations, and promises to act as a healthy leaven in countries beyond the Swiss Cantons, its original design was to preserve evangelical truth from extinction in the city alone. First a room was opened for preaching the gospel, and next, the expanding view that embraced the future, led to the formation of a theological seminary, by which pious youths might obtain education without being exposed to the contagion of the Academy. Dr Gaussen was not alone at this interesting juncture. Merle d'Aubigné, who had retreated from the position of pastor in Brussels, was added for his help. He returned to his native city, not knowing what engagement the Head of the church had appointed him there, and with M. Galland and M. Pilet, associated in all the operations of the new society. It was in the close of 1831, that with much deliberation and many prayers, these men associated themselves to render more efficient their work for their gracious Lord. Their chapel of the Oratoire, and its varied Sabbath day services, is familiar now to the Christian tourist. It is with joy we hail the vigour and intrepidity with which these associates avowed the motives which actuated all their proceedings, in the face of the frowning hostility of the venerable company,' who might perchance regret at this point the angry and uncompromising speed with which they deprived themselves of all jurisdiction over these men, by casting them out. We are called on by our own position in Scotland, to exercise a lively fraternal sympathy with those who, in their address to the church, the university, and all the faithful, said,— "From the time that we understood our obligation, (to form this institution), we have made haste to place ourselves on its side, trusting in God alone; and we have taken this resolution, without having as yet ei ther external resources, which will be indispensable to us, or professors who will associate themselves with us, or even the knowledge of any student who will be disposed to follow our course. For all these things we have placed our confidence in God; and already, by his grace, for more than one object, our confidence is turned into vision. *** We dare then still to hope, that he will bring to us young Christians, disposed to consecrate their life to Him who hath loved them, and given himself a ransom for their souls. They will doubtless anticipate with interest the success which he prepares for them, although they must, during the term of their studies, expect from the Lord, not from us, the subsequent employment of their talents and zeal, and thus our institution will itself become the proof and the measure of the faith which animates them," &c. P. 128. Their faith and hope have not been put to shame, as in the preparatory seminary they now number forty students,-in the theological sixteen. Under such tutors, or rather under such a Saviour as He to whom they cleave, we may anticipate, and they have already received, blessings. We must refer to the reports of the society for an account of its exertions, both Interior and Foreign, and repeat, as we have said before, that our co-operation is loudly called for,that their successes encourage, and their zeal provokes us, as servants of the same Master, to unite heart and hand with them. While Puseyism is overflowing England, and Popery, after its peculiar method, insinuating itself, the Genevan society has not a few members of its infant churches, who are converts from Romanism, and it has a considerable influence even where converts have not yet been made. What do we? If we do not assume an attitude of aggression, and come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty, we shall become weak and small, or, which would be far preferable to falling away, be strengthened only by the arousing effects, and the grace bestowed under the afflictions of persecution. We find in the volume a clear and true detail of the endeavours of the late Robert Haldane for the instruction of the students at Geneva in 1817, and gladly own among the leaders of the church of the Oratoire, and the founders of the Evangelical Society, men whose views of sacred truth were first corrected and opened by means of his teaching. Honour to whom honour is due! We also observe in the movement in Geneva, as elsewhere, and in the expectations and sentiments of Dr Heugh, some fruit of the mission of Mr Baird to Europe, and some promise that the designs of those philanthropists of America who sent him out will be accomplished, by the more complete mutual acquaintance of Christians in remote countries, and their concert and support in aggression against the enemy. The plan of evangelizing now adopted may, we conjecture, be traced to Mr Baird's movements and suggestions, and we not only sympathise in the refreshment and consolation that is afforded to lonely mountain pastors, by receiving visits from such fathers as D'Aubigné and Gaussen, but we look for fruit among the scattered flocks that shall spring up to everlasting life. In its contiguity to the country which was the cradle of the Reformation,-in its early obtaining of the Holy Scriptures, when they were relieved from their long imprisonment,-in the characters of its faithful men, who awoke from Popish delusions, and stood forth as champions of the truth,-above all, in its steadfast and long-suffering martyrs, who adhered to the faith till they were trodden out as a torch is extinguished under foot of the night-robber and destroyer, -in all these things Belgium comes behind none of the countries. After all their changes of rulers,-all their sufferings from being made the battle-field on which other nations fought out their quarrels, and all their struggles for independence, we hoped that the revolution of 1830, which formed them into a separate kingdom, would have done something towards their emancipation from Romish idolatry-specially when Leopold of Germany, a man Protestant by profession as by heritage, was elevated to reign over them. We hoped that the blood of martyrs shed upon their soil had still some seed, which would have sprung forth with vigour when toleration was proclaimed as the new order of government. The removal of disabilities, such as the exclusion from honourable employment of those termed heretics, led to the hope that truth, which had been crushed to earth, would rise again; but we have been hitherto disappointed. It is possible to trace a succession of faithful witnesses surviving the long and dreary persecutions of Spain, and the succeeding not so bloody, but quite as deadening influences; and we looked on these as tokens, not of a scanty, but of a bountiful harvest. But its time has not yet come. We shudder when we see there, as is too much our degrading case at home, expediency guiding where principle ought to rule; and the lust to govern leading to the flattery of the governed. It was a master stroke of policy when Belgium's Protestant king was united to a daughter of France. Doubtless the pope and his nuncio smiled at the auspicious move ment, and counted for their own the monarch who was influenced by policy to such a union. It is in vain that he should excuse himself by pleading the liberal constitution of the government, liberty on paper, while the countenance, the promotions, the mutual help, are all on the Popish side, which forms a strong majority. This is an influence which an honest Protestant ruler had it in his power to counteract. The schools for poor children are placed under the authority of the priesthood. In the sad and shameful detail of what took place last year at the coronation of the Virgin Mary in one of the largest churches of Brussels, we see how much greater is the desire of Leopold to live in the smile of his people, than to guide them aright. He assisted himself, and his little boy made his first appearance at church at this coronation. We sicken while we dwell on it, and wonder much if the gratulatory shout of 30,000 persons, when they saw their king come forth to countenance this fearful act of idolatry, did not rather alarm than cheer him. We wonder if his acquaintance with the command not to worship a graven image did not turn all his popular applause into gall for him. We wonder if, when the cardinal consecrated himself, and his queen, and his son, the Duke of Brabant, to Mary, there was nothing in the act that shocked his common sense; or if even his width of liberalism was not alarmed at the profanation; and this man might have been king, not of Belgium, but of Britain. He is the uncle and friendly adviser of Britain's queen, and thus we turn our sorrowing thoughts homeward. But we must not lose sight of Belgium. The constitution of 1830, giving equal privileges to the Protestant minority with the Popish majority, by law, has been a great relief to the suffering people. They also receive support from the state in the small proportion of L.2,120 for Protestants to L.164,000 for Catholics, which may enable us to form a conclusion as to their relative numbers. They now no longer conceal the copy of the Scriptures in the thatch of their roof, or possess only one copy in a whole village, which they dare to read only when assembled at midnight. These days of trembling are over, and now they have their assemblies for public worship, and their recognized and paid pastors. They have also some churches supported by voluntary contribution, and with these we may conjecture the spiritual life is, as it is from one of them that the Belgian Evangelical Society has sprung. From this society, as from its counterpart in Switzerland, we look that light should again be shed over this country, now sunk in darkness. This society follows on the back of the British and Foreign Bible Society, which has spread pretty extensively the word of God by means of Colporteurs. It is by aid from Britain also that the first Belgian evangelists were sent forth in 1837. In five years of these men's labours, 306 families have quitted the Romish Church, and joined congregations formed by them. 200 of these give evidence of receiving the word as the power of God unto salvation. Thirteen paid agents-thirty different stations for preaching the gospel-ten houses of prayer opened-five schools established where the word of God is read-besides the thousands whose attention is drawn by the tract colporteurs. These are encouraging tokens, which we gladly communicate in this hasty manner, desiring to draw the attention of our readers to the new and extending field of labour thus spread before us. It seems that toleration has opened a door in Belgium, by which truth may still enter and pervade the land. It is with much gratification that we meet the catholic spirit of the author of this volume embracing the follower of the Lord in every denomination,-prompt in just indignation against all treachery, spiritual dominion, and presumption; and flowing out in generous sympathy with all the faithful, both in their trials and prosperities. This is the mind that will pervade all the children of God when a happier era in the church arrives, and to this we must be daily approximating. An allied army must not stop to debate about the variety of their regimentals in the day of conflict. They have one Standard-bearer, one Leader, and if they will be victors over the great enemy, it must be by unity of purpose in adhering to Him, and a generous throwing aside of all differences which do not compromise principle. Dr Heugh bears a generous testimony to the living and acting Protestants of whom he treats, and reminds us, not in so many words, but by his spirit, that we be all brethren, and are all alike concerned to glorify Him who is our living Head ART. III-Archives, ou Correspondence Inedite de la Maison d'Orange Nassau, &c. &c. &c. Par M. G. GROEN VAN PRINSTERER, &c. &c. Première Série. Leide: 1841. We will not detain the reader with any prefatory remarks, in resuming our notice of the volumes before us. The times, the persons; the principles, the parties; the diversity of interests and prejudices; religion, nationality, ambition, avarice; the lofty spirit of chivalry and the low subterfuges of cowardice and selfishness-all these, in an infinite variety of complications, make our materials far too interesting of themselves, to admit of attempting more than compression and arrangement. Our former notice was merely prefatory.* The first volume comprises the period from 1552 to 1565, and * See Presbyterian Review for January 1844, Art. I. |