Chapter VI: Book THE FIFTH

FROM THE EDICT OF TOLERATION TO THE PRESENT TIME.

(1787-1851.)

I.

General considerations.—Revolution of 1789.—Laws of the Constituent
Assembly concerning religious liberty.—Rabaut.—Saint Etienne.
—Analysis of one of his speeches.—His character and his death.
—Proposition of Dom Gerle.—New decrees respecting the Protestants.
—_Page 446-453._

II.

Religious divisions in the south.—Origin and cause of these troubles.
—François Froment.—Measures of the conspirators.—Popular rising
at Montauban.—Nismes.—Report to the Constituent Assembly.—Rigour
against the clergy.—The Decade.—Abjurations.—Persecutions.
—Re-establishment of freedom of worship.—Death of Paul Rabaut.
—_Page 453-462._

III.

The Concordat.—First measures of the Consular Government with
reference to the Protestants.—Law of the 18th Germinal, year X.
—Comparison of the old and new organization of the churches.—Speech
of Napoleon to the presidents of the consistories.—State of the
Protestants under the empire.—Creation of the faculty of
theology of Montauban.—Projects of union.—_Page 462-473._

IV.

Return of the Bourbons.—Charter of 1814.—Provocations against the
Protestants in the south.—The hundred days.—The reaction.—Massacres
at Nismes and the department of Gard.—M. Voyer-d’Argenson.
—Assassination of General Lagarde.—Re-establishment of worship at
Nismes.—The pastors of Gard.—_Page 473-481._

V.

Double influence under the restoration.—Augmentation of the budget
of the creeds, and other measures favourable to the Protestants.
—Intrigues of the clerical party.—Trial of M. Paul Roman.—Pretension
of parcelling out the Protestants within certain limits.—Resistance
of the consistories.—Catholic missionaries.—Controversies.
—Non-execution of the Charter.—_Page 482-489._

VI.

Internal condition of Protestantism.—Religious life.—M. Daniel
Encontre.—His education, talents, and labours.—Foundation of the
Bible Society and other religious associations.—The Baron de Staël.
—Evangelization.—Félix Neff.—The Protestants of the Upper Alps.
—Protestant literature under the restoration.—_Page 489-497._

VII.

Revolution of 1830.—Agitation at Nismes.—The Charter revised.—M.
Dupin’s opinion on religious liberty.—Hopes of the Protestants.—Plan
of ecclesiastical organization.—Different ameliorations.—Attempts
to proselytize among the Catholics.—Opposition of the government.
—Fetters imposed upon legal Protestantism.—Debates in the Chambers.
—Instances of intolerance.—_Page 497-506._

VIII.

Internal situation.—The question of the confessions of faith.—M.
Stapfer.—M. Samuel Vincent.—The question of the separation of Church
and State.—M. Alexandre Vinet.—The Protestant press under the reign
of Louis Philippe.—Charitable institutions.—Religious societies.
—Admiral Ver-Huell.—Dissenters.—_Page 506-514._

IX.

Revolution of 1848.—Debates upon the separation of the two powers.
—Gathering of the Protestant delegates at Paris.—Synodal assembly
of September, 1848.—Schism.—Project of ecclesiastical organization.
—Articles of the Constitution respecting the freedom of creeds.
—Conclusion.—_Page 515-519._