The Religious Movement in France
By B. G. Wilkinson
We behold at this moment in certain close countries an extension of Protestantism. In France the department of Gers has seen, in less than two years, three groups in the population withdraw from Rome. Friday, the first of November, day of La Toussaint, the little community of Préchac, in the district of Lectoure (Gers) witnessed a sensational sight. Its priest, Abbot Bonnet, ascended the pulpit, and announced to his flock that it was the last time he would celebrate that service. He then read a letter addressed to the archbishop of Auch, in which he declared that he had abandoned Catholicism, and adopted Protestantism. That same evening a Protestant minister was called to preach at the hour of vespers, which he did. But that was not all. On the morrow Father Bonnet announced that he would hold a religious meeting at Fleurance, a neighboring village of Préchac. Fleurance is a large village, the chief place in the canton, with a population of about three thousand. Formerly its population was entirely Catholic, but a few years ago a religious movement took place in which a company of the inhabitants disunited from the Roman Church, and a Protestant church has since been built there. Nevertheless that movement had not given the results for which Protestantism looked; and the majority of the population remained attached to the ancient church. Now, the priest Bonnet came to hold a public service, assisted by an ancient Catholic priest, by the name of Meillon, who has since become a Protestant minister. The same day a number of faithful Catholics posted on the walls the following placard: “Dear Fleurantins, a disgraceful thing is going to be committed in our city this evening. Two apostates wish to justify before us their disgraceful apostasy. In choosing Fleurance for the scene of their maneuvers, they put upon you an unqualified injury, an odious outrage. You will judge what these new Judases merit. Outraged, we protest against their acts, their bad intentions.” But this proclamation had just the opposite effect from what its authors had hoped. One hour before the meeting, an enormous crowd, composed of the Catholic residents of Fleurance and of the neighboring villages, thronged at the doors of the church. It is impossible to describe how that great crowd entered the church. Over a thousand persons remained at the doors. Before those who had found entrance three ministers—Meillon, the minister of Sainte-Dode, and the former priest of Préchac—successively preached. The latter set forth in clear terms how and why he had abandoned the Roman priesthood. So great was the desire to hear, that he was compelled to hold meeting after meeting. Since then the movement has grown great, and a Protestant minister will be placed in the community. Without doubt there is nothing yet which can seriously frighten Rome. For the want of a monk, the abbey will not close; and as to the companies, they are yet not very considerable. But the fact is not the less characteristic. We see in the Gers the same sight which we see in the Charente, where the Protestant movement was started, and continues to-day, by the priests who have separated from Rome.—Translated from the Tribune, of Geneva, Switzerland, by B. G. Wilkinson.