Ghost, and the hopes of a blessed resurrection. I really cannot divest my mind of the associations awakened by these affecting circumstances, connected with my visit to the very spot where they occurred.

The second persecution took place when Irenæus was bishop, in the year 202, about thirty or forty years after the first, and under the Emperor Severus, who is generally thought to have been governor of Lyon during the preceding one. Our accounts of it are slender. Gregory of Tours and the ancient martyrologists inform us, "that after several torments Irenæus was put to death, and together with him almost all the Christians of that populous city, whose numbers could not be reckoned, so that the streets of Lyon flowed with the blood of Christians." Mr. Milner thinks this statement may be somewhat exaggerated; but he considers that there is no circumstance of improbability in the fact itself, and that the known cruelty of Severus, and his former. connection with Lyon, gives to the persecu

tion a strong degree of credibility. It is to this second persecution that the subterraneous church of St. Irenée, and the inscription concerning the nineteen thousand Christians, refers. Milner says nothing of the vestiges and records of these two fiery trials, still subsisting at Lyon. But I cannot help thinking they add some weight to facts already attested by the evidence which I have detailed. At least

mind the connection is most instructive

to my
and affecting.

!;ཝཱ

We find that about the year 250, the Gospel which had so gloriously begun in Lyon, was flourishing and diffusing itself in France. A bishop named Saturninus was then at Thoulouse. Several other churches had been founded, as at Tours, Arles, Narbonne, and Paris. The bishops of Thoulouse and Paris afterwards suffered for the faith of Christ; but they left churches, in all probability, very flourishing in piety. And France in general was blessed with the light of salvation.

I say nothing here of Peter Waldo, the celebrated Reformer, of Lyon, because he did not flourish till the twelfth century. But I cannot altogether omit the name of Agobard, Archbishop of Lyon, in the ninth century, who wrote against the abuse of pictures and images, and boldly maintained that we ought not to worship any image of God, except that which is God himself, his eternal Son; and, that there is no other mediator between God and man, except Jesus Christ, both God and man-an early and clear testimony against Popish corruptions.

193

LETTER XVI.

Lyon, September 28.—Geneva, October 6th, 1823.

Second Sunday at Lyon-Library-Hôtel Dieu-Hôtel de la Charité-Sick Family-Journey to Geneva-Professor of Lausanne - Perte du Rhone - L'Ecluse-Ferney Voltaire-Catholics at Geneva-Fine Walks-Translation

of Scott-Satigny-Rejected Regent-Religious Doctrine -Plan of Central Switzerland-Cathedral-Library-: English Clergy-Sunday at Geneva-Minister from Les Cevennes Règlement-M. Simond's Defence answered.

Lyon, September 28th, 1823,

Sunday Evening.

MY DEAREST SISTER,

OUR sermon this morning, at the Protestant church was good; but not so simple and awakening as the vast concerns of eternity demand at the hand of the minister of the

VOL. II.

Gospel. I spoke, after service, to a respectable gentleman near me, who turned out to be a minister, the former pastor of a French Protestant church; for it is a curious thing, that after a certain age the Protestant clergy, though in the possession of all their powers, and in tolerably good health, retire, as no longer capable of exciting that effect which depends on powerful and energetic voice and action. This is quite shocking. It makes preaching a sort of rhetorical declamation, instead of the simple and authoritative manifestation of the truth of the Gospel. It commends itself to the taste, rather than the consciences of men. It relies on "the enticing words of man's wisdom," rather than the grace and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. In short, it "makes the Cross of Christ of none effect." This minister informed me there were five or six thousand Protestants in and about Lyon; and yet only one church, and one service in that church. There is a Bible Society which he tells me is not very flourishing. The Government now is not favourable to the Protestants.