Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. I.djvu/392

408 one author accusingly, “they then say that they have a still more costly pearl; a yet far more precious ornament in their store, and when any one desired to see it, they would bring forth the Holy Scriptures, and speak of that which they contain, according to their faith, so as to inspire a desire to purchase the book—and in this way they attract souls from us to their apostatized sect.” The Waldenses lived for a long time untroubled, amidst the defense of their mountains, their remote situation, and their pure, simple manners. They cultivated their fields, practiced a pure Christianity, and received the Holy Communion of bread and wine, conformably with the usage of the most ancient church. An author favorable to them says: “There is scarcely a woman to be found amongst them who cannot, as well as any man, read the whole text of the Scripture in their everyday tongue. They teach the pure doctrine, and exhort to a holy life.” In the eleventh century, a kind of poetical prose poem, called “La Noble Leçon,” testifies to the moral life and doctrines of the Waldenses. The church of the Waldenses had at that time founded flourishing colonies in Apulia and Calabria. They had connections with Dauphine and Provence, and are brethren in faith with the Albigenses, afterwards so cruelly persecuted.

But the little light which shone in darkness, began now to spread abroad too strong a brightness. The popedom, terrified at this, threatened the congregations with the excommunication if they did not conform to the customs and statutes of the Romish church. To