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CHAPTER 16
EARLY WALDENSIAN HEROES*

(There is a wonderful book written during the 1800's by a man named J.A. Wylie called History of the Waldenses. We are going to take some facts and stories from his book for Part 4 of Truth Triumphant for Young People.)

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help." Psalm 121:1.

Many times the mountains have provided refuge for God's people in times of danger. Lot and his daughters fled to the hills surrounding Sodom to escape the destruction of their doomed city. We know that David and his men often hid in caves to hide from the murderous plans of King Saul and his army. Jesus spent long nights in prayer in the mountains as He communed with God for victory over Satan's temptations.

The book of Revelation tell us that God's Church (the woman) would have to flee into the wilderness where God had prepared a place for her to be safe from the dragon (Satan). "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." Revelation 12:6.

As we study the geography of Europe we see a place of refuge that God prepared for His people. In northwestern Italy, southeastern France and northern Spain we see towering mountain which provided a protective wall between those who wanted to follow God and those who wanted to destroy them. In the quiet valleys among the towering mountains we find the home of those we will call the Church in the Wilderness. These people were used by God to protect the scriptures and keep truth pure from the corruptions which Rome was bringing into her worship.

When Constantine in AD 300 declared that all Christian churches must recognize the authority of the Church of Rome there began a struggle between those who wished to remain loyal to God and those who chose to follow man. This Church in the Wilderness was known by many different names but we will most often refer to them as the Waldenses. As we go through the history of these people we will learn about the Albegenses, Vaudois, Leonists, and Lollards who were the "brothers" of the Waldenses. 

The history of these people is very ancient. Some have said that the Waldenses were started by Peter Waldo who was a wealthy merchant of Lyons, France about 1175. Although he was a wonderful man who gave his fortune to the help the poor and to spread the gospel, he was not the founder of the Waldenses. That honor goes to Vigilantius – a man of God we met in the first part of our "Truth Triumphant" story. Those who received the gospel from the apostles soon recognized that they would have to join the Church of Rome in her manmade traditions or they would become her enemy by upholding the truths of the Bible. The "men of the valleys" were those who upheld God's Word during a time of darkness in Europe.

Columbanus and his fellow missionaries had done their work well. Powerful evangelists, trained in their schools, helped to bring the gospel to those who were living in superstition and ignorance. Early Waldensians spoke openly against the changes being made to Christianity by the leaders of the Roman Church. At the Council of Frankfort in AD 794 the Waldensian pastors rejected the authority of Rome when they refused the Church's decree to worship images.

God blessed His Church in the Wilderness with strong leadership. Claude of Turin was born in Spain but was called by the prince of Turin to come and be its bishop. When Claude arrived he found the city full of evils such as stealing, superstition, image worship and wrong practices. He immediately began a reformation among the worshipers. He said, "If a man ought not to worship the works of God, much less should he worship and reverence the works of men." In speaking against the worship of the cross he preached, "God has commanded us to bear the cross; not to pray to it." "Claude wanted to know why they should adore the cross and not also worship many other things – as mangers, fishing boats, trees, thorns, and lances – with which Jesus came in contact. He also defended himself against those who reviled him because he denounced pilgrimages." Truth Triumphant 223, 224.

One of the Waldensian heroes was Henry of Lausanne. He taught from scripture in such a simple and powerful way that many were convicted of sin and he lead numerous people were converted. Henry wrote a book which exposed the falsehoods coming into the Roman Church. The pope became worried about its effect on the papacy and sent for the help of a trusted warrior of the Church, Bernard of Clairvaux. He was a powerful person - we are told he even influenced the choice of who would be the new pope.  Bernard had helped the Church by trained Irishmen in Romish doctrine then sent them back to their native Ireland to undermine and disrupt the work done by the followers of Patrick. Rome hoped he would be able to stop this new "heretic."

Under the direction of Bernard it was arranged to put Henry of Lausanne to death. In Bernard's own words here were the reasons such action was needed: "How great are the evils which I have heard and known that the heretic Henry has done and is daily doing in the church of God! A ravening wolf in sheep's clothing is busy in your land, but by our Lord's direction I know him by his fruits. … Churches are regarded as synagogues, the sanctuary of God is said to have no sanctity, the sacraments are not thought to be sacred, feast days are deprived of their wonted solemnities." Truth Triumphant 240.

There was another voice that Bernard of Clairvaux worked to silence. Arnold of Brescia was a spiritual man with a brilliant mind. He preached in Switzerland, Germany, France and southern Italy.  From the pulpit he opposed transubstantiation, infant baptism and prayers for the dead. He was just as vocal in favor of a democratic type of ministry and in attacking the union of church and state. Many wealthy and influential men heard him and supported him. This greatly concerned Bernard who demanded that all Arnold's books be burned.

During this time the city of Rome was in turmoil. The citizens were calling for a civil government and they succeeded in getting the pope to flee the city. Into this unstable situation Arnold arrived. Even though he had spoken out against a union of church and state, he fell into a trap by sanctioning the use of force to rid the city of the influence of the Roman Church. The people welcomed him and he took over the leadership of the government. He separated the church from the civil affairs and set up the Roman senate again as the ruling power.

Arnold taught the scriptures rather than the traditions of men and people joined God's true church in great numbers. However this triumph didn't last long and soon the pope and the emperor joined together to unseat Arnold and again control Rome. This brave man was burned and his ashes were thrown into the Tiber River. However, his influence could not be so easily put away. We are told, "The Waldenses look up to Arnold as one of the spiritual founders of their churches; and his religious and political opinions probably fostered the spirit of republican independence which throughout Switzerland and the whole Alpine district was awaiting its time." Truth Triumphant 243.

Around 1160 or 1170 Peter Waldo began to preach and he used his considerable wealth as a merchant to translated the Bible into the common language. He used the Itala rather than the Latin Vulgate. It would be good to note that this Bible influenced those translations later made by Martin Luther, William Tindale, Wycliffe and others. During the Reformation when Willaim Farrel visited the valleys and saw the handmade copies of their Bible, he insisted that the whole Bible be translated into French and be given to the new reformation church in France as a gift. As Dr. Wilkinson says, "Through the long night of the Dark Ages these people were a sanctuary for the Holy Scriptures. They were the ark in Europe which safely carried the Bible across the stormy waters of medieval persecution." 

Peter Waldo preached that the papacy was the "man of sin" and the "beast" spoken of in Revelation. He moved from Lyons to the north of France to escape persecution but was forced to flee to Bohemia as Satan's agents ruthlessly pursued him. Here Waldo continued to preach and teach and many people were won to Christ. As they experienced the anger of the Roman Church many of these faithful Christians joined the Waldenses in the valleys of northern Italy. Persecution did what it always has done – it spread the truth.

CHAPTER 17
THE CAUSE OF ROME'S ANGER

Waldensian leaders kept their Church strong and united on Bible principles. However, human tradition continued to grow in the Roman Church. God's people read in Isaiah 58:1, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." They loudly denounced the falsehoods which were sweeping away the truths of the Bible. "They held that… the Pope's pardons were a cheat; that purgatory was a fable; that relics were simply rotten bones which had belonged to one knew not whom, … that holy water was not a whit more efficacious than rain water; and that prayer in a barn was just as effectual as if offered in a church. They were accused, moreover, of having scoffed at the doctrine of transubstantiation, and of having spoken blasphemously of Rome as the harlot of the Apocalypse." History of the Waldenses 17. Because they spoke against the Church of Rome the Waldensians were labeled as "heretics."

Labeling an enemy with a belittling name is one of Satan's favorite ways to demonize a person or group. Remember the time that Elijah, under the power of God, prayed that no rain should fall on Israel until they repented and followed God? When Ahab met God's prophet three and a half years into the famine what did he call him – "he that troubleth Israel." Joseph was called "this dreamer" by his jealous and ungodly brothers and even Jesus was labeled as one who "hath an unclean spirit." We see Rome doing this against the Waldenses. Rome called them by various names such as Henricians, Berengarians, Paulicians, Insabbatati, and Petrobrusians.  This was to demonize the influence of courageous leaders such as Peter de Bruys, the Apostle Paul, Henry of Lausanne and Berengarius.

The papacy also used outright lies to excite fear of these gentle people of the valleys. We are told that one king, Charles II, asked to have some Waldensian children brought to his court. Although it seemed a strange request, twelve children and their mothers came to the court and the king examined them carefully. "He found them well formed, and testified his admiration of their healthy faces, clear eyes, and lively prattle. He had been told, he said, that 'the Vaudois children were monsters, with only one eye placed in the middle of the forehead, four rows of black teeth, and other similar deformities.'" History of the Waldenses 52.

Name-calling did not cause the Waldensian Church to stop speaking out against errors in the Roman Church. A book was written which supported the idea that the priest had the power to change the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper into the actual body and blood of Jesus. The Church in the Wilderness strongly attacked this new heresy and this made the Church of Rome even angrier with the Church in the Wilderness.

A poem has been written to show the foolishness of this belief of transubstantiation. I think you too will see the danger of believing doctrines that do not come from the Bible.

"A Roman Miracle"  

   A pretty maid, a Protestant, was to a Catholic wed;
   To love all Bible truths and tales, quite early she'd been bred.
   It sorely grieved her husband's heart that she would not comply,
   And join the Mother Church of Rome and heretics deny.

   So day by day he flattered her, but still she saw no good
   Would ever come from bowing down to idols made of wood.
   The Mass, the host, the miracles, were made but to deceive;
   And transubstantiation, too, she'd never dare believe.

    He went to see his clergyman and told him his sad tale.
   "My wife is an unbeliever, sir; you can perhaps prevail;
   For all your Romish miracles my wife has strong aversion,
   To really work a miracle may lead to her conversion."

   The priest went with the gentleman – he thought to gain a prize.
   He said, "I will convert her, sir, and open both her eyes."
   So when they came into the house, the husband loudly cried,
   "The priest has come to dine with us!" "He's welcome," she replied.

   And when, at last, the meal was o'er, the priest at once began,
   To teach his hostess all about the sinful state of man;
   The greatness of our Savior's love, which Christians can't deny,
   To give Himself a sacrifice and for our sins to die.

   "I will return tomorrow, lass, prepare some bread and wine;
   The sacramental miracle will stop your soul's decline."
   "I'll bake the bread," the lady said. "You may," he did reply,
   "And when you've seen this miracle, convinced you'll be, say I."

   The priest did come accordingly, the bread and wine did bless.
   The lady asked, "Sir, is it changed?" The priest answered, 'Yes,
   It's changed from common bread and wine to truly flesh and blood;
   Begorra, lass, this power of mine has changed it into God!"

   So having blessed the bread and wine, to eat they did prepare.
   The lady said unto the priest, "I warn you to take care,
   For half an once of arsenic was mixed right in the batter,
   But since you have its nature changed, it cannot really matter."

   The priest was struck real dumb – he looked as pale as death.
   The bread and wine fell from his hands and he did gasp for breath.
   "Bring me my horse!" the priest cried, "This is a curse home!"
   The lady replied, "Begone; 'tis you who shares the curse of Rome."

   The husband, too, he sat surprised, and not a word did say.
   At length he spoke, "My dear," said he, "the priest has run away;
   To gulp such mummery and tripe, I'm not for sure, quite able;
   I'll go with you and we'll renounce this Roman Catholic fable."

There were other areas where the Waldenses could not agree with the Church of Rome. One of these was on which day of the week should be the holy day of rest. By this time the Church of Rome was making the transition from Saturday worship to Sunday sacredness. In AD 864 the king of Bulgaria, and his nation, were converted by Greek missionaries. They did not use the Latin Vulgate but had scripture translated from the original Greek. "Again the Sabbath question became prominent. The churches of the East from earliest days had sanctified Saturday as the Sabbath, and wherever Sunday had crept in, religious services were observed on both days. Bulgaria in the early season of its evangelization had been taught that no work should be performed on the Sabbath." Truth Triumphant 231, 232. 

We know that in 1194 the king of Aragon issued a decree saying, "We command you in imitation of our ancestors and in obedience to the ordinances of the church, that heretics, to wit, Waldenses, Insabbathi and those who call themselves the poor of Lyons and all other heretics should be expelled away from the face of God and from all Catholics and ordered to depart from our kingdom." We are told by a famous member of the Inquisition that, "Insabbatat was the name given to the Vaudois." Truth Triumphant 260.  

We are told by Erasmus, a famous editor during the Reformation, that as late as 1500 there were people in Bohemia who kept the seventh-day Sabbath. We learned Peter Waldo was exiled to that country and he would have influenced their beliefs.  As Lewis said, "They hold that none of the ordinances of the church that have been introduced since Christ's ascension ought to be observed, being of no worth; the feasts, fasts, orders, blessings, offices of the church and the like, they utterly reject."

It is interesting to look at a modern example of how the Catholic Church gradually introduced Sunday worship into an area where the seventh-day Sabbath was kept.  In Acts 8 we are told about Philip studying and converted the Ethiopian eunuch. This man went back to his country and taught his queen the same gospel that the disciples were taking to the entire world. Because of the rise of Mohammedanism in the Middle East the rest of the world forgot the Ethiopian Christians in northeast of Africa. It wasn't until the early part of the sixteenth century that Moslem warriors attacked Ethiopia. The king sent a message to Portugal asking for support against the invaders. In 1541 troops arrived to help their Christian brothers. Imagine the surprise of the Catholic Portuguese to find out that this "Christian" nation observed the Jewish seventh-day Sabbath along with Sunday!

Soon Jesuit missionaries arrived and through captivity, torture and death convinced the Emperor Susenyos to convert to the Roman Catholic Church. In 1622 it was proclaimed that Catholicism was the new state religion of Ethiopia. However, when a law was passed that required everyone to work on the seventh-day Sabbath the people and ministers rebelled. Up to that time the people had compromised by keeping both Saturday and Sunday as rest days, but they were not willing to give up the sacredness of Saturday. Only the king, the nobles and those that worked in the palace kept the new religion.

The protests that followed caused a bitter civil war and many were killed. One of the emperor's sons, Facilidas, spoke to his father and said, "These people are not pagans; they are not Muslims. Why are we killing our own people; some of them are even our relatives." The king realized he was wrong in persecuting his subjects so he stepped down as the ruler. He appointed his son, Facilidas, to lead the nation. Under new leadership people were again given the freedom to worship as they chose.

I know a man from Ethiopia and he says that even up till forty years ago it was common for people in the smaller villages to have two days of worship – Saturday and Sunday. It is interesting how changes were brought about in these remote areas. Sabbath (Saturday) was a solemn day, often with fasting, while Sunday was a feast day with games and songs. The children of course did not look forward to the Sabbath while Sunday was a happy day to enjoy. Through the years the people began to lose their love for the Sabbath and place their allegiance on the "fun" day of worship. Thus in most parts of Ethiopia today the history of Sabbathkeeping is being erased. 

We are told that another storm of anger and persecution is coming. Revelation 12:17 tells us, "And the dragon (that's Satan) was wroth with the woman (that's God's people), and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Will we stand as firm against error and as strongly for truth as did the Waldenses?

CHAPTER 18
TRAINING OF THE WALDENSIAN YOUTH

Education is one of the most important ways to maintain a strong and healthy church. Early defenders of truth like Patrick, Columba, and Aiden understood this and founded training schools for the youth. One of the reasons why the Reformation had such power was that men like Melancthon and Martin Luther knew the value of teaching students the ways of God. They started educational centers where the truth was taught to the youth.

The Waldenses knew that they needed a strong group of young people to carry on the work of God. In The Great Controversy 67 we are told how parents trained their children to remain faithful to God. "Parents, tender and affectionate as they were, loved their children too wisely to accustom them to self-indulgence. Before them was a life of trial and hardship, perhaps a martyr's death. They were educated from childhood to endure hardness, to submit to control, and yet to think and act for themselves. Very early they were taught to bear responsibilities, to be guarded in speech, and to understand the wisdom of silence. One indiscreet word let fall in the hearing of their enemies, might imperil not only the life of the speaker, but the lives of hundred of his brethren; for as wolves hunting their prey did the enemies of truth pursue those who dared to claim freedom of religious faith."

Living in the mountain valleys the Waldenses knew all about hard work. They were farmers who had to work carefully every piece of land to plant the fruits, grains and vegetables that would provide food for them and their herds and flocks. "Economy and severe self-denial formed a part of the education which the children received as their only legacy. They were taught that God designs life to be a discipline, and that their wants could be supplied only by personal labor, by forethought, care, and faith. The process was laborious and wearisome, but it was wholesome, just what man needs in his fallen state, the school which God has provided for his training and development." The Great Controversy 67, 68.

We are told that the Bible was used as the textbook for all the Waldensian students. Before the days of printing presses all Bibles were reproduced by hand. Many hours were spent in the slow process of copying scripture to be shared with those who were seeking for truth. This meant there were few copies of scripture and even small portions were valued and treasured. The youth were required to memorize whole books of scripture so if necessary they would be able to reproduce the entire Bible if their precious copies of scripture were destroyed during the persecutions which they experienced.

Many of the young men left their valley homes and traveled to the large seminaries in Lombardy or to the Sorbonne at Paris. These young people knew that they would be exposed to temptations but they had developed characters which prepared them to meet Satan and his sneaky assaults. They recognized that they could not become trusting of anyone. They were not at school to become friends with the world, but rather were ambassadors for their King. They were such examples of kindness, honesty, industry and piety that many of the people whom they boarded with were influence favorably for truth. As they attended classes and asked questions, many of their fellow students and even instructors were challenged to study deeper into the scriptures.

At these educational centers they became fluent in various languages so they would be able to translate the scriptures into the common language of the people. We are told that they would go from place to place posing as merchants selling silks, jewelry and other rare goods. When they were welcomed into a home they would look for an opportunity to present scripture to those who seemed open to spiritual things. Carefully sewn into their clothing were portions of the Bible which they had written out to give to those who were searching for truth. In this careful way God's Word was placed in the hands of wealthy citizens and even those of the nobility.

Some students studied music. They became trained troubadours going from place to place singing as entertainment to both wealthy and poor. Most of their music was prepared so that as they sang they were delivering a sermon to their audience. Before the youth were asked to serve as pastors in their valleys they were expected to serve three years as missionary evangelists. During these years of training they learned tact, wisdom, faith and reliance on God that would make them godly leaders of their people.

The Church in the Wilderness was responsible for helping bring about the Reformation. As missionaries presented portions of scripture they also spoke about the deceptions that were part of the Roman Church. "The glad response was heard: 'No more long pilgrimages to make; no more painful journeys to holy shrines. I may come to Jesus just as I am, sinful and unholy, and He will not spurn a penitential prayer." The Great Controversy 75. Lollard, a Waldensian missionary to England, was the one who paved the way for Wycliffe who is known as the "Morning Star of the Reformation." We are told that "Huss and Jerome, Luther and Calvin did little more than carry on the work begun by the Vaudois missionaries." Truth Triumphant 249.

CHAPTER 19
PERSECUTIONS

All the missionary activity of the Waldenses caused great concern for the papacy. For over a thousand years the Roman Church turned her armies on the Waldenses. Although there were persecutions before AD 1200 the people lived in relative peace and prosperity. That all changed when Innocent III took the seat of papal power. He was determined to get rid of this large group of heretics. He could see that their evangelizing spirit, their distributing of the sacred scriptures and their failure to obey Rome would all cause problems for the papacy. He issued a bull. He sent armies into the valleys and they soon burned and ruined the Waldenses' fields and cities. John XXII continued the persecutions as more inquisitors entered the valleys to stamp out these heretics.

Most of the recorded history of the Waldenses was destroyed during the fierce persecutions, but one of the famous leaders, Pastor Leger, sent books and documents to the libraries of Cambridge and Geneva. Those who were leaders in the Protestant Reformation preserved these important records. They were recognized as a valuable history both to the people of the valleys and to Protestants in other countries. Some of the stories we are going to relate are taken from this history by Leger. To give you an idea of what these people of the valleys experienced we will describe some of the worst persecutions they experienced.

All through their history, the people of the valleys had looked on the mountains as a place of safety from those who tried to kill them. One sad story happened on Christmas day of 1400. The people thought they were safe because of the deep snow and cold weather that covered the high passes leading into their protected valley. But the people were taken by surprise when Borelli and his armed troops marched in. The Waldensians were forced to flee their homes and quickly run for the refuge of the mountains carrying their old, sick and young. They were chased and the slow or weak were attacked and killed by the soldiers as they fled. In the morning, up on the mountain, fifty to eighty children were found dead from the cold; mothers and babies died together.

"But Rome saw that she was making no progress in the extermination of a heresy which had found a seat amid these hills, as firm as it was ancient. The numbers of the Waldenses were not thinned; their constancy was not shaken, they still refused to enter the Roman Church, and they met all the edicts and inquisitors, all the torturings and burnings of their great persecutors, with a resistance as unyielding as that offered by their rocks to the tempests of hail and snow which the whirlwinds of winter hurled against them." History of the Waldenses 31. In 1487 Pope Innocent VIII issued a bull in which he called all Catholics to help in this battle with the heretics. They were told that if they killed even one Waldensian they would have all their sins forgiven. The pope also said that any contracts that had been made with the Waldenses could be legally broken and it was forbidden to given help to any heretic.

These promises got many of the worst people in  society to sign up and join the army. The generals planned their strategy and decided that they would be most sure of success if they attacked the Waldenses from three different directions. The first assault was led by La Palu. When the meek Waldensian people saw the huge papal army enter through the pass into their valley, they quickly retreated to the mountains. They put the elderly and children into carts and took food and household goods that they needed for survival and began to climb Mont Pelvoux – 6000 feet over the valley. We are told they sang psalms as they climbed.

They went into a huge cave where the children, older people and women were put into the inner hall. They felt quite safe since it is said that they had provision for at least two years in the cave. The sheep and cattle were kept along the sides of the cave and the men barricaded the doorway of the cave and then took turns at keeping a lookout. Anyone foolish enough to try climbing up after them could easily be thrown over the cliff to a sure death..

However La Palu, the leader of this army, came up the mountain from the other side with a small group of soldiers. From on top of the cave he lowered his men to the cave's  entrance. The Waldensians seemed to "freeze" and rather than fight they hid in the cave with the others. La Palu ordered his soldiers to pile up all the wood they could find and set it on fire at the mouth of the cave. Black smoke rolled into the cave and the people had the choice of dying of smoke inhalation or fleeing the cave and being killed by the soldier's swords. "When the cavern was afterward examined," says Muston, "there were found in it four hundred infants, suffocated in their cradles, or in the arms of their dead mothers. Altogether there perished in this cavern more than three thousand Vaudois, including the entire population of the Val Loyse." History of the Waldenses 37.

The second attack occurred in Pragelas - the place where the Christmas Day tragedy happened. The soldiers surprised the people as they were in the fields harvesting their crops. They fled but many were killed and their houses and fields were burned.  Those who hid in caves in the mountains died as their friends did - through fire. However, after the first surprise the men organized themselves and turned on their murderers driving them out of their valleys while killing many soldiers and retrieving many of their belongings.

The third attack was on Piedmont which was known as the stronghold of the Waldensians. Because of their large, open valley most of the Waldensians had warning that enemies were in their land. They immediately took to the Alps. Cataneo, the leader of this portion of the papal army, easily took over the cities of La Torre, Villaro and Bobbio. Cataneo sent 700 of his men to rid the Valley of Prali of the heretics. They had to climb the mountain on the north side of Bobbio. As they labored up the steep trail they could see the whole valley. They stopped when they reached the top only to be met by Waldensian men ready to defend their valley. The soldiers were tired from their exhausting climb and were unprepared for battle with these men who were fighting to protecting their families and homes. All of the 700 papal soldiers were killed except one. That man escaped and crept into a large crack in the rocks and hid for several days. When hunger and cold forced him out he threw himself on the mercy of the Waldenses who allowed him to go tell his superiors the fate of the 700 men who had fought with him.

You might be interested to know that the Waldensian pastors always went along with the men to battle. They went to encourage the men through prayer and Bible promises and also to see that the defending soldiers followed true Christian principles. Wylie writes, "Their pastors restrained the victorious [Waldensians], having laid it down as a maxim at the beginning of the campaign that they would use with moderation and clemency whatever victories the 'God of battles' might be pleased to give them, and that they would spill no blood unless when absolutely necessary to prevent their own being shed."  History of the Waldenses 99.

During this attack on the valley of Prali, Cataneo decided to take the rest of his men and make a surprise attack on the Pra del Tor which was the capitol of the Waldensian church's government. These people of the valleys knew they had three choices –  go to mass, be butchered like animals, or to fight for their lives. Women and children and the aged packed up the goods they would need and began to climb the Pra at the head of the Valley of Angrogna. The men who stayed  made bows and shields of bark which would protect from the pikes and swords of the enemies. Some built barricades and others organized themselves into fighting groups.

As the enemy approached in a shower of arrows the Waldensians cried, "O God of our fathers, help us! O God, deliver us!" When the leader of the papal soldiers, Black Mondovi, heard these prayers to God he raised his visor and shouted blasphemies. "Instantly an arrow from the bow of Pierre Revel, of Angrongna, entering between his eyes, transfixed his skull, and he fell on the earth a corpse. The fall of this daring leader disheartened the papal army. The soldiers began to fall back. They were chased down the slopes by the Vaudois who now descended upon them like one of their own mountain torrents. Having driven their invaders to the plain, cutting off not a few in their flight, they returned as the evening began to fall, to celebrate with songs, on the heights where they had won it, the victory with which it had pleased the God of their fathers to crown their arms." History of the Waldenses 48.

This defeat made Cataneo very angry. He began reassembling his men and planning a new strategy. To get to the hiding places of the Waldensians the army had to go on a narrow pathway with a steep rocky wall on one side and a dark chasm on the other. Only two men could walk side-by-side on this narrow path but steadily the army approached their waiting prey.

Suddenly "a small white cloud, no bigger than a man's hand, unobserved by the [soldiers], but keenly watched by the [Waldensians], was seen to gather on the mountain's summit, about the time the army would be entering the defile. That cloud grew rapidly bigger and blacker. It began to descend. It came rolling down the mountain's side, wave on wave, like an ocean tumbling out of heaven – a sea of murky vapor. … The [Waldenses] interpreted this as an interposition of Providence in their behalf. It had given them the power of repelling the invader. … They tore up huge stones and rocks, and sent them thundering down into the ravine. The papal soldiers were crushed where they stood. Nor was this all. Some of the [Waldenses] boldly entered the chasm, sword in hand, and attacked them in front. Consternation seized the [papal host]. Panic impelled them to flee. … They jostled one another; they threw each other down in the struggle; some were trodden to death, others were rolled over the precipice and crushed on the rocks below, or drowned in the torrent." History of the Waldenses 50, 51. 

In 1560 Count La Trinita, the leader of the papal army, came to attack the Valley of Angrogna. The Waldensians received early warning of the attack and first held a public fast then commemorated the Lord's Supper together. While the women, children and elderly climbed the mountains 1200 men prepared to defend their valley even though they had just slingshots and crossbows. They fought their way going higher and higher into the mountains. As night fell the papal army could see silhouetted against the sky the Waldensian fighters kneeling above them praying to the God of battles. Scoffs from the soldiers filled the air. Suddenly from another direction there was heard a drum beating. A young valley child had found a drum and began to play with it, but to the papal army it sounded like a call for war and they rushed around trying to get organized. The Waldensians seeing all this commotion run after the army and chased them back down the mountain. In their panic the soldiers threw away their weapons and the Waldensians were able to collect these and use them in other battles. At the end of the day La Trinita had lost 67 men while the Waldensians lost only three.

La Trinita had not finished the job he had been given so soon he was back in the Waldensian valleys. The people were just finishing their morning worship when the alarm was sounded. The enemies were coming by three routes. Instantly men went to meet them. The fighting was intense and many papal soldiers lost their lives. We are told that La Trinita sat down and cried when he saw the heaps of dead from his army, including some of his best captains.

Humiliated, but not admitting defeat, the Count again put together an army and a month later he again marched against the Pra del Tor. Six brave Waldensian men rushed to a place above the opening into the valley. Wylie tell us, "The six Vaudois made their arrangements, and calmly waited till the enemy was near. The first two Vaudois, holding loaded muskets, knelt down. The second two stood erect, ready to fire over the heads of the first two. The third two undertook the loading of the weapons as they were discharged. The invaders came on. As the first two of the enemy turned the rock, they were shot down by the two foremost Vaudois. The next two of the attacking force fell in like manner by the shot of the Vaudois in the rear. The third rank of the enemy presented themselves only to be laid by the side of their comrades. In a few minutes a little heap of dead bodies blocked the pass, rendering impossible the advance of the accumulating file of the enemy in the chasm.

"Meanwhile, other Vaudois climbed the mountains that overhung the gorge in which the [papal army] was imprisoned. Tearing up the great stones with which the hillside was strewn, the Vaudois sent them rolling down upon the host. Unable to advance from the wall of dead in front, and unable to flee from the ever-accumulating masses behind, the soldiers were crushed in dozens by the falling rocks. Panic set in: and panic in such a position was dreadful. Wedged together on the narrow ledge, with a murderous rain of rocks falling on them, their struggle to escape was frightful. They jostled one another, and trod each other underfoot, while vast numbers fell over the precipice, and were dashed on the rocks or drowned in the torrent." History of the Waldenses 100.

La Trinita could see the waters of the Angrogna turn red and boasted that victory was at last theirs. But when a few of his soldiers reported what had happened on the way to Pra del Tor we are told that he left that very night and never came back to those valleys where he had lost so many men. The Duke of Savoy, who was the ruler of these lands, issued a document which allowed the Waldensians to rebuilt their churches, hold public worship and keep their beliefs which had been handed down to them.

CHAPTER 20
THE USE OF INTRIGUE

When the sword, fire or starvation didn't accomplish the annihilation of the Waldenses the papacy tried another way. Satan often uses deceit and intrigue to accomplish his ends. Because the Waldensian people had always taught and practiced strict truthfulness it was hard for them to imagine anyone being dishonest with them. This trusting nature made them easy prey to cruel and calculating men.

There were two papal leaders by the name of Jacomel and Gastaud who pretended to want peace with the Waldensians. They urged the people to make a couple of small compromises and then they could all be friends. The Waldensians were asked to leave all their weapons at the house of one of the magistrates and then a few representatives would go with the papal leaders to celebrate mass. After the majority (against the advice of their pastors) agreed to these demands further things was asked of them. They were promised if they would give 20,000 crowns to Jacomel he would withdraw the army and they would be left to worship and live in peace. However, the army stayed and there were other concessions asked such as sending deputies to the duke, being taxed to appease the soldiers and worst of all, they were finally asked to send away their pastors.

You may ask, "Did going along with these demands bring peace to the persecuted valley people?" We are told that the soldiers plundered the houses, people were pursued into caves and other hiding places and tortured, their oil and crops were destroyed or carried away, and their mills were broken. The poor Waldenses learned that it does not pay to compromise with evil men.

Another illustration of intrigue took place under the direction of the Marchioness de Pianez. She was the head of Turin's "Propagation of the Faith" in which she organized women to go into homes as spies. Some would go and work as servants while others would visit as friends. If anyone had suspicions about  them, these women were to spread lies about them and do evil things to them. If there were problems in a family, these women would do things to cause even more trouble between the husband and the wife or between the children and their parents. These women were to report all that they learned to the Marchioness twice a week.

This society was formed with the express purpose of getting rid of all heretics. We are told that laymen and priests, nobles and peasants were part of this vast network that reported to someone above them. It included small towns, large cities and finally all the way to Rome, where, according to Leger, "sat the great spider that held the threads of this mighty web." History of the Waldenses 133. It is easy to see the wisdom of the Waldensian parents in teaching their children to be careful of each word they spoke.

One of the worst stories of intrigue is told by Pastor Leger. A papal general, Pianeza, who had been severely humiliated by the Waldensians in previous battles decided to use a new strategy against them. He apologized for the actions of his troops and said the people had nothing to fear. He would like them to show their cooperation by allowing soldiers to sleep and eat in their homes for just a few days. Afterward he and the soldiers would leave and everything would be peaceful again. Pastor Leger and other warned the Waldensians not to ever open their doors for the soldiers, but they ignored the counsel.

These poor people agreed to this request and soldiers moved into their homes to sleep and eat at their tables. "At last the blow fell with the sudden crash of the thunderbolt. At four o'clock on the morning of Saturday, the twenty-fourth of April, 1655, the signal was given from the castle hill of La Torre….On the instant a thousand assassins began the work of death. Dismay, horror, agony, woe, in a moment overspread the valleys of Lucerna and Angrogna. Though the victims climbed the hills with what speed they could, the murderer was on their track. The torrents as they rolled down from the heights soon began to be tinged with blood. Gleams of lurid light burst out through the dark smoke that was rolling through the vales, for a priest and monk accompanied each party of soldiers, to set fire to the houses as soon as the inmates had been dispatched." History of the Waldenses 140. 

Those who were not fortunate to die quickly were tortured in unheard of ways. Leger, the ignored pastor who escaped by fleeing to the mountains, says, "My hand trembles so that I scarce can hold the pen, and my tears mingle in torrents with my ink, while I write the deeds of these children of darkness, blacker even than the Prince of Darkness himself."

One of the last and most horrible chapters in the history of the Waldensian Church began on January 31, 1686. Pressure was put on the Waldenses by the king of France in an edict saying that the Waldenses could no longer worship and have religious meetings. Their churches were to be destroyed, all pastors and teachers had to become Romanists or leave their churches within fifteen days. All children were to be trained as Roman Catholics or the parents would be tortured and all who would not become Roman Catholics must leave the valleys within fifteen days.

We are told that 14,000 Waldenses were thrust into filthy prisons in Italy where 11,000 died from starvation and disease.  The fortunate ones escaped from their valleys to friendly Germany and Holland to live in exile. 

In 1686, thirty-one years later, the remaining 3,000 men alive in prison were released in the middle of winter and were herded over winter-clad mountains with little clothing or food. Many died along the steep path to Switzerland. In Geneva many found refuge as Calvin and the patriarch Gianavello opened the city to those persecuted children of God. They were tenderly taken into homes and nursed back to health.

Two years later, in 1688, things were changing politically in Europe. William of Orange was on the throne of England, the Dutch had defeated the French king, and the Duke of Savoy had more important places to send his army rather than to the valleys.

Eight hundred Waldensian men, led by Henri Arnaud, who acted both as pastor and general, decided to go back and start the resettling of their native lands. Although there were some desertions, hunger, cold, fatigue and battles, seven hundred men arrived back in the village of Prali. Here they found the only church that was left standing in all the valleys. The men quickly threw out the statues and other popish relics and gathered for a church service. Henri Arnaud preached on Psalm 129. He spoke of the history of his people; of the achievements of their fathers in preserving their lands and faith, and encouraged the men in the rebuilding of their valleys.

Slowly life returned to normal. Mr. Tron-Poulat showed himself very wise. When he was going into exile he took the millstone from his mill and threw it into the river. He searched for it in the stream and found the valuable stone and soon had his mill working again.

In the spring the Duke of Savoy offered peace to the persecuted Waldensian people. They gratefully accepted his offer and pledged their support to him as their ruler. Mary of England, wife of William III, pledged money to provide pastor and teachers for the valleys. The States-General of Holland also raised money to build more schools and churches.  Protestants in Switzerland set up special funds for students coming to their country for further education.

Soon the Waldensian towns and lands were prosperous again. Churches reopened and those who were in prison were set free. Many in exile again made their way to their ancestral home. Although there still were skirmishes and some intrigue, relative peace had again enveloped the valleys of the Waldenses.