Professor Herzog of Lausanne, who on Darby's visit to Switzerland in the spring of 1840 met and heard him; gave his impression of the man and his visit thus:" He came, preceded by the double reputation of an able pastor and of a teacher profoundly acquainted with the Bible. People spoke in glowing terms of the devotion of a man who, from love to CHRIST and for souls, had renounced almost the whole of his fine fortune; and who displayed in his whole conduct a simplicity and frugality that recalled the primitive times of the Church. It was also said in his favor that, sacrificing the delights of family life, he spent his life in journeying from place to place to gain souls for the kingdom of GOD.
" Notwithstanding that Mr. Darby seeks less to convert souls than to unite under his direction souls already converted, we gladly acknowledge that he deserved to a great extent the compliments that were paid him. There certainly is to be found in him a combination of fine and great qualities. His conversion, we have no reason whatever to doubt, was real and sincere. He is capable of much devotion to the LORD's cause, and he has given striking proofs of it. He is a man of indefatigable activity, and at the same time of great originality and independence of mind."
Then somewhat annoyed by the great movements which resulted from Mr. Darby's visit when a large number of believers left the Swiss Free Church, and were gathered on more simple and Scriptural ground, Professor Herzog qualified the, to him, too adulatory appraisal by caustically adding, " If he had taken a different turn, he might have rendered eminent services to the Church."