After the people of Neuchatel received the gospel, William went on to the town of Valagin. This town was ruled by a countess and was even stronger in its love of idols and hatred of the gospel than Neuchatel. The countess, unlike the Princess Jeanne, was old and lived right on the spot so she could have everything her own way. She had heard of Farel and thought of him as an enemy. If this mighty town of false religion were going to be taken for Christ, then it must be God’s work alone. It was well that Farel had learned on that wet and dark night how little he could do because now he could learn the lesson that follows: how much Christ can do!
William walked into the town of Valagin one day with a young Christian friend named Anthony Froment. The priests were singing in the church, but Farel went right up to the front and told the astonished crowd that there is a Saviour in heaven for them. Anthony and William both said more, but soon the priests and a crowd of people attacked them. God delivered them out of the church, but the old countess had heard the news and she cried out to her people, “To the river! To the river! Drown the dogs!”
The priests took the countess’s advice, but just at this moment some poor folks returning from Neuchatel came up and spoke up for William and Anthony. They were locked up in the old castle and soon more people from Neuchatel came and demanded their release. The old countess dared not refuse because she was afraid of the great city of Berne. Berne, you remember, had sent out orders that no one was to harm William Farel.
For a whole year more the old countess had her way, but Farel returned to preach and before long the people of Valagin believed the good news of the gospel and tore down the images from their church. The countess, who as far as we know never turned to Christ, was allowed to have her idols in her own castle.
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But William did not think that his work was over in these towns when the idols were torn down. It is one thing to tear down, but quite another to build up. The new believers needed to be taught more from God’s Word and built up in their new faith. This was a much harder work and most of it could not be seen by the eyes of man.
Will you boys and girls who are reading this book sometimes try this kind of “building up”? Perhaps you can just help someone find the place in their Bible or encourage others to read God’s Word. And may you and I build ourselves up in God’s Word! “Ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God” (Jude 20-2120But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 20‑21)).