Chapter 5
Roger’s Ordination, and Return to Dauphine.
THE Protestants of Dauphine, in their love for Roger, united with those of Switzerland in seeking to dissuade him from returning to face the dangers again which must beset his footsteps in unhappy France. Thinking that it might be of God that he should be thus given leisure to improve his very defective education, he yielded to their solicitations and remained at Berne, availing himself of the scholarly resources of that town, and taking also lessons in theology. To obtain ordination was still an absorbing desire in his heart, having the conviction that, were he duly accredited by man, he could, on his return among them, the better serve his beloved Dauphinois, who, meanwhile, with much sorrow of heart, he was leaving to brave the storm alone.
It seems to us incomprehensible that one; who for three years had been owned of God as a faithful minister of Christ, should now so strongly crave authority from his fellow men as needful for success in his labor, and that he should not the rather feel that the Master’s sanction was all-sufficient and the Master’s mandate all-powerful, who had said to those whom He sends forth, “I have chosen you and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” But Roger, in singleness of heart, acted up to the light he had, and we cannot but admire the burning desire to serve his brethren to the utmost of his power, which made him now so persistent in attaining this end.
After nearly two years of study, Roger, feeling that he had gained all he was likely to do at Berne, resolved to quit that city and to revisit his former friends in Wurtemberg, hoping that this visit might result in his obtaining the long-sought imposition of hands. Arrived at Stuttgardt, he there received permission to preach a sermon on a text selected by the elders of the church.
Having acquitted himself to their satisfaction, he next took courage to present himself at a synod of the French churches at Wirchen, where he successfully passed an examination, and obtained the sanction of this ecclesiastical body to preach in their churches in Germany. It was here that Jacques Roger had the joy of commencing a friendship with a young Huguenot refugee named Jean Villevegre, a friendship which resulted later in his attracting him to Dauphine, to become his faithful and zealous fellow worker. Villevegre had already spent twelve years in exile, gaining a humble livelihood by carding wool. His heart rejoiced over the tidings Roger gave him of his beloved countrymen, of their faith and their constancy, amid much suffering, and he soon went on to share the desire of his new friend to devote his life to serving them in the Lord.
Roger now preached another trial-sermon before a fresh synod. But much as the ecclesiastical authorities might appreciate his sermon and value the high testimonials which he presented as to his piety, they could not get over the unpalatable fact that this aspirant to clerical dignities was but a humble manufacturer of stockings, and knew naught of the dead languages. Details of these proceedings before the synod coming to the ears of the Prince, he at once sent peremptory orders forbidding Roger to preside at any public worship under pain of incurring his grave displeasure; for his highness could not brook the thought of so illiterate a man being admitted among his clergy. Surely all this worldly-wise opposition should have opened, the eyes of our simple-hearted, pious Jacque to the fact that he was seeking a position from which the Lord would hold him back? Might he not have comforted himself, when thus despised and refused by man, with the thought that “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things that are mighty; and base things of the world, things which are despised, hath God chosen,” and that thus whom the Master first sent forth as His ambassadors were also unlearned and ignorant men, but endued with power from on high?
The difficulties in his path, however, but spurred him on to greater effort to obtain what he deemed could alone constitute him a minister. He now begged the French pastors to present a petition in his favor to the supreme court of justice, and this, after a delay of four months, resulted in permission being given him to preach in all the churches, excepting in that of the proud ducal city of Stuttgardt. Greatly delighted with so gracious a concession, the zealous preacher lost no time in availing himself of it, and for nearly a year preached Christ continually in the pulpits thus opened to him.
And now Roger was at length to attain the great desire of his heart, and to receive that ordination at the hands of man which he had so determinately sought. The French church at Mariendorf, being at that time without a minister, and fully appreciating the piety and zeal of Jacques Roger, addressed a call to him to become their pastor. This was a church of no little importance, as the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel had, prior to the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, offered an asylum to the persecuted Huguenots, nearly three thousand of whom had accepted his hospitality, and had come to enrich his domains. The Landgrave’s chaplain had heard him preach in Wurtemberg, and pressed him much to accept so flattering an offer, assuring him of the goodwill of the Prince. Finally, on his accepting the vacant post, a few of the Protestant pastors assembled, and, commending him to God, laid their hands upon him, thus formally ordaining him a minister of the gospel.
But an important drama was now being played out in France, which was to change the current of Jacques Roger’s life, and lead the steps of the new pastor into other paths than he had anticipated. The longest reign recorded in this world’s history is drawing to a close. For seventy-two years one, who had determinately fought against God, had sat upon the throne of France. But now grim death enters the magnificent palace of Versailles, and lays his icy hand on the willful monarch. Of what avail at such a supreme moment is it for the greatest potentate to set up his will against that of GOD? “There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit in the day of death, and there is no discharge in that war.”
The great Louis lies helplessly on his dying bed, reaping on earth the consequences of what he had sown. The brilliant sun of his reign sinks under a heavy cloud: the results of his many victories are swept away; his children have preceded him to the tomb; the reins of government, which he had held so vigorously, must pass into the puny hand of his infant great-grandchild; his kingdom is ruined by his own folly; his very subjects curse him for having plunged them into millions of debt for wars, undertaken for the sole object of his own aggrandizement.
But had all this been otherwise, and had fortune smiled on the despotic conqueror to the end, that solemn record of God would still remain, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
Horrors of remorse, for deeds of tyranny and blood, shed an increasing gloom over the ever-deepening darkness of the aged King’s last hours. Vainly, with fast-failing voice, he seeks, like Pilate of old, to assert himself innocent of the blood of many just persons whom he has slain. He appeals to the cardinals who stand by his bed to answer for him at the judgment day if he has, in religious zeal, pushed matters too far, declaring the responsibility to be theirs, he having blindly followed their guidance. Alas! alas in that dread day none will be able to throw upon others the burden of his sins; each will have to give an account to God of the things done in his body; those sinful men will most surely have enough to answer for in their share of his guilt, and will be found speechless when the terrible record of all the blood of the martyrs, caused to be shed by Louis, will be brought out in the light of the Great White Throne.
Thus died one who had made many nations to tremble. Louis the Great sank into a dishonored grave, followed by the execrations of his subjects―the mob, with hootings, groans and hisses, casting mud and stones at his coffin, as the funeral cortege passed from the gorgeous palace of Versailles to the silent tomb at St. Denis.
“Surely the death of the persecutor will bring peace to the sorely tormented Huguenots-a blissful calm after the long storm, in the which willing ears may drink in the loving counsels of the pastors, who had been for so long driven from their flocks”! Thus reasoned Roger, and with all his faithful love to his brethren in France stirred into renewed vigor, hepined to be again amongst them. Still he felt much delicacy in so quickly abandoning his new post. How could he satisfactorily explain to the church at Mariendorf his sudden change of purpose?
The newly-elected pastor took up his pen, and in courteous terms wrote an apology to his intended flock, praying to be released from, his pledged word. He pleaded with them that they should not take it amiss that he should prefer preaching “sous la croix” to taking the easy path, opened to him by the vocation, which they had addressed to him. He added that while he trusted they would not be long left without a pastor, there was no hope of others being found ready and willing to go to preach among the persecuted churches of the desert; he therefore begged their forgiveness for his desertion.
This explanation was accepted graciously; the Landgrave, moreover, who most certainly would have shown serious annoyance had Roger thrown over the church at Mariendorf for any other reason, approved of his determination to return to his own country, saying, “Since it is to succor the faithful under the cross, I esteem him the more.” Thus did the Lord remove every hindrance out of the path of His beloved servant, and again guided his steps to that field of labor for which He had so especially fitted him. Through the good hand of his God upon him, Jacques Roger, in the autumn of 1715, returned to Dauphiné to definitely take up work there, in his newly acquired dignity of ordained minister of the gospel. His first care was to seek out those whose deputy he had been to Berne. Having fully recounted all the details of his expedition, and given the affectionate greetings of the refugee ministers, he proceeded to plainly express the displeasure he had felt at their pressing his prolonged stay in Switzerland and Germany. But upon their earnest assurance that they had but done so in their love to him, fearing he would fall a prey to the enemy, Roger could but restore the old friends to his full confidence and affection.
With much joy, the new pastor discovered that, during his absence, others had been raised up to testify for the Lord in Dauphine, and to these he now gladly gave the right hand of fellowship. Along with his former comrade Meffre were now Pierre Chabriéres, better known by the name of Brunel; Corteiz (whose real name was Pierre Corriere), Roussiére, and Montbonnoux, who were all now holding meetings among the persecuted Protestants, and seeking to strengthen them in the Lord.
Corteiz had, as early as the year 1709, when still in his youth, distinguished himself in Languedoc by his undaunted courage for Christ. He had bravely sought to encourage those who groaned beneath the yoke of Rome; for three years he had toiled indefatigably in that province; then he writes, “I fell ill added to the grief and trouble, I had day by day, in seeing my dear brethren carried captive before my eyes, I had also to endure the bad food on which I subsisted, the damp of the earth on which I slept, the cold of the night air—all combining to chill my blood and to weaken my stomach, so that I became feeble and was wasting away.” Obliged to leave the country, he retired for a time to Geneva, but shortly returned to France. Of his stay in Switzerland he says, “God made fresh troubles to arise for me, so that my sorrows became more than I could bear. I saw in this the hand of Providence, over-ruling all things, so as to guide for my return to France, which happily, I did.” From that time he continues to hold meetings wherever the way opened, and put himself into communication with the few other preachers of Christ in Languedoc and Dauphine, striving with all his powers to raise Protestantism from the abyss into which it had fallen. Well established in the faith and pressed by the power and light of the Holy Spirit, he endured hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, giving great joy to the hearts of the faithful, and much chagrin to the false prophets, whom he flattered not at all.
Rouviére, yet younger, showed equal resolution of character and strength of purpose. But it pleased the Master to test this young disciple in suffering rather than in service. Four years more of active labor were granted him, then he was arrested and brought before the Governor of Montpellier. He boldly replied to his interrogatories that he was “a child of God ant a preacher of the gospel of Christ.” Such an avowal was not likely to conduce to any leniency of action towards the prisoner, ant he was condemned to the cruel galleys. Thus was he given to know more fully fellowship with Christ’s sufferings. In company with other Christian victims, he was marched off behind a troop of infantry, in the terrible order already described. But, though heavy iron collars bowed their necks and massive chains made their weary feet to drag heavily yet their noble souls were unfettered, and, in the joy of the Lord, as His freemen, they dared to bare their brave heads and sing triumphantly as they walked along―
“Jamais ne cesserai,
De magnifier le Seigneur.”
So true is it, as our Lord has said, “Your joy no man taketh from you.” Through mercy Rouviére eventually regained his liberty, and returned, as very few galley slaves did, with unparalyzed heart and brain, to resume with undaunted courage his labors in the church of God. The early life of Montbonnoux had been full of stirring incident. He had served as brigadier under the celebrated Camisard leader Cavalier, whom he succeeded in command, thus becoming the last of the Camisard chiefs. At this time all the strength and determination of his character were thrown into the rebel cause. He expressed his firm resolution never to lay down his arms until it should please the Lord to give deliverance to His oppressed people. Not finding the cause sustained as it had been, and unable eventually to hold out any longer, he abandoned his position of rebel-chief, doubting it to be of God.
With increased intelligence as to the mind of the Lord, he now took up with equal and more laudable zeal that of preacher, and proved himself to be not only brave but prudent. The courageous spirit of Montbonnoux communicated itself to others, and his brave words, to one who lamented that all the pastors were either dead or had given up, passed into a proverb among the Christians in France: “God will provide,” he answered, “and were I to hear no preaching for the next ten years, I feel that, with the help of God, I have courage to overcome all the devices of the enemies of the gospel.”
Among this noble band Roger delighted to find like-minded fellow workers, and in the companionship of these brethren, he proved how graciously God can set the solitary in families. Amid the manifold dangers of that day, these Christian men drew very closely together in love and in fellowship, wasting none of their energies infighting one another, as alas! saints of God are liable to do in more peaceful times.