No. 174, 
 
 THE 
 
 See page 5. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY AUGUSTUS APPLEGATH AND EDWARD COWPERj 
 DUKE-STRE3T, STAMFORD- STREET, 
 
 FOR THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY ) 
 
 And sold by J. Davis, 56, Paternoster-row j and I 
 Nisbbt, 15, Castle-6treet, Oxford-street, 
 
THE 
 
 VILLAGE IN THE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 , a merchant at the head of one of the first 
 
 • commercial houses in Paris, had lately occasion to 
 visit the manufactories established in the mountainous 
 tracts of the Departments of the Loire and the Puy de 
 D6me. The road that conducted him back to Lyons tra- 
 versed a country rich in natural productions, and glowing 
 with all the charms of an advanced and promising Spring. 
 The nearer view was unusually diversified j not only by 
 the fantastic forms of mountains, the uncertain course 
 of small and tributary streams, and the varying hues of 
 fields of pasture, corn, vines, and vegetables ; but by the 
 combinations and contrasts of nature and of art, and the 
 occupations of rural and commercial industry. Fac- 
 tories and furnaces were seen rising amidst barns and 
 sheep-cotes ; peasants were digging and ploughs gliding 
 amidst forges and founderies j verdant slopes and grace- 
 ful clumps of trees were scattered amidst the black and 
 ugly mouths of exhausted coal pits, and the gentle mur- 
 mur of the stream was subdued by the loud rattle of the 
 
 loom. Sometimes M. and rxs friend halted amidst 
 
 all that is delightful and soothing ; and after a short ad- 
 vance found themselves amidst barrenness, deformity, and 
 confusion. The remoter scenery was not less impressive. 
 Behind them were the rugged mountains of Puy de D6me 5 
 the lofty Tavare lifted its majestic head beside them, and 
 far before appeared the brilliant summit of Mont Blanc. 
 
 In this state of mind he arrived at the skirts of a ham- 
 let, placed on the declivity of a mountain j and being de- 
 fjrous of finding a shorter and more retired track, he 
 stopped at a little house to inquire the way. From the 
 windows several females were watching the movements 
 
 of a little child ; and just as M. inquired for a road 
 
 If 4 
 
across the mountains, the Infant was' in danger of being 
 
 crushed by a coal cart which had entered the street. The 
 cries and alarms of the females were met by the activity 
 
 of the travellers, and the companion of M. set off to 
 
 snatch the infant from danger, and place him in security. 
 
 An elderly female from the second story gave M. , 
 
 who was still on his horse, the directions he desired « and' 
 at the same time, expressed her uneasiness that the gen- 
 tleman should have had the trouble to seek the child. 
 
 " Madam, (interrupted M. ,) my friend is only per- 
 
 forming his duty : we ought to do to another as we would 
 that another should do to us ; and, in this wretched world 
 we are bound to assist each other. You are kind enough 
 to direct us travellers in the right road, and surely the 
 least we can do is to rescue your child from danger. The 
 Holy Scriptures teach us these duties, and the Gospel 
 presents us the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, 
 when we were in ignorance and danger, came to our world 
 to seek and to save that which was lost." " Ah ! Sir, 
 (replied the good woman,) you are very condescending^ 
 and what you say is very true ? but your language surprises 
 me : it is so many years since in this village we have heard 
 such truths, and especially from the lips of a stranger." 
 
 " Madam, (resumed M. ,) we are all strangers here, 
 
 and sojourners bound to eternity • there is but one road, 
 one guide, one Saviour, who can conduct us safely ; if we 
 feel this, young or old, rich or poor, we are all one in 
 Christ ; and, however scattered on earth, shall all arrive at 
 the heavenly city, to which he is gone to prepare mansions 
 for us." " These doctrines, Sir, (exclaimed the female) sup- 
 port the hearts of many of us, who have scarcely travelled 
 beyond our own neighbourhood ; and it is so rare and so 
 delightful to hear them from others, that if it will not be 
 an abuse of your Christian politeness, I would request you 
 to alight and visit my humble apartment." " I shall com- 
 ply most cheerfully with your request," (replied M ,) 
 
 for though time is precious, I shall be thankful to spend 
 a few mimites in these mountains, among those with whom 
 I hope to dwell for ever on Mount Zion." My friend M. 
 mo anted to the second story, followed by his compa- 
 nion. Ho found the female with whom he had conversed, 
 surround ed by her daughters and her grand-daughters, all 
 If 4 
 
4 
 
 busily employed in fire looms, filled with galloons and rib- 
 bons, destined for the capital and the most distant cities 
 of the world. The good widow was between 60 and 70 
 years of age ; - her appearance was neat and clean j and all 
 the arrangements of her apartment bespoke industry, fru- 
 gality, and piety. " Ah ! Sir, (she exclaimed, as M. 
 
 entered,) how happy am I to receive such a visitor ! " 
 
 " Madam, (replied M. ) I am not worthy to enter 
 
 under this roof." "Why, Sir, (exclaimed the widow,) you 
 
 talked to us of Jesus Christ and " "Yes, Madam, 
 
 but I am a poor guilty sinner, and hope only for salvation 
 
 through the cross. I was yesterday at St. ■ , where 
 
 they were planting a cross with great ceremony ; were 
 you there \ " " No, Sir j for it is of little use to erect 
 crosses in the streets, if we do not carry the cross in our 
 hearts, and are not crucified to the world. But, Sir, if 
 you will not be offended, may I ask what you are called V* 
 
 M. , pretending to give a general sense to the French 
 
 phraseology, answered, " My name, Madam, is 
 
 " Thank you, Sir, I shall not forget ; but this is not what 
 I meant ; I wished to know whether you are Protestant or 
 Catholic, a pastor or a priest ?" " Madam, I have not the 
 honour to be either ; I am a merchant j I desire to lie 
 a Christian, and to have no other title but a disciple of 
 Christ." " That is exactly as we are here, Sir, (exclaim- 
 ed the good widow, and added,) but, as you are so frank, 
 are you, Sir, Catholic or Protestant Y' " Catholic," replied 
 
 M . Madam looked confused, and observed, "that 
 
 it was rare for the Catholics to talk as her visitor had 
 
 done." "I am a Catholic, (resumed M. ,) but not a 
 
 member of the Roman Catholic church. I love all that 
 love our Lord Jesus in sincerity. I do not ask in what 
 fold they feed, so that they are guided and nourished 
 by the good shepherd and bishop of souls." " O what 
 a favour the Lord has granted us to meet with a 
 Christian like ourselves, (said the affected widow, 
 looking round her,) we desire to live in charity with all 
 mankind. But, to be frank also, Sir, we do rot go to 
 mass, nor to confession, for we do not learn from our 
 Testament, which is indeed almost worn out, that we are 
 required to confess to sinners like ourselves, nor to worship 
 the host, nor to perform penance for the salvation of our 
 
 m 
 
souls ; and, we believe we can serve God acceptably in a 
 cave, or in a chamber, or on a mountain. " I confess, 
 Madam, in my turn, (said M. ,) that I am exceed- 
 ingly astonished to find such persons on such a spot ; 
 pray how many may there be of your sentiments }" 
 " Here, Sir, and scattered over the mountains, there are 
 from 3 to 400. We meet on the Sunday evenings, and 
 as often as we can, to pray to Jesus, to read the Testa- 
 ment, and to converse about the salvation of our soul?. 
 We are bo much persecuted by the clergy, that we cannot 
 appear aa*publicly as we wish. We are called beguincs * 
 and fools ; but we can bear this, and, I hope, a great deal 
 more, for him who has suffered so much for us." 
 
 While the conversation, of which this is a sketch, trans- 
 pired, the rooms had filled, the neighbours had been in- 
 formed and introduced, at the request of the worthy hos- 
 tess 5 and as many as could quit their occupations pressed 
 
 to hear of the things of the kingdom of God. M. 
 
 desired to see the New Testament. It was presented. 
 The title page was gone, the leaves were almost worn to 
 shreds by the fingers of the weavers and labourers, and 
 
 M. could not discover the edition. A female, of 
 
 respectable, appearance approached M. , and said 
 
 <* Sir, for several years I have sought every where a 
 New Testament, and I have offered any price for one in 
 all the neighbouring villages, but in vain. Could you. 
 Sir, possibly procure me a copy, I will gladly pay you any 
 sum you demand—" " Madam, I will not only procure 
 
 you me, (replied M. eagerly,) but in forty-eight 
 
 hours I will send you half a dozen." " Is it possible ? 
 (exclaimed the astonished villagers.) May we, Sir, believe 
 the good news ? May we rely on your promise ? It ap- 
 pears too great— too good— we will pay for them now, Sir, 
 if you please." " You may depend on receiving them, 
 
 (said M. ,) if God prolongs my life. But I entreat 
 
 you to do me the favour to accept them, as a proof of my 
 Christian regard, and an expression of my gratitude, for 
 having been permitted to enjoy, in this unpromising spot, 
 the refreshing company of the followers of Christ." The 
 conversation then turned on the value of the sacred 
 
 * A term implying muca the same as Methodist in England, 
 174 
 
volume, and the sinfulness of those who withheld it from 
 perishing and dejected sinners. After some time, the hos- 
 tess inquired, Pray, Sir, can you tell us if any thing 
 extraordinary is passing in the world ? We are shut out 
 from all intercourse j but we have an impression that God 
 is commencing a great work in the earth, and that wonder- 
 ful events are coming to pass." " Great events have taken 
 
 place, and news is arriving every day, (said M. ,) from 
 
 all parts of the world, of the progress of the Gospel, and 
 the fulfilments of the Hoty Scriptures * He then gave to 
 his attentive and enraptured auditory an outline of the 
 moral changes accomplished by the diffusion of the Bible, 
 the labours of Missionaries, and the establishment of 
 schools j but only such an outline as was suited to their 
 general ignorance of the state of what is called the reli- 
 gious world. And when he had concluded they all joined 
 m the prayer— Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on 
 earth, as it is done in heaven. 
 
 Anxious as was M. to pursue his journey, he de- 
 voted three hours to this interview. He exhorted them to 
 receive and practise only what they found in the Scrip- 
 tures, to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart, 
 and promised to use his influence to obtain for them a 
 pastor who should feed ihem with knowledge and under- 
 standing. The termination of this extraordinary meeting 
 was most affecting j tears of pleasure, gratitude, and re- 
 gret streamed from the eyes of the mountaineers, and the 
 traveller, though more deeply moved by having seen the 
 grace of God than by all the scenes through which he 
 had passed, went on his way rejoicing, and, following the 
 directions of the good widow, he arrived at the town of 
 
 S . In this town he had correspondents among the 
 
 principal inhabitants and authorities, and under the im- 
 pression of all he had witnessed, he inquired, as if with 
 the curiosity of a traveller, the name of the hamlet he had 
 passed on the mountain, and the nature of the employ- 
 ment, and the character of its inhabitants. " The men, 
 (said the mayor,) work in the mines, drive the teams, and 
 labour m the fields : and the women and children weave 
 1 hey-are a very curious people, outrte illumines (ne^- lights) 
 but the most honest work-people of the country— probity 
 itself. We have no occasion to weigh our silk, either 
 174 
 
7 
 
 when we give it out or take it in, for we are sure not to 
 lose the value of a farthing, and the kindest creatures in 
 the world ; they will take their shirts off their backs to 
 give to any one in distress ; indeed, there is no wretched- 
 ness among them, for though poor, they are industrious, 
 temperate, charitable, and always assist each other j but 
 touch them on their religion, and they are almost idiots. 
 They never go to mass nor confession ; in fact, they are 
 not Christians, though the most worthy people in the 
 world — and so droll ; imagine those poor people, after 
 working all the week, instead of enjoying the Sunday, and 
 going to f&tes and balls to amuse themselves, they meet in 
 each other's houses, and sometimes in the mountains, to 
 read some book, and pray and sing hymns. They are 
 very clever work-people, but they pass their Sundays and 
 holidays stupidly enough." This testimony, so honourable 
 
 to his new acquaintance, was confirmed to M. from 
 
 several quarters ; and he learnt from others, what he had 
 not been told by themselves, that besides their honesty and 
 charity, so great is their zeal, that they flock from the dif- 
 ferent hamlets, and meet in the mountains in cold and bad 
 weather, at eight or nine o'clock at night, to avoid the in- 
 terruption of their enemies, and to sing and pray. 
 
 These accounts were not calculated to lessen the inte- 
 rest excited in the breast ofM. , and immediately on 
 
 his arrival at Lyons, he dispatched six copies of the New 
 Testament, and some copies of a tract entitled " Les Deux 
 Viellards" (The Two Old Men.) Shortly after his return 
 to Paris M. received, through one of his correspon- 
 dents of Lyons, a letter from the excellent widow with 
 whom he had conversed. The modesty, dignity, and piety 
 of this letter has induced me to subjoin a literal translation, 
 not only to evince the influence of true religion, but to 
 satisfy the reader, that in this narration no exaggerated 
 statement has been made of the character of the moun- 
 taineers of St. 
 
 <( Sir, I have the honour to write you, to assure you of 
 my very humble respects, and at the same time to ac- 
 knowledge the reception of the six copies of the New 
 Testament which you had the goodness and the generosity 
 to send us. My family, myself, and my neighbours, know 
 not how adequately to express our sincere gratitude ! for 
 wc haye nothing in the world so precious as that sacred 
 
8 
 
 volume, which is the best food of our souls, and our cer- 
 tain guide to the heavenly Jerusalem. 
 
 " As we believe and are assured that the Spirit of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ could alone have inspired you with the 
 desire to distribute the Sacred Scriptures to those who are 
 disposed to make a holy use of them, we hope and believe 
 *hat the Divine Saviour will be himself your recompence : 
 and that he will give to you, as well as to all of us, the 
 grace to understand, and to seek a part in his second 
 coming : for this ought to be our only and constant de- 
 sire in the times of darkness and tribulation in which we 
 live. 
 
 " It is with this view, Sir, that I entreat you to have 
 the goodness to send six more copies of the sacred volume 
 for several of my friends, who are delighted, not only with 
 the beauty of the type, but especially with the purity of 
 the edition j for it is sufficient to see the name of Monsieur 
 le Maitre de Sacy, to be assured that this edition is strictly 
 conformable to the sacred text. Sir, as the persons who 
 have charged me to entreat you to send six more copies 
 of the New Testament would be sorry to abuse your ge- 
 nerosity, they also charge me to say, that if you accom- 
 plish their wishes, as your truly Christian kindness induces 
 them to hope, and will mark the price on the books, they 
 shall feel it to be a pleasure and a duty to remit you the 
 amount when 1 acknowledge the arrival of the parcel. 
 Could you also add six copies of the little tract, entitled 
 < Les Daix Viellard*; (The Two Old Men.) 
 
 « I entreat you, Sir, to excuse the liberty I have taken, 
 and to believe that, while life remains, I am, in the Spirit 
 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 
 u Your very humble servant, 
 
 « The WIDOW — / 
 
 London: Printed by A. Applegath and E. Cowper, Duke- 
 street, Stamford- street, for The Religious Tract So- 
 ciety; and sold by J. Davis, No. 56, Paternoster-row; 
 and J. Nisbkt, 15, C&stk-strect, Oxford- street 
 
 [Price 2*. Sd. per 100.] 
 Considerable Allowance to Subscribers and Booksellers. 
 
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