rd of the Reformed
French Churches in their first national synod, which met at Paris in
May, 1559, and was revised and confirmed by the seventh synod, which
assembled at La Rochelle under the presidency of Theodore Beza in 1571.
It is composed of forty articles, which reproduce faithfully the
Calvinistic doctrine. But it is not accepted as infallible; the final
authority, in the light of which successive synods may reform it, is the
Bible.

"The reformed doctrine, as sanctioned by the Confession of La Rochelle,
was, in its essential features, recognised and professed by all
Protestant France; and, notwithstanding its sufferings and internal
dissensions, the Church during the first quarter of the 17th century
held its own course and remained faithful to itself. A consistory, that
of Caen, had, even as late as 1840, restored in the churches of its
jurisdiction the Confession of La Rochelle in its full vigour. Little by
little, however, under the influence of the naturalistic philosophy of
the 18th century, the negative criticism of Germany, and above all the
religious indifference which followed the repose which the Church was
enjoying after two centuries of persecution, the Confession of Faith as
well as the discipline fell into disuse. It was never really
abrogated.... However, it is a practical fact that the partisans of one
of the two sections which to-day divide the Reformed Church of France,
not only do not consider themselves bound by the Confession of La
Rochelle, but, tending more and more towards Rationalism, and seeing in
Protestantism only the religion of free thought, have come to reject the
great miracles of the gospel, and to demand for their pastors, in the
bosom of the Church, unlimited freedom in teaching. While on the one
hand the sovereignty of the Holy Scriptures is claimed, on the other is
held the rule of individual conscience."

The majority of the official synod which met at Paris in September,
1848, refused to put an end to the doctrinal disorder in the Church by
establishing in the Church a clear and positive law of faith. The
minority, regarding the adverse vote as an official sufferance of
indifference on doctrinal matters, separated themselves from their
brethren, and founded the "Union of the Evangelical Churches of France".

[General Synod of Paris in 1872.]

In 1872, "in the face of attacks directly aimed, in the bosom of the
Church, at the unity of her doctrine," the thirtieth general