otestant
people together again, to pray with them, and even to preach to them
if the opportunity occurred. Brousson's companions were these: Francis
Vivens, formerly a schoolmaster in the Cevennes; Anthony Bertezene, a
carpenter, brother of a preacher who had recently been condemned to
death; and seven other persons named Papus, La Pierre, Serein,
Dombres, Poutant, Boisson, and M. de Bruc, an aged minister, who had
been formerly pastor of one of the churches in the Cevennes. They
prepared to enter France in four distinct companies, in the month of
July, 1689.

CHAPTER IV.

CLAUDE BROUSSON, PASTOR AND MARTYR.

Brousson left Lausanne on the 22nd of July, accompanied by his dear
friend, the Rev. M. de Bruc. The other members of the party had
preceded them, crossing the frontier at different places. They all
arrived in safety at their destination, which was in the mountain
district of the Cevennes. They resorted to the neighbourhood of the
Aigoual, the centre of a very inaccessible region--wild, cold, but
full of recesses for hiding and worship. It was also a district
surrounded by villages, the inhabitants of which were for the most
part Protestant.

The party soon became diminished in number. The old pastor, De Bruc,
found himself unequal to the fatigue and privations attending the
work. He was ill and unable to travel, and was accordingly advised by
his companions to quit the service and withdraw from the country.

Persecution also destroyed some of them. When it became known that
assemblies for religious observances were again on foot, an increased
force of soldiers was sent into the district, and a high price was set
on the heads of all the preachers that could be apprehended. The
soldiers scoured the country, and, helped by the paid spies, they
shortly succeeded in apprehending Boisson and Dombres, at St. Paul's,
north of Anduze, in the Cevennes. They were both executed at Nismes,
being first subjected to torture on the rack, by which their limbs
were entirely dislocated. They were then conveyed to the place of
execution, praying and singing psalms on the way, and finished their
course with courage and joy.

When Brousson first went into the Cevennes, he did not undertake to
preach to the people. He was too modest to assume the position of a
pastor; he merely undertook, as occasion required, to read the
Scriptures in Protestant families and in small companies, making his
remarks and exhortations there