re they might
still meet and worship God, even though it were in defiance of the
law. Having taken counsel together, they resolved "not to forsake the
assembling of themselves together;" and they proceeded, in all the
Protestant districts in the South of France--in Viverais, Dauphiny,
and the Cevennes--to hold meetings of the people, mostly by night, for
worship--in woods, in caves, in rocky gorges, and in hollows of the
hills. Then began those famous assemblies of "the Desert," which were
the nightmare of Louvois and the horror of Louis XIV.

When it came to the knowledge of the authorities that such meetings
were being held, large bodies of troops were sent into the southern
provinces, with orders to disperse them and apprehend the ringleaders.
These orders were carried out with much barbarity. Amongst various
assemblies which were discovered and attacked in the Cevennes, were
those of Auduze and Vigan, where the soldiers fell upon the
defenceless people, put the greater number to the sword, and hanged
upon the nearest trees those who did not succeed in making their
escape.

The authorities waited to see the effect of these "vigorous measures;"
but they were egregiously disappointed. The meetings in the Desert
went on as before, and even increased in number. Then milder means
were tried. Other meetings were attacked in like manner, and the
people found attending them taken prisoners. They were then threatened
with death unless they became converted, and promised to attend Mass.
They declared that they preferred death. A passion for martyrdom even
seemed to be spreading amongst the infatuated people!

Then the peasantry began secretly to take up arms for their defence.
They had thus far been passive in their resistance, and were content
to brave death provided they could but worship together. At length
they felt themselves driven in their despair to resist force by
force--acting, however, in the first place, entirely on the
defensive--"leaving the issue," to use the words of one of their
solemn declarations, "to the providence of God."

They began--these poor labourers, herdsmen, and wool-carders--by
instituting a common fund for the purpose of helping their distressed
brethren in surrounding districts. They then invited such as were
disposed to join them to form themselves into companies, so as to be
prepared to come together and give their assistance as occasion
required. When meetings in the Desert were held, i