715,
at which time there was no settled congregation in the South of
France. The Huguenots were only ministered to by occasional wandering
pastors. In 1729, the year in which Court finally left France, there
were in Lower Languedoc 29 organized, though secretly governed,
churches; in Upper Languedoc, 11; in the Cevennes, 18; in the Lozere
12; and in Viverais, 42 churches. There were now over 200,000
recognised Protestants in Languedoc alone. The ancient discipline had
been restored; 120 churches had been organized; a seminary for the
education of preachers and pastors had been established; and
Protestantism was extending in Dauphiny, Bearn, Saintonge,[58] and
other quarters.

[Footnote 58: In 1726, a deputation from Guyenne, Royergue,
and Poitou, appeared before the Languedoc synod, requesting
preachers and pastors to be sent to them. The synod agreed to
send Maroger as preacher. Betrine (the first of the Lausanne
students) and Grail were afterwards sent to join him.
Protestantism was also reawakening in Saintonge and Picardy,
and pastors from Languedoc journeyed there to administer the
sacrament. Preachers were afterwards sent to join them, to
awaken the people, and reorganize the congregations.]

Such were, in a great measure, the results of the labours of Antoine
Court and his assistants during the previous fifteen years.

CHAPTER XII.

THE CHURCH IN THE DESERT, 1730-62--PAUL RABAUT.

The persecutions of the Huguenots increased at one time and relaxed at
another. When France was at war, and the soldiers were fighting in
Flanders or on the Rhine, the bishops became furious, and complained
bitterly to the government of the toleration shown to the Protestants.
The reason was that there were no regiments at liberty to pursue the
Huguenots and disperse their meetings in the Desert. When the soldiers
returned from the wars, persecution began again.

It usually began with the seizing and burning of books. The
book-burning days were considered amongst the great days of fete.

One day in June, 1730, the Intendant of Languedoc visited Nismes,
escorted by four battalions of troops. On arriving, the principal
Catholics were selected, and placed as commissaries to watch the
houses of the suspected Huguenots. At night, while the inhabitants
slept, the troops turned out, and the commissaries pointed out the
Huguenot houses to be search