y. About seven
hundred had gone into Switzerland, Holland, Prussia, England, and
elsewhere. A few remained going about to meetings of the peasantry, at
the daily risk of death; for every pastor taken was hung. A reward of
5,500 livres was promised to whoever should take a pastor, or cause
him to be taken. The punishment of death was also pronounced against
all persons who should be discovered attending such meetings.

Nevertheless, meetings of the Protestants continued to be held, with
pastors or without. They were, for the most part, held at night,
amidst the ruins of their pulled-down temples. But this exposed them
to great danger, for spies were on the alert to inform upon them and
have them apprehended.

At length they selected more sheltered places in remote quarters,
where they met for prayer and praise, often resorting thither from
great distances. They were, however, often surprised, cut to pieces by
the dragoons, who hung part of the prisoners on the neighbouring
trees, and took the others to prison, from whence they were sent to
the galleys, or hung on the nearest public gibbet.

Fulcran Rey was one of the most celebrated of the early victims. He
was a native of Nismes, twenty-four years old. He had just completed
his theological studies; but there were neither synods to receive him
to pastoral ordination, nor temples for him to preach in. The only
reward he could earn by proceeding on his mission was death, yet he
determined to preach. The first assemblies he joined were in the
neighbourhood of Nismes, where his addresses were interrupted by
assaults of the dragoons. The dangers to his co-religionaries were too
great in the neighbourhood of this populous town; and he next went to
Castres and the Vaunage; after which he accepted an invitation to
proceed into the less populous districts of the Cevennes.

He felt the presentiment of death upon him in accepting the
invitation; but he went, leaving behind him a letter to his father,
saying that he was willing, if necessary, to give his life for the
cause of truth. "Oh! what happiness it would give me," he said, "if I
might be found amongst the number of those whom the Lord has reserved
to announce his praise and to die for his cause!"

His apostolate was short but glorious. He went from village to village
in the Cevennes, collected the old worshippers together, prayed and
preached to them, encouraging all to suffer in the name of Christ. He
remained at this