ntes permitted to worship in public without molestation, four years
elapsed before the intelligence reached San Veran.

We have now reached almost the extreme limits of France; Italy lying
on the other side of the snowy peaks which shut in the upper valleys
of the Alps. In Neff's time the parish of which he had charge extended
from San Veran, on the frontier, to Champsaur, in the valley of the
Drac, a distance of nearly eighty miles. His charge consisted of the
scattered population of many mountain hamlets, to visit which in
succession involved his travelling a total distance of not less than
one hundred and eighty miles. It was, of course, impossible that any
single man, no matter how inspired by zeal and devotion, could do
justice to a charge so extensive. The difficulties of passing through
a country so wild and rugged were also very great, especially in
winter. Neff records that on one occasion he took six hours to make
the journey, in the midst of a snow-storm which completely hid the
footpath, from his cottage at La Chalp to San Veran, a distance of
only twelve miles.

The pastors who succeeded Neff had the same difficulties to encounter,
and there were few to be found who could brave them. The want of proper
domestic accommodation for the pastors was also felt to be a great
hindrance. Accordingly, one of the first things to which the Rev. Mr.
Freemantle directed his attention, when he entered upon his noble work
of supplying the spiritual destitution of the French Vaudois, was to
take steps not only to supply the poor people with more commodious
temples, but also to provide dwelling-houses for the pastors. And in the
course of a few years, helped by friends in England, he has been enabled
really to accomplish a very great deal. The extensive parish of Neff is
now divided into five sub-parishes--that of Fressinieres, which includes
Palons, Violins, and Dormilhouse, provided with three temples, a
parsonage, and schools; Arvieux, with the hamlets of Brunissard (where
worship was formerly conducted in a stable) and La Chalp, provided with
two temples, a parsonage, and schools; San Veran, with Fongillarde and
Pierre Grosse, provided with three temples, a parsonage, and a school;
St. Laurent du Cros and Champsaur, in the valley of the Drac, provided
with a temple, school, &c., principally through the liberality of Lord
Monson; and Guillestre and Vars, provided with two temples, a parsonage,
and a girls' school. A temp