observance of chronological series in introducing specimens of the sayings and discourses of the subject of the memoir. While, therefore, we should rely upon the historical precision of this Evangelist in the detail and order of facts, we should deem it far more safe for the Harmonist generally to adhere to St. Matthew in the arrangement of Our Lord's sayings and discourses, with the precise occasion, date, and scene of which, (immaterial to a history,) an eye-witness only could be perfectly and accurately acquainted. And if, in giving these, St. Matthew has not adhered to chronological order, but has brought together such minor and illustrative occurrences, or sayings, as were distinct and separate in point of time, 'out of deference to certain principles ' of association,' we may safely infer, that the time and order in which they occurred, are of no absolute importance. In fact, the connexion of subject which suggested them to the Evangelist, may be far more important than the connexion of time and place; and there is no small danger lest, in transpositions intended to harmonize the chronological order, violence should be done to the intention of the inspired Writer and to the general scope of the passage. Flagrant instances of this kind might be adduced from most of our Harmonies; and few indeed are the transpositions which do not involve injury to the context. How far Mr. Greswell has steered clear of this species of violence to the sacred text, we shall see hereafter. We shall for the present take leave of the subject, by exhibiting in a tabular view, the results, in part of Mr. Greswell's researches, in part of our own Biblical studies, as to the distinctive characteristics of the Four Gospels.

(To be continued.)

Art. II.-Memoir of Felix Neff, Pastor of the High Alps; and of his Labours among the French Protestants of Dauphiné, a Remnant of the primitive Christians of Gaul. By William Stephen Gilly, M.A. Prebendary of Durham and Vicar of Norham. 8vo. pp. 342. Price 8s. 6d. London, 1832.

NOT merely this volume, but the pious labours which it records, may be said to have been in part originated by the interesting memorials of the life of the Pastor Oberlin. The character of Oberlin 'was Neff's delight and his model; and if,' says Mr. Gilly, it did not first awaken his desire to become eminent ' in the same way, it confirmed his good resolutions.'

The Pastor of the Alps had by some means become acquainted with the history of the Pastor of the Vosges, and of his improvements in the Ban de la Roche. Several publications had noticed Oberlin's beneficial labours in his mountain parish; and Neff's bosom glowed with a noble emulation to imitate his doings. Therefore, without derogating in the least degree from Neff's merits, it may be said, that much of his usefulness may be attributed to the practical lesson which Oberlin had previously taught The amiable Biographer who collected the memorials of Oberlin, may enjoy the exquisite satisfaction of believing, that her record of his blameless life and indefatigable labours will be like a voice exclaiming in the ears of many who begin to feel the pleasure of being useful, "Go thou and do likewise"; and will thus be the means of perpetuating to future generations the influence of Oberlin's beneficent exertions, more effectually than any monument to his memory.' pp. 232, 3.

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Mr. Gilly, the Author of the present Memoir, must be well known to our readers, by his "Narrative of an Excursion to the Mountains of Piedmont"; * and his assiduous and persevering efforts on behalf of the Waldensian Church reflect the highest honour upon his Christian benevolence. In the course of his ecclesiastical researches, he became convinced, 'that the secluded glens of Piedmont are not the only retreats where the de'scendants of primitive Christians may be found.' His belief that the Alpine provinces of France might still be harbouring some of the descendants of the early Christians of Gaul, was confirmed by a letter received in the winter of 1826, from the Rev. Francis Cunningham, in which the meritorious labours of Felix Neff were referred to; and he subsequently obtained from that gentleman, 'to whom the Protestant cause on the Continent owes much, a memorial drawn up by Neff himself, of which the substance is given in the Introduction to the present memoir. Long as it is, we cannot refrain from giving it entire.

" In those dark times, when the Dragon of whom St. John speaks, made war with the remnant of the seed which kept the commandments

* See Eclec. Rev. Vol. XXVI. p. 550.

of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, some of those who escaped from the edge of the sword, found a place of refuge among the mountains. It was then, that the most rugged valleys of the French department of the High Alps, were peopled by the remains of those primitive Christians, who, after the example of Moses, when he preferred the reproach of Christ to the riches of Egypt, changed their fertile plains for a frightful wilderness. But fanaticism still pursued them; and neither their poverty nor their innocence, nor the glaciers and precipices among which they dwelt, entirely protected them; and the caverns which served them for churches, were often washed with their blood. Previously to the Reformation, the Valley of Fressinière was the only place in France, where they could maintain their ground; and even here, they were driven from the more productive lands, and were forced to retreat to the very foot of the glacier, where they built the village of Dormilleuse. This village, constructed like an eagle's nest upon the side of a mountain, was the citadel where a small portion that was left, established itself, and where the race has continued without any mixture with strangers to the present day. Others took up their dwelling at the bottom of a deep glen called La Combe, a rocky abyss to which there is no exit; where the horizon is so bounded, that, for six months of the year, the rays of the sun never penetrate. These hamlets, exposed to avalanches and the falling of rocks, and buried under snow half the year, consist of hovels, of which some are without chimneys and glazed windows, and others have nothing but a miserable kitchen and a stable, which is seldom cleaned out more than once a year, and where the inhabitants spend the greater part of the winter with their cattle for the sake of the warmth. The rocks by which they are enclosed, are so barren, and the climate is so severe, that there is no knowing how these poor Alpines, with all their simplicity and temperance, contrive to subsist. Their few sterile fields hang over precipices, and are covered, in places, with enormous blocks of granite, which roll every year from the cliffs above. Some seasons, even rye will not ripen there. The pasturages are, many of them, inaccessible to cattle, and scarcely safe for sheep. Such wretched soil cannot be expected to yield any thing more than will barely sustain life, and pay the taxes, which, owing to the unfeeling negligence of the inspectors, are too often levied without proper consideration for the unproductiveness of the land. The clothing of these poor creatures is made of coarse wool, which they dress and weave themselves. Their principal food is unsifted rye: this, they bake into cakes in the autumn, so as to last the whole year.

"The revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1686, deprived them of their ministers, and we may judge what their condition must have been for many years; but still, there was not a total famine of the Word among them. They met together to read the Bible and to sing psalms; and although they had an ancient church in Dormilleuse, they were building a second in La Combe, which was not finished when I first arrived there. Such was their situation when Providence directed me to their valleys in 1823. They received me most gladly; they attended my preaching with eagerness, and gave themselves up to my guidance in all that I undertook for their im

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provement. The limits of this short notice will not permit me to enter into any detail of my proceedings, during the three years and a half that I remained with them. I will merely state, that my instructions were not unproductive of good; that many young men have been put in the way of opening schools during the winter; that the Sunday-schools have been frequented by adults who could not profit by the lessons given in the day-schools open to younger persons. Up to this period, the girls and the women had been almost entirely neglected. With the assistance of subscriptions from foreigners, one school-room has been built, and another is in preparation. Several of the inhabitants have shewn a strong inclination to take advantage of the information which I have given them on agriculture and architecture, and in the principles of some of the useful sciences, which hitherto were utterly unknown to them. I have distributed many Bibles, New Testaments, and other books of piety among them, which, I have been pleased to find, were not only received with gratitude, but such as were sold were readily purchased at prime cost. In truth, the religious knowledge communicated to them has been so blessed, that you would not find in any part of France more genuine piety or simplicity of manners. But still it can hardly be expected that this improvement will be permanent, considering their physical, moral, and religious condition, so long as they are without the ministration of regular pastors. Up to the present time, the Valley of Fressinière has not a pastor of its own. It is served in connexion with the churches of Val Queyras, which are ten leagues distant, on the other side of the Durance, and are separated by a lofty range of mountains, whose passes are not only very difficult, but absolutely dangerous in the winter. The visits of the pastor are, therefore, necessarily few and at long intervals; and the people are obliged to wait his convenience, until they can have their children baptized, the nuptial blessing pronounced, or any of the church services performed. Moved by the destitute condition of these mountaineers, who are endeared to me not only by their own amiable disposition, but by their interesting origin, I would most willingly devote myself to their service, and submit to all manner of deprivation and fatigue as their pastor; but the frequent journeys from one church to another, in the Valleys of Fressinière and Queyras, have been too much for me; and total exhaustion, proceeding from this cause and from a stomach complaint, brought on by living on unwholesome food, have so disabled me, that I am obliged to remove myself for the present, with very slight hopes of ever being so restored as to be able to return.

"At this juncture, when respect for the adherents of the primitive doctrines and forms of Christianity has manifested itself so conspicuously in behalf of the Protestants of the Valleys of Piedmont, I have thought it my duty to give publicity to the fact, that their brethren of the French Alps are equally objects of interest, and much more indigent, although they have hitherto remained unknown and unnoticed."" pp. 5-10.

Anxious to know more both of this 'Apostle of the Alps and ' of his flock,' Mr. Gilly determined to visit the Val Fressinière,

VOL. IX. N.S.

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