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The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1 - Contents
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    IV. Claims of Waldensian Leaders to Antiquity

    1. HENRI ARNAUD

    The man who led the “glorious return” of the Waldenses to their valleys in 1689 made this bold declaration, which records the tradition of apostolic origin:PFF1 940.7

    “The Vaudois are, in fact, descended from those refugees from Italy who, after St. Paul had there preached the gospel, abandoned their beautiful country and fled, like the woman mentioned in the Apocalypse, to these wild mountains, where they have to this day handed down the gospel from father to son in the same purity and simplicity as it was preached by St. Paul.” 22Arnaud, op. cit., Author’s Preface, p. xiv.PFF1 941.1

    Arnaud likewise cites the statement of Reiner, showing exactly how the leading Waldenses understood it. This is his paraphrase:PFF1 941.2

    “That their [the Waldenses’] religion is as primitive as their name is venerable, is attested even by their adversaries. Regnerus the inquisitor, in a report made by him to the pope on the subject of their faith, expresses himself in these words, ... that they have existed from time immemorial.” 23Ibid., p. xiii.PFF1 941.3

    2. THE WALDENSIAN BARBE MOREL

    A century prior in addressing the Reformers of the sixteenth century, the Waldensian spokesman had put forth the same assertion of apostolical antiquity.PFF1 941.4

    “Since indeed ... we are teachers, of whatever kind, of a certain poor and weak people which has lived already more than 400 years, nay, as the natives frequently tell, from the time of the Apostles, among the most cruel thorns, not however, as any pious people might easily judge, without, the great favor of Christ, and [although] often pierced and crucified by those same thorns has been freed by the aforementioned favor.” 24Translated from Morel, letter to Oecolampadius, in Dieckhoff, op. cit., p. 363.PFF1 941.5

    “In all things, however, we agree with you, and always from the time of the Apostles we have, thinking as you do, been in harmony concerning the faith.” 25Ibid., p. 368.PFF1 941.6

    3. THE OLIVETAN BIBLE

    In the solemn setting of the preface to the notable Olivetan French translation of the entire Bible (1535)—which was the Waldensian gift to the Reformation 26Some maintain it was Farel who urged Olivetan to undertake the translation.—the same strong claim is made:PFF1 941.7

    “The faithfull people of the Valleys in the Year 1535 being at that time possessed of their ancient Histories and Manuscripts, testifying the Antiquity of their Churches, which were afterwards consumed to ashes by their Persecutours in the Years 1559. and 1560. caused to be printed at their own proper cost and charges the first French Bible that ever was put forth, or came to light, and that for the benefit of the Evangelical Churches where this Language was in use, and dedicated the same to God himself by the Pen of their Interpreter Robert Olive tan, in the Preface of the said Bible; which was a Piece most solemnly consecrated, and speaking as it were to God himself, wherein they mention, that they have always had the full enjoyment of that heavenly Truth contained in the holy Scriptures, ever since they were enriched with the same by the Apostles themselves.” 27Morland, op. cit., p. 14. (The complete preface, in parallel French and English columns, appears on pages 15-26.)PFF1 941.8

    4. UNCHALLENGED ASSERTION OF PRIOR RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES

    In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the house of Savoy ruled over Piedmont. In numerous petitions and remonstrances by the Vaudois, they urge their antiquity as a religious community, and therefore their prior and inherent rights as a body, and their enjoyment of those privileges long before Savoy ruled over Piedmont, even from time immemorial. And never was this challenged or contradicted. For example, in the “Humble Supplication of the Poor Waldenses,” to Philibert Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy and Prince of Piedmont, in 1561, the Waldenses formally state:PFF1 941.9

    “This Religion we profess, is not onely ours, nor hath it been invented by Men of late years, as it is falsely reported, but it is the Religion of our Fathers, Grand-fathers, and Great-grand-fathers, and other yet more ancient Predecessours of ours, and of the blessed Martyrs, Confessours, Prophets, and Apostles.... This very same Religion hath for many Ages past been most grievously persecuted in all places.” 28Ibid., p. 228. (Faber, op. cit., p. 288, gives another English translation of the same.)PFF1 942.1

    In fact, all the ancient concessions received, Morland declares, state that “the said Princes have permitted their Subjects to continue in the same Religion that they had received from their Ancestours, the which had been conveyed to them from Father to Son.” 29Ibid., p. 28.PFF1 942.2

    Such are the first two of the four lines of evidence. The third will next be presented in sections V and VI, with quotations from sources and authorities. The remainder of this appendix will be a discussion of the source material bearing on the origin of the Waldenses and their connections with earlier evangelical sects.PFF1 942.3

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