Truth is ancient; it's grey hairs may make it venerable;
it comes from Him who is the ancient of days. --Thomas Watson

 

9 March, 2007   comments: (0) Wonderful Plan?   A Huguenot's Story - Part 7 Shortly after this, orders were given to prepare ourselves, as we were to be transported to America in three days. Someone said to us: "When you get a little distance from shore, you will be made to pass along a narrow plank, off which you will be thrown into the sea, so that the whole race of Huguenots may be extirpated". I answered "What difference does it make whether my body be consumed by fishes or by worms? For the day will come when the sea will deliver up it's dead". As soon as we were alone Susanne de Montelimard said: "Had we not better break these bars, and make our escape through the window?" I said: "We are so very high above the ground, that we must either be killed or maimed in getting down, and then we would be retaken, and treated even worse than now. If that were to happen, and I were scourged again, I would not survive it. I prefer going to America and trusting God to deliver us, as he had delivered us from La Rapine." She said: "If they had done to me what they have done to you, I would be dead by this time. But the fact is they are now starving us to death; and it seems to me that we are despising the means of escape which God has put before us; for I am sure that we could get through this window. I am for trying it." So we cut up a sheet into strips, which we knotted and sewed together. Then the height of the window to the ground was measured by tying a stone to the end of the cord, and we managed to open the padlock that fastened the grating. We were on the fourth story, and the rope was much too short, so we were obliged to tear up two more sheets to add to it. Then I went to the window, and when I saw how high up we were, I said to my dear sisters: "Alas! We shall be killed, for it is quite fearful to look down". ... As soon as our guards had gone to sleep we arose quietly, and crept over to the window on our bare feet; for we feared the priest who slept in the room underneath might hear us moving. [I was the third to go, and] when I got outside the window, and had just taken hold of the sheet, my strength failed me, and I heard the bones in my arm cracking. Besides this, my dress got caught on a nail, so that I was forced to hold onto the rope with one hand and free myself with the other. I felt all my strength and courage going, and crying, "Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit!" I seized the sheet between my teeth, and then grasping it with both hands, let myself down. I fell with violence on some building stones beneath the window. My dear sisters, who were waiting for me, lifted me up, and asked where I was hurt. I answered: "I am hurt all over, and I have broken or dislocated my thigh. It is God's will. Help me to bind it up with my apron." So we moved on, my two companions supporting me, for my wounded leg was quite useless; and after sixty or seventy paces we arrived at the gate, where we were obliged to stop, finding it locked. I was helped to the top of the wall; but when I looked down on the other side, and saw how high it was, I exclaimed: "This is a second precipice, and I have not the courage to face it. Leave me, and you go on." They let me down from the wall at the side from which we had come, and then with great difficulty themselves descended at the other side. ... I remained alone, in great and incessant pain; and, as it was not yet day, I raised my heart in prayer to God in the words of the thirty-eighth Psalm: "Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure", etc. After this I fainted, and remained unconscious for about a quarter an hour. Whenever I became conscious I cried and prayed to the Lord; but I had several fainting fits. The night passed in this way, and then morning came. At this point, Blanche Gamond was discovered and reported to a priest at the hospital. Another of the women who escaped was also recaptured. Blanche Gamond was taken on a short but agonizing journey back to the hospital where she was once again imprisoned, and deprived of adequate food and medical treatment. (Further details are given in the book.) She was given an opportunity to have her father and mother visit. The persecution continued, including the Catholic's attempt at getting her to pray to Mary and the saints instead of to God. Eventually it was determined that a crude surgery was required for her injured leg. Though she survives it, she writes: Four surgeons arrived, and having examined my wound, they retired and consulted together for several hours. Then they came back and began the operation -- but I must lay down my pen. The dreadful remembrance of the agony I suffered makes my hands tremble and brings tears to my eyes even yet. My dear mother was with me, but her tears and groans were so distressing that she had to be sent out of the room. I passed the night, and in the morning four surgeons came back, not to dress my wound, but to see whether I was still alive. ... The story continues on the next page . . . The above is part of my multi-part series of posts based on the trials of a 21 year old woman named Blanche Gamond, who was one of the many persecuted Christians in 17th century France. Her true story is told in the book Stories of The Huguenots, which I am posting excerpts of. If you are just tuning in, you can get caught up by starting on part 1. Learn more about the French Huguenots on Wikipedia or in a book that I highly recommended called Sketches From Church History. Posted by: Jim B.   Link: http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.578   Be the first to post a comment about this article        Home  |   About  |  Videos   |  Calvinism