One very interesting feature in those days of persecution, was the marvelous way in which God preserved His own till the moment when the appointed time had come. Although there were many who coveted the honor of dying for Christ, yet there were others who shrank from death and suffering. They loved their Saviour none the less that they desired to give a living, rather than a dying testimony. Though ready to be offered, if need be, yet were they glad to have the precious days prolonged which could be used for God. Since their bodies, as well as souls, had been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, it must have been pleasing to the Lord to see all due care taken of them.
Claude Brousson, the Huguenot pastor, had some very narrow escapes, in which only the power of God could have preserved him. At one time he had returned to his native place, and had been quietly living there for some months, when the order was given for his arrest. Four hundred soldiers were sent to the little town to carry out the king’s wishes. The well-known pastor was to be one of the first for whom search was to be made, but there were other Huguenots also to be made prisoners.
Although the royal wrath was able to vent itself on not a few defenseless inhabitants, yet signal failure met the attempts to arrest Claude Brousson. Four hundred armed men could not touch the peaceful Christian man, who had still more work to do for God. He escaped their grasp and fled from Nismes, though it would have been an easy thing for many in the town to have aided in his capture. A reward was publicly offered to the person who would tell where Monsieur Brousson might be found, and yet none betrayed the divinely-kept servant of God.
Imagine that fearless man listening to the proclamation setting a price upon his own head, and yet none to lay hands upon him, or do him harm! With what mingled feelings must his ears have caught those deadly words, as they entered by the open window of the house in which he stayed! Yet none were permitted to touch that precious life so nobly held for God. Any one such as he, would have been suspected if found leaving the town; he therefore remained three days longer where he was. Then in disguise he succeeded in leaving Nismes, to go forth from persecuting France to friendly Switzerland.
At another time, Monsieur Brousson was still nearer capture while fleeing from the pursuit of his enemies. He had passed a cheerless night in the rain and cold, to which want of shelter had exposed him. In the morning he made his way towards a village, in the hope of getting his clothes dried. As he approached, however, he suddenly came near to a body of soldiers, the sight of whom rapidly turned him from his purpose. He knew too well how pleased they would be to capture him, and so he retired into a wood till they had passed. No sooner had he done so than another party followed, and, like the first, marched quite close to his hiding-place.
When these two detachments had joined, the whole was separated into four companies to search everywhere for the hated Brousson. One of these went to the very house whither the wet and weary fugitive had intended going. Happily, the search was all in vain, and the pastor, whom God had kept, was free to go on his way rejoicing. Once more had his life been marvelously preserved, in order that he might continue to serve the Saviour whom he loved.
On another occasion, when staying, or rather hiding, with some friends in his native town, he, with his own hand, put his enemies on the track. Having written a petition to the king signed by himself, and posted in the town, his dwelling-place for the time was revealed. When he saw what he had done, he took the precaution of leaving Nismes for the shelter of a friendly house not far off. To this place of refuge his foes succeeded in tracing him, and ere long a party of soldiers had surrounded the spot, and were searching diligently for the missing man.
Before that armed party had arrived, however, the person to whom the house belonged had been wisely guided to a way of evading the pursuers. A well adjoining the house afforded a place of concealment, to which the visitor was speedily conveyed. Descending this somewhat dangerous place, where a slip might have plunged him in the water, he managed to get into the little recess near the bottom, in safety. No sooner was this accomplished, than the soldiers had scattered themselves all over the place, sure of finding the man whom they knew to be there. They were, however, completely foiled, for nowhere could they see the person whom they sought. Every nook and corner was carefully searched—in the house and out of it. Cupboards, chimneys, beds, everything and every place which could have held a man; but happily for their intended victim, he was not to be found.
The well attracted their attention as other places did, and many a time did they look into its depths. But Claude Brousson they could not see, nor did God permit them even when one pair of eyes came nearer. One of the soldiers went down as far as to the edge of the water, groping all around him, but still in vain. So at his own request, the soldier was drawn up, firmly believing that wherever Claude Brousson might be, he was certainly not in the well at that moment. Poor foolish men! armed as they were, and keen sighted as they thought themselves, they could not say with Paul, as Claude Brousson could, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:3131What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)).
Another striking example of God’s preserving care occurred in the history of this worthy pastor whom the Huguenots loved so dearly. Soldiers were often on his track, and were ever glad to have any reports of him. An enemy in the garb of a friend, told them at one time that a secret meeting had been held, and that in a certain house, which was pointed out, the famous pastor had slept afterward. This was indeed good news to their cruel hearts, and they hurried off to capture their prisoner, as they thought. But once again God saved His suffering servant, in the most simple way possible.
Monsieur Brousson had barely time to get behind a door when the soldiers entered. They looked in every place which they could think of, but no one turned to look behind the open door. Yet there stood their man, barely hidden, and, indeed, it only needed to have their searching gaze turned in that direction, to have beheld one pair of feet very plainly. The little gap between the door and the floor showed Brousson’s shoes distinctly, yet the soldier’s eyes saw them not. As the men were leaving the house, a little child endeavored to draw the officer’s attention to the fact, by calling out, “Look here, sir, look here!” But even that voice failed, for though addressed to the leader of the party, he paid no heed to what he only thought the idle cry of a little child.
It was indeed of God’s ordering, that the whole party of armed men turned away in disappointment, having failed to use either eyes or ears, as they might have done. On the evening of the same day, Monsieur Brousson dressed himself as a working man, and so escaped from further danger. A friend went with him to show him the way. Brousson, in the garb of a wool-comber, carried a parcel as if attending to his employment, the other looking like a companion in toil.
It was in such ways that Claude Brousson evaded his persecutors, even when a large reward had been offered for his capture. He was truly a man of peace, for, unlike many who lived in his day, he would not defend himself by force. At one time he had carried a sword, but believing that to be unlike a preacher of the gospel of peace, he laid it aside. In keeping with his own attitude in this, he requested the people who attended his meetings, also to come unarmed.
Brousson’s place of concealment was often found out, and still he escaped unnoticed. He could enter his native town and live there, and his life continue as safe as in a hidden cave or mountain fastness. He left when it suited him, and passed by his watchful enemies, unheeded and unknown. It was God who preserved that faithful man till the day came when he was called upon to die for his Lord.