The origin of the Waldenses, like all distant objects, remains in some obscurity. Various opinions have been advanced by their historians, some contending for, and others against, a great antiquity. The former endeavor to prove that a separate church has existed in the Alpine valleys from the earliest ages of Christianity, while the latter will not admit an earlier origin than the eleventh or twelfth century. History and tradition alike, however, support the opinion that an almost uninterrupted testimony has been maintained, and handed down from primitive times. "With the dawn of history," observes an English historian, " we discover some simple Christians in the valleys of the Alps, where they still exist under the ancient name of the Vaudois, who by the light of the New Testament, saw the extraordinary contract between the purity of primitive times.
And the vices of the gorgeous hierarchy which surrounded them." As throwing some light on their early conversion to Christianity, another writer says: " Traces still exist of the Roman road which crossed the Cottian Alps, and extended from Milan to Boulogne, being the usual thoroughfare through which the Roman legions traveled from Italy to Gaul and Britain. While noticing their progress, in reading history, let it be remembered that the same road was probably the means of conveying many who brought glad tidings, and published the gospel of peace to the dwellers in the mountains and elsewhere.
" The famous city of Lyons, in the South of France, contained a community of Christians, as early as the second or third century; their bishop was Ireneaus, the pupil of Polycarp, himself the pastor of the church at Smyrna, and the disciple of St. John. It is not improbable that he was the instrument of converting the simple mountaineers from Paganism. Tradition also speaks of St. Paul as having traveled in this direction towards Spain, preaching to the inhabitants."
The Vaudois themselves have always maintained that the religion they followed had been preserved from father to son, and from generation to generation, " from all time and from time immemorial." Their own historians, too, are of the same opinion. " The Vaudois of the Alps," writes one of the latest, " are according to our belief the primitive church preserved in these valleys."
Thus we have abundant testimony in favor of a very early origin: let us now look for a moment at what is stated by those who hold a contrary opinion. These are, for the most part, Romish writers who appear anxious to prove that the Waldenses were merely a sect, which sprang up about the close of the twelfth century, Peter Waldo-the merchant Reformer of Lyons, as he was called-being their founder. There appears but little more reason for connecting Peter Waldo with the origin of the Waldenses than the similarity of names, which, however, is no more than a coincidence. " The appellation," says Dr. Gully in his Waldensian Researches ' " of Valdesi in Italian, Vaudois in French, and Waldensian in English church history, means neither more nor less than ' men of the valleys.' "
We may easily understand why the Roman Church should attempt to cast doubt on the antiquity of the Waldensian Church. To admit it was to acknowledge that a distinct church, separate from " the one, only, apostolic church " (as she proudly boasted), had existed and flourished from all time, thus yielding what she most of all desired, complete and universal supremacy. Perhaps the opinion of the later origin of the Waldenses, may have gained ground with other writers, from the fact that little mention is made of them in history until the time of Peter Waldo, about the year 1180.
It is as far back, however, as the eighth century, that the earliest authentic records are placed. The history of the Church of the valleys connects itself, at this period with Claude, the Bishop of Turin. What glimpses history gives us of the life and labors of this early witness all reveal him as a most excellent man, and a great and worthy witness for Christ-a bright light indeed, shining in dark times. Like Luther, centuries afterward, he went to the pure Word of God, and learning first himself the precious truths which he found therein, he gave them again to his flock with mighty earnestness and power. " I teach no new doctrine," he replied to those who called the truths of the Bible, heresy, " but keep myself to the pure truth; and I will persist in opposing to the uttermost all superstition." When he was appointed Bishop of Turin, his first object was to destroy the images, which had gained a recent entrance into the churches, and he afterward abolished every ceremony which he considered not in accordance with the Word of God. " How delightful," exclaims his biographer, " must it have been to the little flock on the mountains to range themselves under the protecting crook of this faithful shepherd! "
We shall not stay to dwell on the several links which connect the faithful Claude with Peter Waldo. There were not wanting witnesses, all through the centuries that separate them, both to testify for the truth, and to protest against the evil that was now growing on apace.
Although he was clearly not their founder, there can be no doubt that the Waldenses owed a deep debt of gratitude to Waldo. He it was who gave them the Scriptures in their own tongue. Before his version appeared the Bible was written only in the Latin tongue, a dead language at that period, unknown to the common people, and those not connected with the church. With what joy then must the Word of God have been welcomed by the nations! Now each could read " in the tongue wherein he was born " the ' wonderful works of God. This translation of the Scriptures is known as the Romaunt version; a tongue spoken by all the Southern nations of Europe during the middle ages. There are six copies of this version still in existence, preserved in the principal libraries of Europe.
The story of Peter Waldo, of his conversion and subsequent life of devotedness is full of interest. Although called the " poor man of Lyons," this had not been always true of Peter. There was a time when he held his head high amongst the great ones of his own city. He was then a rich Lyonese merchant. But one day as he sat at a sumptuous feast, clothed in purple and fine linen, the wine cup going freely round, and a companion of his pleasures by his side, the cold hand of death was placed suddenly upon his friend, and the merchant saw him stricken lifeless at his feet. This produced serious thought, and aroused him from the life of pleasure in which he had till that moment indulged. Conviction of a future punishment for sin seized him: he cried for mercy: and receiving therewith peace and pardon, made, like Luther, an unalterable determination to give himself up entirely to the service of God.
Then we find him selling his house and lands, that he might be able to relieve the wants of the poor, and help to spread the glad tidings of a free salvation. Studying the Bible with great zeal, and quenching his own soul-thirst at the pure fountain of the Word of God, he determined that the people should have access to the same living spring. Accordingly he translated, or had translated, into the common tongue the whole of the New Testament, besides other portions of Scripture. This was an unspeakable boon, as well to those who sought to spread the truth as to those who received it. " Thus provided with the Scriptures in their own tongue," a recent writer observes, " they were able to explain to the people, that they were not advancing doctrines of their own, but a pure faith as it existed in the Bible."
The appearance of Peter Waldo's version of the Scriptures is a landmark in our history. With the keen penetrating glance of the eagle whose home is among the snowy summits of the Alps, the great enemy of the Waldenses, the Papal power, detected the quarter whence trouble was likely to arise. So long as the efforts of Waldo and his followers were confined to their own individual labors they were not much molested; but when Waldo presented the Scriptures to the people in a tongue which they could read and understand, and copies were rapidly being multiplied and circulated far and wide, the anger of the enemy became fully aroused, and efforts were at once made to extinguish the light which was now burning so brightly. As the immediate cause of this great movement, poor Peter was the first to suffer persecution. He was straightway denounced as the worst of heretics. His life being in jeopardy, he concealed himself for some time in his native city; but at length being discovered, he escaped to Piedmont, where he was gladly received by his brethren of the valleys. Here, however, he was not long permitted to rest in peace: once more the pursuers are on his track, and again he is compelled to fly-this time to Bohemia. For many years in this new field of labor, with unabated zeal and devotion, he continued to spread the light of the glorious Gospel, " giving light to them that sat in darkness." Then he was called away to his well-earned rest, to receive the reward which the Master was surely waiting to bestow upon him.
Meanwhile, the followers of Waldo had been persecuted and scattered abroad. But as seed dispersed and driven by the storm is lodged thereby in other soil, so did this tempest of persecution only scatter the divine seed that it might fall into fresh ground, spring up, and bring forth a goodly harvest after many days.