France, preaching almost daily to immense audiences.
At Nismes, he preached at the famous place for Huguenot meetings--in
the old quarry, about three miles from the town. There were about
twenty thousand persons present, ranged, as in an amphitheatre, along
the sides of the quarry. It was a most impressive sight. Peasants and
gentlemen mixed together. Even the "beau monde" of Nismes was present.
Everybody thought that there was now an end of the persecution.[62]

[Footnote 62: Of the preachers about this time (1740-4) the
best known were Morel, Foriel, Mauvillon, Voulaud, Corteiz,
Peyrot, Roux, Gauch, Coste, Dugniere, Blachon, Gabriac,
Dejours, Rabaut, Gibert, Mignault, Desubas, Dubesset, Pradel,
Morin, Defferre, Loire, Pradon,--with many more. Defferre
restored Protestantism in Berne. Loire (a native of St. Omer,
and formerly a Catholic), Viala, Preneuf, and Prudon, were
the apostles of Normandy, Rouergue, Guyenne, and Poitou.]

In the meantime the clergy continued to show signs of increasing
irritation. They complained, denounced, and threatened. Various
calumnies were invented respecting the Huguenots. The priests of
Dauphiny gave out that Roger, the pastor, had read an edict purporting
to be signed by Louis XV. granting complete toleration to the
Huguenots! The report was entirely without foundation, and Roger
indignantly denied that he had read any such edict. But the report
reached the ears of the King, then before Ypres with his army; on
which he issued a proclamation announcing that the rumour publicly
circulated that it was his intention to tolerate the Huguenots was
absolutely false.

No sooner had the war terminated, and the army returned to France,
than the persecutions recommenced as hotly as ever. The citizens of
Nismes, for having recently encouraged the Huguenots and attended
Court's great meeting, were heavily fined. All the existing laws for
the repression and destruction of Protestantism were enforced.
Suspected persons were apprehended and imprisoned without trial. A new
"hunt" was set on foot for preachers. There were now plenty of
soldiers at liberty to suppress the meetings in the Desert, and they
were ordered into the infested quarters. In a word, persecution was
let loose all over France. Nor was it without the usual results. It
was very hot in Dauphiny. There a detachment of horse police,
accompanied by regular troops an