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APRIL

 30, 313 --Greece. Licinianus Licinius defeats Maximinus, the oldest Augustus under whom Christians have been mutilated and executed. He also abolished funeral services in the cemeteries, and prohibited the conducting of religious meetings, and halted the construction of churches. Last year, Constantine advised him to stop oppressing Christians, and when this failed, he circulated a letter forbidding him to use violence against them. On June 13th, an edict of toleration will be issued proclaiming religious liberty for Christians. Licinius will help in reconstructing the churches.
      Maximinus will retire beyond the Taurus Mountains and will issue a new edict of persecution, but soon afterwards he will die begging Christ to help him in his agony and distress.

30, 418 --England. Though political Rome has lost its hold on Britain, yet as the Popes Innocent, Zosimus, and Boniface (401-422) have energetically opposed the teachings of Pelagius, Honorius the emperor has supported their position and today he issues an edict threatening every Pelagian with banishment. Thus the suppression of this heresy in the empire is due to the civil power.

30, 1690 --France. Sunday morning, while Henri Arnaud the Waldensian preacher is exhorting his flock, the sentinels on the lookout discover the enemy forces swarming up the valley. They are completely surrounded.
     On May 2nd, General Catinat will lead three French regiments with a regiment of dragoons into an open attack on the assembly. The first attack will be driven back. A second attack that is designed to simultaneously attack the rear as well as the front of the Waldensian fortress is also repulsed. Seeing the French falling back in disorder, the Waldensians charge the would-be attackers and destroy the whole remaining force, excepting fifteen men who flee bareheaded and without arms to carry the news of their total rout to their camp.
     An officer under the Duke of Savoy relates the scene in a letter:

     "I have only time to tell you that the French have failed in their attack on the Balsille, and they have been obliged to retire after having lost one hundred and fifty soldiers, three captains, besides subalterns and wounded, including a Colonel and a Lieutenant -Colonel who have been made prisoners with the two sergeants who remained behind to help them. The Lieutenant-Colonel was surprised at finding in the fort some nineteen or twenty officers in gold and silver lace, who treated him as a prisoner of war and very humanely, even allowing him to go in search of the Surgeon-Major of his regiment for the purpose of bringing him to the place, and doing all that was necessary."

     On May 12th the Balsille will again be surrounded, and the entire mountain invested as will be all the passes. The guns of the Royalist troops will be in position to ply the Waldensian fortress, so that the capture or extermination of the small band of Christians will be regarded as certain.
     The attackers will be divided into five corps, but will wait two more days before executing the grand attack.
     The little fort is a bastion of dry stones and comes under cannon fire on May 14th. It is soon dismantled, and an assault is made simultaneously on three sides. After stout resistance, the Waldensians retire from their lower entrenchments and retreat to those on the higher mountain ledges. Here, they resist until night; then taking counsel together and feeling the place no longer defensible before so overpowering a force, they determine to evacuate after holding the position for seven months.
     A thick mist is rising from the valley as the Vaudois set out late this night under the guidance of Captain Poulat. They climb up the icy slopes, pass across gaping crevices, along almost perpendicular rocks which permit passage only in single file. Sometimes, they can be seen dragging themselves along on their bellies, clinging to rocks, tufts of grass, and occasionally resting and praying.
     After a long detour of mountain crests they gain the mountain slope, and the Vaudois pass on panting, half dead with fatigue.
     In the morning, the French will proceed to penetrate their defense, and Lo, it will be empty! The enemy will scarcely believe their eyes when they see the dangerous mountain escarpment by which these Waldensians have effected their escape during the night! In unbelief the French will look across the valley and see the Christians like ants amidst the falling snow, and moving toward the mass of the central Alps.

30, 1816 --Washington, D.C. President James Madison signs an act providing chaplains for the two houses of Congress.

 

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