Here's another post from 2017
Let's look at the Protestant Reformation.
Which will bring us up to the 15th and 16th centuries.
The Huguenots, France -
Bernard Bresson, in his extensive historical study of
Medieval Pentecost, cites sources indicating Calvin’s reformation experiences were a product of his
association with the Huguenots who repeatedly
manifested the gifts of the Holy Spirit in their meetings. When Calvin was at last well-established in Geneva, he
secretly supported in every way those persecuted Protestant Huguenots in France.
Thus, the Huguenots became an important
link in the chain of events that awakened the whole Protestant movement to larger
vistas of New Testament doctrine. So while Luther’s revival in Germany was progressing, similar convictions began to appear in France. This occurred, at least in part, because of the widespread circulation in France of Luther’s
writings, even influencing — as has been cited above — John Calvin’s
sudden conversion. Officially, of course, France was a Catholic
stronghold, and the royals — the monarchs of that nation — were ever under pressure from
Rome to keep it Catholic,
at any cost.
The Protestant Reformation - Cont'd
The Huguenots, France - Cont'd
One example of these
deceptive intermissions occurred on St. Bartholomew’s Day, 1572. As the day approached, circumstances between the Protestants and the Catholics seemed
relatively peaceful. Many Huguenot nobles had gathered in Paris for the festive occasion. In fact, an important wedding was planned for a leading Huguenot nobleman, Henry of Navarre, and Marguerite of Valois, Charles IX’s sister. But Catherine de Medici, the mother of the youthful king, had been in
connivance with other Catholic leaders to take advantage of the
unsuspecting Huguenots gathering in Paris for the occasion.
The Catholics initiated a
nighttime attack that ultimately massacred 8,000 of the
visitors to the capital. Admiral Coligny, a reputable
leader of the Huguenots and a
respected politician, was among those
assassinated by the Catholic deception.
During the days that followed this surprise attack, Catholics
systematically exterminated
thousands more Huguenots throughout the provinces of France. Catholics
declared open season everywhere on the Protestant Huguenots. It has been
conservatively estimated that over 70,000 were
unconscionably martyred. And ironically, the Pope, now convinced that all the Catholics who were involved had at last
accomplished the will of God, “sent congratulations to Catherine and both thought they were
done with the Huguenots.”
Many Huguenots, however,
lived on, perhaps to die yet another day — but alive, nonetheless, and still
committed to their strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In spite of the supposed
demise of the Huguenots, there were survivors of that terrible massacre. These survivors fled to the
Alpine region of the Cevennes mountains, where the troubled remnant cried out to God for grace to endure. A loving Heavenly Father answered by
pouring out His Spirit, thereby comforting those harassed believers.
Source
