Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – Waldenses – Winter Raid by Inhuman Catholics – Baptist Peculiarity SEVEN (continued) – Part 21 of 24 in the Series

Thomas E Kresal Admin · 3 hrs March 10, 2020

Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – Waldenses – Winter Raid by Inhuman Catholics – Baptist Peculiarity SEVEN (continued) – Part 21 of 24 in the Series

About the year 1400 the Waldensean inhabitants of the valley of Pragela were surprised by the Catholic soldiers. The attack was made upon them in December, when the mountains were covered with snow. As the work of slaughter and death went on in the valley, the remnant of the inhabitants that escaped the fury of the soldiers, perished in the mountain snows.

Mr. Jones says, of their fate: “They fled to one of the highest mountains of the Alps, with their wives and children, the unhappy mothers carrying g the cradle in one hand, and with the other leading such of their offspring as were able to walk. Their inhuman invaders, whose feet were swift to shed blood, pursued them in their flight until night came on, and slew great numbers of them before they could reach the mountains. Those that escaped were, however, reserved to experience a fate not more enviable. Overtaken by the shades of night, they wandered up and down the mountains, covered with snow, destitute of the means of shelter from the inclemencies of the weather, or of supporting themselves under it by any of the comforts which Providence has destined for that purpose. Benumbed with cold, they fell an easy prey to the severity of the climate, and, when the night had passed away, there were found in their cradles, or lying upon the snow, four score of their infants deprived of life, many of their mothers also lying dead by their sides, and others just on the point of expiring. During the night their enemies were busily employed in plundering the houses of everything that was valuable, which they conveyed away to Susa. A poor woman belonging to the Waldenses, named Margaret Athode, was next morning found hanging upon a tree.” (Jones History of the Church p. 319)