Love Under Fire

Rome Determines to Destroy the Waldenses

Now began the most terrible crusades against God's people in their mountain homes. Harsh investigators were put upon their track. Again and again Rome's forces ruined their fertile lands and swept away their homes and chapels. No charge could be brought against the moral character of these outlawed people. Their biggest offense was that they would not worship God according to the will of the pope. Because they were seen as guilty of this “crime,” every insult and torture that men or devils could invent was heaped on them. LF 35.6

When Rome determined to exterminate the hated group, the pope issued a bull [edict] condemning them as heretics and ordering their slaughter (see Appendix). They were not accused as lazy, or dishonest, or disorderly, but it was declared that they had an appearance of piety and sanctity that seduced “the sheep of the true fold.” This edict called all members of the church to join the crusade against the heretics. As an incentive it “released all who joined the crusade from any oaths they might have taken; it legitimated their title to any property they might have illegally acquired, and promised forgiveness of all their sins to those who would kill any heretic. It cancelled all contracts made in favor of Vaudois, forbade all persons to give them any aid whatever, and empowered all persons to take possession of their property.”³ This document clearly reveals the roar of the dragon and not the voice of Christ. The same spirit that crucified Christ and killed the apostles, that moved the bloodthirsty Nero against the faithful Christians in his day, was at work to rid the earth of those who were beloved by God. LF 35.7

In spite of the crusades against them and the inhuman butchery they suffered, this God-fearing people continued to send out missionaries to scatter the precious truth. They were hunted to the death, yet their blood watered the seed they sowed, and it yielded fruit. LF 36.1

In this way the Waldenses witnessed for God centuries before Luther. They planted the seeds of the Reformation that began in the time of Wycliffe, grew broad and deep in the days of Luther, and is to be carried forward to the close of time. LF 36.2