HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT CHRISTIANS (THE WALDENSES, THE ALBIGENSES, THE VAUDOIS )

History of the ancient christians Inhabiting the valleys of the alps the Waldenses, the Albigenses, and the Vaudois.
The promise of the Savior to his apostles was that the gates of hell should never prevail against his church. This promise seems to secure to his people that there shall be, in all ages, and in the worst of times, a true and substantially pure Church; that is, that there shall always be a body of people, more or less numerous, who shall hold fast the doctrines and order of Christ’s house, in some good degree, in conformity with the model of the primitive Church. Accordingly, it is not difficult to show that, ever since the rise of the “Man of Sin,” there has been a succession of those whom the Scriptures style, “Witnesses for God” — ”Witnesses for the truth;” who have kept alive “the faith once delivered to the saints;” and have, in some good degree of faithfulness, maintained the ordinances and discipline which the inspired apostles, in the Master’s name, committed to the keeping of the Church.