A FACTOR IN AMERICAN CIVILIZATION 421 



agriculture, in manufacturing, and in commerce, and 

 that the insane policy of the crown in lending itself to 

 the papal determination to exterminate them bespoiled 

 France of much of her material wealth and glory and 

 sunk her into the depths of moral degeneration. And of 

 this Protestant body, the brain and heart of a whole race, 

 it was the exceptionally strong, vigorous and purposeful 

 soul who succeeded in eluding the clutch of the emissaries 

 of Rome and in reaching America. Those lacking in 

 physical strength, or financial resources, or unusual 

 tenacity of purpose, became the victims of their relentless 

 persecutors. An elect race, men of remarkable ability, 

 of exceptional mental and moral worth, of deathless alle- 

 giance to their faith and to the rights of man, were the 

 French Protestants who shared with their English 

 brethren the perils and joys of founding the American 

 Republic. 



Further than this, the long years of harrowing and strong in 

 terrible persecution had given to the Huguenots a charac- ^^^^^^^" 

 ter of peculiar fibre and force. The close surveillance 

 which their persecutors held over them was so exacting 

 and minute that they were forced into the most careful 

 scrutiny of their every act and of the whole manner of 

 their lives. Thus did their tormentors instil into them 

 foresight and prudence and a deep wisdom in the conduct 

 of life. In addition, persecution drove them to the 

 Word of God and they became the "direct oflfspring of 

 the Bible." Its study was their consolation, and came to 

 be their strength — proving in this case, as it has proved 

 in countless other cases, to be an inspirer of vigorous 

 minds and sturdy moral natures. In the early days of 

 the persecution, Clement Marot had translated the Psalms 

 of David into French rhythm, and the singing of these Marot-s 

 psidms became a Huguenot characteristic. They chanted "^"""^ 

 them at their services, in their homes, at their work, at 

 social gatherings, on the streets, in dungeons, on board 

 the galleys, at the stake or the scaffold : and the influence 



