200 VROF. r. F. ROGET, ON FKEDEEIC GODET, SWISS DIVINE, 



The gay capital made upon him the impression which is usual 

 with Swiss Protestants : admiration, but an instinctive distrust 

 of French brilHancy, of the Parisian rashness of thought and 

 indifference to the true conditions of Christian manHness. He 

 returned from Paris enhghtened and strengthened. 



At that, time there was no regular School of Divinity at 

 Neuchatel. Candidates for the Ministry were principally self- 

 taught and depended upon their own initiative for the organiza- 

 tion of their studies. They got their lessons in Hebrew from an 

 expert who was none the less proficient for not being a 

 " Professor." He received them informally at 5 o'clock before 

 breakfast for, said he, " at a less early hour those young people 

 would break up my morning." Those apparently ill-organized 

 studies bore excellent fruit. There w^ere in Neuchatel as many 

 men learned in the ancient languages and in the branches of 

 philosophy and divinity as would have sufficed to man two 

 complete Colleges or Faculties. 



The lodestar of Godet's mind and soul began to shine down 

 upon him amidst those influences. His opinions were then 

 most uncertain, but his faith in the divinity of the Bible was 

 entire. He owed his life-long security of religious tenure 

 neither to Apologetics, nor to Dogmatics, but to Experience. 



Philosophy, he found, runs into theology, for who can relate 

 reason to the one necessary thing, unless it be by pondering 

 over the fruits of Christian experience ? It is a matter of 

 reaching Knowledge through Life. And he prayed that, while 

 judging himself in that light, he might abstain from judging 

 others. There is no instance on record of Godet's hdiwing judged 

 others, though instances abound of his having told his mind, 

 but never with any reflection upon character or motives. 

 Having to steer his way and that of the Church through con- 

 siderable political and ecclesiastical disturbances, his fairness 

 and gentleness preserved for him the love and admiration of all. 



In 1831, Godet tasted of military life. We have seen the 

 same feature in I^aville. There are indeed few divines in 

 Switzerland who have not, in their youth, served in the ranks. 

 The case of Godet was that of a Loyalist called to arms to quell 

 a Nationalist rebellion. 



In spite of the example set by Paris, so-called Liberal and 

 Eepublican opinion, resting upon Swiss support, had not yet 

 grown strong enough in Neuchritel to defeat the Eoyalistic 

 tradition. Godet found himself called out in support of the 

 existing Government, which was not Swiss, but locally autono- 

 mous in the Eepublican form under Prussian suzerainty. 



