216 PEOF. r. F. EOGET, ON FREDERIC GODET, SWISS DIVINE, 



Holienzolleriis preferred a reasonable concession to the lust for 

 domination in which a Bonaparte would have indulged. 



In March, 1848, the Swiss Eepublican Party proclaimed the 

 Eepublic at ISTeuchatel, the Eoyalists offering no resistance. At 

 Berlin, as one knows, a revolution was attempted at the same 

 time. This failed, within limits. The account which the 

 Prince Eoyal gave of it to Godet is, unfortunately, too long to 

 reproduce here. He was then 17 years old and his narrative is 

 quite worth reading. There is not a word in it breathing 

 defiance of, or want of confidence in, the people. The ruling 

 king distinguished himself by his oratorical gifts in patriarchally 

 addressing the crowd, but the prince's father, as one knows, 

 found it necessary to remove himself for a time, and went 

 to London, wlience he was soon recalled. 



From that time, there is a poUtical barrier between the heir- 

 apparent and his former tutor. The latter has de fadOy though 

 not yet de jure, ceased to be a Prussian subject, but, as we hinted 

 before, there occurred no change in the personal relations of 

 Godet with the rulers of I'russia. 



Should we say here how interested Godet was in the Confir- 

 mation of the young man ? The letters exchanged show that 

 though Godet, externally, was not connected with this chapter 

 in the rehgious life of his pupil, Frederick did inwardly, and as it 

 were in the privacy of his closet, apply to Godet for the conse- 

 cration of his soul to the service of God. 



The young prince clearly expected from the Almighty some 

 perceptible reward, some spiritual acknowledgment of his 

 dedication to the service of the Lord, but his i^euchatel friend 

 reminds him that by impatiently forestalling the hour of God 

 we spoil both present and future, so that the counsel, given to 

 us by our Divine Teacher and Friend, that we should ^josst's.*? our 

 souls i)i 2^c(iience is advice as kind as it is wise. " Do not filch 

 anything away from your present and future happiness by taking 

 it unto yourself before it is offered to you. Endeavour rather 

 to gain and keep possession of your soul, and do not share it 

 with any but One." 



Fifteen big pages of writing were not enough for the young 

 prince's revealing of himself that was elicited by the above 

 monition, and to these he added his confession of faith. 



This eventful year, 1848, eventful in the spiritual life of the 

 young prince, eventful in the history of the Prussian monarchy, 

 eventful in the political history of Neuchatel, was eventful also 

 in the annals of the Church of Neuchatel which the Eepublican 

 revolution brought suddenly into a quandary not unlike that 



