"When his arrival was expected in certain hamlets, it was delightful to see the cottages send forth their inhabitants, to watch the coming of the beloved minister. And when the seniors asked for his blessing, and the children took hold of his hands or his knees, he felt all the fatigue of his long journies pass away."

A

MEMOIR

OF

FELIX NEFF,

PASTOR OF THE HIGH ALPS.

BY WILLIAM STEPHEN GILLY, M. A.
Prebendary of Durham, and Vicar of Norham.

"There are very few habitations in Dormilleuse which are not
liable to be swept away, for there is not a spot, in this narrow
corner of the Valley of Fressiniere, which can be considered ab-
solutely safe. But terrible as the situation of the natives is, they
owe to it their religious, and perhaps their physical existence. If
their country had been more secure, and more accessible, they
would have been exterminated, like the inhabitants of Val Lou-
ise."-NEFF'S JOURNAL.

From the London Edition, with Notes.

BOSTON:

WILLIAM HYDE & CO.
1832.

DIVINITY SCHOOL

LIBRARY.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1832, by WILLIAM HYDE & Co.,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.

PRINTED BY PEIRCE AND PARKER,
No. 9, CORNHILL.

Neff's birth and education-His first Tastes and

Occupation-His military Career-Leaves the

Army and becomes a Probationer for Holy Or-

ders-Exercises the Functions of a Probationer

in the Swiss Cantons

51

Neff goes to France to officiate at Grenoble and

Mens-His Observations on National Churches

-The Nature of his Charge at Mens-His labo-

rious Duties-Remarks on the Effects produced by

Sacred Music-Neff's Method with his Catechu-

mens

59

69

CHAPTER III.

Neff's difficulties as to Ordination-Ilis reasons for

not being ordained by the Genevan Clergy-

Goes to England for his diploma-His return to

Fran e and reception at Mens-His nomination

as Pastor of the High Alps-His first visits to the

mountain hamlets of his parish

CHAPTER IV.

Description of the department of the High Alps—

Restitution of Protestant rights-Organization of

Reformed Churches of France-Nature and ex-

tent of Neff's pastoral charge-Henry Oberlin-

Description of the Valleys of Fressinière and

Queyras, and of Neff's parish-The pass of the

Guil-Neffat Arvieux, and in his presbytery at La

Chalp-His progress through his parish—San

Veran-Pierre Grosse-Fousillarde- The Pas-

tor's manifold duties-Neff's winter journey to

Val Fressinière-Palons-The Rimasse-Dormil-

leuse-Neff's description of Dormilleuse, and of

the condition in which he found the remains of

the primitive Christians there-His perilous la-

bors there

112

CHAPTER V.

Neff organizes Réunions, or Prayer-meetings-His

opinion of the necessity of such meetings-Neff" s

last exhortation to his flock on the subject-His

exhortations examined-Prayer-meetings

151

Neff at Champsaur-His difficulties there-From

Champsaur to Val Fressinière-His Employments

from break of day to midnight-His account of

the Consecration of the new Church of Violins-

His discussion with a Vaudois Pastor-Wretched

condition of the Natives of Val Fressinière-An

affecting Incident-Neff institutes associations of

the Bible and Missionary Societies among his

Alpines-Passage of the Col d'Orsiere-Progress

of his catechumens at Champsaur-Laments over

the levity of some of his Flock-Prevents the ap-

pointment of an unworthy Pastor at Champsaur 157