WALDENSES

In Ecclesiastical History, a remarkable religious sect, said to have derived their name from Peter Waldo, a merchant of Lyons, who preached what lie regarded as the pure doctrine of the Scriptures about 1180. Historians have confounded them, on the one hand, with the Vaudois (see that article), who appear, although their history is involved in much obscurity, to he an older and separate people; and on the other (especially those of ilic Catholic party), with the Alhigenses; and thus it has been endeavoured to throw on them the discredit of the Manic be an tract*, which are commonly (but on very doubtful testimony) imputed to the latter. It seems clear, howc '•BT, that the Waldenscs were distinct from these, and probably from the Vaudois also. Their distinguishing chart has been said, "seems to have consisted in a strict adherence to what they considered to be the doctrine originally delivered by Christ to his apostles." And out of their extremely literal interpretation of the Gospel appears to have arisen most of their peculiarities, whether good or evil. They seem to have rejected an established succe ion of the priesthood, and the distinguishing characteristics of the priestly office; the high Catholic doctrine of the sacra meats, besides the common ecclesiastical abuses of their day; and are said, in addition, to have protested against oaths, warfare, lawsuits, and the accumulation of wealth. Their later history is obscure; and it may be said of them, as well as of other sects of the day, that they had little of the elements of permanence, the same opinions being continually promulgated afresh by new reformers, and then receiving new denominations. (See Alhigenses, Petuobrusians, Vaudois.) The reader may consult Miliier's Ecclesiastical History for the most favourable view of these and similar sectaries; and, among many o;her authorities, Faber, On the Churches of the H'aldenses and Albi/renscs. Moshcim, cent. 12. vol. iii. There is a curious notice of an establishment of Waldenscs in Kent, iu the Arch a los ria, vol. ix. [s. 1338]