The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 25 (Castres) · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. An Act to preſerve the Churches Writings, Deeds, &c.
12 DIvers Papers of very great Importance to our Churches, being loſt to their unſpeakable prejudice, and all occaſioned through their neglect of chooſing ſome one particular Church in each Province, wherein the Originals of all proceedings by our General Deputies might be depoſited, This Synod deſirous to prevent ſo great a diſorder for the future, Decreeth, That all Writings remaining in their hands, who have been imployed in the General Deputation ſhall be redemanded of them by the Conſiſtories of thoſe Churches in which they make their Reſidence, that ſo they may be more carefully preſerved than heretofore. And the Originals of all Declarations, Writts, Anſwers unto Cahiers, and ſuch other Papers concerning the General Body of our Churches ſhall be carried unto Rochell, and lodged up in the Archives there. And as for other Papers, and Acts of Proceedings relating to particular Churches, there ſhall be one Church in every Province which ſhall have the keeping of them, that ſo upon all occaſions we may tell where to find them. And to this purpoſe there was named for the Province of Higher Languedoc the Church of Montauban, for the Lower Languedoc the Church of Niſmes, for Sevennes Anduze, for Anjou Loudun, for Burgundy Gex, for Vivaretz Privas, for the Lower Guyenne Ste Foy, for Poictou Niort, for Xaintonge Rochell, for the Iſle of France Paris, for Normandy Alencon, for Britain Belin, for Dolphiny Die, for Berry Chaſtillion on the Loir, and for Provence Aignieres.
14. Whereas divers Provinces have been charged with the Memoirs of very many Churches, groaning under the cruel Oppreſſions of our Adverſaries, who do daily deprive them of their Liberty of Conſcience in the Service of God, and of thoſe Rights and Priviledges granted us by the King; and Neceſſity requiring us to ſeck out ſome Remedy againſt ſuch growing Miſchiefs, from his Majeſty's Juſtice and Protection, Monſieur le Haucher was ordered to collect into one Body all thoſe Grievances aforeſaid, and all others which have been averred and ſigned by two Paſtors or Elders; ſhall immediately upon the Departure of this Council, be ſent unto him, that all may be gathered into one general Bill, and laid at his Majeſties Feet, with our moſt humble Petitions unto his Majeſty, that he would be pleaſed to extend his Royal Protection unto his moſt faithful Subjects of the Reformed Religion, who have no greater Ambition in the World, than to yield all due Obedience and Service unto his Majeſty.
15. The Province of Dolphiny craved Advice, what ſhould be done with thoſe who violated that Canon of Tonneins, which had obliged Paſtors to adminiſter Baptiſm only at ſuch Church-Meetings in which the Word of God was preached, either immediately before or after Sermon, becauſe that divers Churches do it, when as only they come together unto their accuſtomed Morning, common, publick Prayers, without any Sermons at all. After a long and ſmart Debate about this Matter, the Council owning that the formal neceſſary Words for Conſecration and Celebration of that Sacrament, were fully comprized in the Liturgy of our Churches, and judging it for the preſent utterly unfit to urge the Obſervation of that Canon of Tonneins, decreeth, that the Provinces having examined the Reaſons alledged by both Parties pro and con, ſhall give unto their Deputies, commiſſionated unto the next National Synod, the ſtrongeſt Arguments to this purpoſe, that ſo that Council may proceed to a final Reſolution in the Caſe.