The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 29 (Loudun) · Chapter 12

The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France · 29 (Loudun) · Chapter 12

p. 574CHAP. XII. Of Univerſities.

1. THE Provincial Deputies of Xaintonge moved, that in every Province there might be Two Perſons ordred to prepare and fit themſelves for the Profeſſion of Divinity, and that our Univerſity Councils might be obliged to pitch upon one of them to fill up the vacant Chairs of Divinity. But this Aſſembly did not judge meet to make any Alteration in the former Canons, which left the extraordinary Councils of our Univerſities at liberty to chuſe the Profeſſors of Divinity, without reſtraining them to this or that deſigned Miniſter; and therefore they ſhould procure and ſettle in ſuch important Charges ſuch Perſons as they were directed to by the Canons of our National Synods, and in particular by thoſe of Alez, Charenion, and Al… ſon.

2. All the Deputies of our Provinces, with one common conſent, complaining of the great Corruptions crept in among the Scholars in our Univerſities, eſpecially among the Students in Divinity, of their wearing long Hair, Cloaths after the new fangled Faſhions of the World, with wide floating Sleeves, Gloves ſtuft with Silk and Ribbans, that they frequented Taverns, haunted the Company of Women, walk'd abroad with their Swords, that their Style ſavour'd more of the Romance than of God's Holy Word, and many other Vanities and Exceſſes of this Nature. The Aſſembly touched with a moſt ſenſible grief for theſe great Diſorders, and zealouſly concerned for the Houſe of God, doth moſt earneſtly exhort the Profeſſors, and all other Governors in our Univerſities, as alſo the Conſiſtories of thoſe Churches in which they are, to exert all their care, power and authority for the ſuppreſſion of theſe Abuſes, which redound to the diſgrace of our Religion, and give great Scandal unto Perſons fearing God, and open the Flood Gates to a deluge of Prophaneſs to break in upon the Sanctuary: And farther it injoyneth them to ſuſpend the Refractory from the Lord's Table, and to blot their Names out of the Matricular Book of Students, and to deprive Propoſans of all hopes of ever being admitted to the Miniſterial Office. And all Scholars are moſt ſtraitly injoyned, and moſt eſpecially Students in Divinity, to refrain from all thoſe Abuſes before-mentioned, and to keep themſelves at the greateſt diſtance from thoſe things which are contrary to Modeſty and true Sanctity, which Vertues ſhould ſhine forth conſpicuouſly in their Lives, whom God calleth to be Paſtors in the Church of Chriſt: And that there may be no ſiniſter Opinions conceived of them, they be commanded to perfume the Houſe of God betimes with the ſweet Odours of an early Religious Converſation, every way becoming that Sacred Employment whereunto they be deſigned, upon pain of Exemplary Puniſhments for their Rebellion. Moreover this Aſſembly Ordaineth, that thoſe Provincial Synods to whoſe care and charge our Univerſities are intruſted, and in which they be erected, ſhall depute every Year ſome Paſtors to inſpect and viſit them, and to take notice what progreſs is made by our Scholars in their Studies of Philoſophy and Divinity, and by the authority of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt and of this Aſſembly, to redreſs wha…ever Diſorders ſhall be particularly notified to, or obſerved by them. And to this end thoſe Viſitors Commiſſionated by this Aſſembly, ſhall as ſoon as poſſible they can, go and viſit them; to wit, the Sieurs p. 575Gitton and de Bourdieu, Paſtors, and des Champs, an Elder, ſhall viſit that of Saumur; the Sieurs Chamier and Vegnier, Paſtors, de Pontperdu and Maiſonnet, Elders, ſhall viſit that of Montauban; the Sieurs de Boudan and de Meſſannes, Paſtors, and the Sieurs de St. John Gardonongues and de Pontperdu, Elders, ſhall viſit that of Niſmes; and the Sieurs Homel and January, Paſtors, with the Sieurs de Mirabel and Baruel, Elders, ſhall viſit that of Die. And theſe Viſitors ſhall give notice unto all Students in Divinity, that they read the Scriptures publickly in the Desk before Sermons in all our Church-Meetings.

3. The Deputies of ſeveral Provinces complained of the great Rates that Scholars paid for their Diet, Lodging and Waſhing in the Towns of our Univerſities; and that Profeſſors and Regents did demand of them over and above their Sallaries, for Lectures and Tuition. This Aſſembly Ordained, that the Commiſſioners appointed about the affairs of the Church of Saumur ſhould carefully confer with the Directors of that Univerſity and the Conſiſtory there, concerning this matter, and to take the moſt convenient courſe they could for the moderating of Expences. And all the Provinces are adviſed to ſend unto thoſe Directors of that Univerſity their Opinions about it, that ſo the grievances complained of may be redreſſed. And the Directors of that Univerſity are herein to uſe their utmoſt care and diligence.

4. That cuſtom practiſed in the Univerſity of Die, of inſpecting the Manners and Education of their Scholars in the true Religion, and of examining their proficiency in Human Learning, and of giving them a publick Prize, is highly applauded; and this Aſſembly exhorteth all other Colledges and Univerſities of our Communion, to imitate and follow this their moſt commendable Example.

5. The Sieurs Damiere, Cregut, Verdier, and Martel, Paſtors, having been Elected by the Univerſity Councils of Niſmes, Die and Montauban, and afterward eſtabliſhed in the Profeſſors Office of Divinity in thoſe Univerſities, this Aſſembly ratifieth thoſe Acts, and confirmeth them in their reſpective Chairs: And ordereth, that the Canons of our Diſcipline and National Synods ſhall be moſt Religiouſly obſerved about the Examining of them, who ſhall be choſen to the Profeſſion of Divinity.

6. The Provincial Deputies of Sevennes moved that the Province of Lower Languedoc might be obliged to pay Four Hundred Livers a Year towards the Maintenance of the Colledge of Anduſe, from the time of that Treaty held with them in the Conference at Quiſſac, in the Year One Thouſand, Six Hundred, Forty and Five; and they offered in caſe they ſhould ſo do, that they would deduct from what they had already paid in. Moreover that this Aſſembly would be pleaſed to diſcharge them of their Yearly Contribution to the Univerſities of Die and Niſmes, or to make ſome other Proviſion for the Subſiſtence of the ſaid Colledge of Anduze. The Letters and Memoirs of the Conſiſtory of Anduze were Read, and the Provincial Deputies of Lower Languedoc were heard: Upon the whole, this Aſſembly diſmiſſed their Demand of Four Hundred Livres from the Synod of Lower Languedoc to the conſideration of the Province of Higher Languedoc, which ſhall judge finally thereof without Appeal by th'Authority of this Aſſembly. And as for their other Requeſts, it was not thought meet to diſcharge that Province of Sevennes of thoſe Contributions to which they ſtand obliged (by the foregoing Synods) unto our Univerſities, and leaveth the care of providing Maintenance for their Colledge of Anduze to their own and Neigbours Prudence.

p. 5767. This Aſſembly cenſureth, (as they have too juſtly deſerved it,) the Council of the Univerſity of Montauban, for not having brought in their Account of Monies paid in by the Provinces unto that Univerſity, and Ordaineth, that they do bring them every Year unto their Provincial Synod, there to be audited and concluded, and from thence to be preſented unto the National Synod according to Rule. And whereas the Provinces of Lower Guyenne and Bearn are indebted conſiderable Sums unto the ſaid Univerſity of Montauban, they be in like manner Cenſured, and are moſt expreſly injoyned to take that care, and to ſettle that good order among them for the future, that the publick Profeſſors in our Univerſities may be ſtatedly and regularly payed; and they ſhall inflict the ſevereſt Cenſures upon ſuch as ſhall refuſe or diſobey this Canon.

8. And the like Judgment was paſt upon the Province of Normandy, which was found indebted in very conſiderable Sums unto the Univerſities of Saumur, Die and Montauban, which this Aſſembly could not reflect on without a moſt ſenſible Diſpleaſure: And therefore doth injoyn it to uſe all Expedients neceſſary for the diſcharging of this debt, on pain of the greateſt Cenſures.

9. Mademoiſelle Charles, Widow of the Deceaſed Monſieur Charles, late Paſtor and Profeſſor of Divinity in the Univerſity of Montauban, Petitioned this Aſſembly that it would cauſe her to be paid the Arrears of Sallaries due unto her Husband; as alſo that Penſion which had been ordered him by the Synod held at Saint Antonine, in the Year 1650, for the Maintenance of his Son, till ſuch time as he ſhould be called unto the Sacred Miniſtry; as alſo that Sum of Mony which was adjudged him by the Synod of Pont du Camares, in the Year 1654. The Sieurs Jaſſaud, Paſtor of the Church of Caſtres, and Braſſart, Elder in the Church of Montauban, and Syndic of that Univerſity, having promiſed to uſe their beſt endeavours that the ſaid Gentlewoman might be ſatisfied, the Aſſembly Decreed, That both the Church and Univerſity of Montauban, and the Church of Caſtres, ſhould pay in unto the ſaid Gentlewoman all thoſe Arrearages owing unto her Deceaſed Husband, as alſo whatever Sums beſides has been ordered by the Synods of St. Antonine, and Pont de Camares; which Decrees of theirs are now ratified and reinforced by this preſent Ordinance.

10. There ſhall be paid unto Mademoiſelle Bicheteau, the Widow of the Deceaſed Mr. Bicheteau, Profeſſor of the Greek Tongue, the Sum of One Hundred Livres, which had been appointed to him by the Synod of Pont de Camarez.

11. The Univerſity of Montauban preſented no Account, for which it was ſeverely Cenſured; and it was ordered to liquidate their Accounts in the Synods of Higher Languedoc, who ſhall bring them in unto the next National.

12. The Univerſity of Niſmes having brought in no Accounts, is ordered to carry them unto the Synod of Lower Languedoc.

13. There is due unto the Univerſity of Saumur, whoſe Accounts were brought in, accepted and approved,

Here muſt be excepted an Account brought in by Monſieur de L'Erpiniere, which was never ſeen by the Province of Anjou, nor approved by this Aſſembly.

p. 57714. There is due unto the Univerſity of Die

Always to be excepted Four Hundred Livres paid by them the 19th Day of June, 1642. and Four Hundred Livres more paid unto this Univerſity the 27th of May, 1642.

Here muſt be excepted thoſe Sums of Mony in the Hand of Monſieur Euſtache.

Excepting always an Account ſent to the Conſiſtory of Rochel by the ſaid Province.

This ſaid Province of Die ſhall give an Account unto the Synod of Dolphiny, and that to the next National Synod of their Receipt and Employment of the Monies given them by the National Synods.