Jean Henri was educated in the Academy, or, as it is more commonly called, the University of Geneva. De- termined to enter the ministry, he inaugurated his the- ological course at his alma mater. While engaged in his studies, under the leadership of a faculty decidedly rationalistic in tendencj', he fell in with the Haldanes, and was led to dedicate himself to Christ as a faithful and devoted servant. In his own account of his con- version, Dr. d'Aubigne states that his professor of divin- ity disbelieved the doctrine of the Trinity, and that, instead of the Bible, " St. Seneca and St. Plato were the two saints whose writings he held up for admiration." The pupil followed the master throughout. He was chairman of a meeting of students who protested most vehementl)', in a public document, against " the odious aggression" of a pamphlet entitled "Considerations upon the Divinity of Jesus Christ," by Henri Empey taz, which was addressed to them, and had produced a great excite- ment. "But soon," he continues, "I met Robert Hal- dane, and heard him read from an English Bible a chap- ter from Romans about the natural corruption of man — a doctrine of which I had never before heard. In fact, I was quite astonished to hear of man being corrupt by nature. I remember saying to ]Mr. Haldane, ' Now I see that doctrine in the Bible.' 'Yes,' he replied; 'but do you see it in your heart ?' That was but a simple ques- tion, yet it came home to my conscience. It was the Sword of the Spirit ; and from that time I saw that my heart was corrupted, and knew from the Word of God that I can be saved by grace alone. So that, if Geneva gave something to Scotland at the time of the Refor- mation— if she communicated light to .John Knox- Geneva has received something from Scotland in return in the blessed exertions of Robert Haldane." See Hal- dane; Malax.
Upon the completion of his theological course at Ge- neva, INIerle d'Aubigne went abroad and studied at the universities of Leipsic and Berlin. In the last-named place he attended the lectures of the " father of modem Church history," Neander. On his way to Berlin he had passed tlirough Eisenach, and visited the castle of Wartburg, made famous by Luther's sojourn. It was in this spot that he first conceived the purpose of writing the " History of the Reformation." His stay at Berlin, and association with the immortal Neander, only con- firmed the purpose, and he rested not until the work was in the possession of the world. In 1817 he was ordained to preach, and became the pastor of an interesting French Protestant Church at Hamburg. There he labored dil- igently for his people and his God for some five years, when he was invited to Brussels, by the late king him- self, as pastor of a newly-formed French congregation. He rapidly rose in favor and distinction, and enjoj-ed the position of president of the Consistory of the Frencli and German Protestant churches of the Belgian capi- tal. In 1830, the revolution delivering the country from Protestant rule and Dutch authority, all persons friend- ly to the king of Holland were regarded as euemie.s of the Belgians, and Merle d'Aubigne, fearing for his life, determined to return to his native country. The pious "Switzers" were actively canvassing at this time for the establishment of an independent theological school — a training place for the ministry of the orthodox churches. His arrival gave a new impetus to the proj- ect, and resulted in the formation of the "Evangelical Society" in 1831, and the founding of the long-desired seminarj-. Merle was appointed professor of Church history,' and intrusted with the management of the school, a position which he continued to hold for the re- mainder of his life, adorning it by his piety, learning, and eloquence, and sanctified by the divine blessing
MERLE D'AUBIGXE
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upon his ever-memorable labors. His associates in the school were Gaiissen, celebrated as the author of a" work on " Inspiration," Pilet, and La Harpe. Though possessed of an ample fortune, Dr. Merle d'Aubigne lived a life of laborious activity. At seventy-eight he was still vigorous, and went to bed on Sunday night, October 20, after partakuig of the sacrament, and subsequent devo- tions, with no sense of pain or ilhiess. Like Dr. Chal- mers, whom in some points he may be said to have re- sembled, he was found to have diet! quietly in his room at night, and to have been some hours dead before liis family knew their loss. His death occurred on Oct. 21, 1872, at Geneva. Upon his country's loss, the C/irLs- fian Intdligencer (Oct. 24, 1872) thus comments in a beautifully-written obituary of our subject: "Not since the imjiressive death-scene of John Calvin, which took place 308 years ago, has Geneva been called to mourn over the loss of a more illustrious citizen and minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Free Church, of which he was founder, pastor, professor — which differs from the Established Church in having no connection with the State government — partakes largely of the nature of Calvinistic Methodism. But the man himself was broader and greater than any sect. His beautifid tribute to the memory of Calvin is his own most appro]iriate epitaph : 'He was not a Genevan; he was not a Swiss; he was of the City of God.'" Henry Baylies, in a short report of " An Evening .with D'Aubigne" {ZiotCs IJeralJ, Nov. 14, 1872), has furnished a description of Merle's appear- ance of late years : " D'Aubigne stood, I shoidd say, full six feet, rather more than less ; was large, but not cor- pulent. His face was long, not full, and smooth, I think. His iron-gray locks were combed back, exposing a high forehead ; his eyebrows were lieavy and black. His feat- ures and expression were somewhat severe, and marked, as if lie had inherited the spirit and fought tlie battles of the old Scotch Covenanters. He conversed in Eng- lish with tolerable readiness. His health was then fee- ble, but he was hopeful of improvement."