Savoy nobleman, theologian and abolitionist (1803–1871)
Guillaume de Felice
Born
12 March 1803
Otterberg, Germany
Died
1871
Partner
Josephine Pernete Theodore-Rivier
Parent(s)
Fortune-Bernard de Felice and Charlotte Marie Catherine Cordier
Guillaume Adam de Félice, 4th
Comte de Panzutti (1803–1871) was a
Savoy nobleman, theologian and abolitionist.
Biography
Early life
Félice was born on 12 March 1803 in
Otterberg and died on 23 October 1871 in
Lausanne and was the grandson of
Fortunato de Felice,
2nd Comte di Panzutti, by his son Bernard, 3rd
Comte di Panzutti. Guillaume grew up in a French environment as the family settled in
Lille in 1804, and inherited his grandfather's vigour for radicalism and academia, and the family title,
Comte di Panzutti in 1832, aged 29.
He studied theology at
Strasbourg and
Lausanne universities and was accepted into the Church in 1827. He became a pastor at the Reformed Church of
Bolbec, in
NormandySeine-Maritime, then a professor of theology in
Montauban, occupying the chair 'de morale et d'éloquence sacrée' (of morality and holy speech). In later life he settled in his family town of
Yverdon and married Joséphine Rivier, the daughter of a local aristocrat. They had two children, Sophie de Félice and Théodore de Félice. His daughter Sophie unusually inherited the title
suo jure, with her and her husband becoming Count and
Countess di Panzutti, Henri François Louis Gabriel Guisan, and thus their grandchildren became cousins of
General Henri Guisan, later Commander in Chief of the Swiss Army during WWII. From this branch the family are also second cousins of the baronial family of
Stael-Holstein and the ducal family of
de Broglie.[1]
Abolitionism
Whilst at
Bolbec, it is thought that his interest in
abolitionism was heightened due to its proximity to the slave-port of
Le Havre. Félice started the movement against the French slave camps in
Guadeloupe, at the time a very controversial subject. It was through his religious beliefs that he pursued his struggle against slavery, resulting in him drafting the famous French petition of 1846 in favor of abolition. Felice maintained a long correspondence with English
abolitionists, who won their case in 1833, France abolishing slavery in 1848.
Bibliography
(Jean) Calvin et l'Eglise de Genève (1822), with Karl Gottlieb Bretschneider
Essai sur l'esprit et le but de l'Institution Biblique (1824), Pub:Treuttel et Würtz
"Ouvrage couronné par le Comité de la Société Biblique Protestante de Paris, dans l'assemblée générale du 16 Avril 1823."
Propositìons théologiques sur le dogme des Anges (1825) Pub: Proefschrift Straatsburg Silbermann
De la religion chrétienne dans ses rapports avec la situation (1831), Pub:Société Evangélique
Discours prononcé a l'ouverture de la chapelle évangélique du Havre, précédé de quelq. détails sur l'ouverture de la chapelle (1834) Pub:Chez J.-J. Risler, Libraire
Aux Pères et aux Mères sur l'éducation de leurs enfants. Discours prononcé dans le temple de Saverdun (11 October 1840), 54pp, Pub:K.Cadaux
Avertissement aux églises réformées de France contre l'universalisme
1Ed, 1840, 61pp, Pub: K.Cadaux
2Ed, 1841, Pub: K.Cadaux
La voix du Colporteur Biblique (The voice of the Bible hawker)
1Ed, 1845 Pub: Jean A. Ackley, 150 Nassau-Street
2Ed, 1846, 280pp, Pub:L.R.Delay
1847 Translated by the Rev. Charles William Bingham MA into English, Pub: Simpkin and Marshall (London)
3Ed, 1860, 280pp, Société des Livres Religieux
Appel aux chrétiens de France, en faveur de la Société des livres religieux, (1842),
Émancipation immédiate et complète des esclaves: appel aux abolitionistes (1846) 116pp Pub:L.R.Delay
Le livre des villageois (1847), 232pp, Pub:L.R.Delay (5 Editions in total)
Text
Histoire des Protestants de France: depuis l'origine de la Réformation jusqu'au temps présent – "History of French Protestants"