threatenings of William Farel, which were as if God had seized me by His awful hand from heaven, so was I compelled, through the terror thus inspired, to give up the plan of my journey, but yet without pledging myself, for I was conscious of my timidity and weakness, to undertake any definite office.' He is first noticed in the archives of Geneva as iste Gallus, 'that Gaul;' but in the spirit of modern appreciation, Montesquieu says, 'The Genevese ought to observe the day of his arrival in their city as a festival.'

In the highest part of the city, where once stood a temple to Apollo, visitors still enter the old cathedral of St. Peter, dating back to the sixth century, and gaze on the same little pulpit in which Calvin preached his powerful sermons. We suppose that he there stood when his first sermon in Geneva created such an enthusiasm that the people could scarcely restrain their delight. They followed him to his lodgings, and he was obliged to promise that he would preach the next day, so that their friends might hear him. Farel was overjoyed; for if he were thus eclipsed, there would be all the more light in that dark city, which was waiting for it. Calvin, soon after his arrival, was elected preacher and professor of theology. He at first declined the former office, but was so urged that he accepted it the next year. His first labours were almost gratuitous, but none the less cheerfully rendered.

With no little joy to Farel it was arranged to have a debate at Lausanne, where he had made several attempts to gain a footing for the truth. Viret had succeeded in gathering a small church. The priests agreed to the discussion. All the Romish clergy were urged to come. And some of them, who knew not so much of the Bible

as even the Ten Commandments, attended. The elders of the Church and the citizens were invited. The bishop protested; but the Lords of Berne had a will of their own in such matters. On their way thither the Protestant ministers narrowly escaped the hands of some assassins, who had been planted on the road to murder them. Farel, who took the leading part, drew up ten propositions relating to the true faith, the true Church, and the true ordinances of worship. Several days were spent in the discussions; and if the cathedral ever had more priests in it for there were many-it certainly never before had so many Protestants. After one of Calvin's arguments against transubstantiation, a Franciscan, named Tandi, arose before the whole assembly, confessed that he was overcome by the power of the truth, and declared that henceforth he would live according to the gospel of Christ. Viret spoke more than Calvin, and Farel more than all. In closing the debates he said, 'We do not thirst for blood, like those who lay in wait to destroy us on our way hither. So far from seeking to punish them, we interceded on their behalf, and our only wish is that they may receive complete forgiveness.' The result was favourable to the Protestant cause. Several of the principal persons on the Papal side went home convinced of their errors, and became advocates for the Reformation. The Bernese divided the canton into seven districts, and appointed ministers in them all.

At Geneva Farel still pushed on his schemes. With the help of Calvin he drew up a brief confession of faith and certain rules of discipline. It was not easy to break up the old customs of the people, and many of Farel's new measures were not to their taste. They were lively

and fond of excitement, and had been used to an almost unbounded licence. In clear weather they loved music and dancing in the open air. On rainy days they had their cups and cards at the wine-shops. Among all their holidays, Sunday was quite as gay as any, when masquerades and other mummeries were their delight. But, as all this was connected with the baser forms of profligacy, Farel attempted to suppress these amusements. The silver tones of the convent bells, which had been baptized in order to give their sounds a power over bad weather, ghosts, and Satan, were to be heard no more. The bells were to be cast into cannon for the defence of the city, thus changing their carols into thunders of war. Gambling, swearing, slandering, dancing, the singing of idle songs in the streets, Sabbath-breaking, and absence from church without good reasons, were forbidden. The people must be at home by nine o'clock in the evening. The senate passed these laws, and they were proclaimed with a trumpet.

To the confession of faith was added Calvin's catechism, and it was ordered to be printed and read at St. Peter's every Sunday, until the people should understand it. It was adopted; so that Calvin wrote, 'We easily succeeded in obtaining that the citizens should be summoned by tens, and swear to adopt the confession, which was done with much satisfaction.' Those who would not adopt it lost their rights as citizens. On a solemn day, July 20, 1537, the people took the oath, for the third time, to support the Reformation.

Murmurings began to be heard; then louder opposition; and a party grew up which held their meetings, and wore fresh flowers as a badge. The lines were drawn, and the contentions became bitter.

What they

complained of most was the determination of Farel not to use the stone fonts for baptism, nor unleavened bread in the Lord's Supper, nor to observe the festivals of Christmas, New Year, Annunciation, and Ascension. Berne was consulted, and decided against Farel. The Genevan senate followed in the same decision, and the Bernese began to have more and noisier friends than ever before in the city. This party now made use of the awful name of My Lords of Berne, În order to threaten and insult the ministers whom Berne had such trouble in keeping in Geneva. Troops of them went about parading the streets by night, insulting the ministers at their homes, and threatening to throw them into the Rhone. Berne had preserved the stone fonts, the unleavened bread, and the four festivals, and they would hold fast to them, for they were not able to see the principle which Farel thought was involved in them. He regarded them as relics of Popery, and feared these relics would lead back the people into the old reality. Calvin took his side, although he declared, 'Little will be said about ceremonies before the judgment-seat of God.' Councils and synods failed to restore peace. A plot was suspected against the preachers.

The aged, blind, and eloquent Courault, whom the Queen Margaret had tenderly cherished as his sight was. failing, and whom the placards at Paris had sent into. exile, was now at Geneva. He preached with much fire against the decision of Berne, and handled Genevan politics in too rough a way to gain his point. He was forbidden to preach, but he again entered the pulpit. He was then cast into prison, and for some time his best friends could not procure his release.

A bold step was taken by Farel and Calvin. They

refused to administer the Lord's Supper with unleavened bread in a city that would not allow any proper church discipline. Easter Sunday was coming, and the sacrament was expected on that day. The council urged them to administer it; they refused, and were forbidden to enter the pulpit. They, however, went at the time, and each preached twice-Calvin at St. Peter's, and Farel at St. Gervais-without any communion. A great principle was now coming to light,-that of not allowing the state to rule the Church in matters of religion. But a great disturbance arose in the city. Some took the sword, but the reformers employed the weapons of Scripture. No blood was shed, and what was gained by Farel and Calvin could not be seen for a few years. They first must suffer for their principles.

The next morning the senate met, and passed sentence of banishment on Calvin and Farel. In three days they must leave the city. They were informed of the act, and said, 'Let it be so; it is better to serve God than man.' Courault was released and permitted to go with them. He went to Thonon, where Christopher Fabri was preaching, and he was welcomed as a father in this excellent pastor's house. Of the style of hospitality which he enjoyed, Calvin can tell us in a letter to Fabri, written after a journey through the cantons. says, 'I could never get your wife to treat us in a plain, homely way. She repeatedly requested me to ask for whatever I chose as if it were my own. She entertained us too sumptuously. We felt just as much at home as if you had been there.' The good hostess was surely none the less kind to the aged refugee. But he could not rest even there. He must preach the faith so long unknown to him while a monk; and he was afterwards