[313] See the notice, p. 249.
In a reaction, perhaps exaggerated, against the practices of the
Romish Church, the magistrates of Geneva were led to adopt a
measure which made a great noise among the Swiss Protestants. While
Berne and Zurich celebrated the four great feasts of the year,
according to the ancient Catholic custom, the Genevese abolished
the weekday feasts, and kept nothing but the Sabbath. This measure,
in which Calvin had no hand whatever, and of which he, in some
degree, even disapproved, was made nevertheless the subject of
very violent personal declamations against him. Some even accused
him of wishing to abolish the Sabbath. In letters to his friends,
Haller, Bullinger, and some others, he thought it his duty to
represent the true character of the reform effected at Geneva, and
his real relation to it. He had little difficulty in obtaining the
approbation of Bullinger, who replied to him in these words: "You
have just given the answer which I expected, my dear brother. For I
know that in matters of that sort, where duty is but little heeded,
and much ill-will is engendered, you have never been morose. I am
anxious, indeed, in such matters, to see that liberty preserved,
which I perceive to have flourished in the churches from the very
days of the apostles." ...--Calvini _Opera_, tom. ix. p. 63.
Explanations on the subject of the abolition of the great
festivals at Geneva.
GENEVA, _2d January 1551_.
I desire you, my dear Haller, not to measure my affection for you
by my not writing to you and to our friend Musculus, of late, to
lighten the domestic affliction under which you both laboured.[314]
There is no need for my occupying many words in expressing how
anxious I was about your danger, from the time that I heard of your
houses being visited by the plague. But as this remembrance should
not be more pleasing to kind-hearted and considerate men than the
duty of writing, I trust that when I inform you that my silence
did not by any means arise from neglect, I shall fully satisfy
you both. The reason why I did not write you is this: a report
lately reached this place regarding your calamity, but I could not
accurately ascertain the extent of its progress. Accordingly, I
did not venture to take any active measures; I preferred having
recourse to prayer; this I knew both to be more necessary for you,
and to be desired by you. Besides the abolition of the feast-days
here has given grievous offence to some of your people, and it is
likely enough that much unpleasant talk has been circulating among
you. I am pretty certain, also, that I get the credit of being
the author of the whole matter, both among the malevolent and the
ignorant. But as I can solemnly testify that it was accomplished
without my knowledge, and without my desire, so I resolved from the
first rather to weaken malice by silence, than be over-solicitous
about my defence. Before I ever entered the city, there were no
festivals but the Lord's day. Those celebrated by you were approved
of by the same public decree by which Farel and I were expelled; and
it was rather extorted by the tumultuous violence of the ungodly,
than decreed according to the order of law. Since my recall, I have
pursued the moderate course of keeping Christ's birth-day as you are
wont to do. But there were extraordinary occasions of public prayer
on other days; the shops were shut in the morning, and every one
returned to his several calling after dinner. There were, however,
in the meanwhile, certain inflexible individuals who did not comply
with the common custom from some perverse malice or other. Diversity
would not be tolerated in a rightly constituted church: even for
citizens not to live on good terms with one another, would beget
mistrust among strangers. I exhorted the Senate to remove this
disagreement in future by a proper remedy. And indeed, I lauded,
at the same time, in express terms, the moderation which they had
hitherto exercised. I afterwards heard of the abrogation, just
as a perfect stranger would. Would that N.[315] had acted less
ambitiously on former occasions! For feast-days might have been
abolished in that entire province. In order that those four might
return to their old condition and former privileges, he contended as
keenly against all the French-speaking pastors as if he had been
acting for the good of the Church. You would have said that Victor
was doing battle with the Orientals in behalf of his Easter. When I
once asked him why circumcision had a right to more honour than the
death of Christ, he was compelled to be silent. But let us forget
the past. I am satisfied with having indicated briefly the cause of
so sudden a change among us. Although I have neither been the mover
nor instigator to it, yet, since it has so happened, I am not sorry
for it. And if you knew the state of our Church as well as I do, you
would not hesitate to subscribe to my judgment. Let me say this,
however, that if I had got my choice, I should not have decided in
favour of what has now been agreed upon. Yet there is no reason
why men should be so much provoked, if we use our liberty as the
edification of the Church demands; just as, on the contrary, it is
not fair to take a prejudice against our custom.
[314] The plague, which had cut off Hedio, the pious minister at
Strasbourg, made great ravages at Berne during the same year.
It entered the houses of Wolfgang Musculus, and of John Haller,
although they escaped themselves. A great number of the ministers
of the Church of Berne sunk under the attacks of this awful
scourge.--Ruchat, tom. v. p. 470. The _Chronique_ of Haller, cited
by Hottinger.
[315] Ruchat, who reproduces this letter, (tom. v. p. 441,)
considers that the name here suppressed is that of Pierre Kontzen, a
minister of Berne, who presided, in 1538, at the Synod of Lausanne.
Adieu, very excellent sir and brother, deserving of my hearty
regard. Salute your colleagues, I pray you, and Mr. Nicolas
Zerkinden, in my name. My brethren salute you and those
aforementioned, very heartily. May the Lord by his Spirit rule over
you, preserve you, and bless you in all things. Amen.