The Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1852-1853, 1853-04-06
For the Democratic Sentinel
Calvin and Servetus Again.

question Indeed was quite surprised at the reading
OF his hrst article for thought the fact of Calvin
causing the death of Servetus universally |
known to the reading world that no literary sane
man would call it in question. But what do you
think was my surprise the appearance of his Sec
ond article--longer than the first But we should
not be surprised any thing in this telcgraphic and
caloric age. But after all, was not SO much sur
prised when examined the matter contained IN his
last article. His position AMI arguments are IN per-
feet harmony.
He thinks men in the circumstances OF Episcopius
and Wesley, were perfectly iucapacitated to bear
testimony in the case of Calvin causing the
death of Servetus. But he thinks Thoodore Beza
the "best authority He thinks Beza a very diSin-
tcrested witness. But this is very questionable. Do
you think reader that he who would write u book in
favor Of persecution and assist Calvin in prosecuting
The case of Servetus, would, after the protestant
world was heaping their disapprobadon upon the
head Of Calvin for his conduct in the case, be likely
TO bear very dsinterested testimony in relation to
the matter Was Wesley so pornicious that he
was unable to ranscribo Calvins own account Of the
matter! Or Ep.sccpius, that he could not print
part of of Calvins letters to Fare! Is this the
manner in which you expect to dispose of the test
mony in the ca5el You must rocollect however, Mr.
"D, )" that Wesley and Episcopius do not stand a
lone in this matter. The great body of ecclesiastical
writer's OF those days of the opinion. Gre
cory gays Calvin requested one of the Syndcs to
arrest him.; Gregory'e c. history by Ruter, p. 5O2-3.
Davenport says Servetus was seized as ne was pas
sing through Geneva, and being prosecuted by Calvin
with blseness and malignity which have covered
I rnf,a !
the fumes in l553,n Daycnports Dictionary of Bio
graphy, page 4J4.) Rees says Calvin made base
use OF the private correspondence he had with Ser
vetus for after he had obtained his private views
certain points in theology, he made base OF his
confidence By producing his letters and manuscripts
as matter of accusation on his trial. Again, he says
'tha no doubt might be left wherein the persecution
camo one Of the main articles against him that
in the person OF John CALVIN; (Recs Cyclopedia, art.
ScrYctus) 5ervctus did but desire leave to coatn-
no his journey Bancroft, vol l; page 45j.l Ser
veus became victim to the bgory of the magis-
trates lNsrIGATED by Calvin, who had acquired i'm
n1enso uscendency over the repubc;" tIIallams In
PRODUCTION to the literature OF Europe, &c, vol. IL,
page co., In letter to FGrel dated February 18th,
1916 sovtn years before Seryetus was burnt, Calvin
said Of Seryctus--H He offers to come if would al
low him, But am unwilling TO give any pledge for
ifho does come and my authority bo OF any avail,
WILL NEVER sUrrlR. HIN TO DEPART ALIVE The au-
thenticty Of this letter wAieh has been sometimes
doubted, is fully recognized. The original, tho
not printed in Be2ls collection, is eXtant in the
Bibliothoque Rio at Paris, and there is copy at
Gen9ya;'' Dyer's lilo Of GAVIN, page 2j9) Calvin
through Gailauma lIio, forwarded "to the officers
Of the Roman Catholic inluiaiion at Vonna letters
j w h i'erretia ~! i. to IJ,ssed aa u,i -5ne,
70 conycl him Of hcresy; (lb. page 255 There ia
i question but Calvin labored to have S2Ivctus con
viatad for harosy, before the Of Rome before ht
came to Geneva; and that by sending thai morci.u
, inqutii1n lis PRIVATE correspondence. lad hi
any doubt of the result ii convicted Of heresy before
the Roman inluiaitionl Do you think Mr.. ID
that Calvin would wish a man convicted OF herasy
in his day, before Roman inqusition, and not de
sire his doathi 'Iell it TO the marincs!" Calvin
repeatedly avows that he caused Sorveus to be ar
restei at Geneva. "At length having come hithel
in an evil hour, one Of the Sya1ca at my instance
ordered him tc be irprisoned-Calvin to Luizer Ep
1866" (ib. page 27jl Il do not dissembc that ii
was by my authority he was arrested and tried in
this city, Qb. page 3Ol) Laiontane produced thir.
by Calvin; (Ib. page 215,) On the 2lst of August
"Calyia appeared against him in person, supported
by the other ministers Of fGeneva." And Mr.. '.Ds"
competent witness, Beza, was CT them; b. p 216
On the Gath of August, Sorvetus las he was for.
eisner, unacquaiuted with the customs of the conn
try and the practice of tho courts of law requested
to be allowed an advocate to conduct his causc;" Lb
page 273-9, On the 23th of August, when the court
next met, representation and articles were given
in, drawn up in the handwriting of one of Cairins
copyiso" In the former OF those papers, there is ia
long argument to show that hercsy was made capital
by the Roman Emperors, and that the punishment Of
death is contrary to the spirit cf the Tesla
ment In reply to Servetus' petition, i! is insisted
that he should not have a COUNSEL (lb)
Don'tyou think Mr. "D." thatthis conduct in Cal
vim manifested disposition more like JrSCIr than
"a great Rofonnoran
On the 10Th of SEPTEMBER, Seivetus presented a
memorial to the council, in which, "ho begged that
his case be referred to tho council OF two hundred-
This last demand could not be entertained, as Ami
Perrin, who, it wse suspected, wished to make Ser
veus an instrument for overthrowing Calvin, who
had the majority Of voices in the assembly. In the
ordinary council Calvin was predominant and he
was resolved to keep the case in their hands,r (Ib
page 29l-2) Here is flat contradiction Of the as
serton made by Mr.. "D,,n viz: That "Servetus was
condemned by the prevailing influence Of the party
which was opposed to Calvin" Calvin had written
to tarel on the Goth of August, TO inform him of Scr
veus captures and in this letter he said he HOPED
the sppniard WOULD BE TUT TO DEATH; Ib. page 2339
"On the 25th Of October in letter to Bullinger,
. al is i1oI
Sorveus, but conjecture that the council will give
judgement tomorrow, and that on the next day he
will be led to execution. And we learn from anoth-
er letter of Calyins to Faro dated on the following
day, that sentence had been pronounced as he had
anticipated in spis Of the efforts of Perrin who after
absenting himself from tho council for three days on
pretense OF illness, appeared at the last hour, and
deavored to rescue Scryetus, by moving that the
case should be referred to the council of two hundred
But the prisoner was condemned without divison;'
Ib. PAGE 287.89 Perrin the loader of the party op
posed to Calvin tried to him at thelast hour
and this effort, like the former one failed Yet Mr..
..D . would have us believe that Servotus was con,
demned BY the prevailing influence of the party op-
posed 10 Calvin Tell this TO those French, who
think that the present Emperor of france is tho iIen.
ticaI Napoleon that fought Wellington at Waterloo,
4 In 1881 after Servotus had been burnt Calvin exp
city sanctioned the capital punishment ofherotics
I"Whoeyer," he says, "shnl now contend that il ia
unjust toputhoretics and blasphemers 10 death know
Iingly incur their very guilt This is not laid down
on human authority; it's God himself who speaks
and prescribes perpetual rule for his church" db
39'-6 Did ever the council of Trent more explicitly
sanction the oxtirpation of herecsby the sword. II
SO letthe decree or canon DO produced
| IS FinAllv aava, ~ o;al, ,,a... ~. q