The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-08-02
OUR EUROPEAN LETTER.
Rev. MIR. Fisher in Switzerland
GENEvA. SWITrRI.ANp. July, 1s7C.


GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, July, 1876.
Editors Of the IntellIgencer:
l will include under the general name
Of Switzerland two localities which, in
fact are not in that country. One is Con.
stance, and the other is Chamouny and
the region Of Mont Blanc. Both OF these
localities have had checkered history
as to their place under national authority,
Constance was free town in the days o.
the old German Empire. After the Re-
formation 1t was subject 10 Austria. Fol
nearly three quarters of century il has
belonged 10 Baden. Now Il Is . part ol
the new German Empire. The region Of
Chamouny, on the other hand, is in Sa.
vOy. For generations it was considered
part Of Italy. The present King OF
Italy il descendant OF the house OF Sa.
voy so notorious for its opposition 10
civil and religious liberty in the times Of
the Reformation. He has set his face in
a direction exactly the opposite Of that
taken by his forefathers. But Savoy in
recent years was ceded to France, and it
ia now part Of The French republic.
Constance and Chamoupy are so closely
connected in various ways with Switzer:
land, that shall embrace them under that
general term.
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
The pleasure derived from tour
through this land is threefold. will
write concerning them in their order.
One source OF enjoyment TO an intelligent
traveller il the historical associations.
With Constance, for example, the mar.
tyrdom Of John Huss and Jerome OF
Prague is identified. confess that |
was drawn thithOr by desire to look
upon the scenes. OF that sad tragedy.
There still stands the hall where. tho
council which condemned them sat. In
the cathedral the spot is still to be seen
where Huss stood when sentence was
pronounced against him. And, in a
meadow Just beyond the town, a monu-
ment OF rough stone marks the place
where these two men, long before the
time OF Luther or Calvin, were burned
for advocating doctrines which closely
resembIed those Of the Reformation. The
word Huss means n goose. The martyr
said when he was condemned to be burned
that another goose would spring from his
ashes; and in due time the prophecy was
fulfilled by the advent Of Luther. On
the side Of the town next to the spot of
the martyrdom beautiful Protestant
church lifts its spire toward heaven. That
is very significant.
ZURICH AND LUCEREE.
Zurich is another historical place. 1t
il the most handsome city in Switzerland,
and indeed one OF the most handsome on
the Continent. 1t has one most splendid
street, 1t was the home OF Ulrich Twin
gle, the Swiss Reforner. He made the
mistake of taking up the sword, and he
fell in battle. His armor is still 10 he
seen at Zurich. There, too, was the
home Of the sainted Lavater. The
church in which he preached yet stands.
His body sleeps in the cemetery on the
heights above the lake.
Lucerne differs from Constance and
Zurich in the character OF its historical
associations. They are connected with
civil more than with religious affairs.
The birthplace Of Swiss liberty was along
the shores Of the lake, at the head Of
which Lucerne ia built, and which bears
the same name. Just beyond the south
ern extremity OF the lake is Alldorf, and
in the centre Of that village stands a
monument which Is said to mark the
spot where Tell stood when he shot the
apple from the head OF his little boy.
Nearer Lucerne is the place where he
leaped from the boat Of the tyrant Cess
Ter. And away mp the side Of the noun
tain thirty-three men from Uri, Schuyz
and Unterwalden, on the night Of Novem.
Der 7th, 1907, assembled and bound
themselves by an oath to be faithful to
each other, and not to rest until they had
driven the oppIessor. from their soil. l
know tits the fashion now to call the
Tell legends mere myths. But ] imagine
that, lust as Niebuhrs attempt to explode
the stories Of the early history OF Rome
has terminated in the more thorough es-
tablishment OF the truth Of some Of them,
80 also will end the attack on these early
incidents Of Swiss history. They read
we'll either in Schiller's poetry or in plain
prose, and they are not entirely unworthy
Of credence.
GENEVA.
Geneva ia prominently historical city.
Away back in the times Of the Romans
il was one Of their choicest colonies. In
modern times il has been constantly one
Of the tountain.heads Of both civil and
religious liberty. 1t was my privilege
while in that city TO hear the:story Of
Philip Bertilier told by one who resides
on the ground. Hedied as martyr, not
10 religious but to civil freedom, before
the Reformation began. But his blood
was seed. Soon after his death came the
Word OF God. Providence sent Calvin
thither from France. And he with a
masters hand led the people into liberty
and light. pretend not TO justify every
act Of Calvins life. The ono thing which
is perpetually charged upon him is the
burning OF Seryetus. fear that those
who talk most about that event really
know little Of the facts. Calvin only in a
remote degree can be charged with the
death OF Servetus. But leave this stain
upon him, il you will, and refuse to accept
his system Of theology, and still he re-
mains one Of the grandest men, intellect.
ually and spiritually, and as friend OF
his race, to be recognized in any age.
When he died he gave orders that his
grave should be marked by no monument.
And to-day no man knows where his dust
is sleeping. The grave is somewhere in
an old and disuSed cemetery, but its pre-
else locality ia forgotten. saw the house
where he lived for twenty years and
where hO died, and Also the pulpit from
which he often preached. But even in
more recent times Geneva is centre for
those forces which move the nations. II
was the city OF Rousseau who Sowed the
bitter seed from which sprang the first
French Revolution. Father Hyacinthe
chose that as the place from which to at
tempt his reform in the modern. Ro-
mish church, heard him in advocacy
Of his work. Indeed there is scarcely
another city'on earth from which in our
era 90 many influences have gone abroad
over the world for good or for evil. /
could not help but regret that the religious
spirit which once pervaded the place has
now so nearly disappeared. Zurich, the
city Of Zwingle, retains its old religious
character. Tho Sabbath is strictly OBJ
served. Geneva, the city Of Calvin,
II Al