The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-02-14

securing the Jurisprudence Of Zurich for the
development of the Reformation can scarcely
DC oyerestsmated Further, all serfdom and
bondage was abolished and third the State.
having assumed responsibility for maintaining
aud administering the Church, was obliged 20
assume che maintenance Of public charity as
well. The funds of the eloisters had suiFiced
for the publie needs heretofore, and in I525 tho
new responsibility of the Cantonal goverTs-
ment was met formally by a new poor law, 20
the carrying out OF which was devoted the
wealth derived from the mOnastsFiss In this
law wise measures seem to have been taken for
the suppEe sion Of begging and the separation
of the deserving frem the undeserving poor
In many respects the changes made at the
time Of the Reformation were placed upon so
sound basis that they served as the f0untlaeion
Of Acknowledgement through the centuries
The abolition OF serfaOn was such a chance;
the reform Of the marriage laws was anosher fhe
fundamental principles laid down By Zwiugh
having served for the foundation of the mar
rage laws Of al Eastern Switzerland. The
early assumption Of the administration Of pub
lie charity BY the State, and the conduct Of
that administration upon rational principles
bear wholesome fruit to this day. The social
side Of the Swiss Reformation IS abeausifsi and
inspiring chapter of history.
FATAL FLAW.
A fatal flaw in the mind Of the leader,
the Swiss people. dwarfed and biighted the
neblest fruits OF the swiss Reformation
ZwInsii led his people forth from the Church
of Rome to Secure free dom Of interpreting she
/ Scriptures, but he never admitted any inter-
probation save his own. His ideal was a com
munity united in worship according 70 its con-
science, that conscience bearing the stamp Of
Ulrieh Zwingli. This narrow, personal stamp,
this idea! OF freedom which was in no sense free,
ruled in She most unwhOiesomc way over the
people. The Swiss Reformation was ZwingTs
Reformation, influenced IS little as possible by
the Luther movement IN Germany, or the
Calvin movement IN Geneva, or the intellect
nal activity Of men within the Carton who
differed from Zwingii. Earnest men and
women pleaded FOR one mass day In one
church IN Zurich for one communion a month
after the old form that was dear to them. They
were given the choice between the bold new
| form and exile Other men and women held
adult baptism vital -assensial part OF Chris
tian living. Zwingli did not: therefore these
earnest men and women were fined. impris-
/ oned, exiled or slain. Since Zwingii's death
| the theological development Of Canton Zurich
/ has been almost nil. The Church has moved
/ forward reluctantly, with face turned towards
/ the past. That Church which four hundred
| years ago became the embodied theology Of one
man has remained only that and nothing more.
/ But a church which in four hundred years
| does not develop undergOes. instead, another
/ prOcess-it f0ssilizes. and this has happened 20
/ the Swiss Reformed Church. Zwinglls bold
forms of worship ZwiRgli's loug-sinee-dead
/ theology are preserved, bat only in petriied
shapes. There Is no warm chureh-life in Zu-
rich to-day The men Of Zurich do not go to
church. Women go and children go; for the
women Of Zurich are little developed intel
/ lectually and the children are sent. But the
men Of Zurich. the thoughtful portion of the
/ people, have long since outgrown the narrow
teachings Of an obsolete theology. They are
/ waiting for the ref0rmer Of to-day-the man
| who. with the power and conscience Of Zwingli.
viii bring them the vital message Of to-day,
not words that lived and died four AUndred
! years ago. FIX