Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-26

ishment may be mitigated." To this
Farel replied: "In desiring to mitigate
the severity OF his punishment you act
the part of friend to man who is most
hostile to you" Cslvin's course was very
different in the eyes OF contemporary
from the representatives OF modern
traducera
All the opprobrium Of this execution
is cast upon CALVIN in the sentence above
quoted. The truth is that whilst Calvin
probably framed the charges, and GER
family prosecuted the prisoner, the re-
sponability rested with the judges, the
Senate, or Council of Geneva. Calvin
did not make, nor did he individually
execute, the lar that demanded death for
pertinacious heresy and blasphemy.
"That Calvir influenced the magistrates
10 codemn Servetus is true only in the
same sense in which any public prose-
cutor who pleads before the Judge for
the condemnation OF one against whom
he brings a criminal charge may be said
to influence the judge to condemn him
to death. As for the assertion that Cal
wins influence with the magistrates was
unbounded, this falls to the ground be-
fore the fact that at this time he was in a
state of antagonism with the dominant
party" [Encycop. Britain
The judgment of Coleridge is that the
death of Servetus was not "Calvin's
guilt especially, but the common oppro-
brium of European christendom. The
law under which he fell was one OF the
evils Of an intolerant age, in which it
was held that "God had armed the civil
power with the sword for the vindication
of the glory of his NAME" So said Cal
vim, for even the Reformers had not
thrown off all the shackles with which
mankind had been bound during the
Dark Ages.
Nor is it true, as above stated, that
this was done under circumstances OF
peculiar atrocity." No peculiar atrocity,
alas for the executions of thousands all
over Europe, both before and during and
after these sad events, were far more
atrocious-and for offences not one 1.-THE
so heavy, even in the eyes of those who
procured their death-as that of Serve
tus. The condemned man had trial
under law. had choice OF courts, and
would have been sent back to the 'au-
thorities of Vienne, from whom he had
fled, if he had consented. Nor was the
court hasty in its action, as were other
tribunals in the condemnation and exc
cution OF multitudes in other countries,
for when the charges were proven the
court withheld the pronouncing of SEN
tence till they had referred the case for
advice to four other Swiss cantons.
The Churches and State governments OF
all of these concurred in his condemna-
ton. To deny the doctrine of the
Trinity and the divinity OF Christ, to say
"devils possessed divinity" to teach
pbilosophic Pantheism, to utter "prodi-
gious blasphemies against God" and to
propagate these and other errors with a
view to undermining the common faith
of Christians to do all this, as did Ser
vetus, was to commit an offence that
could not in that age go UNPUBLISHED by
the civil power. Fair-mlnded men, how
ever, can adopt the sentiment OF DR..
Jules Bonet "The error of Calvin in the
death of Servetus was, we may say, alto
gether that of his age, inasmuch as
men of the most conciliating and mode
rate dispositions-viz., Bucer, Oecolam-
podius, Melancthon, and Bullinger-were
as one in their approval OF the condem-
nation of the unfortunate Spanish inno-
vator. One may deeply deplore the
error without insulting the Reformation,
and combine in a Just measure that pity
which a great victim demands with re-
spect for those men whom an unhappy
time made the accusers and the judges
of Servetus
The animus Of this call for funds for
memorial to Servetus is opposition to
Calyanism, and the monument is not to
be erected in honor Of Servetus, wig
had not greatness claiming such honor,
but for a stigma upon Calvin aud .his
doctrines, as appears from this passage ::
During the three centuries since
Servetus's death outraged feeling has
concentered upon him as the martyred
exponent of an antagonism to some OF
the old Calvinistic dogmas, and this con-
census singles him out as the one for
whom this sentiment should take con-
crete form.
The antagonism of Servetus was not
against any peculiar "Calvinistic dog
mas" but against the common belief of
all christendom, Catholic and Protestant.
He was arraigned for the same offences
at Vienne, in Dauphiny, but made his
escape during the trial. But even after
his flight his Catholic judges passed sen-
tence of condemnation against him for
his doctrines, and only failed to execute
him because they failed to lay hands on
him. They surely did not hold the
odious "Calvinistic dogmas." Why not
also honor Servetus with a monument
there
There are other errors in the brief
article discussed, but let these suffice.
Narrow minded men will traduce Calvin
and his doctrines, but those of broader
views acknowledge the debt the world
owes this great and good man and that
system of truth that bears his name.
Bancroft, the historian, says: "More
truly benevolent to the human race than
Scion, more self-denying than Lycurgus,
the genius of Calvin infused enduring
elements into the institutions of Geneva
and made it for the modern world the
impregnable fortress of popular liberty
and the fertile seed-plot of democracy"
" He that will not honor the memory and
respect the influence of Calvin knows
but little of the origin Of American indie
pendence.
Motley, writing OF the Dutch repub-
lie, says: 1t would certainly be unjust
and futile to detract from the vast debt
which that republic owed to the Geneyan
Church"
Ranke says: "John Calvin was virtu-
ally the founder of America. And
Rufus Choate writes: ain the reign of
Mary thousand learned artisans fled
from the stake at home TO the happier
States OF Continental Professionalism.
| ascribe to that five years
1.-THE time of their residence] in Geneva
an influence which has changed the
L.. 49,, of tla .yOrl1 4 uaan IN rnyualf