Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-15
OUR NAIL POUCH.
Calvin and Servetus.
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| To the Editor Of The Dispatch:
| 1t is astonishing how some ministers are
laboring to make heresy respectable and here
| tics heroes. 1t is shame for any Presbyterian
minister to be ignorant of the facts regarding
the death of Servetus, and it is o greater
shame to conceal those facts in the interest of
heresy.
1t is not true that Calvin is to be held re-
sponsible for the death of Servetus. There is
absolutely no proof that Calvin even desired
the death of Servetus, while there is proof, in
Servetus' own words, that he desired the death
of Calvin. Calvin had Servetus arraigned on
charges of heresy in order to prevent him from
spreading his pestiferous doctrines. The magis-
trates of Geneva took the matter entirely
into their own hands, and by their Attorney
General, Claude Kigot, carried on the prosecu-
ton to the bitter end. They wrote to the
Magistrates of Berne, Bay'e, Zurich, Schaf
hansen and other places asking their opinion,
advice and judgment in the matter OF the pun
ishment. All with one voice declared him de-
serving of death; and, not only they. but the
mild N Melancthon the Jealous and godly Farel,
the temperate Bulinger and Serv etus himself
sanctioned the maxim that heresy deserved
death. Servetus has been represented as a
model of meek martyr. But on the 22d OF
September 1863 he asked the Council OF Ge-
neVa to put Calvin trial for his life, and pro-
posed to stake his own life against that of Cal
vim. Accusing Calvin of having falsely attrib-
uted to him the opinion that the soul Is mortal,
he says: IF l have said that-not only said it,
but publicly written it to infect the word-l
would condemn myself to death. Where
fore, fore, my Lords, L demand that ,ai,oIis my
and that he be detained a prisoner till the
cause be decided, for his death or mine. or other
punishment. And to accomplish that, now
lodge an accusation against him for the said
poeDd tuiionis, and am content to die If he be
not convicted of these things, as well as of
others which shall bring forward"
Contrary to this blood-thirsty spirit, Calvin
used all his great influence to prevent the
burning of Servetus when the council had con-
demned him, but failed. of this there is abund-
ant evidence. Space permits but two proofs.
Faref, the pastor of Neuchatel. writing to Cal
win September 8, 1858. strongly urging the Sc
verest punishment of Servetus. says: Your
desire to mitigate the rigor OF the punishment
is the service of a friend to one who is your
mortal enemy; but / beseech you so to act as
that no one shall hereafter seek with i'm
punity to publish novel doctrines, and to
embroil us all, as Seryetus has done" Calvin
himself says: From the time he was convicted
of his heresies. have made no endeavor to
have his punishment made capital; and not
merely all honest men will be witnesses of what
say. but challenge all the malignanrs to say
if it is not So" Declaration, page I3l8) That
challenge stood and still stands unanswered.
convicted. and would be prevented from doing
mischief to mems souls and desired tn mitigate
or remit the severity of the sentence. "Spero
capitale saltern judicium fore; poenae Nero
atrocitatem remitti cupid. Epist. Calv ad
Farellum, 10Th Aug, 1853"
To these and similar utterances Farel replies
as above 1t is time that at least the friends of
Calvin should know the real facts in the case,
and relieve his memory from the charge so
often made by his foes, that he was directly
and mainly responsible for the burning Of
Servetus.
The methods adopted in America to-day to
destroy the force of Calvin's doctrines is to as
sail his character. This is an old dodge. But
sensible people understand 1t and will not be
aside his teaching by scriptural argument
think to make his teaching odious by holding
him up to the public gaze as a would-be MUIR
derer. The facts put tho shoe on the other
foot however. NEvIN WooDSIDE.
PITTSBURG. March l3.
This gives both sides OF the question, and
the controversy cannot be carried on in these
columnsl