The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-31
DID CALVIN BURN sERvETUsf

To THE EDITOR: In an able article published
in your issue OF August Is criticisng the de-
nunciation by Rev. Dr.. Scott of what he has
been pleased to style "a dangerous book" YOU
suggest that ''he ought to be able to endu rs the
truth about slavery, inst as an intelligent Pro-
testant today can afford to regret that Calvin
burned Servetus."
II Calvin did burn servetus then you are cor
rect that every intelligent Protestant should
regret that act. But did Calvin burn Servetus?
] undertake to deny the charge and affirm it is
not true. 1t has been 80 often asserted and re-
peated by those mo are opposed to the doctrines
that,bear his name, that to the many who have
not examined to the truth or falsity of the
charge, it 10 taken to be true. Its reiteraton in
many instances has been rnade by he opponents
OF Calvinism in the winding up of their attacks
on the system, and sometimes when they had no
arguments TO produce. this WAS considered
sufficient 10 condemn and sQuelch it, to cry out
"Celvin burned servetus."
It was the enemies of Calvin, those who hated
him, that preferred the charge, and il has ever
since been kept up by those W no are unfriendly
TO the doctrines he taught his friends, and those
who embraced these doctrines. who have made
IT their duty to examine into the facts of histo-
~, have denied aud repeatedly refuted the
charge.
know It will be said as it often has been.
that his friends and followers, ii you please so
10 style them, would naturally desire and seek
TO disprove it. Is there any wrong in thar In
Il not duty devolving upon them to rescue his
name from so serious a charge. which is rs IN
true a. IL is unjust, If the facts will warrant?
How could we esteem man who could quietly
listen 10 slanderous charges against his friends
ana utter no word OF defense, when he believed
or knew them 70 be tslsef Whist man Is there
who would say that the record of his life, or his
epitaph, should be written by his enemies rather
than his friends.
The evidence that will produce In borne by
one who may be said 10 be neither friend nor
an enemy: l use these expressions relatively
The witness is not believer in the Cslyinistic
system. but avowing bitter hostility to il, the
trend OF his theological views being in soma re-
spscts allied TO those held by servotus and his
sympathies were naturally with him
Rev. A. Reilliet, tsente and learned Uni
tartan minister, published in lsi4 the result of
his Investigations among the archives o. &C.
nevA. and the manuscript and corrcsronden zee
OF the period of the execution, relating 10 tha
case, which he found preserved IN the public
libraries OF Europa: Writing as an irnparti al
historian, he sxOnerates CALVIN most fully from
the slanderous and unfounded charges made
against him al connected with the death of
seryetus-
He asserts that he found that sths prexiaen,
OF the court and influential members of the
counefI before wbom servetus was srraieped
were the "svowad and personal enerDies'' Of
Calvin, and that on account of his theological
views his late ''wAs at times the mora i'm uaipent
OF the two" and adds: "Ihe awe OF thu Protaa
isn't governments might have saved Calvin.
from destn, but net from imprisonment or per-
pesuAl exile"
Further he SAYS "Ths court was partial 70
seryesns. ana would fsin have saved him If his
triumphant overbeayancs had not ruinsd hi.
cause. IL seems thar Seryetus escs ped from
the prison at FieIne in France. where ba had
been condemned ana sentenced TO be hurneo nv
q slow IRA whilst his trial was pending in
Geneva ''sns king of France Claimed energetic
ally the execution of the hereto who had es-
capped from his Kingdom under sentence" The