The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-04-26

natlon-tood Tor thought and reflection.
In these exciting days OF nereSy accuse
tions, accommodations dismissals from
chairs in theological Institutes and ban
ishments from the pales of churches. it is
interesting TO note the history which
brings down to the present time the Incl
dents Of three centuries ago, in which the
modern presbytery found it's origin, and
to illustrate now nearly the preaching
and practices of that age are followed as
also to show how similarly exacting GER
tain dogmas are enforced. though. bv the
enlightenment OF advancing civilization,
the penalties and punishment have been
toned down from an atrocious "condign"
intiiction TO the mild and harmless i'm
position of merely turning the guilty one
out of doors.
John Calvin, or as he himself wrote it,
Jean Calvin, an ecclesiastical reformer,
was born at Noyon, France. July 10. 1909,
and died at Geneva, Switzerland, May %,
1864. HIS father held an ecclesiastical
position in the Romish church at Novon,
and John was educated at the College de
10 Marche, in Paris At first his attention
was especially directed toward the study
of law, but before long he turned more
to theological studies, and as early as
1888 we find him strongly tinctured with
what was called the new learning"
which had sprung up in France almost
Independently of the lutheran movement
in Germany. When we witness his apos-
tacv in turning upon the belief of
his early teachings and education
it is difficult to comprehend the intoer-
ance which characterized the whole of his
alter life. The protestant" use a
term which has come to designate all
those who in any way set themselves in
opposition TO the authority OF the church
OF Rome-were exposed to many persecu-
tions, to elude which Calvin fled from
place 10 place. In 1885 We find him at
Basel, in Switzerland, where he seems TO
have prepared the first edition of his
famous "lnstltutio ChristianR Religions"
which contained O notable preface adj
dressed TO King Francis / of France. For
a couple OF years Calvin led wandering
life, until 1887. when, almost by accident,
be found himself, at the age of twenty
eight, at Geneva which was thenceforth
his home during the greater part OF his
| subsequent life.
The Reformed Church" at Geneva, of
which Calvin soon became the acknowl-
edged head, was the state. 1t aimed to
! be theocracy, which should not only
! direct all the affairs of the city, but should
also modify and control the social and re-
| ligious lie of the citizens. This predomi-
| nant aim was pretty well attained durin z
the remaining twenty-seveD years of Cal
WINS life. There was for a while a sharp
| opposition, but an end was put to it in
| 1000 when the leaders of the opposition
were expelled from the city and executed
in efiigy, and thereafter Calvin's authority
in Geneva came to be an absolute political
and religious supremacy.
The episode of the affair OF Michael Ser
| vetus belongs mainly TO the year 1903.
| Servetus had for many years promulgated
doctrines which 10 Calvin's view were
hereticaI. Note the heresy charges
against Drs. Briggs and Smith. As early
as 1916 Calvin had announced that If
| Servetus should ever come to Geneva he
would do all that in him lay TO bring him
10 cOndign punishment-that "cOndign"
punishment. according to the ideas OF that
age, meaning the putting OF Servetus to
death. In 1903 Servetus was found at
Geneva endeavoring TO make his way
from Germany to Italy. He was
apprehended and brought to trial,
beyond all question, through the ex-
ertions of Calvin. The trial lasted two
months, Calvin taking a leading and
prominent part in it. Servetus was found
guilty and sentenced to the stake. Calvin
thoroughly approved of the death punish
ment, but, il is said. made some efforts to
have the form of IL changed from burning
to some less painful mode of execution.
These efforts were unavailing. however,
and Servetus was burned Oct. %, 1868.
Calvin held full sway at Geneva for
nine years after his decisive victory in
/ I555 His health, however, began sensi-
bly, to fail IL 1861, but his tenacity OF will
buoyed him up for two years, and he died
IN May. 1864, at the age of fifty-fve.
Calvins works are very numerous, and
nearly all of them have been translated
into English. A collection of these put
forth at Edinburg by the Calvin transla-
ton society comprised moro than fifty
volumes, including letters.
The limited space allotted in the col
umns of a newspaper does not permit ex-
tended extract from any portion of his
writings, but az a specimen OF true Calvin
lem the chapter on The Doctrine of
Original Sin" taken from Book ii of the
Institutes" will suffice. In this chapter
Calvin says:
1t is not my intention to discuss all the
/ definitions given by writers; L shall only pro-
| duce one which l think perfectly consistent
! with the truth. Original sin, therefore, APP
| pears TO be an hereditary pravity and oOrTup-
| ton of nature, difused through all parts
| of the soul, rendering US obnoxious to the
! divine wrath, and producing in us those works
which the scripture calls works of the fest"
/ These two things should be distinctly OBJ
| served:
! l. Our nature being totally vitiated and
i depraved, We are. on account OF this very cor.
| ruption, considered as convicted and justly
| condemned in the sight OF God, to Whom moth
/ ing ls acceptable but righteousness, innocence
/ and purity. And this lableness TO punish
/ ishment arises not from the delinquency of
| another; for when it Is said that the sin OF
/ Adam renders US obnoxious to the divine Judg-
| meDt il is not 10 be understood as IL we, though
| innocent were undeservedly loaded with the
! guilt of sin but because all subject TO a
curse in consequence of his transgression; he
/ is therefore said 10 have involved US IN guilt.
Nevertheless derive from him the punish
ment but also the pollution to which the pun
ishment is justly due.
Then follows the atrocious doctrine of
| infant damnation. 1t is claimed by Chris
tians generally that the Savior died upon
J the cross for the atonement of the sins of
all who had lived before Him and the
hard-shell baptists hold 10 the doctrine
/ that He also died for the atonemept of the
7 -, ~ all u,ho MIGHT follow Him CHRIST