The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-05

Let us now turn TO Mr.. Putnam's account
of the censorship exercised in Protestant
States. The chief distinction between the
methods OF censorship praotised in Prot
estant communities and those which were
adopted d in Catholic States was the fact that
for the former the censorship authorities
were dependent for the enforcement OF the
prohibition and penalty upon the machinery
OF the civil authorities. Protestant divines
had at their command no such dread PEN
atty as accommodation. by means Of
which the Catholic eoclesiastios were able
TO enforce upon the faithful obedience to
the commands Of the Church.
The author OF this book points out that
the censorship procedure in the Protestant
cantons Of Switzerland, and particularly in
Geneva. presented close analogies to the
methods in force at Rome. For example.
in 1925 the magistrates Of Zurich estab-
lished q so-called State Church, Under
their regulations no preaching could be
permitted within the territory OF the city
other than the pure gospel Of Zwingli and
his associates. Not only were Catholic
books Of worship ordered to be surren-
dered and burned, but a similar course
was taken with the Lutheran Bibles and
the Lutheran works Of instruction prepared
by Melanchthon. Under Calvin's direc-
ton Geneva showed itself equally re-
preesive. Catholics were ordered to de-
liver for destruction their books Of worship
and song and their catechism, The Cal
whistle Inquisition established in Geneva
~arrogated authority to visit houses and
shops and to coniscate all heretical pub
locations. In 1889 the magistrates Of the
city ordered that no book should be printed
until it had received a license from the
authorities. Even after Calvin's death in
1884 the censorship was continued.
II 10 well known that for his heretical
writings against the Trinity, the Spaniard
Servetue was burned alive In pursuance Of a
sentence Of the court instituted by Calvin.
In Basel in 1859. the ecclesiastical authori-
ties having learned that a certain heretical
writer named Joris had lived In the city
u~nreoognized and died there three years
before, q formal protest was entered into
against his disinterred remains, and he was
duly condemned for heresy. His portrait
and his books were burned by the public
hangman. In 1895 Gentilis was, in oonsid-
GRAFTON Of This repentance, spared from death,
but sentenced to walk through the streets OF
Geneva In his shirt, barefooted and with a
lighted candle in his hand. and after doing
penance' in the church he wa to burn his
books. Afterward he Wal to be confined
in Geneva for an indefinite period. He es-
capped, but was recaptured, decapitated
and burned. In Basel the first decree
having TO do with Censorship emanated from
no less an authority than Erasmus. A pen
atty Of q hundred dollars was imposed for
- 49,. III. .l-ssI "a IL -
approved by the municipal censor.
Mr.. Putnam shows hat the chief difficulty
in the application Of any censorship regu-
lations within the Protestant States was the
existence Of different schools Of beliefs. the
controversies between which soon. became
violent. The control Of the censorship ma
chinery for n one State fell first into the
hands OF one set Of controversialistd and
then into those o. another. according 10 the
activity Of the respective leaders and to the
influence brought TO bear upon the local
ruler. In Lutheran States, such az Saxony,
the prohibition against Paplstical writings
was accompanied by an equally sweeping
condemnation OF the writings Of the Cal
vinists; while the Calvinistic authorities
Of States like Brandenburg were prompt on
their side 20 tnke similar measures for the
protection Of their own special tenets. This
continued conflict between the several
grours Of reformers naturally brought into
d~isrepute and inefEciency the larger por-
ton Of the attempts at censorship control.
Some Efforts, indeed. were made toward
amore tolerant and practical policy, Twin
eli. for instance. insisted that his fellow
believers In Essllng should refuse 10 inter-