The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-07-12
V.CARVER TALKS
ON JOHN CALVIN

The First Presbyterian church serv-
ices last evening were in way com
memorative of the life and teachings
of John Calvin. The text was from
Psalm I,
Mrs. Shaw sang Jesus. Tender
Shepherd" with much feeling.
The sermon was illustrated with In
cidentS from Calvin'S life. concerning
which Rev. Carver said. in part.
II was on the tenth day Of July. 1909.
that. in the home OF a notary of high
standing In Noyon, France. John Cal
vim was born. His mother diving in
his Infancy, mis- training was largely
in the hands Of the church schools OF
his day. The boy was given an eCclesl-
astlcal charge when he was but twelve
years OF age and by means of the sal
ary from this office was enabled 10 ed
ucate himself at the University Of
Paris, Here he completed three sep
arate courses, the regular scholastic
course the then new course in the
"humanlSt" classics, and the legal
course, In the latter be was so much
OF a leader that ne often acted as
teacher among those of his own class.
He Intended 10 make the law his pro-
fession but the new ideas Of religion
drew him into the way of 4 tneologian.
1t was an age Of uphcaval along many
lines of Luther. Luther and Xwingli
were Just at the zenith OF their fame.
and tneir Ideas were being scattered
near and far. Calvin became imbucd
with them and when his friend Nicolas
Copp was to deliver a great address
as rector OF the university he asked
young Calvin 10 write it for him. It
was reactionary sermon and ad-
ranced many reform Views. The re-
suit was that Calvin and Copp had to
fee for their lives. He was sheltered
by Margurlte, sister of King Francis.
and as it was a period when many HUI
guenots were being burned at the
stake for purely religious purposes and
the king was representing to other
powers that it was for political and
moral reasons that they were con-
demned, Calvin wrote the "Instituters"
In their defense. This work. COM
monty called the greatest theological
work since Augustine. was a state
ment OF the beliefs which the martyrs
held and for which they were giving
up their lives. PreiXcd to this work
was q dedication TO the king most
trencnant and convincing in denounc-
Ing him for the death of so many of
his countrymen, 1t was in the fol-
lowing year. 1886, that Calvin first en-
tered Geneva and was persuaded to
become pastor OF a leading church
Geneva was then a free city and
governed like most of Switzerland by
a dual council elected by the people
Above these were four magistrates
elected In the same way. who In turn
appointed twenty-five lesser magls-
trates. Thus the state was really an
oligarchy Calvin soon eXerted a
great influence and was very earnest
in his attack upon all forms Of immor-
ality, thus arouslng a strong opposi-
ton which after two years was power,
full enough TO drive him from the city:
but after living three years in Strass-
burg they sent TO him and besought
him TO return Coming back 10 Ge-
neva he inaugurated still more sweep
ing reforms, and, as he believed tried
10 build model city religiously and
morally. He was of a very weak phys
ical nature. So impaired in digestion
that ne could eat but one meal a day,
and so nervous that he slept but little
Added to this he was a consumptive
His days work, however usually last,