were　so　proud　and　self…confident　in　their　boasted　superiority　that　they
  could　not　be　molded　to　sympathize　with　their　fellow　men　and　to　become
  colaborers　with　the　humble　Man　of　Nazareth。　To　the　unlearned；　toiling
  fishermen　of　Galilee　was　the　call　addressed：　〃Follow　Me；　and　I　will　make　you
  fishers　of　men。〃　Matthew　4：19。　These　disciples　were　humble　and　teachable。
  The　less　they　had　been　influenced　by　the　false　teaching　of　their　time；　the
  more　successfully　could　Christ　instruct　and　train　them　for　His　service。　So
  in　the　days　of　the　Great　Reformation。　The　leading　Reformers　were　men　from
  humble　lifemen　who　were　most　free　of　any　of　their　time　from　pride　of　rank
  and　from　the　influence　of　bigotry　and　priestcraft。　It　is　God's　plan　to
  employ　humble　instruments　to　accomplish　great　results。　Then　the　glory　will
  not　be　given　to　men；　but　to　Him　who　works　through　them　to　will　and　to　do　of
  His　own　good　pleasure。
  A　few　weeks　after　the　birth　of　Luther　in　a　miner's　cabin　in　Saxony；　Ulric
  Zwingli　was　born　in　a　herdsman's　cottage　among　the　Alps。　Zwingli's
  surroundings　in　childhood；　and
  172
  his　early　training；　were　such　as　to　prepare　him　for　his　future　mission。
  Reared　amid　scenes　of　natural　grandeur；　beauty；　and　awful　sublimity；　his
  mind　was　early　impressed　with　a　sense　of　the　greatness；　the　power；　and　the
  majesty　of　God。　The　history　of　the　brave　deeds　achieved　upon　his　native
  mountains　kindled　his　youthful　aspirations。　And　at　the　side　of　his　pious
  grandmother　he　listened　to　the　few　precious　Bible　stories　which　she　had
  gleaned　from　amid　the　legends　and　traditions　of　the　church。　With　eager
  interest　he　heard　of　the　grand　deeds　of　patriarchs　and　prophets；　of　the
  shepherds　who　watched　their　flocks　on　the　hills　of　Palestine　where　angels
  talked　with　them；　of　the　Babe　of　Bethlehem　and　the　Man　of　Calvary。
  Like　John　Luther；　Zwingli's　father　desired　an　education　for　his　son；　and　the
  boy　was　early　sent　from　his　native　valley。　His　mind　rapidly　developed；　and
  it　soon　became　a　question　where　to　find　teachers　competent　to　instruct　him。
  At　the　age　of　thirteen　he　went　to　Bern；　which　then　possessed　the　most
  distinguished　school　in　Switzerland。　Here；　however；　a　danger　arose　which
  threatened　to　blight　the　promise　of　his　life。　Determined　efforts　were　put
  forth　by　the　friars　to　allure　him　into　a　monastery。　The　Dominican　and
  Franciscan　monks　were　in　rivalry　for　popular　favor。　This　they　endeavored　to
  secure　by　the　showy　adornments　of　their　churches；　the　pomp　of　their
  ceremonials；　and　the　attractions　of　famous　relics　and　miracle…working
  images。
  The　Dominicans　of　Bern　saw　that　if　they　could　win　this　talented　young
  scholar；　they　would　secure　both　gain　and　honor。　His　extreme　youth；　his
  natural　ability　as　a　speaker　and　writer；　and　his　genius　for　music　and
  poetry；　would　be　more　effective　than　all　their　pomp　and　display；　in
  attracting　the　people　to　their　services　and　increasing　the　revenues　of　their
  order。　By　deceit　and　flattery　they　endeavored　to　induce　Zwingli　to　enter
  their　convent。　Luther；　while　a　student　at　school；　had　buried　himself　in　a
  convent　cell；　and　he　would　have　been　lost　to　the　world　had　not　God's
  providence　released　him。　Zwingli　was　not　permitted　to　encounter　the
  173
  same　peril。　Providentially　his　father　received　information　of　the　designs　of
  the　friars。　He　had　no　intention　of　allowing　his　son　to　follow　the　idle　and
  worthless　life　of　the　monks。　He　saw　that　his　future　usefulness　was　at　stake；
  and　directed　him　to　return　home　without　delay。
  The　command　was　obeyed；　but　the　youth　could　not　be　long　content　in　his
  native　valley；　and　he　soon　resumed　his　studies；　repairing；　after　a　time；　to
  Basel。　It　was　here　that　Zwingli　first　heard　the　gospel　of　God's　free　grace。
  Wittembach；　a　teacher　of　the　ancient　languages；　had；　while　studying　Greek
  and　Hebrew；　been　led　to　the　Holy　Scriptures；　and　thus　rays　of　divine　light
  were　shed　into　the　minds　of　the　students　under　his　instruction。　He　declared
  that　there　was　a　truth　more　ancient；　and　of　infinitely　greater　worth；　than
  the　theories　taught　by　schoolmen　and　philosophers。　This　ancient　truth　was
  that　the　death　of　Christ　is　the　sinner's　only　ransom。　To　Zwingli　these　words
  were　as　the　first　ray　of　light　that　precedes　the　dawn。
  Zwingli　was　soon　called　from　Basel　to　enter　upon　his　lifework。　His　first
  field　of　labor　was　in　an　Alpine　parish；　not　far　distant　from　his　native
  valley。　Having　received　ordination　as　a　priest；　he　〃devoted　himself　with　his
  whole　soul　to　the　search　after　divine　truth；　for　he　was　well　aware；〃　says　a
  fellow　Reformer；　〃how　much　he　must　know　to　whom　the　flock　of　Christ　is
  entrusted。〃Wylie；　b。　8；　ch。　5。　The　more　he　searched　the　Scriptures；　the
  clearer　appeared　the　contrast　between　their　truths　and　the　heresies　of　Rome。
  He　submitted　himself　to　the　Bible　as　the　word　of　God；　the　only　sufficient；
  infallible　rule。　He　saw　that　it　must　be　its　own　interpreter。　He　dared　not
  attempt　to　explain　Scripture　to　sustain　a　preconceived　theory　or　doctrine；
  but　held　it　his　duty　to　learn　what　is　its　direct　and　obvious　teaching。　He
  sought　to　avail　himself　of　every　help　to　obtain　a　full　and　correct
  understanding　of　its　meaning；　and　he　invoked　the　aid　of　the　Holy　Spirit；
  which　would；　he　declared；　reveal　it　to　all　who　sought　it　in　sincerity　and
  with　prayer。
  174
  〃The　Scriptures；〃　said　Zwingli；　〃come　from　God；　not　from　man；　and　even　that
  God　who　enlightens　will　give　thee　to　understand　that　the　speech　comes　from
  God。　The　word　of　God　。　。　。　cannot　fail；　it　is　bright；　it　teaches　itself；　it
  discloses　itself；　it　illumines　the　soul　with　all　salvation　and　grace；
  comforts　it　in　God；　humbles　it；　so　that　it　loses　and　even　forfeits　itself；
  and　embraces　God。〃　The　truth　of　these　words　Zwingli　himself　had　proved。
  Speaking　of　his　experience　at　this　time；　he　afterward　wrote：　〃When　。　。　。　I
  began　to　give　myself　wholly　up　to　the　Holy　Scriptures；　philosophy　and
  theology　（scholastic）　would　always　keep　suggesting　quarrels　to　me。　At　last　I
  came　to　this；　that　I　thought；　‘Thou　must　let　all　that　lie；　and　learn　the
  meaning　of　God　purely　out　of　His　own　simple　word。'　Then　I　began　to　ask　God
  for　His　light；　and　the　Scriptures　began　to　be　much　easier　to　me。〃Ibid。；　b。
  8；　ch。　6。
  The　doctrine　preached　by　Zwingli　was　not　received　from　Luther。　It　was　the
  doctrine　of　Christ。　〃If　Luther　preaches　Christ；〃　said　the　Swiss　Reformer；
  〃he　does　what　I　am　doing。　Those　whom　he　has　brought　to　Christ　are　more
  numerous　than　those　whom　I　have　led。　But　this　matters　not。　I　will　bear　no
  other　name　than　that　of　Christ；　whose　soldier　I　am；　and　who　alone　is　my
  Chief。　Never　has　one　single　word　been　written　by　me　to　Luther；　nor　by　Luther
  to　me。　And　why？　。　。　。　That　it　might　be　shown　how　much　the　Spirit　of　God　is
  in　unison　with　itself；　since　both　of　us；　without　any　collusion；　teach　the
  doctrine　of　Christ　with　such　uniformity。〃　D'Aubigne；　b。　8；　ch。　9。
  In　1516　Zwingli　was　invited　to　become　a　preacher　in　the　convent　at
  Einsiedeln。　Here　he　was　to　have　a　closer　view　of　the　corruptions　of　Rome　and
  was　to　exert　an　influence　as　a　Reformer　that　would　be　felt　far　beyond　his
  native　Alps。　Among　the　chief　attractions　of　Einsiedeln　was　an　image　of　the
  Virgin　which　was　said　to　have　the　power　of　working　miracles。　Above　the
  gateway　of　the　convent　was　the　inscription；　〃Here　a　plenary　remission　of
  sins　may　be
  175
  obtained。〃Ibid。；　b。　8；　ch。　5。　Pilgrims　at　all　seasons　resorted　to　the
  shrine　of　the　Virgin；　but　at　the　great　yearly　festival　of　its　consecration
  multitudes　came　from　all　parts　of　Switzerland；　and　even　from　France　and
  Germany。　Zwingli；　greatly　afflicted　at　the　sight；　seized　the　opportunity　to
  proclaim　liberty　through　the　gospel　to　these　bondslaves　of　superstition。
  〃Do　not　imagine；〃　he　said；　〃that　God　is　in　this　temple　more　than　in　any
  other　part　of　creation。　Whatever　be　the　country　in　which　you　dwell；　God　is
  around　you；　and　hears　you。　。　。　。　Can　unprofitable　works；　long　pilgrimages；
  offerings；　images；　the　invocation　of　the　Virgin　or　of　the　saints；　secure　for
  you　the　grace　of　God？　。　。　。　What　avails　the　multitude　of　words　with　which　we
  embody　our　prayers？　What　efficacy　has　a　glossy　cowl；　a　smooth…shorn　head；　a
  long　and　flowing　robe；　or　gold…embroidered　slippers？　。　。　。　God　looks　at　the
  heart；　and　our　hearts　are　far　from　Him。〃　〃Christ；〃　he　said；　〃who　was　once
  offered　upon　the　cross；　is　the　sacrifice　and　victim；　that　had　made
  satisfaction　for　the　sins　of　believers　to　all　eternity。〃Ibid。；　b。　8；　ch。
  5。
  To　many　listeners　these　teachings　were　unwelcome。　It　was　a　bitter
  disappointment　to　them　to　be　told　that　their　toilsome　journey　had　been　made
  in　vain。　The　pardon　freely　offered　to　them　through　Christ　they　could　not
  comprehend。　They　were　satisfied　with　the　old　way　to　heaven　which　Rome　had
  marked　out　for　them。　They　shrank　from　the　perplexity　of　searching　for
  anything　better。　It　was　easier　to　trust　their　salvation　to　the　priests　and
  the　pope　than　to　seek　for　purity　of　heart。
  But　another　class　received　with　gladness　the　tidings　of　redemption　through
  Christ。　The　observances　enjoined　by　Rome　had　failed　to　bring　peace　of　soul；
  and　in　faith　they　acc