omnipotent　power。　God　had　said；　〃Let　there　be　light；〃　but　the　emperor　had
  sought　to　keep　the　darkness　unbroken。　His　purposes　had　failed；　and　in
  premature　old　age；　worn　out　with　the　long　struggle；　he　abdicated　the　throne
  and　buried　himself　in　a　cloister。
  In　Switzerland；　as　in　Germany；　there　came　dark　days　for　the　Reformation。
  While　many　cantons　accepted　the　reformed
  212
  faith；　others　clung　with　blind　persistence　to　the　creed　of　Rome。　Their
  persecution　of　those　who　desired　to　receive　the　truth　finally　gave　rise　to
  civil　war。　Zwingli　and　many　who　had　united　with　him　in　reform　fell　on　the
  bloody　field　of　Cappel。　Oecolampadius；　overcome　by　these　terrible　disasters；
  soon　after　died。　Rome　was　triumphant；　and　in　many　places　seemed　about　to
  recover　all　that　she　had　lost。　But　He　whose　counsels　are　from　everlasting
  had　not　forsaken　His　cause　or　His　people。　His　hand　would　bring　deliverance
  for　them。　In　other　lands　He　had　raised　up　laborers　to　carry　forward　the
  reform。
  In　France；　before　the　name　of　Luther　had　been　heard　as　a　Reformer；　the　day
  had　already　begun　to　break。　One　of　the　first　to　catch　the　light　was　the　aged
  Lefevre；　a　man　of　extensive　learning；　a　professor　in　the　University　of
  Paris；　and　a　sincere　and　zealous　papist。　In　his　researches　into　ancient
  literature　his　attention　was　directed　to　the　Bible；　and　he　introduced　its
  study　among　his　students。
  Lefevre　was　an　enthusiastic　adorer　of　the　saints；　and　he　had　undertaken　to
  prepare　a　history　of　the　saints　and　martyrs　as　given　in　the　legends　of　the
  church。　This　was　a　work　which　involved　great　labor；　but　he　had　already　made
  considerable　progress　in　it；　when；　thinking　that　he　might　obtain　useful
  assistance　from　the　Bible；　he　began　its　study　with　this　object。　Here　indeed
  he　found　saints　brought　to　view；　but　not　such　as　figured　in　the　Roman
  calendar。　A　flood　of　divine　light　broke　in　upon　his　mind。　In　amazement　and
  disgust　he　turned　away　from　his　self…appointed　task　and　devoted　himself　to
  the　word　of　God。　The　precious　truths　which　he　there　discovered　he　soon　began
  to　teach。
  In　1512；　before　either　Luther　or　Zwingli　had　begun　the　work　of　reform；
  Lefevre　wrote：　〃It　is　God　who　gives　us；　by　faith；　that　righteousness　which
  by　grace　alone　justifies　to　eternal　life。〃Wylie；　b。　13；　ch。　1。　Dwelling
  upon　the　mysteries　of　redemption；　he　exclaimed：　〃Oh；　the　unspeakable
  greatness　of　that　exchange；the　Sinless　One　is　condemned；
  213
  and　he　who　is　guilty　goes　free；　the　Blessing　bears　the　curse；　and　the　cursed
  is　brought　into　blessing；　the　Life　dies；　and　the　dead　live；　the　Glory　is
  whelmed　in　darkness；　and　he　who　knew　nothing　but　confusion　of　face　is
  clothed　with　glory。〃　D'Aubigne；　London　ed。；　b。　12；　ch。　2。
  And　while　teaching　that　the　glory　of　salvation　belongs　solely　to　God；　he
  also　declared　that　the　duty　of　obedience　belongs　to　man。　〃If　thou　art　a
  member　of　Christ's　church；〃　he　said；　〃thou　art　a　member　of　His　body；　if　thou
  art　of　His　body；　then　thou　art　full　of　the　divine　nature。　。　。　。　Oh；　if　men
  could　but　enter　into　the　understanding　of　this　privilege；　how　purely；
  chastely；　and　holily　would　they　live；　and　how　contemptible；　when　compared
  with　the　glory　within　them；　that　glory　which　the　eye　of　flesh　cannot
  see；would　they　deem　all　the　glory　of　this　world。〃Ibid。；　b。　12；　ch。　2。
  There　were　some　among　Lefevre's　students　who　listened　eagerly　to　his　words；
  and　who；　long　after　the　teacher's　voice　should　be　silenced；　were　to　continue
  to　declare　the　truth。　Such　was　William　Farel。　The　son　of　pious　parents；　and
  educated　to　accept　with　implicit　faith　the　teachings　of　the　church；　he
  might；　with　the　apostle　Paul；　have　declared　concerning　himself：　〃After　the
  most　straitest　sect　of　our　religion　I　lived　a　Pharisee。〃　Acts　26：5。　A
  devoted　Romanist；　he　burned　with　zeal　to　destroy　all　who　should　dare　to
  oppose　the　church。　〃I　would　gnash　my　teeth　like　a　furious　wolf；〃　he
  afterward　said；　referring　to　this　period　of　his　life；　〃when　I　heard　anyone
  speaking　against　the　pope。〃Wylie；　b。　13；　ch。
  2。　He　had　been　untiring　in　his　adoration　of　the　saints；　in
  company　with　Lefevre　making　the　round　of　the　churches　of　Paris；　worshipping
  at　the　altars；　and　adorning　with　gifts　the　holy　shrines。　But　these
  observances　could　not　bring　peace　of　soul。　Conviction　of　sin　fastened　upon
  him；　which　all　the　acts　of　penance　that　he　practiced　failed　to　banish。　As　to
  a　voice　from　heaven　he　listened　to　the　Reformer's　words：　〃Salvation　is　of
  grace。〃　〃The　Innocent　One　is　condemned；　and　the　criminal　is　acquitted。〃　〃It
  is　the　cross　of　Christ　alone　that
  214
  openeth　the　gates　of　heaven；　and　shutteth　the　gates　of　hell。〃　Ibid。；　b。
  13；　ch。　2。
  Farel　joyfully　accepted　the　truth。　By　a　conversion　like　that　of　Paul　he
  turned　from　the　bondage　of　tradition　to　the　liberty　of　the　sons　of　God。
  〃Instead　of　the　murderous　heart　of　a　ravening　wolf；〃　he　came　back；　he　says；
  〃quietly　like　a　meek　and　harmless　lamb；　having　his　heart　entirely　withdrawn
  from　the　pope；　and　given　to　Jesus　Christ。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　12；　ch。　3。
  While　Lefevre　continued　to　spread　the　light　among　his　students；　Farel；　as
  zealous　in　the　cause　of　Christ　as　he　had　been　in　that　of　the　pope；　went
  forth　to　declare　the　truth　in　public。　A　dignitary　of　the　church；　the　bishop
  of　Meaux；　soon　after　united　with　them。　Other　teachers　who　ranked　high　for
  their　ability　and　learning　joined　in　proclaiming　the　gospel；　and　it　won
  adherents　among　all　classes；　from　the　homes　of　artisans　and　peasants　to　the
  palace　of　the　king。　The　sister　of　Francis　I；　then　the　reigning　monarch；
  accepted　the　reformed　faith。　The　king　himself；　and　the　queen　mother；
  appeared　for　a　time　to　regard　it　with　favor；　and　with　high　hopes　the
  Reformers　looked　forward　to　the　time　when　France　should　be　won　to　the
  gospel。
  But　their　hopes　were　not　to　be　realized。　Trial　and　persecution　awaited　the
  disciples　of　Christ。　This；　however；　was　mercifully　veiled　from　their　eyes。　A
  time　of　peace　intervened；　that　they　might　gain　strength　to　meet　the　tempest；
  and　the　Reformation　made　rapid　progress。　The　bishop　of　Meaux　labored
  zealously　in　his　own　diocese　to　instruct　both　the　clergy　and　the　people。
  Ignorant　and　immoral　priests　were　removed；　and；　so　far　as　possible；　replaced
  by　men　of　learning　and　piety。　The　bishop　greatly　desired　that　his　people
  might　have　access　to　the　word　of　God　for　themselves；　and　this　was　soon
  accomplished。　Lefevre　undertook　the　translation　of　the　New　Testament；　and　at
  the　very　time　when　Luther's　German　Bible　was　issuing　from　the　press　in
  Wittenberg；　the　French　New　Testament　was　published　at　Meaux。　The　bishop
  spared　no　labor　or　expense　to　circulate　it　in　his　parishes；　and　soon　the
  215
  peasants　of　Meaux　were　in　possession　of　the　Holy　Scriptures。
  As　travelers　perishing　from　thirst　welcome　with　joy　a　living　water　spring；
  so　did　these　souls　receive　the　message　of　heaven。　The　laborers　in　the　field；
  the　artisans　in　the　workshop；　cheered　their　daily　toil　by　talking　of　the
  precious　truths　of　the　Bible。　At　evening；　instead　of　resorting　to　the
  wine…shops；　they　assembled　in　one　another's　homes　to　read　God's　word　and
  join　in　prayer　and　praise。　A　great　change　was　soon　manifest　in　these
  communities。　Though　belonging　to　the　humblest　class；　an　unlearned　and
  hard…working　peasantry；　the　reforming；　uplifting　power　of　divine　grace　was
  seen　in　their　lives。　Humble；　loving；　and　holy；　they　stood　as　witnesses　to
  what　the　gospel　will　accomplish　for　those　who　receive　it　in　sincerity。
  The　light　kindled　at　Meaux　shed　its　beams　afar。　Every　day　the　number　of
  converts　was　increasing。　The　rage　of　the　hierarchy　was　for　a　time　held　in
  check　by　the　king；　who　despised　the　narrow　bigotry　of　the　monks；　but　the
  papal　leaders　finally　prevailed。　Now　the　stake　was　set　up。　The　bishop　of
  Meaux；　forced　to　choose　between　the　fire　and　recantation；　accepted　the
  easier　path；　but　notwithstanding　the　leader's　fall；　his　flock　remained
  steadfast。　Many　witnessed　for　the　truth　amid　the　flames。　By　their　courage
  and　fidelity　at　the　stake；　these　humble　Christians　spoke　to　thousands　who　in
  days　of　peace　had　never　heard　their　testimony。
  It　was　not　alone　the　humble　and　the　poor　that　amid　suffering　and　scorn　dared
  to　bear　witness　for　Christ。　In　the　lordly　halls　of　the　castle　and　the　palace
  there　were　kingly　souls　by　whom　truth　was　valued　above　wealth　or　rank　or
  even　life。　Kingly　armor　concealed　a　loftier　and　more　steadfast　spirit　than
  did　the　bishop's　robe　and　miter。　Louis　de　Berquin　was　of　noble　birth。　A
  brave　and　courtly　knight；　he　was　devoted　to　study；　polished　in　manners；　and
  of　blameless　morals。　〃He　was；〃　says　a　writer；　〃a　great　follower　of　the
  papistical　constitutions；　and　a　great　hearer　of　masses　and　sermons；　。　。　。
  and　he　crowned　all　his　other　virtues　by　holding　Lutheranism　in
  216
  special　abhorrence。〃　But；　like　so　many　others；　providentially　guided　to　the
  Bible；　he　was　amazed　to　find　there；　〃not　the　doctrines　of　Rome；　but　the
  doctrines　of　Luther。〃Wylie；　b。　13；　ch。　9。　Henceforth　he　gave　himself　with
  entire　devotion　to　the　cause　of　the　gospel。
  〃The　most　learned　of　the　nobles　of　France；〃　his　genius　and　eloquence；　his
  indomi