cities were ready to follow Zuingli. The Catholics in Germany were also prepared to take advantage of this discord, which they were zealously fomenting, in order that they might be enabled to suppress the two parties one after another. The landgrave of Hesse perceived the danger which threatened the Protestants, and immediately exerted himself to bring about a reconciliation. But when he found that he availed nothing, he formed a design of confronting the two chief antagonists with one another, hoping thus to procure the agreement which he had hitherto labored for in vain. He accordingly invited them to his town of Marburg with such friends as they would choose to bring with them. At first, Zuingli, with the manly, open and daring spirit which he ever exhibited, assented to the landgrave's request. Still, for a time he seemed likely to be detained. The danger to him of passing from Zurich to Marburg, through the territory of the enemies of the reformation, was not doubted even by the landgrave. He accordingly promised an escort from Strasburg to Hesse. But this was not enough to satisfy the Zurichers. Zuingli, who would have gone through fire and water, if the prospect of aiding the reform had been before him, entreated the council to permit him to go. "Be assured," said he, "if we doctors meet face to face, the splendor of truth will illuminate our eyes." But the council positively refused the request.

Zuingli considered the matter conscientiously, and decided that the welfare of all Christendom was in jeopardy, and that his own private interests and those of Zurich ought not to come into the account. He therefore desired to take the responsibility of going to Marburg, confiding in that Being who never abandons those that put their trust in him. On the night of the 31st of August, he and Collin, the Greek professor, mounted two horses, hired for the purpose, and, without even informing his family of his destination, lest they should be anxious for his safety, set off at full speed towards Basle. Before leaving, however, he addressed a note to the two councils, saying: "If I leave without informing you, it is not because I despise your authority, most wise lords; but because, knowing the love you bear towards me, I foresee that your anxiety will oppose my going." This he sent to the burgomaster, with a new and more urgent request from the landgrave, which arrived at the very moment in which he was penning the above lines to the council. His absence was known the next day, and gave occasion to the greatest rejoicing among his enemies, who circulated various reports in respect to his absence. "The devil has seized him bodily and carried him off," says one; "No, he has

run away with a pack of scoundrels," says another; and a third, was sure "he had been drowned in attempting to cross the river at Bruck." The council, moved more by the mild and conscientious decision of Zuingli, than by the request of the landgrave, now approved of the step which he had taken, and appointed one of the councillors to attend him, who forthwith departed with his servant, and an armed guard. In six days Zuingli embarked at Basle, where he had safely arrived, with Oecolampadius and a company of merchants for Strasburg. After remaining a little time at the latter place, and counselling the magistrates in regard to resisting the power of Rome and strengthening their own little community in the true faith, he started with his friends for Marburg, escorted by forty Hessian cavaliers. Their way was over mountains and through valleys, but by taking secret and safe paths they arrived at Marburg without molestation or injury.

We must now look for a moment at the reception given to the request of the landgrave in Germany. "Luther at first," says D'Aubigne, "discovered leagues and battles behind this pretended concord, and rejected it." Then both he and Melanchthon were suspicious of the influence of the Zuinglians over the landgrave. The reason which they gave for this influence was certainly not to the disadvantage of Zuingli: "Their error is of such a nature that acute minds are easily tainted with it. Reason loves what it understands, particularly when learned men clothe their ideas in a Scriptural dress." In fact they tried every means to avoid this conference. They desired the elector to prohibit their going, but in vain; they were compelled to comply with the request of Philip, and arrived at Marburg on the 30th of September, the day after the arrival of the Swiss delegation. Both parties were invited to the castle of Philip in order to bring them into closer contact, and were there entertained in a princely manner.

In accordance with the plan of the landgrave, the different parties were brought together for private conference before the public discussion. Luther was closeted with Oecolampadius, and Zuingli with Melanchthon, it not being deemed expedient yet to confront the two principal antagonists. They commenced the colloquy early in the morning, and when the dinner hour arrived, they were yet closely engaged in discussion. After dinner Zuingli and Melanchthon again renewed the discussion. The "Zurich doctor" in order to hold the "Wittenberg professor" who, he said, escaped him like an eel and was of Protean forms, took his pen and committed to writing what Melanchthon dictated, and gave his answer in writing. Thus they

passed the afternoon in preparation for the general conference. This Zuingli wished to be public, but Luther objected, and finally all were excluded but "the princes, nobles, deputies and theologians." Many who had assembled from various places in Germany and Switzerland, were much disappointed at this exclusion, but were compelled to submit.

On Saturday morning, the 2nd of October, the landgrave, in citizen's dress, seated himself with his court beneath the Gothic arches of an ancient hall in his castle. Before him, at a table, Luther, Melanchthon, Zuingli and Oecolampadius took their places, with their followers behind them. Luther, as he approached the table, took a piece of chalk and slowly wrote upon the velvet cloth: Hoc est corpus meum. Zuingli took his place without ostentation or parade. The discussion began between Luther and Oecolampadius, but soon passed from the latter to Zuingli. It is not possible to trace the progress of this conference. It may be found at length in various histories of the reformation. We cannot but feel that Luther exhibited some of his worst traits of character during this discussion; and where Zuingli used reason, he had recourse to dogmatic assertion. "This is my body," he would reiterate with violent asseverations, although he knew or ought to have known that it was merely begging the question, since the meaning of the passage was the point in discussion. In respect to argument, we cannot question that Zuingli's clear head, coolness and self-command gave him great advantage over his antagonist. In spirit, the most zealous defender of Luther must, it seems to us, yield the preference to Zuingli. It is true, he carried a little of roughness of expression from his native mountains, but we cannot see anything which does not exhibit a sincere desire for an honorable conciliation, or any desire to maintain his own positions when they were not in accordance with Scripture. We are ready to grant that there is a baldness in the expressions that Zuingli uses in explanation of his views, which strikes coldly upon the heart glowing with warmth of feeling toward the Saviour of sinners for the gift of his body and blood as an atonement for sin; and yet who could intelligently believe, in accordance with the doctrine maintained by Luther, that the body of Christ is drawn down into the sacramental emblems, so that the very substance of it is received by the communicant?

The landgrave was exceedingly disappointed that the conference was likely to end in even a further separation of the two parties of the reformed church, and did everything in his power, by entreaty, warning and exhortation in private, to effect a union; but in vain. VOL. IX. No. 35.

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When was the sturdy German ever known to yield when he had taken his stand? The determined spirit that enabled him to accomplish so much for the reformation, had now taken an unfortunate direction, and its consequences are felt to this day.

Renewed Hostilities, Conflict, Defeat. The Death of Zuingli.

The cessation of hostilities by the treaty of the 26th of June, 1529, returned Zuingli again to his more immediate duties as preacher of the Gospel, and pastor of his flock. "His eye and his arm were everywhere." He preached daily, and his house was constantly open for consultation, for the clearing away of difficulties, exposition of difficult passages of Scripture, for consolation to those in trouble. "The sweetness of his disposition, too, and the holiness of his life, gave an efficacy to his words which few could resist." As a natural consequence of these labors, and the encouragement given to all by the late triumph of free principles, the cause of the reformed was everywhere strengthened. Aggressions were not unfrequently made by those desirous of extending the principles of reform, upon the territory of the Five cantons, perhaps not always in the most judicious manner, yet with the best intentions, and with unquestioned success. These cantons, which had rebelled against the treaty that circumstances forced upon them, now began to gnash their teeth in anger. The persecution of the Protestants commenced anew. The gulf that separated the two parties, was daily deepening and widening. The victims of intolerance appealed to Zurich for protection and aid. Zuingli could not resist such an appeal. His eloquence again resounded in the senate-chamber. "These are Swiss," said he, "whom a faction is attempting to deprive of a portion of the liberty transmitted to them by their ancestors. If it would be unjust to force our adversaries to abolish the Catholic religion from among them; it is no less so, to imprison, to banish and to deprive citizens of their property, because their consciences have urged them to embrace opinions which they think true." The senate of Zurich, influenced by this appeal, not only offered an asylum in their midst for the persecuted, but sent a remonstrance to the other cantons against their violation of the previous treaty, which forbade compulsion in matters pertain ing to religion. But things were continually growing worse and worse. A meeting of the cities in favor of the reformed religion was called. They met first in February, 1531, at Basle, and in March at

1 Hess's Life, p. 300.

Zurich. The latter city was in favor of an immediate appeal to arms, but Berne plead for a diet of all the cantons, and finally carried the measure. The 10th of April was appointed, and the meeting was to be held at Baden. The evangelical cantons assembled, but were still divided in opinion. Zuingli maintained that the rupture of the alliance on the part of the Five cantons, and their "unheard-of insults" called loudly for decisive action, before the emperor should have done with the Turks, when he would be ready to assist their enemies who had renewed their alliance with him. The deputies again separated without definitive action. Zuingli raised his voice anew, with a power that was not to be contained within the walls of the church in which he stood; it penetrated the council chamber, and was heard in the hovel and in ceiled houses. Before April had passed, a deputation was sent from Zurich to all the allied cities to lay before them the grievances and abuses of the Five cantons, and to demand of them a careful and immediate decision as to what should be done. The advice of Berne was finally adopted. An armed intervention is richly deserved, say they, but we fear the interference of Austria and Italy; our crops will be destroyed, and innocent men will fall with the guilty. Let us rather than take up arms, close our markets against them, and cut of all intercourse with them. They will thus appreciate our value to them, and be disposed to bring about an adjustment of difficulties. Zurich was warm in its opposition to this course of proceeding, and Zuingli repudiated it as neither humane nor likely to be successful. It would only irritate, not soften, and would give time for preparation on the part of the enemy. Now as ever, when the judgment respecting the result of a course of conduct was in question, Zuingli was right. The effects of this blockade were no sooner felt, than "one general cry of indignation arose among all the inhabitants of the Five cantons." War would have ensued forthwith, if the interest of the Catholics had not favored delay. The reformed cantons were not prepared for this effect upon their enemies, and began to be at variance among themselves. Some blamed the inaction that had given new strength to their enemies. Others reproached Zuingli with stirring up civil war by his defence of the persecuted. The Catholics, too, took occasion to foster the discontents against Zuingli, and thus weaken his influence. His wise and active counsels they most of all feared, and would if possible counteract. It is not strange that they in some degree succeeded. More than human wisdom and influence would have been required, to rebuke sin, censure wrong and restrain sensual indulgence as Zuingli had done, without some