Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/871

ZWINGLI 841 cate with Luther. Doubtless there was a bond of communion between both these men ; but we must seek it above this earth." In 1518 the cathedral church in Zurich became vacant, and on Dec. 11 Zwingli was elected to it, and henceforth Zurich became the centre of the reformation in Switzerland. On New Year's day, 1519, he entered the pulpit the first time, with an immense crowd before him. *' To Christ," cried he, "to Christ will I lead you to the source of salvation. His word is the only food I wish to furnish to your hearts and lives." He went on to expound the Gospel according to St. Matthew, chapter by chapter, and later the other Gospels, the Acts, and all the epistles in the same way. " The life of Christ," he said, " has been too long hidden from the people." He attacked with equal firmness the vices of all ranks and stations. On every Friday he explained the Psalms for the peasants who came in to market on that day. Here, as before at Glarus, next to his love for the gospel was his patriotic love for the fatherland. He reproved all those who for flattery and money lent themselves as tools to foreign powers, charging them with selling their own flesh and blood. " The cardinal of Sion," he exclaimed, "who recruits for the pope, with right wears a red hat and cloak ; you need only wring them and you will behold the blood of your nearest kinsmen flowing from them !" Besides his love of country, the necessity of constantly opposing this mercenary tendency among the Swiss may explain the large element of patriotism which everywhere manifested itself in Zwingli's life and acts. Piety and patriotism were one life in him. His numerous labors at Zurich injuring his health, he repaired to the baths of Pfaffers; but hearing that the plague had broken out in Zurich, he hastened back to his flock. He was soon himself seized by the plague, and given up to die, but recovered, inspired with new devotion to his work. Flattery and indirect bribes, as several times before, were plied to divert him from his purposes. A cardinal and several nuncios proposed "to raise his pension from 50 to 100 florins, on condition that he should preach no more against the pope. " We are not reproached," said he, " as apostates or as rebels, but flattered with high titles." In March, 1522, the outward church service was considerably altered, and some ceremonies were dropped. The bishop stoutly resisted the change, but Zwingli triumphed in a discussion before the council. Combinations were formed against him, and a plot was even laid to take his life by poison. The council of Zurich placed a guard around his house every night. In the same year evangelical preaching, which had only been allowed, was enjoined. In July Zwingli drew up a petition to the bishop, signed by himself and ten friends of Zurich and Einsiedeln, asking that free way be opened through the cantons for the gospel, and that the law imposing celibacy upon the priests be abolished. This kindled a fire. Myconius, who favored it, was banished by the diet from the country. At Lucerne Zwingli was burned in effigy. With the hope -of allaying the growing troubles, the magistrates of Zurich appointed a religious conference in January, 1523, at which pastors, curates, and preachers were invited to take an active part. Zwingli presented 67 theses for consideration. A second conference held in October of the same year ended in the complete triumph of the reformer and his friends. On April 2, 1524, Zwingli married Anna Keinhard, widow of a distinguished ma- gistrate, who proved to him a pious and affec- tionate wife. A new trouble now arose. The Anabaptists desired Zwingli to establish a com- munity of only true believers, demanded the abolition of tithes, and insisted upon all kinds of freedom of the flesh under cloak of freedom of the spirit. They ran into such riot of fa- natical excesses and crimes that they became dangerous to the state, and had to be dealt with by the civil authorities. Zwingli wrote his "Tract on Baptism" against their tenets. A public discussion was held with them ; but the movement was wild, and continued for a long time to harass both church and state. In 1528 Zwingli was called to take part in the disputation at Bern, where Haller was laboring in the cause of the reformation. He went ac- companied by several German and Swiss theo- logians, and an escort of 300 men. The dis- putation continued through eighteen sessions. At the close ten articles favoring the reforma- tion, drawn up by Haller, were subscribed by the majority of the clergy. In four months that entire canton was fraternally united with Zurich. Basel followed in January, 1529; psalms in German began to resound in the churches ; and on April 1 public worship was arranged after the example of Zurich. St. Gall and Schaffhausen were also greatly moved. To this part of Zwingli's life belongs the well known difference between the German and Swiss reformers on the subject of the Lord's supper. As early as 1527 pamphlets began to pass between them. Luther wrote violently and warmly ; Zwingli replied calmly and cool- ly. Philip, landgrave of Hesse, in order to reconcile these differences and bring the re- formers together, invited all the theologians of the differing parties to meet in friendly con- ference at Marburg. The conference was held Oct. 1-3, 1529; and it ended without full re- conciliation. At the close Zwingli was in tears, exclaiming: "Let us confess our union in all things in which we agree; and as for the rest, let us remember that we are brothers." "Yes, yes," exclaimed the landgrave, "you agree. Give, then, a testimony of unity, and recognize one another as brothers." There is no one upon earth with whom I more desire to be united than with you," said Zwingli, ap- proaching the Wittenberg doctors. (Ecolam- padius and Bucer said the same. " Acknowl- edge them, acknowledge them as brothers,"