AN INTERESTING INCIDENT IN THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION.
By John Nevins Andrews
D’AUBIGNE the author of the well known “History of the Reformation” is also the author of a series of volumes entitled the “History of the Reformation in the Time of Calvin.” This work covers a portion of the same time as the former history but relates peculiarly to the work of John Calvin. From the third volume of this series I extract the following interesting statement of the manner in which the evangelists observed the Lord’s supper at Geneva in the year 1533. J. N. A. “A ceremony of another kind, more serious and absorbing, was in preparation. It was Passion-week, [i. e., that week in the year supposed to be at the very season of our Lord’s suffering] and the evangelicals felt the necessity of meeting in a spirit of Christian fraternity around the Lord’s table. On Holy Thursday (10th of April) fourscore men and several women assembled in the garden at the Pre’C’Eveque [Field of the Bishop]. First, one of them washed the feet of the others, in remembrance of the like act done by our Lord. It was not an idle imitation with them; they understood Christ’s meaning; reminding them that no one should refuse to descend to serve his brethren and equals, however low and abject the service might be; and they felt that if charity is abandoned it is because every one takes more than he wants, and despises almost all the others. After the washing of the feet the holy sacrament was celebrated. These energetic men humbled themselves like little children before God, and approaching the table in sincere faith, many experienced that the presence of the Redeemer, although spiritual, is real, and strengthens the inner man.” Vol. iii, p. 400.