BALE, SWITZERLAND by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 30, 1881

BALE, SWITZERLAND.

By John Norton Loughborough

It was my privilege to spend a few days, during the month of May, with our dear Bro. Andrews at Bale, Switzerland. I am happy to report that Bro. A. is in much better health than he was last winter, although still feeble. He, with his devoted helpers, is doing all in his power to publish and spread the truth in the French language. The Lord gives them much encouragement in their work.

There is, to the student of the Reformation of the sixteenth century, under Luther, Melancthon, Zwingle and others, much of historic interest connected with the ancient city of Bale (German Basle). It was among the first cities of Switzerland to espouse the cause of Zwingle. Here Ecolampadius boldly proclaimed against the doctrines and corruptions of the Romish church. As we look back of this period we find steps had been taken in Bale, which, in the providence of God, had prepared the way for the Reformation to obtain a strong foothold there.

We look with interest on the famous Roman Catholic Council of Bale, called by Pope Martin V, and continued by Eugenius IV. It was opened July 23, 1431, and closed May 16, 1443. During these twelve years this council had forty-five sessions. In its thirtieth session the council declared that "a general council is superior to a Pope." The avowed object of this council was to reform the church of Rome. Pope Eugenius was determined to break up the council, but this only led the council to take even stronger grounds against him. In the session held Feb. 15, 1432, it was declared that "the synod, being assembled in the name of the Holy Spirit, and representing the church militant, derives its power directly from our Lord Jesus Christ, and that all persons of whatsoever rank or dignity, not excepting the Roman pontiff himself, are bound to obey it; and that any person, of whatsoever rank or condition, not excepting the Pope, who shall refuse to obey the laws and decrees of this or of any other general council, shall be put to penance and punished."

Pope Eugenius issued a bull dissolving the council, but it refused to be dissolved, and called him to account, giving him only two months in which to revoke his bull. Meanwhile deputies arrived from Bohemia, demanding that the laity should be allowed the wine in the communion. This was granted them by the council. It gives us some idea of how far the doctrines of John Huss, the Bohemian (who had proclaimed against the papacy one hundred years previous), had gained ground, as we read that these deputies demanded of the council that all mortal and open sins should be corrected and punished according to God's law; that the word of God should be faithfully preached; and that the clergy should not possess authority in temporal matters.

In 1433, Eugenius issued another bull revoking all the decrees of the council against himself. Finding that the council had France and the Emperor to support it, in autumn of the same year he revoked all the bulls which he had issued for the dissolution of the council, and published one in which he declared that the council had "been lawfully continued from its commencement, and that it would be so to the end; that he approved of all that it had offered and decided, and that he declared the bull for its dissolution which he had issued, to be null and void." "Thus," as Bossuet observes, "setting the council above himself, since, in obedience to its order, he revoked his own decree made with all the authority of his See."

Notwithstanding this professed submission to the council, he still plotted for its overthrow, but the council went on to reforming abuses. In the thirty-first session, January 24, 1438, the council suspended Eugenius from the exercise of all jurisdiction, either temporal or spiritual, and pronounced all that he should do, "null and void."

In the thirty-fourth session, June 25, 1439, the council deposed Eugenius, making use of the strongest possible terms. On the 30th of October, Amadeus, duke of Savoy, was elected Pope, and took the name of Felix V. Alphonso, king of Aragon, the queen of Hungary, and the dukes of Bavaria and Austria, recognized Felix, as also did the Universities of Germany, Paris, and Cracow. France, England, and Scotland, acknowledged the authority of the council, but still recognized Eugenius as Pope. Four years after Eugenius died, and Nicholas V. was elected Pope, whereupon Felix V. resigned, and thus the schism was ended.

This council had given Bale a spirit of protest against Roman corruptions, which doubtless was fostered until the full light of the Reformation broke upon them.

Bale must have been at one time a stronghold of Catholicism, for in the city and vicinity there existed eight convents, four for monks, and four for nuns. The earliest, St. Albans, was erected A. D. 1083, and the latest, Karthanser, in 1401. Some of these buildings are still standing. One, built for the Franciscan, or barefoot monks, stands near the great market-place. This convent was for many years occupied as the post-office. Directly in front of this, across the market-place, is one of the many drinking fountains of Bale. This fountain is surmounted by two images, which, on inspection, prove to be Delilah, with Samson sleeping on her knee; and she is shearing off his locks. The history of this I could not learn, but being in front of the convent, and of more modern date, it may have been erected by the Protestants as an emblem, to show that the papal church was the Delilah that had shorn Samson—the true church—of its strength.

In some other parts of the city are still remaining paintings, executed while the spirit of the Reformation was in its ardent youth. Near the smaller market stands the ancient Roth House (red house, being constructed of a reddish stone). It is now the place of the meeting of the city officials, containing the city offices. As we enter this inclosed court, and ascend the steps to the offices, there is spread out before us on the walls a large, distinct painting. It is a view of the final Judgment. The painting, as stated under it, was executed in 1519. It represents Christ upon the throne. At his right hand are angels, and a multitude of redeemed ones. In the foreground, the picture consists of a collection of characters being borne by devils to the flames of hell, at the left. One devil is represented with a Catholic priest over his shoulder. Another has a nun by the hair of her head, dragging her along. Another has a monk. Another has the Pope himself, by the collar of his robe, dragging him on. Tetzel's money box is displayed, broken open, with coins of various sizes spilled upon the ground. Near this, the earth is opening with flames bursting out, and priests, confessors, monks, and nuns, going like Korah, "alive into the pit."

A building on which I looked with great interest was the Münster Cathedral, in which the Bale council, mentioned above, was held, and where is now shown the identical record book of the proceedings of the said council. In this Cathedral are the tombs of Ecolampadius and Erasmus. This building was first erected by Henry II. of Germany, in A. D. 1010. It was injured by an earthquake in 1346. Another earthquake, followed by fire, in 1356, laid it in ruins. In 1363, with the restoration of the city, the Cathedral was rebuilt. At its front corners are two towers, each a little over two hundred feet in height. In one of these towers there are seven bells, the largest of which weighs 5,900 pounds. In the other tower is a bell, given by Pope Felix V., cast from 1483 to 1493. This bell weighs 10,500 pounds. These Catholic bells now ring for Protestant service, as, be it remembered, most of the inhabitants of Bale are opposed to Romish doctrines and usages, and have been since 1505. That year the people of Bale entered into the Swiss alliance, and declared themselves in favor of the Reformation. That year, they drove out John Philip, the Catholic bishop. From this time it ceased to be the residence of the Romish bishops. It was in the year 1519 that Bale embraced with ardor the reform faith.

John Calvin resided for a few months at Bale, and it was here he wrote his famous "Christian Institutes." Ecolampadius, just before his death, drew up a Calvinistic confession of faith, which he first read in a speech at the opening of the synod of Bale, in September, 1531. This confession was adopted by the Protestants of Bale in 1534. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.