Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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Schwenkfeld, all of whom found their way into that remote corner of the
world. One of the leading Anabaptists of Zürich, Georg Blaurock, was an
ex-monk of Coire, and on account of his eloquence called “the mighty
Jörg,” or “the second Paul.” He was expelled from Zürich, and burnt by
the Catholics in the Tyrol (1529).
The Reformers abolished the indulgences, the sacrifice of the mass, the
worship of images, sacerdotal celibacy and concubinage, and a number of
unscriptural and superstitious ceremonies, and introduced instead the Bible
and Bible preaching in church and school, the holy communion in both
kinds, clerical family life, and a simple evangelical piety, animated by an
active faith in Christ as the only Saviour and Mediator. Where that faith is
wanting the service in the barren churches is jejune and chilly.
The chief Reformers of the Grisons were Comander, Gallicius, Campell,
and Vergerius, and next to them Alexander Salandronius (Salzmann),
Blasius, and John Travers. The last was a learned and influential layman of
the Engadin. Comander labored in the German, Gallicius and Campell in
the Romansh, Vergerius in the Italian sections of the Grisons. They were
Zwinglians in theology, f220 and introduced the changes of Zürich and Basel.
Though occupying only a second or third rank among the Reformers, they
were the right men in the right places, faithful, self-denying workers in a
poor country, among an honest, industrious, liberty-loving but
parsimonious people. With small means they accomplished great and
permanent results.
JOHN COMANDER (DORFMANN), formerly a Roman priest, of unknown
antecedents, preached the Reformed doctrines in the church of St. Martin
at Coire from 1524. He learned Hebrew in later years, to the injury of his
eyes, that he might read the Old Testament in the original. Zwingli sent him
Bibles and commentaries. The citizens protected him against violence and
accompanied him to and from church. The bishop of Coire arraigned him
for heresy before the Diet of the three confederacies in 1525.
The Diet, in spite of the remonstrance of the bishop, ordered a public
disputation at Ilanz, the first town on the Rhine. The disputation was begun
on Sunday after Epiphany, Jan. 7, 1526, under the presidency of the civil
authorities, and lasted several days. It resembled the disputations of Zürich,
and ended in a substantial victory of the Reformation. The conservative
party was represented by the Episcopal Vicar, the abbot of St. Lucius, the
deans, and a few priests and monks; the progressive party, by several