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

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In the following year the magistracy melted, sold, or gave away the rich
treasures of the Great Minster and the Frauenminster,—chalices,
crucifixes, and crosses of gold and silver, precious relics, clerical robes,
tapestry, and other ornaments. f104 In 1533 not a copper’s worth was left in
the sacristy of the Great Minster. f105 Zwingli justified this vandalism by the
practice of a conquering army to spike the guns and to destroy the forts
and provisions of the enemy, lest he might be tempted to return.
The same work of destruction took place in the village churches in a less
orderly way. Nothing was left but the bare buildings, empty, cold and
forbidding.
The Swiss Reformers proceeded on a strict construction of the second
commandment as understood by Jews and Moslems. They regarded all
kinds of worship paid to images and relics as a species of idolatry. They
opposed chiefly the paganism of popery; while Luther attacked its legalistic
Judaism, and allowed the pictures to remain as works of art and helps to
devotion. For the classical literature of Greece and Rome, however,
Zwingli had more respect than Luther. It should be remarked also that he
was not opposed to images as such any more than to poetry and music, but
only to their idolatrous use in churches. In his reply to Valentin Compar of
Uri (1525), he says, “The controversy is not about images which do not
offend the faith and the honor of God, but about idols to which divine
honors are paid. Where there is no danger of idolatry, the images may
remain; but idols should not be tolerated. All the papists tell us that images
are the books for the unlearned. But where has God commanded us to
learn from such books? “He thought that the absence of images in
churches would tend to increase the hunger for the Word of God. f106
The Swiss iconoclasm passed into the Reformed Churches of France,
Holland, Scotland, and North America. In recent times a reaction has taken
place, not in favor of image worship, which is dead and gone, but in favor
of Christian art; and more respect is paid to the decency and beauty of the
house of God and the comfort of worshipers.
§ 20. THE REFORMED CELEBRATION
OF THE LORD’S SUPPER.
ZWINGLI, Werke, II. B. 233. BULLINGER, I. 263. FÜSSLI, IV. 64.