John Calvin-Life,Legacy and Theology

JOHN CALVIN : LIFE, LEGACY AND THEOLOGY -
PROF. M. M. NINAN
In another letter, written from Neuchatel, September 8th, 1553, Farel says: “Your desire to mitigate the
rigor of punishment is the service of a friend to one who is your mortal enemy. But I beseech you so to
act as that no one shall hereafter seek with impunity to publish novel doctrines, and to embroil us all
as Servetus has done.”
Calvin establishes the heresy of Servetus before the Council.
All these circumstances prove that his trial was lengthy, deliberate, and careful; and quite in harmony
with the requirements of the age. All the Reformers who were consulted approved of the
sentence that was pronounced.
At the last stage of the trial, the discussion lasted for three days. The “lesser Council” were
unanimous; and the majority of the Great Council were in favor of capital punishment, and so
decided on the last day.
Sentence of death by fire was given on October 26th, to be carried into effect on the following day.
And now one man alone stands forth to plead for a mitigation of the sentence, namely, that another
form of death be substituted for the stake. That one man was John Calvin. He interceded most
earnestly with the judges for this, but in vain.
Both Farel, who came to Geneva for the purpose, and Calvin, prayed with the unhappy man, and
expressed themselves tenderly towards him. Both of them pleaded with the Council for the
substitution of a milder mode of death; but the syndics were inflexible.
The historian Paul Henry writes of this matter: “Calvin here appears in his real character; and a nearer
consideration of the proceeding, examined from the point of view furnished by the age in which he
lived, will completely exonerate him from all blame. His conduct was not determined by personal
feeling; it was the consequence of a struggle which this great man had carried on for years against
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