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Protestantism in Switzerland - James Aitken Wylie

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Chapter 8<br />

Proposed Christian Republic<br />

for Defence of Civil Rights<br />

THE peace which negotiation had given<br />

Zurich, Zw<strong>in</strong>gli felt, would be short, but it was<br />

precious while it lasted, and he redoubled his<br />

efforts to turn it to account. He strove to carry the<br />

sword of the Spirit <strong>in</strong>to those great mounta<strong>in</strong>s<br />

whose dwellers had descended upon them with the<br />

sword of the warrior, for he despaired of the unity<br />

and <strong>in</strong>dependence of his country save through the<br />

Gospel. His labors resulted, dur<strong>in</strong>g this brief space,<br />

<strong>in</strong> many victories for the faith. At Schaffhausen fell<br />

the "great god," namely, the mass. The<br />

Reformation was consummated <strong>in</strong> Glarus, <strong>in</strong> the<br />

Appenzell, and <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong>to parts of <strong>Switzerland</strong><br />

which had re-ros<strong>in</strong>ed till now under the yoke of<br />

Rome. So much for the freedom of conscience<br />

guaranteed by the peace of Kappel. Every day, as<br />

the men of the Forest Cantons looked from their<br />

lofty snow-clad summits, they beheld the symbols<br />

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