Calvin Comes to Geneva

On an evening in the month of July, 1536, a stranger arrived at Geneva. He was a young man of twenty-seven, of scarcely average height, with a black, pointed beard, a high, thoughtful forehead, a stern, quick eye, and sharp, regular features. He came from France. His object had been to reach the city of Strasburg by way of Lorraine, but the roads were full of soldiers, for a new war had broken out between the French king and the German emperor. Therefore the traveler had taken a circuitous route to the south, in order to reach Strasburg via Geneva.

It was John Calvin. He had taken along a sister and his brother Anthony, hoping to settle in Strasburg, Germany, where one could live in peace according to his own belief. The author of the Institutes longed for a quiet place. But now the hand of God reached visibly into the destiny of His church.

The citizens of Geneva had, under the leadership of William Farel, pledged to abolish the mass and follow the Word of God as their guide. Farel found his hands more than full, for there was opposition against him. Being a passionate man of prayer, he wrestled for the city.

One evening a young Frenchman, who lived in Geneva, came in great haste to Farel's lodging to say, “John Calvin is here! He has just arrived in the coach from France and is staving at an inn for the night. Tomorrow he is going on to Strasburg.”

Farel was agitated when he heard Calvin's name mentioned. He had read the Institutes, and in the author of this remarkable book had recognized the keenest intellect and most powerful writer of the age. He sprang up as though he had received an electric shock. Farel was a most impulsive man, and the thought flashed through his mind that this John Calvin was the man sent by God to help him in his difficult work within the walls of Geneva. He hastened to the inn which was pointed out to him.

Perhaps he was disappointed as he looked at the sickly young man whose black hair gave him an even paler appearance. Calvin, shy by nature as he was, stood astonished and hesitating before the impetuous Farel.

“Do not go to Strasburg,” Farel said. “Stay here and help me.”

But Calvin had totally different plans. The bare thought sent a shudder through his frame; for himself, he knew no more unfortunate resting place than this. He said, “I cannot remain any longer than one night.”

Farel responded, “Look around you; the followers of Rome in Geneva have been overcome. Now, however, we need you to teach the Scriptures to the ignorant people.”

Calvin shook his head. “To teach? I still want to learn. I am timorous and shy by nature. My health is not the best. I need rest.”

But Farel, who never gave up, was not going to give up this time either. He expressed undisguisedly his bitter contempt for the servants of Christ who shrank from the strife. He reminded him of Jonah, who had the temerity to disobey the Lord's command, and for his disobedience was cast into the sea. Farel stood before Calvin, crying out with a voice of thunder, “You think of nothing but rest; you trouble yourself about nothing else than your studies. Well then, in the name of the Almighty I tell you, that unless you give ear to His call, your plans to rest will receive no blessing. May God curse your rest and your studies if in such urgent need you dare hold back and refuse to give help and support.”

The visitor was quiet, his big eyes staring straight at Calvin. It was not the man who stood before him that spoke, but it was as if the Lord Himself was speaking. Calvin's defiance melted. As he offered his hand to the preacher, he bowed his head and said, “I will obey God.” Henceforth his life was to be bound up with that of Geneva!

Calvin had long imagined himself an instrument of the Most High, but only now did he realize that always before his own will had ruled, his unbending will, which only that day had been broken. The extension of the truth became his only passion. Almost twenty-eight years later, in his exposition on the prophet Ezekiel, the last which he gave, is found a moving prayer, “Almighty God, grant us the grace humbly to resign ourselves to Thee, not to falsify our service for Thee by our own imaginations, and in obedience to Thy will to persevere, as it has been revealed to us through Thine only begotten Son.”

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