Now, at last, lie succeeded in establishing his plan of Church government, in all its forms and details. By his college of pastors and doc tors, and his eonsistorial court of discipline. lie founded a theocracy, with himself at the head of it, which aimed virtually to direct all the affairs of the city, and to control and nmdify both the social and individual actions of the citizens. Not without a struggle, it may be supposed, did lie succeed in his great autocratic scheme. The Lib ertines, although dishonored by their ineffectual attempts to maintain order in the city, and up hold its rights and dignity, still remained a strong party, which was even augmented after Calvin's return by such men as Amy Perrin, who had strongly concurred in the invitation to Calvin, but who were afterwards alienated from him by the arbitrary way in which he pursued his designs, no less than by their own schemes of ambition. The struggle with these opponents lasted with varying fortunes for no less a period than fifteen years, and was only terminated in 1555, after a somewhat ridiculous 6ncute in the streets. Amy Perrin and others, driven from the city, were executed in effigy; and the re former's authority from this date strengthened into an absolute supremacy.
During the period of this long struggle with the Libertines. Calvin had many other disputes, in which he displayed equal zeal. The most re markable of these were his controversies with Sebastian Castellio, Jerome BoIsee, and, above all, Servetus.
Calvin had become acquainted with Castellio in Strassburg (154(1). They entertained at first a Warn] friendship for each other, and ('alvin showed great zeal in assisting eastern°, whose poverty and learning had attracted his sym pathy. When he returned to Geneva, he in vited Castellio to join him there. and procured for him the rectorship in the Latin school of the city. There was little similarity, however, in the characters of the two men, and the di versity of their tastes and views soon became ap parent. The learning of eastern() was intensely humanistic: a classical spirit and a somewhat. ar bitrary opinionativeness molded all his studies. As soon as he began to apply himself to theology, he came into conflict with ('alvin. In a letter to Viret, September 11, we find Calvin speaking of "the freaks of our friend Sebastian, which May both raise your bile and your laughter at the same time." These freaks relate to Castellio's notions of scriptural translation, and his refusal of Calvin's offer to revise the version which lie had made of certain parts of Scripture. Then, two years later, when eastern° desired to en ter the ministry. Calvin dissuaded the council from accepting him, on account of some peculiar opinions which he held. These were certain ra tionalistic views as to the authenticity and char a•ter of the Song of Solomon, the descent of Christ into hell, and also about election. After this. Castellio left Geneva for a while• but soon returning, he attacked the views of Calvin openly (see Calvin's letter to Karel. May 30, 154 4 ). and was forced to leave the city. The two old friends, now declared enemies, did not spare each other henceforth. Castellio died in Basel December 29, 1563. ( For his biography, consult F. Buisson, Paris, 1892.) The fate of Serveto-: drew forth au anonymous publication, attacking with keen logi• and c(wert and ingen ious sarcasm the Genevan doctrine's. This pub lication was attributed by both Calvin and Beza to Castellio. and they replied to him in no meas ured terms, stigmatizing him as a "deceiver and vessel of Satan." One fact really disgraceful to Calvin in the controversy ought not to be passed over. Sunk in great poverty, Castellio was obliged, in his old age, to gather sticks on the banks of the Rhine at Basel. as a means of support. Calvin did not hesitate to accuse him of stealing the -ticks. Such polemical trucu lence may well make us turn away in disgust and indignation.
The controversy with Bolsee belongs to a later period. Jerome Bolsoc was originally a Carmel ite monk, but had thrown aside the habit, and betaken himself to the practice of medicine in Geneva. lie was led to attack Calvin's doctrine of predestination. As soon as Calvin heard of
this, he gave him to understand that he was not at liberty to question the Genevan doctrine. He and others of the clergy dealt with him; but after repeated disputations, Bolse• was found incorrigible, and was sentenced to banishment from the city 'December 25, 15511. Cast out of the theocratic community, he ultimately re joined the Roman Catholic Church. and meanly revenged himself upon Calvin by writing his life ill a spirit of detraction and slander (Lyons, 1 57 7).
Of all these contests, however. the most mem orable is that with Servetus. A melancholy in terest surrounds the name of this great heretic', which the criminal tragedy of his death keeps ever fresh and vivid in the minds of all who hate intolerance, and who truth more than dogmatism. The character of Servetus himself has little to do with this interest. lie seems to have been a vain, restless, and entlinsias• tie dreamer, rather than a calm and patient inquirer. In his very dreams, however, and the vague audacities of his speculation. there is a kind of simplicity and uneonseious earnestness that wins sympathy. Ile had entered into vari ous relations with Calvin 4'Vell from the time of his early residence in Paris; particularly, he had sent him various docunn‘nts containing the views fully developed. in his work subse quently published tinder the title of llestitutio •isti 0111'111 newer concealed his abhorrence of these views; and in a letter to Fare] on February 13, 1516. he says: "Serve tus lately wrote to me. . . lie takes it upon him to mu(' hither, if it he agreeable to me, but. I am unwilling to pledge my word for his safety, for if he shall come, I shall never permit him to depart alive, provided my authority he of any avail." The history of his seizure and condemnation at Vienne by the Catholic au thorities, and especially of Calvin's share in the correspondence which led to his seizure, is very complicated and obscure. It has been main tained that Calvin was the instigator. through a creature of his own, of the name of Trie, of the whole transaction; it is certain that he for warded to the authorities, through Trie, private documents which Servetus had intrusted to him, with a. view to the heretic's identification, and as materials for his condemnation. Servetus was sentenced to be burned, but effected his es cape. and, after several months' wandering, he was found in Geneva. It was his intention to proceed to Italy, Where he hoped his opinions might meet with some degree of toleration, and he arrived at Geneva on his way. This is the explanation of an event otherwise unaecounta• bile. Having ventured to attend church, accord ing to the common account. he was recognized, apprehended, and conveyed to prison by Calvin's order, just as he was about to leave the city. The particulars of his trial are full of interest, but too detailed to be given here. It lasted. with various interruptions, for months. He at tacked Calvin with the most foul epithets, and Calvin retorted with a virulence and foulness quite equal to his own. At length, on Oc tober 26, 1553. sentence passed upon Ser yeti's. condemning him to death by tire. Calvin used his influence to have the mode of death altered to decapitation, but without success. On the very next morning the sentence was put into execution. on an eminence. at some distance from the city, Servetus was fastened to a stake. surrounded by heaps of oak-wood and leaves, with his condemned book and the MS. he had sent to Calvin attached to his girdle; and. amid his agonizing cries, the tire was kindled, and the wretched man expiated his heresy in the flames. Whatever apologies may be urged for this memorable crime, it must remain a mournful and scandalous blot on the history of the Reformation. The disgrace of it has par ticularly attached to Calvin. and with much jus tice, from the special and unhappy relation which he bore to the whole transaction: but many of the other reformers are no less implicated in it. The wise Bollinger defended it, and even the gentle Melamlithon could see only cause for gratitude in the hideous tragedy. See SERVETCS.