they contain not one word
about a decree actually published. Pope, bishops, prelates would
indeed, for the most part, be adverse to any meeting of the kind. And
you of Zurich ought to esteem it a great favor and a call of God, that
such a thing has happened among you."

A long pause ensued, till the burgomaster rose up, and once more
exhorted the opponents to come forth. No body stirred. "For the sake of
Christian charity"--said Zwingli--"I beg every one, who thinks my
doctrine erroneous, to speak out his thoughts. I know there are several
here, who have accused me of heresy; I may be compelled to call them
out by name." No one ventured to confront the powerful champion, whose
thorough knowledge they feared, whose attack on the episcopal
ambassador they had just witnessed, and whose unsparing mode of combat
they knew.

"Where now"--cried a voice from the door--"are the boasters behind the
wine-bottle and on the streets? Here is the man for you." It was
Gutschenkel of Bern, one of those knaves, who, because fools by
profession, escape the censure which their unbecoming speeches deserve.
Already it seemed, that with the laughter of Zwingli's friends, and the
inglorious flight of his opponents, the whole thing would come to an
end, when Jacob Wagner, pastor of Neftenbach, by a question cunningly
thrown out, in regard to the offence of the pastor of Fislispach
imprisoned at Constance, induced the Vicar-General to say something
about this man. With an assumed air of pity Faber spoke of his
ignorance, and how he himself, by explaining passages of Scripture, had
brought him to acknowledge his former errors. But these very same
errors Zwingli had also taught, and immediately he challenged Faber to
quote the victorious passages. "Good reason"--replied the Vicar
General--"had the wise man in the Old Testament, when he said: 'The
fool is easily taken in his speech.' I had firmly declared I would not
dispute." This beginning, certainly unexpected by the majority of the
audience, was followed by a prolix homily on the origin of heresies;
the battles of the Pope and Christendom against them; words of Roman
historians on the value of unity; the rareness of the gift of
interpreting languages, of which he himself could not boast; in short,
every thing but that which was demanded. Yet even here Zwingli never
suffered him to wait for an answer, but just as often as the Vicar,
with unwearied volubility renewed his digressions, he brought