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his small salary of fifty dollars a year； feeling that he had
inexhaustible riches within him； and hence he calmly and naturally
took his seat among the great men of the world as their peer and
equal； without envy of the accidents of fortune and birth。 He was
as indifferent to money and luxuries as Socrates when he walked
barefooted among the Athenian aristocracy； or Basil when he retired
to the wilderness； he rarely gave vent to extravagant grief or joy；
seldom laughed； and cared little for hilarities； he knew no games
or sports； he rarely played with children or gossiped with women；
he loved without romance； and suffered bereavement without outward
sorrow。 He had no toleration for human infirmities； and was
neither social nor genial； he sought a wife； not so much for
communion of feeling as to ease him of his burdens；not to share
his confidence； but to take care of his house。 Nor was he fond；
like Luther； of music and poetry。 He had no taste for the fine
arts； he never had a poet or an artist for his friend or companion。
He could not look out of his window without seeing the glaciers of
the Alps； but seemed to be unmoved by their unspeakable grandeur；
he did not revel in the glories of nature or art； but gave his mind
to abstract ideas and stern practical duties。 He was sparing of
language； simple； direct； and precise； using neither sarcasm； nor
ridicule； nor exaggeration。 He was far from being eloquent
according to popular notions of oratory； and despised the jingle of
words and phrases and tricks of rhetoric； he appealed to reason
rather than the passions； to the conscience rather than the
imagination。
Though mild； Calvin was also intolerant。 Castillo； once his
friend； assailed his doctrine of Decrees； and was obliged to quit
Geneva； and was so persecuted that he died of actual starvation；
Perrin； captain…general of the republic； danced at a wedding； and
was thrown into prison； Bolsec； an eminent physician； opposed the
doctrine of Predestination； and was sentenced to perpetual
imprisonment； Gruet spoke lightly of the ordinances of religion；
and was beheaded； Servetus was a moral and learned and honest man；
but could not escape the flames。 Had he been willing to say； as
the flames consumed his body； 〃Jesus； thou eternal Son of God； have
mercy on me！〃 instead of； 〃Jesus； thou son of the eternal God！〃 he
might have been spared。 Calvin was as severe on those who refused
to accept his logical deductions from acknowledged truths as he was
on those who denied the fundamental truths themselves。 But
toleration was rare in his age； and he was not beyond it。 He was
not even beyond the ideas of the Middle Ages in some important
points； such as those which pertained to divine justice；the wrath
rather than the love of God。 He lived too near the Middle Ages to
be emancipated from the ideas which enslaved such a man as Thomas
Aquinas。 He had very little patience with frivolous amusements or
degrading pursuits。 He attached great dignity to the ministerial
office； and set a severe example of decorum and propriety in all
his public ministrations。 He was a type of the early evangelical
divines； and was the father of the old Puritan strictness and
narrowness and fidelity to trusts。 His very faults grew out of
virtues pushed to extremes。 In our times such a man would not be
selected as a travelling companion； or a man at whose house we
would wish to keep the Christmas holidays。 His unattractive
austerity perhaps has been made too much of by his enemies； and
grew out of his unimpulsive temperament；call it cold if we must；
and also out of his stern theology； which marked the ascetics of
the Middle Ages。 Few would now approve of his severity of
discipline any more than they would feel inclined to accept some of
his theological deductions。
I question whether Calvin lived in the hearts of his countrymen； or
they would have erected some monument to his memory。 In our times
a statue has been erected to Rousseau in Geneva； but Calvin was
buried without ceremony and with exceeding simplicity。 He was a
warrior who cared nothing for glory or honor； absorbed in devotion
to his Invisible King； not indifferent to the exercise of power；
but only as he felt he was the delegated messenger of Divine
Omnipotence scattering to the winds the dust of all mortal
grandeur。 With all his faults； which were on the surface； he was
the accepted idol and oracle of a great party； and stamped his
genius on his own and succeeding ages。 Whatever the Presbyterians
have done for civilization； he comes in for a share of the honor。
Whatever foundations the Puritans laid for national greatness in
this country； it must be confessed that they caught inspiration
from his decrees。 Such a great master of exegetical learning and
theological inquiry and legislative wisdom will be forever held in
reverence by lofty characters； although he may be no favorite with
the mass of mankind。 If many great men and good men have failed to
comprehend either his character or his system； how can a pleasure…
loving and material generation； seeking to combine the glories of
this world with the promises of the next； see much in him to
admire； except as a great intellectual dialectician and system…
maker in an age with which it has no sympathy？ How can it
appreciate his deep spiritual life； his profound communion with
God； his burning zeal for the defence of Christian doctrine； his
sublime self…sacrifice； his holy resignation； his entire
consecration to a great cause？ Nobody can do justice to Calvin who
does not know the history of his times； the circumstances which
surrounded him； and the enemies he was required to fight。 No one
can comprehend his character or mission who does not feel it to be
supremely necessary to have a definite； positive system of
religious belief； based on the authority of the Scriptures as a
divine inspiration； both as an anchor amid the storms and a star of
promise and hope。
And； after all； what is the head and front of Calvin's offending？
that he was cold； unsocial； and ungenial in character； and that； as
a theologian； he fearlessly and inexorably pushed out his
deductions to their remotest logical sequences。 But he was no more
austere than Chrysostom； no more ascetic than Basil； not even
sterner in character than Michael Angelo； or more unsocial than
Pascal or Cromwell or William the Silent。 We lose sight of his
defects in the greatness of his services and the exalted dignity of
his character。 If he was severe to adversaries； he was kind to
friends； and when his feeble body was worn out by his protracted
labors； at the age of fifty…three； and he felt that the hand of
death was upon him； he called together his friends and fellow…
laborers in reform；the magistrates and ministers of Geneva；
imparted his last lessons； and expressed his last wishes； with the
placidity of a Christian sage。 Amid tears and sobs and stifled
gro