§ 62. THE LAST LABORS OF FAREL. 249
remain behind me in the world, live mindful of our friendship, which as it was useful to the Church of God, so the fruit of it awaits us in heaven. Pray do not fatigue yourself on ray account. It is with difficulty that I draw my breath, and I expect that every moment will be the last. It is enough that I live and die for (/hrist, who is the reward of his followers both in life and in death. Again, farewell ^yith the brethren." ^ Farel, notwithstanding the infirmity of old age, travelled to Geneva, and paid his friend a touching farewell visit, but returned home before his death. He wrote to Fabri : " Would I could die for him I What a beautiful course has he happily finished I God grant that we may thus finish our course according to the grace that he has given us."
His last journey was a farewell visit to the Protestants at Metz, who received him with open arms, and were exceedingly comforted by his presence (May, 1565). He preached with the fire of his youth. Soon after his return to Neuchatel, he died peacefully, Sept. 13, 1565, seventy-six years old. The friends who visited him in his last days were deeply impressed with his heroic steadfastness and hopefulness. He was poor and disinterested, like all the Reformers.^ A monument was erected to him at Neuchatel, May 4, 1876.
The writings of Farel are polemical and practical tracts for the* times, mostly in French.
1 Calvin, Opera, XX. 302, where this epistola is called "ultima omnium et valedictoria."
2 La France Prot., VI. 409 : " Toute sa succession se monta a 120 livres, preuve de son entiere de'sinte'ressement." Godet, I.e., p. 185 : " Calvin mourant ne laissa que 125 €cus de fortune a ses he'ritiers. Le petit tresor de Farel trouve apres sa mart se montait a 120 licres du pai/s."
3 See a list of 18 in Schmidt, I.e., p. 38; a more complete one (24) in La France Protest., VI. 410-414. Herminjard, in the 7 vols, of his Correspond. des Pef., gives 107 of his letters, and 242 letters addressed to him.
250 THE REFORMATION IN FRENCH SAVITZERLAND.
§ 63. Peter Viret and the Reformation in Lausanne.
Biographies of Viret in Beza's Icones, in Verheiden's Imagines et Elogia (witli a list of his works, pp. 88-90), by Chexeviere (1835), Jaqcemot (1856), C. Schmidt (1860). Eeferences to him in Ruchat, Le Cheoni- QUEUR, Gabeeel, Meele d'Aubign^, etc.
Farel wa.s aided in his evangelistic efforts chiefly by Viret and Froment, who agreed with his views, but differed from his violent method.
Peter Viret, the Reformer of Lausanne, w^as the only native Swiss among the pioneers of Protestantism in Western Switzerland ; all othei-s were fugitive Frenchmen. He was born, 1511, at Orbe, in the Pays de Vaud, and educated for the priesthood at Paris. He acquired a considerable amount of classical and theological learning, as is evident from his writings. He passed, like Luther and Farel, through a severe mental and moral struggle for truth and peace of conscience. He renounced Romanism before he was ordained, and returned to Switzerland. He w^as induced by Farel in 1531 to preach at Oi^be. He met with considerable success, but also with great difficulty and opposition from priests and people. He converted his parents and about two hundred persons in Orbe, to whom he administered the holy communion in 1532. He shared the labors and trials of Farel and Froment in Geneva. An attempt was made to poison them ; he alone ate of the poisoned dish, but recovered, yet with a permanent injury to his health.
His chief work was done at Lausanne, wiiere he labored as pastor, teacher, and author for twenty-two years. By order of the government of Bern a public disputation was held Oct. 1 to 10, 1536.1 Viret, Farel, Calvin, Fabri, Marcourt, and Caroli were called to defend the Reformed doctrines. Several priests and monks were present, as Drogy, Mimard, Michod, Loys, Berilly, and a French physician,
' The acts of this disputation are printed in VuUieniin's Chroniqueur en Van 2536, No. 17, pp. 315-326. The chapter of Lausanne protested, pp. 316, 325.