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OCTOBER
 

12, 638 --Italy. Pope Honorius I dies and a mutiny breaks out in the city of Rome. Severinus has been chosen to succeed as Pope but the army is filled with greed over the wealth of the new Pope and together with the citizenry surrounds the Lateran. In three days, Mauritius, who leads these rebels will instigate Isaac, exarch of Revenna, to banish the chief clergy from the city and to seize the treasury.

12, 1492 --The Bahamas. Christopher Columbus kneels on a wooded island and planting the flag of Leon and Castille, and the banner of the cross, names it "San Salvador" or "Holy Saviour." He thus dedicates the New World to civil and ecclesiastical rule.
     In the only book he will write, Book of Prophecy, he will confess, "I am a most unworthy sinner, but I have cried out to the Lord for grace and mercy, and they have covered me completely. I have found the sweetest consolation since I made it my whole purpose to enjoy His marvellous presence . . .. These are great and wonderful things for the earth, and the signs are that the Lord is hastening the end. The fact that the Gospel must be preached to so many lands in such a short time --this is what convinces me."
     His name, "Christopher" means "Christ-Bearer" and is that which he feels to be his calling in life. From his infancy he has believed himself elected by the promises of God for this enterprise. Therefore on his first voyage, he will conduct vespers at sundown aboard ship; and will offer prayers and expound the Scriptures. He will lead his men in the recitation of the Apostle's Creed.
     In preparing for his fourth voyage, he will ask for clergy to help him "in the name of the Lord Jesus to spread His name and Gospel everywhere." He will ask to choose these men himself.
     As he is promised only ten percent of his returns, he is not a greedy man, a "gold-monger", for this is very modest payment for a ship captain.

12, 1524 --France. Jacques Lefevre has finished translating into French the Word of God. Like John Wycliffe of England, Mr. Lefevre has wanted every Frenchman to be able to read God's Word in his native tongue.
     He gave the Bible to France, but he also taught and led William Farel to Christ, who will be the early reformer of Switzerland. Mr. Farel said of Mr. Lefevre, his teacher, "Lefevre taught me that everything comes by grace."
     "0, ineffable exchange! Innocence is condemned and the Guilty is acquitted! Blessing is Cursed, and He who was cursed is Blessed! Life dies and Death receives Life! Glory is covered with confusion, and He who was Confounded is covered with Glory!" Such is his testimony.

12, 1531 --Switzerland. On May 15, 1531, the cantons, which have accepted the Reformation, assembled and learned that the Forest Cantons, being strongly Roman Catholic, refused to keep the treaty they have signed last year, through their representatives. The Reformed resolve to bring these Cantons to terms by preventing them from crossing their borders which they must do if they are to purchase wheat, salt, iron, and other necessary items. This cruel measure was resisted by the city of Zurich but was outvoted.
     On October 9th,troops from the Forest Cantons crossed the Zurich border twelve miles from the city. The ill-prepared soldiers rushed out of the city strangely resembling a mob. By Wednesday, October 11th, the main army at Cappel joined them. Zwingli himself, dressed in armor is with them as chief pastor of Zurich to serve as chaplain and a non-combatant.
     Five hundred citizens of Zurich are slain, Zwingli among them. He was first wounded by a spear, then struck on the head by a rock. "What matters it?" he utters, "they may kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul." He is killed by the thrust of a sword.
     For awhile, he will lay unrecognized, but when his face is held to the fire, it is recognized. Because he is considered the instigator of the war, which he is not, and as the leader of the Reformation in Switzerland, which he is, his body will be given over to the hangman who will quarter it as if he were a traitor. It will then be burned as if he were a heretic.
     The war will end with a treaty in favor of the Forest Cantons, but not so harsh as might be expected; but the progress of the Reformation is checked. The Reformer's widow and children, being left entirely without support will be taken into the home of Heinrich Bullinger where for several years they will reside with his wife Anna Adlischweiler and his six sons and five daughters.
      Zwingli has said, "The foundation of the Church is that Rock, that Christ, Who gave Peter his name because he confessed Him faithfully. In every nation whosoever believeth with the heart in the Lord Jesus is saved. This is the Church out of which no man can be saved."
     The writings of Zwingli and those of Bullinger will bring Bishop Hooper to Christ.
 

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