[20] Berthold Haller was born at Aldingen (1492); studied at Rothweil and Pforzheim, where he made the acquaintance of Melanchthon. He became a Bachelor of Theology of the University of Köln; taught for some time at Rothweil, and then at Bern (1513-1518). He was elected people’s priest in the great church there in 1521. His sympathetic character and his great eloquence made him a power in the city; but his discouragements were so many and so great that he was often on the point of leaving. Zwingli encouraged him to remain and persevere.
[21] Sebastian Meyer was a priest from Elsass who had been preaching in Bern since 1518 against the abuses of the Roman Church. The notorious conduct of the Dominicans in Bern (1507-9), and the action of Samson, the Indulgence-seller, in 1518, had made the Bernese ready to listen to attacks against Rome.
[22] Herminjard, Correspondance des Réformateurs dans les pays de langue française (2nd ed.), ii. 55.
[23] Ibid. ii. 94, 95.
[24] Ibid. ii. 61, 74, 89, 94, 96.
[25] Ruchat, Histoire de la Réformation de la Suisse, i. 368.
[26] The invitation began: “Nous l’Advoyer, le petit et le grand Conseil de la cité de Berne, à tous et à chascun, spirituelz et séculiers, prélatz, abbés, prévostz, doyens, chanoynes, curés, sacrestains, vicaires prescheurs de la Parolle de Dieu, et à tous prebstres, séculiers ou réguliers, et à tous Noz advoyers, chastellains, prévostz, lieutenans, et tous autres officiers et à tous Noz chers, féaulx et aymés subjectz, et à tous manans et habitans de Nostre domaine et ségnorie aux quelz les presentes lètres viendront,—Salut, grâce et bénivolance!
“Sçavoir faisons, combien que Nous ayons fait beaucoup d’ordonnance et mandemens publiques, pour la dissension de nostre commune foy Chrestienne, à ce meuz et espoirans, que cela profiteroit à la paix et concorde Chrestienne, comme chose très utile,” etc.; Herminjard, ii. 54.
[27] Cf. Scots Confession of 1560, Art. xix.: “The trew Kirk quhilk alwaies heares and obeyis the voice of her awin Spouse and Pastor.”
[28] The Theses, in the original German, are printed by Müller, Bekenntnisschriften der reformierten Kirche (Leipzig, 1903), pp. xviii, 30; and in French by Herminjard in Correspondance des Réformateurs dans les pays de langue française (2nd ed.), ii. 59, 60.