There was great rejoicing in the city of Geneva now that they were free from their enemies. But William Farel knew that his work had just begun. School needed to be started. The believers still lacked much teaching from the Word of God, and many old, evil habits in the city still remained.
One of William Farel’s great problems now was with those who had left the old religion just for the purpose of freedom. They had never been truly converted to God. It was a black day for those men when William preached against swearing, gambling and drinking. They did not like to hear that all taverns would be closed on Sundays. Some in Geneva began to think that the gospel was worse bondage than that of the bishop or the duke.
But one day in May the city council called the citizens of Geneva together to decide if they wanted the old religion or the gospel.
“Do you desire to live according to the gospel and the Word of God? Do you declare that you will have no more masses, images and idols? If anyone knows and wishes to say anything against the gospel that is now preached to us, let him do so.”
There was a deep silence. Then one citizen answered, “We all, with one accord, desire, with God’s help, to live in the faith of the gospel.” This was not intended so much as a promise that they would follow the Lord, but rather they were proclaiming that the gospel was not being forced upon them.
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The council then ordered an inscription to be placed over the city gates so that all might see the faith that was now believed in Geneva. Only four years before, the city had driven out William Farel and refused to listen to his message. Now anyone who entered the city could see the new sign:
In the year 1535, the most holy religion of Christ having been restored in its truth and purity and the church set in good order by a signal favor of God: The enemy having been repelled and put to flight; and the city by a striking miracle restored to liberty; the senate and the people of Geneva have erected and set up this monument, in this place; as a perpetual memorial to attest to future ages, their gratitude to God.