How could a whole city be saved? It would seem almost impossible when there were so many who did not want God’s Word to be preached. There were, however, a number of other men by this time who were also preaching from God’s Word and some of them had visited the great city of Berne. Finally, the town council and the citizens decided to have a meeting to determine whether the city would continue to have their idols and old religion or the gospel of the grace of God. Each side, the priests and the gospel preachers, were invited to give a reason for their faith, and there was only one rule — but what a rule! The Bible only could be used to prove what was said. No other book or law or idea would be accepted as the truth of God.
Three hundred and fifty priests came to debate with the gospel preachers. With that one rule, the Bible was opened and each side had to look for verses that tell what God has said about His Son, about salvation and about the forgiveness of sins. The priests searched in vain for the idols and prayers to the saints and angels, and they became more and more angry. The gospel preachers found many verses that speak of the finished work of Christ and of salvation through faith in His name.
Imagine everyone’s surprise when suddenly a priest took off his fancy clothes and threw them upon the altar.
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“Unless the idolatry has better proofs from the Bible than I know of,” he said, “I can have no more to do with it!” The whole city of Berne was amazed. At the end of the meetings, the town council decided that the idols should be done away with and people should worship the true and living God. Perhaps not everyone in the city was truly saved, but now the Word of God was preached openly in the whole city.
The city of Berne wanted William to continue preaching in the towns and villages, and they even sent a letter around to say, “Beware that you do not touch a hair of his head.” This warning was necessary, for by now his red hair was well-known.