Thus ended Anthony’s visit, you will say.
But it was not so. He had not gone many yards from the city, when he stopped short. He did not as Balaam did—see an angel in the way with a drawn sword in his hand. But he felt, just as much as if he had seen it, that the Lord stood in the way against him. And Anthony turned round, went back to his inn, and shut himself up in his room. He leaned on the table with his head in his hands, and asked the Lord what He wanted with him.
As he prayed the answer came, “I will lead thee in the way in which thou shouldst walk.” And then suddenly came back to him the words of Farel, “I became a schoolmaster at Aigle, and taught little children.”
All now became clear to him. He had wished to be something. He had been disappointed because the Huguenots had not received him as a preacher, and had despised his mean appearance. He had not been contented to begin a little humble work, taking his task simply from God, and seeking nothing from men. He saw now what he ought to do.
He asked a man, whose acquaintance he had made in the street, if he knew of any room that he might hire for a school. “There is the great hall at the Golden Cross,” replied his friend. So they went there together, and Anthony hired it. He then returned to his inn. In his best handwriting he wrote the following placard:
“A man has just arrived in this city, who engages to teach reading and writing in French, in one month, to all who will come to him, young and old, men and women, even such as have never been to school; and if they cannot read and write within the said month, he asks nothing for his trouble. He will be found at the large room, at the sign of the Golden Cross. Many diseases are also cured gratis.” Anthony made several copies of this placard. He then went out, and stuck them up in conspicuous places. Many people stopped to read them. Some felt inclined to go to the new school. But the priests suspected mischief. “He is a devil,” said one of them standing in the crowd, “all who go there will be bewitched.” In spite of this warning, a number of boys and girls made their appearance at the Golden Cross, where Anthony sat waiting. When the lessons were over, he read them a few verses from the New Testament, and explained them simply and clearly. Then he asked them if any in their families were sick, and gave them harmless medicines to take home. The children had long stories to tell at home about the new master. They got other children to come, and even stopped men and women in the streets, and said, “Won’t you come to hear that man at the Golden Cross?”
Very soon the whole city had heard of the young Frenchman and his school. And it was not long before fathers and mothers determined to go too, and hear for themselves.
Some of the Huguenots were the first who went. They hoped that the schoolmaster would say something in his little sermons against the priests and the mass. They sat behind the children, waiting till the lessons were over. They were charmed with the lessons. The children were taught even more than the placard had promised—not only reading and writing, but also arithmetic.
At last the little sermon began. Anthony read a Bible story, and explained the difficult words as he went on. He then spoke a few words, very simply and lovingly, telling his hearers what it was that God desired them to learn from the verses he had read. All eyes were fixed upon him as he spoke. The people, as they went out, said they had never heard such teaching. Not a word about the priests, but much about Christ. They told all their friends of the beautiful preaching at the Golden Cross.
Soon the great hall became crowded with men, women, and children. They came long before the time, to be sure of getting places. The Duke of Savoy and the bishop were forgotten. We are told, everyone was full of the wonderful sermons. “How different it is from the priests’ sermons!” they said. “The priests chirp out sacred things in a profane way; their preaching is full of fine words and affectation, but no reverence for God.” You may suppose that the priests were now becoming alarmed. They all, with one consent, said that Anthony was a sorcerer. They called after any man or woman who was going to the Golden Cross, “Ho! ho! there goes one of the possessed!” But they might as well have mocked at the wind. Every day the crowd at the Golden Cross was larger, and many returned, praising and glorifying God. They had learned the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.
Guérin, the cap-maker, made a bold confession of Christ, and began himself to preach the glad tidings. Towards the end of November, a letter was brought to him from William Farel, who had heard the good news.
“Grace, mercy, and peace from God, our merciful Father, by the only Savior and Redeemer, Jesus.
“My very dear brother,—Since it has happened to you according to the desires of our heart, believe that we are very greatly rejoicing, and looking to the Father, who has brought you thus far, to finish His work. In the meantime, follow on as you have begun, in strength, vigor, diligence, love, wisdom, and knowledge, keeping to the word of the great Master, ‘Be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves’; being a true follower of the Savior, who took the children in His arms so lovingly, and called them blessed, and at the same time called him Satan who had been praised and called blessed before, because he savored not the things that were of God, but the things that were of men. Thus, be you all things to all men, great with the great, small with the small, weak with the weak, that you may gain all. And as you have to teach others to put their whole trust in God, see above all things that you do that, and that you are looking above all things to the great power of the Lord, for He will do all things well, if only we will simply trust in Him. The offense of the cross is a thing that must needs be, and the confusion of the adversaries must needs be also, but in the Lord’s good time: for He will have the honor of all that is done, and the less there is of man’s help, the more is there of His help. He desires that we should go on in the great fear of His name, without looking to man. I know and am assured that the poor shavelings (the priests) have, in all that they have done, only worked out their own ruin. But I desire not to harm, but to profit. We must go on in patience, and trusting in God, and we shall soon see His help appear.
“My very dear brother, I pray you to teach in such a manner as if you had to prove your words to everybody, down to the smallest letter, using purely and simply the words of holy Scripture, avoiding not only phrases and ways of speaking which are not in the Scripture, but also avoiding words which are not found in Scripture, never mind who may use them besides. Blessing, grace, peace and mercy from God be with you. Let us hear news of you; and if you cannot do great things, do small ones, as the Lord shall give you grace.”
“Yours, with a whole heart,
“WILLIAM FAREL.”