Swiss Reformer
151
At the conference, “Eck haughtily ascended a pulpit superbly dec-
orated, while the humble Oecolampadius, meanly clad, sat facing his
adversary, upon a rudely constructed platform.” Eck’s stentorian voice
and unbounded assurance never failed him. His zeal was stimulated
by the hope of gold as well as fame; for the defender of the faith was
to be rewarded by a handsome fee. When better arguments failed, he
had resort to insults, and even to oaths.
Oecolampadius, modest and self-distrustful, had shrunk from the
combat, and he entered upon it with the solemn avowal, “I recognize
no other rule of judgment than the Word of God.” Though gentle and
courteous in demeanor, he proved himself able and unflinching. While
the Romanists, according to their wont, appealed for authority to the
customs of the church, the reformer adhered steadfastly to the Holy
Scriptures. “In our Switzerland,” he said, “custom is of no force unless
it be according to the constitution; now in all matters of faith, the Bible
is our constitution.”
The contrast between the two disputants was not without effect.
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The calm, clear reasoning of the reformer, so gently and modestly
presented, appealed to minds that turned in disgust from Eck’s boastful
and boisterous assumptions.
The discussion continued eighteen days. At its close, the papists
with great confidence claimed the victory. Most of the deputies sided
with Rome, and the Diet pronounced the reformers vanquished, and
declared that they, together with Zwingle, their leader, were cut off
from the church. But the fruits of the conference revealed on which
side the advantage lay. The contest resulted in a strong impetus to the
Protestant cause, and it was not long afterward that the important cities
of Bern and Basel declared for the Reformation.
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