One thing stopped the members of the council: they were reluctant that foreigners—two Frenchmen and a Vaudois—should be at the head of the disputation. Farel respected such a feeling, and desired that the name of an old Genevan should be inscribed first in Geneva on the list of the Reformation. He went to Jacques Bernard: 'Brother,' said he, 'it is necessary that your change of life should turn to the edification of the people.[507] Write down some propositions; announce that you are ready to answer all men in a public disputation, and defend your theses by clear and manifest reasons. They would refuse us this favor, for we are foreigners; but you are a citizen of Geneva,[508] and superior of an important order. They will grant your request.' The recent epoch of Bernard's conversion, his want of Christian experience, the annoyances, the dangers to which he would be exposed, might have induced him to refuse this demand. But he knew that in the new life on which he had entered, the rule was, that every one, forgetful of himself, should work for the good of others; and that with regard to his insufficiency, God would provide. The head of the Cordeliers asked the council's permission to maintain publicly the evangelical doctrine in a conference to which all the learned in the city and abroad should be invited. The syndics, who desired that the Reformation should be accomplished by reason and not by force, granted his prayer, and everything was got ready for this important action. For a long time Geneva had seen the parties armed from head to foot, crossing their swords and halberds: now minds were to be ranged in battle-array, and the spiritual combat would, to all appearance, decide the future of the Reformation. [494] Froment, _Gestes de Genève_, p. 94. [495] Froment, _Gestes de Genève_, p. 95.—Le Curé Besson, _Mémoires du Diocèse de Genève et de Maurienne_, p. 303.—Sommaire des aveux d'Antoina (Archives de Berne). Gaberel, i., Pièces, p. 80. [496] Sommaire de ce que la poisonnière a confessé entre les mains de la justice. (Archives de Berne.)—Gaberel, Pièces, p. 80. [497] Sommaire de ce que la poisonnière a confessé entre les mains de la justice. (Archives de Berne.)—Gaberel, Pièces, p. 80. [498] Froment, _Gestes de Genève_, pp. 104, 105.—Chron. MSC. de Roset, liv. iii. ch. 21. [499] Chron. MSC. de Roset. [500] Registres du Conseil du 14 Juillet 1535.—Archives de Berne.—Froment, _Gestes de Genève_, p. 95.—Chron. MSC. de Roset, liv. iii. ch. 21. [501] Registres du Conseil des 20 Avril, 7 Mai, 30 Août 1535. [502] 'Nullum libertati publicæ, nisi in civibus evangelicis, præsidium.'—_Geneva Restituta_, p. 77. [503] M. de Tocqueville. [504] 'Bernardus cogitabat de exuenda cuculla.'—Farel to Calvin, _Epp. Calv._ p. 77. [505] Jeanne de Jussie, _Commencement de l'Hérésie dans Genève_, p. 106.—Lettre de Farel à Calvin. [506] Froment, _Gestes de Genève_, pp. 131, 135.