The school, placed under the direction of Saunier, likewise flourished. Lessons began at five o’clock in the morning.[473] The pupils were instructed ‘in the three most excellent languages, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, in addition to the French, which, in the opinion of the learned, is by no means to be despised.’ Mathurin Cordier, formerly Calvin’s teacher, soon devoted himself to this task. Numerous scholars, attracted to Geneva by the great work which was being achieved there, came from Basel, Berne, Bienne, Zurich, and other places, to study there. These messmates lived at the College, with Saunier, whose house was ordered in a Christian manner. ‘Daily, before they sat down to meat, one of them read aloud a chapter of the Bible and all the rest listened. While seated at the table, they each repeated a sentence of Holy Scripture.’[474] Thus were fashioned the strong men of the sixteenth century. The system which excludes from the school the Bible and even religion, that is to say, the regenerative and training element, will never form the like. [Sidenote: DISCIPLINE.] The reformers, whose intercourse with each other was pleasant and refreshing, enjoyed in addition the approval of the majority of the people, and particularly of the magistrates. Receiving so much encouragement in their ministry, they were brave, active, and unwearied in their calling. Far from being weighed down with their great task, they appeared rather to grow stronger under the burden; and this is a distinctive mark of great men. If any difficulty arose, if any village were in need of a preacher, Farel and Calvin applied with confidence to the council, which usually acceded to their request, and acted even with generosity.[475] When a good citizen pointed out, February 13, that Calvin had not yet received anything, the council decreed to present him with _six écus_.[476] The next day, Farel, with his brother and Saunier, applied for the grant of citizenship; it was resolved that they should receive it free of charge. Calvin did not become a citizen of Geneva till a later period. Nor was he the only one who deferred that matter. Other celebrated Frenchmen declined the citizenship of Geneva, their city of refuge, on the ground that they could not renounce France. That love for the old country was probably one of the motives which led Calvin to put off for three-and-twenty years becoming a citizen of the city of which he was the very soul. On February 27 they presented to Saunier thirty measures of wheat; and, on June 6, _six écus_ to Courault. The gifts were not large, but every age has its own measure.