The council immediately gave orders that Calvin and Farel should appear before them on Friday, April 19. It was the Holy week, and that day was the day of the Passion. This consideration caused no hesitation on the part of the enemies of the Reformation. As the holy supper was to be celebrated two days later on Easter Sunday, they were anxious to hurry forward the business. The ministers then found themselves between the anvil and the hammer; they must submit or fall, and do which they would, they would be weakened and lowered. The secretary having read the letter from Berne, the first syndic declared to the reformers that the council was determined to accede to the demand of that city, and to conform to the usages there established with respect to ceremonies. Then he asked them if they would themselves observe them, and requested them to answer Yes or No. Calvin and Farel demanded the time necessary, not merely, as has been asserted, for reflection on the subject, but also and especially, that the question might be settled by the competent authorities, the Swiss synod, which in ten days (April 29) was to be held at Zurich. Meanwhile they begged that no innovation should be made until the next supper. In making this request Calvin pledged himself to accept whatever should be decreed by that legitimate authority. This was on his part a large concession. To his Scriptural and just judgment it did not appear consistent, after separating from Roman Catholicism, still to retain any part of the system, even were it only a trifle, such as unleavened bread, baptisteries, and festivals. To one of the latter, especially, he felt great objection. He knew that small concessions lead on to large ones, and he feared that Rome would act according to the proverb, and if you gave an inch would take an ell. It is needless to repeat how decided and firm Calvin was, and yet, out of love for peace and for unity, he conceded to his adversaries what he might justly have refused them. All he asked was that they would wait for ten days the decision of the synodal authority. This, assuredly, was not saying No in an absolute manner.[598] It was quite the reverse; and the adversaries of Calvin ought rather to have wondered at his compliance than have blamed him for his inflexible obstinacy. His request was fair, and it ought to have been granted. But they would not listen to it. It was ordered that the supper should be celebrated conformably to the Bernese usage; and the council appointed the magistrates who were to take care that it was thus celebrated in the churches of St. Peter, St. Gervais, and Rive. It may be asked how it was that men who were by no means remarkable for their attachment to traditional observances should be so obstinate in sacrificing the ritual of Geneva to the ritual of Berne. Impartial judges have said, ‘The Council had taken this resolution in order to win over the Bernese and to implicate them in the opposition