Calvin, at Strasburg, was watching attentively what was passing at Geneva. He heard that a certain number of Genevese kept faithfully to the path which they had taken under his direction. Some of his adherents cried out rather loudly, but the majority led a quiet life, and the most decided of the latter displayed their opposition in no other way than by absenting themselves from a form of worship which they did not consider to be in conformity with the principles of the Gospel. Calvin had not written to them during the first months of his exile. He was not willing to lay himself open to the charge of attempting to draw them over to himself. But he felt keenly that the trials of his friends at Geneva proceeded from their supineness in adhering to the Word of God, and that the remedy for them was in humbling themselves before God and waiting upon Him for the remedy. ‘However the affection which he always cherished for them’ did not permit him to remain longer silent, and on October 1 he wrote to them a letter remarkable for the pacific, discreet, charitable, and elevated spirit which it breathed. He addressed it, not to all the Genevese, but to those who had received into their hearts the seed of the divine Word, and who were still deeply affected by the blow which had struck them in the punishment of their pastor. He named them his brethren, _the relics of the dispersion of the Genevese church_. He spoke of the love which he bore them. ‘I cannot refrain from writing to you,’ said he, ‘to assure you of the affection which I always cherish for you. Our conscience is fully persuaded before God that it is by his call that we were at one time associated with you, and it ought not to be in the power of men to break such a bond.’ He begs them to forget themselves and their sufferings, to forget even the hostility of their adversaries. ‘If we lose our time in fighting against men,’ he said, ‘thinking only of taking vengeance and getting indemnified for the injuries which they have done us, it is doubtful whether we can overcome them, but it is certain that we shall be overcome by the devil. If on the contrary we resist the devices of that spiritual enemy, there is no fear then of our not coming off conquerors. Cast away every evil affection, be led only by zeal for God, controlled by his Spirit and the rule of his Word.’ Calvin went further. He showed himself severe to his friends. ‘It is easy for you to justify yourselves before men, but your conscience will feel burdened before God.’ He did himself what he required of others. ‘I doubt not,’ he said, ‘that God has humbled us in order to make us acquainted with our ignorance, our imprudence, and our other infirmities, of which I for my part have been fully conscious, and which I have no hesitation in confessing before the Church. However,’ he adds, ‘we did faithfully administer our office. The Lord will cause our innocence to come forth