Conversion of Louis Bernard, Geneva, 1534

[GHansen]

When the sermon was over, Farel prepared to celebrate the Lord’s Supper
publicly, according to the Gospel form, and, standing with his brethren
Viret and Froment before a table, he gave thanks, took the breads broke it,
and said: ‘Take, eat;’ and then, lifting up the cup, he added: ‘This is the
blood of the New Testament, which is shed for the remission of sins.’ The
believers were beginning to draw near to receive the communion of the
Lord,  when an unexpected circumstance fixed their attention. A priest
of noble stature, wearing his sacerdotal robes, left the place where he had
been sitting among the congregation, and approached the table. It was
Louis Bernard, one of the twelve habilites of the cathedral, possessor of a
wealthy benefice, and brother of him who had been touched at the time of
Farel’s first preaching. Was he going to say mass? did he want to dispute
with Farel? or had he been converted?

All were anxious to see what would happen.
The priest went up to the table, and then, to the general surprise,
he took off his sacerdotal vestments, flung away cope, alb, and stole, and
said aloud: ‘I throw off the old man, and declare myself a prisoner to the
Gospel of the Lord.’  Then, turning to the reformers and their friends,
he said: ‘Brethren, I will live and die with you for Jesus Christ’s sake.’ All
imagined they saw a miracle;  their hearts were touched. Farel
received Bernard like a brother; he broke bread with him, gave him the cup,
and, eating of the same morsel, the two adversaries thus signified that they
would in future love one another ‘with a sincere and pure affection.’

The priest was not the only person who threw off the foul robes of his ancient
life, and put on the white robe of the Lord. Many Genevans from that day
began to think and live differently from their fathers; but Louis Bernard
was a striking type of that transformation, and the crowd, as they quitted
the church, could not keep their eyes off him. They saw him returning full
of peace and joy to his father’s house, wearing a Spanish cape instead of
the usual priest’s hood. All the evangelicals,-- men, women, and children,
--went with great joy to greet him and make their reverence.’