Good-by, and if you write to my friend [Hans] Oechsli, greet him for me.
[He was pastor at Burg, just across the Rhine from Erasmus Fabricius.]
A Solemn Warning by Huldreich Zwingli, a Simple Preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Ad-dressed to the Honourable, Wise, Steadfast, Senior Confederates at Schwyz, That They Should Beware of, and Free Themselves from, the Con-trol of Foreign Lords (may 16, 1522)
[[Ein gottlich vermanung an die ersamen, wysen, eerenvesten, eltisten]
[Eydgnossen zü Schwytz, das sy sich vor fromden herren hütind und entladind,]
[Huldrichi Zwinglii, einvaltigen verkünders des euangelii Christi Jhesu.]
[In Schuler and Schülthess ed., ii.,2, 287-298. In Egliand Finsler ed., i.,]
[165-188. Translated by Walter Lichtenstein, Ph.D., librarian of North-]
[Western University, Evanston, Illinois.]
[Egli in his special introduction to this treatise (i, 155-158) attributes to]
[Erasmus’s Querale pacis theinauguration of that movement against war which]
[is now one of the most civilised agitations of our modern philanthropy. It]
[was the abbot of Kappel, Wolfgang Joner, whoincited Leo Jud, the bosom friend]
[of Zwingli, to translate into German the brochure of Erasmus and it was]
[published by Froschauer, the famous printer of Zurich, in 1521. But though]
[Erasmus was the protagonist, Zwingli is entitled to the honour of an independ-]
[ent follower, and what he says about war is worthy of republication by our]
[Peace Societies, and they are entirely at liberty to use this translation.]
[Zwingli produced a profound though passing impression. Under the in-]
[fluence of his words Schwyz resolved to abstain, for at least twenty-five]
[years, from forming alliances of the kind he condemned, but alas! the power]
[of the French gold was too great and in a couple of months she rescinded her]
[resolution and entered again into the degrading alliance. But the transitory]
[effect of Zwingli’s words is no proof of their weakness. He was a faithful]
[witness to the evils of his times in his country and to-day his exposure of the]
[insensate folly and devilish cruelty of war is good reading. It is nigh four]
[hundred years since he wrote. Happily great progress has been made of]
[late in impressing the common man with the wastefulness and fatuity of]
[war Once war was the amusement of princes, but the common soldier was 130]
the sufferer. He was the loser whichever side won. When this fact is universally, as now it is generally, perceived, then wars will cease and lo! peaceful means wil be found always much more efficient in producing the desired results.] HULDREICH ZWINGLI, a simple and plain preacher » of the gospel of Jesus Christ, send greeting, my obedience, service, and love in Christ our Lord, to the pious, honourable, etc., senior confederates of Schwyz.
Gracious and dear Lords, Amman [Governor], Council, Assembly of Schwyz. Your Honours may wonder how I dare presume to instruct a whole country at once. But this is only done in accordance with the saying of Solomon: ‘Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser”’ [Prov. ix., 9], and so I was moved to make known to you my views so that by setting before you a model you may take counsel together all the more diligently, for when weighed down by a sad and painful loss (such as has unfortunately come to you; may God comfort you in your sorrow and guard you from the same in the future. Amen) not everyone is able without advice to find the right way himself. Besides, from your very sorrow there might arise serious quarrels and dissensions among you, by which, however, may God have mercy upon you! the damage will not be made good. In order that by means of the Scriptures and the opinion of worthy men you may be rid of all damage, I have been constrained by that great love toward you, which I have cherished since childhood (for I am a native of the county of Toggenburg and hence feel myself somewhat indebted to you), to make known my views. This I do 1n order that the damage done to such wise men may not result in still greater disaster, and while it is still an easy matter and the disease has not spread we may correct our mistakes. Otherwise it is to be feared that those princes, who have never been able to subdue us