William Farel . . 1489-1565

“While the names of Luther and Calvin are everywhere spoken, and the stories of their lives oft told, there are comparatively few who have heard of the fifty years’ labor of William Farel. Yet few men, have been, in proportion to their work, so speedily forgotten” (p402).

If there was one verse to sum up the life of William Farel it would have to be, “the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chron. 16:9). Numerous, were the times he was sought out, that his life could be taken, and his enemies rid of him. Yet, time and time again, against the odds, he was spared, even though many times it was as if he was snatched from the jaws of the lions mouth.

In his day “Master Farel” was known and feared by the Catholics over a good portion of the continent (Europe), and hailed as a hero by the “Gospellers.” And why not? City after city, held in bondage to the forces of darkness, fell as a result of the weapons of light this man fearlessly wielded as he campaigned against the strongholds of Rome’s idolatry. Armed with no more than the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and God’s word, for over four decades he traveled about the mountains and valleys of what is now Switzerland, suffering hardship and privation, beatings and imprisonments; and all this because of his love for lost souls. His was the cause of Christ, and the spread of the wondrous news of the love of God to those who had not yet gazed upon the glorious light of His saving grace, nor felt the warmth of His love. Yes! Even if it meant he was to suffer, and embrace the reproach of Christ from a world that hates Him, he was willing to pay the price. Granson, Neuchâtel, Berne, Basle, Orbe, and Geneva, are just a sampling of the cities he claimed and then took for the Lord Jesus Christ.

While reading, there is an encounter with the Waldenses, a faithful remnant who, many hundreds of years prior, fled to the hills of the Alps for refuge. These were a steadfast and faithful people, refusing to yield to other than the simplicity of the Gospel. Thus they maintained much purity in their worship. Becuase of it, even deep within the confines of the forest hills and valleys of the Alps, they were aggressively sought out and severely treated.

You’ll also become more acquainted with Luther, and Zwingli, and gain insight into strategies they employed to deal with the pressures of the day.

But mainly, this biography will take you on a journey into the life and hardships of what it was like to proclaim the Gospel, while maintaining the fullness of its purity and simplicity, in the sixteenth century.

The Life of William Farel, by Francis Bevan

Quite an excellent resource for a practical study of the reformation era!

Available through: Bible Truth Publishers.