The New International Encyclopædia/Farel, Guillaume

FAREL, fȧ′rĕl′, Guillaume (1489-1565). A friend of Calvin and active promoter of the Reformation in Switzerland. He was born of noble family at Fareaux, near Gap, Dauphiné, in 1489. He studied in Paris, became professor in the Collège Le Moine, and was distinguished for his zeal for the Catholic Church. Intercourse with the Waldenses and the influence of his friend Lefèvre d'Estaples led him to accept the new teachings, and his vehement nature at once led him to attempt to make proselytes. In 1521 Bishop Briçonnet provided for him at Meaux, but his injudicious zeal compelled him to flee. He went to Basel and was kindly received by Œcolampadius, ami there, mi February 15, 1524, he publicly sustained thirteen theses on points in dispute between the Reformers and the Church. He preached in the Canton of Bern and through his exertions the towns of Aigle, Bex, Olon, Morat, and Neuchâtel embraced the Reformation. From 1532 till 1538 he labored mainly at Geneva, but was compelled temporarily to leave the city several times. In 1535 the town council of Geneva formally proclaimed the Reformation, but the organization fell into Calvin's hands rather than Farel's. Both Reformers had to leave the city in 1538, and Farel went to Neuchâtel, and did good service in setting the affairs of the Church there in order. He was present at Geneva at the burning of Servetus in 1553. In 1557 he was sent with Beza to the Protestant princes of Germany to implore aid for the Waldenses, and on his return sought a new sphere of labor in the Jura Mountains. In November, he was thrown into prison, but was soon liberated. He died at Neuchâtel, September 13, 1565. Farel's writings are not very important. Some of them may be found in Du vrai usage de la croix (Geneva, 1540; new edition, 1865). His letters are in Herminjard, Correspondance des réformateurs dans les pays de la langue française (9 vols., Geneva, 1866), and in the Corpus Reformatorum (Brunswick, 1834-1900). Consult: Kirchhofer, Das Leben Wilhelm Farel's (Zurich, 1831-33); Schmidt, Etudes sur Farel (Strassburg, 1836); and id., Wilhelm Farel und Peter Viret (Elberfeld, 1860); Bevan, William Farel (4th ed., London, 1893).