Page 30 - 08 Luther Before the Diet

the gospel, forbade their pastor to expose

himself to this peril. At Zurich he was ready

to meet all the partisans that Rome might

send; but to go to Baden, where the blood of

martyrs for the truth had just been shed, was

to go to certain death. Oecolampadius and

Haller were chosen to represent the

Reformers, while the famous Dr. Eck,

supported by a host of learned doctors and

prelates, was the champion of Rome.

Though Zwingli was not present at the

conference, his influence was felt. The

secretaries were all chosen by the papists,

and others were forbidden to take notes, on

pain of death. Notwithstanding this, Zwingli

received daily a faithful account of what was

said at Baden. A student in attendance at the

disputation made a record each evening of

the arguments that day presented. These