GENEVA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 177, 28 July 1928, Page 1 (Supplement)

GENEVA.

J NOTES ON FAMOUS CITY. | POLITICAL, AND RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS. i Ai.V! v> >TATE. ißy i:h\". i- H KiJEKiCK &'IL BBS, r.K.O.t. Tie- i..t ■ i.this ancient <-itv is in "re familiar to British tourist* than ihe city itself. which many pass bv. Certainly it has not tlie romantic association* of Lucerne. hur is ii nearly as .ittra'-t i vi', li i- beautiful: it ; af-k- the comfort arid arr>ii<-»ment! i pro- \ i.it-il i'\ Lucerne. \tt it has attrac- ' ion- of it- own. ;inll a-suciati'>n- that •Make it of interest to the intelligent traveller. It is famous for its religious, literary and in ivvj,; years it? political associations. 1 myself have had the privilege of attending the Lalvin Quadra cent ennh;l (a good word for a spellingSee!!. really a university celebration, along with two distinguished scholars. Sir Tl'.bcrt Mom ami Profe—or Macmil-lan-Brown. in For centuries t.ieneva was the stront'liuld of Protestantism. To-lay it is the hva lijuarters of the League <t Nations and the Metropolis of the Bed Cross. Kvcry<.nc is familiar with the Geneva Cross. and no other eity in the world has done, so much for the alleviation of the horrors of war. It also atfords beyond anv other eity an asylum to political refugees. Many true patriot has taken refuge there. and even crowned heads have not disdained to seek its protection. Nor has it given shelter to political offenders only, for in the 15th and lfith centuries many were glad to flee to Geneva from religious intolerance and persecutions, the great Scottish divine —John Knox —among the number. It is a city of about 60 : 000 inhabitants, situated at the west end of the 'ake where the blue waters of the lihone divide the town into two parts. It is a handsome city, with wide ■ horoughfares and many fine guildings. •'»ut it lacks the charm of antiquitv: it is too modern: there is no flavour • f romance about it.

It is remarkable. anil sometimes perilexing. that the Canton, the City and ,ie Lake, all hear the same name. It - a very tiny Canton, only four miles -i|uare. almost surrounded by French erritory. yet big enough to contain a ity that for centuries has played an utive and beneficent part in the historical development of Europe. Calvin. In the l(itii century. Calvin instituted i theocratic- State, a State theoreticallv '" be governed by God. but really bv he clergy. Calvin was unquestionablv • 'nan of enormous talent and profound earning—a wonderful man. Few could loubt his sincerity. It may be coneded evefh by those who dislike him that ii' was both a good and a great man. "ut he was to all intents and purposes ; Protestant Pope, ruling with a hish ;and. laying down the discipline and •'■ctrines of the Church with oracular ■onfidence. and in Geneva at all events, t was not safe to oppose him. The \orld will never forget the burning of though it is only fair to re•neinber that- in that asre the burning ■f those who differed from you in opin'on was not at all uncommon. Servetus u'as by no mean- the In-t of the- martyrs.! \t this period every head of a famii'v— ■vhich in that age meant the father— vas required to attend church whether he wanted to or not. and was severely [■'unished if he failed to furnish a good excuse for abstention. He was held responsible also fr»r the religious conduct

of his household. Tlrace must- perforce Ihe said before meat. card= and dancing were prohibited. I hardly think s U c> ordinances as these—well-intentioned a?

no doubt they were—would prove acj ceptable in this country. As a matter j of fart, in every country where thev have been tried—and there have been more absurd ecclesiastical ordinance-. 1 and they have not been confined to one 1 Church—after causing much misery thev have eventually failed. One cannot ■ make men good, or even religions, br t Act of Parliament or the decisions of ! ?f-le>ia-tica] authorities. And what ' -ome of my younger reader- may think most objectionable of all. the working- ; y was niinle to begin at ■'> o'clock in t!-? morning! Voltaire. speaking of eedesiast iea 1 matt---'-. : four miles hurt is the village of Femav. where Voltaire lived. For 120 years he has been denounced as an Atheist. and he certainly did nineii to weaken men's ■ faith in the teaching of the Chunh. but. ! 'he reader may be surprised to learn, at . rornay he built a church, in which the 'i.habitant- might worship Cod. where 1 tie 1 visitor mav it-!! read the inscripi'<• n : "Built for C.od by Voltaire." \". ,t everyone that is accused of Atheism denies there is a Cod. and -ome who nav '•■•\ererc-e to Him with their lip- deny Him in their live=. T must not »tav to de-erihe St. I'. tor's ( athedral. a Gothic structure in-re-ting nil a l, fount of its associations. 'he place jrom which the Protestant I onfi'ss-on of Faith was proclaimed in •he- lrtth century. But it was in the ■ hntv-h to t lie south of thi> that Calvin .etured and -lohn Knox preached. But • n l |3i "* 'j:\e a. little space to The Lake. J hi- i- m; 1 .- long*. nine at its great. "_"Ji h: '- cr.'Sf-oiit shaped, and" of a ■ ■••a-ltt !Tt:; deep blue colour. The easf ''i I- mni-ii the more beautiful. affordmagnificent view- of the Dent du , ,P adjacent mountains, .ouno tiv mke. too. are a number <-.f aTTTH.-fiV" httlc towns, sueli as Vevev ontn-Hux. < Michv and Kvian. which are leacned ~y a convenient steamboat serT% Ml '1 Wt " mil lfl< t,,( - Castle or Chillon. because T wi=l, to recount romantic -to,y atta-hed to it T •x,;, be remembered that Bvr,„ tells',hi■tory m beautiful-if not'qui,c hi-to,-'. •a i — vers.. : — 1 1 "Mllon* tbv pri-..,, u -Arid thy sari an altar 'for iv ■■ - - : mil },;s \>r.v had ]..f- „ Tri , J-V i'-.V.li''" 1J I' av ""n-!i: W.. r , appeal r n»m Tvnmr.v r., .' 1 a " : ■' i' t'toicib!v !x l l t'■ ** . uy portraiture than any other i,.' the "orld. It. rises on an isolated rock almost surrounded bv dc-;. \>a- - !T Loniva rd. a young' pri.—i «■!■.. ' , iiibed republican id..,,-. ..„ six years. 1,;k,. t i, f . dungeon-Br.d-e of xi;,],- t! . . of 111 a r those of (hi! lon a- ! neath the level of the water. }li > I 'la r .< a in! .! an• 1 ■ an' w. .ir' ■ •■- • | ace. t ... . ..... .. j, ; - : j and ... ■' M ~;j : | t j-« I' vl.i. ii j.ri-ot,, .. a aliic/J were i'tou i: iri:o the lake, which i-J'' about suu icet deep near this spot"