One winter day in the village of Aigle, a traveler arrived all alone. He called himself Master Ursinus and he told the people of the village that he was going to open a little school where the children could learn to read and write. The parents were glad to send their children to school during those winter days, since there was not much work that could be done outdoors and since there were no other schools for their children to go to.
After a while, the children told their parents that the teacher not only taught them reading and writing, but also beautiful stories about the Lord Jesus. They were told how Jesus loved sinners and had been punished in their place, how He died and rose again and now He was in heaven. The parents had never heard such stories and they went themselves and asked to hear more of these wonderful stories. Master Ursinus was kind and friendly, so he told them more about the wonderful Saviour and His love. He told them, too, that it is the blood of the Lord Jesus that takes away our sins, not prayers to idols or walking bells. He told them that no saints nor angels nor men could give them pardon, but that they must go to Jesus Himself.
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The poor people wondered at such a message and listened gladly. Then one day they were surprised to see Master Ursinus go to the front of the church. He told them he was going to preach from now on and that his real name was William Farel! The government at Berne had at first forbidden him to preach openly, but now they had told him he was not only allowed to preach but requested to do so.
The people had never heard of William Farel, but the priests knew that name only too well. They were furious and did all they could to stir up the people against him. They hated Farel, and in some of the villages where the men were too frightened to attack him, the women were sent after him with their washing sticks! There were, however, a few men and women in some of the villages who began to see the light from the Word of God.
William knew well now that to speak of the Lord Jesus was not going to be popular. You too will find that many people do not like to hear you speak well of the name of Jesus. If you speak of Him at school or to your neighbors, you will learn, like William Farel, of the reproach of Christ. “Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach” (Hebrews 13:1313Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. (Hebrews 13:13)).