Jarrel - Baptist Church Perpetuity - Landmark Baptist

with varying fortunes for about ten years. The violence of the people,
however, prevented final success. They rose in insurrection, demolished the
houses and seized the property of the papal party, while Arnold was
conservative and touched nothing. Nevertheless, his holy apostolate planted
the seeds of that republicanism which controls the Italy, Switzerland and
France of to-day.”
Speaking of his martrydom,
“Thus perished this great patriot and martyr to the holy doctrine of soulliberty.
But Italy will ever hold his name in hallowed remembrance.
“Down to 1861 a simple slab commemorated his noble deeds; then a modest
statue took its place. But in 1864-65 the Communal and Provincial councils of
Brescia each voted a sum of 30,000 lire (Itali) for a splendid monument to his
honor. The city of Zurich made a large contribution, and from other sources
the sum amounted to 150,000 lire, about $30,000. The ablest artists of
Northern Italy competed for the prize model, which was awarded M.
Tabacchi. The base after the design of the great architect, Tagliaferri, who has
succeeded admirably in reproducing the old Lombard style of architecture in
Arnold’s time, is of various colored marbles, hewn from the rocks of Brescia.
The statue itself is of bronze and is four meters (13 feet 4 inches) high. Arnold
is represented in a preaching attitude; his gigantic figure being that of a monk,
in a long robe with graceful folds. His long nervous arms extend from the
wide sleeves, his wonderful face is serene, but inspired for address; and the
simplicity of the whole conception is worthy of the greatness of the man. The
first alto-relievo represents him expounding his doctrine to the Brescians,
holding in his hand the book of truth; in the second he is on trial, defending
himself before his judges against the accusations of his foes; in the third he
stands preaching in the Forum, surrounded by shields, broken columns and
capitals, among which is the arch of Titus; the fourth presents him on the
scaffold with his hands tied behind his back, the judge at his side about to
read the sentence, and a funeral pile ready for lighting behind him. This
beautiful work of art was dedicated to him as the fore-runner of Italian liberty
in the nineteenth century, and was officially unveiled in Brescia, Aug. 14,
1882. Most eloquent orations were delivered, while redeemed Italy looked on,
by the patriot Zanardelli, ‘Minister of Grace and Justice’ for that year.
“Although the great distinctive feature in which Arnold most sympathized
with Baptists relates to his unbending opposition to any union whatever with
church and Slate, he appears to have sympathized with them in other
respects. Dr. Wall says that the Lateran Council of A.D. 1139, condemned
him for rejecting infant baptism, and he thinks that he was ‘a follower of
Peter de Bruis’ in this respect. If so, then the council which condemned the
Petrobrussians, condemned him. Bernard accuses him and his followers of
deriding infant baptism. Evervine not only complains of the same thing but
says that they Administered baptism only to believers. Gibbon also states that
Arnold’s ‘ideas of baptism and the eucharist were loosely censured; but a