They remained, in fact, what they always felt themselves to be, an elite, "the chosen few." Having finished his great work, Calvin set out on his wanderings again.
For a time he was at the court of the sympathetic Renee de France, Duchess of Ferrara.

When persecution broke out here, he again fled northward, and came, by chance, to Geneva.

[Sidenote: Geneva] Here Farel was waging an unequal fight with the old church.

Needing Calvin's help he went to him and begged his assistance, calling on God to curse him should he not stay.

"Struck with terror," as Calvin himself confessed, he consented to do so.
Beautifully situated on the blue waters of Lake Leman in full view of Mont Blanc, Geneva was at this time a town of 16,000 inhabitants, a center of trade, pleasure, and piety.