Fromment Antoine

Fromment Antoine, one of the French and Swiss Reformers, was born near Grenoble in 1510. Of his early life little is known. A disciple of Fareb, he passed with him into Switzerland, and labored especially in Neufchaetel and Vaud. When Farel was obliged to leave Geneva in 1532, SEE FAREL, be sent for Fromment, who reached Geneva November 3, and found his task a fearful one. He began his work as a schoolmaster, promising to teach "reading and writing in a month" to all-comers, and to charge nothing in case of failure. Many flocked to the school, and were taught not only reading and writing, but also the principles of the Reformation. On New-Years day, 1533, Fromment preached in the fish-market against Romanism; a crowd of Roman Catholics broke up the meeting, and Fromment was obliged to leave Geneva. He returned in 1534. A Dominican named Furbitz, preaching in the cathedral in favor of transubstantiation, challenged the Protestants to answer his arguments. Fromment, who was in the audience, at once began to speak. A tumult arose, and again Fromment was compelled to depart from the city. He went to Berne accompanied by one of the burgesses of Geneva, and obtained the protection of the Bernese government, under which both Fromment and Farel returned to Geneva. From 1537 to 1552 Fromment was pastor of the quarter of St. Gervais. In 1552 he was deposed from the ministry on account of certain misconduct on the part of his wife, the rigid discipline of Geneva not allowing the husband of such a wife to remain a pastor. He became a notary, and in 1559 was made one of the council of Two Hundred. His own life becoming disorderly, he was banished in 1562, and was only allowed to return in 1572. He died in 1585. He wrote a history of the reform in Geneva, which has recently been edited by Gustave Revilliod, under the title Les Actes et les Gestes merveilleux det la cite de Geneve faictz du temps de la Reformation, etc. (Genebve, 1854). —Ruchat, Reformation en Suisse, t. 3; Haag, La France Protestante, s.v.; Polenz, Franzos. Calvinismus, 1:314 sq.; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 18:936; London Quarterly Review, October 1857, 190 sq.