Calvin's Blaze of Glory

In the final decade of his life, Calvin saw the intense battles that had marked his first twenty years in Geneva begin to recede, and he gained the respect of the civic leaders and of the citizens of the republic. He had more opportunity to devote to the things that he always felt were the heart of his calling--pastoral ministry, labor to promote love and respect among the various parts of the Protestant movement, and careful preparation for the training of the rising generation so that the work of the Reformation would not be lost. To those things, though his health was increasingly frail, Calvin devoted all the energy he possessed. He remained busy as a preacher and a writer, and sought to train exiled Protestant leaders from other parts of Europe, like John Knox of Scotland. He also took steps to make it easier for Christian parents to raise their children on Scriptural truth.