In the fall of 1524, when Grebel’s wife gave birth to a son, all the theories faced the test of action. Would the baby be baptized? The Grebels refused, and other parents followed their example. To deal with the crisis, the City Council of Zurich arranged a public debate on the question for January 17, 1525. After hearing arguments on both sides of the issue, representatives of the people declared Zwingli and his disciples the winners. As a result the council warned all parents who had neglected to have their children baptized to do so within a week or face banishment from Zurich.
