the great controversy-第21节

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word；　and　they　patiently　suffered　for　its　sake。　Like　the　disciples　in
apostolic　days；　many　sacrificed　their　worldly　possessions　for　the　cause　of
Christ。　Those　who　were　permitted　to　dwell　in　their　homes　gladly　sheltered
their　banished　brethren；　and　when　they　too　were　driven　forth　they　cheerfully
accepted　the　lot　of　the　outcast。　Thousands；　it　is　true；　terrified　by　the
fury　of　their　persecutors；　purchased　their　freedom　at　the　sacrifice　of　their
faith；　and　went　out　of　their　prisons；　clothed　in　penitents'　robes；　to
publish　their　recantation。　But　the　number　was　not　smalland　among　them　were
men　of　noble　birth　as　well　as　the　humble　and　lowlywho　bore　fearless
testimony　to　the　truth　in　dungeon　cells；　in　〃Lollard　towers；〃　and　in　the
midst　of　torture　and　flame；　rejoicing　that　they　were　counted　worthy　to　know
〃the　fellowship　of　His　sufferings。〃

The　papists　had　failed　to　work　their　will　with　Wycliffe　during　his　life；　and
their　hatred　could　not　be　satisfied　while　his　body　rested　quietly　in　the
grave。　By　the　decree　of　the　Council　of　Constance；　more　than　forty　years
after　his　death　his　bones　were　exhumed　and　publicly　burned；　and　the　ashes
were　thrown　into　a　neighboring　brook。　〃This　brook；〃　says

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an　old　writer；　〃hath　conveyed　his　ashes　into　Avon；　Avon　into　Severn；　Severn
into　the　narrow　seas；　they　into　the　main　ocean。　And　thus　the　ashes　of
Wycliffe　are　the　emblem　of　his　doctrine；　which　now　is　dispersed　all　the
world　over。〃　T。　Fuller；　Church　History　of　Britain；　b。　4；　sec。　2；　par。
54。　Little　did　his　enemies　realize　the　significance　of　their
malicious　act。

It　was　through　the　writings　of　Wycliffe　that　John　Huss；　of　Bohemia；　was　led
to　renounce　many　of　the　errors　of　Romanism　and　to　enter　upon　the　work　of
reform。　Thus　in　these　two　countries；　so　widely　separated；　the　seed　of　truth
was　sown。　From　Bohemia　the　work　extended　to　other　lands。　The　minds　of　men
were　directed　to　the　long…forgotten　word　of　God。　A　divine　hand　was　preparing
the　way　for　the　Great　Reformation。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　6

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Huss　and　Jerome


The　gospel　had　been　planted　in　Bohemia　as　early　as　the　ninth　century。　The
Bible　was　translated；　and　public　worship　was　conducted；　in　the　language　of
the　people。　But　as　the　power　of　the　pope　increased；　so　the　word　of　God　was
obscured。　Gregory　VII；　who　had　taken　it　upon　himself　to　humble　the　pride　of
kings；　was　no　less　intent　upon　enslaving　the　people；　and　accordingly　a　bull
was　issued　forbidding　public　worship　to　be　conducted　in　the　Bohemian　tongue。
The　pope　declared　that　〃it　was　pleasing　to　the　Omnipotent　that　His　worship
should　be　celebrated　in　an　unknown　language；　and　that　may　evils　and　heresies
had　arisen　from　not　observing　this　rule。〃Wylie；　b。　3；　ch。　1。　Thus　Rome
decreed　that　the　light　of　God's　word　should　be　extinguished　and　the　people
should　be　shut　up　in　darkness。　But　Heaven　had　provided　other　agencies　for
the　preservation　of　the　church。　Many　of　the　Waldenses　and　Albigenses；　driven
by　persecution　from　their　homes　in　France　and　Italy；　came　to　Bohemia。　Though
they　dared　not　teach　openly；　they　labored　zealously　in　secret。　Thus　the　true
faith　was　preserved　from　century　to　century。

Before　the　days　of　Huss　there　were　men　in　Bohemia　who　rose　up　to　condemn
openly　the　corruption　in　the　church　and　the　profligacy　of　the　people。　Their
labors　excited　widespread　interest。　The　fears　of　the　hierarchy　were　roused；
and　persecution　was　opened　against　the　disciples　of　the　gospel。

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Driven　to　worship　in　the　forests　and　the　mountains；　they　were　hunted　by
soldiers；　and　many　were　put　to　death。　After　a　time　it　was　decreed　that　all
who　departed　from　the　Romish　worship　should　be　burned。　But　while　the
Christians　yielded　up　their　lives；　they　looked　forward　to　the　triumph　of
their　cause。　One　of　those　who　〃taught　that　salvation　was　only　to　be　found　by
faith　in　the　crucified　Saviour；〃　declared　when　dying：　〃The　rage　of　the
enemies　of　the　truth　now　prevails　against　us；　but　it　will　not　be　forever；
there　shall　arise　one　from　among　the　common　people；　without　sword　or
authority；　and　against　him　they　shall　not　be　able　to　prevail。〃　Ibid。；　b。
3；　ch。　1。　Luther's　time　was　yet　far　distant；　but　already　one　was　rising；
whose　testimony　against　Rome　would　stir　the　nations。

John　Huss　was　of　humble　birth；　and　was　early　left　an　orphan　by　the　death　of
his　father。　His　pious　mother；　regarding　education　and　the　fear　of　God　as　the
most　valuable　of　possessions；　sought　to　secure　this　heritage　for　her　son。
Huss　studied　at　the　provincial　school；　and　then　repaired　to　the　university
at　Prague；　receiving　admission　as　a　charity　scholar。　He　was　accompanied　on
the　journey　to　Prague　by　his　mother；　widowed　and　poor；　she　had　no　gifts　of
worldly　wealth　to　bestow　upon　her　son；　but　as　they　drew　near　to　the　great
city；　she　kneeled　down　beside　the　fatherless　youth　and　invoked　for　him　the
blessing　of　their　Father　in　heaven。　Little　did　that　mother　realize　how　her
prayer　was　to　be　answered。

At　the　university；　Huss　soon　distinguished　himself　by　his　untiring
application　and　rapid　progress；　while　his　blameless　life　and　gentle；　winning
deportment　gained　him　universal　esteem。　He　was　a　sincere　adherent　of　the
Roman　Church　and　an　earnest　seeker　for　the　spiritual　blessings　which　it
professes　to　bestow。　On　the　occasion　of　a　jubilee　he　went　to　confession；
paid　the　last　few　coins　in　his　scanty　store；　and　joined　in　the　processions；
that　he　might　share　in　the　absolution　promised。　After　completing　his　college
course；　he　entered　the　priesthood；　and　rapidly　attaining　to　eminence；

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he　soon　became　attached　to　the　court　of　the　king。　He　was　also　made　professor
and　afterward　rector　of　the　university　where　he　had　received　his　education。
In　a　few　years　the　humble　charity　scholar　had　become　the　pride　of　his
country；　and　his　name　was　renowned　throughout　Europe。

But　it　was　in　another　field　that　Huss　began　the　work　of　reform。　Several
years　after　taking　priest's　orders　he　was　appointed　preacher　of　the　chapel
of　Bethlehem。　The　founder　of　this　chapel　had　advocated；　as　a　matter　of　great
importance；　the　preaching　of　the　Scriptures　in　the　language　of　the　people。
Notwithstanding　Rome's　opposition　to　this　practice；　it　had　not　been　wholly
discontinued　in　Bohemia。　But　there　was　great　ignorance　of　the　Bible；　and　the
worst　vices　prevailed　among　the　people　of　all　ranks。　These　evils　Huss
unsparingly　denounced；　appealing　to　the　word　of　God　to　enforce　the
principles　of　truth　and　purity　which　he　inculcated。

A　citizen　of　Prague；　Jerome；　who　afterward　became　so　closely　associated　with
Huss；　had；　on　returning　from　England；　brought　with　him　the　writings　of
Wycliffe。　The　queen　of　England；　who　had　been　a　convert　to　Wycliffe's
teachings；　was　a　Bohemian　princess；　and　through　her　influence　also　the
Reformer's　works　were　widely　circulated　in　her　native　country。　These　works
Huss　read　with　interest；　he　believed　their　author　to　be　a　sincere　Christian
and　was　inclined　to　regard　with　favor　the　reforms　which　he　advocated。
Already；　though　he　knew　it　not；　Huss　had　entered　upon　a　path　which　was　to
lead　him　far　away　from　Rome。

About　this　time　there　arrived　in　Prague　two　strangers　from　England；　men　of
learning；　who　had　received　the　light　and　had　come　to　spread　it　in　this
distant　land。　Beginning　with　an　open　attack　on　the　pope's　supremacy；　they
were　soon　silenced　by　the　authorities；　but　being　unwilling　to　relinquish
their　purpose；　they　had　recourse　to　other　measures。　Being　artists　as　well　as
preachers；　they　proceeded　to　exercise　their　skill。　In　a　place　open　to　the
public　they　drew　two　pictures。　One　represented　the　entrance　of　Christ　into
Jerusalem；

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〃meek；　and　sitting　upon　an　ass〃　（Matthew　21：5）；　and　followed　by　His
disciples　in　travel…worn　garments　and　with　naked　feet。　The　other　picture
portrayed　a　pontifical　processionthe　pope　arrayed　in　his　rich　robes　and
triple　crown；　mounted　upon　a　horse　magnificently　adorned；　preceded　by
trumpeters　and　followed　by　cardinals　and　prelates　in　dazzling　array。

Here　was　a　sermon　which　arrested　the　attention　of　all　classes。　Crowds　came
to　gaze　upon　the　drawings。　None　could　fail　to　read　the　moral；　and　many　were
deeply　impressed　by　the　contrast　between　the　meekness　and　humility　of　Christ
the　Master　and　the　pride　and　arrogance　of　the　pope；　His　professed　servant。
There　was　great　commotion　in　Prague；　and　the　strangers　after　a　time　found　it
necessary；　for　their　own　safety；　to　depart。　But　the　lesson　they　had　taught
was　not　forgotten。　The　pictures　made　a　deep　impression　on　the　mind　of　Huss
and　led　him　to　a　closer　study　of　the　Bible　and　of　Wycliffe's　writings。
Though　he　was　not　prepared；　even　yet；　to　accept　all　the　reforms　advocated　by
Wycliffe；　he　saw　more　clearly　the　true　character　of　the　papacy；　and　with
greater　zeal　denounced　the　pride；　the　ambition；　and　the　corruption　of　the
hierarchy。

From　Bohemia　the　light　extended　to　Germany；　for　disturbances　in　the
University　of　Prague　caused　the　withdrawal　of　hundreds　of　German　students。
Many　of　them　had　received　from　Huss　their　first　knowledge　of　the　Bib