the great controversy-第24节

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The　vestments　were　removed　one　by　one；　each　bishop　pronouncing　a　curse　as　he
performed　his　part　of　the　ceremony。　Finally　〃they　put　on　his　head　a　cap　or
pyramidal…shaped　miter　of　paper；　on　which　were　painted　frightful　figures　of
demons；　with　the　word　'Archheretic'　conspicuous　in　front。　'Most　joyfully；'
said　Huss；　'will　I　wear　this　crown　of　shame　for　Thy　sake；　O　Jesus；　who　for
me　didst　wear　a　crown　of　thorns。'〃

When　he　was　thus　arrayed；　〃the　prelates　said；　'Now　we　devote　thy　soul　to　the
devil。'　'And　I；'　said　John　Huss；　lifting　up　his　eyes　toward　heaven；　'do
commit　my　spirit　into　Thy　hands；　O　Lord　Jesus；　for　Thou　hast　redeemed
me。'〃Wylie；　b。　3；　ch。　7。

He　was　now　delivered　up　to　the　secular　authorities　and　led　away　to　the　place
of　execution。　An　immense　procession　followed；　hundreds　of　men　at　arms；
priests　and　bishops　in　their　costly　robes；　and　the　inhabitants　of　Constance。
When　he　had　been　fastened　to　the　stake；　and　all　was　ready　for　the　fire　to　be
lighted；　the　martyr　was　once　more　exhorted　to　save　himself　by　renouncing　his
errors。　〃What　errors；〃　said　Huss；　〃shall　I　renounce？　I　know　myself　guilty　of
none。　I　call　God　to　witness　that　all　that　I　have　written　and　preached　has
been　with　the　view　of　rescuing　souls　from　sin　and　perdition；　and；　therefore；
most　joyfully　will　I　confirm　with　my　blood　that　truth　which　I　have　written
and　preached。〃Ibid。；　b。　3；　ch。　7。　When　the　flames　kindled　about　him；　he
began　to　sing；　〃Jesus；　Thou　Son　of　David；　have　mercy　on　me；〃　and　so
continued　till　his　voice　was　silenced　forever。

Even　his　enemies　were　struck　with　his　heroic　bearing。　A　zealous　papist；
describing　the　martyrdom　of　Huss；　and　of

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Jerome；　who　died　soon　after；　said：　〃Both　bore　themselves　with　constant　mind
when　their　last　hour　approached。　They　prepared　for　the　fire　as　if　they　were
going　to　a　marriage　feast。　They　uttered　no　cry　of　pain。　When　the　flames
rose；　they　began　to　sing　hymns；　and　scarce　could　the　vehemency　of　the　fire
stop　their　singing。〃Ibid。；　b。　3；　ch。　7。

When　the　body　of　Huss　had　been　wholly　consumed；　his　ashes；　with　the　soil
upon　which　they　rested；　were　gathered　up　and　cast　into　the　Rhine；　and　thus
borne　onward　to　the　ocean。　His　persecutors　vainly　imagined　that　they　had
rooted　out　the　truths　he　preached。　Little　did　they　dream　that　the　ashes　that
day　borne　away　to　the　sea　were　to　be　as　seed　scattered　in　all　the　countries
of　the　earth；　that　in　lands　yet　unknown　it　would　yield　abundant　fruit　in
witnesses　for　the　truth。　The　voice　which　had　spoken　in　the　council　hall　of
Constance　had　wakened　echoes　that　would　be　heard　through　all　coming　ages。
Huss　was　no　more；　but　the　truths　for　which　he　died　could　never　perish。　His
example　of　faith　and　constancy　would　encourage　multitudes　to　stand　firm　for
the　truth；　in　the　face　of　torture　and　death。　His　execution　had　exhibited　to
the　whole　world　the　perfidious　cruelty　of　Rome。　The　enemies　of　truth；　though
they　knew　it　not；　had　been　furthering　the　cause　which　they　vainly　sought　to
destroy。

Yet　another　stake　was　to　be　set　up　at　Constance。　The　blood　of　another
witness　must　testify　for　the　truth。　Jerome；　upon　bidding　farewell　to　Huss　on
his　departure　for　the　council；　had　exhorted　him　to　courage　and　firmness；
declaring　that　if　he　should　fall　into　any　peril；　he　himself　would　fly　to　his
assistance。　Upon　hearing　of　the　Reformer's　imprisonment；　the　faithful
disciple　immediately　prepared　to　fulfill　his　promise。　Without　a　safe…conduct
he　set　out；　with　a　single　companion；　for　Constance。　On　arriving　there　he　was
convinced　that　he　had　only　exposed　himself　to　peril；　without　the　possibility
of　doing　anything　for　the　deliverance　of　Huss。　He　fled　from　the　city；　but
was　arrested　on　the　homeward　journey　and　brought　back　loaded　with　fetters
and　under　the　custody　of　a　band　of　soldiers。　At　his　first　appearance　before

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the　council　his　attempts　to　reply　to　the　accusations　brought　against　him
were　met　with　shouts；　〃To　the　flames　with　him！　to　the　flames！〃Bonnechose；
vol。　1；　p。　234。　He　was　thrown　into　a　dungeon；　chained　in　a　position　which
caused　him　great　suffering；　and　fed　on　bread　and　water。　After　some　months
the　cruelties　of　his　imprisonment　brought　upon　Jerome　an　illness　that
threatened　his　life；　and　his　enemies；　fearing　that　he　might　escape　them；
treated　him　with　less　severity；　though　he　remained　in　prison　for　one　year。

The　death　of　Huss　had　not　resulted　as　the　papists　had　hoped。　The　violation
of　his　safe…conduct　had　roused　a　storm　of　indignation；　and　as　the　safer
course；　the　council　determined；　instead　of　burning　Jerome；　to　force　him；　if
possible；　to　retract。　He　was　brought　before　the　assembly；　and　offered　the
alternative　to　recant；　or　to　die　at　the　stake。　Death　at　the　beginning　of　his
imprisonment　would　have　been　a　mercy　in　comparison　with　the　terrible
sufferings　which　he　had　undergone；　but　now；　weakened　by　illness；　by　the
rigors　of　his　prison　house；　and　the　torture　of　anxiety　and　suspense；
separated　from　his　friends；　and　disheartened　by　the　death　of　Huss；　Jerome's
fortitude　gave　way；　and　he　consented　to　submit　to　the　council。　He　pledged
himself　to　adhere　to　the　Catholic　faith；　and　accepted　the　action　of　the
council　in　condemning　the　doctrines　of　Wycliffe　and　Huss；　excepting；
however；　the　〃holy　truths〃　which　they　had　taught。Ibid；　vol。　2；　p。　141。

By　this　expedient　Jerome　endeavored　to　silence　the　voice　of　conscience　and
escape　his　doom。　But　in　the　solitude　of　his　dungeon　he　saw　more　clearly　what
he　had　done。　He　thought　of　the　courage　and　fidelity　of　Huss；　and　in　contrast
pondered　upon　his　own　denial　of　the　truth。　He　thought　of　the　divine　Master
whom　he　had　pledged　himself　to　serve；　and　who　for　his　sake　endured　the　death
of　the　cross。　Before　his　retraction　he　had　found　comfort；　amid　all　his
sufferings；　in　the　assurance　of　God's　favor；　but　now　remorse　and　doubts
tortured　his　soul。　He　knew　that　still　other　retractions　must　be　made　before
he　could　be　at　peace　with　Rome。　The　path　upon

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which　he　was　entering　could　end　only　in　complete　apostasy。　His　resolution
was　taken：　To　escape　a　brief　period　of　suffering　he　would　not　deny　his　Lord。

Soon　he　was　again　brought　before　the　council。　His　submission　had　not
satisfied　his　judges。　Their　thirst　for　blood；　whetted　by　the　death　of　Huss；
clamored　for　fresh　victims。　Only　by　an　unreserved　surrender　of　the　truth
could　Jerome　preserve　his　life。　But　he　had　determined　to　avow　his　faith　and
follow　his　brother　martyr　to　the　flames。

He　renounced　his　former　recantation　and；　as　a　dying　man；　solemnly　required
an　opportunity　to　make　his　defense。　Fearing　the　effect　of　his　words；　the
prelates　insisted　that　he　should　merely　affirm　or　deny　the　truth　of　the
charges　brought　against　him。　Jerome　protested　against　such　cruelty　and
injustice。　〃You　have　held　me　shut　up　three　hundred　and　forty　days　in　a
frightful　prison；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　midst　of　filth；　noisomeness；　stench；　and
the　utmost　want　of　everything；　you　then　bring　me　out　before　you；　and　lending
an　ear　to　my　mortal　enemies；　you　refuse　to　hear　me。　。　。　。　If　you　be　really
wise　men；　and　the　lights　of　the　world；　take　care　not　to　sin　against　justice。
As　to　me；　I　am　only　a　feeble　mortal；　my　life　is　but　of　little　importance；
and　when　I　exhort　you　not　to　deliver　an　unjust　sentence；　I　speak　less　for
myself　than　for　you。〃Ibid。；　vol。　2；　pp。　146；　147。

His　request　was　finally　granted。　In　the　presence　of　his　judges；　Jerome
kneeled　down　and　prayed　that　the　divine　Spirit　might　control　his　thoughts
and　words；　that　he　might　speak　nothing　contrary　to　the　truth　or　unworthy　of
his　Master。　To　him　that　day　was　fulfilled　the　promise　of　God　to　the　first
disciples：　〃Ye　shall　be　brought　before　governors　and　kings　for　My　sake。　。　。
。　But　when　they　deliver　you　up；　take　no　thought　how　or　what　ye　shall　speak：
for　it　shall　be　given　you　in　that　same　hour　what　ye　shall　speak。　For　it　is
not　ye　that　speak；　but　the　Spirit　of　your　Father　which　speaketh　in　you。〃
Matthew　10：18…20。

The　words　of　Jerome　excited　astonishment　and　admiration；　even　in　his
enemies。　For　a　whole　year　he　had　been

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immured　in　a　dungeon；　unable　to　read　or　even　to　see；　in　great　physical
suffering　and　mental　anxiety。　Yet　his　arguments　were　presented　with　as　much
clearness　and　power　as　if　he　had　had　undisturbed　opportunity　for　study。　He
pointed　his　hearers　to　the　long　line　of　holy　men　who　had　been　condemned　by
unjust　judges。　In　almost　every　generation　have　been　those　who；　while　seeking
to　elevate　the　people　of　their　time；　have　been　reproached　and　cast　out；　but
who　in　later　times　have　been　shown　to　be　deserving　of　honor。　Christ　Himself
was　condemned　as　a　malefactor　at　an　unrighteous　tribunal。

At　his　retraction；　Jerome　had　assented　to　the　justice　of　the　sentence
condemning　Huss；　he　now　declared　his　repentance　and　bore　witness　to　the
innocence　and　holiness　of　the　martyr。　〃I　knew　him　from　his　childhood；〃　he
said。　〃He　was　a　most　excellent　man；　just　and　holy；　he　was　condemned；
notwithstanding　his　innocence。　。　。　。　I　alsoI　am　ready　to　die：　I　will　not
recoil　before　the　torments　that　are　prepared　for　me　by　my　enemies　and　false
witnesses