the great controversy-第25节

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recoil　before　the　torments　that　are　prepared　for　me　by　my　enemies　and　false
witnesses；　who　will　one　day　have　to　render　an　account　of　their　impostures
before　the　great　God；　whom　nothing　can　deceive。〃Bonnechose；　vol。　2；　p。
151。

In　self…reproach　for　his　own　denial　of　the　truth；　Jerome　continued：　〃Of　all
the　sins　that　I　have　committed　since　my　youth；　none　weigh　so　heavily　on　my
mind；　and　cause　me　such　poignant　remorse；　as　that　which　I　committed　in　this
fatal　place；　when　I　approved　of　the　iniquitous　sentence　rendered　against
Wycliffe；　and　against　the　holy　martyr；　John　Huss；　my　master　and　my　friend。
Yes！　I　confess　it　from　my　heart；　and　declare　with　horror　that　I
disgracefully　quailed　when；　through　a　dread　of　death；　I　condemned　their
doctrines。　I　therefore　supplicate　。　。　。　Almighty　God　to　deign　to　pardon　me
my　sins；　and　this　one　in　particular；　the　most　heinous　of　all。〃　Pointing　to
his　judges；　he　said　firmly：　〃You　condemned　Wycliffe　and　John　Huss；　not　for
having　shaken　the　doctrine　of　the　church；　but　simply　because　they　branded
with　reprobation　the　scandals　proceeding　from　the　clergytheir　pomp；　their
pride；　and　all　the　vices　of　the　prelates　and　priests。

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The　things　which　they　have　affirmed；　and　which　are　irrefutable；　I　also　think
and　declare；　like　them。〃

His　words　were　interrupted。　The　prelates；　trembling　with　rage；　cried　out：
〃What　need　is　there　of　further　proof？　We　behold　with　our　own　eyes　the　most
obstinate　of　heretics！〃

Unmoved　by　the　tempest；　Jerome　exclaimed：　〃What！　do　you　suppose　that　I　fear
to　die？　You　have　held　me　for　a　whole　year　in　a　frightful　dungeon；　more
horrible　than　death　itself。　You　have　treated　me　more　cruelly　than　a　Turk；
Jew；　or　pagan；　and　my　flesh　has　literally　rotted　off　my　bones　alive；　and　yet
I　make　no　complaint；　for　lamentation　ill　becomes　a　man　of　heart　and　spirit；
but　I　cannot　but　express　my　astonishment　at　such　great　barbarity　toward　a
Christian。〃Ibid。；　vol。　2；　pp。　151…153。

Again　the　storm　of　rage　burst　out；　and　Jerome　was　hurried　away　to　prison。
Yet　there　were　some　in　the　assembly　upon　whom　his　words　had　made　a　deep
impression　and　who　desired　to　save　his　life。　He　was　visited　by　dignitaries
of　the　church　and　urged　to　submit　himself　to　the　council。　The　most　brilliant
prospects　were　presented　before　him　as　the　reward　of　renouncing　his
opposition　to　Rome。　But　like　his　Master　when　offered　the　glory　of　the　world；
Jerome　remained　steadfast。

〃Prove　to　me　from　the　Holy　Writings　that　I　am　in　error；〃　he　said；　〃and　I
will　abjure　it。〃

〃The　Holy　Writings！〃　exclaimed　one　of　his　tempters；　〃is　everything　then　to
be　judged　by　them？　Who　can　understand　them　till　the　church　has　interpreted
them？〃

〃Are　the　traditions　of　men　more　worthy　of　faith　than　the　gospel　of　our
Saviour？〃　replied　Jerome。　〃Paul　did　not　exhort　those　to　whom　he　wrote　to
listen　to　the　traditions　of　men；　but　said；　'Search　the　Scriptures。'〃

〃Heretic！〃　was　the　response；　〃I　repent　having　pleaded　so　long　with　you。　I
see　that　you　are　urged　on　by　the　devil。〃　Wylie；　b。　3；　ch。　10。

Erelong　sentence　of　condemnation　was　passed　upon　him。　He　was　led　out　to　the
same　spot　upon　which　Huss　had

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yielded　up　his　life。　He　went　singing　on　his　way；　his　countenance　lighted　up
with　joy　and　peace。　His　gaze　was　fixed　upon　Christ；　and　to　him　death　had
lost　its　terrors。　When　the　executioner；　about　to　kindle　the　pile；　stepped
behind　him；　the　martyr　exclaimed：　〃Come　forward　boldly；　apply　the　fire
before　my　face。　Had　I　been　afraid；　I　should　not　be　here。〃

His　last　words；　uttered　as　the　flames　rose　about　him；　were　a　prayer。　〃Lord；
Almighty　Father；〃　he　cried；　〃have　pity　on　me；　and　pardon　me　my　sins；　for
Thou　knowest　that　I　have　always　loved　Thy　truth。〃Bonnechose；　vol。　2；　p。
168。　His　voice　ceased；　but　his　lips　continued　to　move　in　prayer。　When　the
fire　had　done　its　work；　the　ashes　of　the　martyr；　with　the　earth　upon　which
they　rested；　were　gathered　up；　and　like　those　of　Huss；　were　thrown　into　the
Rhine。

So　perished　God's　faithful　light　bearers。　But　the　light　of　the　truths　which
they　proclaimedthe　light　of　their　heroic　examplecould　not　be
extinguished。　As　well　might　men　attempt　to　turn　back　the　sun　in　its　course
as　to　prevent　the　dawning　of　that　day　which　was　even　then　breaking　upon　the
world。

The　execution　of　Huss　had　kindled　a　flame　of　indignation　and　horror　in
Bohemia。　It　was　felt　by　the　whole　nation　that　he　had　fallen　a　prey　to　the
malice　of　the　priests　and　the　treachery　of　the　emperor。　He　was　declared　to
have　been　a　faithful　teacher　of　the　truth；　and　the　council　that　decreed　his
death　was　charged　with　the　guilt　of　murder。　His　doctrines　now　attracted
greater　attention　than　ever　before。　By　the　papal　edicts　the　writings　of
Wycliffe　had　been　condemned　to　the　flames。　But　those　that　had　escaped
destruction　were　now　brought　out　from　their　hiding　places　and　studied　in
connection　with　the　Bible；　or　such　parts　of　it　as　the　people　could　obtain；
and　many　were　thus　led　to　accept　the　reformed　faith。

The　murderers　of　Huss　did　not　stand　quietly　by　and　witness　the　triumph　of
his　cause。　The　pope　and　the　emperor　united　to　crush　out　the　movement；　and
the　armies　of　Sigismund　were　hurled　upon　Bohemia。

116


But　a　deliverer　was　raised　up。　Ziska；　who　soon　after　the　opening　of　the　war
became　totally　blind；　yet　who　was　one　of　the　ablest　generals　of　his　age；　was
the　leader　of　the　Bohemians。　Trusting　in　the　help　of　God　and　the
righteousness　of　their　cause；　that　people　withstood　the　mightiest　armies
that　could　be　brought　against　them。　Again　and　again　the　emperor；　raising
fresh　armies；　invaded　Bohemia；　only　to　be　ignominiously　repulsed。　The
Hussites　were　raised　above　the　fear　of　death；　and　nothing　could　stand
against　them。　A　few　years　after　the　opening　of　the　war；　the　brave　Ziska
died；　but　his　place　was　filled　by　Procopius；　who　was　an　equally　brave　and
skillful　general；　and　in　some　respects　a　more　able　leader。

The　enemies　of　the　Bohemians；　knowing　that　the　blind　warrior　was　dead；
deemed　the　opportunity　favorable　for　recovering　all　that　they　had　lost。　The
pope　now　proclaimed　a　crusade　against　the　Hussites；　and　again　an　immense
force　was　precipitated　upon　Bohemia；　but　only　to　suffer　terrible　defeat。
Another　crusade　was　proclaimed。　In　all　the　papal　countries　of　Europe；　men；
money；　and　munitions　of　war　were　raised。　Multitudes　flocked　to　the　papal
standard；　assured　that　at　last　an　end　would　be　made　of　the　Hussite　heretics。
Confident　of　victory；　the　vast　force　entered　Bohemia。　The　people　rallied　to
repel　them。　The　two　armies　approached　each　other　until　only　a　river　lay
between　them。　〃The　crusaders　were　in　greatly　superior　force；　but　instead　of
dashing　across　the　stream；　and　closing　in　battle　with　the　Hussites　whom　they
had　come　so　far　to　meet；　they　stood　gazing　in　silence　at　those
warriors。〃Wylie；　b。　3；　ch。　17。　Then　suddenly　a　mysterious　terror　fell　upon
the　host。　Without　striking　a　blow；　that　mighty　force　broke　and　scattered　as
if　dispelled　by　an　unseen　power。　Great　numbers　were　slaughtered　by　the
Hussite　army；　which　pursued　the　fugitives；　and　an　immense　booty　fell　into
the　hands　of　the　victors；　so　that　the　war；　instead　of　impoverishing；
enriched　the　Bohemians。

A　few　years　later；　under　a　new　pope；　still　another　crusade　was　set　on　foot。
As　before；　men　and　means　were　drawn

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from　all　the　papal　countries　of　Europe。　Great　were　the　inducements　held　out
to　those　who　should　engage　in　this　perilous　enterprise。　Full　forgiveness　of
the　most　heinous　crimes　was　ensured　to　every　crusader。　All　who　died　in　the
war　were　promised　a　rich　reward　in　heaven；　and　those　who　survived　were　to
reap　honor　and　riches　on　the　field　of　battle。　Again　a　vast　army　was
collected；　and；　crossing　the　frontier　they　entered　Bohemia。　The　Hussite
forces　fell　back　before　them；　thus　drawing　the　invaders　farther　and　farther
into　the　country；　and　leading　them　to　count　the　victory　already　won。　At　last
the　army　of　Procopius　made　a　stand；　and　turning　upon　the　foe；　advanced　to
give　them　battle。　The　crusaders；　now　discovering　their　mistake；　lay　in　their
encampment　awaiting　the　onset。　As　the　sound　of　the　approaching　force　was
heard；　even　before　the　Hussites　were　in　sight；　a　panic　again　fell　upon　the
crusaders。　Princes；　generals；　and　common　soldiers；　casting　away　their　armor；
fled　in　all　directions。　In　vain　the　papal　legate；　who　was　the　leader　of　the
invasion；　endeavored　to　rally　his　terrified　and　disorganized　forces。　Despite
his　utmost　endeavors；　he　himself　was　swept　along　in　the　tide　of　fugitives。
The　rout　was　complete；　and　again　an　immense　booty　fell　into　the　hands　of　the
victors。

Thus　the　second　time　a　vast　army；　sent　forth　by　the　most　powerful　nations　of
Europe；　a　host　of　brave；　warlike　men；　trained　and　equipped　for　battle；　fled
without　a　blow　before　the　defenders　of　a　small　and　hitherto　feeble　nation。
Here　was　a　manifestation　of　divine　power。　The　invaders　were　smitten　with　a
supernatural　terror。　He　who　overthrew　the　hosts　of　Pharaoh　in　the　Red　Sea；
who　put　to　flight　the　armies　of　Midian　before　Gideon　and　his　three　hundred；
who　in　one　night　laid　low　the　forces