the great controversy-第26节

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who　put　to　flight　the　armies　of　Midian　before　Gideon　and　his　three　hundred；
who　in　one　night　laid　low　the　forces　of　the　proud　Assyrian；　had　again
stretched　out　His　hand　to　wither　the　power　of　the　oppressor。　〃There　were
they　in　great　fear；　where　no　fear　was：　for　God　hath　scattered　the　bones　of
him　that　encampeth　against　thee：　thou　hast　put　them　to　shame；　because　God
hath　despised　them。〃　Psalm　53：5。

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The　papal　leaders；　despairing　of　conquering　by　force；　at　last　resorted　to
diplomacy。　A　compromise　was　entered　into；　that　while　professing　to　grant　to
the　Bohemians　freedom　of　conscience；　really　betrayed　them　into　the　power　of
Rome。　The　Bohemians　had　specified　four　points　as　the　condition　of　peace　with
Rome：　the　free　preaching　of　the　Bible；　the　right　of　the　whole　church　to　both
the　bread　and　the　wine　in　the　communion；　and　the　use　of　the　mother　tongue　in
divine　worship；　the　exclusion　of　the　clergy　from　all　secular　offices　and
authority；　and；　in　cases　of　crime；　the　jurisdiction　of　the　civil　courts　over
clergy　and　laity　alike。　The　papal　authorities　at　last　〃agreed　that　the　four
articles　of　the　Hussites　should　be　accepted；　but　that　the　right　of
explaining　them；　that　is；　of　determining　their　precise　import；　should　belong
to　the　councilin　other　words；　to　the　pope　and　the　emperor。〃　Wylie；　b。　3；
ch。　18。　On　this　basis　a　treaty　was　entered　into；　and　Rome　gained　by
dissimulation　and　fraud　what　she　had　failed　to　gain　by　conflict；　for；
placing　her　own　interpretation　upon　the　Hussite　articles；　as　upon　the　Bible；
she　could　pervert　their　meaning　to　suit　her　own　purposes。

A　large　class　in　Bohemia；　seeing　that　it　betrayed　their　liberties；　could　not
consent　to　the　compact。　Dissensions　and　divisions　arose；　leading　to　strife
and　bloodshed　among　themselves。　In　this　strife　the　noble　Procopius　fell；　and
the　liberties　of　Bohemia　perished。

Sigismund；　the　betrayer　of　Huss　and　Jerome；　now　became　king　of　Bohemia；　and
regardless　of　his　oath　to　support　the　rights　of　the　Bohemians；　he　proceeded
to　establish　popery。　But　he　had　gained　little　by　his　subservience　to　Rome。
For　twenty　years　his　life　had　been　filled　with　labors　and　perils。　His　armies
had　been　wasted　and　his　treasuries　drained　by　a　long　and　fruitless　struggle；
and　now；　after　reigning　one　year；　he　died；　leaving　his　kingdom　on　the　brink
of　civil　war；　and　bequeathing　to　posterity　a　name　branded　with　infamy。

Tumults；　strife；　and　bloodshed　were　protracted。　Again　foreign　armies　invaded
Bohemia；　and　internal　dissension

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continued　to　distract　the　nation。　Those　who　remained　faithful　to　the　gospel
were　subjected　to　a　bloody　persecution。

As　their　former　brethren；　entering　into　compact　with　Rome；　imbibed　her
errors；　those　who　adhered　to　the　ancient　faith　had　formed　themselves　into　a
distinct　church；　taking　the　name　of　〃United　Brethren。〃　This　act　drew　upon
them　maledictions　from　all　classes。　Yet　their　firmness　was　unshaken。　Forced
to　find　refuge　in　the　woods　and　caves；　they　still　assembled　to　read　God's
word　and　unite　in　His　worship。

Through　messengers　secretly　sent　out　into　different　countries；　they　learned
that　here　and　there　were　〃isolated　confessors　of　the　truth；　a　few　in　this
city　and　a　few　in　that；　the　object；　like　themselves；　of　persecution；　and
that　amid　the　mountains　of　the　Alps　was　an　ancient　church；　resting　on　the
foundations　of　Scripture；　and　protesting　against　the　idolatrous　corruptions
of　Rome。〃Wylie；　b。　3；　ch。　19。　This　intelligence　was　received　with　great
joy；　and　a　correspondence　was　opened　with　the　Waldensian　Christians。

Steadfast　to　the　gospel；　the　Bohemians　waited　through　the　night　of　their
persecution；　in　the　darkest　hour　still　turning　their　eyes　toward　the　horizon
like　men　who　watch　for　the　morning。　〃Their　lot　was　cast　in　evil　days；　but　。
。　。　they　remembered　the　words　first　uttered　by　Huss；　and　repeated　by　Jerome；
that　a　century　must　revolve　before　the　day　should　break。　These　were　to　the
Taborites　＇Hussites＇　what　the　words　of　Joseph　were　to　the　tribes　in　the
house　of　bondage：　‘I　die；　and　God　will　surely　visit　you；　and　bring　you
out。'〃　Ibid。；　b。　3；　ch。　19。　〃The　closing　period　of　the　fifteenth　century
witnessed　the　slow　but　sure　increase　of　the　churches　of　the　Brethren。
Although　far　from　being　unmolested；　they　yet　enjoyed　comparative　rest。　At
the　commencement　of　the　sixteenth　century　their　churches　numbered　two
hundred　in　Bohemia　and　Moravia。〃Ezra　Hall　Gillett；　Life　and　Times　of　John
Huss；　vol。　2；　p。　570。　〃So　goodly　was　the　remnant　which；　escaping　the
destructive　fury　of　fire　and　sword；　was　permitted　to　see　the　dawning　of　that
day　which　Huss　had　foretold。〃Wylie；　b。　3；　ch。　19。





（120）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　7

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Luther's　Separation　From　Rome


Foremost　among　those　who　were　called　to　lead　the　church　from　the　darkness　of
popery　into　the　light　of　a　purer　faith；　stood　Martin　Luther。　Zealous；
ardent；　and　devoted；　knowing　no　fear　but　the　fear　of　God；　and　acknowledging
no　foundation　for　religious　faith　but　the　Holy　Scriptures；　Luther　was　the
man　for　his　time；　through　him　God　accomplished　a　great　work　for　the
reformation　of　the　church　and　the　enlightenment　of　the　world。

Like　the　first　heralds　of　the　gospel；　Luther　sprang　from　the　ranks　of
poverty。　His　early　years　were　spent　in　the　humble　home　of　a　German　peasant。
By　daily　toil　as　a　miner　his　father　earned　the　means　for　his　education。　He
intended　him　for　a　lawyer；　but　God　purposed　to　make　him　a　builder　in　the
great　temple　that　was　rising　so　slowly　through　the　centuries。　Hardship；
privation；　and　severe　discipline　were　the　school　in　which　Infinite　Wisdom
prepared　Luther　for　the　important　mission　of　his　life。

Luther's　father　was　a　man　of　strong　and　active　mind　and　great　force　of
character；　honest；　resolute；　and　straightforward。　He　was　true　to　his
convictions　of　duty；　let　the　consequences　be　what　they　might。　His　sterling
good　sense　led　him　to　regard　the　monastic　system　with　distrust。　He　was
highly　displeased　when　Luther；　without　his　consent；　entered　a　monastery；　and
it　was　two　years　before　the　father　was　reconciled　to　his　son；　and　even　then
his　opinions　remained　the　same。

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Luther's　parents　bestowed　great　care　upon　the　education　and　training　of
their　children。　They　endeavored　to　instruct　them　in　the　knowledge　of　God　and
the　practice　of　Christian　virtues。　The　father's　prayer　often　ascended　in　the
hearing　of　his　son　that　the　child　might　remember　the　name　of　the　Lord　and
one　day　aid　in　the　advancement　of　His　truth。　Every　advantage　for　moral　or
intellectual　culture　which　their　life　of　toil　permitted　them　to　enjoy　was
eagerly　improved　by　these　parents。　Their　efforts　were　earnest　and
persevering　to　prepare　their　children　for　a　life　of　piety　and　usefulness。
With　their　firmness　and　strength　of　character　they　sometimes　exercised　too
great　severity；　but　the　Reformer　himself；　though　conscious　that　in　some
respects　they　had　erred；　found　in　their　discipline　more　to　approve　than　to
condemn。

At　school；　where　he　was　sent　at　an　early　age；　Luther　was　treated　with
harshness　and　even　violence。　So　great　was　the　poverty　of　his　parents　that
upon　going　from　home　to　school　in　another　town　he　was　for　a　time　obliged　to
obtain　his　food　by　singing　from　door　to　door；　and　he　often　suffered　from
hunger。　The　gloomy；　superstitious　ideas　of　religion　then　prevailing　filled
him　with　fear。　He　would　lie　down　at　night　with　a　sorrowful　heart；　looking
forward　with　trembling　to　the　dark　future　and　in　constant　terror　at　the
thought　of　God　as　a　stern；　unrelenting　judge；　a　cruel　tyrant；　rather　than　a
kind　heavenly　Father。

Yet　under　so　many　and　so　great　discouragements　Luther　pressed　resolutely
forward　toward　the　high　standard　of　moral　and　intellectual　excellence　which
attracted　his　soul。　He　thirsted　for　knowledge；　and　the　earnest　and　practical
character　of　his　mind　led　him　to　desire　the　solid　and　useful　rather　than　the
showy　and　superficial。

When；　at　the　age　of　eighteen；　he　entered　the　University　of　Erfurt；　his
situation　was　more　favorable　and　his　prospects　were　brighter　than　in　his
earlier　years。　His　parents　having　by　thrift　and　industry　acquired　a
competence；　they　were　able　to　render　him　all　needed　assistance。　And　the
influence　of

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judicious　friends　had　somewhat　lessened　the　gloomy　effects　of　his　former
training。　He　applied　himself　to　the　study　of　the　best　authors；　diligently
treasuring　their　most　weighty　thoughts　and　making　the　wisdom　of　the　wise　his
own。　Even　under　the　harsh　discipline　of　his　former　instructors　he　had　early
given　promise　of　distinction；　and　with　favorable　influences　his　mind　rapidly
developed。　A　retentive　memory；　a　lively　imagination；　strong　reasoning
powers；　and　untiring　application　soon　placed　him　in　the　foremost　rank　among
his　associates。　Intellectual　discipline　ripened　his　understanding　and
aroused　an　activity　of　mind　and　a　keenness　of　perception　that　were　preparing
him　for　the　conflicts　of　his　life。

The　fear　of　the　Lord　dwelt　in　the　heart　of　Luther；　enabling　him　to　maintain
his　steadfastness　of　purpose　and　leading　him