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 many 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. Driven to worship in the forests and the
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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.
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