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ored of the sons of Scotland. They did but erect a pulpit, from which
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the words of these dying witnesses were heard throughout the land,
thrilling the souls of the people with an undying purpose to cast off
the shackles of Rome.
Hamilton and Wishart, princely in character as in birth, with a long
line of humbler disciples, yielded up their lives at the stake. But from
the burning pile of Wishart there came one whom the flames were
not to silence,—one who under God was to strike the death-knell of
popery in Scotland.
John Knox had turned away from the traditions and mysticisms of
the church, to feed upon the truths of God’s Word, and the teaching of
Wishart had confirmed his determination to forsake the communion of
Rome, and join himself to the persecuted reformers.
Urged by his companions to take the office of preacher, he shrunk
with trembling from its responsibility, and it was only after days of
seclusion and painful conflict with himself that he consented. But
having once accepted the position, he pressed forward with inflexible
determination and undaunted courage as long as life continued. This
true-hearted reformer feared not the face of man. The fires of martyr-
dom, blazing around him, served only to quicken his zeal to greater
intensity. With the tyrant’s ax held menacingly over his head, he stood
his ground, striking sturdy blows on the right hand and on the left to
demolish idolatry.
When brought face to face with the queen of Scotland, in whose
presence the zeal of many a leader of the Protestants had abated, John
Knox bore unswerving witness for the truth. He was not to be won
by caresses; he quailed not before threats. The queen charged him
with heresy. He had taught the people to receive a religion prohibited
by the State, she declared, and had thus transgressed God’s command
enjoining subjects to obey their princes. Knox answered firmly:—
“As right religion received neither its origin nor its authority from
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princes, but from the eternal God alone, so are not subjects bound to
frame their religion according to the tastes of their princes. For oft it is
that princes, of all others, are the most ignorant of God’s true religion.
If all the seed of Abraham had been of the religion of Pharaoh, whose
subjects they long were, I pray you, madam, what religion would
there have been in the world? And if all in the days of the apostles
had been of the religion of the Roman emperors, I pray you, madam,