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Two Heroes Face Death
67
But in the solitude of his dungeon he saw clearly what he had
done. He thought of the courage and fidelity of Huss and pondered
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his own denial of the truth. He thought of the divine Master who
for his sake endured the cross. Before his retraction he had found
comfort amid sufferings in the assurance of God’s favor, but now
remorse and doubt tortured his soul. He knew that still other retrac-
tions must be made before he could be at peace with Rome. The path
upon which he was entering could end only in complete apostasy.
Jerome Finds Repentance and New Courage
Soon he was again brought before the council. His submission
had not satisfied the judges. Only by unreserved surrender of 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 opportunity to make his defense. The prelates
insisted that he merely affirm or deny the charges brought against
him. Jerome protested against such cruel injustice. “You have held
me shut up three hundred and forty days in a frightful prison,” he
said; “you then bring me out before you, and lending an ear to my
mortal enemies, you refuse to hear me. ... 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.
His request was finally granted. In the presence of his judges,
Jerome kneeled down and prayed that the divine Spirit might control
his thoughts, that he might speak nothing contrary to truth or unwor-
thy of his Master. To him that day was fulfilled the promise, “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 10:19, 20
.
For a whole year Jerome had been in a dungeon, unable to read or
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even see. 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 condemned by
15
Ibid., vol. 2, pp. 146, 147.