The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1881, Page 39

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-be taken from the Bible only.

The Lutheran Pioneer.

John Huss.

_John Huss'was one of those nen whom God
raised up before the time of the Reformation
to bear witness against the corruption and
tyranny of the Romish church. He was born
-in Bohemia in the year 1373. In 1402 he be-
came pastor of one of the churches in the city
of Prague. From the writings of Wycliffe, who
in England had lifted up his voice against. the

After they had taken the priestly garments
from him, they put on his head a high hat,
saying, ‘‘We commend thy soul to Satan in
hell.””? Huss folded his hands, looked up .to
heaven and said, ‘‘ Well, then, I commend my
soul into Thy hands, Lord Jesus Christ; Thou
hast redeemed me, Thou faithful God.’ The
round hat was about two feet high, painted
with terrible devils’ faces. When Huss saw it,
he said, ‘‘My Lord Jesus has borne for me a

idolatries of the pope, Huss came to the knowl-| heavy crown of thorns, should I, poor sinful

edge of several most important truths.

And} man, then refuse to bear this light one for His

these he taught in the pulpit and in the Uni-| sake.’” He was now led away full of courage,

versity.
that Christ alone was the- head of the
‘Church and that all articles of faith must
The pope
and the bishops and the priests now be-
came his enemies and persecuted him.

In the year 1415 a church council was
held in the city of Constance. John Huss
was ordered to appear before this council.
He knew that by going to that city he
delivered himself up into the hands of his
enemies. Still he went, trusting in God
and knowing that he had taught the truths
of the Bible. The Emperor had also prom-
ised him a save return to his home. The
promise, however, was not kept. Soon
after Huss’ arrival at Constance he was
thrown into prisofi, and some time after-
wards he was taken before the council.
One of the bishops held a violent sermon,
at the close of which he cried out: Destroy
heresies and errors and especially this hard-
ened heretic. During the sermon Huss
lay upon his knees and prayed silently to
Him who has promised to help the oppressed
against the bloodthirsty. and deceitful. The .
charge of heresy wus then read aloud.
Many absurd doctrines which Huss had
never taught were laid to his charge. He
tried to speak and defend himself, but was
commanded to keep silent. ‘‘ Be silent,
you heretic,’’ said one of the pope’s car-

dinals, ‘‘your time for speaking is gone by.’ | comforted him.

He ‘preached that not the pope but] for the Lord was with him and God’s Word

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John Huss.

On the way he sang over and

When he again wished to defend himself, the} over again: “Jesus Christ, Son of living God,

armed watchmen were ordered to stop his mouth
by force if he should again try to speak.
Seeing his rights trampled under foot by blood-
thirsty men, Huss knelt down and with a loud
voice commended his cause to God, the right-
eous Judge. But they only mocked at him and
condemned him‘as an heretic to be burned to

- death. All earthly hope had gone, but no human

power could hinder him from looking up to the
throne of his gracious Redeemer. He therefore

. knelt down and prayed aloud: ‘‘Lord God, I

pray Thee for the sake of Thy great mercy to
pardon my enemies. Thou knowest that Iam
falsely accused of heresies, and unjustly con-
demned through false witnesses. Therefore I
pray Thee, O Lord, that Thou wouldst not ac-

‘count unto them these sins, but forgive them

according to Thy great mercy.”’ During this

have mercy on me.’’

Having arrivéd at the place of execution, he
knelt down, looked up to heaven, and prayed
with great fervor the 31st and 50th Psalms.
He was then tied to the stake, straw and wood
were piled around him, and for the last time he
was called upon to recant. ‘With a clear voice

he replied: ‘‘I-call God to witness, that I have’

never taught or written what they have laid to
my charge by false testimony, but have directed
all my sermons, teachings and writings to lead
people away from sin to God and His kingdom.
This truth which I have taught, preached, writ-
ten and spread, and which is in accordance with
the Word of God, I will maintain and seal with
my blood this day.’’—The fire was now kindled,
the crackling flames arose like a fiery sheet
around the body of John Huss, and through

prayer of the noble martyr the bishops and|the flames the song of the noble martyr was

priests broke out into a roar of laughter.

heard: ‘Christ, Thou Son of the living God,

who hast suffered for us, have mercy on me.’’
Then all was silent.

This was done in the year 1415. Thus the
pope’s people finished their bloody work and
choked the voice of that noble witness in the
roaring flames. But one hundred years later
there came the man whom God had appointed
to he the Reformer of His beloved Church and
whom the pope could not burn to death. And
that man was Dr. Martin Luther.

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“*Bible First, Papa.’’

About forty years ago a merchant sat at his
fireside in Philadelphia. Near by him, ,
playing on the floor, was his only child, a
beautiful little boy. It was early in the
morning. The day’s work had not yet. be-
gun; and waiting for his breakfast, it may
be, the father took up the daily paper to
read. The boy at once, climbing up into
his lap, said, ‘Bible first, papa, Bible .
first!’ That lesson, taught by the little
child, touched the father’s heart. Death
soon came and took away the sweet little
preacher; but his morning sermon was
never forgotten. The business man had
these words ever ringing in his ears, ‘‘ Bible
first, papa!”” It became the motto of his
life. The precious word of God was ever
uppermost in his heart. He read and
studied daily.

The gentleman referred to was the well-
known locomotive engine builder, M. W.
Baldwin, of Philadelphia.

Dear reader, remember the sermon of the
little preacher: ‘‘ Bible first!’’ Before you
go to work in the morning read a chapter
in your Bible and thus take the Word of
God with you to your day’s labor. It will
strengthen your faith and by it you can
guard your soul against the many tempta-
tions that assail you during the day.
Bible first, my dear reader, Bible first!

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The Camel and the Miller.

Did you ever hear the fable of the camel and
the miller?

One night a miller was waked up by his camel
trying to get his nose into the tent. ‘It’s very
cold out here,” said the camel. ‘‘I only want .
to put in my nose.”” The miller made no ob-
jection. After awhile the camel asked leave to
have his neck in, then his fore feet; and so,
little by little, it crowded in its whole body.
This, as you may well think, was very dis-
agreeable to the miller, and he bitterly com-
plained to the forth-putting beast. “If you
don’t like it-you may go,’ answered the camel.
‘As for me, I’ve got possession and I shall stay.
You can’t get rid of me now.””

Do you know what that camel is like? Bad
habits; little sins. Guard against the first ap-
proaches, the most plausible excuses, only the
nose of sin. If you do not you are overpowered
before you know it- ; ;