Love Under Fire

Prague Placed Under Censure

News about these things reached Rome, and Huss was ordered to appear before the pope. To obey would bring certain death. The king and queen of Bohemia, the university, members of the nobility, and officers of the government united in appealing to the pontiff to allow Huss to remain at Prague and answer by a representative. Instead, the pope proceeded to put Huss on trial and condemn him, and he declared the city of Prague under interdict.^* LF 45.4

In that age this sentence caused great alarm. The people thought the pope was the representative of God, holding the keys of heaven and hell and possessing power to bring God's judgment on them. They believed that until the pope removed the ban, the dead were shut out from heaven. All religious services were suspended. The churches were closed. Marriages were performed outside in the churchyard. The dead were buried in ditches or fields without funerals. LF 45.5

Prague was filled with commotion. Many people denounced Huss and demanded that he be given up to Rome. To quiet the storm, the Reformer went away for a time to his home village. He did not stop his work, but traveled through the country preaching to eager crowds. When the excitement in Prague died down, Huss returned to continue preaching the Word of God. His enemies were powerful, but the queen and many nobles were his friends, and great numbers of the people sided with him. LF 45.6

Huss had stood alone in his work. Now Jerome joined in the reform. From then on the lives of the two were united, and in death they were not to be divided. In those qualities that make for real strength of character, Huss was the greater. Jerome, with true humility, recognized his worth and yielded to his counsels. Under their labors together, the reform spread rapidly. LF 46.1

God permitted great light to shine on the minds of these chosen men, revealing to them many of Rome's errors, but they did not receive all the light that God had for the world. God was leading the people out of the darkness of Romanism, and He led them on, step by step, as they could bear it. Like the full glory of the noonday sun to those who have been in the dark a long time, all the light would have caused them to turn away. So God revealed it little by little, as the people could receive it. LF 46.2

The split in the church continued. Three popes were now competing for supremacy. Their strife filled the whole Christian world with confusion. Not content with hurling condemnation at each other, each set about to buy weapons and obtain soldiers. Of course they needed money for this. To get it, they offered the gifts, offices, and blessing of the church for sale. (See Appendix.) LF 46.3

With increasing boldness Huss thundered against the terrible abuses that were tolerated in the name of religion. The people openly accused Rome as the cause of the miseries that overwhelmed the Christian world. LF 46.4

Again Prague seemed on the edge of a bloody war. As in past ages, God's servant was accused of being the “troubler of Israel” (1 Kings 18:17). Rome again placed the city under interdict, and Huss left for his native village. He was to speak from a wider platform, to all Christianity, before laying down his life as a witness for truth. LF 46.5

A general council was called to meet at Constance [in southwestern Germany]. The emperor Sigismund wanted to have such a council, so one of the three rival popes, John XXIII, called it. Pope John, whose character and policy would not look good under investigation, dared not oppose Sigismund's will. (See Appendix.) The main things to be accomplished were to heal the split in the church and to root out “heresy.” The two antipopes were summoned to appear, as well as John Huss. The rival popes were represented by their delegates. Pope John came with many misgivings. He was afraid he would have to answer for his vices that had disgraced the papal crown as well as for the crimes he had committed to secure it. Yet he made his entry into the city of Constance with great pomp, accompanied by high church officials and a procession of other attendants. Above his head was a golden canopy, held by four of the chief magistrates. The communion wafer for the mass was carried before him, and the rich dress of the cardinals and nobles made an impressive display. LF 46.6

Meanwhile another traveler was approaching Constance. Huss said goodbye to his friends as if he would never see them again, feeling that his journey was leading him to the stake. He had obtained a safe-conduct from the king of Bohemia and one also from Emperor Sigismund. But he made all his arrangements with the fact in mind that he would probably die. LF 47.1