The angels. You know, all around us there are, literally, armies of cosmic beings, some good, some bad. We need to choose which side we want to be on, of course, but they are there battling over every soul. I am thankful for the angels of the Lord who are there watching over those who shall be heirs of salvation. The Lord is good, isn't He?

I would like you to read with me again the verse you read this morning from Revelation 2:10. This was written primarily to the church in Ephesus, but the latter part of this verse applies to what we are looking at this morning. Let me read the whole verse, "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried. And ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death band I will give thee a crown of life."

You know, friends, over the centuries many of God's faithful children have loved Him so much and have proved that love by being, literally, "faithful unto death". There have been many, many martyrs. And we can be sure, before Jesus comes, there will be some more as well. It is no small thing to live for Christ and it is no small thing to die for Him. This morning, I would like us to consider the lives of two champions of the truth, if you want to call them that, who laid down their lives for Jesus. They did not earn the crown of eternal life because of that, they will have earned eternal life because of what Jesus did for them, but they manifested their love and their loyalty to Him by laying down their lives.

Last time I spoke, we looked at some of the history of John Wesley. This morning I would like us to consider, very briefly, the history and the work of John Huss and his friend, Jerome. Now, about three years ago, I presented a message something like this at Steps to Life, but I think what we need to do is keep reviewing the lives of some of these men who were champions of the faith and remind ourselves that we can, in the right way, and I say this again, in the right way, be proud of our Protestant, Christian heritage. As we look back at the lives and history of those who have gone before us, we can in the right sense, and I say again in the right sense, we can be proud of the rich heritage we have as Protestant Christians, and especially as Seventh-day Adventists.

What I want to mention this morning is nothing unique. The information is readily available and you can find everything I say in The Great Controversy. There is a chapter there called "Huss and Jerome". I would like to encourage you to read it. John Huss was of very humble birth. He was born in pretty much a peasant's home. His father died when he was just a small child and he was raised by a very pious and very devout, godly mother. John Huss was a very bright child. He did well in the studies that he undertook and, when still a young man, he earned a scholarship to the University of Prague which was the capital of Bohemia, which is presently Czechoslovakia. His mother set off with him to the great city of Prague and as they neared the town, this dear, old, godly mother, when she saw the walls of Prague, she took hold of her son and she had him kneel down there with her by the roadside and she invoked God's blessing upon her son as he was going to begin his career as a student. Well, little did that godly mother realize how God was going to answer her prayer because John Huss turned out to be a great worker for the Lord. His life ended in a way which, humanly speaking, was a terrible disaster, but in the light of heaven and truth and eternity, it will prove to have been a great victory.

So he goes to the town of Prague. Now let us bear in mind that John Huss was a Roman Catholic. He was a very, very devout Roman Catholic. In fact, there are records which indicate that he was this kind of a person. One time, at one of the festivals of Catholicism, he had just a few coins left. It was all that he had, but he placed it in the offering plate and he had nothing left, but then he drew back in line behind the rest of the procession believing that this would lead to absolution of his sins; a very devout Roman Catholic. Well, academically he was very good, very sharp; he was very astute and he prominently rose to recognition as a scholar. He graduated, of course, from the University of Prague and he was soon attached to the court of the king of Bohemia as a chaplain. Again, he proved himself very well indeed; he was well-recognized and appreciated. Soon he was asked to go back to the University of Prague and there he was a professor and finally became the rector of the very place where he had received his theological education.

Also, about the same time, at least a little while after that, he was also given a very prominent position and that was to be the head preacher of a certain little church there in Prague called Bethlehem Chapel. And what John Huss did, he followed the tradition of the person who had founded the Bethlehem Chapel and that tradition was this, that those who preached there should preach in the language of the common people. Now we might think that is no big deal. Well friends, it was in those days that the preaching, very often, was done in Latin. The people could not understand it. The Word of God was read in Latin, but here was a man who had founded the Bethlehem Chapel and he decreed that the sermons should be preached in the language of the common people. So John Huss gladly followed that tradition.

He began to preach and as he started to study the Word of God in earnest and he started to look around at the Catholic church and the priesthood, of which he was a part, he began to become concerned about the abuses he saw taking place. As he studied the Word of God, and he had the Word of God, it was in Latin, he began to see the first glimmerings of righteousness by faith and the importance of not doing thus and thus to earn brownie points, if I can use that term, but to live godly lives through the power of Jesus Christ. So he started to preach and he started to exalt the standard of righteousness. Well, you know what happens when you do that, of course, you get yourself in hot water. But nonetheless, John Huss continued to preach.

Now let us understand this, he was still, by and large, in a lot of spiritual darkness, just a little way along the path. But two things happened, almost simultaneously, after he had been established as preacher at the Bethlehem Chapel. The first one was this and this had a tremendous impact on his life. You see over in England several decades before there had been a man by the name of John Wycliffe. Wycliffe was called the Morning Star of the Reformation and he was a student of the Scriptures. He gave the English people the Bible in their own tongue and he was a real student of the Scriptures and had addressed the abuses that he had seen in the Catholic church. He did a lot of writing and teaching.

Wycliffe's writings became known to another man named Jerome, who later yoked up with John Huss. In fact, Jerome went to England for a time and he studied the writings of Wycliffe. Also, it just so happens that the queen of England was a Bohemian princess who was married to the king of England, and she was a strong supporter of Wycliffe's writings. She made sure that Wycliffe's writings got back to Bohemia where they started to infiltrate the university there. The queen also made sure that Bohemian students were able to go to Oxford, in England, and there they came in contact with the teachings of Wycliffe.

So through this means, you see, the teachings of Wycliffe began to permeate Bohemia. And who should read them also but John Huss. He became very interested in most of the reforms that John Wycliffe was advocating. So here he is, in the Bethlehem Chapel, he preaches in the language of the common people, and now he has more information to work from and so, even more, he starts to preach against the vices he saw in the established church. He begins to exalt the standard of righteousness.

But then a second thing happens, you remember. It was also about this time that two men came from England. They were pretty sharp scholars of theology and they started to preach against the abuses that they saw in the established church. Well, the church came down on them very, very hard. So these men were silenced in one respect, but in another respect they were not because they were artists. They were very good at drawing and painting. What they did was they went down to the marketplace and there they drew two pictures. In one picture they drew a picture of Jesus. There was Jesus riding on this little donkey into Jerusalem, just in a peasant's garb, just a humble, itinerant preacher, but He was the Prince of Life; no ostentation, no show, no glamour, no glitz, none of those things. That was in one picture. Then in the second picture they drew a picture of the pope. He was there on this big, noble steed that was all decorated and there with him in this grand procession were cardinals and priests and prelates and there was all this pomp and circumstance and ostentation and all of these things. With these two pictures side by side, it was like night and day. Those two pictures drew very large crowds. People came from all over the city of Prague to look at these pictures. The two men from England did not have to say anything anymore because the pictures spoke a sermon.

John Huss went to look as well. He looked at these pictures and it left a tremendous impression upon his mind. He saw very clearly what was depicted here. Here was Jesus, King of Glory, come down to this earth, born in a filthy stable, lives the life of a peasant, as it were, and yet He is God in the flesh and lays down His life for the human race. Then in the other picture there is the one who professes to be God upon this earth, the pope. John Huss started to think this through in his mind and he realized that here was something that was not quite right. So he goes back to the Bethlehem Chapel and he starts to preach even more about the ostentation of these things in the church, comparing it to the humility and beauty and purity of Christ's life. Well, again his preaching began to have a leavening effect throughout the whole country of Bohemia, especially, of course, in Prague which was the center of learning.

Well, tidings of Huss' work quickly got down to Rome and the papacy became very concerned; and he was summoned to Rome to answer for what he was doing. Well, there was a lot of concern about Huss going down there. You see, the royal family and most of the nobles, were on Huss' side and they realized that it was dangerous for him to go down to Rome; it just would not be safe. So they made a plea to the papacy that if Huss was going to be investigated or put on trial, it should be there in Prague and let the papacy send a deputy. Well, the pope was not interested in this, so he pooh-poohed the whole thing, went ahead with the trial, in Huss' absence, and had him denounced and condemned and worse still, had Prague placed under an interdict. Now, today we might laugh at an interdict, but this is what an interdict meant. It meant that if the pope placed a town or a region or even a nation under interdict, it meant basically that the doors of heaven were closed, salvation was closed, on the basis of the pope's decree. What happened was, you could not take the mass, of course, the priest was not there to minister in your behalf, and if you did not have that human priesthood to offer the mass in your behalf, you were lost, your prayers could not be heard, your marriage could not be solemnized. If you died, you could not be buried in consecrated ground, you were buried in the fields and, of course, that was a terrible thing. You had to be buried in consecrated ground, you see.

Now today, we might think this even a little bit amusing, but, friends, it is not if you put yourself in the shoes of those people; just do that for a moment. Suppose you really believed there is a man sitting in this chair this morning and he calls himself the pope, or you can give him some other title if you want, and you really believe that this man is God's representative on earth and if he says to you, "Your sins are forgiven", you are forgiven. If he says, "Your sins are not forgiven", they are not forgiven, as far as you really believe and are concerned. And if he says, "The doors of paradise are closed to you", if you really believe that, that man there has a power and a leverage over your life which is frightening. That was the leverage that the papacy had over the people of Prague because the vast majority still believed that the pope was the man who could close the doors of paradise.

So this caused a lot of turmoil in the city of Prague. Some people started to blame John Huss. They said, "This is his fault that this has happened. Let's get him over to the papacy so he can be burned." Well, Huss knew, and those who really understood the teachings of what Huss was presenting realized, that an interdict meant nothing. But the majority of people did not realize that, so what John Huss did, finally, he decided to withdraw from Prague and go back to his native village. This is what he wrote to a friend, "If I have withdrawn from the midst of you, it is to follow the precept and example of Jesus Christ, in order not to give room to the ill-minded to draw on themselves eternal condemnation and in order not to be to the pious a cause of affliction and persecution. I have retired also through an apprehension that impious priests might continue for a longer time to prohibit the preaching of the Word of God amongst you. But I have not quitted you to deny the divine truth for which with God's assistance I am willing to die." The Great Controversy, 101

So he pulled out of Prague and went back to his native village, and then began to travel around. As he traveled around, he began to preach even more. So what they had tried to stop him from doing in Prague, he was able to do now on a broader scale. In 2 Corinthians 13:8, let us just notice a principle here which, by the way, ties in with what was happening here with John Huss. "For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth." Friends, that is exactly what was happening. As the papacy tried to squash Huss and silence the preaching of the truth in Prague, it just caused that truth to be preached far and wide in a broader field; and this is what was happening at this time.

Now, I would like you to remember, I said a few moments ago that John Huss was a very devout Catholic. Now he was seeking to address the abuses in the church, yes, but was he still a devout Catholic? Absolutely! As far as he was concerned, the Roman church was the Roman church and the pope was still the head of the church upon this earth. And yet, on the other hand, he was preaching against it in certain respects and he caused a little conflict, to say the least, in his mind. This is what Wylie said, the quote if found in The Great Controversy, 102, says about Huss at this time, "The mind of Huss, at this stage of his career, would seem to have been the scene of a painful conflict." Now you just think about that. It was. "Although the church was seeking to overwhelm him by her thunderbolts, he had not renounced her authority. The Roman church was still to him the spouse of Christ, and the pope was the representative and vicar of God. What Huss was warring against was the abuse of authority, not the principle itself. This brought on a terrible conflict between the convictions of his understanding and the claims of his conscience. If the authority was just and infallible, as he believed it to be, how came it that he felt compelled to disobey it? To obey, he saw, was to sin; but why should obedience to an infallible church lead to such an issue? This was the problem he could not resolve. . ." Ibid. Try to imagine that. It seemed an unsolvable problem. Ellen White also mentions here that this was the doubt that tortured him hour by hour. Then Wylie continues here about how John Huss found the solution to this in his thinking. "The nearest approximation to a solution which he was able to make was that it had happened again, as once before in the days of the Saviour, that the priests of the church had become wicked persons and were using their lawful authority for unlawful ends. This led him to adopt for his own guidance, and to preach to others for theirs, the maxim that the precepts of Scriptures, conveyed through the understanding, are to rule the conscience; in other words, that God speaking in the Bible, and not the church speaking through the priesthood, is the one infallible guide." Ibid.

That principle, by the way, still applies, friends, even today. And it always will. If we are going to be Protestants, we have to find ourselves on the right side of that principle. That is how it goes.

To get back to what was happening in Prague, finally things began to settle down. The dust began to settle and so John Huss went back again to Prague, carried on with his work there at the Bethlehem Chapel and again began to preach such as never before to exalt the standard of righteousness and truth; and to address the abuses he was seeing in the church. Now also again, about this time, was when Jerome, whom I mentioned earlier, also yoked up with John Huss and the two of them began to work together.

Now you are probably familiar with Luther and Malancthon, who came along about a hundred years later. They both complimented one another. You remember that? Luther tended to be a little impetuous sometimes and Malancthon would maybe think things through a little more and he would sort of put the brakes on Luther sometimes. They complimented one another. It was kind of the same thing with Huss and Jerome; they were both brilliant scholars, very eloquent. These were the things that people respected. And if possible, Jerome was maybe even a little sharper of mind than Huss was. But on the other hand, Huss had some of the stronger qualities that Jerome was lacking and together they complimented one another. Under their united ministries, the progress of the truth in Bohemia moved steadily forward.

Now also, one of the things at this time, that Huss really began to preach again, was this; he began to address some of the troubles that were plaguing Europe at that time. He began to blame it upon the papacy. And here are some of the troubles that he started to blame on the papacy and he was absolutely right in saying this. There was one man in the Vatican who claimed to be the pope, it was John XXIII. But there were two other individuals claiming to be popes. So there were three individuals striving for the papal crown. Now what these three individuals did was that they started to raise armies, and so they started fighting. They were responsible for the strife and bloodshed that was just ripping Europe apart. And of course, if you want to raise an army you have to have soldiers and you have to pay them, so all three of these popes, well one pope and two anti-popes but all claiming the same position, to raise money you had to have something you could sell. So what were they selling? Indulgences, of course. One pope was saying, "If you will join my army, and you fight against the other pope and knock his soldiers down, you can have eternal life." And the other pope was saying, "If you fight in my army and you knock his soldiers down, then you won't go to hell, you can have eternal life." So you can imagine the confusion and strife. Those three individuals were selling indulgences to raise money for their armies. John Huss said, "It is you men who are causing the troubles that are just tearing Europe apart." And that, friends, was absolutely true.

But again, the heat came on to John Huss and he was blamed for the troubles. So for the second time, it actually turned out to be the final time; he left Prague. You know, there is a lesson we can learn from this. Let's go to 1 Kings 18:17. Remember the story of Elijah? He was addressing the abuses that he saw there in Israel and the terrible sin. And so under the working of God there was a drought for three and a half years. But who got the blame? Look in verse 17, "And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, 'Art thou he that troubleth Israel?'" Was Elijah troubling Israel? No, friends, he was not. He was trying to help Israel, but that has always happened. It happened with John Huss; He was known as the "troubler of Israel". And so he had to leave Prague again. Now here is something we can learn. If the people of Prague had stood by John Huss, would he have had to leave? No he could have stayed there and carried on his work. But because they would not stand by him, he was obliged to leave. Do you know something? They lost a great blessing. Because those people did not appreciate the blessing that God had placed in their midst in John Huss, they lost the blessing. God took the blessing away. He never, ever returned to Prague to preach again in that chapel.

Well, however, getting back to the troubles in Europe, there was ultimately a council that was called in Constance and the purpose of this council was to do two things: to try and resolve the problems that were just causing so much disruption in Europe and the second thing they wanted to do was to root out heresy. So the two anti-popes were called to Rome and also John Huss was called to Rome again because he was viewed as the key propagator of these new views. Actually, just let me tell you this, it was the Emperor Sigismund, supposedly of the Holy Roman Empire, who really got the pope in Rome to call this council. Pope John really did not want to call the council because he was such a corrupt individual, and he knew he was. He figured that the outcome for him would not be good. But nonetheless, he found himself obliged to call this council at Constance. So the two anti-popes did not go, but nonetheless Pope John went and as he approaches Constance this big procession develops. There he is almost like in the pictures that were drawn in Prague, there was this grand procession and dazzling splendor, all this pomp and ceremony for this man who is absolutely corrupt and rotten to the core.

Yet, there was also somebody else making their way to Constance, not in such a procession, but just in humble garb and that of course, was John Huss. Now let me tell you this, Huss had some misgivings about going to Constance. He figured that it was not safe for him to go there, but nonetheless he had been pledged a safe conduct by the Emperor and also by the pope himself, but he still had some misgivings. He felt that this could possibly be the road to his destruction, but he still decided to go. This is what he wrote to friends, "My brethren, . . . I am departing with a safe-conduct from the king to meet my numerous and mortal enemies. . . .I confide altogether in the all-powerful God, and my Saviour; I trust that He will listen to your ardent prayers, that He will infuse His prudence and His wisdom into my mouth, in order that I may resist them; and that He will accord me His Holy Spirit to fortify me in His truth, so that I may face with courage, temptations, prison, and, if necessary, a cruel death. Jesus Christ suffered for His well-beloved; and therefore aught we to be astonished that He has left us His example, in order that we may ourselves endure with patience all things for our own salvation? He is God, and we are His creatures; He is the Lord, and we are His servants; He is the Master of the world, and we are contemptible mortals--yet He suffered! Why, then, should we not suffer also, particularly when suffering is for us a purification? Therefore, beloved, if my death ought to contribute to His glory, pray that it may come quickly, and that He may enable me to support all my calamities with constancy. But if it be better that I return amongst you, let us pray to God that I may return without stain--that is, that I may not suppress one tittle of the truth of the gospel, in order to leave my brethren an excellent example to follow. Probably, therefore, you will nevermore behold my face at Prague; but should the will of the all-powerful God deign to restore me to you, let us then advance with a firmer heart in the knowledge and the love of His law." The Great Controversy, 105

So, with these forebodings in mind, he sets off to Constance and he enters the city, supposedly, with the right to have freedom and to be unmolested. But it was not very long after that, that he was arrested on the order of the pope, who had supposedly given a free pardon and also on the advice and pressure of the cardinals. He was committed to prison.

By the way, let me say this, in the council of Constance, the two anti-popes were taken off the scene and even Pope John was deposed because it was recognized, even by that corrupt body, that he was absolutely, completely corrupt. He was taken out of the way and a new pope was established in his place. Pope John's life was not taken he was just degraded, if you like. But here was John Huss, actually put in prison and they actually tried to crush him. So you see, friends, it just was not consistent, there was no justice. But that was what John Huss and his friends figured would be the case any way.

Well, because he had been thrown in prison, in the light of the supposed safe conducts, there was an uproar in Bohemia. There was a protest from the royal family and powerful noblemen made strong appeals to the papacy that they should not go back upon their word after saying that John Huss should have a free pardon. Now the Emperor, who had consented to his being put in prison had also, if you remember, given a free pardon, and he was a little troubled by this. But the prelates and the cardinals came to him and they appealed to his fears and they appealed to his supposed zeal for the church and made him finally believe that it was all right for him to go back on his word. Based on this principle and I quote here, "faith ought not to be kept with heretics, nor person suspected of heresy, though they are furnished with safe-conducts from the emperor and kings." Ibid, 107

Friends, do not ever expect any justice in this life, especially if you want to stand for the truth because you will not get it. We can be surprised at this, but that is the way it goes, friends.

Do not be surprised in the future, if at the hands of those who profess to be followers of the truth, you meet with such treachery, also. But you see, we cannot let that trouble us, can we? We just have to keep going and do what the Lord has given us to do. But nonetheless, he was thrown in prison. He became ill and enfeebled. He was kept there a long time and finally John Huss was brought before the council. And yet the amazing thing is, this man was weak, emaciated, sick, and yet when he was brought to take his stand before the council, he still maintained his position, just as faithfully as he ever had before. What a faithful man of God he was; he, still continued with his faithful protest.

Well, finally he was given the opportunity of making a final choice. Do you recant? If you do, you can save your hide. Or don't you? If you do not recant, it is a martyr's death. He refused to change his position. So again, he was thrust back in prison to wait the time of his execution. But there he is in a prison cell, for all, humanly speaking, he was about to meet his end, yet he had the most wonderful peace and assurance in his heart. Friends, that is the wonderful thing. Even though it does not make sense that somebody's life is coming to an end, their career which seemed right and full of promise has been shot down in flames, you become the scum of this earth, you are there in a prison cell, hungry, sick, vermin running all over you, but yet in the sight of heaven, friends, this man who was in this situation was a victor and a champion. As a consequence he had the peace and assurance of heaven in his heart. This is what he wrote to a friend just before his final sentence, "in my prison, and with my fettered hand, expecting my sentence of death tomorrow . . .When, with the assistance of Jesus Christ, we shall again meet in the delicious peace of the future life, you will learn how merciful God has shown Himself toward me, how effectually He has supported me in the midst of my temptations and trials." Ibid, 107

And so finally, for the last time, he was brought before this great, immense, official body of the church and there he received his final condemnation and given one last chance to change his mind. But he did not; he refused. The sentence having been pronounced, the ceremony of degradation began. He was placed in the sacerdotal robes, mockingly, then they were stripped off him. And then finally another kind of a robe was put on him and this sort of a paper miter was made with drawings of demons and placed on his head and on the front it said "Archheretic". In this mocking outfit, he was marched away to the place of execution. But as they put this mocking garb upon him, this is what they said to him, "Now we devote thy soul to the devil." John Huss, lifting up his eyes, said, "And I, do commit my spirit into Thy hands, O Lord Jesus, for Thou hast redeemed me." Ibid, 109. So they led him to the place of execution. And once more he was exhorted to save himself. They put the wood around him and said, "Huss, you know, just give the word and we will let you go." But this is what he said, "What errors, shall I renounce? I know myself guilty of none. I call God to witness that all that I have written and preached has been with the view of rescuing souls from sin and perdition; and, therefore, most joyfully will I confirm with my blood that truth which I have written and preached." Ibid, 109

And so the executioner came and lit the pyre and it began to burn, but he began to sing from the Psalm and he began, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me." And he sang until the flames arose and his voice was silenced. That was the end of John Huss, so it seemed. You see, his body was burned, but the name of John Huss continued on and the work he had been doing continued on as well. But there was someone else, you recall, who was a friend of Huss and that was Jerome. Now before Huss had gone down to Constance, Jerome had pledged himself to come and help Huss if he fell into difficult straits and, of course, he did. What Jerome did immediately was to head down to Constance. When he got there and saw the situation that Huss was in, he realized there was nothing he could possibly do to save him. He realized that the wisest thing was for himself to get out of the place. So he started to make a retreat, but he was very quickly apprehended, arrested and also thrown into a dungeon.

Now the papacy was ready and willing to just bring him out and burn him immediately, but there had been such an uproar at the death of Huss that they decided they needed to be a little more political and a little more diplomatic. So they decided that the wisest course was to keep him in the dungeon for quite a while to just get him to recant. If he would just do that, it would help their cause. So they kept him down in the dungeon for about a year. He was chained in a position that was very difficult. He was fed bread and water. He became sick and he almost died. And again, just for political reasons, they made it a little more easy for him then so that his life would be spared. Then finally, they brought him up to the council. Well, here was another test for another champion of the truth. But unfortunately, he was sick, he was weak, he had been separated from friends, he was discouraged by the death of his dear friend, Huss, he was disheartened and when he was called to make his choice, he recanted and he backed off. He even went so far as to say that the papacy had been correct in condemning the writings of Huss and also John Wycliffe before him.

Well, he was put back in his cell. It was a great victory for the papacy, but they were not finished with him yet. As he was put back in his cell, Jerome realized that the papacy would be out for further recantations until finally he had gone all the way on the path of apostasy. He realized that that was what they were ultimately after. As he was sitting back down there in his cell, the peace and assurance that he had had, even in the midst of his sufferings, even when he had gotten discouraged and downhearted, there was still a peace that he could find, but that was gone. Why? Because, friends, he had just betrayed his Saviour. He was looking for peace, he longed for peace, but he could not find it. As he sat there in his cell and as he considered what his friend, John Huss, had endured before him and especially what Jesus had endured on the cross, he finally came to the point that he would not compromise anymore, even thought he knew it would lead him also to the stake.

So he was brought again before the council and they thought they had him this time. They thought they would get him to recant even further and this would really be a big victory for the papacy. But they were in for a surprise because Jerome, even weaker now than ever, even more emaciated, stood his ground and he recanted of the fact that he had recanted the time before. The papacy was almost blown away. He started to make a defense, but they wanted to keep him quiet, you see. They wanted to hush him down, but they finally agreed that he could make a defense. So he started to speak.

In Matthew 10, Jesus says that "when they deliver you up, [before governors and kings for His sake] 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." You know, the Lord answered that prayer. As Jerome began to speak, here was a man who had been deprived of his books, he was not able to study and had been in darkness for a long time, and yet he stood there as somebody whose mind was just as clear as a bell and sharp as a tack. He spoke with power and he spoke with eloquence. Even his enemies, we are told in the histories that were written, were amazed and astonished. They had an admiration for this man as they listened to him. And he began to speak, as though he had had every opportunity since the day he had been imprisoned, to continue to study and pray about all of these things; and he recanted of the fact that he had been a coward. One of the things that he felt the worst about was that he had denied John Huss, his friend. This is what he wanted to set straight; this is what he said about John Huss. He says, "I knew him from his childhood. He was a most excellent man, just and holy; he was condemned, notwithstanding his innocence. . . .I also--I am ready to die: I will not recoil before the torments that are prepared for me by my enemies and false witnesses, who will one day have to render an account of their impostures before the great God, whom nothing can deceive." In his self-reproach he continued, "Of all the sins that I have committed since my youth, none weigh so heavily on my mind, and cause me such poignant remorse, as that which I committed in this fatal place, when I approved of the iniquitous sentence rendered against Wycliffe, and against the holy martyr, John Huss, my master and my friend. Yes! I confess it from my heart, and declare with horror that I disgracefully quailed when, through a dread of death, I condemned their doctrines. I therefore supplicate. . .Almighty God to deign to pardon me my sins, and this one in particular, the most heinous of all." The Great Controversy, 113

Then he looked at the judges, right in their eyes, and he pointed at them and he said the following, "You condemned Wycliffe and John Huss, not for having shaken the doctrine of the church, but simply because they branded with reprobation the scandals proceeding from the clergy--their pomp, their pride, and all the vices of the prelates and priests. The things which they have affirmed, and which are irrefutable, I also think and declare, like them." Ibid, 113, 114. Well a storm just burst in that council chamber and they gnashed their teeth, as they did at Jesus. They wanted to lay their hands on him and just tear him limb from limb, but they did not. They restrained themselves, but they had him stuffed back down in that filthy dungeon. He knew he had done it this time, but do you know what he had inside? He had peace. He had an assurance. The stake was just the next step, but he had a peace like nothing else could give him.

Well, there were some people who visited his cell to try and take that peace and rob him of that assurance through manipulation and smooth words. Some of the dignitaries of the church came down and they laid before him brilliant prospects of promotion if he would just stop this nonsense and go back to where he was before this second time he had been brought before the council. Why be so foolish? They said to him, "You mean to tell us, Jerome, that every thing has to be judged by the Word of God?" You see, they were saying that tradition was the thing. But he stood by the Word of God. He said, "If you can show me from the Word of God that I'm wrong, then I'll recant. I will back track." But they could not do that. One of these men with smooth words came down to try and get him to change his mind. Suddenly, the smile came off his face and he said, "Heretic! I repent having pleaded so long with you. I see that you are urged on by the devil." Ibid, 114

Well, Jerome knew who he was being urged on by, not the devil, but by the Holy Spirit. It was not long after this that he was led up to the very same spot where just a short time prior to his time, John Huss had been burned at the stake. We are told that he went singing along his way, his face was lighted up with joy. And we are told that, for him, death had lost its terrors. As he was tied to the stake and the wood was place around him, he saw the executioner and the executioner had the little flame and was walking behind the bonfire and Jerome said to him, "Come forward boldly; apply the fire before my face. Had I been afraid, I should not be here." Ibid, 115. And so they kindled the fire; he began to sing, too. He sang and he sang until finally the flames silenced also the words and the singing of Jerome.

I want to read to you something here. This is what an ardent papist wrote as he witnessed the executions of Huss and Jerome. This is what he said, "Both bore themselves with constant mind when their last hour approached. They prepared for the fire as if they were going to a marriage feast. They uttered no cry of pain. When the flames rose, they began to sing hymns and scarce could the vehemence of the fire stop their singing." Ibid. 115. Aren't you glad that at a time like that, God takes care of His own? I want to tell you right now, if there was a fire there and somebody said to jump in it, I would not feel inclined to do it. I do not think I could do that as if I were going to a marriage feast. But, friends, God is not giving me the strength right now to do that, you see. If there was a chopping block, I could not go to the chopping block as if I were going to a marriage feast. I do not think anybody here could. But, friends, if you are placed in a position where, for the sake of the truth, for the sake of following Jesus that is where you have to go, at that time, He will give you the grace to bear it. You will know that it is His grace alone because it does not come natural to human beings to endure such things.

And so, another faithful one of the Reformation was put to death. But between the two, between Huss and Jerome, there was kindled a fire in Bohemia that never did go out. Now it got kind of low because of some of the things that happened afterwards, but the devil never could quite snuff it out.

Now what the papacy tried to do was this. Bear in mind first of all, this morning we read from Revelation 2:10 "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life." That was two of them who had been faithful. But there were others who followed, who also had to be faithful unto death as well. You see, what the papacy did, they saw that this was now their golden chance. So they sent their armies down to Bohemia and they thought they would really crush these Hussites; that this was the golden time to strike. And they struck, but you know, the amazing thing was that every time they struck it was as if their hammer bounced back off the anvil. Those Hussites seemed impregnable. Just few in number, not trained as soldiers, but the papacy was sending down veteran soldiers who were battle-hardened, droves and droves, every time they just could not beat those Hussites. Do you know why, friends? Because they had decided that they would stand faithful to the God of heaven. And while they were standing faithful, the devil could not destroy them.

The pope finally, ultimately, called three crusades against the Bohemians. And every time, the Bohemians repulsed the papal armies. The third one I want to mention. The Bohemians were, at this time, under the leadership of a man called Procopius. Prior to that there was a blind general named Ziska, a brilliant general who gained victory after victory, but he died. When he died, the pope thought this was it, he could get in there quick now that the general was dead. But there was Procopius who came on the scene. He was an even a more able general than Ziska had been. This third crusade came down to Bohemia. The Bohemians (Hussites) drew back and the papal army on this third, great crusade, they started marching in and making headway. They thought this was it, curtains for these Hussites. But Procopius had his army pull back, and back, and back and do you know what happened? The papacy struck camp and while they were in the camp, the Hussites started to turn around and they started to move in. But the amazing thing that really happened was this, they did not actually strike a blow in battle because as they were coming and the papists heard the sound of this exceeding great army, a terrible fear just took hold of them, they took off and they were completely routed. The devil just could not take Bohemia.

Friends, there was a fear that came upon them through the power and the intercession and the working of Almighty God. While they stood firm to the truth, they could not be shaken. Well, sad to say this, what the papacy could not achieve on the field of battle, they finally achieved around the conference table. This is what happened, very briefly. There were four points that the Bohemians were staunchly sticking out against with the papacy. The four points were these: 1. There should be free preaching of the Bible 2. The right of the whole church to both the bread and wine in communion and the use of the mother tongue in divine worship 3. The exclusion of the clergy from all secular offices in authority 4. In the case of crime, the jurisdiction of the civil courts over clergy and laity alike. Well, the papacy sat down and said, "Well, if that's what you want, you can have it. But we claim the right to be able to interpret how these principles are put into effect." And that did it, friends; they sold themselves down the river.

Well, there were a lot of Bohemians who realized that this was a sell-out. Unfortunately, this led to civil war and strife within Bohemia and many faithful lost their lives. Many more had to be faithful unto death for the cause of the truth. But I will tell you this again, the fire still was not completely put out in Bohemia because of the faithfulness of Huss and Jerome. In fact, at the beginning of the sixteenth century, at the time of the Reformation, there were about 200 churches, free churches called Churches of the Brethren, that were there in Bohemia. Praise the Lord! friends. There were still free people, even though they paid bitterly and dearly for the price of their freedom.

100 years prior to the rise of Martin Luther, John Huss made a prophetic statement. He says, "The century must revolve before the day should break." The Great Controversy, 119. He says there would be 100 years after this time, but he says there is a better day coming. Those faithful Bohemians looked in faith to that time when there would be the dawn of a better day. And finally it came, or at least it began to dawn in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his theses to the door of Wittenburg. But during that century, many also were faithful unto death.

Friends, our time is gone. I cannot really conclude this as I wanted, but let us remember this, as they were faithful, so we must be faithful, too. I pray that the Lord will help each one of us to be faithful whatever we have to endure, whether it is prison; whether it is starvation; whether it is separation from friends; whether it is ultimately death. Let us remember that we can find no peace in compromise. Neither will we find eternal life in treachery to the cause of righteousness. Let us remember at such a time when we are faced with such things as those who have gone before, our strength will not lie in ourselves, but we will find the strength where they found the strength and that is in Jesus Christ, the One who was nailed to the cross for us. The One whom they loved because He died for them, who made a sacrifice and the One that we should love because He also made a sacrifice for us. One day when those martyrs in their white robes with red hems stand on the sea of glass, and they will talk about the sacrifices they made at the stake or the chopping block or the rack, they will discuss these things, but not one will glory unto themselves because they will know for a fact that all human sacrifice placed together pales into insignificance compared to the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Friends, that is the sacrifice that saves, not our own, even though we might have to make that sacrifice.

I pray today that the Lord will give us the grace and strength to be a Huss or Jerome. He is the One who can make us, but let us through His grace, because we love Him, be willing to be made one if necessary.