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No. 2.

THE

CHRISTIAN DISCIPLE.

FEBRUARY, 1815.

MARTYRDOM OF JEROME.

JEROME of Prague was cotemporary with Huss, and an intimate friend of that Reformer. He was not a clergyman, but was however engaged in the work of reformation. His youth was spent in pursuit of knowledge. For this purpose he visited several Universities. Oxford in England is supposed to be the last seat of learning at which he spent any considerable time. Having made himself master of the English language, he translated many of the works of Wickliff into his native tongue. On his return to Bohemia, he appeared as an advocate for Wickliff, and attached himself to Huss. It is supposed that he was not inferior to any person of his time in ability, learning, and eloquence.

After Huss went to the Couneil of Constance, Jerome was disposed to hazard his own life to aid his friend. He arrived at Constance April 4th 1415, about three months before the death of Hass. He entered the town privately, made inquiry, found that he could be of no service, and that the Council intended to seize him; he therefore thought it prudent to retire. But while

VOL. III.

returning he was taken and brought back to the Council. Several persons appeared as his accusers, and reported what heresies he had taught in different places. One of them dwelt particularly on his manner of illustrating the Trinity, "comparing it to water, snow, and ice." multitude of voices were raised against him, crying out, "Away with him! burn him! burn him!"

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This confusion continued nearly half an hour. Jerome stood amazed at the indecency of the scene. But as soon as he could be heard, he cried aloud-"since nothing can satisfy you but my blood, God's will be done."

Thus ended his first hearing. He was conducted to a dungeon and there treated with great se verity, to produce a recantation. His confinement brought on a dangerous illness. Advantage was taken of his situation to work upon his feelings. After the death of Huss, the circumstances of that awful event were laid before him. For a considerable time he remained inflexible; but at length he was overcome. On the 23d of September, being brought before the Council, he retracted what were called his er

rors, in such language as the Council dictated. The chains, with which he had been oppressed, were knocked off, but the load was transferred from his body to his mind, and he returned to his prison with bitter anguish of soul for what he had done.

The change in his feelings was soon observed; and the chief managers against him, were determined he should come to a second trial. Some of the Couneil were opposed to the measure; but the point was finally carried, after he had been subjected to a long confinement. He was glad of the opportunity to appear again before the Council, that he might publickly confess the guilt which lay so heavily on his mind. The Council informed him, that they had appointed persons by whom he might make his defence. He insisted on the privilege of being present at the trial, and of speaking for himself. This was reluctantly granted.

The principal articles of charge were these his adherence to the errors of Wickliff-his having a picture of that heretic arrayed in the ornaments of a saint -his counterfeiting the seal of the University of Oxford in fa vor of Wickliff-his despising the authority of the church after excommunication, and his denial of transubstantiation.

In answer to the accusations, Jerome acknowledged that he thought well of Wickliff and his doctrines, although he did not adopt all his opinions-that he had a picture of Wickliff, as he had of many other learned men; but he didnot remember that the

portrait was dressed in saint like ornaments. The charge of counterfeiting a seal be denied. He said he had never despised the authority of the church, nor opposed the doctrine of transubstantiation.

Having replied to the accusations, he then in a solemn manner confessed his guilt, in having been influenced by the fear of death to retract his opinions, and to injure the characters of those two excellent men, Wickliff and Huss; whose examples he said he revered, and in whose doctrines he was determined to die. His speech on this occasion excited the astonishment even of his adversaries. Pogge of Florence in a letter to Leonard Aretin gives an account of it, which is highly honorable to the martyr. As Pogge was himself a papist and opposed to Jerome, his testimony in his favor is the more worthy of notice. We shall therefore introduce some extracts from the letter, as it not only characterizes Jerome, but nar rates the important circumstances of his death.

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guage, & with what excellent rea soning he answered his adversaries. Nor was I less struck. with the gracefulness of his manner, the dignity of his action, and the firmness and constancy of his whole behavior. It grieved me to think so great a man was laboring under so atrocious an ac cusation

"Here, said he, 'standing in the midst of the assembly, here is justice, here is equity! Beset by my enemies, I am already pronounced a heretic, I am condemned before I am examined. Were you God's omniscient instead of an assembly of fallible men, you could not act with more sufficiency. Error is the lot of mortals; and you, exalted as you are, are subjects to it. But consider, the higher you are exalted, of the more dangerous consequence are your errors. As for me, I know I am a wretch be neath your notice: but at least consider, that an unjust action in such an assembly will be of dangerous example.

"All the articles alleged against him were publickly read, and then proved. After which he was asked, whether he had aught to object? It is incredible with what acuteness he answered; and with what dexterity he warded off every stroke of his adversaries. Nothing escaped him. His whole behavior was truly great and pious. If he were indeed the man his defence spoke him, he was so far from meriting death, that in my judgment, he was not in any degree culpable.

"Every one expected that he would either retract his errors, or at least apologize for them;

but nothing of the kind was heard from him-The perjured wit nesses," said he, "who have appeared against me, have won their cause; but let them remember that they have their evidence once more to give before a tribunal where falsehood can be no disguise."

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"It was impossible to hear this pathetic speaker without emotion. Every ear was captivat ed, and every heart was touched. But wishes in his favor were vain. He threw himself beyond a possibility of mercy. If that holy martyr,' said he, speaking of Huss, used the clergy with disrespect, his censures were not levelled against them as priests, but as wicked men.'

"The greatest character in ancient story could not possibly go beyond him. If there is any justice in history, this man will be admired by all posterity. I speak not of his errors-let these rest with him. What I admired was his learning, his eloquence, and amazing acuteness. Two days were allowed him for reflexionmany persons endeavoured to bring him to a better mind. But persisting obstinately in his errors, he was condemned as a heretic.

"With a cheerful countenance and more than stoical constaney, he met his fate, fearing neither death itself, nor the horrible form in which it appeared. When he came to the place, he pulled off his upper garment and made a short prayer at the stake; to which he was soon after bound with wet cords and an iron chain; and inclosed as high as his breast with faggots.

Observing the executioner about to set fire to the wood bebind his back, he cried out, Bring thy torch hither. Perform thy office before my face. Had I feared death I might have avoided it.'-As the wood began to blaze, he sang an hymn, which the violence of the flame scarce interrupted.

stake, were strongly impressed on the mind of the writer, and the feelings of sympathy were warm in his breast. Pogge was an eminent writer of his time, and had been secretary to two of the Roman Pontiffs. With his eulogium on the character of Jerome, every protestant may rest contented. We have no dis

position to give him a more exaited character.

"Thus died this prodigious man. The epithet is not extravagant, I was myself an eye witness of That Jerome was without his whole behavior. Whatever faults we shall not pretend. He his life may have been, his death was a man of an ardent mind, without doubt is a noble lesson and sometimes deficient in self of philosophy.-This will, I government. The lamented ehope, convince you, that great-vent of his recantation is not to ness is not wholly confined to antiquity. You will think me perhaps tedious; but I could have been more prolix on a subject so copious. Farewell, my dear Leonard."-Constance, May 20, 1416.* We have given but an abridgment of this eloquent letter. The. whole is much to the honor of the martyr. It bears date the very day on which Jerome suffered, and was written while his wonderful defence on trial, and his heroic conduct at the

be justified. It is, however, due to him to remember, that bodily disease, the gloom of the dungeon, and the severities which he endured from his unrelenting enemies, were calculated to weaken his nerves, depress his spirits, and deprive him of fortitude and self command. Under circumstances less afflicting than these "Peter denied his Lord." But "when he thought thereon he wept;" and so did Jerome.

PUBLIC WORSHIP NO AMUSEMENT.

Mr. Editor, I CONSIDER your work as designed not only to promote a spirit of candor and free inquiry, but to correct abuses of every kind, which diminish the influence of religion and of its institutions. The subject to which I would call the attention of your readers is in my mind of great

importance, and I shall be happy if my strictures find their way to those, whose error they are designed to expose. It is my unhappiness frequently to hear remarks on sermons, prayers, and preachers, which give me great pain. I should be glad to believe that these were limited to the particular circle, in which I move.

The letter had only the day of the month. The year is added for the information of the reader.

But the observations which fall occasionally from strangers, persuade me that my associates are not the only offenders, and that the evil is diffused through a very large class of society. I often hear the question, "How did you like this or another preacher?" and the answer is "I admired him exceedingly; he gave us an elegant sermon, and made one of the finest prayers I ever heard"

or else "I never was so tired in my life, there was nothing new or brilliant from the beginning to the end." I find hearers coming from church, disgusted with the commonplace truths they have heard, or charmed with the ingenuity of this preacher, transported with the eloquent flights of another, and quite delighted with the fluency with which a third of fered his prayer to God.

As I was brought up in the old fashioned way of regarding the ministers of religion with respect, and of attaching a sanctity to the public worship of God, I confess, I am shocked with this unbecom

ing, and may I not add, indecent style of criticism. I am sensible that the language which I have described is not always the mark of a light and irreverent mind; that, from the force of habit and general example, it sometimes proceeds from the lips of those, whose hearts are deeply impressed by religious instruction. But in general it indicates a melancholy insensibility to the design and importance of the christian ministry; and tends to beget in the community, and especially in the young, a fastidiousness of taste and a censoriousness of judgment, most unfriendly to the

influence of public teachers. The christian ministry is undoubtedly one of the most important and useful institutions of God. It is appointed to aid us in our weigh. tiest concerns, to teach us our du. ties, dangers, and hopes, to awaken our minds from that slumber which worldly cares so often in. duce, to plead with us the cause of God and eternity, to reprove our sins, to console our sorrows, to prepare the trembling spirit for the hour of dissolution. Sure. ly men, who are consecrated to such solemn services, who are ap. pointed to bear our homage and supplications to the throne of divine mercy, and who dispense to us that religion which the Son of God has sealed with his blood surely such men, if they perform their sacred functions with sin. cerity, seriousness, and under. standing, are entitled to respectful attention. We should strive to accompany with our hearts the prayers they offer, and should listen with candor and earnest. ness to their instructions. But instead of this, how is the minis. ter of Christ regarded by many? —as an actor on the stage, an exhibiter for public amusement, as hired to please them, and hardly worthy of his hire, unless he gratify their faney. They go to church, not because it is God's house; not because it becomes dependent creatures to bow before the infinite Majesty of the Universe; not because they have sing to be pardoned, sins to be reform; ed, darkened minds to be enlight ened, insensible hearts to be softened and warmed. They go, not because they are dying creatures, trembling on the brink of eterni

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