In one of the dark...
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In one of the dark chapters of church history, John Huss, the Christ-centered preacher from Bohemia, was brought up on charges of heresy before a church tribunal. He was promised safe passage to and from the inquiry, but when he arrived in good faith, he was arrested and thrown into a filthy prison, shackled with heavy leg-irons, and chained to the wall. All pleas on his behalf by his friends were ignored. He was willing to be corrected with arguments from the Word of God, but his accusers would not debate the issues. He had to listen to a sermon preached against him; the sermon was titled "Let the body of sin be destroyed." Huss was accused of heresy and then condemned to death. When his sentence was declared, Huss fell to his knees, lifted his eyes toward heaven, and prayed, "May your infinite mercy, O my God, pardon this injustice of my enemies. You know the injustice of the accusations brought forward by worthless witnesses. Yet, O my God, in your mercy, do not avenge my wrongs." When he reached the stake at which he would be burned, he once more fell on his knees and sang repeatedly (among other Psalms), "Into your hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O Most good and faithful God." Huss was not intimidated. He was ready to defend his faith. His good conduct put to shame the malicious intentions of his enemies. John Huss lived the very words of Peter's exhortation, and his faithful witness is a bright jewel in the crown of Christian faithfulness. [Source: Book of Martyrs, John Fox (1846), pp. 132-136.]
-- Molldrem
-- Molldrem
