ism and the real rise of Protestantism. And this is the date and period at which God's people who had been held captive in the darkness of the papacy came out into clear light. Thus unmistakably inspiration has marked out the exact time that God's people were held fast during the dark night of popery. The Reformation. The sixteenth-century work under Martin Luther has been pointed to as the date of the Reformation; but it may be well to observe that prior to Luther's time the Lord raised up certain reformers and that these prepared the way for the work that was consummated under Luther. Among them was John Wyclif, who was born in 1324. He was one of the greatest of the reformers before the Reformation. He was a man of great learning, and by his writings he fearlessly and successfully exposed the wicked and unchristian pretensions of popes, prelates, and Roman officers and the corruption of the Romish church. He was professor of divinity at Oxford, which university he defended against the insolent pretensions of the mendicant friars. He boldly remonstrated with the pope. Wyclif rendered to the church the greatest service that was possible in the order of instrumentality. Besides restoring the true doctrine of justification by faith in the atonement and righteousness of Christ, he translated the whole Bible into English. By the circulation of the Word of God, especially of the New Testament, a permanent foundation was laid for the future destruction of Romish idolatry and superstition. The principles of this reformer did not perish with the death of their advocate. Though his doctrines were condemned in popish counsel and his books destroyed, his bones dug up and burned to ashes, yet he had kindled a flame that continued to grow brighter and brighter until it became the blazing light of the Sixteenth Century Reformation. Among the other reformers who preceded the Reformation was John Huss. He was converted by reading the writings of Wyclif. Huss raised his voice in Bohemia a hundred years before Luther offered to speak in Saxony. He seemed to have been able to penetrate deep into the real essence of Christian truth. The flames which rose from his funeral pile kindled a fire that spread through dense darkness a distinct light, the glimmerings of which were not readily extinguished. From his dungeon he sent forth to the world words of pathetic import. He foresaw the needs of the Reformation. Among the prophetic declarations of Huss are the following: "The wicked have begun by preparing a treacherous snare for a goose; but if even the goose, which is only a domestic bird, a peaceable creature, and whose flight is not very far in the air, has nevertheless broken into their toils, other birds soaring more boldly towards the sky, will break through them with still greater force. Instead of a feeble goose, the truth will send forth eagles and keen-eyed vultures." This was fulfilled in the Reformation a hundred years later. When Huss was brought to the stake and the fagots were piled up around him, he said to those doing it, "You are now going to burn a goose [Huss signifying goose in the Bohemian language], but in a century you will have a swan, whom you can neither roast nor boil." This surely was fulfilled in Martin Luther. We might mention many other forerunners of the Reformation, but space will not permit. These men who preceded the work of Luther were only preparing the way for a mighty overturning of the powers of the papacy, a work which was effected in the Sixteenth Century Reformation. Martin Luther was born at Eisleben on Nov. 10, 1483. He was educated in the university at Erfurt. In 1507 he was ordained a priest; in 1509 he became a bachelor of theology and commenced lecturing on the Holy Scriptures. God revealed to this man the glorious truths of justification by faith. The Roman church and religion was made up largely of works, doing penance, etc. But when God revealed to the reformer the truth of justification by faith, he began to herald the same forth with all the powers and energies which God gave him. From the time he nailed the ninety-nine theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, a new epoch in the church began. Luther had a faithful colaborer by the name of Melanchthon. Their works spread rapidly over Germany. Thousands upon thousands threw away the galling yokes imposed upon them by the Catholic church and came out into the clear light. About the same time that Luther was preaching the truth revealed to him, Menno Simons came out and also began to preach salvation from sin. About this time Zwingli began to preach the truth of salvation from sin throughout Switzerland. Thus the Reformation rapidly spread in every direction. Among the noted reformers who followed |