Justin Martyr (d. 165)⤒🔗

This celebrated Christian philoso­pher and martyr suffered shortly af­ter Polycarp. He had been favored with the best education the times could afford. He was a great lover of truth and a universal scholar. He had investigated the different systems of philosophy then in vogue. He had also travelled into Egypt where a po­lite tour for improvement was made in that age. He was especially con­versant with the Platonic philoso­phy, which he had embraced and in which he took great delight. When about thirty years of age, he became a convert to Christianity, and soon after wrote an elegant epistle to the Gentiles to convert them to the Christian faith. He likewise em­ployed his talents to convince the Jews of the truth of the Christian doctrines. After travelling for some time, he at length fixed his resi­dence in Rome. Here he addressed to the Emperor Antonius, to the senate and people, an apology in favor of the persecuted Christians. This apology, it is said, displayed great learning and genius, and in­duced the emperor to publish an edict in favor of the Christians.

A short time after, he entered into a controversy with Crescens, a per­son of vicious life, but a celebrated cynic philosopher. His arguments only exasperated the philosopher and he determined upon Justin Mar­tyr's destruction. An occasion to ac­complish this was soon offered. Two Christians, being put to death, Justin wrote a second apology, commenting upon the severities exercised towards them. His cynic antagonist seized upon the opportunity to prejudice the mind of the emperor against him. He was accordingly appre­hended and commanded to deny his faith and to sacrifice to the gods. This he firmly refused to do; and after being scourged he was finally beheaded, and thus suffered martyr­dom for the truth.

Julian of Cilicia (d. 200)←⤒🔗

Julian, according to St. Chrysos­tom, having been apprehended for being a Christian and frequently tor­tured, remained inflexible in his de­termination to die rather than renounce Christ. He was frequently brought out of prison, but as often was returned to suffer still greater cruelties. He was at length obliged to travel for twelve months at a time, from town to town, to be exposed to the insults of the populace. When all these efforts to make him recant his religion had failed, and he seemed as fixed as ever in his faith, he was brought before the judge, stripped naked, and scourged in a most ter­rible manner. But all without effect; nor did he shrink even when he was thrust into a leather bag together with a number of scorpions, ser­pents, and other venomous reptiles. In this, the most shocking of all con­ditions, he was thrown into the sea. In the midst of all, and to the very last, his constancy was unshaken.

John Huss (c. 1372-1415)←⤒🔗

John Huss was born at Hussenitz, in Bohemia, in the year 1380. Early in life he gave evidence of uncom­mon endowments. He became bachelor of divinity in 1398, and was soon after chosen pastor of the church of Bethlehem, in Prague, and dean and rector of the university. He enjoyed here the highest reputation — as well for the sanctity of his life and the purity of his doctrines, as for his sound achievements in knowl­edge. The light of reformation which Wycliffe had kindled in England had shone into Bohemia; and great numbers of the people received the doctrines he taught with joy and gladness. In the breast of Huss these doctrines found a ready and earnest response, and in 1407 he began openly to preach them to his flock. The archbishop of Prague, finding the reformists daily increasing, is­sued a decree for the suppression of Wycliffe's writings, but this only stimulated the friends of reform to still greater activity. Huss, in par­ticular, opposed the decree of the archbishop, and with some other members of the university appealed his decision.

The affair being made known to the pope, he granted a commission to Cardinal Colonna to cite John Huss to appear personally at the court of Rome to answer the accusa­tions laid against him — of preaching both errors and heresies. Huss de­sired to be excused from a personal appearance, and was so greatly fa­vored in Bohemia, that king Win­ceslaus, the queen, the nobility and the university desired the pope to dispense with such an appearance.

Three proctors appeared for Huss before cardinal Colonna. They en­deavored to excuse his absence, and said they were ready to answer in his behalf. But the cardinal de­clared Huss stubbornly disobedient and excommunicated him accord­ingly. From this unjust sentence, Huss appealed to a future council, but without success. Notwithstand­ing so severe a decree, and in con­sequence an expulsion from his church in Prague, he retired to Hussenitz, his native place, where he continued to promulgate his new doctrine, both from the pulpit and with the pen.

In the month of November, 1414 a general council was assembled at Constance, in Germany, in order, as was pretended, for the sole purpose of determining a dispute then pending between three persons who contended for the papacy. But the real motive was to crush the progress of the Hussite movement.

John Huss was summoned to ap­pear at this council, and to encour­age him the emperor sent him a safe-conduct. The civilities, and even reverence, which Huss met with on his journey were beyond imagination. The streets and some­times the very roads were lined with people, which respect rather than curiosity had brought to­gether. He was ushered into the town with great acclamations, and it may be said that he passed through Germany in a kind of tri­umph. He could not help express­ing his surprise at the treatment he received. "I thought," said he, "I had been an outcast. I now see my worst friends are in Bohemia."

As soon as Huss arrived at Con­stance, he took lodgings in a remote part of the city. When it was known that he was in the city, he was im­mediately arrested, and committed as a prisoner to a chamber in the palace. This violation of common law and justice was particularly no­ticed by one of Huss's friends who urged the imperial safe-conduct. But the pope replied that he never granted any safe-conduct, nor was he bound by that of the emperor.

While Huss was in confinement, the council acted the part of inquisi­tors. They condemned the doctrines of Wycliffe and even ordered his remains to be dug up and burned to ashes, which orders were strictly complied with. In the meantime, the nobility of Bohemia and Poland strongly interceded for Huss. They prevailed so far as to prevent his being condemned unheard, which had been resolved on by the com­missioners appointed to try him.

When he was brought before the council, the articles exhibited against him were read. They were upwards of forty in number and chiefly extracted from his writings.

After his examination, he was taken from the court, and a resolution was formed by the council to burn him as a heretic if he would not retract. He was then committed to a filthy prison where, in the daytime, he was so laden with fetters on his legs that he could hardly move; and every night he was fastened by his hand to a ring against the walls of the prison.

After continuing some days in this situation, many noblemen of Bohe­mia drew up a petition for his release, which was presented to the council.

Four bishops and two lords were sent by the emperor in order to prevail on Huss to recant. But he called God to witness, with tears in his eyes, that he was not conscious of having preached or written against the truth of God.

On the fourth of July, Huss was brought, for the last time, before the council. After a long examination, he was desired to abjure, which he re­fused without the least hesitation. The bishop of Lodi then preached a sermon concerning the destruction of heretics — the prologue to his intended punishment. After the close of the sermon, his fate was determined, his vindication disregarded, and judgment was pronounced. Huss heard this sentence without the least emotion. At the close of it he knelt down, with his eyes lifted towards heaven and, with all the magnanimity of a primitive martyr, thus exclaimed: "May Thy infinite mercy, 0 my God, pardon this injustice of mine enemies! Thou knowest the injustice of my accusations — how deformed with crimes I have been represented; how I have been oppressed with worthless witnesses and a false condemnation. Yet, 0 my God, let that mercy of Thine, which no tongue can express, prevail with Thee not to avenge my wrongs!"

These excellent sentences were es­teemed as so many expressions of treason, and tended to inflame his adversaries. Accordingly, the bishops appointed by the council stripped him of his priestly garments, de­graded him, and put a paper mitre on his head, on which was painted dev­ils, with this inscription, "A ringleader of heretics."

After the ceremony of degrada­tion was over, the bishops delivered Huss to the emperor who put him into the hands of the duke of Bavaria. His books were burned at the gates of the church, and on the sixth of July he was led to the suburbs of Constance to be burned alive. On his arrival at the place of execution, he fell on his knees, sung several por­tions of the Psalms, looked steadfastly towards heaven, and repeated these words: "Into Thy hands, 0 Lord, do I commit my spirit: Thou hast re­deemed me, 0 most good and faithful God. Lord Jesus Christ, assist and help me, that, with a firm and pre­sent mind, by Thy most powerful grace, I may undergo this most cruel and ignominious death to which I am condemned for preaching the truth of Thy most holy gospel."

When the chain was put about him at the stake, he said, with a smiling countenance, "My Lord Je­sus Christ was bound with a harder chain than this for my sake, and why then should I be ashamed of this rusty one?"

When the fagots were piled up to his very neck, the duke of Bavaria was so officious as to desire him to abjure. "No," said Huss, "I never preached any doctrine of an evil tendency; and what I taught with my lips I now seal with my blood." He then said to the executioner, "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." If this were prophetic, he must have meant Martin Luther, who shone about a hundred years after and who had a swan for his arms.

The flames were now applied to the fagots, when our martyr sung a hymn with so loud and cheerful a voice that he was heard through all the cracklings of the combustibles and the noise of the multitude. At length his voice was interrupted by the severity of the flames, which soon closed his existence.