JOHN HUSS:
TINDER OF THE REFORMATION

Although Wycliff’s contribution to the Reformation was undoubtedly tremendousand he is rightly called the Morning Star of the Reformation, it was John Huss,a disciple of Wycliffe, who is considered by many to be the most importantforerunner of the Reformation. Perhaps, this is because unlike Wycliffe, Husswas burned at the stake for what he believed, or perhaps it is because morethan 100 years later Martin Luther, the great Reformer, would call himself aHussite, but never a Wycliffite. As we continue in our series of commemorativearticles on the Reformation, I think it is needful for us to be acquainted withthis man, who became a tinder to start the slow fire which would burst inbrilliance in a hundred years. John Huss is surely standing among the greatcrowd of witnesses of just men made perfect through the blood of Christ. Let uspraise the Lord for such a man, and let us be reminded of the duty of theChristian to honour Christ above man.

Huss the Lay Man

Huss was born in Husinetz, Bohemia,part of the modern Czechoslovakia,on July 6, 1373. His father died early, but God moved a rich nobleman to payfor his expenses so that eventually his mother was able to enrol him into the University of Prague(capital of Bohemia).It was said that on the day of matriculation, his mother carried a present tothe rector of the university, but unfortunately lost it on the way. Rathergrieved by the loss, she knelt beside her son and implored upon him theblessings of the almighty God. The Lord did eventually answer her prayer, butin quite a different way from what she would have expected—a way that wouldhave pierced her heart like a sword if she had lived to witness it.

Huss led a blameless life and had a consuming passion for knowledge. He becameconspicuous as a scholarly and a good student. Two years after his graduationin 1396, he was appointed lecturer of arts; and in 1402 he became the rector ofPrague. But Godhad other plans for Huss.

Huss the Preacher

By the providence of God, in 1382, when Huss was just a boy, King Richard II ofEnglandmarried Anne of Bohemia who had a remarkable love for the Word of God. As aresult, a flood of Wycliff’s books began to pour into Bohemia. Although at this time a firmbeliever of the papacy, Huss was a faithful student of the Scriptures. He readWycliff, and under the conviction of the Holy Spirit was inwardly awakened andbecame more and more Protestant.

By God’s appointment, in the same year that Huss became rector, he also becamepreacher in a chapel, which was built by a private citizen so that the commonpeople could hear the Gospel in their own language. In those days, the wholenation had sunken to the lowest ebb of morality. King, nobles, priests andordinary citizens indulged without restraint in drunkenness, lewdness,immorality, superstition, etc. Huss preached against these sins with greatconviction and power. Moreover, although he continued to hold some of the RomanCatholic doctrines, such as the purgatory, he was clearly Protestant in most ofwhat he preached. He placed the Bible above the authority of Pope or Council;he taught that God speaks through the Bible, not through the Church; he made itclear that only Christ could forgive sins; and he emphasised preaching in thecommon language of the people and also revised a Czech translation of theBible.

Huss did not stop there. Providentially, two English theologians came to Bohemia intending tohold public debates on the matter of papal authority. Bohemia was not ready, and arrested them.Determined to carry out their mission, they persuaded their captors that theywere also students of art and asked permission to put their brushes to work.Permission granted, they began to paint on the corridor of the house they wereresiding in. They painted two sets of cartoons. The first set had Christ on oneside riding on a donkey with a crown of thorns on His head, while facing it wasthe Pope, riding on a richly adorned horse, with the triple crown of gold onhis head and a robe of purple, gold and precious stones on his back. The otherset depicted Christ on one side saying to the woman caught in adultery: “Thysins are forgiven thee,” while adjacent to it was the Pope selling Indulgencesto the people.

The truth that these cartoons eloquently proclaimed opened the eyes of Huss tothe sad condition of the Church. He began to attack the abuse of not onlyclerical but papal authority—an unpardonable sin—and thus ignited the wrath ofthe papacy.

Huss the ‘Heretic’

When Pope Alexander V heard of what was going on in Prague, he gave a mandateto the Archbishop of Prague to root out the heresies. His specific instructionwas to burn the books of any who preached in private chapels and who read thewritings or taught the opinion of Wycliffe. The Archbishop, who opposed Hussstrongly, was only too glad. More than 200 of Wycliffe’s books, beautifullyhandwritten and richly ornamented were collected and burned publicly.

This setback, however, did not smother Huss’ zeal. In fact, it inflamed hispassion for the truth and he began to attack the sale of Indulgences. When Husswas asked if he was willing to obey the Pope’s command, he replied, “Yes, sofar as they agree with the doctrine of Christ. When I see the contrary I willnot obey them, even if you burn my body.” By this assertion, Huss clearlyidentified with Wycliffe who said that if the pope or any other man contrariedChrist, then they were the enemies of Christ and must be resisted.

A second mandate arrived from Rome summoning Huss to answer for his doctrine inperson. But to obey the summon would be to walk to his grave. So, the king, thequeen, the university and many noblemen who favoured Huss greatly, sentrepresentatives to the Pope requesting him to dispense with having Huss toappear in person. The Pope refused to listen. Instead, Huss and all hisfollowers were condemned and ex-communicated. Prague was placed under aninterdict as long as they sheltered the ‘heretic.’ Soon, the city looked likeit was stricken with a terrible calamity. Churches were closed. Corpses waitingfor burial laid by the way side. The images that used to line the streets werecovered in sackcloth. In no time, many began to cry: “Let us cast out the rebelbefore we perish.” Huss was grieved. He cared for his flock, but his presencewould only entail hardship for his friends. Thus, reluctantly, Huss was forcedto leave Prague.

Back in his hometown, Huss enjoyed the protection of the territorial lord, buthis first thought was the flock which he had so lovingly nurtured. He wroteback: “I have retired, not to deny the truth, for which I am willing to die,but because impious priests forbid the preaching of it.” But retirement was thelast thing on Huss’ mind as he immediately went about preaching from village tovillage. He was followed by great crowds who hung on his words and admired hismeekness, courage and eloquence. They said, “The Church has pronounced this mana heretic, yet his life is holy, and his doctrine is pure and elevating.”

In 1414, the General Council of Constance was held; and Huss was summoned toappear before it to defend himself. Huss was promised safe conduct by EmperorSigismund; but he was arrested a month later by papal guards and thrown into aprison just beside the sewerage of a monastery. He was so laden with fettersthat he could hardly move, and every night he was fastened by his hands to aring against the wall of the prison. These, plus the damp and foul air of thecell, made Huss fall terribly sick and almost died.

The emperor’s protest against the arrest was met with: “You do not need to keepyour word given to a heretic.” Many other nobilities also interceded for Huss.Availing nothing, they began to work on trying to get him to recant, so thatthey could save his life. Huss refused: “Let them send the meanest person ofthe council, who can convince me by argument from the Word of God, and I willsubmit my judgement to him.” During the trial, it became clear that thecondemnation had already been pre-determined. Huss was shouted down when hetried to defend himself. He was accused of all sorts of heresies that he wasnot even guilty of.

Huss the Martyr

On July 4, 1415, Huss was brought for the last time before the council. He wasasked to recant, which he immediately refused. The council censured him forbeing obstinate and incorrigible, and ordered that he should be defrocked frompriesthood, his books publicly burned, and he himself delivered to the secularpower for public burning. Huss knelt down and prayed, “Lord Jesus, pardon allmy enemies for the sake of Thy great mercy….” He was disrobed; and a papercrown bearing the words “this is the arch-heretic” and depicting demons tearinghis soul was placed upon his head. Huss said, “Most joyfully will I wear thiscrown of shame for Thy sake, O Jesus, who for me didst wear a crown of thorns.”His persecutors cried, “We commit thy soul to the devil.” But Huss replied,lifting his eyes towards heaven, “And I commit my spirit into Thy hands, O LordJesus, for Thou hast redeemed me.”

Enraged, they rushed him to the spot where he was to die. Huss fell on theknees and after reciting some Psalms, cried, “Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commendmy spirit…. I am willing, patiently and publicly to endure this dreadful,shameful and cruel death for the sake of Thy Gospel and the preaching of theWord.” When the stake was driven into the ground and a chain was put around himat the stake, Huss said with a smiling countenance: “My Lord Jesus Christ wasbound with a harder chain than this for my sake: why, then should I be ashamedof this old rusty one?”

As wood and straw was piled around him and set afire, the Duke of Bavaria againasked him to abjure. He replied, “No, I never preached any doctrine of an eviltendency; and what I taught with my lips, I now seal with my blood.” Then hesaid to his executioner, “You are now going to burn a goose (the meaning of“Huss” in Bohemian), but in a hundred years you will have a swan which you canneither roast nor boil.” Huss’ words were fulfilled with prophetic accuracy,for almost exactly a century later, Luther would fan ablaze the GreatProtestant Reformation with his 95 Theses.

The torch was brought down to the hay and it began to burn as Huss sang bravelyand repeatedly, “Jesus, the Son of David, have mercy on me.” He continued untilthe flame began to lick his face, and he gave up the ghost. As the body burned,a thousand angels must have rejoiced as the goose now fly the shortest route tomeet his Master. Meanwhile, here below, the flame that burned Huss was a littlespark that would burn unhindered until it burst into a mighty flame in ahundred years. “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of theLORD shall lift up a standard against him” (Isa 59:19).

—J.J. Lim