The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-12-06 00:00:00

TTIE STOIIBI3ItIDGE 013SEBVER:7 Trr

known before, and, being anxious that others
should share in that peace, he promulgated the
new doctrine to the best of hisLability. While
these startling eeents were taking place in the
Univiresitieo, young Latimer, for his adhesion to
Popery, -aza made cross-bearer. He had publicly
c'sallengel 3,r:tremor of his own college, and
wac Qsa c-igaged in controverting the state-
meats cf L:elanethon and other eminent divines.
.Tha boorish etturch was looking forward with
feelingo of high hope to the future of this ear-
Usat yoang man, whom they thoroughly believed
leelt.ls be able to successfully champion their
Cr_uEe against Luther, who was making sad
havol amongst their reeks on the continent.
Fortunately, an occurrence which took place
this time, upset all their calculations. Dr. Bin-
uey, hearieg that Latimer was making himself
conopicuous in opposing the doctrines of the
Bele...niers, determined within himself to bring
him to a knowledge of the truth. He went to
Latimer and asked him if he would hear his
confession. Latimer agreed to do this, and
Binney told him the history of his early life, of
the e
e could
artd sufficient glo be
sbadbeandt
couragewithi to opennhimselfbeftchree
h
book, and of the words that he saw there, He
told him of his trust in Jesus, and of the peaoe
peat all understanding which had come into his
heart. Latimer was touched. honey seeing
this, den near to him and spoke to him, and
Latimer wile converted. God scattered the
darkness, and in after years he declared that he
euffte (roux that confession, than he had
from all the books he had ever read. Now that
he hell become a Reformer, fie evinced the same
determination of manner which had previously
oharacterieed him, and began at once to preach
the doctrines which he had formerly so bitterly
opposed, oud they found him very quickly hur-
riei into the strife of the religious arena. Whilst
thus engaged he did not neglect the works of
Christianity. Lie, in company with sOine of his
friends, visited the inmates of the wad houses,
the laser houses, and the prisons, and adininis-
tered to them words of consolation and comfort.
Everywhere he was eagerly listened to by thou- '
sands. At length the Roiuish church deter- :
mined to make an effort to stem the tide of his
growing popularity, and for this purpose they ,
set up e wan to oppose hint. An ignorant and
untieide
tphreoupilemiponit !Ludo
stormedutedFri are
r,klaiuneektju
said that it was not a fit" book ,to put into the
the Bible, in°
hands of the common people, as they would
take it literally, and consequently great coufu-
siou would result. To illustrate this he said
that a ploughman reading in the Gospel that a
man having put his band to the plough should
not turn back, would straightway leave his team
in the field. An ignorant Luau seeing the words
" thy right eye offend thee, pluck' it out and
east it from thee," might pluck out his eye.
Another, in accordance with the text, would cut
hie right arm off, and thus, the world would
80011 become peopled with cripples; or the
baker, acting upon the passage with reference
to the "leaven," might give them insipid bread.
Latimer heard the sermon, and on the followiug
Sunday he turned the tables upon the Friar with
confusion. He told them they were not to take
such passages as those referred to in a literal
sense. They were only images or figures of
speech. For instance, if they were to see a fox
preaching under a Friar's hood they must not
think it was a fox, but, rather, that it was only
meant to represent the craft that was amongst
many of them. With language like this he
exposed the fallacies upheld by Friar Bucking-
ham, and the diguaturies of the !lowish church
soon discovered what a fatal error they had
made when they pitted the ignorant Friar
against a man like Letinier. All other means
having failed, they came to the usual resource
of the Romish church—they began to persecute
him bitterly. Popery has no moral power, but
it has an arm of strength, which a long and
bitter experience had taught them how to use.
If they could not convince their opponents they
could burn them. Through the influence of the
Hornish bishop of the diocese, he was turned out
of his church. Excluded from the church, he
preached in shedges, and other places in the
open-air, until at length a church Web opened
to him which was not under the jurisdiction of
the bishop woo had opposed ham. lu 1526 the
hook of Erattneus Wee being sold in England.
Slowly, but surely, were the books spreading
which were to carry peace and joy to the most
dibtint and darkest uatioas of the esrth, and
their advent everywhere wrought a greet change
amongst the people. At length they found out
that Popery consisted of uothiug else but super-
etitious quackery and sham. The priests, seeing
the danger they were in, appealed to the King
to prohibit the use of the Bible. Latimer also
appealed to the King in opposition to this, and
it Was not long after this before Henry broke
the papal power in England, and a member of
the Ite formed Cuurch became the King's adviser.
Latimer was appointed to a church, but was
shortly afterwards cited to appear in London to
answer a charge cf heresy, for though the King
had defied the papal power, he had not yet die-
carded the whole of the Burnish doctrines.
When Latimer arrived in London, the arch-
bishop asked him to subscribe to the "Six Arti-
cles,' but Latimer refused to do so, and was
eventually permitted to depart unmolested. His
old enemy the Idshop, however, continued to
persecute him, until mu 1533 tie Was appointed to
the See of Worcester. In 1530 he Was Kell-
mooed to attend Parliament, and his enemies
sought his ruin; but ha vain. Gardiner accused
him Of preaching sedition. Latimer success-
fully rebutted the charge, and told the King the
doctrines he preached at Worcester, were the
same which he advocated before his Majesty;
and that he was deserving of praise rather than
censure. The King was pleased and smiled, and
his enemies defeated. Shortly after this, his
health failing him, he gave up his bishopric and
retired into private life. He was not, however,
allowed to rest. He was again sent for, and his
implacable enemy Gardiuer had him imprison: d
in the Towt.r, because he would not pollute his
conscience, and give into the mummeries of
Home. When Henry died, for u time the perse-
station of the Reformers ceased, and he was set
at liberty. Mary now sat upon the English
throne, and l'opery again gained the asseud-
attcy. Latimer knew what to expect, and a
friend having privately intimated to bitn that he
was to be again stuuthoued to London, be put
everythiug in readiness for his departure. The
messengers who Caine for him were surprised
to flint that he Wai already prepared. Ho said
that he doubted not that God who had enabled
him to witness bolero two princes (Henry VIII.
and Edward VI.) would euable hid' to witness
before a third. On the did of September, 1555,
he anti Dr. Ridley were brought before their
jedges. Hero, they had got to time second stage
of House's dealing with heretics. The denunci-
ations of Rome had failed to terrify him; there
remained but one thiug, and that was to burn
him. Accordingly, they ordered him to be
burned at Smithfield, where so many martyrs
had already been sacrificed. With most exein-
platy courage ho and Ridley set out for this
place. The latter led the way, dressed in the
rod habit he used to wear when a bishop, whilst
Latimer was very poorly clad. When they came
to the plate) of execution they knelt down to
pray, and Latimer Haiti to his.companion, " Be
of good cheer, Mr. Ridley, for God will either
put out the flame, or give us strength to bear
this." A Reman divine preached a sermon
whilst the final preparations were hying made.
At length • lighted faggot was put at Dr. Rid•
lay's feet. Latimer exclaimed," Cheer up Mr.
Ridley, and be • moan; for we shall this day light
up such a candle as shall never be extinguished."
And saying, " Father, receive my spirit," he
passed away without exhibiting any p tin. Thus
Humanism thought to burn out the heresy by
burning the heretic, but the blood of the mar-
tyrs had 'always been the seed of the church.
there was yet extant a record upon ti e bill of
charges for burning these two martyrs, such as
" For three loads of faggots to burn Latimer
and Ridley, 3s; item, two challis, to 41 ;" and
soon, the total amount being £1 5s 24 for burn-
ing two of the greatest mon this country ever
?taw. But was this all it cost the llornish
church ? No. It lost them their prestige in
England • it cost them the fairest gem that
ever studded the Papal crown, The lecturer
then proceeded to point out the many useful and
practical lessons to be derived from the life of
Latimer. He urged the young men present, if
they wished to get on in the world, to imitate his
perseverance and application. It was not only
those who possessed genius who made their way.
The race was not always to the swift, nor the
battle to the strong; and in like manner, it was the
man of steady, persevering habits that was gene-
rally most successful. It would not do to sit down
and dream of future greatness. A crossing.
sweeper who did that would die with the bosom in
his hand. A carpenter of that temperament would
go on sawing and planing to the end of his days,