, 1880-12-05


yout theologlan, lie more and more came to
the front as radical and devout Church
Kefor1ner. He had felt the power of the
Scriptures to exalt and cheer the human
make Gad's Word accessible to all, and
this burning impulse was carried out to a
successful end. How far he himself trans
lated its books Is not wholly certain. That
NOW me Of sf the rse SEEMS
10 have led the way to the rest The Apoca-
lypse, with its incessant attraction for spirits
like his in times like those, WIS probably the
first Of the books TO engage his hand: Others
rendered by himself, doubtless with partial
aid from friends; the Old Testament proba-
biy i'll good part by Nicholas Hereford. an
Intimate friend and co-lab0rer with him. He
rested in the work and the rest to have been
done by another, probably by Wyc1itfe.
OF course all the translatlons had to be
made from the Latin OF Jerome, the Hebrew
alld Greek being almost unknown. It was,
in other words, the version Of d version, and
so exposed to peculiar inperfection. But 1t
must be remembered that Jerome had had
early Greek manuscripts, earlier than any
known until recently to the scholars Of En-
rope. and that so III translating him Wyclltfe
stood but Us one remove from the originals,
while his perfect acquaintance with the
Latin gave him ample opportunity to make
his translation energetic and full as an En-
giish equivalent; He completed 1t PEI, probably l.1
copies Vt it were rapidly made by the hands
of skilled and eager Scrlbe5.
But Wyclitfe himself, 10 doubt, was aware
that the work had been too rapidly done for
its highest value or best effect and planned
the revision, at once cOnlmenced, which
finally appeared from the hand OF John kur-
yey, in 4. u. 1855, four wears after the mas
tcr's death. Of this, nearly or quite hun
dred and fifty manuscripts remain, in whole
;,, r+ 4trifta1t m, tet1tfn with
/ elaborate care, to be the possession of
| churches, or the wealthy, and not ~
few bearing the marks Of long use
| and Of the conceaments into which
! these were written within forty years after
| Wyciitfe's death; and it we remember what
| careful. destructive search for them was
! made III the day Of persecution, how many
the fires uf war, how mary, were burned,
with those who had read them, on pub!ic
squares, how many probably wait to DC dis
| covered, We shall see how extraordinary
their number at first must have been. Only
spirit intense and determined could have
| driven so swiftly So many pens:
| The subsequent months Of Wyclitfe's life
| were like the stormy afternoon, whose tcrou-
| lance ceases, whose gloolns are scattered N
the sunsets golden tranquility. An ecc!esl-
the Earthquake Counci!,' because it was
| shaken by Il trclnble of the planet-con.
| tenned his doctrines, but left him untouched
| apparently because Of the spirit of the Com
mons. Oxford repelled or evasled the at.
lacks repeated upon him, but at last yielded
to a Royal mandate. and his long con
| alect1on with it was closed. III November
| 4. u. 1882 lie seeuS to have again defended
his doctrine before the Provincial Synod III
| London, and again to have escaped personal
assault The weight Of his character III the
country was too great. his following was too
large to be challenged without danger. 4
vigorous memorial addressed to Parliament
! against the English crusade for Urban was
one ut his last public papers, though many
brief tracts were written and distributed to
the end nf his life. and his sermons Went
forth as leaves OH the wind. Three hundred
of them still remain.
! lie expected nlartyrdon,, and others as
surely expected it for him. But he was OF
that iron temper which ire hardens into
steel; his courage mounted with occasion :;
and lie found it rs true i'll his own time as 1t
ever had been, i" the nearer the Sword, the
| nearer to God" In point of fact lie was
/ never subjected to blade or brand. lie
wrought iii patience at his reetory, making
it centre Of impulse to England, He stood
to his convictions, though the Pope, again
tiaunt fell from his side, till 4 stroke Of
paralysis second time sMote him, as lsa was
engaged in Divine offices, on the day OF the
IIoly 1nnocellts, at the close Of the year l3sa
and on the final day Of that year, as reckoneli
by us. he passed out OF earthly struggle and
l. care, and entered his immortal rest