The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-19
JOHN WYCbIFFE' life
Morning Star Of the Reformation Being Dead,
He Yet Speaks.
able LECTURE OF DR.. M'LEOD
Striking Tribute Paid to WYcliffe's
Greatness-He Lived to Some Pur-
pose, and Was Deemed Worthy of
High Honor-Lecture Series of
Christian Characters Being Re-
ceiyed With Much Favor.

ShTISIldn OldTdGleTS pelhB me-
ceyed With Much Favor.
That the series Of lectures being
given Mt the First Presbyterian church
by its pastor, Rev. James McLsol. ID.
D., Rre being received with favor, was
evidenced by the interest shown in last
nights lecture, John Wyclitfe, the
Morning Star of the Reformation"
The salient points are presented below.
The Introductory lecture of tho
series, which is confined to great religi-
ous characters, was delivered Sunday,
March II, and, following last nights
subject, will be presented the follow
ing, according to announcement
John Wyclitfe and the Bible" John
Huss. John Calvin, John Knox,
"iohn Wesley" and John Bunysn." "
Lust nights text was from Hebrews
xi 4: "lio being dead. yet speaketh,
Introductory to his discourse, DR..
Mcleod said:
"Woueei not spend any time in try.
ing to discover either the data or tho
place Of the birth of John Wyclitfs.
Both are Involved in obscurity IL is
said that he WAS born in Yorkshire in
1924. hut. at best, that is only Il guess.
There were no family Bibles in those
days. in which to keep the family re-
cord but Wyciitfs gave the Bible TO
the people" Then hs continued:
WHAT wYCLIFT& GAVE ENGLAND.
What DR.. Dollingor has said of Luther's
Influence in Germany might with equal
propriety bo said Of Wyclift's influence
IN England; Tho mind and heart Of the
English wore in Wyclife's hands as the
Tyre III the hands of the musician. Did he
not give to his nation more than any other
man IN Christian times eyer gave to ma.
tion-language, books for all, and espec-
tally the Bible . Others were
stammering, he spoke; he alone it is who
has impressed the neifaceable stamp Of his
genius not only upon the English language,
but also upon the English mind. And even
those who detest him from the depths Of
their souls "a the mighty hereto aud the
seduCer Of the English people, arc forced
TO speak In his words and think with his
thoughts
If it be true that Chaucer is the father
Of English poetry it Is no less true that
Wycntfe is tho father of English prose.
Indeed, an Oxford professor, Montagu
| Burrows, does not hesitate to affirm that
TO Wychtfe, more than to any one person
that can be mentioned, We owe our Eng
| lish language, our English Bible, aud oar
reformed religion. Dr. Dolliuger calls
| WyChifa "thc English precursor of Prot
| estautism;' and 70 good an authority as
| Archbishop Trench calls him "lhe spIr-
| itual Ancestor of the Puritans." If this
/ h4 fl4p tlsrA "a FRUpnrtlnu a
| tween Wychtfe and tho Pilgrim fathers
| which ought not to be overlooked.
VIEWS on CHURCH DOCTRINE,
That Wycliffe was stalwart Protestant
| is beyond all question. His views Of
| church doctrine and Of church authority
are in the main as orthodox and as evan
! geiict as are those Of any Protestant
| church today. Indeed, there Is good rea-
son to believe that the oxford professor OF
| 1860 was more orthodox than some Oxford
professors of 1869, or 1894. DR.. Wycliffe
! was surely quite as orthodox and quite as
! evangelical as Dr. Pdsey ani ha was
! certainly quite as pronounced Protes-
tant II Is in view OF his sterling Protc ,-
tantism and true-blue Puritouism tnat DR..
| Trench expresses his gratitude that the
reformation did not take place under him,
! but was postponed until the time OF
/ Luther.
In his judgment Puritan reformation
under Wyclffe would have deprived the
Episcopal church Of its Catholic ele-
ment." In our judgment, and taking into
account the great success Of other Protest
ant churches, such q deprivation would
have been no great loss, but rather great
gain in every way. At all events, does
not the good bishop place far too high u
value upon that Catholic element which
is found in the Anglican communion?
AS PATRIOT AND PROTESTANT
Wyclffe was a patriot as we'll rs
! Protestant. He loved his country ant
hence he stood with Edward III and his
barOns against the imperious demands and
| usurpatiOus Of Urban Y aud his vassals
His mission TO Brnges was patriotic mis-
sion. His bitter opposition TO the frar.
| meuGicants was on patriotic as well as on
| religious grounds. He believed in CivI
liberty as well as in religious liberty. He
had no sympathy with that craven coward
King John, and he urged parliament to
hold fast the Magma Charta which had
been wrung from Johns unwilling hands.
In the days OF Wycliffe, Rome Clung witt
the utmost tenacity to the doctrine that
she had the divine right, and therefore the
|
She believed then, as she believes now,
that kings should be her vassals, and thai
republics should be her obedient servants,
and that it ia rank heresy to deny to tn,
pope his claim 10 universal empire. This !,
true Notwithstanding the apparent dis
Claimer OF the recent sO-Called plenary
council held in Baltimore "VatiCanism'
is fact in history which no pastora
epistle can change. Even in tho ettei
sent out with the authority OF the coun
Gil there is abundance Of room left to writ
between the lines The authors Of tha
letter are not strangers to Delphi.
WHAT wYCLIFFE FOUGHT AGAINST.
After discussing the protest OF the
Catholic hierarchy of America against
the charge that they are not patriotic
and loyal to the United States, ant
quoting from Historian Bancroft with
regard to the attituds Of the vatican
towards the confederate states durinl
the late war, DR. Mcleod concluded a.
follows:
Now this interference of churchly powe
with the affairs of state was one of tn
things against which Wycliffo fought 81
strenuously and 20 successfully. He rec
ognized the Pope's spiritual authority n
far as no could consistently, bat he denied
his civil jurisdiction; aud the battles h
wagcd IN behalf Of both civil and religion
liberty in parliament, in oxford, il
Druges, in his parish at Lutterworth b,
his preaching, by his pamphlets, by tn
missionary work Of his ''poor priests" an,
especially by his giving to the people tn
Bible in their own language, prove him Il
have been clear headed statesman, n tru
patriot and u right royal Protestant,
Special Bargains
In organs slightly used. Must be sold FOL
want Of room.
| IL. l-LL uE.L