The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-01-02

60 lrch Can Command the
~uprort ~ the Masses.
b uc regard for human free
.ignity of mere manhood
i'm tins, that Jesus would
train the acceptance or
Il belief. From out the
iuite love came the Cos
O. aud peace. In its pro-
among men, the divine
one Of ceascless, tender
Christ would draw all
u by the supreme excel
,cauty of His life. This is
RS perfect appeal TO the
,Iment Of the beautiful and
Try heart, upon which ra-
He would save all mon
teacher, was never cruel
ut. He sought not to pun
IS cruciliers; but with the
Illng love, He recognized
mess and intCrceded for
IN.
Growth Of corruption and
IN the church, There
says Neander, "a reac-
Christian consciousness
cd after freedom Chris
aiming after freedom, its
IN the face of the church
udiug on the side of men .
al. and physical slavery,
upprtss it. This reaction
uually bursting forth un-
lel its triumph IN the re-
Let us see what treat
out Of joint with the
,cso apostles of the refor-
.cived at the hands of the
hmch of Christ.
hurch in England in the
lry, John Richard Green
ger had her moral or spir-
t. been less; never had her
N greater" She owned
oue-third the land of the
ler revenue was twice that
=. The controlling church
worldly, wealthy, luxuri-
orupt; and they looked
mpt upon the poorer and
y and the oppressed mass
y about them. Upon such
his, when the corruption
rch and "the tyranny of
zen as ever reused the de-
'gialism,' England heard
( John Wyclif, o man of
,th, intense piety, and un-
rity of life. He pleaded
y livi.s ana unsparingly
10 abuses of the church
that the civil authority
red as the ecclesiastical
ned the direct relation anC
lity OF man to God, which
e swept away the whole
bric of a mediating priest
he desired that the churct
lntailly return to its orr
rty. He was 1.-The first re
ays Green, "who dared
ted aud alone, to question
the creed Of Christendon
N, to break through thu
Of the past, and with hi:
to assert the freedom oI
hought against the dog
church. "Cited for tria
op, rchbishop and pope
nd condemned by the
his teaching "Sinct
made a hereto of Christ
t is an easy inference fol
unit simple Christians he
laving written defiantly
, that "Christ during Hli
all men the poorest, cast
.Im all worldly authority
death he was released
ehurch's further persecu
9 afterward this samt
yearniug after freedom
| enslaving church brok'
hemia. A succession o
Il faithful preachers cul
John Huss, the leader o
lian Reformation in tn
of the 10Th century. ''H
himself says French
iligence in breaking tn
fe to the hungry souls an
IS IN rebuking vice in hig
n low. So long as he con
# olf to reproving the sins @
eaving those of the clerg
., unassailed, he found Iii
ion, nay, rather suppo,
Use from these. But whe
Drought them also with
of his condemnation ar
pbraid them for their co
their ambition, their lu
sloth, and for other vice
led angrily upon hir
g spreading reports OF Il
SIS of his teaching" t
G corrupt practices of Il
Ter most sensitive part, tt
licences as q source of re
ereupor he was prompt
icated and the curse of Il
lounced upon every pla'
/ give him shelter. SUI
fore the council of tt
'ch at Constance to answ'
Mons, after seven month
lprisonment he obtained
This was no more than
er to recant. If he hs
lis convictions and retrac
ching, the church wou'
@ granted him the freedo
ering slave. But like
iod, John Huss, with dii
sc and meekness," refuse
He was promptly co,
I heresy, sentenced to
the stake, and on the 6t
10, gave up his life in IL
the Holy Church kindls
/. To break the force
Ic, the chnrch for twen'
pit Bohemia with fire ar
with blood.
st decade of the 10Th ce.
city of Florence in TIA
he form of q republi
liberties, in fact, we
he hands of her ruler, L
Magnificent. Florentil
8 utterly selfish and diss