The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-03-20
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER V-CONTINUED.

1t seemed To alleCl lIe tIuitH "i'hO' ~
is not difficult to see how it brought
him at once into contact and conflict
with the political system. 1t Is pos
sible that it was the political problem
Of the relation of the kingdom to the
papacv. on which he was consulted as
"A learned doctor, that started Wyclliie
on his career as a reformer. But be
this AS it may, his theories, when fully
developed and pushed ardently INTO
practice, had much more wide reaching
political consequences. All the serv-
ants of Christ, he held, all ministers
Of religion, all teachers and exemplars
of the teaching of Holy Writ, should
subsist on voluntary aims worldly
possessions stifed and choked their
spiritual usefulness Now in his time
a fourth, or even third, of all the
land OF England was held by the
Church and religious orders. What was
to be done with it if its present holders
were dispose, Wycliffe proved by
elaborate argument that secular author
ity not only might lawfully take pos
session of all this wealth, but was
bound in duty TO SO do, men Of religion
holding it contrary to the rule of
Christ. But for whose use should 1t be
appropriated? On this point also Wy
cliffe's teaching was clear and emphat-
ic. All the worldly wealth of the
Church and the orders, beyond what
sutficed for simple maintenance, be-
6 ~,
religion were but the proctors of the
poor in their tenure of it, and were act
ing rs fraudulent trustees when they
spent it on sumptuOus buildings, rich
fare, large retinues, or coarse sensual
ity, while the poor wandered houseless,
ate and slept with the swine, tottered
about with naked sides and shaking
lips and hands. He specified two uses
to which the wealth of worldly clerks
and ieigned religious" might be turned
Partly it should be given to secular
lords, who should in return give to the
poor protection and equitable govern
ment, and partly it should be seized
to meet the expenses of just and neces-
sary wars. Wycliffe did not hesitate
10 urge that for this national purpose
shrines should be stripped, and the
waste treasure hung on stocks and
stones used for the defence of the
realm.
1t was this last doctrine that brought
Wycliffe and the poor priests, whom he
sent forth as models of true Christian
priesthood, into vital contact with the
practical politics of time when all
classes OF the laity were grooming
uhnder the burden of unprecedentedly
heavy taxation. Especially the poor
est, who had hitherto escaped direct
taxation, were likely to receive this
new gospel with gladness. Wycliffe' S
heresies on accommodation and trans
substantiation and other points of
church doctrine might interest theo-
logians only: here was doctrine that
the poorest understanding could grasp
"A basis from which his disciples
could act with powerful effect on the
masses of the people.
1t must not be supposed that all the
agitators of the time, whose teaching
correspondent more or less with Wy
cliffe's, were direct disciples of his.
The heresy was in the air. what he
chiefly did was to furnish it with a
reasoned foundation in Scripture and
the dicta of the fathers and doctors OF
the Church.
Ralph Hardelot, as we have said
joined the merchants party as they
rode out of Sudbury, waiting for them
and cantering up to meet them.
The merchant looked narrowly a,
his eager features, as if to divine what
strength and temper lay behind.
"You have left off your priest
dress" said the merchant with smile
as an excuse for the closeness of his in
spection, "unless | was deceived by the
twilight last night"
"Oh," replied Ralph, "we poor
priests set little store by the fashion OF
our clothing. put on our russell habit
only because without it / could not sc
readily get an audience. The people
are not used to preaching from any one
in an ordinary layman's dress. | shall
put it on again when | have need Of
it,"
As they rode along, the merchant
who was apparently inclined to be dis
putatious as well as inquisitive, re-
sumed one of the topics they had beer
discussing in the Friars' meadow.
"You spoke last night" he began
sin strong contempt and apprehension O
the purely contemplative life, anc
quoted the opinion that the man whC
withdraws from the world and give,
himself entirely to prayer and devou
meditation is guilty of the loss of al
many souls as he might have saved i
he had remained in the world anC