The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-16

such man ever lived; one history quotes
words from one mouth which another his
tory puts into an entirely different mouth !:
one history AYERS that Martin Luther thi ew
his ink bottle at an apparition of the devil
in his room. another denies il. One history
gives one date Tor the birth Of Wyc.iff.
have attributed to John Calvin doctrines
that he combated all his life. What is the
history in this array OF histories? History
is true, but all histories cannot be truo.
What John the Baptist was to the Mes
siah, John Wycliff was to the Ref
ormation. His native hills, his time. his
family. his reading, AL had their influence
In fitting the young man for his life-work.
He never left the Church of Rome 1t IS a
mistake to suppose that there was no gooG,
and that there were no good men in the
roman hierarchy. even in its most corrupt
Gays, and could the church have been puri-
Ned without disruption it is not probable
thet there would be the divisions among
Christians that to-day exist but instead OF
taking steps for the pur.ricauon of the
church and a reforma ton of the abuses of
It's power the Popes sought TO suppress. by
force. all efforts for a return to the en-
nobling principles of the primitive church as
organized by Christ and the apostles
In Johr Wyclif's day the church might
have been purified by purging out the evil.
In Martin Luther's day. the time for the
application of such a remedy was past,
ana the only way remaining Tor a restora-
no, non 81 primitive forms ana primitive pie:y
vas the secession of the spiritually devout
from the established church.
GOOD cltizenSn,D is not mere modern
product OF Chr .stianity. 1t has ever been
leSltlmate fruit ef pure religion. wyclitf
was not ONLY Christian but a patriot
t Mnen me POPE sought to compel tribute
from the English people. 1t WAS the brave
Nycnh tEat came forth to the defense of
Tile Inert eS of ms people.
AS memoer OF Parliament Wycliff
succeeded in resisting the papal claim ana
became tnenceforth Ino-e p.puiar not only
with the people. who hailed him as a de-
render OF their liberties, buy with most
IN h..
land. "
But Wycliffs great work was not DO
itic9l, but spiritual. With advancing years
IHere came 10 MIN a clearer vision OF the
purer gospel and he became a preacher of
justification by faith in Jesus Christ, and In
HIM alone. "''N '''
'lncensed at his political and doct-;nal
punish the Ieformer. but his influence upon
The hearts of the loyal English people was
greater than that of the Pope niinseif
ana bulls OF accommodation and orders
Tor his Imprisonment fell alike harmless
to the ground
in his gift to the English people of the
English Bible, Wyclim left a heritage of
read of an at1nement for sin; there they
read OF the resurrection power of the
Christ: there they read Of the One Medl-
ator between God and man and their souls
Were satisfied The scales OF superstition
fell from their priest-blinded eyes, and they
saw Jesus only.
Gladly would Wycliff have suffered the
crown. but God had not reserved such an
END Tor his servant. He peacefully passed.
away on the last day of the year 1884 his
mes work completed with the year."