The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-11-07

100000 AAO AScCut1O0.
About this time Martin Luther had
the Romish Church and the Tnitas
fratrum lost no time in giving him
and in getting on
1endi terms with him. They pre-
senteo him with a copy Of their con-
lesson or faith and received his ad-
wee and counsel gladly. He approved
their doctrine and complimented them
upon their discipline.
hardly had the light of the Refor-
| matiSn shone over Bohemia when
Luke OF Prague died and John Au-
suSta became the real leader of the
church. ndowe with strong natur-
al gifts, he became Bohemia's most
distinguished preacher, earning the
name OF the Bohemian b He
greatly strengthened the political in
Iuence Of the church. Under his
leadership for a time peace and plen-
ty relgned and the borders Of the
church were extended on every hand.
Scattered throughout the country
were four hundred places of wor-
snip with two hundred thousand
members. and famous schools, patron
lzed by the leading nobility of the
n enhanced the influence Of the
Cnltas Fratrum. The greatest mobiles
OF Bohemia had been brought into
the church while the people loved it
n it looked at one time as if it
might some day become the national
perity was Of short duration. for Fer
dinand. King of Bohemia, angered
because Of the lack Of support from
members Of the church which he had
expected in time Of war, issued an
edict that the Brethren (members
of the Unitas Fratrum) should join
the Roman Catholic Church or leave
the country forever within six weeks.
The Brethren chose banishment rath-
er thar apostasy. By the thousands,
all along the roads leading toward
Poland. in caravans with wagons for
the women and children and weaker
ones they marched to their exile with
songs as in a triumphal procession.
Many a weary day passed before they
found rest for their feet. Turned
from Greater Poland, they sought
Polish Prussia, and were again or
dered away. Only after six months
Of weary wandering did they find a
hearth and home at KOenigsberg, in
East Prussia, among the brethren Of
the Lutheran Church Here and in
Poland they began to organize on
gTegatlOns at once, and in a short
time forty were established and an
influence was attained that finally at
the great Synod Of Sendomir succeed
! ed in uniting all the protestants Of
the land of their adoption into one
confession.
The persecution ceasing when Max
imilian came to the throne Of Bo-
hernia. there followed a brief period
Of prosperity during which the church
made great in learning. 1t
caused the Bible to be translated into
the Bohemian language. The minis
ters of the Unitas Fratrum were the
most highly educated in the ountry
and in every village there was a par
lsh school. so that the Brethren had
the honor of making the Bohemians
the best educated people OF their
time. In sacred music the Brethren
also took the lead. It was the first
Protestant Church to issue a hymn
book. The words of the hymns
breathed devotion and brotherly love,
the melodies were sweeping and
strong. They were sung in cottage
and in castle, and in an age when
congregational singing was little
known the Brethren, Sunday by Sun
day, praised God with united voices.
In 1908 the Protestants gained a
great victory when they forced the
King to sign the Bohemian charter
giving religious liberty to Bohemia
n Morayia, but, while for three or
four years much liberty in preaching
the Gospel was had, in 1911 the real
force of the charter was broken by
the Catholic Church twisting a prOvi-
sion in it that was not exactly clear
in meaning to suit their purposes.
In 1917 Ferdinand II became King
Of Bohemia. He was half Jesuit and
the Protestants remble at his as
Stunning the reinS of Government. He
and his government openly violated
the terms of the charter. The men
who had been chosen by the Protest
ant churches as defenders of the
charter raised an army and gave pat
| tie to King Ferdinand at White Noun
tain .ovember s. 1920. The army of
| the was routed. churches
we're destroyed, villages were pillag-
| ed, ministers Of the Gospel were muir
| dered and Bohemia lay crushed un-
| der the heel Of the c~oEqueror. The
defenders and other leaders were
tried and twenty-one condemned and
put to death, half Of whom were
| members Of the Unitas Fratrum. This
was followed by wholesale persecu-
ton Of the ProteStants and for near