The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-02
HONOR
 JEROME OF PRAGUE

In spite of the war the people of Prague, as well as many Bohemians in this country, will celebrate to-day the 5OOth anniversary of the martyr dom of Jerome of Prague, the great Bohemian religious reformer Jerome shared the fate of John Huss, whose friend and disciple he was. Huss was burned at the stake in Constance in July, 1415, and Jerome was con- signed to the flames in the same city on May 80, 1416, having survived his master by less than a year.
 Jerome was born in Prague about 1878, and, after completing his stud ies in the university of his native city,
 he proceeded to Oxford. There he became acquainted with the teachings and writings of Wycliffe and irnbibed liberal doctrines of which he became a zeaIous disseninator in his native land. He also visited Cologne, Hei-
 delberg and Paris before returning to Prague to begin the career which
 was destined to end in tragedy. While in Paris Jerome distinguished him self by boldly preaching in favor of reforms in the church, defending his views with great ability in an argu-
 ment with Gerson, the chancellor of
 the university. His extensive learn ing gained for him vast audiences wherever he lectured.
 On his return to Bohemia he was employed by Ladis1as II, of Poland to
 organize the University of Cracow,
 and received marks of honor and re-
 spect from several monarchs. Early in the fifteenth century Jerome began to secretly disseminate his liberal and radical doctrines in Bohemia, and in 14QS he openly identified himself with the Huss party. In the political and religious tumult of this period Jerome made bold and sometimes rash at fha on rOI W involved him in difficulties. At Vii enna he was thrown into prison, but was released through the influence of his Bohemian friends.
 When John Huss was imprisoned in Constance in 1415, Jerome went thith- CT in accordance with previous promise to defend his friend before the council. On arriving he learn ed that Huss was certain to be con 1 demned and executed, and Jerome,
 realizing that he could not help him, l fled to Uberlingen He declared his
 willingness to appear before the coun- | oil if guaranteed safe. conduct. An l eQuivocaI1 answer was given, and 1 shortly afterwards Jerome was ar rested by order of the Prince of Su1z-
 bach and delivered over to the coun- i ciI. After several hearings, Jerome
 made a. qualified recantation of his views as to the sacrament. After | being imprisoner for several months | ne was again na11eQ DeIOT0 the COun- l cil, and solemnly retracted his late admission of error. This hastened his condemnation and on May 30th,
 he was burned at the stake, and met 1 his fate with the same calm courage
 that had distinguished the execution I of John Huss. As he approached the place of execution he began singing,
 and, bidding the executioner to light l the fire before his face, added, Had l I the least fear I would not be stand ling here.'' His ashes, like those of
 Huss, were gathered and thrown into the Rhine.,
 l Ever since the days of Huss and I Jerome the Bohemians have been an- [imated by a spirit of religious revolt. l Modern freethought has made greater progress among educated Bohemians than among any other people. The lBohefnians in America support a number of freethought and anti-relig ious publications, some of which have
 gained much larger circulations than
 have been achieved by any of the sim liar publications in the English lan- l guage. In the matter of the war the IBohemians have shown a similar in- i dependence, and in America the Allies 1 have perhaps many supporters as the Central Empires, although the i Bohemians come from a country ruled by the Hapsburgs.