Page:Gregor The story of Bohemia.pdf/181

 Bohemia began to administer the communion in both kinds, bread and wine; but not feeling sure of their ground, they wrote to Hus, asking his opinion upon the subject. Hus immediately turned to the New Testament, and, finding that such was the practice in the primitive Church, he decided that this was according to Scripture, and hence correct, totally ignoring the decisions of the Councils and the reasons given by the Church for withholding the cup from the laity. After this decision, the chalice became the symbol of the followers of Hus; consequently they went by the name of Calixtines.

The story of Hus would be incomplete without some account of his friend and fellow-martyr, Jerome of Prague. Hearing of the danger to which Hus was exposed, Jerome hastened to Constance to lend him such assistance as he was able; but on the way, being warned that he could do no good, but might lose his own life, he turned back. It was, however, too late. He was arrested, brought back to Constance, and, at the instigation of the treacherous Sigmund, brought before the Council for trial. He defended his case with so much learning and eloquence that some of the more enlightened cardinals declared that his eloquence equaled the best that could be found in the Greek and Roman masters. When threatened by death, in a moment of weakness, Jerome promised to recant; but when he appeared at the Council, what was the amazement of the assembled prelates, when, instead of a recantation, he pronoucedpronounced [sic] a glowing eulogium upon Hus. This settled his fate. He was burned May 30, 1416, upon the same spot where Hus had suffered.