Page:John Huss, his life, teachings and death, after five hundred years.pdf/172

 and, on that account, great disorder was to be feared, should he return. “Whether I did right or wrong in withdrawing, I hardly know.” Huss visited Prague a number of times, first at Christmas time, 1412.

As for the trials through which he was passing, he wrote to his friends of Bethlehem chapel that the devil had been going about roaring against him for several years, but had not hurt a hair of his head. On the contrary, his joy and gladness had increased. Again and again he quoted passages describing the sufferings of Christ and Christ’s exhortations to his disciples to expect tribulation and to bear up under it, trusting in him. If Christ suffered at the hands of priests and Pharisees, who said, “This man is not of God,” why should we be surprised if the ministers of antichrist speak evil of his servants to-day, excommunicate them, and put them to death, for they are even more greedy and cruel than the Pharisees. Christ said: “I send you as sheep among wolves. Be ye, therefore, wise as serpents and harmless as doves. And beware of men, lest they deliver you up to councils.” He heard that they were going about to destroy Bethlehem chapel and to put an end to preaching in other churches, but he believed God. They would accomplish nothing. The Goose, a tame and domestic bird, would break through the nets spread for it, while other birds exceeding it in power of flight would be caught in the snares. Seeing the true God is with us, who is able to separate us from Him? The chief priests, scribes and Pharisees, Herod and Pilate and others of Jerusalem condemned truth and sentenced Christ to death. Yea, they branded him with heresy and excommunicated him, and outside the walls of the city crucified him as a malefactor. But he rose again, came forth as conqueror, and, in his place, he sent forth twelve other preachers. If the true God, our most mighty and righteous Protector, be with us, who can prevail against us in spite of their wicked designs?