the great controversy-第48部分

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provinces　of　Holland　came　Menno　Simons。　Educated　a　Roman　Catholic　and
ordained　to　the　priesthood；　he　was　wholly　ignorant　of　the　Bible；　and　he
would　not　read　it　for　fear　of　being　beguiled　into　heresy。　When　a　doubt
concerning　the　doctrine　of　transubstantiation　forced　itself　upon　him；　he
regarded　it　as　a　temptation　from　Satan；　and　by　prayer　and　confession　sought
to　free　himself　from　it；　but　in　vain。　By　mingling　in　scenes　of　dissipation
he　endeavored　to　silence　the　accusing　voice　of　conscience；　but　without
avail。　After　a　time　he　was　led　to　the　study　of　the　New　Testament；　and　this；
with　Luther's　writings；　caused　him　to　accept　the　reformed　faith。　He　soon
after　witnessed　in　a　neighboring　village　the　beheading　of　a　man　who　was　put
to　death　for　having　been　rebaptized。　This　led　him　to　study　the　Bible　in
regard　to　infant　baptism。　He　could　find　no　evidence　for　it　in　the
Scriptures；　but　saw　that　repentance　and　faith　are

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everywhere　required　as　the　condition　of　receiving　baptism。

Menno　withdrew　from　the　Roman　Church　and　devoted　his　life　to　teaching　the
truths　which　he　had　received。　In　both　Germany　and　the　Netherlands　a　class　of
fanatics　had　risen；　advocating　absurd　and　seditious　doctrines；　outraging
order　and　decency；　and　proceeding　to　violence　and　insurrection。　Menno　saw
the　horrible　results　to　which　these　movements　would　inevitably　lead；　and　he
strenuously　opposed　the　erroneous　teachings　and　wild　schemes　of　the
fanatics。　There　were　many；　however；　who　had　been　misled　by　these　fanatics；
but　who　had　renounced　their　pernicious　doctrines；　and　there　were　still
remaining　many　descendants　of　the　ancient　Christians；　the　fruits　of　the
Waldensian　teaching。　Among　these　classes　Menno　labored　with　great　zeal　and
success。

For　twenty…five　years　he　traveled；　with　his　wife　and　children；　enduring
great　hardships　and　privations；　and　frequently　in　peril　of　his　life。　He
traversed　the　Netherlands　and　northern　Germany；　laboring　chiefly　among　the
humbler　classes　but　exerting　a　widespread　influence。　Naturally　eloquent；
though　possessing　a　limited　education；　he　was　a　man　of　unwavering　integrity；
of　humble　spirit　and　gentle　manners；　and　of　sincere　and　earnest　piety；
exemplifying　in　his　own　life　the　precepts　which　he　taught；　and　he　commanded
the　confidence　of　the　people。　His　followers　were　scattered　and　oppressed。
They　suffered　greatly　from　being　confounded　with　the　fanatical　Munsterites。
Yet　great　numbers　were　converted　under　his　labors。

Nowhere　were　the　reformed　doctrines　more　generally　received　than　in　the
Netherlands。　In　few　countries　did　their　adherents　endure　more　terrible
persecution。　In　Germany　Charles　V　had　banned　the　Reformation；　and　he　would
gladly　have　brought　all　its　adherents　to　the　stake；　but　the　princes　stood　up
as　a　barrier　against　his　tyranny。　In　the　Netherlands　his　power　was　greater；
and　persecuting　edicts　followed　each　other　in　quick　succession。　To　read　the
Bible；　to　hear　or　preach

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it；　or　even　to　speak　concerning　it；　was　to　incur　the　penalty　of　death　by　the
stake。　To　pray　to　God　in　secret；　to　refrain　from　bowing　to　an　image；　or　to
sing　a　psalm；　was　also　punishable　with　death。　Even　those　who　should　abjure
their　errors　were　condemned；　if　men；　to　die　by　the　sword；　if　women；　to　be
buried　alive。　Thousands　perished　under　the　reign　of　Charles　and　of　Philip
II。

At　one　time　a　whole　family　was　brought　before　the　inquisitors；　charged　with
remaining　away　from　mass　and　worshiping　at　home。　On　his　examination　as　to
their　practices　in　secret　the　youngest　son　answered：　〃We　fall　on　our　knees；
and　pray　that　God　may　enlighten　our　minds　and　pardon　our　sins；　we　pray　for
our　sovereign；　that　his　reign　may　be　prosperous　and　his　life　happy；　we　pray
for　our　magistrates；　that　God　may　preserve　them。〃Wylie；　b。　18；　ch。　6。　Some
of　the　judges　were　deeply　moved；　yet　the　father　and　one　of　his　sons　were
condemned　to　the　stake。

The　rage　of　the　persecutors　was　equaled　by　the　faith　of　the　martyrs。　Not
only　men　but　delicate　women　and　young　maidens　displayed　unflinching　courage。
〃Wives　would　take　their　stand　by　their　husband's　stake；　and　while　he　was
enduring　the　fire　they　would　whisper　words　of　solace；　or　sing　psalms　to
cheer　him。〃　〃Young　maidens　would　lie　down　in　their　living　grave　as　if　they
were　entering　into　their　chamber　of　nightly　sleep；　or　go　forth　to　the
scaffold　and　the　fire；　dressed　in　their　best　apparel；　as　if　they　were　going
to　their　marriage。〃Ibid。；　b。　18；　ch。　6。

As　in　the　days　when　paganism　sought　to　destroy　the　gospel；　the　blood　of　the
Christians　was　seed。　（See　Tertullian；　Apology；　paragraph　50。）　Persecution
served　to　increase　the　number　of　witnesses　for　the　truth。　Year　after　year
the　monarch；　stung　to　madness　by　the　unconquerable　determination　of　the
people；　urged　on　his　cruel　work；　but　in　vain。　Under　the　noble　William　of
Orange　the　Revolution　at　last　brought　to　Holland　freedom　to　worship　God。

In　the　mountains　of　Piedmont；　on　the　plains　of　France　and　the　shores　of
Holland；　the　progress　of　the　gospel　was

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marked　with　the　blood　of　its　disciples。　But　in　the　countries　of　the　North　it
found　a　peaceful　entrance。　Students　at　Wittenberg；　returning　to　their　homes；
carried　the　reformed　faith　to　Scandinavia。　The　publication　of　Luther's
writings　also　spread　the　light。　The　simple；　hardy　people　of　the　North　turned
from　the　corruption；　the　pomp；　and　the　superstitions　of　Rome；　to　welcome　the
purity；　the　simplicity；　and　the　life…giving　truths　of　the　Bible。

Tausen；　〃the　Reformer　of　Denmark；〃　was　a　peasant's　son。　The　boy　early　gave
evidence　of　vigorous　intellect；　he　thirsted　for　an　education；　but　this　was
denied　him　by　the　circumstances　of　his　parents；　and　he　entered　a　cloister。
Here　the　purity　of　his　life；　together　with　his　diligence　and　fidelity；　won
the　favor　of　his　superior。　Examination　showed　him　to　possess　talent　that
promised　at　some　future　day　good　service　to　the　church。　It　was　determined　to
give　him　an　education　at　some　one　of　the　universities　of　Germany　or　the
Netherlands。　The　young　student　was　granted　permission　to　choose　a　school　for
himself；　with　one　proviso；　that　he　must　not　go　to　Wittenberg。　The　scholar　of
the　church　was　not　to　be　endangered　by　the　poison　of　heresy。　So　said　the
friars。

Tausen　went　to　Cologne；　which　was　then；　as　now；　one　of　the　strongholds　of
Romanism。　Here　he　soon　became　disgusted　with　the　mysticisms　of　the
schoolmen。　About　the　same　time　he　obtained　Luther's　writings。　He　read　them
with　wonder　and　delight；　and　greatly　desired　to　enjoy　the　personal
instruction　of　the　Reformer。　But　to　do　so　he　must　risk　giving　offense　to　his
monastic　superior　and　forfeiting　his　support。　His　decision　was　soon　made；
and　erelong　he　was　enrolled　as　a　student　at　Wittenberg。

On　returning　to　Denmark；　he　again　repaired　to　his　cloister。　No　one　as　yet
suspected　him　of　Lutheranism；　he　did　not　reveal　his　secret；　but　endeavored；
without　exciting　the　prejudices　of　his　companions；　to　lead　them　to　a　purer
faith　and　a　holier　life。　He　opened　the　Bible；　and　explained　its　true
meaning；　and　at　last　preached　Christ　to　them　as　the　sinner's　righteousness
and　his　only　hope　of　salvation。　Great　was　the

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wrath　of　the　prior；　who　had　built　high　hopes　upon　him　as　a　valiant　defender
of　Rome。　He　was　at　once　removed　from　his　own　monastery　to　another　and
confined　to　his　cell　under　strict　supervision。

To　the　terror　of　his　new　guardians　several　of　the　monks　soon　declared
themselves　converts　to　Protestantism。　Through　the　bars　of　his　cell　Tausen
had　communicated　to　his　companions　a　knowledge　of　the　truth。　Had　those
Danish　fathers　been　skilled　in　the　church's　plan　of　dealing　with　heresy；
Tausen's　voice　would　never　again　have　been　heard；　but　instead　of　consigning
him　to　a　tomb　in　some　underground　dungeon；　they　expelled　him　from　the
monastery。　Now　they　were　powerless。　A　royal　edict；　just　issued；　offered
protection　to　the　teachers　of　the　new　doctrine。　Tausen　began　to　preach。　The
churches　were　opened　to　him；　and　the　people　thronged　to　listen。　Others　also
were　preaching　the　word　of　God。　The　New　Testament；　translated　into　the
Danish　tongue；　was　widely　circulated。　The　efforts　made　by　the　papists　to
overthrow　the　work　resulted　in　extending　it；　and　erelong　Denmark　declared
its　acceptance　of　the　reformed　faith。

In　Sweden；　also；　young　men　who　had　drunk　from　the　well　of　Wittenberg　carried
the　water　of　life　to　their　countrymen。　Two　of　the　leaders　in　the　Swedish
Reformation；　Olaf　and　Laurentius　Petri；　the　sons　of　a　blacksmith　of　Orebro；
studied　under　Luther　and　Melanchthon；　and　the　truths　which　they　thus　learned
they　were　diligent　to　teach。　Like　the　great　Reformer；　Olaf　aroused　the
people　by　his　zeal　and　eloquence；　while　Laurentius；　like　Melanchthon；　was
learned；　thoughtful；　and　calm。　Both　were　men　of　ardent　piety；　of　high
theological　attainments；　and　of　unflinching　courage　in　advancing　the　truth。
Papist　opposition　was　not　lacking。　The　Catholic　priest　stirred　up　the
ignorant　and　superstitious　people。　Olaf　Petri　was　often　assailed　by　the　mob；
and　upon　several　occasions　barely　escaped　with　his　life。　These　Reformers
were；　however；　favored　and　protected　by　the　king。

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Under　the　rule　of　the　Roman　Church　the　people　were　sunken　in　poverty　and
ground　down　by　oppression。　They　were　destitute　of　the　Scriptures；　and　having
a　religion　of　mere　signs　and　ceremonies；　which　conveyed　no　light　to　the
mind；　they　were　returning　to　the　superstitious　beliefs　and　pagan　practices
of　their　heathen　ancestors。　The　nation　was　divided　into　contending　factions；
whose　perpetual　strife　increased　the　misery　of　all。　The　king　determined　upon
a　reformation　in　the　state　and　the　church；　and　he　welcomed　these　able
assistants　in　the　battle　against　Rome。

In　the　presence　of　the　monarch　and　the　leading　men　of　Sweden；　Olaf　Petri
with　great　ability　defended　the　doctrines　of　the　reformed　faith　against　the
Romish　champions。　He　declared　that　the　teachings　of　the　Fathers　are　to　be
received　only　when　in　accordance　with　the　Scriptures；　that　the　essential
doctrines　of　the　faith　are　pres