The Arrest of Jerome by Stephen N. Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 13, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 31.

The Arrest of Jerome.

By Stephen N. Haskell

THE same council that condemned Huss to be burned, and deposed Pope John XXIII., also apprehended and condemned Jerome of Prague, so called from the city in which he was born. Jerome was a few years younger than Huss, and of nobler birth. His real name was Faulfisch. He was endowed with great natural ability, and was full of life and ardor; not disposed to remain quiet in one place long at a time. He visited and became personally acquainted with all the universities in Europe. This enabled him to avail himself of the advantages of each, so that he gained a great reputation for learning.

At the Oxford University he became acquainted with the writings of Wycliffe, and at once enlisted with great enthusiasm in defense of the doctrines of the Reformation as taught by him. "Until now," said he, "we had nothing but the shell of science; Wycliffe first laid open the kernel." Although in some respects possessing superior qualifications, and enjoying peculiar advantages, his character seems wanting in those essential elements of firmness and discretion which characterized the movements of Huss, and gave permanency to his efforts. During his long and severe imprisonment, however, Jerome gained an experience which carried him through his final trial and martyrdom with all the fortitude and Christian forbearance manifested by those who went before, or have followed him to a martyr's grave.

While in Oxford, he transcribed several of Wycliffe's books and brought them home with him to Prague. Here he proclaimed, without hesitation or reserve, the views therein contained. In Moravia, Austria, Germany, and other countries, he also spread the doctrines of the Reformation. Notwithstanding Huss and Jerome were so unlike in their dispositions and methods of labor, they deeply sympathized with each other, and were warm friends to the last.

"Dear master," said Jerome, as Huss was taking his final leave of Prague, "stand firm; maintain bravely what you have preached and written, against pride, avarice, and other vices of the churchmen, with arguments drawn from the Scriptures. Should this task become too severe for thee, should I learn that thou hast fallen into any peril, I will fly at once to thy assistance."

On learning of the arrest of Huss he immediately hastened to Constance, with the hope of rendering some assistance to his beloved master. To this act he was prompted not only by his affectionate regard for Huss but also by the unwise complaint of friends in Bohemia that he had left his companion and brother in faith to contend alone, unsupported, against a host of enemies. It was, however, against the advice of Huss, who exhorted him to preserve himself for better times. He entered Constance disguised, but his friends there were terrified for his safety, and urged him to leave the city without delay. There is reason to believe that he gained access to Huss in prison, but only for a short time, and with no satisfactory results. It is said that the hopeless and suffering condition in which he found Huss, led him to flee from the city. He however only went as far as Überlingen, a free city, about ten miles distant, where he was comparatively safe from sudden arrest.

From here he wrote to the emperor, and also to the council, demanding a safe-conduct, and soliciting a hearing in behalf of himself and Huss. In response to this the council summoned him to appear before them within a fortnight to answer to charges brought against him. "We grant you a safe-conduct to this place," said they, "but not back again."

Notwithstanding this threatening aspect, Jerome made another brief visit to Constance, and posted in all the public places, on city gates, doors of churches, monasteries, and palaces of cardinals, his appeal for a safe-conduct. After this, yielding to the entreaties of his friends, he turned his face toward Prague. On his way he gave free expression to his feelings concerning the council, etc., at one time going so far as to call it "a school of the devil, a synagogue of iniquity." As the result he was seized before he arrived home, while almost in sight of his own country, cast into prison, and bound in chains. One month later he entered Constance, loaded with fetters, and in a cart.

On his arrival he was surrounded by a multitude, at the head of which was Louis, Duke of Bavaria, who began to pull and drag him about by his chains, and in this cruel and savage manner he was led like a wild beast through the whole city. After this he was taken to a convent to be examined. Among other charges that were brought against him he was accused of having diffused errors in the different universities which he had visited, and at which the fame, if not the vanquishing force, of his eloquence had excited the envy of many who were there present.

"Jerome," said a Parisian doctor, "when you came to Paris, you fancied yourself with your eloquence to be an angel from Heaven. You troubled the university, broaching in our schools many erroneous propositions with their corollaries, and especially in the matter of universals and ideas, besides many other things of a scandalous nature."

"Master Gerson," replied Jerome, "I answer you, that in what I answered to the arguments of the masters, I answered philosophically, and as a philosophical thinker and a master of that university. And if I proposed anything which I ought not to propose, let me be instructed in what respect it was erroneous, and I will be corrected, and set right, with all humility."

At this point he was interrupted by a doctor of the university of Cologne, who arose and said, "When you were at Cologne you brought forward several erroneous arguments." "Will you mention, first of all, one error that I maintained?" asked Jerome. "None occur to me at present, but they shall be objected to you hereafter," was the reply of the disconcerted doctor.

A doctor from Heidelberg now became Jerome's accuser. "When you were at Heidelberg," said he, "you maintained grave errors with regard to the trinity." "What I wrote and represented at Heidelberg," said Jerome, "I am ready to assert, write, and represent again. Let me know in what respect I have erred, and I will humbly recant the error." A murmur now arose in the assembly, several calling out, "Let him be burned, let him be burned." "If it be your pleasure that I should die," resumed Jerome, "in the name of God be it so." The clamor and tumult became so great that order could not be maintained, and the assembly broke up.