Anathemas　and　recriminations　were　flying　from　pope　to　pope；　and　torrents　of
  blood　were　poured　out　to　support　their　conflicting　claims。　Crimes　and
  scandals　flooded　the　church。　Meanwhile　the　Reformer；　in　the　quiet　retirement
  of　his　parish　of　Lutterworth；　was　laboring　diligently　to　point　men　from　the
  contending　popes　to　Jesus；　the　Prince　of　Peace。
  The　schism；　with　all　the　strife　and　corruption　which　it　caused；　prepared　the
  way　for　the　Reformation　by　enabling　the　people　to　see　what　the　papacy　really
  was。　In　a　tract　which　he　published；　On　the　Schism　of　the　Popes；　Wycliffe
  called
  87
  upon　the　people　to　consider　whether　these　two　priests　were　not　speaking　the
  truth　in　condemning　each　other　as　the　anti…christ。　〃God；〃　said　he；　〃would　no
  longer　suffer　the　fiend　to　reign　in　only　one　such　priest；　but　。　。　。　made
  division　among　two；　so　that　men；　in　Christ's　name；　may　the　more　easily
  overcome　them　both。〃R。　Vaughan；　Life　and　Opinions　of　John　de　Wycliffe；
  vol。　2；　p。　6。
  Wycliffe；　like　his　Master；　preached　the　gospel　to　the　poor。　Not　content　with
  spreading　the　light　in　their　humble　homes　in　his　own　parish　of　Lutterworth；
  he　determined　that　it　should　be　carried　to　every　part　of　England。　To
  accomplish　this　he　organized　a　body　of　preachers；　simple；　devout　men；　who
  loved　the　truth　and　desired　nothing　so　much　as　to　extend　it。　These　men　went
  everywhere；　teaching　in　the　market　places；　in　the　streets　of　the　great
  cities；　and　in　the　country　lanes。　They　sought　out　the　aged；　the　sick；　and
  the　poor；　and　opened　to　them　the　glad　tidings　of　the　grace　of　God。
  As　a　professor　of　theology　at　Oxford；　Wycliffe　preached　the　word　of　God　in
  the　halls　of　the　university。　So　faithfully　did　he　present　the　truth　to　the
  students　under　his　instruction；　that　he　received　the　title　of　〃the　gospel
  doctor。〃　But　the　greatest　work　of　his　life　was　to　be　the　translation　of　the
  Scriptures　into　the　English　language。　In　a　work；　On　the　Truth　and　Meaning　of
  Scripture；　he　expressed　his　intention　to　translate　the　Bible；　so　that　every
  man　in　England　might　read；　in　the　language　in　which　he　was　born；　the
  wonderful　works　of　God。
  But　suddenly　his　labors　were　stopped。　Though　not　yet　sixty　years　of　age；
  unceasing　toil；　study；　and　the　assaults　of　his　enemies　had　told　upon　his
  strength　and　made　him　prematurely　old。　He　was　attacked　by　a　dangerous
  illness。　The　tidings　brought　great　joy　to　the　friars。　Now　they　thought　he
  would　bitterly　repent　the　evil　he　had　done　the　church；　and　they　hurried　to
  his　chamber　to　listen　to　his　confession。　Representatives　from　the　four
  religious　orders；　with　four　civil　officers；　gathered　about　the　supposed
  dying　man。　〃You
  88
  have　death　on　your　lips；〃　they　said；　〃be　touched　by　your　faults；　and　retract
  in　our　presence　all　that　you　have　said　to　our　injury。〃　The　Reformer　listened
  in　silence；　then　he　bade　his　attendant　raise　him　in　his　bed；　and；　gazing
  steadily　upon　them　as　they　stood　waiting　for　his　recantation；　he　said；　in
  the　firm；　strong　voice　which　had　so　often　caused　them　to　tremble：　〃I　shall
  not　die；　but　live；　and　again　declare　the　evil　deeds　of　the
  friars。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　17；　ch。　7。　Astonished　and　abashed；　the　monks　hurried
  from　the　room。
  Wycliffe's　words　were　fulfilled。　He　lived　to　place　in　the　hands　of　his
  countrymen　the　most　powerful　of　all　weapons　against　Rometo　give　them　the
  Bible；　the　Heaven…appointed　agent　to　liberate；　enlighten；　and　evangelize　the
  people。　There　were　many　and　great　obstacles　to　surmount　in　the
  accomplishment　of　this　work。　Wycliffe　was　weighed　down　with　infirmities；　he
  knew　that　only　a　few　years　for　labor　remained　for　him；　he　saw　the　opposition
  which　he　must　meet；　but；　encouraged　by　the　promises　of　God's　word；　he　went
  forward　nothing　daunted。　In　the　full　vigor　of　his　intellectual　powers；　rich
  in　experience；　he　had　been　preserved　and　prepared　by　God's　special
  providence　for　this；　the　greatest　of　his　labors。　While　all　Christendom　was
  filled　with　tumult；　the　Reformer　in　his　rectory　at　Lutterworth；　unheeding
  the　storm　that　raged　without；　applied　himself　to　his　chosen　task。
  At　last　the　work　was　completedthe　first　English　translation　of　the　Bible
  ever　made。　The　word　of　God　was　opened　to　England。　The　Reformer　feared　not
  now　the　prison　or　the　stake。　He　had　placed　in　the　hands　of　the　English
  people　a　light　which　should　never　be　extinguished。　In　giving　the　Bible　to
  his　countrymen；　he　had　done　more　to　break　the　fetters　of　ignorance　and　vice；
  more　to　liberate　and　elevate　his　country；　than　was　ever　achieved　by　the　most
  brilliant　victories　on　fields　of　battle。
  The　art　of　printing　being　still　unknown；　it　was　only　by　slow　and　wearisome
  labor　that　copies　of　the　Bible　could　be　multiplied。　So　great　was　the
  interest　to　obtain　the　book；　that
  89
  many　willingly　engaged　in　the　work　of　transcribing　it；　but　it　was　with
  difficulty　that　the　copyists　could　supply　the　demand。　Some　of　the　more
  wealthy　purchasers　desired　the　whole　Bible。　Others　bought　only　a　portion。　In
  many　cases；　several　families　united　to　purchase　a　copy。　Thus　Wycliffe's
  Bible　soon　found　its　way　to　the　homes　of　the　people。
  The　appeal　to　men's　reason　aroused　them　from　their　passive　submission　to
  papal　dogmas。　Wycliffe　now　taught　the　distinctive　doctrines　of
  Protestantismsalvation　through　faith　in　Christ；　and　the　sole　infallibility
  of　the　Scriptures。　The　preachers　whom　he　had　sent　out　circulated　the　Bible；
  together　with　the　Reformer's　writings；　and　with　such　success　that　the　new
  faith　was　accepted　by　nearly　one　half　of　the　people　of　England。
  The　appearance　of　the　Scriptures　brought　dismay　to　the　authorities　of　the
  church。　They　had　now　to　meet　an　agency　more　powerful　than　Wycliffean
  agency　against　which　their　weapons　would　avail　little。　There　was　at　this
  time　no　law　in　England　prohibiting　the　Bible；　for　it　had　never　before　been
  published　in　the　language　of　the　people。　Such　laws　were　afterward　enacted
  and　rigorously　enforced。　Meanwhile；　notwithstanding　the　efforts　of　the
  priests；　there　was　for　a　season　opportunity　for　the　circulation　of　the　word
  of　God。
  Again　the　papal　leaders　plotted　to　silence　the　Reformer's　voice。　Before
  three　tribunals　he　was　successively　summoned　for　trial；　but　without　avail。
  First　a　synod　of　bishops　declared　his　writings　heretical；　and；　winning　the
  young　king；　Richard　II；　to　their　side；　they　obtained　a　royal　decree
  consigning　to　prison　all　who　should　hold　the　condemned　doctrines。
  Wycliffe　appealed　from　the　synod　to　Parliament；　he　fearlessly　arraigned　the
  hierarchy　before　the　national　council　and　demanded　a　reform　of　the　enormous
  abuses　sanctioned　by　the　church。　With　convincing　power　he　portrayed　the
  usurpation　and　corruptions　of　the　papal　see。　His　enemies　were　brought　to
  confusion。　The　friends　and　supporters　of　Wycliffe　had　been　forced　to　yield；
  and　it　had　been
  90
  confidently　expected　that　the　Reformer　himself；　in　his　old　age；　alone　and
  friendless；　would　bow　to　the　combined　authority　of　the　crown　and　the　miter。
  But　instead　of　this　the　papists　saw　themselves　defeated。　Parliament；　roused
  by　the　stirring　appeals　of　Wycliffe；　repealed　the　persecuting　edict；　and　the
  Reformer　was　again　at　liberty。
  A　third　time　he　was　brought　to　trial；　and　now　before　the　highest
  ecclesiastical　tribunal　in　the　kingdom。　Here　no　favor　would　be　shown　to
  heresy。　Here　at　last　Rome　would　triumph；　and　the　Reformer's　work　would　be
  stopped。　So　thought　the　papists。　If　they　could　but　accomplish　their　purpose；
  Wycliffe　would　be　forced　to　abjure　his　doctrines；　or　would　leave　the　court
  only　for　the　flames。
  But　Wycliffe　did　not　retract；　he　would　not　dissemble。　He　fearlessly
  maintained　his　teachings　and　repelled　the　accusations　of　his　persecutors。
  Losing　sight　of　himself；　of　his　position；　of　the　occasion；　he　summoned　his
  hearers　before　the　divine　tribunal；　and　weighed　their　sophistries　and
  deceptions　in　the　balances　of　eternal　truth。　The　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit
  was　felt　in　the　council　room。　A　spell　from　God　was　upon　the　hearers。　They
  seemed　to　have　no　power　to　leave　the　place。　As　arrows　from　the　Lord's
  quiver；　the　Reformer's　words　pierced　their　hearts。　The　charge　of　heresy；
  which　they　had　brought　against　him；　he　with　convincing　power　threw　back　upon
  themselves。　Why；　he　demanded；　did　they　dare　to　spread　their　errors？　For　the
  sake　of　gain；　to　make　merchandise　of　the　grace　of　God？
  〃With　whom；　think　you；〃　he　finally　said；　〃are　ye　contending？　with　an　old　man
  on　the　brink　of　the　grave？　No！　with　TruthTruth　which　is　stronger　than　you；
  and　will　overcome　you。〃Wylie；　b。　2；　ch。　13。　So　saying；　he　withdrew　from
  the　assembly；　and　not　one　of　his　adversaries　attempted　to　prevent　him。
  Wycliffe's　work　was　almost　done；　the　banner　of　truth　which　he　had　so　long
  borne　was　soon　to　fall　from　his　hand；　but　once　more　he　was　to　bear　witness
  for　the　gospel。　The
  91
  truth　was　to　be　proclaimed　from　the　very　stronghold　of　the　kingdom　of　error。
  Wycliffe　was　summoned　for　trial　before　the　papal　tribunal　at　Rome；　which　had
  so　often　shed　the　blood　of　the　saints。　He　was　not　blind　to　the　danger　tha