you　are　become　a　wolf　to　the　sheep；　。　。　。　you　would　make　us　believe　you　are
  a　supreme　bishop；　but　you　rather　behave　like　a　tyrant。　。　。　。　Whereas　you
  ought　to　be　a　servant　of　servants；　as　you　call　yourself；　you　endeavor　to
  become　a　lord　of　lords。　。　。　。　You　bring　the　commands　of　God　into　contempt。　。
  。　。　The　Holy　Ghost　is　the　builder　of　all　churches　as　far　as　the　earth
  extends。　。　。　。　The　city　of　our　God；　of　which　we　are　the　citizens；　reaches　to
  all　the　regions　of　the　heavens；　and　it　is　greater　than　the　city；　by　the　holy
  prophets　named　Babylon；　which　pretends　to　be　divine；　wins　herself　to　heaven；
  and　brags　that　her　wisdom　is　immortal；　and　finally；　though　without　reason；
  that　she　never　did　err；　nor　ever　can。〃Gerard　Brandt；　History　of　the
  Reformation　in　and　About　the　Low　Countries；　b。　1；　p。　6。
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  Others　arose　from　century　to　century　to　echo　this　protest。　And　those　early
  teachers　who；　traversing　different　lands　and　known　by　various　names；　bore
  the　character　of　the　Vaudois　missionaries；　and　spread　everywhere　the
  knowledge　of　the　gospel；　penetrated　to　the　Netherlands。　Their　doctrines
  spread　rapidly。　The　Waldensian　Bible　they　translated　in　verse　into　the　Dutch
  language。　They　declared　〃that　there　was　great　advantage　in　it；　no　jests；　no
  fables；　no　trifles；　no　deceits；　but　the　words　of　truth；　that　indeed　there
  was　here　and　there　a　hard　crust；　but　that　the　marrow　and　sweetness　of　what
  was　good　and　holy　might　be　easily　discovered　in　it。〃Ibid。；　b。　1；　p。　14。
  Thus　wrote　the　friends　of　the　ancient　faith；　in　the　twelfth　century。
  Now　began　the　Romish　persecutions；　but　in　the　midst　of　fagots　and　torture
  the　believers　continued　to　multiply；　steadfastly　declaring　that　the　Bible　is
  the　only　infallible　authority　in　religion；　and　that　〃no　man　should　be
  coerced　to　believe；　but　should　be　won　by　preaching。〃Martyn；　vol。　2；　p。　87。
  The　teachings　of　Luther　found　a　congenial　soil　in　the　Netherlands；　and
  earnest　and　faithful　men　arose　to　preach　the　gospel。　From　one　of　the
  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