2. JOHN WYCLIF. John Wyclif was Doctor and Professor of Theology at the University of Oxford. He directed his attacks chiefly against monkery, and unsparingly denounced the idling, the begging, and the perversion of religion by the monks. They therefore entered complaint against him with the Archbishop, and Wyclif was deposed from his chair at the university. From now on he testified even more decidedly against the errors and abuses of popery. He maintained: "The Roman church is not superior to the other churches; Peter had no preeminence over the other apostles, and the Pope, as far as his power to forgive sins is concerned, is but the equal of every other pastor." He spoke very emphatically against indulgence, against the adoration of relics, and reproved the popular errors by which the poor souls were deceived. Wyclif was now denounced as a heretic at the court of the Pope, but his eloquent and masterful defense at the trial procured his release. He translated the Bible into English and taught pious men to preach the Gospel to the people. He died in 1384 at Lutterworth, where he had been pastor. His numerous writings were spread by his followers throughout all Europe, and especially Bohemia, where they bore rich fruit. But the hatred against Wyclif did not cease with his death. In compliance with an order of the Council of Constance, where his doctrines were condemned, his bones were exhumed, burned, and the ashes thrown into the river. [Illustration: John Huss.] 3. JOHN HUSS. Huss was born in 1369 at Hussinecz, in Bohemia. Through reading the Holy Scriptures and the writings of Wyclif he came to a knowledge of the truth and boldly lifted his voice against the errors and abuses prevalent in the church. He preached against indulgences, purgatory, and the ungodly life of the priests. Thereby he became an object of hatred to the Pope. He was soon excommunicated by the Pope, and when he continued to preach in Prague, where he was pastor, and was supported by that city, it was also placed under the ban. The churches were closed, the bells were silent, the dead were denied Christian burial, Baptisms and marriages could only be performed in the graveyards.