" The mind of Huss , at this stage of his career , would seem to have been the scene of a painful conflict . Although the church was seeking to overwhelm him by her thunderbolts , he had not renounced her authority . The Roman Church was still to him the spouse of Christ , and the pope was the representative and vicar of God . What Huss was warring against was the abuse of authority , not the principle itself . This brought on a terrible conflict between the convictions of his understanding and the claims of his conscience . If the authority was just and infallible , as he believed it to be , how came it that he felt compelled to disobey it ? To obey , he saw , was to sin ; but why should obedience to an infallible church lead to such an issue ? This was the problem he could not solve ; this was the doubt that tortured him hour by hour . The nearest approximation to a solution which he was able to make was that it had happened again , as once before in the days of the Saviour , that the priests of the church had become wicked persons and were using their lawful authority for unlawful ends . This led him to adopt for his own guidance , and to preach to others for theirs , the maxim that the precepts of Scripture , conveyed through the understanding , are to rule the conscience ; in other words , that God speaking in the Bible , and not the church speaking through the priesthood , is the one infallible guide ." --Wylie , b . 3 , ch . 2 .
When after a time the excitement in Prague subsided , Huss returned to his chapel of Bethlehem , to continue with greater zeal and courage the preaching of the word of God . His enemies were active and powerful , but the queen and many of the nobles were his friends , and the people in great numbers sided with him . Comparing his pure and elevating teachings and holy life with the degrading dogmas which the Romanists preached , and the avarice and debauchery which they practiced , many regarded it an honour to be on his side . Hitherto Huss had stood alone in his labours ; but now Jerome , who while in England had accepted the teachings of Wycliffe , joined in the work of reform . The two were hereafter united in their lives , and in death they were not to be divided . Brilliancy of genius , eloquence and learning--gifts that win popular favour--were possessed in a pre-eminent degree by Jerome ; but in those qualities which constitute real strength of character , Huss was the greater . His calm judgment served as a restraint upon the impulsive spirit of Jerome , who , with true humility , perceived his worth , and yielded to his counsels . Under their united labours the reform was more rapidly extended .
God permitted great light to shine upon the minds of these chosen men , revealing to them many of the errors of Rome ; but they did not receive all the light that was to be given to the world . Through these , His servants , God was leading the people out of the darkness of Romanism ; but there were many and great obstacles for them to meet , and He led them on , step by step , as they could bear it . They were not prepared to receive all the light at once . Like the full glory of the noontide sun to those who have long dwelt in darkness , it would , if presented , have caused them to turn away . Therefore He revealed it to the leaders little by little , as it could be received by the people . From century to century , other faithful workers were to follow , to lead the people on still further in the path of reform .
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