96 The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan
[ 097 ]
6. Huss and Jerome.
The gospel had been planted in Bohemia as early as the ninth century. The Bible was translated, and public worship was conducted, in the language of the people. But as the power of the pope increased, so the word of God was obscured. Gregory VII., who had taken it upon him to humble the pride of kings, was no less intent upon enslaving the people, and accordingly a bull was issued forbidding public worship to be conducted in the Bohemian tongue. The pope declared that“ it was pleasing to the Omnipotent that His worship should be celebrated in an unknown language, and that many evils and heresies had arisen from not observing this rule.” 125 Thus Rome decreed that the light of God ' s word should be extinguished, and the people should be shut up in darkness. But Heaven had provided other agencies
125 Wylie, b. 3, ch. 1.