The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 110

insult, when Herod had Him conducted before Pilate.”—Ibid., vol. 2,
p. 86. Being again exhorted to retract, he replied, turning toward the
people: “With what face, then, should I behold the heavens? How
should I look on those multitudes of men to whom I have preached
the pure gospel? No; I esteem their salvation more than this poor
body, now appointed unto death.” The vestments were removed one
by one, each bishop pronouncing a curse as he performed his part of
the ceremony. Finally “they put on his head a cap or pyramidal-shaped
miter of paper, on which were painted frightful figures of demons, with
the word ‘Archheretic’ conspicuous in front. ‘Most joyfully,’ said Huss,
‘will I wear this crown of shame for Thy sake, O Jesus, who for me didst
wear a crown of thorns.”’
When he was thus arrayed, “the prelates said, ‘Now we devote thy
soul to the devil.’ ‘And I,’ said John Huss, lifting up his eyes toward
heaven, ‘do commit my spirit into Thy hands, O Lord Jesus, for Thou
hast redeemed me.”’—Wylie, b. 3, ch. 7.
He was now delivered up to the secular authorities and led away to
the place of execution. An immense procession followed, hundreds of
men at arms, priests and bishops in their costly robes, and the inhabitants
of Constance. When he had been fastened to the stake, and all was ready
for the fire to be lighted, the martyr was once more exhorted to save
himself by renouncing his errors. “What errors,” said Huss, “shall I
renounce? I know myself guilty of none. I call God to witness that all
that I have written and preached has been with the view of rescuing souls
from sin and perdition; and, therefore, most joyfully will I confirm with
my blood that truth which I have written and preached.”—Ibid., b. 3, ch.
7. When the flames kindled about him, he began to sing, “Jesus, Thou
Son of David, have mercy on me,” and so continued till his voice was
silenced forever.
Even his enemies were struck with his heroic bearing. A zealous
papist, describing the martyrdom of Huss, and of

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