The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 117

But a deliverer was raised up. Ziska, who soon after the opening of
the war became totally blind, yet who was one of the ablest generals
of his age, was the leader of the Bohemians. Trusting in the help
of God and the righteousness of their cause, that people withstood
the mightiest armies that could be brought against them. Again and
again the emperor, raising fresh armies, invaded Bohemia, only to be
ignominiously repulsed. The Hussites were raised above the fear of
death, and nothing could stand against them. A few years after the
opening of the war, the brave Ziska died; but his place was filled by
Procopius, who was an equally brave and skillful general, and in some
respects a more able leader.
The enemies of the Bohemians, knowing that the blind warrior was
dead, deemed the opportunity favorable for recovering all that they had
lost. The pope now proclaimed a crusade against the Hussites, and
again an immense force was precipitated upon Bohemia, but only to
suffer terrible defeat. Another crusade was proclaimed. In all the papal
countries of Europe, men, money, and munitions of war were raised.
Multitudes flocked to the papal standard, assured that at last an end
would be made of the Hussite heretics. Confident of victory, the vast
force entered Bohemia. The people rallied to repel them. The two
armies approached each other until only a river lay between them. “The
crusaders were in greatly superior force, but instead of dashing across
the stream, and closing in battle with the Hussites whom they had come
so far to meet, they stood gazing in silence at those warriors.”—Wylie, b.
3, ch. 17. Then suddenly a mysterious terror fell upon the host. Without
striking a blow, that mighty force broke and scattered as if dispelled by
an unseen power. Great numbers were slaughtered by the Hussite army,
which pursued the fugitives, and an immense booty fell into the hands
of the victors, so that the war, instead of impoverishing, enriched the
Bohemians.
A few years later, under a new pope, still another crusade was set on
foot. As before, men and means were drawn

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