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John
Hus Betrayed at Council of Constance in 1415.
A priest and scholar in 15th-century Bohemia, John Hus was a reformer 100 years before Luther. A beloved pastor, he was nevertheless burned as a heretic for his uncompromising belief in the final authority of the Bible. This DVD has won awards.
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e died when still a young man. Only 29. But
David Brainerd, a young Puritan who ministered to the Indians, was one
of America's most influential missionaries. Though his life was brief,
Brainerd's intense, passionate devotion to God affected countless Christians
for many generations.
Born
in 1718 to a devout Puritan family in Haddam, Connecticut, David Brainerd
was orphaned at the age of 14. At twenty-one, swept up by the Great Awakening,
he had a conversion experience and enrolled at Yale. Though an excellent
student, Brainerd was dismissed in 1742 for criticizing one of the tutors,
saying he had no more grace than a chair! Brainerd's regret over his rash
statement could not secure his reinstatement. He ever afterward remained
sensitive about criticism and maintaining Christian unity.
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Brainerd studied with pastor Jedidiah Mills to prepare for the ministry
and was soon licensed to preach. He went to work among the Indians at
Kaunameek, about half way between Stockbridge, Massachusetts and Albany,
New York. He diligently learned the Indian language but had little missionary
success. So he moved on.
After being ordained by the Presbytery of New York, he began a new work
among the Delaware Indians of Pennsylvania. Here too Brainerd saw little
success in his ministry. Though often despondent because of his ineffective
ministry, loneliness, and repeated illness brought on by tuberculosis,
Brainerd determined to live wholly for God, whatever his outward success.
IMAGE LEFT: John
Hus Betrayed at Council of Constance in 1415. Summoned to defend his popular reform teachings,
he was guaranteed protection by emperor Sigismund. But the emperor
caved in to pressure from church officials, and Hus was imprisoned, tried,
and executed by burning. He died singing!
During 1745-1746, Brainerd traveled to minister to the Indians near Trenton,
New Jersey and was amazed at the immediate responsiveness of the Indians
to the Christian message. Over 100 Indians at a time came to him in the
region. Brainerd poured out his life in ministry to these Indians, writing
that he wanted "to burn out in one continual flame for God."
He helped secure land for the Indians when theirs was threatened and soon
constructed a church, school, carpenter's shop, and infirmary.
By the fall of 1746 Brainerd was increasingly coughing up blood. The
famous theologian-pastor, Jonathan Edwards, brought him to his home in
Northampton, MA. There David Brainerd spent his last months, succumbing
to tuberculosis on October 9, 1747.
Jonathan Edward's daughter Jerusha nursed Brainerd during his last illness,
and a deep love developed between them. Edwards once overheard Brainerd
tell Jerusha, "If I thought I should not see you, and be happy with
you in another world, I could not bear to part with you. But we shall
spend a happy eternity together." Jerusha contracted tuberculosis
and died a few months after David, at the age of eighteen.
After Brainerd's death, Jonathan Edwards edited and published his diary,
describing it as an example of a devotional life "most worthy of
imitation." This diary was to influence many missionaries in future
generations, including William Carey and Henry Martyn, who went to India
and Jim Eliot, the twentieth century missionary who gave his life ministering
to the Auca Indians.
DISTANT DATELINE: The Goose is Cooked
CONSTANCE, JULY 7, 1415. While singing, "Christ, thou son of the
living God, have mercy upon me," heretic John Hus was burned at the
stake yesterday. While some mocked that the goose was now cooked (Hus
being the Czech word for goose), others felt contempt and outrage at King
Sigismund who had promised Hus protection and safe conduct at the Council
of Constance.
Though the Council was called to resolve the problem of three rival popes,
it has broadened its concerns to include doctrinal purity. Hus was called
to appear before the Council to answer charges of heresy against his teachings.
Because of King Sigismund's promise of protection, Hus agreed to come
to Constance, but he was soon arrested and placed in a prison near a foul
sewer. At his seven month long trial, Hus repeatedly asked to be shown
from Scripture the errors of his teaching, but he was given little opportunity
to defend the charges made against him. Most frequently, Hus has been
accused of following the teachings of the English heretic John Wycliffe.
He was also frivolously charged with claiming to be the fourth person
of the Trinity.
Though Hus' trial dragged on for many months, his sentencing and execution
yesterday were swift. In spite of his condemnation, Hus continues to have
many supporters among the common people. They marvel that the Council
simply deposed the immoral Pope John while it burned the righteous John
Hus. These people believe the earthly fires which burned Hus' body can
never quench the Scriptural truth for which he stood.
Our Debt to Hus (Editor's Notebook)
We at Christian History Institute happily acknowledge our
special "indebtedness" to the noted Czech reformer John Hus.
He is featured in the front cover picture story and in the Distant Dateline
on page three. Indeed, we might even say that Hus is the reason that we
and Glimpses are here. It goes back over 16 years to when we released
a film on the life of Hus under our sister company Gateway Films. When
preparing to put out the film I previewed it for a group of Christian
leaders - mostly clergy - and asked before the showing how many were familiar
with Hus. Only about half were. Then we previewed it for a group of laity.
Only six in their group of a few hundred had even heard of him. These
experiences proved to be a life-changing experience that drastically reshaped
the direction of my ministry. I recognized how those of us, particularly
we from an evangelical Protestant background, typically have such an impoverished
awareness of our Christian heritage. We rightfully place strong emphasis
on the centrality of the Scriptures but then often ignore how the God
of Scripture had led, guided, corrected and sustained his people over
the centuries since the Scriptures were completed. I also saw how exposure
to that Hus film opened up a whole new appreciation for viewers of the
incredible price that has been paid to pass on the Scriptures and the
faith to us. It was not that we are spoiled children who could care less
about our spiritual family heritage, but so little was available to present
it to us in an understandable and meaningful way. Thus, we began to prepare
an on-going series of films on church history. With them came user guides.
That led to the formation of Christian History Institute and Christian
History magazine some twelve years ago, and the beginning of Glimpses
about seven years ago. This little ministry has slowly grown over the
years and has always been committed to serving the entire Body of Christ.
We gratefully acknowledge how it all began with John Hus. -- Ken Curtis |
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