In this presentation we will consider the time frame
of Dr. Carroll’s book AD 1400-1600.
The Dark Ages have come to an end but with great
cost of millions of lives of God’s children.
Let us now consider this time period called “The
Reformation.
Now, back to Dr. Carroll’s book, The Trail of Blood
AD 1400-1600.
1400-1600
1. These three centuries, fifteenth, sixteenth, and
seventeenth, are among the most eventful in all the
world’s history, and especially is this true in
Christian history. There was almost a continual revolution
inside the Catholic Church — both Roman and Greek —
seeking a Reformation.
This awakening of long dormant Conscience and the
desire for a genuine reformation really began in the
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thirteenth century or possibly even a little earlier than
that. History certainly seems to indicate it.
2. Let's go back just a little.
The Catholic Church by its many departures from
New Testament teachings, its many strange and cruel
laws, and its desperately low state of morals, and its
hands and clothes reeking with the blood of millions
of martyrs, has become obnoxious and plainly
repulsive to many of its adherents, who are far better
than their own system and laws and doctrines and
practices. Several of its bravest and best and most
spiritual priests and other leaders, one by one, sought
most earnestly to reform many of its most
objectionable laws and doctrines and get back, at
least nearer, to the plain teachings of the New
Testament.
We give some striking examples. However, at this time
there was probably not one solitary unmarred doctrine of
the New Testament retained in its original purity — but now
note some of the reformers and where they labored.
3. It is well to note, however, that for many centuries prior
to this great reformation period, there were a number of
noted characters, who rebelled against the awful extremes of
the Catholic — and earnestly sought to remain loyal to the
Bible — but their bloody trail was about all that was left of
them. We come now to study for awhile this most noted
period — the "Reformation."
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4. From 1320 to 1384 there lived a man in England who
attracted world-wide attention.
His name was John Wycliff. He was the first of the brave
fellows who had the courage to attempt a real reformation
inside the Catholic Church. He is many times referred to in
history as "The Morning Star of the Reformation." He lived
an earnest and effective life. It would really require several
volumes to contain anything like an adequate history of John
Wycliff. He was hated, fearfully hated, by the leaders of the
Catholic hierarchy. His life was persistently sought. He
finally died of paralysis. But years later, so great was
Catholic hatred, his bones were dug and burned, and his
ashes scattered upon the waters.
5. Following tolerably close on the heels of Wycliff came
John Huss, 1373-1415, a distinguished son from far away
Bohemia. His soul had felt and responded to the brilliant
light of England's "Morning Star." His was a brave and
eventful life, but painfully and sadly short.
Instead of awakening a responsive chord among his Catholic
people in favor of a real reformation, he aroused a fear and
hatred and opposition which resulted in his being burned at
the stake — a martyr among his own people. And yet he
was seeking their own good. He loved his Lord, and he loved
his people. However, he was only one of many millions who
had thus to die.
6. Next to John Huss of Bohemia, came a wonderful son of
Italy, the marvelously eloquent Savonarola, 1452-1498.
Huss was burned in 1415, Savonarola was born 37 years
later. He, like Huss, though a devout Catholic, found the
leaders of his people — the people of Italy — like those of
Bohemia, against all reformation. But he, by his mighty
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eloquence, succeeded in awakening some conscience and
securing a considerable following. But a real reformation in
the Hierarchy meant absolute ruin to the higher-ups in that
organization. So, Savonarola, as well as Huss, must die.
HE TOO WAS BURNED AT THE STAKE.
Of all the eloquent men of that great period, Savonarola
possibly stood head and shoulders above all others. But he
was contending against a mighty organization and their
existence demanded that they fight the reformation, so
Savonarola must die.
7. Of course, in giving the names of the reformers of this
period, many names are necessarily to be left out. Only those
most frequently referred to in history are mentioned here.
Following Italy's golden tongued orator came a man from
Switzerland. Zwingle was born before Savonarola died. He
lived from 1484 to 1531. The spirit of reformation was
beginning now to fill the whole land. Its fires are now
breaking out faster and spreading more rapidly and
becoming most difficult to control. This one kindled by
Zwingle was not yet more than partially smothered before
another, more serious than all the rest, had broken out in
Germany. Zwingle died in battle.
8. Martin Luther probably the most noted of all the
fifteenth and sixteenth century reformers, lived 1483 to
1546, and as can be seen by the dates, was very nearly an
exact contemporary of Zwingle. He was born one year
earlier and lived fifteen years later. Far more, probably, than
history definitely states, his great predecessors have in great
measure made easier his hard way before him. Furthermore,
he learned from their hard experience, and then later, and
most thoroughly from his own, that a genuine reformation
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inside the Catholic Church would be an utter impossibility.
Too many reform measures would be needed. One would
demand another, and others demand yet others, and so on
and on.
9. So Martin Luther, after many hard-fought battles with the
leaders of Catholicism, and aided by Melancthon and other
prominent Germans, became the founder in 1530, or, about
then, of an entirely new Christian organization, now known
as the Lutheran Church, which very soon became the
Church of Germany. This was the first of the new
organizations to come directly out of Rome and renounce all
allegiance to the Catholic Mother Church (as she is called)
and to continue to live thereafter.
10. Skipping now for a little while, the Church of England,
which comes next to the Lutheran in its beginnings, we will
follow for a little while the Reformation on the Continent.
From 1509 to 1564, there lived another of the greatest of the
reformers. This was John Calvin a Frenchman, but
seeming at the time to be living in Switzerland. He was really
a mighty man. He was a contemporary of Martin Luther for
30 years and was 22 years old when Zwingle died.
Calvin is the accredited founder of the Presbyterian
church. Unquestionably the work of Zwingle, as well as that
of Luther, made much easier the work of Calvin. So, in 1541,
just eleven years (that seems to be the year), after the
founding by Luther of the Lutheran Church, the Presbyterian
Church came into existence. It too, as in the case of the
Lutherans, was led by a reformed Catholic priest or at least
official.
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These six — Wycliff, Huss, Savonarola, Zwingle, Luther
and Calvin, great leaders in their great battles for
reformation, struck Catholicism a staggering blow.
11. In 1560, nineteen years after Calvin's first organization
in Geneva, Switzerland, John Knox, a disciple of Calvin,
established the first Presbyterian Church in Scotland, and
just thirty-two years later, 1592, the Presbyterian became the
State Church of Scotland.
12. During all these hard struggles for Reformation,
continuous and valuable aid was given to the reformers, by
many Ana-Baptists, or whatever other name they bore.
Hoping for some relief from their own bitter lot, they came
out of their hiding places and fought bravely with the
reformers, but they were doomed to fearful disappointment.
They were from now on to have two additional persecuting
enemies. Both the Lutheran and Presbyterian Churches
brought out of their Catholic Mother many of her evils,
among them her idea of a State Church. They both soon
became Established Churches. Both were soon in the
persecuting business, falling little, if any, short of their
Catholic Mother. Sad and awful was the fate of these long-
suffering Ana-Baptists. The world now offered no sure place
for hiding. Four hard persecutors were now hot on their trail.
Surely theirs was a "Trail of Blood."
13. During the same period, really earlier by several years
than the Presbyterians, arose yet another new denomination,
not on the continent, but in England. However, this came
about not so much by way of reformation (though that
evidently made it easier) as by way of a real split or division
in the Catholic ranks. More like the division in 869, when
Eastern Catholics separated from the Western, and became
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from that time on, known in history as the Greek and Roman
Catholic Churches.
This new division came about somewhat in this wise:
England's king, Henry VIII, had married Catherine of Spain,
but unfortunately, after some time his somewhat
troublesome heart had fallen in love with Anne Boleyn. So,
he wanted to divorce Catherine and marry Annie. Getting a
divorce back then was no easy matter. Only the Pope could
grant it, and he in this case, for special reasons, declined to
grant it.
Henry was in great distress. Being king, he felt he ought to
be entitled to follow his own will in the matter. His Prime
Minister (at that time Thomas Cromwell) rather made sport
of the King. Why do you submit to papal authority on such
matters? Henry followed his suggestion, threw off papal
authority and made himself head of the Church of England.
This was consummated in 1534 or 1535. At that time there
was no change in doctrine, simply a renunciation of the
authority of the Pope. Henry at heart really never became a
Protestant. He died in the Catholic faith.
14. But this split did ultimately result in some very
considerable change, or reformation, while a reformation
within the Catholic Church and under papal authority, as in
the case of Luther and others, was impossible, it became
possible after the division. Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, and
others led in some marked changes. However, they and
many others paid a bloody price for the changes when a few
years later, Mary, “Bloody Mary,” a daughter of the divorced
Catherine, came to the English throne, and carried the new
Church back under the papal power. This fearful and terrific
reaction ended with the strenuous and bloody five-year reign
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of Mary. While the heads were going under the bloody axe
of Mary, hers went with them.
The people had gotten, however, a partial taste of freedom
so when Elizabeth, the daughter of Anne Boleyn (for whom
Catherine was divorced), became Queen, the Church of
England again overthrew papal power and was again re-
established.
Conclusion to Chapter Twelve A
I want to once more, interrupt Dr. Carroll’s text to address
some more pertinent facts concerning these two periods of
time, the Dark Ages, and the Reformation.
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Who Were They?