urity to his person; but when,
soon after, he reached Constance, 1414, he was seized as a heretic, and
imprisoned, and, after a confinement of severe hardships for six months,
he was condemned without a hearing; and, when he refused to recant his
errors, he was tumultuously sentenced to be burnt. The emperor indeed
complained of the contempt shown to his authority, and of the perfidy used
towards the delinquent, but all in vain. Huss was inhumanly dragged to
execution; he was stripped of his sacerdotal habit, deprived of his
degrees, and, with a paper crown on his head, with pictures of devils
round, and the inscription of "Heresiarch," he was burned alive, July,
1415. He endured his torments with uncommon fortitude and truly Christian
resignation. His ashes were collected, and then sprinkled in the Rhine.

John OEcolampadius.

An eminent German reformer, born, in 1482, at Weinsberg in Franconia. He
was converted to the Protestant faith by reading the works of Luther;
became professor of theology at Basle; embraced the opinions of Zuinglius
respecting the sacrament; contributed much to the progress of
ecclesiastical reform, and died in 1531.

OEcolampadius was of a meek and quiet disposition; in the undertaking of
any business he was very circumspect; nor was there any thing more
pleasing to him, than to spend his time in reading and commenting. His
publications are numerous, consisting chiefly of annotations on the holy
Scriptures.

Martin Luther.

The celebrated reformer was born at Isleben, in Saxony, 10th November,
1483. His parents wished him to devote himself to the labors of the bar,
but an extraordinary accident diverted his purpose. As he walked one day
in the fields with a fellow-student, he was struck down by lightning, and
his companion killed by his side; and this had such effect upon his mind
that, without consulting his friends, he retired from the world, into the
order of the Augustines. In this seclusion he found by accident a Latin
Bible, which he never before had seen, and in perusing it he was
astonished at the little knowledge of Scripture and of Christianity which
the clergy then imparted to the people. From the convent of Erfurt he was
removed to Wittemberg University; and here he read lectures on philosophy,
for three years, to numerous and applauding audiences. The completion of
St. Peter's Church at Rome at this time required extraordinary sums, and
the pope, Leo X., to fil