V n J>V
\l\\ q \ j A v
teaching their children the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments in English, when husbands were made to witness against their wives, and children were forced to light the death fires of their parents, and possessors of the banned Wycliffe Bible were hunted down as if they were wild beasts.” Throughout his life Wycliffe pro tested against the abuses within the Church of the period. This naturally gave great offence, and he had to go to London to be tried by the Arch bishop of Canterbury and others. In the midst of the proceedings an earthquake shock terrified the people in the court, but the Archbishop in sisted that the trial should continue. He said that the earth was getting rid of its noxious vapors by means of the earthquake, so the court must rid England of the evil influence of Wycliffe’s teaching. In the end, the reformer’s teaching was condemned, and he himself was forbidden to preach or teach any more at Oxford CHRISTMAS BELLS Why do bells at Christmas ring? Why do little children sing? Once a little Baby lay Cradled soft upon the hay, And His mother sang and smiled; This is Christ, the Holy Child— Therefore bells at Christmas ring; Therefore little children sing. — Selected where for many years he had been the most illustrious of the University professors. Thereupon the brave old man retired to his rectory at Lutter worth in Leicestershire, and com pleted his work of translating the Bible into English, feeling that he could leave to his countrymen no better legacy than the Word of God. Wycliffe expected a violent death as a result of all his conflicts with the authorities of the church, but he was mercifully spared thi s experience. The end came as the natural result of his constant labor and anxiety— and came quite suddenly. He labored on until the last Sunday in 1384. On that day, while conducting service in the church at Lutterworth, he was seized with paralysis. Loving hands carried him to his home nearby, where he lingered a day or two longer, finally entering into rest on the last day of the year. Because Wycliffe began the work of trying to reform the Romish Church, a work which Luther and others carried forward a century- and-a-half later, he is often called “ the Morning Star of the Reforma tion.”
\>J3
A FAMILY WATCH NIGHT SERVICE
It Happened in December
F or a different New Year’s Eve celebration why not prayerfully consider staying at home as a fam ily? This idea may not be popular with churches p l ann i ng complete prograips for their members, or oth er groups seeking to attract “watch night” crowds. It is, however, an interesting and unique means of binding the family together especial ly in these days when everyone is always on the “ go.” The essence of success is in vari ety. The program begins the evening with family devotions as soon as din ner is finished. At the conclusion of the Bible story or Bible reading, each member of the family may want to suggest his ideas and wishes for the evening. Have plenty of supplies on hand so that everyone may select something to be made in the kitchen, such as popcorn, fudge, or other de lectable items to be enjoyed later in the evening. Each member of the family is also given the opportunity ■of selecting his favorite game (as long as it’s not too drawn out). Wherever possible, a selection should be guided toward Bible games. During this time have a supply of | balloons on hand. Regardless of the 'age of the individual this is some thing that creates wholesome fun. Other entertainment to keep the eve ning going is to let each of the younger members of the family se lect a television program which the rest can enjoy together. If you know shut-ins in the church or neighbor hood, select a time in the early eve ning to call and encourage them. The children enjoy sharing their night with those less fortunate. If you have a fireplace, make sure it’s going. Conclude the evening by the read ing of favorite verses or portions from the Bible. Let each read some thing. Then remember the needs of others. Going around the circle, let everyone suggest the name of a relative, a neighbor and a mission ary. (The list could go on, of course, to include other needs such as radio programs, Christian schools, etc.) As the noise “ comes on strong” at mid night in the outside world, make it a point to have the family on their knees in prayer. It will climax the evening with a memorable time to gether which will not be erased by all of the troubles and turmoils of the world.
I N D ecember 31st, in the year 1384, died one of the greatest Englishmen of all time, John Wyc- liffe. Six hundred years ago there was no English Bible in existence. Sev eral good men had translated small portions of Scripture into English before this, but it was not until John Wycliffe took the task in hand in the fourteenth century that the whole Bible was turned into the English language. Before that time, a Latin version of the Bible, known as the Vulgate, was the only one available in England. But in Wycliffe’s time there were very few who could read Latin, and as a result the English people were sadly ignorant of the Bible. So Wycliffe, who was one of the greatest scholars of his day, set to work and turned the Vulgate into the English of that period. He was engaged upon the task for more than ten years, completing it in 1380, though even to the time of his death he continued to revise and improve the translation. When the book was ready, copies of it were made. As printing was not yet invented, all this work had to be done by hand by a company of devoted scribes. What an immense amount of labor it must have in volved! Copies, both of the whole book and also of parts of it, were produced in considerable numbers, and were circulated as widely as possible by Wycliffe’s followers, who were known as Lollards. Fierce opposition, however, soon arose, and it became dangerous to possess a copy of the Bible, or even to read it. Those who were in au thority considered it a terrible thing for people to read the Bible for them selves, and they did all they could to stop it. They tried to stamp it out by persecution. There came a time, we are told, “when the readers of the Book were burned with their copies tied round their necks, when men and women were executed for
DECEMBER, 1965
39
Made with FlippingBook Online document