beacon lights of history-iii-2- 第22部分

Luther；　since　the　Saxon　reformer　was　protected　by　powerful　princes；

and　was　backed　by　the　enthusiasm　of　Northern　Germans。　　Yet　the

Florentine　preacher　boldly　continued　his　attacks　on　all

hypocritical　religion；　and　on　the　vices　of　Rome；　not　as　incidental

to　the　system；　but　extraneous；the　faults　of　a　man　or　age。　　The

Pope　became　furious；　to　be　thus　balked　by　a　Dominican　monk；　and　in

one　of　the　cities　of　Italy；a　city　that　had　not　rebelled　against

his　authority。　　He　complained　bitterly　to　the　Florentine

ambassador；　of　the　haughty　friar　who　rebuked　and　defied　him。　　He

summoned　a　consistory　of　fourteen　eminent　Dominican　theologians；　to

inquire　into　his　conduct　and　opinions；　and　issued　a　brief

forbidding　him　to　preach；　under　penalty　of　excommunication。　　Yet

Savonarola　continued　to　preach；　and　more　violently　than　ever。　　He

renewed　his　charges　against　Rome。　　He　even　called　her　a　harlot

Church；　against　whom　heaven　and　earth；　angels　and　devils；　equally

brought　charges。　　The　Pope　then　seized　the　old　thunderbolts　of　the

Gregories　and　the　Clements；　and　excommunicated　the　daring　monk　and

preacher；　and　threatened　the　like　punishment　on　all　who　should

befriend　him。　　And　yet　Savonarola　continued　to　preach。　　All　Rome

and　Italy　talked　of　the　audacity　of　the　man。　　And　it　was　not　until

Florence　itself　was　threatened　with　an　interdict　for　shielding　such

a　man；　that　the　magistrates　of　the　city　were　compelled　to　forbid

his　preaching。



The　great　orator　mounted　his　pulpit　March　18；　1498；　now　four

hundred　years　ago；　and　took　an　affectionate　farewell　of　the　people

whom　he　had　led；　and　appealed　to　Christ　himself　as　the　head　of　the

Church。　　It　was　not　till　the　preacher　was　silenced　by　the

magistrates　of　his　own　city；　that　he　seems　to　have　rebelled　against

the　papal　authority；　and　then　not　so　much　against　the　authority　of

Rome　as　against　the　wicked　shepherd　himself；　who　had　usurped　the

fold。　　He　now　writes　letters　to　all　the　prominent　kings　and　princes

of　Europe；　to　assemble　a　general　council；　for　the　general　council

of　Constance　had　passed　a　resolution　that　the　Pope　must　call　a

general　council　every　ten　years；　and　that；　should　he　neglect　to

assemble　it；　the　sovereign　powers　of　the　various　states　and　empires

were　themselves　empowered　to　collect　the　scattered　members　of　the

universal　Church；　to　deliberate　on　its　affairs。　　In　his　letters　to

the　kings　of　France；　England；　Spain；　and　Hungary；　and　the　Emperor

of　Germany；　he　denounced　the　Pope　as　simoniacal；　as　guilty　of　all

the　vices；　as　a　disgrace　to　the　station　which　he　held。　　These

letters　seem　to　have　been　directed　against　the　man；　not　against　the

system。　　He　aimed　at　the　Pope's　ejectment　from　office；　rather　than

at　the　subversion　of　the　office　itself；another　mark　of　the

difference　between　Savonarola　and　Luther；　since　the　latter　waged　an

uncompromising　war　against　Rome　herself；　against　the　whole　regime

and　government　and　institutions　and　dogmas　of　the　Catholic　Church；

and　that　is　the　reason　why　Catholics　hate　Luther　so　bitterly；　and

deny　to　him　either　virtues　or　graces；　and　represent　even　his

deathbed；　as　a　scene　of　torment　and　despair；an　instance　of　that

pursuing　hatred　which　goes　beyond　the　grave；　like　that　of　the

zealots　of　the　Revolution　in　France；　who　dug　up　the　bones　of　the

ancient　kings　from　those　vaults　where　they　had　reposed　for

centuries；　and　scattered　their　ashes　to　the　winds。



Savonarola　hoped　the　Christian　world　would　come　to　his　rescue；　but

his　letters　were　intercepted；　and　reached　the　eye　of　Alexander　VI。；

who　now　bent　the　whole　force　of　the　papal　empire　to　destroy　that

bold　reformer　who　had　assailed　his　throne。　　And　it　seems　that　a

change　took　place　in　Florence　itself　in　popular　sentiment。　　The

Medicean　party　obtained　the　ascendency　in　the　government。　　The

peoplethe　fickle　peoplebegan　to　desert　Savonarola；　and

especially　when　he　refused　to　undergo　the　ordeal　of　fire；one　of

the　relics　of　Mediaeval　superstition；the　people　felt　that　they

had　been　cheated　out　of　their　amusement；　for　they　had　waited

impatiently　the　whole　day　in　the　public　square　to　see　the

spectacle。　　He　finally　consented　to　undergo　the　ordeal；　provided　he

might　carry　the　crucifix。　　To　this　his　enemies　would　not　consent。

He　then　laid　aside　the　crucifix；　but　insisted　on　entering　the　fire

with　the　sacrament　in　his　hand。　　His　persecutors　would　not　allow

this　either；　and　the　ordeal　did　not　take　place。



At　last　his　martyrdom　approaches：　he　is　led　to　prison。　　The

magistrates　of　the　city　send　to　Rome　for　absolution　for　having

allowed　the　Prior　to　preach。　　His　enemies　busy　themselves　in

collecting　evidence　against　him；for　what　I　know　not；　except　that

he　had　denounced　corruption　and　sin；　and　had　predicted　woe。　　His

two　friends　are　imprisoned　and　interrogated　with　him；　Fra　Domenico

da　Pescia　and　Fra　Silvestro　Maruffi；　who　are　willing　to　die　for

him。　　He　and　they　are　now　subjected　to　most　cruel　tortures。　　As　the

result　of　bodily　agony　his　mind　begins　to　waver。　　His　answers　are

incoherent；　he　implores　his　tormentors　to　end　his　agonies；　he　cries

out；　with　a　voice　enough　to　melt　a　heart　of　stone；　〃Take；　oh；　take

my　life！〃　　Yet　he　confessed　nothing　to　criminate　himself。　　What

they　wished　him　especially　to　confess　was　that　he　had　pretended　to

be　a　prophet；　since　he　had　predicted　calamities。　　But　all　men　are

prophets；　in　one　sense；　when　they　declare　the　certain　penalties　of

sin；　from　which　no　one　can　escape；　though　he　take　the　wings　of　the

morning　and　fly　to　the　uttermost　parts　of　the　sea。



Savonarola　thus　far　had　remained　firm；　but　renewed　examinations　and

fresh　tortures　took　place。　　For　a　whole　month　his　torments　were

continuous。　　In　one　day　he　was　drawn　up　by　a　rope　fourteen　times；

and　then　suddenly　dropped；　until　all　his　muscles　quivered　with

anguish。　　Had　he　been　surrounded　by　loving　disciples；　like　Latimer

at　the　burning　pile；　he　might　have　summoned　more　strength；　but

alone；　in　a　dark　inquisitorial　prison；　subjected　to　increasing

torture　among　bitter　foes；　he　did　not　fully　defend　his　visions　and

prophecies；　and　then　his　extorted　confessions　were　diabolically

altered。　　But　that　was　all　they　could　get　out　of　him；that　he　had

prophesied。　　In　all　matters　of　faith　he　was　sound。　　The　inquisitors

were　obliged　to　bring　their　examination　to　an　end。　　They　could　find

no　fault　with　him；　and　yet　they　were　determined　on　his　death。　　The

Government　of　Florence　consented　to　it　and　hastened　it；　for　a

Medici　again　held　the　highest　office　of　the　State。



Nothing　remained　to　the　imprisoned　and　tortured　friar　but　to

prepare　for　his　execution。　　In　his　supreme　trial　he　turned　to　the

God　in　whom　he　believed。　　In　the　words　of　the　dying　Xavier；　on　the

Island　of　Sancian；　he　exclaimed；　In　te　domine　speravi；　non

confundar　in　eternum。　　〃O　Lord；〃　he　prays；　〃a　thousand　times　hast

thou　wiped　out　my　iniquity。　　I　do　not　rely　on　my　own　justification；

but　on　thy　mercy。〃　　His　few　remaining　days　in　prison　were　passed　in

holy　meditation。



At　last　the　officers　of　the　papal　commission　arrive。　　The　tortures

are　renewed；　and　also　the　examinations；　with　the　same　result。　　No

fault　could　be　found　with　his　doctrines。　　〃But　a　dead　enemy；〃　said

they；　〃fights　no　more。〃　　He　is　condemned　to　execution。　　The

messengers　of　death　arrive　at　his　cell；　and　find　him　on　his　knees。

He　is　overpowered　by　his　sufferings　and　vigils；　and　can　with

difficulty　be　kept　from　sleep。　　But　he　arouses　himself；　and　passes

the　night　in　prayer；　and　administers　the　elements　of　redemption　to

his　doomed　companions；　and　closes　with　this　prayer：　〃Lord；　I　know

thou　art　that　perfect　Trinity；Father；　Son；　and　Holy　Ghost；　I　know

that　thou　art　the　eternal　Word；　that　thou　didst　descend　from　heaven

into　the　bosom　of　Mary；　that　thou　didst　ascend　upon　the　cross　to

shed　thy　blood　for　our　sins。　　I　pray　thee　that　by　that　blood　I　may

have　remission　for　my　sins。〃　　The　simple　faith　of　Paul；　of

Augustine；　of　Pascal！　　He　then　partook　of　the　communion；　and

descended　to　the　public　square；　while　the　crowd　gazed　silently　and

with　trepidation；　and　was　led　with　his　companions　to　the　first

tribunal；　where　he　was　disrobed　of　his　ecclesiastical　dress。　　Then

they　were　led　to　another　tribunal；　and　delivered　to　the　secular

arm；　then　to　another；　where　sentence　of　death　was　read；　and　then　to

the　place　of　execution；not　a　burning　funeral　pyre；　but　a

scaffold；　which　mounting；　composed；　calm；　absorbed；　Savonarola

submitted　his　neck　to　the　hangman；　in　the　forty…fifth　year　of　his

life：　a　martyr　to　the　cause　of　Christ；　not　for　an　attack　on　the

Church；　or　its　doctrines；　or　its　institutions；　but　for　having

denounced　the　corruption　and　vices　of　those　who　ruled　it；for

having　preached　against　sin。





Thus　died　one　of　the　greatest　and　best　men　of　his　age；　one　of　the

truest　and　purest　whom　the　Catholic　Church　has　produced　in　any　age。

He　was　stern；　uncompromising；　austere；　but　a　reformer　and　a　saint；

a　man　who　was　merciful　and　generous　in　the　possession　of　power；　an

enlightened　statesman；　a　sound　theologian；　and　a　fearless　preacher

of　that　righteousness　which　exalteth　a　nation。　　He　had　no　vices；　no

striking　defects。　　He　lived　according　to　the　rules　of　the　convent

he　governed　with　the　same　wisdom　that　he　governed　a　city；　and　he

died　in　the　faith　of　the　primitive　apostles。　　His　piety　was

monastic；　but　his　spirit　was　progressive；　sympathizing　with

liberty；　advocating　public　morality。　　He　was　unselfish；

disinterested；　and　true　to　his　Church；　his　conscience；　and　his

cause；a　noble　specimen　both　of　a　man　and　Christian；　whose　deeds

and　example　form　part　of　the　inheritance　of　an　admiring　posterity。

We　pity　his　closing　days；　after　such　a　career　of　power　and

influence；　but　we　may　as　well　compassionate　Socrates　or　Paul。　　The

greatest　lights　of　the　world　have　gone　out　in　martyrdom；　to　be

extinguished；　however；　only　for　a　time；　and　then　to　loom　up　again

in　another　age；　and　burn　with　inextinguishable　brightness　to

remotest　ge