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Protestantism in Poland and Bohemia - James Aitken Wylie

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although amid all these laborers we can discover<br />

no one who first gathers all the forces of the new<br />

life <strong>in</strong>to himself, <strong>and</strong> aga<strong>in</strong> sends them forth over<br />

the l<strong>and</strong>, we yet behold the darkness vanish<strong>in</strong>g on<br />

every side. <strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong>'s Reformation is not a sunrise,<br />

but a daybreak: the first dim streaks are succeeded<br />

by others less doubtful; these are followed by<br />

brighter shades still; till at last someth<strong>in</strong>g like the<br />

clearness of day illum<strong>in</strong>ates its sky. The truth has<br />

visited some nobleman, as the light will strike on<br />

some tall mounta<strong>in</strong> at the morn<strong>in</strong>g hour, <strong>and</strong><br />

straightway his reta<strong>in</strong>ers <strong>and</strong> tenantry beg<strong>in</strong> to<br />

worship as their chief worships; or some cathedral<br />

abbot or city priest has embraced the Gospel, <strong>and</strong><br />

their flocks follow <strong>in</strong> the steps of their shepherd,<br />

<strong>and</strong> f<strong>in</strong>d <strong>in</strong> the doctr<strong>in</strong>e of a free salvation a peace<br />

of soul which they never experienced amid the<br />

burdensome rites <strong>and</strong> meritorious services of the<br />

Church of Rome. There are no combats; no stakes;<br />

no mighty h<strong>in</strong>drances to be vanquished; <strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong><br />

seems dest<strong>in</strong>ed to enter without struggle or<br />

bloodshed <strong>in</strong>to possession of that precious<br />

<strong>in</strong>heritance which other nations are content to buy<br />

with a great price.<br />

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