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Protestantism in Poland and Bohemia - James Aitken Wylie

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at reform<strong>in</strong>g the nation <strong>in</strong> life as well as <strong>in</strong> creed. It<br />

forbade "all k<strong>in</strong>ds of wickedness <strong>and</strong> luxury,<br />

accursed gluttony <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>ebriety." It prohibited lewd<br />

dances, games of chance, profane oaths, <strong>and</strong> night<br />

assemblages <strong>in</strong> taverns. It enjo<strong>in</strong>ed l<strong>and</strong>owners to<br />

treat their peasants with "Christian charity <strong>and</strong><br />

humanity," to exact of them no oppressive labor or<br />

heavy taxes, to permit no markets or fairs to be<br />

held upon their estates on Sunday, <strong>and</strong> to dem<strong>and</strong><br />

no service of their peasants on that day. A<br />

Protestant creed was but the means for creat<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

virtuous <strong>and</strong> Christian people.<br />

There is no era like this, before or s<strong>in</strong>ce, <strong>in</strong> the<br />

annals of <strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong>. <strong>Protestantism</strong> had reached its<br />

acme <strong>in</strong> that country. Its churches numbered<br />

upwards of 2,000. They were at peace <strong>and</strong><br />

flourish<strong>in</strong>g. Their membership <strong>in</strong>cluded the first<br />

dignitaries of the crown <strong>and</strong> the first nobles of the<br />

l<strong>and</strong>. In some parts Romanism almost entirely<br />

disappeared. Schools were planted throughout the<br />

country, <strong>and</strong> education flourished. The Scriptures<br />

were translated <strong>in</strong>to the tongue of the people, the<br />

read<strong>in</strong>g of them was encouraged as the most<br />

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