es by
the far distant authorities of Holy Church. The spirit of nationalism
tarnished the starry halo of one John, and sought illumination in the
fierce glow that destroyed the other. John Nepomuk was relegated to the
background where live the quiet souls whose beliefs are not affected by
nationalism. John Hus was brought forward by national sentiment which
had fiercely resented the suppression of this martyr's memorial
celebrations, and for a time it seemed that John Hus would hold the
field, that the spirit of the nation would return to his tenets and away
from an alien spiritual authority.

Even a year ago John Nepomuk's day was observed only by those who
perform their devotions in secret; this year we had vigil and feast kept
at top form, pilgrimages from all parts of the country, processions
through the streets headed by high dignitaries of the Church, and
outward and visible signs of a sincere regard for a patron saint. There
was some stimulating opposition too: a band of followers of the other
John also demonstrated in favour of their man, whose day was not due for
about a month or so. The police were out in force, but the opposition
amounted to little more than noise; there were plenty of bands and beer,
and no one particularly wanted a row.

There is some significance in this revival of reverence for St. John
Nepomuk. Owing to centuries of oppression the mind of the people of
Bohemia has developed a strong "spirit of negation," "_der Geist der
stets verneint_," as Goethe would say, to the detriment of constructive
ability, so it may be that this spirit having failed to reconstruct a
church of some sort, at least on national lines, is going under before
the mightiest organization the world has ever known, the Church of Rome.

The Government's attitude was interesting, if not amusing, in the matter
of keeping the feast. Officially there was no feast (except the daily
socialistic feast of reason), unofficially anyone who wanted to drop a
tear for John Nepomuk over the bridge was at liberty to leave his office
for that purpose.

Swarms of country folk flocked into the city of Prague to give John
Nepomuk his due--but there was also an agricultural exhibition going on
at the time. The Government was keenly interested in this exhibition;
the crowds who came in out of reverence for John Nepomuk went to the
exhibition out of curiosity.

To the Government the late patron saint of Bohemia was of some economic
value;