the martyr was once more exhorted to save himself
by renouncing his errors. "What errors," said Huss, "shall I renounce? I
know myself guilty of none. I call God to witness that all that I have
written and preached has been with the view of rescuing souls from sin and
perdition; and, therefore, most joyfully will I confirm with my blood that
truth which I have written and preached."(143) When the flames kindled
about him, he began to sing, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me,"
and so continued till his voice was silenced forever.

Even his enemies were struck with his heroic bearing. A zealous papist,
describing the martyrdom of Huss, and of Jerome, who died soon after,
said: "Both bore themselves with constant mind when their last hour
approached. They prepared for the fire as if they were going to a marriage
feast. They uttered no cry of pain. When the flames rose, they began to
sing hymns; and scarce could the vehemency of the fire stop their
singing."(144)

When the body of Huss had been wholly consumed, his ashes, with the soil
upon which they rested, were gathered up and cast into the Rhine, and thus
borne onward to the ocean. His persecutors vainly imagined that they had
rooted out the truths he preached. Little did they dream that the ashes
that day borne away to the sea were to be as seed scattered in all the
countries of the earth; that in lands yet unknown it would yield abundant
fruit in witnesses for the truth. The voice which had spoken in the
council hall of Constance had wakened echoes that would be heard through
all coming ages. Huss was no more, but the truths for which he died could
never perish. His example of faith and constancy would encourage
multitudes to stand firm for the truth, in the face of torture and death.
His execution had exhibited to the whole world the perfidious cruelty of
Rome. The enemies of truth, though they knew it not, had been furthering
the cause which they vainly sought to destroy.

Yet another stake was to be set up at Constance. The blood of another
witness must testify for the truth. Jerome, upon bidding farewell to Huss
on his departure for the council, had exhorted him to courage and
firmness, declaring that if he should fall into any peril, he himself
would fly to his assistance. Upon hearing of the Reformer's imprisonment,
the faithful disciple immediately prepared to fulfil his promise. Without
a safe-conduct he set out, with a single companion, for Constan