hich he approved. At the same time the first translation of the whole
Bible--whether a collection of the parts already extant, or a new
version, we are not informed--appeared, and was distributed in
multiplied copies among the public. It is not known whether this
translation was prepared by Huss; but it is certain that he did what
he could to promote its circulation. On such proceedings the Romish
clergy could not look with tranquillity. Twice he was called to Rome;
twice he disobeyed; and at length appealed to a general council. In
consequence of his doctrines, and of some tumultuous scenes among his
followers, the excess of which he himself highly disapproved, he was
by a decree of pope John XXIII solemnly expelled from the communion of
the church. Deeming himself no longer safe at Prague under the weak
king, he retired to the territory of his friend and patron, Nicholas
of Hussinecz, where he prepared new works, some of which are among his
most powerful ones, and preached repeatedly in the open fields before
an innumerable audience. Those of his works which caused the greatest
sensation, were his treatise 'On the Church,' and a pamphlet entitled
'The Six Errors;' both of which he caused to be fixed on the walls and
gates of the chapel of Bethlehem. Both were directed against
indulgences, against the abuse of excommunication, simony,
transubstantiation, and the like; and, above all, against the
unlimited obedience required by the see of Rome; maintaining that the
Scriptures presented the only rule of faith and conduct for the
Christian.

In consequence of this conviction, the correction and distribution of
the Bohemian Bible was his constant care. In all his Bohemian writings
he paid an uncommon attention to the language, and exerted a decided
and lasting influence on it. The old Bohemian alphabet, which
consisted of forty-two letters, he arranged anew; and first settled
the Bohemian orthography according to fixed principles.[18] In order
to render it more interesting and impressive to learners, he
imitated Cyril's ingenious mode of giving to each letter the name of
some well-known Bohemian word, which had the same initial letter, e.g.
H, _hospodin_, lord; K, _kral_, king, etc. Thus he devoted his whole
life to the different means of enlightening his countrymen; and justly
considered a general cultivation of the mind as the best preparation
for receiving the truth.

Among the coadjutors of Huss, the most distinguish