Story of the Faith in Hungary

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1870* edition. Excerpt: ...convent of Radna, that picture of the Virgin which was flung into the fire by the infidels, but would not burn. Only a certain blackening with smoke is offered as proof of the miracle and reason why the daub--of a female encircled with a large gilt crown--should perform sundry other miracles, bringing large revenues to its owners. By its side is preserved a stone, to which the Virgin of the picture affixed the horse's hoofs of a scoffing Turk, who doubtless did not believe in the canvas idol. Ten thousand Roman troops came to help Rudolph against the Turks. They were just as bitter enemies to the Protestant as to the Moslem. An. imperial general named Basta desolated Transylvania, and made himself a proverb to succeeding generations by his cruelty to the Reformed population. The language of the country to this day embodies a characteristic trace of him. Travellers see a large wheelbarrow in ordinary use, and are told that these are Basta szeker-- Basta's carriages--to which he harnessed men instead of beasts, and thus made them draw the forage and camp equipage of his army.-Far worse than this was done by his orders. More than once a pile of Protestant books was made the fuel for burning a Protestant pastor. Others of these unfortunate men were flayed alive, while gentle Mother Church stayed not the tyrant's hand, but aided and abetted through her episcopal agents. He seems, indeed, to have meditated a destruction after the pattern of the far-famed St. Bartholomew, for the Roman commander who acted in concert with him declared that their plan was to put to the sword every grown person in Hungary and Transylvania who should not become a Roman Catholic. A fearful famine followed the ravages which these defenders of the faith committed, so...