A man of even greater talents, and one whose labors for reform produced more permanent results was
MILIČ OF KREMSIER.
Milič was by birth a Moravian, who was unacquainted with the German language until he studied it so as to be able to preach both to the Germans and Bohemians. He held several positions of trust and honor. For some time he was the chief official in the imperial chancery, and later a canon in St. Vitus Cathedral. In 1363 he resigned his honors and preferments, determined to follow Christ in poverty and humility. The archbishop in vain tried to retain his services. He said to Milič: “What better thing can you do than help a poor archbishop to feed the flock intrusted to his care?” But the sturdy evangelist remained unmoved in his decision to preach the gospel to the poor. For some time he preached in the small town of Klatov; but, beginning to enjoy life, he thought it was a temptation of the evil one to lead him back to the paths of ease; and so he gave up his charge, returned to Prague, and began preaching in St. Nicholas on the Small Side.
At first, Milič had but few hearers, and some of those mocked his Moravian accent; but his earnestness of purpose soon won him the esteem of the people, and his words began to be discussed in all parts of the city. At length he became so popular that, in order to give all who wished to hear him the opportunity to do so, he was obliged to preach several times a day in different parts of the city.
Through his excessive zeal against the moral depravity of those times, and his unceasing study of the
