Читать книгу Essentials in Church History - Joseph Fielding Smith - Страница 44

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Evidently this ruling ecclesiastical power realized that enlightened conditions would bring rebellion against its authority. For that reason stringent laws were framed to enforce the edicts and regulations of the church of Rome. During the “Reformation” and before, there were several translations of the Bible made in the languages which the common people understood. Wycliffe’s Bible appeared in 1380 and was followed by translations at a later date, both in English and other tongues. At first there was an attempt to destroy these copies which were prepared without authority or sanction from the Catholic Church. With the invention of printing in the fifteenth century, however, the cause of religious freedom received a wonderful impetus, and Bibles were distributed all over Europe. Before the time of printing a Bible cost five hundred crowns, and such copies as were in existence were in the keeping of the clergy, who guarded them with the utmost zeal. Through the aid of printing, the price of Bibles was reduced to five crowns, which made it possible for the people not only to have the privilege of hearing the scriptures read in their own tongue, but also to acquire the understanding by which they could read them for themselves.