During the 19th Century, Czechoslovakia was a Roman Catholic nation, but there were small groups of Protestants holding secret meetings throughout the country. Into this environment, in 1846, Henry Novotny was born. While still a youth he visited a secret Protestant meeting and was so impressed that he obtained a Bible and some of their literature. Despite continuing to attend their conventicle, he was still officially a Catholic. When one of his new acquaintances died, the group didn’t feel it was right to have a priest perform the service, but they didn’t have a pastor or a leader so they asked Henry to say a few words. He reluctantly agreed, doing so well that the group later asked him to become their pastor. This put the young man into a difficult position. He felt that he could not lead them if he didn’t openly come out of the Catholic church. After a struggle, he finally announced, “I resolve that with God’s help I shall leave the Roman Catholic Church and become a Protestant.” In 1870, feeling the need for more education, he moved to Switzerland and then on to Edinburgh, Scotland. Eventually he returned to Prague as a Congregational missionary. But then he met a Baptist from Bavaria. The two became friends. Over time Henry became convinced of believer’s baptism. On this day in 1885, in the city of Lodz (“Woodz”), he was immersed. Soon after that, he was ordained into the Baptist ministry. During his life he suffered considerable persecution and the hatred of his neighbors, but he remained faithful to the Lord, eventually becoming known as “the Bohemian Judson.”
