John Knox was then a young man preparing for service in the priesthood of Rome.  He had met Wishart and felt the glow of his warm heart and the power of his inspiring fellowship.  He was a man of eminent natural abilities to which was added a liberal education.  He was recognized as one who would be a mighty champion on whatever side he took his stand.  God was rich in mercy to Scotland when He caused the Gospel to shine into the heart of Knox, giving him “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”  His towering intellect, through the study of the Word of God, caught the morning glory of the Reformation, like a mountain that catches the first rays of the rising sun.  He broke all the bonds that bound him to Papacy, and entered into the liberty of the children of God in the power of the Holy Spirit.

When Knox received his first call to become a pastor, he was overwhelmed with anxiety at the awful responsibility of preaching the Gospel.  He stood in amazement, but dared not refuse.  His humility and self-abasement prepared him, through the grace of the Lord Jesus, for heights of power and honor seldom reached by ministers.  From that crucial day he devoted all the energies of body and soul to the preaching of the Word of God.  His public services covered a quarter of a century.

This mighty man of valor threw himself immediately into the thickest of the fight against Romanism.  He struck at the root of the evil.  Instead of skirmishing along the borders about rituals, ceremonies, and perversion of doctrines, he boldly challenged the Papal system as Antichrist, and the Pope as “The man of sin.”  In his estimation the Romish Church was a fallen Church and had become “The Synagogue of Satan.”  He entered the field of conflict clad in the armor of God and wielded the sword of the Spirit with precision and terrible effect.  In prayer lay the secret of his power.  He knew how to take hold upon God, and prevail like a prince.  The Queen Regent, who in those times mustered the forces of the government at her pleasure, said, “I am more afraid of the prayers of John Knox than of any army of ten thousand men.”

The very name of Knox was enough to strike terror into the hearts of his enemies.  On one occasion, having been in Geneva for a time, he returned unexpectedly.  Just then a number of the Reformed ministers, who had been arrested for preaching against Popery, were approaching their trial.  The court had assembled and were attending to the preliminaries.  Suddenly a messenger rushed into the hall of justice, breathless with haste, exclaiming, “John Knox!  John Knox is come! he slept last night in Edinburgh!” The court was stunned and immediately adjourned.

The life of Knox was often in danger.  Once as he sat in his room reading by candle light a shot was fired at him from the street through the window.  It went harmlessly past him and struck his candle.