XIV.
Else's Story.
_August_, 1517.
Yes, our little Gretchen is certainly a remarkable child. Although sheis not yet two years old, she knows all of us by name. She tyranizesover us all, except me. I deny her many things which she cries for;except when Gottfried is present, who, unfortunately, cannot bear to seeher unhappy for a moment, and having (he says) had his temper spoilt ininfancy by a cross nurse, has no notion of infant education, except toavoid contradiction. Christopher, who always professed a supremecontempt for babies, gives her rides on his shoulder in the mostsubmissive manner. But best of all, I love to see her sitting on myblind father's knee, and stroking his face with a kind of tender,pitiful reverence, as if she felt there was something missing there.
I have taught her, too, to say Fritz's name, when I show her the littlelock I wear of his hair; and to kiss Eva's picture. I cannot bear thatthey should be as lost or dead to her. But I am afraid she is perplexedbetween Eva's portrait and the picture of the Holy Virgin, which I teachher to bow and cross her forehead before; because sometimes she tries tokiss the picture of Our Lady, and to twist her little fingers into thesacred sign before Eva's likeness. However, by-and-by she willdistinguish better. And are not Eva and Fritz indeed our family saintsand patrons? I do believe their prayers bring down blessings on us all.
For our family has bean so much blessed lately! The dear mother's facelooks so bright, and has regained something of its old sweet likeness tothe Mother of Mercy. And I am so happy, so brimful of happiness. And itcertainly does make me feel more religious than I did.
Not the home-happiness only, I mean, but that best blessing of all, thatcame first, before I knew that Gottfried cared for me,--the knowledge ofthe love of God to me,--that best riches of all, without which all ourriches would be mere cares--the riches of the treasury of God freelyopened to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Gottfried is better than I ever thought he was. Perhaps he really growsbetter every year; certainly he seems better and dearer to me.
Chriemhild and Ulrich are to be married very soon. He has gone now tosee Franz von Sickingen, and his other relations in the Rhineland, andto make arrangements connected with his marriage. Last year Chriemhildand Atlantis stayed some weeks at the old castle in the ThuringianForest, near Eisenach. A wild life it seemed to be, from theirdescription, deep in the heart of the forest, in a lonely fortress on arock, with only a few peasants' huts in sight; and with all kinds ofstrange legends of demon huntsmen, and elves, and sprites haunting theneighborhood. To me it seems almost as desolate as the wilderness whereJohn the Baptist lived on locusts and wild honey; but Chriemhild thoughtit delightful. She made acquaintance with some of the poor peasants, andthey seemed to think her an angel,--an opinion (Atlantis says) shared byUlrich's old uncle and aunt, to say nothing of Ulrich himself. At firstthe aged Aunt Hermentrude was rather distant; but on the Schoenbergpedigree having been duly tested and approved, the old lady at lengthconsidered herself free to give vent to her feelings, whilst the oldknight courteously protested that he had always seen Chriemhild'spedigree in her face.
And Ulrich says there is one great advantage in the solitude andstrength of his castle,--he could offer an asylum at any time to Dr.Luther, who has of late become an object of bitter hatred to some of thepriests.
Dr. Luther is most kind to our little Gretchen, whom he baptized. Hesays little children often understand God better than the wisest doctorsof divinity.
Thekla has experienced her first sorrow. Her poor little foundling, Nix,is dead. For some days the poor creature had been ailing, and at last helay for some hours quivering, as if with inward convulsions; yet atThekla's voice the dull, glassy eyes would brighten, and he would waghis tail feebly as he lay on his side. At last he died; and Thekla wasnot to be comforted, but sat apart and shed bitter tears. The only thingwhich cheered her was Christopher's making a grave in the garden forNix, under the pear tree where I used to sit at embroidery in summer, asnow she does. It was of no use to try to laugh her out of her distress.Her lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears if any one attempted it.Atlantis spoke seriously to her on the duty of a little girl of twelvebeginning to put away childish things; and even the gentle mothertenderly remonstrated, and said one day, when Dr. Luther had asked herfor her favourite, and had been answered by a burst of tears, "My child,if you mourn so for a dog, what will you do when real sorrows come?"
But Dr. Luther seemed to understand Thekla better than any of us, and totake her part. He said she was a child, and her childish sorrows were nomore trifles to her than our sorrows are to us; that from heaven wemight probably look on the fall of an empire as of less moment than wenow thought the death of Thekla's dog; yet that the angels who look downon us from heaven do not despise our little joys and sorrows, nor shouldwe those of the little ones; or words to this effect. He has a strangesympathy with the hearts of children. Thekla was so encouraged by hiscompassion, that she crept close to him and laid her hand in his, andsaid, with a look of wistful earnestness, "Will Nix rise again at thelast day? Will there be dogs in the other world?"
Many of us were appalled at such an irreverent idea; but Dr. Luther didnot seem to think it irreverent. He said, "We know less of what thatother world will be than this little one, or than that babe," he added,pointing to my little Gretchen, "knows of the empires or powers of thisworld. But of this we are sure, the world to come will be no empty,lifeless waste. See how full and beautiful the Lord God has made allthings in this passing, perishing world of heaven and earth! How muchmore beautiful, then, will he make that eternal, incorruptible world!God will make new heavens and a new earth. All poisonous, and malicious,and hurtful creatures will be banished thence,--all that our sin hasruined. All creatures will not only be harmless, but lovely, andpleasant, and joyful, so that we might play with them. 'The suckingchild shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall puthis hand on the cockatrice's den.' Why, then, should there not be littledogs in the new earth, whose skin might be fair as gold, and their hairas bright as precious stones?"
Certainly, in Thekla's eyes, from that moment there has been no doctorof divinity like Dr. Luther.
TORGAU, _November_ 10, 1516.
The plague is at Wittemberg. We have all taken refuge here. Theuniversity is scattered, and many, also, of the Augustinian monks.
Dr. Luther remains in the convent at Wittemberg. We have seen a copy ofa letter of his, dated the 26th October, and addressed to the VenerableFather John Lange, Prior of Erfurt Monastery.
"Health. I have need of two secretaries or chancellors, since all day long I do nothing but write letters; and I know not whether, always writing, I may not sometimes repeat the same things. Thou wilt see.
"I am convent lecturer; reader at meals; I am desired to be daily parish preacher; I am director of studies, vicar (_i. e._, prior eleven times over), inspector of the fish-ponds at Litzkau, advocate of the cause of the people of Herzberg at Torgau, lecturer on Paul and on the Psalms; besides what I have said already of my constant correspondence. I have rarely time to recite my Canonical Hours, to say nothing of my own particular temptations from the world, the flesh, and the devil. See what a man of leisure I am!
"Concerning Brother John Metzel I believe you have already received my opinion. I will see, however, what I can do. How can you think I can find room for your Sardanapaluses and Sybarites? If you have educated them ill, you must bear with those you have educated ill. I have enough useless brethren;--if, indeed, any are useless to a patient heart. I am persuaded that the useless may become more useful than those who are the most useful now. Therefore bear with them for the time.
"I think I have already written to you about the brethren you sent me. Some I have sent to Magister Spangenburg, as they requested, to save their breathing this
pestilential air. With two from Cologne I felt such sympathy, and thought so much of their abilities, that I have retained them, although at much expense. Twenty-two priests, forty-two youths, and in the university altogether forty-two persons are supported out of our poverty. But the Lord will provide.
"You say that yesterday you began to lecture on the Sentences. To-morrow I begin the Epistle to the Galatians; although I fear that, with the plague among us as it is, I shall not be able to continue. The plague has taken away already two or three among us, but not all in one day; and the son of our neighbour Faber, yesterday in health, to-day is dead; and another is infected. What shall I say? It is indeed here, and begins to rage with great cruelty and suddenness, especially among the young. You would persuade me and Master Bartholomew to take refuge with you. Why should I flee? I hope the world would not collapse if Brother Martin fell. If the pestilence spreads, I will indeed disperse the monks throughout the land. As for me, I have been placed here. My obedience as a monk does not suffer me to fly; since what obedience required once, it demands still. Not that I do not fear death--(I am not the Apostle Paul, but only the reader of the Apostle Paul)--but I hope the Lord will deliver me from my fear.
"Farewell; and be mindful of us in this day of the visitation of the Lord, to whom be glory."
This letter has strengthened me and many. Yes, if it had been our duty,I trust, like Dr. Luther, we should have had courage to remain. Thecourage of his act strengthens us; and also the confession of fear inhis words. It does not seem a fear which hath torment, or which fettershis spirit. It does not even crush his cheerfulness. It is a naturalfear of dying, which I also cannot overcome. From me, then, as surelyfrom him, when God sees it time to die, He will doubtless remove thedread of death.
This season of the pestilence recalls so much to me of what happenedwhen the plague last visited us at Eisenach!
We have lost some since then,--if I ought to call Eva and Fritz lost.But how my life has been enriched! My husband, our little Gretchen; andthen so much outward prosperity! All that pressure of poverty and dailycare entirely gone, and so much wherewith to help others! And yet, am Iso entirely free from care as I ought to be? Am I not even at times moreburdened with it?
When first I married, and had Gottfried on whom to unburden everyperplexity, and riches which seemed to me inexhaustible, instead ofpoverty, I thought I should never know care again.
But is it so? Have not the very things themselves, in their possession,become cares? When I hear of these dreadful wars with the Turks, and ofthe insurrections and disquiets in various parts, and look round on ourpleasant home, and gardens, and fields, I think how terrible it would beagain to be plunged into poverty, or that Gretchen ever should be; sothat riches themselves become cares. It makes me think of what a goodman once told me: that the word in the Bible which is translated "rich,"in speaking of Abraham, in other places is translated "heavy;" so thatinstead of reading, "Abraham left Egypt _rich_ in cattle and silver andgold," we might read "_heavy_ in cattle, silver, and gold."
Yes, we are on a pilgrimage to the Holy City; we are in flight from anevil world; and too often riches are weights which hinder our progress.
I find it good, therefore, to be here in the small, humble house we havetaken refuge in--Gottfried, Gretchen, and I. The servants are dispersedelsewhere; and it lightens my heart to feel how well we can do withoutluxuries which were beginning to seem like necessaries. Dr. Luther'swords come to my mind; "The covetous enjoy what they have as little aswhat they have not. They cannot even rejoice in the sunshine. They thinknot what a noble gift the light is--what an inexpressibly great treasurethe sun is, which shines freely on all the world."
Yes, God's common gifts are his most precious; and his most preciousgifts--even life itself--have no root in _themselves_. Not that they are_without_ root; they are _better_ rooted in the depths of Hisunchangeable love.
It is well to be taught, by such a visitation even as this pestilence,the utter insecurity of everything here. "If the ship itself," asGottfried says, "is exposed to shipwreck, who, then, can secure thecargo?" Henceforth let me be content with the only security Dr. Luthersays God will give us,--the security of his presence and cure: "_I willnever leave thee._"
WITTEMBERG, _June_, 1517.
We are at home once more; and, thank God, our two households areundiminished, save by one death--that of our youngest sister, the babywhen we left Eisenach. The professors and students also have returned.Dr. Luther, who remained here all the time, is preaching with more forceand clearness.
The town is greatly divided in opinion about him. Dr. Tetzel, the greatPapal Commissioner for the sale of indulgences, has established his redcross, announcing the sale of pardons, for some months, at Jueterbok andZerbst, not far from Wittemberg.
Numbers of the townspeople, alarmed, I suppose, by the pestilence, intoanxiety about their souls, have repaired to Dr. Tetzel, and returnedwith the purchased tickets of indulgence.
I have always been perplexed as to what the indulgences really give.Christopher has terrible stories about the money paid for them beingspent by Dr. Tetzel and others on taverns and feasts; and Gottfriedsays, "It is a bargain between the priests, who love money, and thepeople, who love sin."
Yesterday morning I saw one of the letters of indulgence for the firsttime. A neighbour of ours, the wife of a miller, whose weights have beena little suspected in the town, was in a state of great indignation whenI went to purchase some flour of her.
"See!" she said; "this Dr. Luther will be wiser than the Pope himself.He has refused to admit my husband to the Holy Sacrament unless herepents and confesses to him, although he took his certificate in hishand."
She gave it to me, and I read it. Certainly, if the doctors of divinitydisagree about the value of these indulgences, Dr. Tetzel has noambiguity nor uncertainty in his language.
"I," says the letter, "absolve thee from all the excesses, sins, and crimes which thou hast committed, however great and enormous they may be. I remit for thee the pains thou mightest have had to endure in purgatory. I restore thee to participation in the sacraments. I incorporate thee afresh into the communion of the Church. I re-establish thee in the innocence and purity in which thou wast at the time of thy baptism. So that, at the moment of thy death, the gate by which souls pass into the place of torments will be shut upon thee; while, on the contrary, that which leads to the paradise of joy will be open unto thee. And if thou art not called on to die soon, this grace will remain unaltered for the time of thy latter end.
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,
"Friar JOHN TETZEl, Commissary, has signed it with his own hand."
"To think," said my neighbour, "of the pope promising my Franzadmittance into paradise; and Dr. Luther will not even admit him to thealtar of the parish church? And after spending such a sum on it! for thefriar must surely have thought my husband better off than he is, or hewould not have demanded gold of poor struggling people like us."
"But if the angels at the gate of paradise should be of the same mind asDr. Luther?" I suggested, "would it not be better to find that out herethan there?"
"It is impossible," she replied; "have we not the Holy Father's ownword? and did we not pay a whole golden florin? It is impossible it canbe in vain."
"Put the next florin in your scales instead of in Dr. Tetzel's chest,neighbour," said a student, laughing, as he heard her loud and angrywords; "it may weigh heavier with your flour than against your sins."
I left them to finish the discussion.
Gottfried says it is quite true that Dr. Luther in the confessional inthe city churches has earnestly protested to many of his penitentsagainst their trusting to these certificates, and has positively refusedto suffer any to communicate, except on their con
fessing their sins, andpromising to forsake them, whether provided with indulgences or not.
In his sermon to the people last year on the Ten Commandments, he toldthem forgiveness was freely given to the penitent by God, and was not tobe purchased at any price, least of all with money.
WITTEMBERG, _July_ 18.
The whole town is in a ferment to-day, on account of Dr. Luther's sermonyesterday, preached before the Elector in the Castle church.
The congregation was very large, composed of the court, students, andtownspeople.
Not a child or ignorant peasant there but could understand thepreacher's words. The Elector had procured especial indulgences from thepope in aid of his church, but Dr. Luther made no exception toconciliate him. He said the Holy Scriptures nowhere demand of us anypenalty or satisfaction for our sins. God gives and forgives freelywithout price, out of his unutterable grace; and lays on the forgiven noother duty than true repentance and sincere conversion of the heart,resolution to bear the cross of Christ, and do all the good we can. Hedeclared also that it would be better to give money freely towards thebuilding of St. Peter's Church at Rome, than to bargain with alms forindulgences; that it was more pleasing to God to give to the poor, thanto buy these letters, which, he said, would at the utmost do nothingmore for any man than remit mere ecclesiastical penances.
As we returned from the church together, Gottfried said,--
"The battle-cry is sounded then at last! The wolf has assailed Dr.Luther's own flock, and the shepherd is roused. The battle-cry issounded, Else, but the battle is scarcely begun."
And when we described the sermon to our grandmother, she murmured,--
"It sounds to me, children, like an old story of my childhood. Have Inot heard such words half a century since in Bohemia? and have I notseen the lips which spoke them silenced in flames and blood? Neither Dr.Luther nor any of you know whither you are going. Thank God, I am soongoing to him who died for speaking just such words! Thank God I hearthem again before I die! I have doubted long about them and abouteverything; how could I dare to think a few proscribed men right againstthe whole Church? But since these old words cannot be hushed, but risefrom the dead again, I think there must be life in them; eternal life.Children," she concluded, "tell me when Dr. Luther preaches again; Iwill hear him before I die, that I may tell your grandfather, when Imeet him, the old truth is not dead. I think it would give him anotherjoy, even before the throne of God."
WITTEMBERG, _August_.
Christopher has returned from Jueterbok. He saw there a great pile ofburning faggots, which Dr. Tetzel had caused to be kindled in themarket-place, "to burn the heretics," he said.
We laughed as he related this, and also at the furious threats andcurses that had been launched at Dr. Luther from the pulpit in front ofthe iron money-chest. But our grandmother said, "It is no jest,children; they have done it, and they will do it again yet!"
WITTEMBERG, _November_ 1, 1517; ALL SAINTS' DAY.
Yesterday evening, as I sat at the window with Gottfried in the latetwilight, hushing Gretchen to sleep, we noticed Dr. Luther walkingrapidly along the street towards the Castle church. His step was firmand quick, and he seemed too full of thought to observe anything as hepassed. There was something unusual in his bearing, which made myhusband call my attention to him. His head was erect and slightly thrownback, as when he preaches. He had a large packet of papers in his hand,and although he was evidently absorbed with some purpose, he had morethe air of a general moving to a battle-field than of a theologianburied in meditation.
This morning, as we went to the early mass of the festival, we saw agreat crowd gathered around the doors of the Castle church; not a mob,however, but an eager throng of well-dressed men, professors, citizens,and students; those within the circle reading some writing which wasposted on the door, whilst around, the crowd was broken into littleknots, in eager but not loud debate.
Gottfried asked what had happened.
"It is only some Latin theses against the indulgences, by Dr. Luther,"replied one of the students, "inviting a disputation on the subject."
I was relieved to hear that nothing was the matter, and Gottfried and Iquietly proceeded to the service.
"It is only an affair of the university," I said. "I was afraid it wassome national disaster, an invasion of the Turks, or some event in theElector's family."
As we returned, however, the crowd had increased, and the debate seemedto be becoming warm among some of them. One of the students wastranslating the Latin into German for the benefit of the unlearned, andwe paused to listen.
What he read seemed to me very true, but not at all remarkable. We hadoften heard Dr. Luther say and even preach similar things. At the momentwe came up the words the student was reading were,--
"It is a great error for one to think to make satisfaction for his sins,in that God always forgives gratuitously and from his boundless grace,requiring nothing in return but holy living."
This sentence I remember distinctly, because it was so much like what wehad heard him preach. Other propositions followed, such as that it wasvery doubtful if the indulgences could deliver souls from purgatory, andthat it was better to give alms than to buy indulgences. But why thesestatements should collect such a crowd, and excite such intenseinterest, I could not quite understand, unless it was because they werein Latin.
One sentence, I observed, aroused very mingled feelings in the crowd. Itwas the declaration that the Holy Scriptures alone could settle anycontroversy, and that all the scholastic teachers together could notgive authority to one doctrine.
The students and many of the citizens received this announcement withenthusiastic applause, and some of the professors testified a quietapproval of it; but others of the doctors shook their heads, and a fewretired at once, murmuring angrily as they went.
At the close came a declaration by Dr. Luther, that "whatever someunenlightened and morbid people might say, he was no heretic."
"Why should Dr. Luther think it necessary to conclude with a declarationthat he is no heretic?" I said to Gottfried as we walked home. "Cananything be more full of respect for the Pope and the Church than manyof these theses are? And why should they excite so much attention? Dr.Luther says no more than so many of us think!"
"True, Else," replied Gottfried, gravely; "but to know how to say whatother people only think, is what makes men poets and sages; and to dareto say what others only dare to think, makes men martyrs or reformers,or both."
_November_ 20.
It is wonderful the stir these theses make. Christopher cannot get themprinted fast enough. Both the Latin and German printing-presses areengaged, for they have been translated, and demands come for them fromevery part of Germany.
Dr. Tetzel, they say, is furious, and many of the prelates are uneasy asto the result; the new bishop has dissuaded Dr. Luther from publishingan explanation of them. It is reported that the Elector Frederick it notquite pleased, fearing the effect on the new university, still in itsinfancy.
Students, however, are crowding to the town, and to Dr. Luther'slectures, more than ever. He is the hero of the youth of Germany.
But none are more enthusiastic about him than our grandmother. Sheinsisted on being taken to church on All Saints' Day, and tottering upthe aisle, took her place immediately under Dr. Luther's pulpit, facingthe congregation.
She had eyes or ears for none but him. When he came down the pulpitstairs she grasped his hand, and faltered out a broken blessing. Andafter she came home she sat a long time in silence, occasionallybrushing away tears.
When Gottfried and I took leave for the night, she held one of our handsin each of hers, and said,--
"Children! be braver than I have been; that man preaches the truth forwhich my husband died. God sends him to you. Be fai
thful to him. Takeheed that you forsake him not. It is not given to every one as to me tohave the light they forsook in youth restored to them in old age. To mehis words are like voices from the dead. They are worth dying for."
My mother is not so satisfied. She likes what Dr. Luther says, but sheis afraid what Aunt Agnes might think of it. She thinks he speaks tooviolently sometimes. She does not like any one to be pained. She cannotherself much like the way they sell the indulgences, but she hopes Dr.Tetzel means well, and she has no doubt that the Pope knows best; andshe is convinced that in their hearts all good people mean the same,only she is afraid, in the heat of discussion, every one will go furtherthan any one intends, and so there will be a great deal of bad feeling.She thought it was quite right of Dr. Luther quietly to admonish any ofhis penitents who were imagining they could be saved without repentance;but why he should excite all the town in this way by these theses shecould not understand; especially on All Saints' Day, when so manystrangers came from the country, and the holy relics were exhibited, andevery one ought to be absorbed with their devotions.
"Ah, little mother," said my father, "women are too tender-hearted forploughmen's work. You could never bear to break up the clods, and tearup all the pretty wild flowers. But when the harvest comes we will setyou to bind up the sheaves, or to glean beside the reapers. No roughhands of men will do that so well as yours."
And Gottfried said his vow as doctor of divinity makes it as much Dr.Luther's plain duty to teach true divinity, as his priestly vows obligehim to guard his flock from error and sin. Gottfried says we have fallenon stormy times. For him that may be best, and by his side all is wellfor me. Besides, I am accustomed to rough paths. But when I look on ourlittle tender Gretchen, as her dimpled cheek rests flushed with sleep onher pillow, I cannot help wishing the battle might not begin in hertime.
Dr. Luther counted the cost before he fixed these theses to the churchdoor. It was this which made him do it so secretly, without consultingany of his friends. He knew there was risk in it, and he nobly resolvednot to involve any one else--Elector, professor, or pastor--in thedanger he incurred without hesitation for himself.
_December_, 1517.
In one thing we all agreed, and that is in our delight in Dr. Luther'slectures on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. Gottfried heard themand took notes, and reported them to us in my father's house. We gatheraround him, all of us, in the winter evenings, while he reads thoseinspiring words to us. Never, I think, were words like them. Yesterdayhe was reading to us, for the twentieth time, what Dr. Luther said onthe words, "Who loved me, and gave himself for me."
"Read with vehemency," he says, "those words 'me,' and 'for me.' Printthis 'me' in thy heart, not doubting that thou art of the number to whomthis 'me' belongeth; also, that Christ hath not only loved Peter andPaul, and given himself for them, but that the same grace also which iscomprehended in this 'me,' as well pertaineth and cometh unto us as untothem. For as we cannot deny that we are all sinners, all lost; so wecannot deny that Christ died for our sins. Therefore, when I feel andconfess myself to be a sinner, why should I not say that I am maderighteous through the righteousness of Christ, especially when I hear Heloved me and gave himself for me?"
And then my mother asked for the passages she most delights in: "OChrist, I am thy sin, thy curse, thy wrath of God, thy hell; andcontrariwise, thou art my righteousness, my blessing, my life, my graceof God, my heaven."
And again, when he speaks of Christ being "made a curse for us, theunspotted and undefiled Lamb of God wrapped in our sins, God not layingour sins upon us, but upon his Son, that he, bearing the punishmentthereof, might be our peace, that by his stripes, we might be healed."
And again:--
"Sin is a mighty conqueror, which devoureth all mankind, learned andunlearned, holy, wise, and mighty men. This tyrant flieth upon Christ,and will needs swallow him up as he doth all other. But he seeth notthat Christ is a person of invincible and everlasting righteousness.Therefore in this combat sin must needs be vanquished and killed; andrighteousness must overcome, live, and reign. So in Christ all sin isvanquished, killed, and buried; and righteousness remaineth a conqueror,and reigneth for ever.
"In like manner Death, which is an omnipotent queen and empress of thewhole world, killing kings, princes, and all men, doth mightilyencounter with Life, thinking utterly to overcome it and to swallow itup. But because the Life was immortal, therefore when it was overcome,it nevertheless overcame, vanquishing and killing Death. Death,therefore, through Christ, is vanquished and abolished, so that now itis but a painted death, which, robbed of its sting, can no more hurtthose that believe in Christ, who is become the death of death.
"So the curse hath the like conflict with the blessing, and wouldcondemn and bring it to nought; but it cannot. For the blessing isdivine and everlasting, therefore the curse must needs give place. Forif the blessing in Christ could be overcome, then would God himself beovercome. But this is impossible; therefore Christ, the power of God,righteousness, blessing, grace, and life, overcometh and destroyeththose monsters, sin, death, and the curse, without war and weapons, inthis our body, so that they can no more hurt those that believe."
Such truths are indeed worth battling for; but who, save the devil,would war against them? I wonder what Fritz would think of it all.
WITTEMBERG, _February_, 1518.
Christopher returned yesterday evening from the market-place, where thestudents have been burning Tetzel's theses, which he wrote in answer toDr. Luther's. Tetzel hides behind the papal authority, and accuses Dr.Luther of assailing the Holy Father himself.
But Dr. Luther says nothing shall ever make him a heretic; that he willrecognise the voice of the Pope as the voice of Christ himself. Thestudents kindled this conflagration in the market-place entirely ontheir own responsibility. They are full of enthusiasm for Dr. Martin,and of indignation against Tetzel and the Dominicans.
"Who can doubt," said Christopher, "how the conflict will end, betweenall learning and honesty and truth on the one side, and a fewcontemptible avaricious monks on the other?" And he proceeded todescribe to us the conflagration and the sayings of the students with asmuch exultation as if it had been a victory over Tetzel and theindulgence-mongers themselves.
"But it seems to me," I said, "that Dr. Luther is not so much at easeabout it as you are. I have noticed lately that he looks grave, and attimes very sad. He does not seem to think the victory won."
"Young soldiers," said Gottfried, "on the eve of their first battle maybe as blithe as on the eve of a tourney. Veterans are grave before thebattle. Their courage comes _with_ the conflict. It will be thus, Ibelieve, with Dr. Luther. For surely the battle is coming. Already someof his old friends fall off. They say the censor at Rome, Prierias, hascondemned and written against his theses."
"But," rejoined Christopher, "they say also that Pope Leo praised Dr.Luther's genius, and said it was only the envy of the monks which foundfault with him. Dr. Luther believes the Pope only needs to learn thetruth about these indulgence-mongers to disown them at once."
"Honest men believe all men honest until they are proved dishonest,"said Gottfried drily; "but the Roman court is expensive and theindulgences are profitable."
This morning our grandmother asked nervously what was the meaning of theshouting she had heard yesterday in the market-place, and the glare offire she had seen, and the crackling?
"Only Tetzel's lying theses," said Christopher. She seemed relieved.
"In my early days," she said, "I learned to listen too eagerly to soundslike that. But in those times they burned other things than books orpapers in the market-places."
"Tetzel threatens to do so again," said Christopher.
"No doubt they will, if they can," she replied, and relapsed intosilence.