CHAPTER THREE.
Gottlieb Spena was much the better for his day's rest, and the followingmorning set out with old Moretz and his grandson on their weeklyjourney, when they went into the neighbouring town to dispose of theirfagots.
"And how came you to undertake this good work, friend?" asked the oldman, as they journeyed.
"In a few words I can answer you," said the book-hawker. "I was once amonk, a lazy drone. Our convent was rich, and we had nothing to doexcept to appear for so many hours every day in church, and repeat orchant words, of the sense of which we did not for a moment troubleourselves. Copies of the blessed gospel, however, were brought amongus, and certain works by Dr Martin Luther, and friends of his, whichstirred us up to read that gospel, and to see whether we held the faithit teaches, or were leading the lives it requires. First one and thenanother, and finally almost all of us came to the conclusion that wewere not in any way living according to God's law, and that the wholesystem we supported was evil and wrong; and we all agreed to go forthinto the world, and to become useful members of society. Some, who hadthe gift of speaking, after a time became preachers of the gospel. As Ihad not that gift, and had but a small amount of learning, I resolved,by the advice of Dr Martin Luther, to put a pack upon my shoulders, andto go forth and to distribute the written word through the land, and tospeak a word in season, as God might give me opportunity. If the Popeor Tetzel can catch me I have no doubt that they will burn me as theyburned John Huss. But I have counted the cost, and I am prepared forthat or anything else that can befall me. I have placed myself in God'shands, and fear not what man can do to me."
"You are a brave man," said old Moretz, grasping the book-hawker's hand;"and whatever you may say of yourself, I should say that you are a truepreacher of God's word, and I pray that there may be many others likeyou going forth throughout our country."
"Amen," said Spena, as the old man and he, warmly shaking each other'shand, parted.
"I hope there may be very many better men than I am;" and he went on hisway, selling his books and speaking a word in season; and thus a humbleinstrument, as he thought himself, bringing many souls to the knowledgeof the truth, and to accept the free offers of eternal life through asimple, loving faith in Christ Jesus.
We must here observe that before leaving the woodcutter's hospitablehut, Gottlieb Spena delivered the precious book into the custody ofMeta, bidding her an affectionate farewell, with the prayer that itmight prove a blessing to her soul and to those dear to her. Meta neverfailed to pass every moment she could steal from her daily avocations inperusing the New Testament. When her grandfather and brother returnedhome from their work, she had always some fresh account to give them ofwhich she had read; and from henceforth the old man and Karl passed apart of every evening in reading it, while the great part of that daywhich God has given to toiling man as a day of rest was passed ingaining knowledge from its precious pages.
Old Moretz had now got what he never before possessed. He understoodthe way of salvation through Jesus Christ, whom he loved and desired toserve. The more he saw of the love of God the more he felt his ownsinfulness and unworthiness, and felt the need of a better righteousnessthan any good works of his own. The Holy Spirit was teaching him thisand other truths from the Scriptures. Meta and Karl also were dailygrowing in knowledge and grace. They had before been contented andcheerful, but it was the mere happiness of health and freedom fromsorrow. Now they possessed a joy which nothing could take away fromthem. They relied with simplicity and confidence on God's word. Theyknew that which He said He would do. "If grandfather is taken from us,or you are taken, Karl, I know we shall be parted but for a short time.We shall meet again and be happy, oh, so happy!" exclaimed Meta, as Karlcame in one day when his work was over, and found her ever and anonglancing at her Bible, which lay open on the table, while she wasengaged in some business about the cottage.
Moretz soon found that those who hold to the truth are often called uponto suffer for the truth. So it has been from the beginning. Godrequires faith, but He desires us to prove our faith. Other men, likeSpena, were traversing the country, not only like him distributingbooks, but openly preaching the principles of the Reformation. They didso in many places, at great hazard to themselves. The papists, wherethey could, opposed and persecuted them, as the Apostle Paul before hisconversion did the Christians he could get hold of, haling them toprison, to torture, and to death.
Moretz often went into the town of Hornberg to sell his fagots. Even hewas not without his enemies. As he and Karl were one day driving theirasses laden with wood into the town, they encountered a long string ofpack-horses which had brought in their cargoes and were now returning.Behind them rode a big, burly man, dressed as a farmer, on a stout,strong horse. He scowled on Moretz, who was about to pass him, androughly told him to move his asses and himself out of the way. He hadan old grudge against Moretz, who had resisted an unjust attempt toseize some land to which the rich man had no right.
"With pleasure, Master Johann Herder. I would not wish to occupy yourplace, as I doubt not you would not wish to fill mine."
"What does he mean?" exclaimed Herder; but Moretz had already done as hewas bid, and got quickly out of the way. Herder went on some littledistance, muttering to himself, and then stopped and looked in thedirection Moretz had taken. Ordering his servants to proceed with theanimals, he wheeled round his horse and slowly followed the woodcutter.
Moretz quickly disposed of his fagots among his usual customers, and wasabout to return home when he saw a large crowd in the square assembledround a man who was addressing them from a roughly-raised platform.Moretz could not resist the temptation of joining the crowd, for a fewwords which reached his ears interested him greatly. He got as close upto the speaker as he could with his asses, on the backs of which he andKarl were mounted. The preacher wore a monk's dress, but instead of acrucifix he held a book in his hand, which Moretz and Karl guessedrightly was the Bible. He argued that it being God's revelation to man,it was sufficient for all that man requires to show him the way by whichhe might get out of his fallen state and obtain eternal happiness. "Arewe then," he asked, "to be guided by this book, or to be directed by menwho say things directly opposed to this book? The priests have taughtyou that there is a purgatory. It was a notion held by the heathennations, but God's ancient people, the Jews, knew nothing of it, andthis book says not a word about it. A man has been going about thecountry, sent by the Pope, selling bits of paper, which he tells thepeople will get the souls of their friends and their own souls out ofthis purgatory. He makes them pay a somewhat high price for thesepieces of paper, and if we look at them at their real value, aprodigiously high price. Now the Bible says, `The soul that sinneth itshall surely die.' `Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt besaved.' It nowhere says if we are ever so great sinners, and die in oursins, our friends may buy the means by which we can escape theconsequence of sin. It does, however, say that however great a sinneryou are, if you turn to Jesus Christ, and trust to Him, you will besaved; and it gives us the account of the thief on the cross, who, evenat the last moment, trusting to Jesus, was saved."
Thus the preacher continued arguing from the Bible, showing from itnumberless falsehoods put forth by the Church of Rome. Then he put veryclearly and forcibly the simple gospel before the people,--man's fallenstate; the love of Christ which induced Him to come on earth to draw manout of that fallen state, if he would accept the means freely offered tohim. Still, unhappily, man continued to "love darkness rather thanlight, because his deeds are evil;" and thus do the cardinals andbishops and priests, who are the ruling powers of the Church of Rome,endeavour to keep the minds of people in ignorance, that they may drawmoney from the pockets of their dupes, and continue to live on inindolence and vice.