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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
Wittemberg without delay, and that the utmost caution should be
observed in order to conceal his intentions. He accordingly left
Augsburg before daybreak, on horseback, accompanied only by a
guide furnished him by the magistrate. With many forebodings he
secretly made his way through the dark and silent streets of the city.
Enemies, vigilant and cruel, were plotting his destruction. Would he
escape the snares prepared for him? Those were moments of anxiety
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and earnest prayer. He reached a small gate in the wall of the city. It
was opened for him, and with his guide he passed through without
hindrance. Once beyond the limits, he soon left the city far behind.
Satan and his emissaries were defeated. The man whom they had
thought in their power was gone, escaped as a bird from the snare of
the fowler.
At the news of Luther’s departure, the legate was overwhelmed
with surprise and anger. He had expected to receive great honor for
his wisdom and firmness in dealing with this disturber of the church;
but his hope was disappointed. He gave expression to his wrath in a
letter to Frederick, the elector of Saxony, bitterly denouncing Luther,
and demanding that Frederick send the Reformer to Rome or banish
him from Saxony.
In defense, Luther urged that the legate or the pope show him
his errors from the Scriptures, and pledged himself in the most
solemn manner to renounce his doctrines if they could be shown to
contradict the word of God. And he expressed his gratitude to God
that he had been counted worthy to suffer in so holy a cause. These
words made a deep impression upon the elector, and he resolved to
stand as Luther’s protector. He refused to send him to Rome, or to
expel him from his territories.
The elector saw that there was a general breaking down of the
moral restraints of society. A great work of reform was needed.
The complicated and expensive arrangements to restrain and punish
crime would be unnecessary if men but acknowledged and obeyed
the requirements of God and the dictates of an enlightened con-
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science. He saw that Luther was laboring to secure this object, and
he secretly rejoiced that a better influence was making itself felt in
the church.
He saw also that as a professor in the university, Luther was
eminently successful. From all parts of Germany, students crowded