The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1908, Page 76

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16 The Lutheran ioneen!

Luther at the Diet at Worms.

The scene from Luther’s life represented in‘ our
picture is called by a great English writer “the
greatest scene in modern European history.” “The
world’s pomp and. power sit there, on this hand;
on that, stands up for God’s truth, one man, the
poor miner Hans Luther’s son.”

The Diet, or convention, was held in the year
1521, in the city of Worms. When Luther was
ordered by the Emperor to appear at the Diet, some
of his friends tried to keep him from going there,
fearing that his enemies would put him to death,

Luther at the Diet at Worms.

as others had been put to death who had raised
their voices against the tyranny and false doctrines
of the pope. Luther, however, put his trust in God
and said if his enemies built a fire which should
extend from Wittenberg to Worms and reach to
the heavens, he would appear in the name of the
Lord, confessing Christ and letting Him rule.
Again he said: “Christ lives, therefore we shall
enter Worms in spite of the gates of hell and the
powers of the air.’ When he had come near the
city, a letter from one of his friends was handed
to him in which that friend warned him not to
enter the city. But Luther boldly said: “If there
were at Worms as many devils as there are tiles on
the roofs, yet would I go in.”

And Luther did go in, and after a fervent prayer
to God for help he appeared at the Diet before the

powerful men of the earth. There sat the mighty
Emperor, and the princes, and the dukes, and the
pope’s messenger, and others of high rank. There
Luther stood, the poor miner’s son, calm and full
of peace, mighty in the Lord, the messenger of
God’s eternal Truth. When called upon to retract,
or take back, what he had written in his books, he,
in a speech which lasted two hours, sct forth the
doctrines contained in his books, and declared that
his conscience was bound in God’s Word and that
he would not retract anything unless he be con-
vineed by proofs of Holy Scriptures. He concluded
his answer with those memorable words: “Here
I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God
help me! Amen.”

And God did help His faithful serv-
ant who stood so firmly upon His Word.
He guided and protected him and gave
him the victory, the victory of light over
darkness, the victory of truth over error.

A Martyr’s Confession.

Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Can-
terbury, embraced the Bible doctrines
proclaimed by Luther and was most
active in introducing the Reformation
in England. When, therefore, a Catho-
lie queen came to rule in that country,
he, with other Protestant preachers, was
persecuted and thrown into prison. He
at first stood firm upon the Bible and
could not be moved by all the threats
of his enemies. But in an evil hour he
at last listened to the voice of the seducer
who promised him life and great honors if he would
recant. “Confounded, heart-broken, old,” the love
of life and the fear of death proved too strong for
him, and he was induced to write and sign a paper
which contained a recantation of the doctrines
which he had preached.

However, Cranmer soon came to himself. He
was filled with grief and shame, and with bitter
tears repented of his sin. His enemies also did not
keep their promise, but sentenced him to be burned
to death at the stake. Being permitted to address
the people before his execution, he made a noble
confession. He first earnestly prayed to God for
mercy and forgiveness, and then spoke to the people,
closing with these memorable words: “And now
I come to the great thing that troubleth my con-
science more than anything I ever did or said, even