" In the body of the
letter, how strong are the expressions in which he sets forth the
coarseness of the sellers of indulgences! Here, too, his surprise is
honest that his theses are making so much stir with their
unintelligible sentences, involved, according to the old custom, to
the point of riddles. And good humor sounds in the manly words: "What
shall I do? I cannot recant. In our century full of intellect and
beauty, which might put Cicero into a corner, I am only an unlearned,
limited, poorly educated man! But the goose must needs cackle among
the swans."
The following year almost all who honored Luther united in the
endeavor to bring about a reconciliation. Staupitz and Palatin, and
the Elector through them, scolded, besought, and urged; the papal
chamberlain, Miltitz himself, praised Luther's attitude, and whispered
to him that he was entirely right, implored him, drank with him, and
kissed him. Luther, to be sure, thought he knew that the courtier had
a secret mission to make him a captive, if possible, and bring him to
Rome. But the peacemakers successfully hit upon the point in which the
stubborn man heartily agreed with them--that respect for the Church
must be maintained, and its unity must not be destroyed. Luther
promised to keep quiet and to submit the decision of the contested
points to three worthy bishops. While in this position he was urged to
write a letter of apology to the Pope. But even this letter of March
3, 1519, though approved by the mediators and written under
compulsion, is characteristic as showing the advance Luther had made.
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