His activity was
superhuman. He thundered without cessation from the pulpit, in the
cell his pen flew fast; but he could not reclaim every dissenting
mind. Even he could not prevent the rabble of the towns from breaking
out in savage fury against the institutions of the ancient Church and
against hated individuals, nor the excitement of the people from
brewing political storms, nor the knights from rising against the
princes, and the peasants against the knights. What was more, he could
not prevent the intellectual liberty which he had won for the Germans
from producing, even in pious and learned men, an independent judgment
about creed and life, a judgment which was contrary to his own
convictions. There came the gloomy years of the Iconoclasts, the
Anabaptists, the Peasant Wars, the regrettable dissensions over the
sacrament. How often at this time did Luther's form rise sombre and
mighty over the contestants! How often did the perversion of mankind
and his own secret doubts fill him with anxious care for the future of
Germany!
For in a savage age which was accustomed to slay with fire and sword,
this German had a high, pure conception of the battles of the
intellect such as no other man attained. Even in the times of his own
greatest danger he mortally hated any use of violence. He himself did
not wish to be sheltered by his prince--indeed he desired no human
protection for his doctrine. He fought with a sharp quill against his
foes, but he burnt only a paper at the stake.
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