ference took in determining the kind of constituency it shall represent, that they conceived of the work set before them as distinctly Christian work, and to be done on the distinctive lines of the Christian faith and testimony. And in view of this we are sorry to note the absence from the Plan, or from the Preamble, of any reference to the Scriptures as the source of light to the understanding, and of authority to the conscience. And in the document of a federation which has restricted its membership to the Evangelical Churches, we see not why the Cross of Christ, as well as His divinity, might not have found mention."

WARTBURG LETTERS OF LUTHER.

The ten months in the life of Luther intervening between the fourth day of May, 1521, and the sixth day of March, 1522, are in more than one respect an important period in the history of Lutheranism. "It was a very well-considered measure, serving the end in view, which the Elector Frederick applied to Luther, when he caused him to be kept in a secret place and to disappear from the public arena." 1) To begin with, it saved Luther's life. Counsels for his destruction were rife before Luther had quitted Worms, and the castle-gate at Wartburg had scarcely closed behind him and his friendly captors, when the imperial edict went forth which outlawed Luther in the greater part of continental Europe. To allow the monk, who had braved the scepter and the crozier together, to be abroad when the rumored chase for this exquisite game should begin, appeared to the good Saxon prince to be taking desperate chances, even if a nation united in behalf of Luther should have closed about the outlaw, defying the combined power of crown and miter. Moreover, it was a service which a German prince must loathe to do even by connivance to a pack of Roman and Spanish hellhounds. All praise, then, to wise Prince Frederick!

1) Koestlin, Martin Luther I, 468.

But in saving Luther the Wartburg exile saved the Reformation. It is no disparagement to Luther's sanctified zeal and to his well-known scorn of human aid in his struggle, to hint, as Kurtz does,2) at a possible effect of the imperial interdict: it might have forced Luther to strike an alliance with men of the stamp and aspirations of Ulrich von Hutten, and to turn the Reformation into a revolution. If Rome had forced the issue conjured up by the ante-dated decree of Charles V of May 8, it is not unlikely that Luther's followers would have risen to his armed defense and would not have permitted him to control their counter-measures for the defeat of the popish plot.

To Luther himself the retirement at Castle Wartburg brought more than personal safety: the quiet of his seclusion, the gentle aspects of nature in forest and fen during a beautiful German spring, frequent leisurely walks beyond the castlewalls, all this had a calming effect upon a mind that had been stirred to its depths by ordeals before which sturdy warriors would have quailed. It brought a much-needed relief, rest, and recreation) to a toiler who had not spared himself at his task. And with physical relaxation came greater composure of mind. Removed from the scenes of his former busy life, from the acclaim of admiring followers, and the passionate outbursts of opponents, Luther, as from some spiritual eminence, could view, impersonally and impartially, the path that he had trodden thitherto, could calmly judge the merit or demerit of every speech and action of the four turbulent years that had passed since 1517, and could gratefully estimate and acknowledge the guiding hand of Providence which had not suffered this mighty movement to be materially turned aside from its divine purpose into carnal by-ways. Outcroppings like that of the Wittenberg iconoclasts and of the Zwickau illusionists were far better understood at a distance, as to their dangerous tendency and unholy motive, and pointed a mind calmly viewing

2) Kirchen-Gesch. II, 18.

3) D'Aubigné, Hist. of Reform. III, 14.

them to fearful dangers to which the cause of the Gospel was exposed from its insincere adherents. Thus, Castle Wartburg became both for his body and his soul what Luther has called it, a Patmos, an isle of refuge in a storm-swept sea.

And the hand of the divine Fashioner of men's hearts was busy in the seclusion of those Thuringian forests molding the heart of Luther to suit His purposes. Many and fierce were the soul-battles which our hero fought in his quiet study under the eyes of Him alone who seeth in secret. Man's utter insignificance, his waywardness, his pride, his helplessness, rose up before Luther's mind, to crush out whatever there might be in him of vaingloriousness or of self-reliance in God's cause. Prostrate the hero of Worms lay before his Maker and his Judge, pleading for mercy in Jesus' name. Then was the corn of wheat buried in the ground to die, that it might blossom forth again in coming years and ripen into an abundant harvest.

Nor was the period of the exile altogether barren of material results which redounded at once to the benefit of the young church of the Reformation. Luther, wherever placed, must always be a student. And with him to study meant to study Scripture. Within the Holy Book lay the secret of his strength. His unwavering stand upon the written Word of God had from the start raised the force and importance of his utterances in pulpit and press above that which attends the mere subjective expressions of a learned man's opinion. In his very earliest attacks upon Rome, when not yet fully conscious that he had begun to face the enemy of his life and the Antichrist, Luther occupied the objective ground of Scripture, and arose, not to state a personal grievance, but something like the solemn message of a prophet of old, which began with a "Thus saith the Lord." His studies at Castle Wartburg served to mature the theological mind in him, that mind which has become thoroughly habituated to think and to speak οὐδὲν ἄτερ γραφῆς. One study in particular not only served to give to Luther's view a still more pronounced objectivity, but also proved the very greatest blessing to his followers, from the greatest to the

humblest, and the trustiest weapon which the church of the Reformation has wielded against her adversaries in any conflict. It was in this retirement that Luther conceived the thought and made the beginning of translating the Bible into German, the New Testament portion of which he brought with him ready for the printer on his return to Wittenberg. At Castle Wartburg, too, the First Part of his Church Postil was completed in manuscript, not mentioning minor writings, such as his exposition of the Magnificat and his Latin exposition of the Psalms (though this latter was not completed). Besides these, there were prepared at Castle Wartburg a number of writings which showed that even in his retirement Luther was a wideawake watchman on Zion's rampart. His "Instruction for those going to Confession," "Of Confession, whether the Pope have authority to enjoin it," "Against the Abuse of the Mass," "Of Ecclesiastical and Monastic Vows," "Against the bull Coena Domini," "Against the New Idol at Halle,” were all written during his enforced exile.

In other ways this exile proved a salutary visitation. Luther's followers were, for a time at least, cast upon their own resources. They were forced to estimate Luther's work aside from Luther's person. And now was manifested, to the dismay and bewilderment of Rome, the vast influence which Luther's teaching was even at that early date exercising among the masses. The very disappearance of their beloved teacher served to weld their hearts into a firmer union. The full truth about the manner of his disappearing leaked out only gradually. At first, the common people believed Luther had met with foul play in the neighborhood of Gotha. They interpreted his disappearance as a forerunner of coercive measures which Rome would forthwith adopt against the evangelical faith. The head of the new movement having been struck down, it was suspected that the members would soon meet with the same fate. Yes, Germany at last learned to understand the true spirit of the Roman hierarchy. Note, now, the change that had come over these patient Germans, who for centuries had been the bons

christians of the Pope and his jesters! In their view of the situation the period of meek forbearance or of sullen submission to Rome was plainly over. They had begun to realize that the majesty to whom they had been doing homage in stupid ignorance was a hollow sham and a foul imposition. No more parleying with Rome! that seemed their determination when they heard Luther had been waylaid, perhaps slain. The enthusiastic defiance which the people everywhere set up against the edict of Charles V was an awful revelation to the papacy, and so startled the German bishops that they were quite sincere in their cry: "Bring back Luther! We are not safe without him!"

Into the retirement of Luther at Castle Wartburg we wish to take our readers by publishing what is extant to date of Luther's Wartburg letters. The contents of these letters cannot, indeed, rank in importance with Luther's doctrinal writings, still they are full also of noble lessons exhibiting the power of true faith. We shall avail ourselves freely of the excellent labors of Prof. Hoppe, in the new St. Louis Edition of Luther's Works, to whose patient research extending through twenty-five years the church is indebted for much light on Luther's life and writings.

The first news from Castle Wartburg by Luther's own hand are contained in the fragment of a letter of May 12th addressed

TO MELANCHTHON.4)

So great is the fear that my abode might in some manner be revealed that I have been scarcely able to obtain permission to send this letter. For the same reason be careful also yourself

4) St. L. Ed. XXI a, 351. It is found in MS. in Cod. Jen. a, fol. 268. It is printed in the collection of Buddeus, p. 18, in De Wette's collection, vol. 2, p. 12 (addressed, however, to Spalatin, during May or June, 1521), and in the Erlangen Corresp., vol. 3, p. 146. It is found in German in Walch, vol. XXI, 769 (addressed to Spalatin, 1522). Buddeus, who offers this letter from the original of Luther, remarks that part of the writing had become effaced to such an extent that it was impossible to decipher it.