Mobile daily commercial register and patriot., 1841-11-04

CHARACTER or ERAsNus, THE REFoRMER. Erasmus was deficient in courage. Bul courage is as necessary to effect reformation as capture a city. There much timdty m his character From his youth h. ircmbied the mention of death. He took the nest extraordinary of his health He would avoid, at any sacrifice, place where cnn- tagon prevailed. His relish for the comforts of life surpassed his vanity, and this his reason for declining more than one brilliant offer.
 Thus it that he did not pretend to be part oi Reformer "If the corrupted morals of the court ol Rome require great and speedy remedy" sand he, Il is not for me, or such me, to effect it. lie had of that strength of faith which animated Luther Whilst the latter was ready to lay down his lie for the truth, Erasmus, with perfect Ingenuuusness could sny, elet others affect inartyrdom : Tor my part, think myself unworthy that honor. fear, II a tumult arose, should be like Peter m his fall.
 Erasmus, by his writings and discourses, had, more than any other person, hastened the heior"a- Iion; and vel he trembled when he saw the tempest he had raised approaching. He would have gwen every thing to the former calm, even with Its heavy vapors. But it too late-the dam was broken down. It longer possible to stay the aioence of the torrent that at once to cleanse and fertse the world. Erasmus powerful, so long aa he vas instrument in Gods hands. When he ceased to be that, he nothing.
 la the result, Erasmus knew not which side to range himself None pleased him, and he dreaded all. "It dangerous to speak, said he, sand t IS dangerous be silent" In all great religious move ments heFs are such undecided -respect- able in things, but hindering the truth, and who, from desire to displease one, dsplease all
 What, we may ask, would become of truth, if God were not to raise up in it's defence more courageous champions
 Listen to the advice given by Erasmus 10 Virgius Zuchen, afterwards President of the superior court of Brussels, to his department towards the Secre- taries, (for that the name he gave the Reform ers.) sMy friendship for you makes me to desire tlat you should keep yoursefque clear o the cont l. zion of sects, aRd that you give them no ground to claim Zuichem as their own. If you approve their teaching, at least, dissembe your approva; and a- bove all, never dispute with them. jurisconsult must be his guard with these people, certain dying mau eluded the devil. The devil asked him what he believed. The dying fearing that if he confessed he should be surprised into some heresy answered, |" what the church believes" His inter- rogator pressed him with the question, what does the church belleye?" The other replied, |" what believe.' Again, the devil, i" And what do you be- leve?'' and the dylng man rejoined, " What the Church believes."
 So, the Duke of Saxony, the mortal enemy of Lu- ther, having received equiyocal answer to ques- tion he had addressed to Erasmus, exclaimed aloud " My dear Erasmus, wash me the robe, If you can, without wetting it.'' Secundus Curo in one of his works, depicts heavens, the papal and the chris tian He found Erasmus in neither; but perceived him necessarily wheeling in never ending eddies be- tween both.
 Such was Erasmus. He wanted that " liberty of the heart" which makes truly free.