Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-01-21
power that thus humbled her was the word of a

Some princes who were near him, observing
the humble son of the miner of Mansfield awcd
ami effected IN this assembly of sovereigns, ap-
preached him kindly. One ofthem whispered,
Fear not them who are able to kill the body
and canno, destroy TIE soul Another whis-
pered to him. When you are brought bricro
kings it shall be given you by the Sp,r,t oi your
Father what you shall say Thus was tte
monk strengthened with his Masters words
by the great ones ofths world
Meanwhile the guards made way for Tnther
He stepped forward, and found himself in front
of the throne of Charles V. All eyes were
turned upon him. The confusion was stled,
and there was profound silence. Say no.
thing until aqnestion is put to you said the
Marshal of the Empire as he Quilted him.
After moments solemn pause, John Eek,
the Chancellor of the Archbishop of Treves,
and the friend of Alexander, whom we must
not confouid with the theologian of that name.
rose, and in clear and sonorous accent, first
in Latin and then in German, said /:
Martin Luther his sacred and invncible
Majesty has cited YOU before his throne, act
ing on the opinion and advice of the States of
the Holy Roman Empire, to require you to an
swer to these questions. First Do YOU ac-
knowledge these writings to have been compo-
sed by you!' At the same time the speaker
pointed his fingerto about twenty volumns pla-
ced in the centre of the hall, Immediately
before Luther. u could not guess where they
had cbtxiued them said Luther, relating the
fact it was Alexander who had taken the trou-
ble to collect them. Secondly continued the
Chancellor, Are you prepared to retract these
works, and the propositions contained therein,
or do you persist in what you have therein ad-
vsnced =
Luther, without faltering, was about to an
swer the first question in the affirmative, when
Jereme Schurff, hastily interrupted him, excai-
med aloud, Let their titles be read
The Chancellor advancing to the table. read
the titles. There were in number several works
ofa devotional character, and altogether uncon-
nected with the controvertcd points.
The enumeration being gone through, Lu-
ther spoke as follows first in Latin, then i'll
German
Most gracious Emperor, Princes, and
Lords
His imperial Majesty puts to me two ques-
tons.
AS to the first, | acknowledge the books,
the names of which have been read, to be OF
my writing cannot deny them.
AS to the second, seeing that it is ques
ton which has reference to faith, and the sal
walton of souls,--a question which concerns the
word of God, the greatest and most precious
treasure of heaven or carth,-I should act rash
ly if were to answer without reflection.
might say less than the circumstance demands
or more than truth requires, and so sin against
that word of Christ - Whosceper shall denp
me before men, him oiH deny before m,
Father ohich as in heapen.
Immediately the Imperial herald came for.
ward aud conducted Luther back to the hotel
Threats and shouts accompanied him through
the crowd ;-alarming reports reached hi
friends The Diet is displeascd.' it was sad
"the Pope's envoys triumph the Retormel
will fall a victim Mems passions wer,
reused Some gentlemen repaired in haste
to Luther. Doctor said they in agitation
what is all this They say they are resolved
to bring you to the stake. If they dare attempt
it, they added, 1T shall be at the peril of then
lives 'And it would have been So said Lu
ther repeating their words at Esleben twenty
years later.
On she other hand, Luther's enemies wer,
all confidence. 'lIe has begged for time,
said they, she is going to rctract. AT a distance
his speech was arrogant but now his conrag,
forsakes him, He is conquered
Luther was perhaps the only person Al
Worms perfectly undisturbed.
At four o'clock the herald presented himself
and conducted Luther to the hall OF the Diet
| The general curiosity was extreme, for the
answer was to be decisive. The Diet being
engaged in dellberaton, Luther was oblige,
TO wait in the court, surrounded by a dens'
crowd, eagerly moving to and fro, and resem
bling sea ofheads. For two hours, the Re
former was hemmed in by the multitude press
ing to see him. Il was not used, said he, IT
such ways and noise To an ordinary man thi
would have been grevlous hlndrance TO pre-
paredness of mind. But Luther was walkin!
with God. Ills look was serene his feature
unrufiled. The Eternal was placing him on