American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-10-04
The impOtanee ofbsins dseIaed In favor
Og

Of Truth
Higher authority than human, declared
"Is that is not for nae, is against me- =.
So the great RsfOrmer Of tie icth century
felt srd acted. Four years after. ho had
dared to oppose the Pope Of Rome. and lhe
world besidss;-he was summoned by
Charles V, the Emperor Of the Ropan
Empire, TO appear ni the Imperial Dict. in
the city Of Worms. and give an account Of
himself and procedure. This was one OF
the most illustrious assemblies ever conve-
ned; consisting Of the Emperor, the Pope's
Legate. Cardinals, Archbishops. Kings.
Noblemsn, Theolo;ians, DC, &c. Lu-
lher was warned by the sad example Of
John Huss, who had, with others, fallen a
victim 10 paPal rage; but with more than
human fortituds he replied--"Tho' there
were as many deviisin Worms as tiles UP
on their houses, be would 90, being legal
y cited" And so he appeared before that
august assembly, and testified most nobly
in favor Of truth, tie truth which makcth
men FREE. Greater moral courage and mag
narimiiy Of soul, were never before dis
plsyed--one poor man against Inc whole
world. lie did not count his life dear TO
himself, for that was threatened often. lie
saw the whole world enslared. more so
than the poor negroes Of the South now are
or ever were. lie boheIl wi.h decDes:
sympathy OF soul, the souls and conscien.
ces, and bodies Of all his fellow men. in
the most affect bondage 10 The Pope Of
Rome;--they dared not thiak, speak. be.
leyc or act for themselves, only rs the man
Of SIN dictated. Fire and sword were used
on all accasions, when men dared to nc:
as Jreemen. All from the King down 10
the peasant, were treated as goods and
chattcls, or slaves. This the noble spirit
of Laiher could not and would not endure
And when he was ordered by DR.. Eek, lhC
imperial orator, to rctract Lis writings anC
teachings, he replied, il any one, from thc
Emperor down. in that assembly. couil
convince him, from tie eeOyd Of Go,,. tha
he was wrong. he would recant, saying
"As your Inlpsrial Majesty. therefore. and
tiigbnesses, desire an uheqaiyocal answer
l will give one, which has neither horn
nor teeth, to this effect: Unless it be pro
we'd that am in error, by testimony iron
the Holy Scriptures, or BY clear and over
powering reasons, (for l base my faitl
, neither upon the Pope, nor wha. the Coun
ellis alone have said since it is manifest ant
evident that they have often erred and con.
tr"dic:ed themselves l am constrained
by the passages which have adduced, my
conscience being bound by Gods word
and therefore | cd,iho: and uiH mol recant
because it is neither safe nor advisable t,
do anything against conscience. Here
stand, I cannot do otherwise, go help m
= God. Amen" Such .taiM, such magma
nimity, such testimony is demanded at tn
present crisis. Behold the deep laid Je
! 'aitieal schemes Of iniguity, in this, ou
happy Republic. The signs of The times
no unprejudiced, uucorruptcd mind can be
hold, without full conviction that both po
litical and religious truth are threatene,
with an overthrow. Let the testimony q
every friend and lover of freedom arise
and bear loud, decided, and cont;ntou
testimony in favor of our free institutions
in favor Of our national constitution yea, il
behalf Of all our blessed birthright in
religious, political, civil social and domes
tic light,-let the press, both the secula
7 and religious press, let all unite on thi
grand subject, whether it implicate Prizes
or Bishop, Cardinal or Pope, Governor
President or bcggar.
Now is the time to show whether yor
are for or against truth-7for or qgains
Popery--tor our Republic, or ber dorm
fall! Act with decision, Luther like, on
and all. We say to one d all, who yet hav
7 one half drop Of American blood runnin.
, in your veins, show it now, by coming u
G with full decision, in favor of our laws, tha
are to protect your person, your rights
!, your property, your all-and vote The A
! merican ticket, lest you see yourself ensla
: we'd TO Popish despotism, before you ar
g aware of il.