the kindness and courtesy he has received have
subdued him.

Possibly there is a temporary, slight reduction of position--he is given
another diocese or territory; but there is a promise of speedy
promotion--there is no humiliation. The man goes home subdued, conquered
by kindness, happy in the determination to work for the Church as never
before.

Rome binds great men to her; she does not drive them away: her policy is
wise--superbly, splendidly wise.

* * * * *

Luther was now beyond the pale--the Church had no further power to
punish him, but agents of the Church, being a part of the Government,
might proceed against him as an enemy of the State.

Word came that if Luther would cease writing and preaching, and quietly
go about his teaching in the University, he would not be troubled in any
way.

This only fired him to stronger expression. He issued a proclamation to
the German Nation, appealing from the sentence of the Pope, stating he
was an Augustinian monk, a Doctor of Theology, a preacher of truth, with
no stain upon his character. He declared that no man in Italy or
elsewhere had a right to order him to be silent, and no man or set of
men could deprive him of a share in God's Kingdom.

He called upon all lovers of liberty who hoped for heaven to repudiate
the "Babylonish Captivity"--only by so doing could the smile of God be
secured. Thus did Martin Luther excommunicate the Pope.

Frederick, the Elector of Saxony, preserved a strictly neutral attitude.
Martin Luther was his subject, and he might have proceeded against him
on a criminal charge, and was hotly urged to do so, but his reply was,
"Hands Off!"

The city of Worms was at this time the political capital of Germany. A
yearly congress, or Diet, was held by the Emperor and his Electors, to
consider matters of special import to the State.

As Frederick refused to proceed against Luther, an appeal was made to
the Emperor, Charles the Fifth, asking that Luther be compelled to
appear before the Diet of Worms and make answer to the charges that
would there be brought against him.

It was urged that Luther should be arrested and carried to Worms and
there be confined in the castle until the Diet should meet; but Charles
had too much respect for Frederick to attempt any such high-handed
procedure--it might mean civil war. Gladly would he have ignored the
whole matter, but a Cardinal from Rome was at his elbow, sent pur