the actual work of reformation.

Frederick of Saxony, surnamed the Wise, was the most powerful elector of
the German empire at the period of the reformation. A dream he had and
related just before the world was startled by the first great act of
reformation is so striking that I feel justified in repeating it in this
connection. It was as follows:

"Having gone to bed last night, tired and dispirited, I soon fell asleep
after saying my prayers, and slept calmly for about two hours and a
half. I then awoke, and all kinds of thoughts occupied me until
midnight.... I then fell asleep again, and dreamed the Almighty sent me
a monk, who was a true son of Paul the apostle. He was accompanied by
all the saints, in obedience to God's command, to bear him testimony,
and to assure me that he did not come with any fraudulent design, but
that all he should do was conformable to the will of God. They asked my
gracious permission to let him write something on the doors of the
palace-chapel at Wittemberg, which I conceded through my chancellor.
Upon this, the monk retired thither and began to write; so large were
the characters that I could read from Schweinitz what he was writing
[about 18 miles]. The pen he used was so long that its extremity reached
as far as Rome, where it pierced the ears of a lion which lay there, and
shook the triple crown on the Pope's head. All the cardinals and princes
ran up hastily and endeavored to support it.... I stretched out my arm:
that moment I awoke with my arm extended, in great alarm and very angry
with this monk, who could not guide his pen better. I recovered myself a
little.... It was only a dream. I was still half asleep, and once more
closed my eyes. The dream came again. The lion, still disturbed by the
pen, began to roar with all his might, until the whole city of Rome, and
all the States of the holy empire, ran up to know what was the matter.
The Pope called upon us to oppose this monk, and addressed himself
particularly to me, because the friar was living in my dominions. I
again awoke, repeated the Lord's prayer, entreated God to preserve his
Holiness, and fell asleep.... I then dreamt that all the princes of the
empire, and we along with them, hastened to Rome, and endeavored one
after another to break this pen; but the greater our exertions the
stronger it became: it crackled as if it had been made of iron: we gave
it up as hopeless. I then asked the monk (for I was now at Rome, now