they had thought in their power was gone , escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowler . At the news of Luther ' s escape the legate was overwhelmed with surprise and anger . He had expected to receive great honour for his wisdom and firmness in dealing with this disturber of the church ; but his hope was disappointed . He gave expression to his wrath in a letter to Frederick , the elector of Saxony , bitterly denouncing Luther and demanding that Frederick send the Reformer to Rome or banish him from Saxony .
In defense , Luther urged that the legate or the pope show him his errors from the Scriptures , and pledged himself in the most solemn manner to renounce his doctrines if they could be shown to contradict the word of God . And he expressed his gratitude to God that he had been counted worthy to suffer in so holy a cause . The elector had , as yet , little knowledge of the reformed doctrines , but he was deeply impressed by the candour , force , and clearness of Luther ' s words ; and until the Reformer should be proved to be in error , Frederick resolved to stand as his protector . In reply to the legate ' s demand he wrote : " Since Dr . Martin has appeared before you at Augsburg , you should be satisfied . We did not expect that you would endeavour to make him retract without having convinced him of his errors . None of the learned men in our principality have informed me that Martin ' s doctrine is impious , anti-Christian , or heretical .' The prince refused , moreover , to send Luther to Rome , or to expel him from his states ." -- D ' Aubigne , b . 4 , ch . 10 .
The elector saw that there was a general breaking down of the moral restraints of society . A great work of reform was needed . The complicated and expensive arrangements to restrain and punish crime would be unnecessary if men but acknowledged and obeyed the requirements of God and the dictates of an enlightened conscience . He saw that Luther was labouring to secure this object , and he secretly rejoiced that a better influence was making itself felt in the church . He saw also that as a professor in the university Luther was eminently successful . Only a year had passed since the Reformer posted his theses on the castle church , yet there was already a great falling off in the number of pilgrims that visited the church at the festival of All Saints . Rome had been deprived of worshipers and offerings , but their place was filled by another class , who now came to Wittenberg , not pilgrims to adore her relics , but students to fill her halls of learning . The writings of Luther had kindled everywhere a new interest in the Holy Scriptures , and not only from all parts of Germany , but from other lands , students flocked to the university . Young men , coming in sight of Wittenberg for the first time , " raised their hands to heaven , and praised God for having caused the light of truth to shine forth from this city , as from Zion in times of old , and whence it spread even to the most distant countries ." -- Ibid ., b . 4 , ch . 10 .
Luther was as yet but partially converted from the errors of Romanism . But as he compared the Holy Oracles with the papal decrees and constitutions , he was filled with wonder . " I am reading ," he wrote , " the decrees of the pontiffs , and . . . I do not know whether the pope is antichrist himself , or his apostle , so greatly is Christ misrepresented and crucified in them ." -- Ibid ., b . 5 , ch . 1 . Yet at
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