1889 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

hiding and protection of Elector Frederick, Luther reflected onthe situation carefully; then he came forth to oppose Zwingli,Carlstadt and others under whose preaching the images in thechurches were being dashed to pieces and the Mass abolished.His plea was moderation. He cooled the rising ardor of theGermans, and with Melanchthon turned the GermanReformation into the channel which it finally took. The Germanprinces on the one hand glad to be freed from their abjectbondage to Papacy, and on the other hand glad to escape thegrowing tendency of teachings such as Zwingli's, recognized inthe teaching of Luther and Melanchthon a way of escape fromboth, which would still preserve their powers, and even increasethem. From policy, therefore, many ofR1094 : page 5the German princes embraced the Lutheran cause, whichprospered, while the yet more thorough reformers and theirworks went down.Why did not God forward the greater and purer views? it may beasked. Because it was not then due time, we answer. But slowly,after three centuries, thinking people will admit that Zwingli andCarlstadt were much nearer the truth, much more thoroughteachers of reform than Luther. D'Aubigne (Hist. vol. 3. p. 243.)upon this subject, cautiously but forcibly remarks:"Notwithstanding his opposition to Papacy, Luther had a strongconservative instinct. Zwingli, on the contrary, was predisposedto radical reforms. Both these divergent tendencies were needed.If Luther and his followers had been alone in the work, it wouldhave stopped short in its progress; and the principle ofreformation would not have wrought its destined effect."Luther, though he had denounced the Papacy as Antichrist, anddeclared that the popes had no right or authority whatever to rulethe world in the name of Christ, was led by his course ofmoderation into doing the very thing he had condemned inPapacy. The princes who remained in harmony with Papacy,were forward to claim its sanction as the true basis of authorityover the people; and, those who espoused Luther's side, ofcourse looked to him who claimed to represent the true reformedChurch, to pronounce in their favor--as the choice of the truechurch, and hence the divine choice. Having taken the stand hedid, escape from the dilemma was impossible; and there wasconsiderable truth in Luther's joke, when, later on, he calledhimself"THE GERMAN POPE."Thus it came that Protestantism continued the very error whichlay at the foundation of the great apostasy--the very error itstarted out to remedy. Instead of advocating freedom--government of and by the people--it arrayed itself on the side of