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Luther - Works of Martin Luther Vol. 6 - Righteousness is Love

Luther - Works of Martin Luther Vol. 6 - Righteousness is Love

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40One really wonders at the courage with which th<strong>is</strong> situation was met; onedoes not wonder at the hesitation and indec<strong>is</strong>ion so frequently evident inthe way in which it was met; and one <strong>is</strong> bound to honor the spirit whichproduced the guiding suggestions and which continues to live in theresults. The hope seemed to be: “Th<strong>is</strong>, — so much, — for the Now. TheFuture? — meet the need as it comes!” But the important part was to makethe “Th<strong>is</strong>” the right, the fundamental, the evangelical beginning and yet dono outrage and cause no <strong>of</strong>fense in establ<strong>is</strong>hing it.Not all <strong>of</strong> the men who reached a position <strong>of</strong> more or less prominence inthe early years <strong>of</strong> the Reformation Movement were blessed with ability toanalyze conditions and to think things through to practical <strong>is</strong>sues. Toweigh; to view the many-sided situation genuinely, carefully; to moveslowly, — much <strong>of</strong> th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> prominent by its absence! Step by step cr<strong>is</strong>esar<strong>is</strong>e and <strong>is</strong>sues are met. How much <strong>of</strong> impulse, <strong>of</strong> sudden determination,<strong>of</strong> ill-adv<strong>is</strong>ed action, <strong>is</strong> buried behind many a writing or statement or deed!Carlstadt, for example, flames forth as an impetuous soul bent on cleansingthe Church and its cultus <strong>of</strong> all that <strong>of</strong>fends, clutters and enshrouds thepure worship <strong>of</strong> God in one grand gesture. H<strong>is</strong> rather suddenly institutedand far-reaching changes in the worship <strong>of</strong> the Wittenberg church probablywere nothing more than the culmination <strong>of</strong> a variety <strong>of</strong> efforts at reformduring the preceding year or more. All <strong>of</strong> these changes are indicative <strong>of</strong>h<strong>is</strong> personal attitude and inclination, <strong>of</strong> h<strong>is</strong> enthusiasm and impulsiveness.He did not show any strength in thinking things through carefully andsolidly. H<strong>is</strong> actions smack more <strong>of</strong> a resolve to go the limit according to h<strong>is</strong>own interpretation <strong>of</strong> certain evangelical principles which had beenthoroughly threshed out and firmly establ<strong>is</strong>hed. H<strong>is</strong> zeal was one thing; h<strong>is</strong>purpose another; and h<strong>is</strong> accompl<strong>is</strong>hment a third. All three combinedeventuated in being one <strong>of</strong> the situations which forced <strong>Luther</strong> to enter andvirtually take the lead in th<strong>is</strong> particular field <strong>of</strong> activity also.Late in 1521, another interesting personality in the Reformation drama waspresent at Wittenberg and more or less closely associated with CarlstadtTh<strong>is</strong> was Thomas Munzer. Carlstadt’s lead was not copied slav<strong>is</strong>hly byMunzer, although it probably gave him the assurance he needed to g<strong>of</strong>orward with reform in the cultus on h<strong>is</strong> own account. H<strong>is</strong> activities in th<strong>is</strong>direction appeared shortly at Zwickau and later at Alstedt.Here was another intense spirit, zealous, purposeful, adventurous. Buthere, too, and in th<strong>is</strong> connection oddly enough, was deep appreciation, a

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