History of the Sabbath and First Day of the Week - John N. Andrews

Such language seems quite unwarranted by the
facts. There was no justice in this persecution of
Carlstadt. He did for a brief time hold some
fanatical ideas, but these he did not afterward
maintain. The same writer speaks further in the
same strain:--
"It cannot be denied that in many respects he
was apparently in advance of Luther, but his error
lay in his haste to subvert and abolish the external
forms and pomps before the hearts of the people,
and doubtless his own, were prepared by an
internal change. Biographies of him are numerous,
and the Reformation no doubt owes him much of
good for which he has not the credit, as it was
overshadowed by the mischief he produced."[17]
Important truth relative to the services of
Carlstadt is here stated, but it is connected with
intimations of evil which have no sufficient
foundation in fact. Dr. Sears speaks thus of the
bitter language concerning him:--
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