Signs of the Times, Book 1 - Ellen G. White

gathered at Worms on the 6th of January, 1521. Never before had so many
princes attended this national council. All were eager to take a part in the
first acts of the young emperor's government, and all were ambitious to
display their power and grandeur. There were important political questions
and interests to be considered by this grand assembly, but all these appeared
of little moment when contrasted with the cause of the monk of Wittenberg.
The emperor Charles was placed in a position of great perplexity and
embarrassment. On the one hand was the papal legate, urging him to execute
the pope's bull; on the other was the elector of Saxony, to whom he was in
great degree indebted for his crown, and who entreated him to take no step
against Luther until he should have granted him a hearing.
Charles had written to the elector to bring Luther with him to the diet,
assuring him that the Reformer should be subjected to no injustice, that he
should be protected from all violence, and should be allowed a free
conference with one competent to discuss the disputed points.
Upon receiving this letter, the elector was not a little perplexed. Should
he take the Reformer to Worms, he might be leading him to the scaffold. The
friends of Luther were anxious and troubled; but he himself was calm. His
health was at this time much impaired, yet he seemed anxious to appear
before the emperor. He wrote to the elector: "If I cannot perform the journey
to Worms as a man in good health, I will be carried thither on a litter. For,
since the emperor has summoned me, I can regard it only as the cause of
God. If they intend to use violence against me, as they probably do, for
assuredly it is with no view of gaining information that they require me to
appear before them, I commit the matter in the hands of God. He still lives
and reigns who preserved the three Israelites in the fiery furnace. If it be not
his will to save me, my life is but little worth. Let us only take care that the
gospel be not exposed to the insults of the ungodly, and let us shed our blood
in its defense rather than allow them to triumph. Who shall say whether my
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