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From the Diet of Worms to the Augsburg Confession - James Aitken Wylie

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<strong>the</strong> minds <strong>of</strong> men. Hardly has Lu<strong>the</strong>r uttered his<br />

great idea when, like <strong>the</strong> light, it breaks out on <strong>the</strong><br />

right hand and on <strong>the</strong> left, and shines from one end<br />

<strong>of</strong> heaven even un<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

How notable, <strong>to</strong>o, <strong>the</strong> circumstance that our<br />

journey has been a continually progressive one!<br />

Steps backward <strong>the</strong>re have been none. The point<br />

reached <strong>to</strong>day has ever been in advance <strong>of</strong> that<br />

arrived at on <strong>the</strong> day before. How wonderful is this<br />

when we think that no one had marked out <strong>the</strong><br />

Church's path from her house <strong>of</strong> bondage <strong>to</strong> a land<br />

<strong>of</strong> liberty! And still more wonderful is it when we<br />

reflect that those who were <strong>the</strong> first <strong>to</strong> tread that<br />

path <strong>of</strong>ten found <strong>the</strong>ir wisdom at fault. Ever and<br />

anon <strong>the</strong>ir courage failed and <strong>the</strong>ir faith faltered;<br />

and never were more than a few steps <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir road<br />

visible at one time. All beyond lay hid in night,<br />

overhung by lowering clouds that seenled charged<br />

with thunder. But ever as <strong>the</strong> little Wittenberg band<br />

went forward, <strong>the</strong> cloud removed and s<strong>to</strong>od fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />

<strong>of</strong>f. One, unseen but mighty,walked before <strong>the</strong>m.<br />

And if at times <strong>the</strong> clouds returned, and <strong>the</strong> s<strong>to</strong>rm<br />

threatened <strong>to</strong> burst, <strong>the</strong>y heard a sublime Voice<br />

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