The Fanatics and the Peasants' War.
1. DISTURBANCES AT WITTENBERG. The sound of the glorious Gospel had gone
out through all the lands. Satan indeed had tried to suppress it in
every way, by help of Pope, emperor, and learned men, but it had spread
only the more. Then the devil chose another means to suppress the truth
by creating schisms and offenses in Luther's own congregation. During
Luther's absence the Augustinian monks at Wittenberg had abolished the
papal mass and again introduced the right manner of celebrating Holy
Communion. But Dr. Karlstadt was not satisfied, and, besides, the
Reformation progressed too slowly for him. He therefore instigated the
students to break into the church where the priests were reading mass
and drive them and the people out in the most brutal and violent
manner. During the Christmas holidays they threw the images out of the
church and burned them. Then they demolished the altars and crucifixes,
abolished the candles, liturgy, and ceremonies, and even rejected the
use of chalice and paten. Without preparation or announcement they went
to Holy Communion, and took the wafers with their own hand. All this
they did from sheer presumption, without previously instructing the
people nor caring whether the weak were offended. Moreover, certain
fanatics from Zwickau came to Wittenberg who boasted that an audible
voice of God had called them to preach, and that they held intimate
conversation with God, and knew the future. They especially raved
against infant baptism, and declared it to be of no avail. They demanded
that everyone baptized in his infancy must be baptized again. For this
reason these fanatics were also called Anabaptists.
2. LUTHER'S RETURN TO WITTENBERG. Luther at first tried to allay these
disturbances by writings, but in vain. Things grew worse. His
congregation earnestly entreated him in a letter to come to Wittenberg
and check further desolation. He decided to leave immediately and
announced this fact to his friends in a letter. Certain of victory, he
wrote: "I do not doubt that without a thrust of sword or drop of blood
we will easily quench these two smoking fire brands." Thus Luther left
the castle which was to shelter him against the ban of the Pope and the
interdict of the emperor, and, contrary to the advice of the elector,
appeared again in the arena. In a letter he excused himself to the
elector and said: "If we would have the Word of God, it must needs be
that not only Hannas and Caiphas rage, but that Judas also appear among
the apostles, and Satan among the sons of God. As to myself, I know that
if matters stood at Leipzig as they do at Wittenberg I would ride into
it even though for nine days it rained nothing but Duke George's, and
each one were nine times more furious than this one. I go to Wittenberg
protected by One higher than the elector. Yes, I would protect your
Electoral Grace more than you can protect me. The sword cannot counsel
nor help this cause; God alone must help here, without all human care or
aid. Therefore, whoever believes most can here afford most protection."
3. LUTHER'S SERMONS AGAINST THE FANATICS. On the 6th of March, 1522,
Luther arrived in Wittenberg. For eight days in succession he preached
against the prevailing nuisances, opposed the fanaticism of Karlstadt
powerfully with the Word of God, and restored the peace of the church.
He told his hearers that they had wanted the fruit of faith, which is
love and which patiently bears the weakness of its neighbor, instructs
him in meekness, but does not snarl at and insult him. External
improvements are very well, but they must be introduced in due order,
without tumult or offenses, and not too hastily. Again he says: "We must
first gain the hearts of the people, which is done by the Word of God,
by preaching the Gospel, and by convincing the people of their errors.
In this way the Word of God will gain the heart of one man to-day, of
another to-morrow. For with His Word God takes the heart, and then you
have gained the man. The evil will die out and cease of itself."
Karlstadt now remained quiet for a few years, and the prophets from
Zwickau had to leave Wittenberg. Before going they wrote a letter to
Luther full of abuse and curses.
4. THE ORIGIN OF THE PEASANTS' WAR. The Anabaptists now zealously spread
the poison of their fanaticism among the people. Karlstadt also began
again to proclaim his false doctrines. He maintained, infant baptism is
wrong, study is superfluous, every Christian is fit to be a pastor, and
that Christ's body and blood are not essentially present in the Lord's
Supper. At many places such pernicious preaching caused the people to
fall away from God's Word. Their chief spokesman was Thomas Muenzer. He
attacked Luther violently and boasted of himself, "The harvest is
ripening; I am hired of heaven for a penny a day, and am sharpening my
sickle for the reaping." He proclaimed a visible kingdom of God and of
Christ, the New Jerusalem, where all earthly possession should be held
in common. He also preached rebellion against the government. To check
such disorder Luther himself traveled about and preached to the people.
But he was only partially successful. In Orlamuende the rage of the
people against him was so great that he had to flee at once, while some
cursed after him, "Depart in the name of a thousand devils, and may you
break your neck before you get out of the city!"
5. LUTHER'S SERMON AGAINST THE REVOLTING PEASANTS. The storm soon broke
over Germany. In 1525 the flame of rebellion spread through Franconia,
along the Rhine, and almost through all the German states. The peasants,
"a wretched people, everybody's drudge, burdened and overloaded with
tasks, taxes, tithes, and tributes, but on that account by no means more
pious, but a wild, treacherous, uncivilized people," had banded together
in a so-called Christian union and demanded of the government the
granting of certain petitions. Some of these were: Every congregation is
to be permitted to choose its own pastor; serfdom is to be abolished.
Some of them demanded much more: they wanted one government for the
whole German empire and the abolition of the minor princes. Luther
declared that many of their demands were just and fair, at the same
time, however, he told them how terribly they sinned by rebelling. He
said: "Bad and unjust government excuses neither revolt nor sedition. Do
not make your Christian name a cloak for your impatient, rebellious, and
unchristian undertaking. Christians do not fight for themselves with the
sword and with guns, but with the cross and with suffering, just as
their Captain Christ did not use the sword, but hung upon the cross."
And with the same severity Luther also reproved the ungodly tyranny of
the princes.
6. THE OUTCOME OF THE PEASANTS' WAR. The flood of rebellion could no
longer be checked. The peasants marched about, robbing, plundering,
sacking, and murdering wherever they came, destroying more than 200
castles and many cloisters. Upon their enemies they took the most bloody
vengeance. In Weinsberg they impaled and cruelly tortured 700 knights.
Now Muenzer thought the time had come for him also. He sent letters in
every direction: "Thomas Muenzer, servant of God with the sword of
Gideon, calls all good Christians to his banners, that with him they may
strike upon the princes like on an anvil, 'bing-bang!' and not allow
their swords to cool from blood." Multitudes of the people gathered
about him. Then Luther lifted his mighty voice for the last time, and
advised the government to make the ringleaders a last offer of a
peaceable compromise, and if this proved fruitless, to draw the sword.
The compromise was offered, but in vain. Thereupon the princes took up
the sword, and the peasants were routed everywhere. The decisive battle
was fought at Frankenhausen. Muenzer encouraged his men to fight
valiantly against the tyrants. He cried, "Behold, God gives us a sign
that He is on our side. See the rainbow! It announces to us the victory!
If one of you falls in the front ranks, he will rise again in the rear
and fight anew. I will catch all bullets in my sleeve." The battle
began. But when the peasants saw that the slain did not rise, and that
Thomas Muenzer caught no bullets in his sleeve, they lost courage and
fled. Five thousand remained on the field, and three hundred were made
prisoners and beheaded. The braggart Muenzer was found in an attic of a
house in Frankenhausen where he had hidden, under a bed. He was dragged
out and taken to Muehlhausen, where he was tortured and finally
beheaded.