spoke Melanchthon, and declared that everything which opposed the Gospel must fall, no matter how ancient it may be. After explaining the manner in which the Pope had gained supremacy in Germany, he called upon the princes to defend the Church against the power of Antichrist. The battle grew more exciting, and Melanchthon took a bolder position, although he was a man who might truly, with reference to his inward disposition, be called a child of peace. Towards the close of the year 1520, principally by Luther's advice, he had married a daughter of Mayor Crapp, of Wittenberg. But of this we shall speak further hereafter.

CHAPTER V.

MELANCHTHON WITHOUT LUTHER.

As early as the summer of 1520, the Pope, upon Eck's instigation, issued a severe bull against Luther, in which forty-one propositions from his various writings were condemned, and he himself was threatened with excommunication if he should not recant. But the hero was of good courage, for he was suffering for the best cause. Eck triumphed, but the Wittenberger was not to be intimidated, and wrote the well-known severe work "Against the Bull of Antichrist," and even took the bold step, on the 10th of December, 1520, to cast this bull, together with the canon law and other papal writings, into the fire, before the Elster gate, in the presence of many students and doctors. Thus did he powerfully separate himself from the Roman Church and the Pope. All who preferred the better way were thus driven to decision. Melanchthon was not wanting among these better ones, as he proved by his vindication of Luther.

In the meantime, Charles V. had become Emperor of Germany. The papal nuncios urged him to execute the bull. But this youthful monarch proceeded leisurely. He summoned a Diet to Worms, where, among other matters, the difficulties of the Church might also be decided. Although the Papal legates endeavored to prevent Luther's summons to the Diet, they could not succeed. When parting from Melanchthon, he said: "If I should return no more, and my enemies should murder me at Worms, as may very easily be the case, I conjure you, dear brother, not to neglect teaching and abiding by the truth. In the meantime, labor also for me, because I am not able to be here. You can do better than I can. Therefore it will not be a great loss, provided you remain. The Lord still finds a learned champion in you." It is well known to all with what joyful faith Luther received the summons, and with what bold words he expressed himself in regard to it. Luther's journey to Worms, and his demeanor before the Emperor and the States of the Empire, are among the most glorious events of his own history, and of the Reformation in general.