character-第31章

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truthfully。　　It　was　a　remark　of　Plato；　that　〃the　world　is　God's

epistle　to　mankind；〃　and　to　read　and　study　that　epistle；　so　as　to

elicit　its　true　meaning；　can　have　no　other　effect　on　a　well…

ordered　mind　than　to　lead　to　a　deeper　impression　of　His　power；

a　clearer　perception　of　His　wisdom；　and　a　more　grateful　sense

of　His　goodness。



While　such　has　been　the　courage　of　the　martyrs　of　science；　not

less　glorious　has　been　the　courage　of　the　martyrs　of　faith。　　The

passive　endurance　of　the　man　or　woman　who；　for　conscience　sake；　is

found　ready　to　suffer　and　to　endure　in　solitude；　without　so　much

as　the　encouragement　of　even　a　single　sympathising　voice；　is　an

exhibition　of　courage　of　a　far　higher　kind　than　that　displayed　in

the　roar　of　battle；　where　even　the　weakest　feels　encouraged　and

inspired　by　the　enthusiasm　of　sympathy　and　the　power　of　numbers。

Time　would　fail　to　tell　of　the　deathless　names　of　those　who

through　faith　in　principles；　and　in　the　face　of　difficulty；

danger；　and　suffering；　〃have　wrought　righteousness　and　waxed

valiant〃　in　the　moral　warfare　of　the　world；　and　been　content　to

lay　down　their　lives　rather　than　prove　false　to　their

conscientious　convictions　of　the　truth。



Men　of　this　stamp；　inspired　by　a　high　sense　of　duty；　have　in　past

times　exhibited　character　in　its　most　heroic　aspects；　and　continue

to　present　to　us　some　of　the　noblest　spectacles　to　be　seen　in

history。　　Even　women；　full　of　tenderness　and　gentleness；　not　less

than　men；　have　in　this　cause　been　found　capable　of　exhibiting　the

most　unflinching　courage。　　Such；　for　instance；　as　that　of　Anne

Askew；　who；　when　racked　until　her　bones　were　dislocated；　uttered

no　cry；　moved　no　muscle；　but　looked　her　tormentors　calmly　in　the

face；　and　refused　either　to　confess　or　to　recant；　or　such　as　that

of　Latimer　and　Ridley；　who；　instead　of　bewailing　their　hard　fate

and　beating　their　breasts；　went　as　cheerfully　to　their　death　as　a

bridegroom　to　the　altarthe　one　bidding　the　other　to　〃be　of　good

comfort；〃　for　that　〃we　shall　this　day　light　such　a　candle　in

England；　by　God's　grace；　as　shall　never　be　put　out；〃　or　such；

again；　as　that　of　Mary　Dyer；　the　Quakeress；　hanged　by　the　Puritans

of　New　England　for　preaching　to　the　people；　who　ascended　the

scaffold　with　a　willing　step；　and；　after　calmly　addressing　those

who　stood　about；　resigned　herself　into　the　hands　of　her

persecutors；　and　died　in　peace　and　joy。



Not　less　courageous　was　the　behaviour　of　the　good　Sir　Thomas　More；

who　marched　willingly　to　the　scaffold；　and　died　cheerfully　there；

rather　than　prove　false　to　his　conscience。　　When　More　had　made　his

final　decision　to　stand　upon　his　principles；　he　felt　as　if　he　had

won　a　victory；　and　said　to　his　son…in…law　Roper：　〃Son　Roper；　I

thank　Our　Lord；　the　field　is　won！〃　　The　Duke　of　Norfolk　told　him

of　his　danger；　saying：　〃By　the　mass；　Master　More；　it　is　perilous

striving　with　princes；　the　anger　of　a　prince　brings　death！〃。　　〃Is

that　all；　my　lord？〃　said　More；　〃then　the　difference　between　you

and　me　is　thisthat　I　shall　die　to…day；　　and　you　to…morrow。〃



While　it　has　been　the　lot　of　many　great　men；　in　times　of

difficulty　and　danger；　to　be　cheered　and　supported　by　their　wives；

More　had　no　such　consolation。　　His　helpmate　did　anything　but

console　him　during　his　imprisonment　in　the　Tower。　（4）　　She　could　not

conceive　that　there　was　any　sufficient　reason　for　his　continuing

to　lie　there；　when　by　merely　doing　what　the　King　required　of　him；

he　might　at　once　enjoy　his　liberty；　together　with　his　fine　house

at　Chelsea；　his　library；　his　orchard；　his　gallery；　and　the　society

of　his　wife　and　children。　　〃I　marvel；〃　said　she　to　him　one　day；

〃that　you；　who　have　been　alway　hitherto　taken　for　wise；　should　now

so　play　the　fool　as　to　lie　here　in　this　close　filthy　prison；　and

be　content　to　be　shut　up　amongst　mice　and　rats；　when　you　might　be

abroad　at　your　liberty；　if　you　would　but　do　as　the　bishops　have

done？〃　　But　More　saw　his　duty　from　a　different　point　of　view：　it

was　not　a　mere　matter　of　personal　comfort　with　him；　and　the

expostulations　of　his　wife　were　of　no　avail。　　He　gently　put　her

aside；　saying　cheerfully；　〃Is　not　this　house　as　nigh　heaven　as　my

own？〃to　which　she　contemptuously　rejoined：　〃Tilly　vally

tilly　vally！〃



More's　daughter；　Margaret　Roper；　on　the　contrary；　encouraged　her

father　to　stand　firm　in　his　principles；　and　dutifully　consoled　and

cheered　him　during　his　long　confinement。　　Deprived　of　pen…and…ink；

he　wrote　his　letters　to　her　with　a　piece　of　coal；　saying　in　one　of

them：　〃If　I　were　to　declare　in　writing　how　much　pleasure　your

daughterly　loving　letters　gave　me；　a　PECK　OF　COALS　would　not

suffice　to　make　the　pens。〃　　More　was　a　martyr　to　veracity：　he

would　not　swear　a　false　oath；　and　he　perished　because　he　was

sincere。　　When　his　head　had　been　struck　off；　it　was　placed　on

London　Bridge；　in　accordance　with　the　barbarous　practice　of　the

times。　　Margaret　Roper　had　the　courage　to　ask　for　the　head　to　be

taken　down　and　given　to　her；　and；　carrying　her　affection　for　her

father　beyond　the　grave；　she　desired　that　it　might　be　buried　with

her　when　she　died；　and　long　after；　when　Margaret　Roper's　tomb　was

opened；　the　precious　relic　was　observed　lying　on　the　dust　of　what

had　been　her　bosom。



Martin　Luther　was　not　called　upon　to　lay　down　his　life　for　his

faith；　but；　from　the　day　that　he　declared　himself　against　the

Pope；　he　daily　ran　the　risk　of　losing　it。　　At　the　beginning　of　his

great　struggle；　he　stood　almost　entirely　alone。　　The　odds　against

him　were　tremendous。　　〃On　one　side；〃　said　he　himself；　〃are

learning；　genius；　numbers；　grandeur；　rank；　power；　sanctity；

miracles；　on　the　other　Wycliffe；　Lorenzo　Valla；　Augustine；　and

Luthera　poor　creature；　a　man　of　yesterday；　standing　wellnigh

alone　with　a　few　friends。〃　　Summoned　by　the　Emperor　to　appear　at

Worms；　to　answer　the　charge　made　against　him　of　heresy；　he

determined　to　answer　in　person。　　Those　about　him　told　him　that　he

would　lose　his　life　if　he　went；　and　they　urged　him　to　fly。

〃No；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　repair　thither；　though　I　should　find

there　thrice　as　many　devils　as　there　are　tiles　upon　the　housetops！〃

Warned　against　the　bitter　enmity　of　a　certain　Duke　George；

he　said〃I　will　go　there；　though　for　nine　whole　days　running

it　rained　Duke　Georges。〃



Luther　was　as　good　as　his　word；　and　he　set　forth　upon　his　perilous

journey。　　When　he　came　in　sight　of　the　old　bell…towers　of　Worms；

he　stood　up　in　his　chariot　and　sang；　〃EIN　FESTE　BURG　IST　UNSER

GOTT。〃the　'Marseillaise'　of　the　Reformationthe　words　and

music　of　which　he　is　said　to　have　improvised　only　two　days　before。

Shortly　before　the　meeting　of　the　Diet；　an　old　soldier；　George

Freundesberg；　put　his　hand　upon　Luther's　shoulder；　and　said　to

him：　〃Good　monk；　good　monk；　take　heed　what　thou　doest；　thou　art

going　into　a　harder　fight　than　any　of　us　have　ever　yet　been　in。

But　Luther's　only　answer　to　the　veteran　was；　that　he　had

〃determined　to　stand　upon　the　Bible　and　his　conscience。〃



Luther's　courageous　defence　before　the　Diet　is　on　record；　and

forms　one　of　the　most　glorious　pages　in　history。　　When　finally

urged　by　the　Emperor　to　retract；　he　said　firmly：　〃Sire；　unless　I

am　convinced　of　my　error　by　the　testimony　of　Scripture；　or　by

manifest　evidence；　I　cannot　and　will　not　retract；　for　we　must

never　act　contrary　to　our　conscience。　　Such　is　my　profession　of

faith；　and　you　must　expect　none　other　from　me。　　HIER　STEHE　ICH：

ICH　KANN　NICHT　ANDERS：　GOTT　HELFE　MIR！〃　（Here　stand　I：　I　cannot　do

otherwise：　God　help　me！）。　He　had　to　do　his　dutyto　obey　the

orders　of　a　Power　higher　than　that　of　kings；　and　he　did　it

at　all　hazards。



Afterwards；　when　hard　pressed　by　his　enemies　at　Augsburg；　Luther

said　that　〃if　he　had　five　hundred　heads；　he　would　lose　them　all

rather　than　recant　his　article　concerning　faith。〃　　Like　all

courageous　men；　his　strength　only　seemed　to　grow　in　proportion　to

the　difficulties　he　had　to　encounter　and　overcome。　　〃There　is　no

man　in　Germ