The Woodcutter of Gutech
Page 7
CHAPTER SEVEN.
The woodcutter's astonishment at hearing who had rescued him, and wherehe was to find shelter, was very great. He had always entertained agreat dread of the count, who, from common report, was looked upon as acruel tyrant. The count's first care on reaching the castle was to senda servant with a livery in which the groom might return home, directinghim in the same package to bring back the old woodcutter's clothes. Hegave him also another message: it was to visit the cottage on hisreturn, and to give little Meta and Karl the joyous information thattheir grandfather was out of prison and in safe keeping.
"And now, my friend, I will have a few words with you in my privateroom," said the count, as the old man stood, cap in hand, gazing at himwith astonishment. "I know you better than you suppose," he said, asMoretz entered the room; and he told him of the interview he had hadwith his grandchildren. "I rejoice to see the way in which you arebringing them up. How is it you have taught them so to love the Bible?Do you know about it yourself?"
Moretz seeing no cause for concealment, told the count of the visit ofGottlieb Spena, the book-hawker.
"That is strange indeed," said the count. "From the same Gottlieb SpenaI also, my friend, have learned the same glorious truths. You have, Idoubt not, always heard me spoken of as a bad, cruel man. So I was, butI have been changed. God has found me out, and in His love and mercyhas showed me the way by which I may escape the punishment most justlydue to my misdeeds; and not only that, but due also to me had I nevercommitted one-tenth part of the crimes of which I have been guilty."
It was strange to hear the once proud count thus speaking to the humblewoodcutter, as to a brother or a friend.
For many weeks the old man was sheltered safely within the walls of thecastle. Not only had the count, but all his house, abandoned the faithof Rome, many of them having truly accepted the offers of salvation. Atlength, so widely had spread the doctrines of the Reformation, that theauthorities at Hornberg no longer ventured to persecute those whoprofessed it, and Moretz did not, therefore, require the count'sprotection. Meta and Karl had remained at the cottage, notwithstandingthe threats of Herr Herder. Every day, however, they had been expectingto receive another order to quit their home.
One morning, as they were seated at breakfast, before Karl went out tohis work, a knock was heard at the door. Karl ran to it, wondering whoit could be at that early hour. A shriek of joy escaped Meta's lips as,the door opening, she saw her grandfather, and the next instant she andKarl were pressed in his arms.
Great changes had of late taken place in Germany, and the authoritieswho had imprisoned Moretz no longer ventured to proceed as they hadbefore done. The peasants, oppressed for centuries by the owners of thesoil, and treated like slaves, had long been groaning for the blessingsof civil liberty. On several occasions they had revolted against theirlords, but their rebellions had always been put down with bloodshed andfearful cruelties. Once more the same desire to emancipate themselveshad sprung up in all parts of the country. This desire did not arise inconsequence of the progress of the Reformation. It had existed before,and Luther and the other reformers who had been aware of it had usedevery means to induce the people to bear their burdens, and to waittill, in God's good time, a better heart should be put into theirrulers, and they should be induced to grant them that liberty which wastheirs by right. Unhappily, however, men are too fond of attempting toright themselves rather than trust to God. While, as has been said,this desire for civil liberty was extending, so also was the Reformationmaking great progress. Many abandoned popery without embracing thegospel, and these were the people especially who desired to rightthemselves by the sword. Scarcely had old Moretz returned to his hut,than he was visited by several of the peasants, small farmers andothers, who came to urge him to join the band they were forming in theneighbourhood. His imprisonment and its cause had become known, as hadalso the way he had escaped. Among others, greatly to his surprise, hisold enemy, Johann Herder, rode up to his door.
"We were foes once, but I wish to be your foe no longer, and I have cometo invite you to join our noble cause."
"I am thankful to see you, Master Herder," said Moretz, "but I cannotpromise to join any cause without knowing its objects."
"They are very simple," answered his guest. "We consider that all menare equal. We wish to right ourselves, and to deprive our tyrants oftheir power."
"But if they refuse to agree to your demands, how then will youproceed?" asked Moretz.
"We will burn their castles and their towns, and put them to death," wasthe answer.
"That surely is not the way to induce people to act rightly," answeredMoretz. "The Bible nowhere says that we should not be soldiers, but thegospel does say very clearly that we should do violence to no man--thatwe should love our enemies and do good to them that persecute us.Burning houses and putting people to death is not in accordance with thewill of God: of that I am sure."
"But the gospel gives us freedom, and we have accepted the gospel, andtherefore have a right to liberty," answered Herder.
"The liberty of which the gospel speaks is very different from thatwhich you desire, my friend," said Moretz. "The freedom which thatgives us is freedom from superstition, from the tyranny of Satan, fromthe fear of man, from the dread of the misfortunes and sufferings towhich people are liable. No, friend Herder, I cannot join you."
Much more was said on both sides. Moretz remained firm; and Herder wentaway, indignant that one to whom he had offered to be reconciled--verymuch against his own feelings--should have refused to join what, in hissmaller knowledge of the gospel plan, he considered right andjustifiable. Herder had become a Protestant, and knew enough about thetruth to be aware that Christians are bound to forgive their enemies.He also was convinced that the saints cannot hear prayer, that purgatoryis a fiction, and that confession should be made to God and not to man.But he had no grace in his heart. He prided himself greatly on havingvisited old Moretz and expressed himself ready to become his friend.Moretz, on the other hand, had accepted not only the letter but thespirit of the gospel. He knew himself by nature to be a sinner. He hadgiven his heart to God. He desired to please Him by imitating theexample of His blessed Son, and he trusted for salvation alone to thecomplete and perfect sacrifice made on the cross.
Moretz soon found that the proposed rebellion had commenced in variousdistricts, and that already several peasant bands had proceeded to actsof violence. Immediately he thought that the castle of the Count ofFurstenburg might be attacked, and he accordingly set out to warn him ofthe danger. Had he been able to write he would have sent Karl, but hewas sure that his warning would more likely be attended to if he wenthimself. He was aware that he ran a great danger if he were toencounter any of the peasants, who would look upon him, should theydiscover his object, as a traitor to their cause. He therefore made hisway across the country, avoiding all public paths, and keeping as muchas possible out of sight of anybody he met. He at length reached thecastle in safety. The count could at first scarcely believe theinformation he gave him. It was impossible that the peasants shoulddare attack the castles of the nobles. Moretz convinced him, however,at last. He sat for some time without speaking, while he rested hishead on his hands, bending over the table. His lips were moving inprayer.
"I will not oppose these poor people," he said, at length. "I willrather reason with them, and bring them to a knowledge of their error.If I were to defend the castle I might kill a good many, and perhapssucceed in driving them away. If I cannot persuade them to give uptheir enterprise, I may perhaps come and pay you a visit. I wouldrather abandon my castle than slay my fellow-creatures. I am gratefulto you, my friend, for bringing me the warning, as it will give me timefor consideration how to act."