The Woodcutter of Gutech | Page 7

be saved;
and it gives us the account of the thief on the cross, who, even at the
last moment, trusting to Jesus, was saved."
Thus the preacher continued arguing from the Bible, showing from it
numberless falsehoods put forth by the Church of Rome. Then he put
very clearly and forcibly the simple gospel before the people,--man's
fallen state; the love of Christ which induced Him to come on earth to
draw man out of that fallen state, if he would accept the means freely
offered to him. Still, unhappily, man continued to "love darkness rather
than light, because his deeds are evil;" and thus do the cardinals and
bishops and priests, who are the ruling powers of the Church of Rome,
endeavour to keep the minds of people in ignorance, that they may
draw money from the pockets of their dupes, and continue to live on in
indolence and vice.
CHAPTER FOUR.
While he was speaking a large body of people, led on by a man on
horseback, and accompanied by several priests, were seen advancing at
the farther end of the square. Many of the people fled, but the preacher
boldly kept his ground, as did Moretz and Karl, who, indeed, scarcely
heeded the movement of the people surrounding him. In another minute
Moretz found himself dragged from his pack-saddle by a couple of men,
and looking up, he saw Johann Herder frowning down upon him. He
struggled to free himself, for his muscles were well-knit, and he had
lost but little of his vigour. He succeeded in getting near enough to Karl
to whisper, "Fly away home and look after Meta. God will take care of
me. Do not be afraid. Keep up your spirits, Karl. Off!--off! quick!
quick!"
He had scarcely uttered these words before he was again seized by two
additional men, who set on him, and he saw that to struggle further was

useless.
"Bring him along," said Herder, "with the other prisoners. The
magistrates will quickly adjudge the case. I knew that I should some
day have my revenge," he whispered into the old man's ear, "and I
intend to make you feel it bitterly."
Moretz was thankful to see that Karl had made his escape, and without
opposition followed his captors to the hall where the magistrates were
sitting. They had resolved to prevent any public preaching in their
town.
While the magistrates' officers were making prisoners, several men
rallied round the preacher, and before he could be seized, got him down
from the platform in their midst, and then retired down the street, no
one venturing to attack them.
Moretz, with six or seven more prisoners, was placed before the
magistrates, several priests being present, eager to obtain their
condemnation. Moretz was asked how he dared stop and listen to an
heretical preacher, and whether he thought the preacher was speaking
the truth, or falsehood?
"Had I thought he had been speaking falsehood, I would not have
stopped to listen to him," answered the old man, boldly. "He spoke
things, too, which I know are to be found in the word of God, and I am
sure that all in that book is true."
"Evidently a fearful heretic!" exclaimed the magistrates. "We must
make an example of him, and put a stop to this sort of thing. In the
meantime, to prison with him!"
"Stay," said one. "Though guilty of listening, perchance he will recant,
and acknowledge himself in error."
"Indeed I will not," answered the old man. "I believe God rather than
man, and will not deny the truths He has taught me."

"Off with him!--off with him! You see there is no use discussing
matters with a heretic," exclaimed some of the other magistrates.
The other prisoners were now tried. Two or three only of them, were,
however, committed to prison, the others acknowledging themselves in
error. Of these, however, several as they went away muttered words
complimentary neither to their judges nor to the Pope and his cardinals.
Moretz, with several other prisoners, was marched off under a strong
guard to the prison. It was a dark, old, gloomy building, which had
been a castle, but having been partly dismantled, had been fitted up
again for its present purpose. It contained several long passages, both
above ground and under ground, leading to arched cells with strong oak
doors plated with iron.
Into one of these dungeons Moretz was now thrust. There he was left in
solitude. There was but little light, but he discovered a heap of straw in
one corner, on which he sat himself down. "Well," he thought, "other
people have been shut up in prison cells worse than this, and Christians
too." And then he thought of Paul and Silas in the prison at Philippi,
and