tudies without having to beg for his
clothing and daily bread. It was interesting to see Hans Bosch, the old
soldier, following his young master from hall to hall, and also to
church, endeavouring to comprehend the lessons he heard. All the
important truths he did understand and imbibe gladly, and great was his
satisfaction when the little Schutz Platter undertook to teach him to
read that he might study by himself the Gospel in German, which Dr
Luther had just translated, and was, at that time, issuing from the
press. Well might the supporters of the Papal system exclaim with
bitterness that their power and influence were gone when the common
people had thus the opportunity of examining the Bible for themselves,
by its light trying the pretensions which that system puts forth. Would
that all professing Protestants, at the present day, studied prayerfully
the Word of God, and by its light examined the doctrines and the system
of the Church of Rome. It would show them the importance of making a
bold stand for the principles of the Reformation, unless they would see
the ground lost which their fathers so bravely strove for and gained.

CHAPTER FIVE.

Eric at once set steadily to work to study, attending regularly the
lectures of the various professors, more especially those of Dr Luther.
That wonderful leader of the Reformation was now giving a course of
sermons on important subjects in the chief church in the town. On all
occasions when he entered the pulpit the church was crowded with eager
and attentive listeners. He had a difficult task to perform. During
his absence at Wartburg various disorders occurred. Several
enthusiasts, from various parts of the country, mostly ignorant, and
little acquainted with the Gospel, assumed the title of prophets, and
violently attacked every institution connected with Rome--the priests in
some places were assailed with abuse as they were performing the
ceremonies of their Church--and these men, at length, coming to
Wittemburg, so worked on some of the students that the churches were
entered, the altars torn up, and the images carried away and broken and
burnt. The enthusiasts were known as the prophets of Zwickau, from the
place where they first began to preach their doctrines. To put a stop
to these disorders, Luther had been entreated to return from the
Wartburg to Wittemburg. The proceedings which have been described were
in direct opposition to the principles on w