he could therefore leave to their own fate, and yet not deny that the strength of their reasons in regard to infant baptism, made a strong, and according to his convictions, reasonable impression upon his mind."

"The elector wishing to quell the controversy, dis. suaded the Wittenburg theologians from discussing the subject of infant baptism, saying he could not see what benefit could arise from it, as the article was not of much importance, and yet the rejection of it would create great excitement, since it had been so long hallowed in the church by the influence of Augustin, its defender. Melancthon said, that he "was agreed with the Elector, that the article of infant baptism was not of much importance, and that it were better not to have any thing to do with it, than that great doubts respect. ing it be excited." After confessing that the question was one of little importance, it was natural that he should follow the advice of the Elector in regard to his connexion with these men. Whether it were right in him to be so quickly, and as it would seem, so gladly convinced, we leave it for theology to determine."

Note E.-Page 68.

An analysis of this manifesto, may not be uninteresting to some readers.

I. In the first article, the peasants set forth the benefits of public religious instruction, ask permission to

*Geshicte des Protestantischen Lehrbegriffs, v. II, p. 47, 59.

elect their own ministers to teach them the word of God without the traditions of men, and that they may have power to dismiss them if their conduct be reprehensible.

II. In the second, they represent that the laws of tithing in the Old Testament, ought not to be enforced under the present dispensation, and pray that they may be excused from all tythes except that of their corn, which they desire might be applied to the support of their teachers, the support of the poor, and the payment of public taxes.

III. In the third, they declare their former state of slavery to be disgraceful to humanity, and inconsistent with the religion of Christ-declare their willingness to submit to the control of magistrates, but not to be slaves, unless slavery could be proved right from the holy scripture.

IV. In the fourth, they complain of the injustice of the game laws, which had prevented them from taking birds or wild animals, or even chasing away those which devoured their herbage. They ask that private privileges may yield to public benefit.

V. The fifth complains that a few men claimed all the forests, and that the poor could hardly obtain wood for fuel or repairs. It asks that this matter might be adjusted by the government; or by the proprietors, if the forests could be proved to be private property.

VI. The sixth set forth the innumerable and ill-timed services, which the lords obliged their tenants to perform, which were increasing every year, and which had become absolutely intolerable. They ask for ad

justment according to the laws of equity, and of christianity, and the warrant of ancient custom.

VII. The seventh complains of abuses connected with the tenures of their lands, which had been charged with oppressive fines, not embraced in the original grants.

VIII. In the eighth, they speak of the annual rents of their farms having been so much increased, as to exceed the worth of the land. They beg the princes to see that these are so adjusted, that they may gain a livelihood by their labor.

IX. The ninth complains of new laws being daily made, creating new crimes and new penalties, and all this not for the improvement of society, but for pretences to extort money. They ask that justice may not be left to private caprice, but administered according to ancient written forms.

X. The tenth complains that the common lands which had been allowed to the poor for pasturage, had been monopolized by the lords, merely to maintain their horses for luxury and needless wars.

XI. The eleventh declares that the demand of heriots (or fines to be paid to the lord on the death of a tenant,) was the most inhuman of all oppressions. That the affliction of the widow and fatherless children made no impression on the officers, who increased the sufferings of the bereaved, by swallowing up all their property. They required that this custom should be utterly abolished.

XII. In the twelfth they declare that they were willing to retract any demand which could be proved

contrary to the word of God; and that though this memorial contained a list of their present grievances, they did not mean by this to preclude the liberty of making such future remonstrances as might be found necessary.

There is every reason to believe that if these fair and forcible representations had been properly attended to, the peasant war in Germany had never broken out, and the scenes of Munster had never been enacted. But when such appeals were set at naught, what could have been expected of a mighty mass of men driven to desperation? The standard of revolt once lifted up, drew all orders of enthusiasts around it, and when fanaticism once gained the ascendancy, there was no human voice that could "still the voice of the waves and the tumults of the people."

Note F.-Page 73.

The words of De Potter, relating to the views of the Vaudois, concerning baptism, are here given: "Ils attaquerent les sacremens, reprouvant toutes les ceremonies du baptême, hormis la seule ablution: encore eurent-ils soin que cet acte de regeneration au christianisme, ne fut pas jamais confere á des enfans en bas âge; et c'est pourquoi ils rebaptisaient de nouveau toutes les personnes qui abandonnant l'église Romaine demandaient á embrasser leur doctrine."

Note G.-Page 89.

The decisive manner in which the Greek Church expresses the sentiment that the Romish Church has annihilated baptism, may be seen by the following extract from a work of Alexander de Stourdza, a writer of the Greek Church. It was published at Studgart in 1816. Speaking of baptism, he says, 66 The Western church has done violence both to the word and the idea, in practising baptism by aspersion, the very enunciation of which is a ludicrous contradiction. In truth the word baptizo has but one signification. It signifies literally and perpetually to immerse. Baptism and immersion are identical; and to say baptism by aspersion, is the same as to say immersion by aspersion, or any other contradiction in terms. Who, then, perceiving this, can hesitate to render homage to the sage fidelity of our church, always attached to the doctrine and ritual of primitive christianity."

During the spring of the present year, while travelling in Greece, the author was struck with the fact that it is impossible for a Greek to associate any idea with the term baptism, except that of immersion. At Kalaimachi, a village on the Gulf of Athens, I was introduced to a learned Greek who spoke various languages. We conversed respecting my country and his own. Among other subjects of inquiry, I spoke of the Greek church, and took occasion to say to him, the Italian church does not practice baptism as you do. As if to correct my inadvertent phraseology, he immediately rejoined, "Baptism! oh no! no-they have rantism, (sprinkling); we have baptism."