(the residence of the present kingdom of Saxony) and Leipzig with its famous university. Duke
George kept the Reformation back by force during his long reign from 1500 to 1539. He hated the
papal extortions, and advocated a reform of discipline by a council, but had no sympathy whatever
with Luther. He took a dislike to him at the disputation in Leipzig, forbade his Bible, issued a rival
version of the New Testament by Emser, sent all the Lutherans out of the land, and kept a close
watch on the booksellers.^751 He executed the Edict of Worms to the extent of his power, and would
have rejoiced in the burning of Luther, who in turn abused him most unmercifully by his pen as a
slave of the pope and the devil, though he prayed for his conversion.^752
George made provision for the perpetuation of Romanism in his dominion but his sons died
one after another. His brother and heir, Heinrich the Pious, was a Lutheran (as was his wife). Though
old and weak, he introduced the Reformation by means of a church visitation after the Wittenberg
model and with Wittenberg aid. The Elector of Saxony, Luther, Melanchthon, Jonas, and Cruciger
were present at the inaugural festivities in Leipzig, May, 1539. Luther had the satisfaction of
preaching at Pentecost before an immense audience in the city, where twenty years before he had
disputed with Eck, and provoked the wrath of Duke George. Yet he was by no means quite pleased
with the new state of things, and complained bitterly of the concealed malice of the semi-popish
clergy, and the overbearing and avaricious conduct of the nobles and courtiers.
Nevertheless, the change was general and permanent. Leipzig became the chief Lutheran
university, and the center of the Protestant book-trade, and remains so to this day. Joachim
Camerarius (Kammermeister), an intimate friend and correspondent of Melanchthon, labored there
as professor from 1541–1546 for the prosperity of the university, and for the promotion of classical
learning and evangelical piety.
We briefly allude to the subsequent changes. Moritz, the son and heir of Heinrich, was a
shrewd politician, a master in the art of dissimulation, and a double traitor, who from selfish motives
in turn first ruined and then saved the cause of the Reformation. He professed the Lutheran faith,
but betrayed his allies by aiding the Emperor in the Smalcaldian war for the price of the Electoral
dignity of his cousin (1547); a few years later be betrayed the Emperor (1552), and thereby prepared
the way for the treaty of Passau and the peace of Augsburg, which secured temporary rest to the
Lutherans (1555).
His next successors, Augustus I. (his brother, 1553–1586). Christian I. (1586–1591), and
Christian II. (1591–1611), were intolerant Lutherans, and suppressed Crypto-Calvinism and every
other creed. Frederick Augustus I. (1694–1733) sold the faith of his ancestors for the crown of
Poland. Since that time the rulers of Saxony have been Roman Catholics, while the people remained
Lutheran, but gradually grew more liberal than their ancestors. Freedom of worship was granted
to the Roman Church in 1807, to the German Reformed in 1818, and more recently (since 1866)
to other communions.
(^751) One of them, Johann Herrgott, was executed in Leipzig, 1527 (not 1524) for selling Lutheran books, or rather for complicity with
the Peasants’ War, and for agrarian socialistic doctrines. See A. Kirchhoff, Johann Herrgott, Buchführer von Nürnberg, und sein tragisches
Ende, 1527, and Kapp, l.c., I. 438 sq. and 594.
(^752) After George’s death Luther said: "I would rather that he lived and be converted now he has gone into the eternal fire [!], if the
gospel is true." Köstlin, II. 424.