CHAPTER XXIV. MORAL CONDITIONS ACCOMPANYING THE

REFORMATION. PRINCELY PATRONS _pages_ 194-227

1. REPORTS FROM VARIOUS LUTHERAN DISTRICTS.

The Duchy of Saxony; the Electorate of Brandenburg; the Duchy of Prussia; Würtemberg; Duke Ulrich and Luther; Blaurer and Schnepf; the sad state of things revealed; the Landgraviate of Hesse; results of Landgrave Philip’s bad example _pages_ 194-202

2. AT THE CENTRE OF THE NEW FAITH.

The Electorate of Saxony; the morals of Elector Johann Frederick; the character of his predecessors; Luther’s relations with them; the records of the Visitations; Luther compares himself to Lot dwelling in Sodom _pages_ 202-210

3. LUTHER’S ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN THE DECLINE IN MORALS.

His candid admissions; his varied explanations of the state of things: The malice of Satan; the apparent increase of evil due to the bright light of the Evangel; his seeming lack of success the best proof of the truth of his mission; Luther on Wittenberg and its doings _pages_ 210-218

4. A MALADY OF THE AGE: DOUBTS AND MELANCHOLY.

The habitual depression in which zealous promoters of the Evangel lived; Melanchthon, Spalatin, Jonas, Camerarius, etc.; the increase in the number of suicides; expectation of the end of all; the sad case of Johann Schlaginhaufen _pages_ 218-227