The Defense of Luther. 323 



Leahey was about to give a lecture, as he, at the 

 time, informed some of the clergy, on the impure 

 tendency of Den's Theology and other Roman 

 Catholic books which are used in their seminaries. 

 He requested that women and children should not 

 come to the lecture, as he was about to make " awful 

 disclosures." From the nature of Den's Theology, 

 which directs the priest how to ferret out the secret 

 thoughts of woman's heart, I should be sorry to hear 

 it detailed — even to the ears of men. At the first 

 publication, however, of his intentions, a mob 

 gathers around his lecture-room, and neither the 

 laws of the city, nor the power of their Bishop, nor 

 notices read from their pulpit, could restrain the 

 Romanists from threatening violence and blood. 

 The man was compelled to flee. 



About the same period a Roman Catholic Alder- 

 man did not threaten only, but actually made and 

 published " awfid disclosures,'^ professing to convict 

 •' the Chief Reformer of the Protestant faith with im- 

 moral teaching, and plainly sanctioning concubi- 

 nage, polygamy and adultery." And what was 

 the efi^ect on the Protestant part of the community, 

 especially on that branch of it which professes the 

 Evangelical Lutheran faith ? * -^ * They are 

 composed of men of all ranks — high and low, edu- 

 cated and ignorant, rich and poor, from the Chancel- 

 lor on the bench to the laborer on the railroad. 

 They revere the memory of the " Chief Reformer." 

 What was now their conduct? Did a mob threaten 

 to pull down the house of the offending Alderman 

 over his head ? Was it necessary to call on the City 

 Council for protection? Did their ministers find it 

 necessary to issue a bulletin to their people, implor- 

 ing them to keep the peace? No! their answer 

 was, '* AVe will tolerate error as long as we have truth 

 to combat it with." 



