He finally decided on the latter, "and if necessary," {111} continued he, "I will have the host elevated three, seven, or ten times, for I will not let the devil teach me anything in my church." [Sidenote: Growth of Lutheranism in middle and upper classes] Notwithstanding the bitter controversies just related Lutheranism flourished mightily in the body of the people who were neither peasants nor intellectuals nor Swiss.

The appeal was to the upper and middle classes, sufficiently educated to discard some of the medievalism of the Roman Church and impelled also by nationalism and economic self-interest to turn from the tyranny of the pope.

City after city and state after state enlisted under the banner of Luther.

He continued to appeal to them through the press.

As a popular pamphleteer he must be reckoned among the very ablest.