played before and during the Peasants' War, he had no intention of
abandoning the struggle in despair. During the early years of his
campaign his mind was so engrossed with the overthrow of existing
religious institutions, that he had little time to consider how he
should rebuild what he had pulled down. At first he thought that no
visible organisation was necessary, as the Church, according to his
view, consisted of all those who had true faith and charity. But soon
he abandoned this idea in favour of district or local churches that
should be left completely independent. The disturbances in Germany
during the Peasants' War taught him the hopelessness of such a scheme,
and showed him that his only chance of permanent success lay in the
organisation of state churches to be placed under the protection and
authority of the civil rulers. By this bribe he hoped to conciliate
the princes, whom he had antagonised by his attacks on their own body
as well as by his attitude during the early stages of the disturbance.
The Elector John of Saxony, who had succeeded his brother Frederick,
hesitated at first to assist him in the momentous work of setting up a
rival Christian organisation. But, at last, mindful of the advantages
that would accrue to him from being recognised as supreme head of the
Church in his own dominions, he gave a reluctant consent to the plans
formulated by Luther.

A body of visitors consisting of clerics and lawyers was appointed to
draw up a new ecclesiastical constitution, the most noteworthy feature
of which was the complete dependence of the new church on the secular
authority of each state. Episcopal jurisdiction was rejected, and in
place of the bishops, superintendents were appointed. The ordinary
administration was to be carried out by a synod of clerics and laymen
elected by the various parishes, but, in reality, the right of
appointment, of taxation, of apportioning the temporal goods, and of