"Bert and I" meet Carlstadt

Most anyone who has lived in New England for awhile know of the adventures of the fictitious characters, "Bert and I." These characters were created by Marshall Dodge.

The following is a story of “Down East Socialism” as would be told in a thick Maine down East accent...

"Eben Robey went down to the Tremont Temple in Boston to hear Norman Thomas speak. When he come back he was out preachin’ socialism ‘cross the back fence to Enoch Turner.

“You know, Enoch,” Eben was sayin’, “under socialism everybody shares everythin’”.
AAAA“Is that so?”
“Ayuup.”
AAAA“You mean to tell me, Eben, that if you had 2 fahms and I
AAAAhad none, you’d give me one of ‘em?”
“Ayup. Under socialism I’d give you one of ‘em.”
AAAA“And if you had 2 hay rigs?”
“Under socialism, if I had 2 hay rigs and you had none, I’d give you one of ‘em.”
AAAA“Well, Eben, suppose you had 2 hogs?”
“D@## you, Enoch! You know I got 2 hogs.”

Okay, now your asking how does this tie into Luther?
Well, heah is a story of Carlstadt and vocation, which can only end in, "D@## you Carlstadt, you know I already have a vocation"

AELW1:211

"But here the question arises whether we all ought to be farmers or at least work with our hands, as some foolishly maintained when the Gospel was first proclaimed. They misused this passage, as well as others which command the work of the hands, to make young men give up their studies and follow occupations requiring manual labor. Thus their leader Carlstadt gave up his position, bought a country place, and dug and tended it himself. But surely, if it were right to abandon one’s calling, it would be far easier and more pleasant for me to be in the garden, to dig with a hoe, and to turn the ground with a spade than it is to carry on the work which I am now doing. For work on the farm does not compare with this strenuous exertion of ours."