This ruler, although unable to suppress the activities of the secret, criminal, organizations in his country, (Ether 10:33-34) became the protector of persecuted servants of God. He took a bold stand for religious liberty, and was blessed by the Lord as long as he lived.
The Prophet Joseph Smith was a consistent defender of religious liberty. Referring to the persecution in early days of Baptists and Quakers in Boston, the burning of witches in Salem, and the destruction of a Catholic convent more recently, he says of the persecutors:
"Well did the Savior say concerning such, 'By their fruits ye shall know them.' And if the wicked mob who destroyed the convent, and the cool, calculating, religious lookers on, who inspired their hearts with deeds of infamy, do not arise and redress the wrong, and restore the injury fourfold, they, in turn, will receive of the measure they have meted cut, till the just indignation of a righteous God is satisfied. When will man cease to war with man and wrest from him his sacred right of worshiping his God according as his conscience dictates? Holy Father, hasten the day!" (History of the Church, Volume 2, p. 465)
Religious liberty is one of the inalienable rights belonging to each individual child of God. It is the foundation of all true liberty. The authority to legislate in religious matters cannot be transferred to any political legislature.
Luther stressed this fact in his great speech before the Diet of Worms, April 17, 1521. The Emperor Charles V, princes of Germany, papal nuncios, dignitaries of all grades, were there. Luther, being urged to recall his teachings, replied in an eloquent, forceful and yet humble speech. He spoke for two hours. He admitted that human infirmity, no doubt, marked some of his writings. This he did not deny. But, as far as the word of God, that he could not recant. "Confute me," he said, "by proofs of Scripture, or else by plain, just, arguments; I cannot recant otherwise. For it is neither safe nor prudent to do aught against conscience. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me." Luther, at that moment, proved himself faithful to liberty, to humanity, to God.