the great controversy-第24部分

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no　foundation　for　religious　faith　but　the　Holy　Scriptures；　Luther　was　the
man　for　his　time；　through　him　God　accomplished　a　great　work　for　the
reformation　of　the　church　and　the　enlightenment　of　the　world。

Like　the　first　heralds　of　the　gospel；　Luther　sprang　from　the　ranks　of
poverty。　His　early　years　were　spent　in　the　humble　home　of　a　German　peasant。
By　daily　toil　as　a　miner　his　father　earned　the　means　for　his　education。　He
intended　him　for　a　lawyer；　but　God　purposed　to　make　him　a　builder　in　the
great　temple　that　was　rising　so　slowly　through　the　centuries。　Hardship；
privation；　and　severe　discipline　were　the　school　in　which　Infinite　Wisdom
prepared　Luther　for　the　important　mission　of　his　life。

Luther's　father　was　a　man　of　strong　and　active　mind　and　great　force　of
character；　honest；　resolute；　and　straightforward。　He　was　true　to　his
convictions　of　duty；　let　the　consequences　be　what　they　might。　His　sterling
good　sense　led　him　to　regard　the　monastic　system　with　distrust。　He　was
highly　displeased　when　Luther；　without　his　consent；　entered　a　monastery；　and
it　was　two　years　before　the　father　was　reconciled　to　his　son；　and　even　then
his　opinions　remained　the　same。

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Luther's　parents　bestowed　great　care　upon　the　education　and　training　of
their　children。　They　endeavored　to　instruct　them　in　the　knowledge　of　God　and
the　practice　of　Christian　virtues。　The　father's　prayer　often　ascended　in　the
hearing　of　his　son　that　the　child　might　remember　the　name　of　the　Lord　and
one　day　aid　in　the　advancement　of　His　truth。　Every　advantage　for　moral　or
intellectual　culture　which　their　life　of　toil　permitted　them　to　enjoy　was
eagerly　improved　by　these　parents。　Their　efforts　were　earnest　and
persevering　to　prepare　their　children　for　a　life　of　piety　and　usefulness。
With　their　firmness　and　strength　of　character　they　sometimes　exercised　too
great　severity；　but　the　Reformer　himself；　though　conscious　that　in　some
respects　they　had　erred；　found　in　their　discipline　more　to　approve　than　to
condemn。

At　school；　where　he　was　sent　at　an　early　age；　Luther　was　treated　with
harshness　and　even　violence。　So　great　was　the　poverty　of　his　parents　that
upon　going　from　home　to　school　in　another　town　he　was　for　a　time　obliged　to
obtain　his　food　by　singing　from　door　to　door；　and　he　often　suffered　from
hunger。　The　gloomy；　superstitious　ideas　of　religion　then　prevailing　filled
him　with　fear。　He　would　lie　down　at　night　with　a　sorrowful　heart；　looking
forward　with　trembling　to　the　dark　future　and　in　constant　terror　at　the
thought　of　God　as　a　stern；　unrelenting　judge；　a　cruel　tyrant；　rather　than　a
kind　heavenly　Father。

Yet　under　so　many　and　so　great　discouragements　Luther　pressed　resolutely
forward　toward　the　high　standard　of　moral　and　intellectual　excellence　which
attracted　his　soul。　He　thirsted　for　knowledge；　and　the　earnest　and　practical
character　of　his　mind　led　him　to　desire　the　solid　and　useful　rather　than　the
showy　and　superficial。

When；　at　the　age　of　eighteen；　he　entered　the　University　of　Erfurt；　his
situation　was　more　favorable　and　his　prospects　were　brighter　than　in　his
earlier　years。　His　parents　having　by　thrift　and　industry　acquired　a
competence；　they　were　able　to　render　him　all　needed　assistance。　And　the
influence　of

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judicious　friends　had　somewhat　lessened　the　gloomy　effects　of　his　former
training。　He　applied　himself　to　the　study　of　the　best　authors；　diligently
treasuring　their　most　weighty　thoughts　and　making　the　wisdom　of　the　wise　his
own。　Even　under　the　harsh　discipline　of　his　former　instructors　he　had　early
given　promise　of　distinction；　and　with　favorable　influences　his　mind　rapidly
developed。　A　retentive　memory；　a　lively　imagination；　strong　reasoning
powers；　and　untiring　application　soon　placed　him　in　the　foremost　rank　among
his　associates。　Intellectual　discipline　ripened　his　understanding　and
aroused　an　activity　of　mind　and　a　keenness　of　perception　that　were　preparing
him　for　the　conflicts　of　his　life。

The　fear　of　the　Lord　dwelt　in　the　heart　of　Luther；　enabling　him　to　maintain
his　steadfastness　of　purpose　and　leading　him　to　deep　humility　before　God。　He
had　an　abiding　sense　of　his　dependence　upon　divine　aid；　and　he　did　not　fail
to　begin　each　day　with　prayer；　while　his　heart　was　continually　breathing　a
petition　for　guidance　and　support。　〃To　pray　well；〃　he　often　said；　〃is　the
better　half　of　study。〃　D'Aubigne；　b。　2；　ch。　2。

While　one　day　examining　the　books　in　the　library　of　the　university；　Luther
discovered　a　Latin　Bible。　Such　a　book　he　had　never　before　seen。　He　was
ignorant　even　of　its　existence。　He　had　heard　portions　of　the　Gospels　and
Epistles；　which　were　read　to　the　people　at　public　worship；　and　he　supposed
that　these　were　the　entire　Bible。　Now；　for　the　first　time；　he　looked　upon
the　whole　of　God's　word。　With　mingled　awe　and　wonder　he　turned　the　sacred
pages；　with　quickened　pulse　and　throbbing　heart　he　read　for　himself　the
words　of　life；　pausing　now　and　then　to　exclaim：　〃O　that　God　would　give　me
such　a　book　for　myself！〃Ibid。；　b。　2；　ch。　2。　Angels　of　heaven　were　by　his
side；　and　rays　of　light　from　the　throne　of　God　revealed　the　treasures　of
truth　to　his　understanding。　He　had　ever　feared　to　offend　God；　but　now　the
deep　conviction　of　his　condition　as　a　sinner　took　hold　upon　him　as　never
before。

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An　earnest　desire　to　be　free　from　sin　and　to　find　peace　with　God　led　him　at
last　to　enter　a　cloister　and　devote　himself　to　a　monastic　life。　Here　he　was
required　to　perform　the　lowest　drudgery　and　to　beg　from　house　to　house。　He
was　at　an　age　when　respect　and　appreciation　are　most　eagerly　craved；　and
these　menial　offices　were　deeply　mortifying　to　his　natural　feelings；　but　he
patiently　endured　this　humiliation；　believing　that　it　was　necessary　because
of　his　sins。

Every　moment　that　could　be　spared　from　his　daily　duties　he　employed　in
study；　robbing　himself　of　sleep　and　grudging　even　the　time　spent　at　his
scanty　meals。　Above　everything　else　he　delighted　in　the　study　of　God's　word。
He　had　found　a　Bible　chained　to　the　convent　wall；　and　to　this　he　often
repaired。　As　his　convictions　of　sin　deepened；　he　sought　by　his　own　works　to
obtain　pardon　and　peace。　He　led　a　most　rigorous　life；　endeavoring　by
fasting；　vigils；　and　scourgings　to　subdue　the　evils　of　his　nature；　from
which　the　monastic　life　had　brought　no　release。　He　shrank　from　no　sacrifice
by　which　he　might　attain　to　that　purity　of　heart　which　would　enable　him　to
stand　approved　before　God。　〃I　was　indeed　a　pious　monk；〃　he　afterward　said；
〃and　followed　the　rules　of　my　order　more　strictly　than　I　can　express。　If
ever　monk　could　obtain　heaven　by　his　monkish　works；　I　should　certainly　have
been　entitled　to　it。　。　。　。　If　it　had　continued　much　longer；　I　should　have
carried　my　mortifications　even　to　death。〃Ibid。；　b。　2；　ch。　3。　As　the　result
of　this　painful　discipline　he　lost　strength　and　suffered　from　fainting
spasms；　from　the　effects　of　which　he　never　fully　recovered。　But　with　all　his
efforts　his　burdened　soul　found　no　relief。　He　was　at　last　driven　to　the
verge　of　despair。

When　it　appeared　to　Luther　that　all　was　lost；　God　raised　up　a　friend　and
helper　for　him。　The　pious　Staupitz　opened　the　word　of　God　to　Luther's　mind
and　bade　him　look　away　from　himself；　cease　the　contemplation　of　infinite
punishment　for　the　violation　of　God's　law；　and　look　to　Jesus；　his
sin…pardoning　Saviour。　〃Instead　of　torturing　yourself　on

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account　of　your　sins；　throw　yourself　into　the　Redeemer's　arms。　Trust　in　Him；
in　the　righteousness　of　His　life；　in　the　atonement　of　His　death。　。　。　。
Listen　to　the　Son　of　God。　He　became　man　to　give　you　the　assurance　of　divine
favor。〃　〃Love　Him　who　first　loved　you。〃Ibid。；　b。　2；　ch。　4。　Thus　spoke　this
messenger　of　mercy。　His　words　made　a　deep　impression　upon　Luther's　mind。
After　many　a　struggle　with　long…cherished　errors；　he　was　enabled　to　grasp
the　truth；　and　peace　came　to　his　troubled　soul。

Luther　was　ordained　a　priest　and　was　called　from　the　cloister　to　a
professorship　in　the　University　of　Wittenberg。　Here　he　applied　himself　to
the　study　of　the　Scriptures　in　the　original　tongues。　He　began　to　lecture
upon　the　Bible；　and　the　book　of　Psalms；　the　Gospels；　and　the　Epistles　were
opened　to　the　understanding　of　crowds　of　delighted　listeners。　Staupitz；　his
friend　and　superior；　urged　him　to　ascend　the　pulpit　and　preach　the　word　of
God。　Luther　hesitated；　feeling　himself　unworthy　to　speak　to　the　people　in
Christ's　stead。　It　was　only　after　a　long　struggle　that　he　yielded　to　the
solicitations　of　his　friends。　Already　he　was　mighty　in　the　Scriptures；　and
the　grace　of　God　rested　upon　him。　His　eloquence　captivated　his　hearers；　the
clearness　and　power　with　which　he　presented　the　truth　convinced　their
understanding；　and　his　fervor　touched　their　hearts。

Luther　was　still　a　true　son　of　the　papal　church　and　had　no　thought　that　he
would　ever　be　anything　else。　In　the　providence　of　God　he　was　led　to　visit
Rome。　He　pursued　his　journey　on　foot；　lodging　at　the　monasteries　on　the　way。
At　a　convent　in　Italy　he　was　filled　with　wonder　at　the　wealth；　magnificence；
and　luxury　that　he　witnessed。　Endowed　with　a　princely　revenue；　the　monks
dwelt　in　splendid　apartments；　attired　themselves　in　the　richest　and　most
costly　robes；　and　feasted　at　a　sumptuous　table。　With　painful　misgivings
Luther　contrasted　this　scene　with　the　self…denial　and　hardship　of　his　own
life。　His　mind　was　becoming　perplexed。

At　last　he　beheld　in　the　distance　the　seven…hilled　city。

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With　deep　emotion　he　prostrated　himself　upon　the　earth；　exclaiming：　〃Holy
Rome；　I　salute　thee！〃Ibid。；　b。　2；　ch。　6。　He　entered　the　city；　visited　the
churches；　listened　to　the　marvelous　tales　repeated　by　priests　and　monks；　and
performed　all　the　ceremonies　required。　Everywhere　he　looked　upon　scenes　that
filled　him　with　astonishment　and　horror。　He　saw　that　iniquity　existed　among
all　classes　of　the　clergy。　He　heard　indecent　jokes　from　prelates；　and　was
filled　with　horror　at　their　awful　profanity；　even　during　mass。　As　he　mingled
with　the　monks　and