the great controversy-第25部分

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filled　with　horror　at　their　awful　profanity；　even　during　mass。　As　he　mingled
with　the　monks　and　citizens　he　met　dissipation；　debauchery。　Turn　where　he
would；　in　the　place　of　sanctity　he　found　profanation。　〃No　one　can　imagine；〃
he　wrote；　〃what　sins　and　infamous　actions　are　committed　in　Rome；　they　must
be　seen　and　heard　to　be　believed。　Thus　they　are　in　the　habit　of　saying；　'If
there　is　a　hell；　Rome　is　built　over　it：　it　is　an　abyss　whence　issues　every
kind　of　sin。'〃Ibid。；　b。　2；　ch。　6。

By　a　recent　decretal　an　indulgence　had　been　promised　by　the　pope　to　all　who
should　ascend　upon　their　knees　〃Pilate's　staircase；〃　said　to　have　been
descended　by　our　Saviour　on　leaving　the　Roman　judgment　hall　and　to　have　been
miraculously　conveyed　from　Jerusalem　to　Rome。　Luther　was　one　day　devoutly
climbing　these　steps；　when　suddenly　a　voice　like　thunder　seemed　to　say　to
him：　〃The　just　shall　live　by　faith。〃　Romans　1：17。　He　sprang　to　his　feet　and
hastened　from　the　place　in　shame　and　horror。　That　text　never　lost　its　power
upon　his　soul。　From　that　time　he　saw　more　clearly　than　ever　before　the
fallacy　of　trusting　to　human　works　for　salvation；　and　the　necessity　of
constant　faith　in　the　merits　of　Christ。　His　eyes　had　been　opened；　and　were
never　again　to　be　closed；　to　the　delusions　of　the　papacy。　When　he　turned　his
face　from　Rome　he　had　turned　away　also　in　heart；　and　from　that　time　the
separation　grew　wider；　until　he　severed　all　connection　with　the　papal
church。

After　his　return　from　Rome；　Luther　received　at　the　University　of　Wittenberg
the　degree　of　doctor　of　divinity。　Now　he　was　at　liberty　to　devote　himself；
as　never　before；　to　the

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Scriptures　that　he　loved。　He　had　taken　a　solemn　vow　to　study　carefully　and
to　preach　with　fidelity　the　word　of　God；　not　the　sayings　and　doctrines　of
the　popes；　all　the　days　of　his　life。　He　was　no　longer　the　mere　monk　or
professor；　but　the　authorized　herald　of　the　Bible。　He　had　been　called　as　a
shepherd　to　feed　the　flock　of　God；　that　were　hungering　and　thirsting　for　the
truth。　He　firmly　declared　that　Christians　should　receive　no　other　doctrines
than　those　which　rest　on　the　authority　of　the　Sacred　Scriptures。　These　words
struck　at　the　very　foundation　of　papal　supremacy。　They　contained　the　vital
principle　of　the　Reformation。

Luther　saw　the　danger　of　exalting　human　theories　above　the　word　of　God。　He
fearlessly　attacked　the　speculative　infidelity　of　the　schoolmen　and　opposed
the　philosophy　and　theology　which　had　so　long　held　a　controlling　influence
upon　the　people。　He　denounced　such　studies　as　not　only　worthless　but
pernicious；　and　sought　to　turn　the　minds　of　his　hearers　from　the　sophistries
of　philosophers　and　theologians　to　the　eternal　truths　set　forth　by　prophets
and　apostles。

Precious　was　the　message　which　he　bore　to　the　eager　crowds　that　hung　upon
his　words。　Never　before　had　such　teachings　fallen　upon　their　ears。　The　glad
tidings　of　a　Saviour's　love；　the　assurance　of　pardon　and　peace　through　His
atoning　blood；　rejoiced　their　hearts　and　inspired　within　them　an　immortal
hope。　At　Wittenberg　a　light　was　kindled　whose　rays　should　extend　to　the
uttermost　parts　of　the　earth；　and　which　was　to　increase　in　brightness　to　the
close　of　time。

But　light　and　darkness　cannot　harmonize。　Between　truth　and　error　there　is　an
irrepressible　conflict。　To　uphold　and　defend　the　one　is　to　attack　and
overthrow　the　other。　Our　Saviour　Himself　declared：　〃I　came　not　to　send
peace；　but　a　sword。〃　Matthew　10：34。　Said　Luther；　a　few　years　after　the
opening　of　the　Reformation：　〃God　does　not　guide　me；　He　pushes　me　forward。　He
carries　me　away。　I　am　not　master　of　myself。　I　desire　to　live　in　repose；　but
I　am　thrown　into

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the　midst　of　tumults　and　revolutions。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　5；　ch。　2。　He　was　now
about　to　be　urged　into　the　contest。

The　Roman　Church　had　made　merchandise　of　the　grace　of　God。　The　tables　of　the
money…changers　（Matthew　21：12）　were　set　up　beside　her　altars；　and　the　air
resounded　with　the　shouts　of　buyers　and　sellers。　Under　the　plea　of　raising
funds　for　the　erection　of　St。　Peter's　Church　at　Rome；　indulgences　for　sin
were　publicly　offered　for　sale　by　the　authority　of　the　pope。　By　the　price　of
crime　a　temple　was　to　be　built　up　for　God's　worshipthe　cornerstone　laid
with　the　wages　of　iniquity！　But　the　very　means　adopted　for　Rome's
aggrandizement　provoked　the　deadliest　blow　to　her　power　and　greatness。　It
was　this　that　aroused　the　most　determined　and　successful　of　the　enemies　of
popery；　and　led　to　the　battle　which　shook　the　papal　throne　and　jostled　the
triple　crown　upon　the　pontiff's　head。

The　official　appointed　to　conduct　the　sale　of　indulgences　in　GermanyTetzel
by　namehad　been　convicted　of　the　basest　offenses　against　society　and
against　the　law　of　God；　but　having　escaped　the　punishment　due　for　his
crimes；　he　was　employed　to　further　the　mercenary　and　unscrupulous　projects
of　the　pope。　With　great　effrontery　he　repeated　the　most　glaring　falsehoods
and　related　marvelous　tales　to　deceive　an　ignorant；　credulous；　and
superstitious　people。　Had　they　possessed　the　word　of　God　they　would　not　have
been　thus　deceived。　It　was　to　keep　them　under　the　control　of　the　papacy；　in
order　to　swell　the　power　and　wealth　of　her　ambitious　leaders；　that　the　Bible
had　been　withheld　from　them。　（See　John　C。　L。　Gieseler；　A　Compendium　of
Ecclesiastical　History；　per。　4；　sec。　1；　par。　5。）

As　Tetzel　entered　a　town；　a　messenger　went　before　him；　announcing：　〃The
grace　of　God　and　of　the　holy　father　is　at　your　gates。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　3；　ch。
1。　And　the　people　welcomed　the　blasphemous　pretender　as　if　he　were　God
Himself　come　down　from　heaven　to　them。　The　infamous　traffic　was　set　up　in
the　church；　and　Tetzel；　ascending　the

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pulpit；　extolled　the　indulgences　as　the　most　precious　gift　of　God。　He
declared　that　by　virtue　of　his　certificates　of　pardon　all　the　sins　which　the
purchaser　should　afterward　desire　to　commit　would　be　forgiven　him；　and　that
〃not　even　repentance　is　necessary。〃Ibid。；　b。　3；　ch。　1。　More　than　this；　he
assured　his　hearers　that　the　indulgences　had　power　to　save　not　only　the
living　but　the　dead；　that　the　very　moment　the　money　should　clink　against　the
bottom　of　his　chest；　the　soul　in　whose　behalf　it　had　been　paid　would　escape
from　purgatory　and　make　its　way　to　heaven。　（See　K。　R。　Hagenbach；　History　of
the　Reformation；　vol。　1；　p。　96。）

When　Simon　Magus　offered　to　purchase　of　the　apostles　the　power　to　work
miracles；　Peter　answered　him：　〃Thy　money　perish　with　thee；　because　thou　hast
thought　that　the　gift　of　God　may　be　purchased　with　money。〃　Acts　8：20。　But
Tetzel's　offer　was　grasped　by　eager　thousands。　Gold　and　silver　flowed　into
his　treasury。　A　salvation　that　could　be　bought　with　money　was　more　easily
obtained　than　that　which　requires　repentance；　faith；　and　diligent　effort　to
resist　and　overcome　sin。　（See　Appendix　note　for　page　59。）

The　doctrine　of　indulgences　had　been　opposed　by　men　of　learning　and　piety　in
the　Roman　Church；　and　there　were　many　who　had　no　faith　in　pretensions　so
contrary　to　both　reason　and　revelation。　No　prelate　dared　lift　his　voice
against　this　iniquitous　traffic；　but　the　minds　of　men　were　becoming
disturbed　and　uneasy；　and　many　eagerly　inquired　if　God　would　not　work
through　some　instrumentality　for　the　purification　of　His　church。

Luther；　though　still　a　papist　of　the　straitest　sort；　was　filled　with　horror
at　the　blasphemous　assumptions　of　the　indulgence　mongers。　Many　of　his　own
congregation　had　purchased　certificates　of　pardon；　and　they　soon　began　to
come　to　their　pastor；　confessing　their　various　sins；　and　expecting
absolution；　not　because　they　were　penitent　and　wished　to　reform；　but　on　the
ground　of　the　indulgence。　Luther　refused　them　absolution；　and　warned　them
that　unless　they　should

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repent　and　reform　their　lives；　they　must　perish　in　their　sins。　In　great
perplexity　they　repaired　to　Tetzel　with　the　complaint　that　their　confessor
had　refused　his　certificates；　and　some　boldly　demanded　that　their　money　be
returned　to　them。　The　friar　was　filled　with　rage。　He　uttered　the　most
terrible　curses；　caused　fires　to　be　lighted　in　the　public　squares；　and
declared　that　he　〃had　received　an　order　from　the　pope　to　burn　all　heretics
who　presumed　to　oppose　his　most　holy　indulgences。〃D'Aubigne；　b。　3；　ch。　4。

Luther　now　entered　boldly　upon　his　work　as　a　champion　of　the　truth。　His
voice　was　heard　from　the　pulpit　in　earnest；　solemn　warning。　He　set　before
the　people　the　offensive　character　of　sin；　and　taught　them　that　it　is
impossible　for　man；　by　his　own　works；　to　lessen　its　guilt　or　evade　its
punishment。　Nothing　but　repentance　toward　God　and　faith　in　Christ　can　save
the　sinner。　The　grace　of　Christ　cannot　be　purchased；　it　is　a　free　gift。　He
counseled　the　people　not　to　buy　indulgences；　but　to　look　in　faith　to　a
crucified　Redeemer。　He　related　his　own　painful　experience　in　vainly　seeking
by　humiliation　and　penance　to　secure　salvation；　and　assured　his　hearers　that
it　was　by　looking　away　from　himself　and　believing　in　Christ　that　he　found
peace　and　joy。

As　Tetzel　continued　his　traffic　and　his　impious　pretensions；　Luther
determined　upon　a　more　effectual　protest　against　these　crying　abuses。　An
occasion　soon　offered。　The　castle　church　of　Wittenberg　possessed　many
relics；　which　on　certain　holy　days　were　exhibited　to　the　people；　and　full
remission　of　sins　was　granted　to　all　who　then　visited　the　church　and　made
confession。　Accordingly　on　these　days　the　people　in　great　numbers　resorted
thither。　One　of　the　most　important　of　these　occasions；　the　festival　of　All
Saints；　was　approaching。　On　the　preceding　day；　Luther；　joining　the　crowds
that　were　already　making　their　way　to　the　church；　posted　on　its　door　a　paper
containing　ninety…five　propositions　against　the　doctrine　of　indulgences。　He
declared　his　willingness

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to　defend　these　theses　next　day　at　the　university；　against　all　who　should
see　fit　to　attack　them。

His　propositions　attracted　universal　attention。　They　were　read　and　reread；
and　repeated　in　every　direction。　Great　excitement　was　created　in　the
university　and　in　the　whole　city。　By　these　theses