Luther the Reformer.
[Illustration: John Tetzel Selling Indulgences.]
1. PAPAL INDULGENCES. At that time the papal chair was occupied by Leo
X. What this Pope believed we may gather from his words addressed to one
of his bishops. He exclaimed, "What an immense sum have we made out of
this fable about Christ!" Luther relates this of him: "He would amuse
himself by having two clowns dispute before his table on the immortality
of the soul. The one took the positive, the other the negative side of
this question. The Pope said to him who defended the proposition,
'Although you have adduced good reasons and arguments, yet I agree with
him who is of the opinion that we die like the beasts; for your doctrine
makes us melancholy and sad, but his gives us peace of mind!'" In order
to raise the necessary funds for his pleasures and dissipations he
published a general indulgence, pretending that he needed money to
complete the building of St. Peter's at Rome. He commissioned Archbishop
Albert of Mayence to sell these indulgences in Germany. This dignitary
was also excessively fond of the pomp and pleasures of life. He was to
receive one-half the receipts of these indulgences. Albert, again,
engaged monks who were to travel about Germany and sell the papal
pardons.
Chief among these pardon peddlers was John Tetzel. He was a most
impudent fellow who, because of his adulterous life, had at one time
been condemned to be drowned in a sack. For his services he received 80
florins, together with traveling expenses for himself and his servants,
and provender for three horses. These papal indulgences were held in
high esteem by the people, wherefore Tetzel was everywhere given a
pompous reception. Whenever he entered a town the papal bull was carried
before him upon a gilded cloth. All the priests, monks, councilmen,
schoolteachers, scholars, men, and women went out in procession with
candles, flags, and songs to meet him. The bells were tolled, the organs
sounded, and Tetzel was accompanied into the church, where a red cross
was erected bearing the Pope's coat of arms. In short, God Himself could
not have been given a grander reception. Once in church, Tetzel
eloquently extolled the miraculous power of the papal indulgences. He
preached: "Whoever buys a pardon receives not only the forgiveness of
his sins, but shall also escape all punishment in this life and in
purgatory." The forgiveness for sacrilege and perjury was sold for 9
ducats, adultery and witchcraft cost two. In St. Annaberg he promised
the poor miners, if they would freely buy his indulgence the mountains
round about the city would become pure silver. The Pope, he claimed, had
more power than all the apostles and saints, even more than the Virgin
Mary herself; for all of these were under Christ, while the Pope was
equal to Christ. The red cross with the papal arms erected in church was
declared to be as saving as the cross of Christ. Tetzel claimed to have
saved more souls with his indulgences than Peter with his sermons. He
had a little rhyme which ran: "As soon as the money rings in my chest,
From purgatory the soul finds rest." Furthermore, he proclaimed that the
grace offered by indulgences is the same grace by which man is
reconciled with God. According to his teaching contrition, sorrow, or
repentance for sin were unnecessary if his indulgences were bought.
2. CONSEQUENCES OF THIS PARDON-MONGERY. After Tetzel had carried on his
godless traffic at many places he also came to Jueterbock, in the
vicinity of Wittenberg. Thither the people hurried from the whole
neighborhood, and even from Wittenberg they came in crowds to buy
indulgences. Luther relates: "At that time I was preacher here in the
cloister, a young doctor, full of fire and handy at the Scriptures. Now,
when great multitudes ran from Wittenberg to buy indulgences at
Jueterbock and Zerbst, I began to preach very moderately that something
better could be done than buying indulgences; that he who repents
receives forgiveness of sins, gained by Christ's own sacrifice and
blood, and offered from pure grace, without money, and sold for
nothing." And when some of Luther's parishioners stubbornly declared
that they would not desist from usury, adultery, and other sins, nor
promise sincere repentance and improvement, he refused to absolve them.
When they appealed to the indulgences which they had bought from Tetzel,
Luther answered them: "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish,"
Luke 13, 3. He now addressed an imploring petition to Albert of Mayence
and other bishops, to put a stop to Tetzel's blasphemous doings, but met
with no success. Tetzel himself threatened to accuse Luther of heresy,
and built a pile of fagots on which, he said, all those should be burned
who spoke against his indulgences.
[Illustration: Luther Nailing His Ninety-five Theses to the Castle
Church of Wittenberg.]
3. THE NINETY-FIVE THESES. It was on the 31st of October, 1517, when the
bells ringing from the steeple of the Castle Church at Wittenberg were
calling the multitude into the house of God. The crowds were gathering
in the long street, awaiting the beginning of the service which usually
preceded the festival of church dedication which occurred on All Saints'
Day. Suddenly a man hurriedly pressed through the waiting multitude;
lean and lank was his body, and pale his countenance, but his eyes
beamed with life and fire. He stepped up to the door of the Castle
Church, drew a paper from his dark monk's cowl, and with vigorous blows
of the hammer nailed it to the church door. At first his action was
noticed only by those standing near by. When, however, one of the
bystanders read the superscription which, translated into English,
reads: "Disputation concerning the power of indulgences. Out of love for
the truth and with a sincere desire to bring it to light, the following
propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, the Reverend Father Martin
Luther presiding. Those who cannot discuss the subject with us orally
may do so in writing. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!"--then
the cry was heard: "Up there! Read to us the tidings of the wonderful
document."
SEVERAL OF THE THESES.
1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ in saying: "Repent ye," etc.,
intended that the whole life of His believers should be repentance.
32. Those who believe that through letters of pardon they may be
sure of their salvation will go to hell, together with their
teachers.
36. Every Christian who truly repents of his sin has complete
remission of all pain and guilt, and it is his without any letters
of pardon.
37. Every true Christian, living or dead, partakes of all the
benefits of Christ and of the Church. God gives him this without
letters of pardon.
62. The true treasure of the Church is the holy Gospel of the glory
and grace of God.
4. THE EFFECTS OF THE THESES. The action of the Augustinian monk created
everywhere the greatest excitement among the people. Luther's theses
spread with a rapidity truly marvelous for that time. In fourteen days
they had passed through all Germany, and in four weeks through all
Christendom. Verily, it seemed as if the angels themselves had been the
messengers. The theses were translated into other languages, and after
four years a pilgrim bought them in Jerusalem. Like distant rolling
thunder the mighty sentences echoed out into the lands and announced to
Rome the storm that was brewing in Germany against popery. Luther had no
idea that God had destined them to accomplish such great things. For
innumerable souls they were as the sun rising after a long and anxious
night. They rejoiced as we rejoice at the light of day; for they saw
that in the light of this doctrine they could attain to that peace with
God and with their conscience which they had sought in vain with painful
toiling in the commandments of the Roman church. In the name of these
souls old Doctor Fleck exclaimed, "Aha! He'll do it! He is come for whom
we have waited so long!" Another confessed, "The time has come when the
darkness in churches and schools will be dispelled." And another
exulted, "Praise God, now they have found a man who will give them so
much toil and trouble that they will let this poor man depart in peace."
But, of course, there were also timid souls who were filled with anxious
concern for Luther. The renowned Dr. Kranz, for instance, in Hamburg,
cried out, "Go to your cell, dear brother, and pray, 'Lord, have mercy
upon me!'" and an old Low-German clergyman said, "My dear Brother
Martin, if you can storm and annihilate purgatory and popish
huckstering, then you are indeed a great man!" But Luther, full of
joyous courage and faith, replied to all such timid souls, "Dear
fathers, if the work is not begun in God's name, it will soon come to
naught; but if it is begun in His name let Him take care of it."