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067 - 4 The German Reformation Martin Luther · Short History of the Christian Church

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  Speaker 1: Part three, Chapter four of Short History of the Christian
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  Speaker 1: Church by John Fletcher Hurst. The LibriVox recording is in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. Chapter four The German Reformation Martin Luther,
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  Speaker 1: from his birth to the retirement in the Wartburg Castle
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  Speaker 1: fourteen eighty three to fifteen twenty. All the Teutonic countries
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  Speaker 1: had been getting ripe for the great ecclesiastical revolt, and
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  Speaker 1: Central Germany now became the theater for the Reformation. The
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  Speaker 1: popular mind was so fully ready that the only great
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  Speaker 1: need now was a man of sufficient courage, ability and
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  Speaker 1: singleness of purpose to become the representative of his generation.
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  Speaker 1: Martin Luther responded to the universal aspiration for a leader
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  Speaker 1: to guide into new and safe paths. Luther was born
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  Speaker 1: in Eisleben, Saxony, November twelfth, fourteen eighty three, and died
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  Speaker 1: in the same place February eighteenth, fifteen forty six. His father,
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  Speaker 1: first a slate cutter in Morah and then a miner
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  Speaker 1: in Iselben, was a man of humble tastes and scanty means.
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  Speaker 1: He belonged to the peasant class. The boy Martin in
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  Speaker 1: later life recalled the fact that his mother used to
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  Speaker 1: carry on her back the wood necessary for the comfort
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  Speaker 1: of the humble home. In this son were combined the
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  Speaker 1: characteristics of both the Northern and the Southern German. There
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  Speaker 1: were the calm judgment, the solid sense, and the sturdy
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  Speaker 1: valor of the colder blood of the North. But with
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  Speaker 1: these he possessed a gentle, cheerful and tuneful nature, a
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  Speaker 1: sympathetic and social feeling which stood him in good stead
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  Speaker 1: in his later struggles. As a boy, he was fond
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  Speaker 1: of the village sports, had an ardent love for his friends,
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  Speaker 1: and as keenan antipathy towards his foes. Possessed a quaint
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  Speaker 1: and grotesque humor and innocent wit, and to the day
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  Speaker 1: of his death took pride in his lowly ancestry and
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  Speaker 1: modest home. His nature seemed to derive its very grandeur
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  Speaker 1: and ruggedness from the neighboring Har's mountains, and its depth
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  Speaker 1: from the mines beneath his father's thatched cottage. When the
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  Speaker 1: burden of his great mission was upon him and he
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  Speaker 1: was the trusted friend of princes and the learned, he
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  Speaker 1: was accustomed to say, I am a peasant's son. My father,
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  Speaker 1: grandfather and remote ancestors were nothing but veritable peasants, but
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  Speaker 1: little liberty was granted to the boy of genius and destiny.
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  Speaker 1: His parents made free use of the rod, and thereby
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  Speaker 1: nearly spoiled their child. The least indiscretion brought severe castigation.
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  Speaker 1: His mother once punished him because of some trouble about
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  Speaker 1: a nut until the blood flowed. In the years of
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  Speaker 1: his strong manhood, when looking back upon this harshness, he
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  Speaker 1: saw the mistake of his parents and said, my parents
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  Speaker 1: severity made me timid. Their sternness and the strict life
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  Speaker 1: they led made me afterwards go into a monastery and
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  Speaker 1: become a monk. They heartily meant it well, but they
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  Speaker 1: did not understand the art of adjusting their punishments. But
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  Speaker 1: with all the severity of the home, these parents seemed
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  Speaker 1: to recognize the genius of their son. They determined that
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  Speaker 1: he should have an education and designed him for the law.
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  Speaker 1: In fourteen ninety seven he was sent to Magdeburg in
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  Speaker 1: order that he might prepare for the university. But the
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  Speaker 1: expense was too great for the means of his parents,
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  Speaker 1: and he was removed to Eisenach, where he could live
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  Speaker 1: with relatives and attend school at less expense. It was
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  Speaker 1: then the custom of the poorer scholars in Thuringia to
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  Speaker 1: go about the streets and sing at the doors of
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  Speaker 1: the people for alms. Young Martin needed such help, and
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  Speaker 1: a wealthy lady, Ursula Cata, was so charmed by his
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  Speaker 1: singing that she took him to her own home, where
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  Speaker 1: he had the advantages of an excellent teacher. In fifteen
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  Speaker 1: o one he went to the University of Erfurt, one
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  Speaker 1: of the centers of humanistic learning in northern Europe. He
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  Speaker 1: here came in contact with the advancing learning of the
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  Speaker 1: times and was captivated by it. Neither mind nor heart
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  Speaker 1: had rest. With great nervous power, he went from one
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  Speaker 1: science to another, and mastered each with a thoroughness and
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  Speaker 1: dispatch which amazed the professors. The department which he made
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  Speaker 1: his specialty was philosophy. On finishing his course and taking
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  Speaker 1: his degree as Master of Arts, he bade the world farewell,
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  Speaker 1: and in fifteen o five entered the Augustinian Cloister as
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  Speaker 1: a monk. The resolution seemed to be instantaneous, but his
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  Speaker 1: later confessions reveal the fact that he had been led
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  Speaker 1: gradually by certain providential experiences, such as the death of
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  Speaker 1: a friend at his side by lightning, to take this step.
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  Speaker 1: He now subjected himself to severe discipline, denied himself all comforts,
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  Speaker 1: tortured his body, and fasted and prayed to a degree
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  Speaker 1: that almost proved fatal to his life. But he kept
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  Speaker 1: at his studies in this respect, differing from his brethren,
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  Speaker 1: who said, if this brother studies, he will rule us.
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  Speaker 1: The words were a prophecy which was literally fulfilled. In
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  Speaker 1: fifteen o eight, Luther was called to Wittenberg as professor.
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  Speaker 1: While in Eyerfort he had come to a knowledge of
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  Speaker 1: the Bible and had seen the difference between the simple
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  Speaker 1: Gospel and the life and practice of the Church of
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  Speaker 1: his times. His mind was in doubt. He continued his
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  Speaker 1: acetic life and waited for the light. The University of
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  Speaker 1: Wittenberg had been founded by Frederick the Wise in fifteen
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  Speaker 1: o two, and, like Eerfort, was now alive with the
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  Speaker 1: new learning of the age. Here Luther had a field
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  Speaker 1: the first of his life for his remarkable powers. He
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  Speaker 1: carried with him the timidity of the monk, but the
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  Speaker 1: fire and magnetism of the master mind. He was so
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  Speaker 1: diffident that only the greatest persuasion could induce him to preach,
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  Speaker 1: you will kill me. He said to Stan Pitts, who
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  Speaker 1: had been the cause of his call to Wittenberg, I
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  Speaker 1: shall not go on with it for a quarter of
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  Speaker 1: a year. Luther had been in Wittenberg two years when
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  Speaker 1: he started on a journey to Rome. To one of
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  Speaker 1: his thirsting mind and religious fervor, such an opportunity was
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  Speaker 1: hailed with inexpressible delight. He had been doubting the practices
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  Speaker 1: of the Church, but no thought of keen criticism had
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  Speaker 1: arisen in his mind. He was still the devoted servant
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  Speaker 1: of his order, the Augustines, and a firm and full
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  Speaker 1: believer in the one Roman Catholic Church. When he caught
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  Speaker 1: his first view of the eternal City, he fell upon
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  Speaker 1: the earth, and with uplifted hands cried out, I greet
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  Speaker 1: thee Holy Rome thrice wholy from the blood of the
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  Speaker 1: martyrs which has been shed in thee. The scenes which
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  Speaker 1: now passed before his eyes had but little influence in
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  Speaker 1: strengthening his love for the Church. He sought too much
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  Speaker 1: ostentation and pride to satisfy his self, denying nature. While
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  Speaker 1: ascending the Scala Santa or Pilot's staircase, as a reverent
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  Speaker 1: and penitential pilgrim, the words came to him, the just
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  Speaker 1: shall live by faith. He descended the steps, left Rome
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  Speaker 1: and betook himself back to Germany. But he did not
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  Speaker 1: repudiate the authority of the Roman Church. At that time.
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  Speaker 1: Costland says, the exhibition of ecclesiastical corruption which he saw,
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  Speaker 1: did not at the time occasion any revolt in his mind.
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  Speaker 1: Luther was still a devoted monk, but had felt the
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  Speaker 1: power of a new life. He did not dream of
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  Speaker 1: separation from the Church. He continued his lectures on the
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  Speaker 1: biblical books and fascinated his hearers by the boldness and
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  Speaker 1: novelty of his views. His life now moved on without
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  Speaker 1: excitement or serious change for seven years, all the while
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  Speaker 1: he was growing in the confidence of the students and
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  Speaker 1: in fame abroad. His lectures were attractive beyond those of
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  Speaker 1: any one else, while his sermons, differing by their plain
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  Speaker 1: speech and direct presentation of the truth from the current preaching,
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  Speaker 1: were heard with an intensity of interest new in Wittenberg
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  Speaker 1: or any other part of Germany since the Mystics. During
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  Speaker 1: this quiet interval, a new indulgence was published in Germany,
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  Speaker 1: and the tickets of pardon were sold in the public
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  Speaker 1: places of the land. Between fifteen hundred and fifteen seventeen,
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  Speaker 1: no less than five Indulgences Extraordinary had been published and
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  Speaker 1: put up for sale to any buyer. They were wonderfully successful.
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  Speaker 1: The money flowed in from every quarter. The cause of
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  Speaker 1: the indulgences was alleged to be for defense against the Turks,
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  Speaker 1: but it was a singular fact that it had to
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  Speaker 1: go by the very circuitous way of Rome and the
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  Speaker 1: papal treasure box. The bishops cried out half in joy
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  Speaker 1: and half in complaint against the weight of the silver.
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  Speaker 1: Hundred weights of German coin fly light as feathers over
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  Speaker 1: the Alps, and no bearer of the head heaviest burdens,
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  Speaker 1: not even Atlas himself, can drag such heaps of money.
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  Speaker 1: The sale of the indulgences aroused Luther's nature to a
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  Speaker 1: high pitch of excitement. He was now ready for his mission.
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  Speaker 1: He went over the whole case against Rome as he
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  Speaker 1: saw it, and arranged the church in a bill of charges,
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  Speaker 1: which he called his ninety five Theses. They were directed
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  Speaker 1: principally against the sale of indulgences, but they included the
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  Speaker 1: whole burden of Luther's soul. He insisted that the Church
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  Speaker 1: taught the truth, but that there were excrescences which must
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  Speaker 1: be removed. On October thirty first, fifteen seventeen, he nailed
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  Speaker 1: his thesis to the door of the Schlaskirche of Wittenberg.
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  Speaker 1: Now began the storm, which lasted until the day of
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  Speaker 1: his death. The theses were soon heard from in Rome,
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  Speaker 1: where the Pope wrote of him to the Elector of
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  Speaker 1: Saxony as that Netori maarious son of wickedness. He was
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  Speaker 1: ordered to recant, but replied, I cannot recall. He was
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  Speaker 1: ordered to Rome, but only wrote a respectful letter in
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  Speaker 1: reply to the command. He was summoned to a disputation
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  Speaker 1: in Leipzig in fifteen nineteen with Eck, where he attacked
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  Speaker 1: the doctrines of the primacy of the Pope, indulgences and purgatory.
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  Speaker 1: The humanist Mossolanis thus described the young Monk on this
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  Speaker 1: first great appearance before the world. He was of medium height.
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  Speaker 1: His face and whole body were as thin as a
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  Speaker 1: skeleton caused by long study and much care. His voice
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  Speaker 1: was clear, his address bore every mark of great learning
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  Speaker 1: and acquaintance with the Bible. His bearing was friendly and attractive.
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  Speaker 1: He was full of vitality and calm and joyous amid
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  Speaker 1: the threats of his enemies, as one would be who
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  Speaker 1: undertakes great things with God's help. In controversy, he was
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  Speaker 1: defiant and incisive as a theologian ought to be. Luther
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  Speaker 1: left Leipzig with a deeper determination than ever to continue
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  Speaker 1: his work. He still had no thought of leaving the church.
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  Speaker 1: He would be an obedient son and servant, and thought
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  Speaker 1: only of ever remaining in fellowship with the Received faith.
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  Speaker 1: But he was carried on by the force of his
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  Speaker 1: convictions and by some providential occurrences in which indeed he
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  Speaker 1: seemed to have little part. He now struck the most
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  Speaker 1: vital blow of all. He attacked Rome. In a new department.
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  Speaker 1: He wrote an addressed to the nobles of the German people,
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  Speaker 1: in which he advocated the suppression of nunneries, abolition of
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  Speaker 1: the interdict and ban, independence of the temporal power, and
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  Speaker 1: the denial of transubstantiation and other false teachings of Rome.
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  Speaker 1: This was rebellion, and shortly afterwards brought its natural punishment
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  Speaker 1: from Rome, excommunication. Luther said, I would regard the pope
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  Speaker 1: as pope, but they want me to regard him as God.
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  Speaker 1: He posted a notice on the church door inviting the
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  Speaker 1: people to go out with him in solemn procession through
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  Speaker 1: the Elster gate, and in presence of the citizens, professors
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  Speaker 1: and students, publicly burned the papal bull. This notice was observed,
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  Speaker 1: and in presence of the multitude, Luther burned the bull
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  Speaker 1: on December tenth, fifteen twenty. But Rome was even worse
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  Speaker 1: off without him than with him. Charles the Fifth had
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  Speaker 1: been elected Emperor of Germany on June twenty eighth, fifteen nineteen,
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  Speaker 1: and it was now a serious question what position he
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  Speaker 1: should take as to the reform. He was a Habsburg
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  Speaker 1: and therefore a rigid Roman Catholic, but he was also
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  Speaker 1: diplomatic and was determined to do nothing that would endanger
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  Speaker 1: his political strength. He turned the matter over carefully in
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  Speaker 1: his mind, and as at the diet at Verms April
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  Speaker 1: fifteen twenty one, his election contract was to be signed
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  Speaker 1: and such additional business transacted as related to the affairs
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  Speaker 1: of the church. He resolved before the council met that
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  Speaker 1: he would give Luther a hearing and condemn his doctrines.
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  Speaker 1: Luther was summoned to Verms and promised a safe conduct.
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  Speaker 1: Before starting, he wrote to Spalatin, if his Majesty calls
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  Speaker 1: me to account, so that I am ruined and am
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  Speaker 1: looked upon on account of my answer as an enemy
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  Speaker 1: to the Empire, still I am ready to come, for
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  Speaker 1: I have no intention of fleeing, nor of leaving the
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  Speaker 1: word in danger. But I mean to confess it unto death,
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  Speaker 1: so far as Christ's grace sustains me. But I am
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  Speaker 1: certain that the bloodhounds will not rest until they have
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  Speaker 1: put me to death. His friends reminded him of HUSS's
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  Speaker 1: death at the Council of Constance, but their remonstrance had
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  Speaker 1: no influence. He would go to Verms, though the devils
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  Speaker 1: were as many as tiles on the housetops. Every argument
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  Speaker 1: was used, threats were multiplied, but all to no avail.
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  Speaker 1: When he had finished his defense, he said, here I stand.
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  Speaker 1: I cannot do otherwise, God help me. Amen. Carlyle describes
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  Speaker 1: the historical significance of this occasion and the importance of
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  Speaker 1: Luther's firm attitude in the following words. It was the
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  Speaker 1: greatest moment in the modern history of men, English Puritanism,
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  Speaker 1: England and its parliaments, America's and vast work these two
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  Speaker 1: centuries French Revolution, Europe and its work everywhere at present
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  Speaker 1: the germ of it all lay there. Had Luther in
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  Speaker 1: that moment done otherwise, it had all been otherwise. The
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  Speaker 1: decree of the diet at Verms against Luther was as follows. Thus,
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  Speaker 1: this individual, not a man, but one like the devil
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  Speaker 1: in human form under a monk's cowl, has gathered into
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  Speaker 1: one noxious mass a number of heretics who have been
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  Speaker 1: long concealed and hold most damnable heresies. And he has
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  Speaker 1: even devised some fresh ones under pretense of preaching faith,
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  Speaker 1: which he has industriously made everyone believe, in order that
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  Speaker 1: he may destroy the true faith, and under the name
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  Speaker 1: and guise of evangelical doctrine, put an end to all
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  Speaker 1: evangelical peace and love and all good order. The sentence
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  Speaker 1: of ban and double ban was pronounced upon him and
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  Speaker 1: every friend and adherent to his heresy, and after a
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  Speaker 1: certain way date May fourteenth, all persons were cautioned against
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  Speaker 1: harboring or protecting him, and he was ordered to be
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  Speaker 1: delivered up to the officers wherever found. When Luther was
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  Speaker 1: returning from Verms and before the publication of the ban,
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  Speaker 1: against him. Some knights, at the instance of Frederick the Wise,
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  Speaker 1: took him to the Vartburg Castle on the heights above Eisenach,
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  Speaker 1: lest he might be captured by his enemies and possibly
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  Speaker 1: suffer death. He here lived as Yunker George squire George,
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  Speaker 1: a sobriquet given him by the jovial knights. He used
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  Speaker 1: his pen vigorously during his eight months in Patmos, as
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  Speaker 1: he called his sojourn. No day was without its line.
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  Speaker 1: While here he translated the New Testament entire and parts
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  Speaker 1: of the Old. The New Testament was printed in September fifteen,
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  Speaker 1: twenty two, and did more than anything else to make
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  Speaker 1: the Reformation permanent. It went through sixteen original editions in
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  Speaker 1: ten years, so great was the thirst for the word,
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  Speaker 1: and the reprints in the same time amounted to fifty
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  Speaker 1: four Luther's Bible was translated directly from the Hebrew and
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  Speaker 1: the Greek, with wonderful clearness and force of style, and
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  Speaker 1: is a fairly faithful version. It almost created the German language,
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  Speaker 1: crystallizing it in forms of strong, pithy and expressive speech.
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  Speaker 1: End of Chapter four