Luther the Reformer.
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.
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."