the great controversy- 第27部分

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。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　123


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

124

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。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　125

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　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

126

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
utte