having consulted no one but God and his own brave heart, he proceeds to the church and nails to the door ninety-five theses, or propositions, showing the folly of indulgences, and proclaiming the principles which he once expressed more briefly thus: "I, Doctor Martin Luther, unworthy herald of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, confess this article, that faith alone without works justifies before God, and I declare that it shall stand and remain forever in despite of the Emperor of the Romans, the Emperor of the Turks, the Emperor of the Tartars, the Emperor of the Persians,-in spite of the Pope and all the cardinals, with the bishops, priests, monks, nuns,-in spite of kings, princes, and nobles,--and in spite of all the world and of the devils themselves; and if they endeavor to fight against this truth they will draw the fires of hell upon their heads. This is the true and holy Gospel and the declaration of me, Doctor Luther, according to the teaching of the Holy Ghost."

Such a bold and powerful utterance proved indeed like a lion's roar, shaking the papal wilderness of error and superstition. Scarcely were the theses nailed to the church door, says the historian, ere, "the feeble sounds of the hammer were followed throughout Germany by a mighty blow that reached even the foundations of haughty Rome, threatening with sudden ruin the walls, the gates, and pillars of Popery, stunning and terrify ing her champions, and at the same time awakening thousands from the sleep of error."

The news of the theses spread with lightning rapidity. They struck a chord that vibrated in thousands of hearts. During the preceding half-century the new art of printing had multiplied books, and there had been a great revival of learning. The

quickened intelligence of the people began to make smothered protest against the mockeries of Rome, and Luther's bold act was like the spark that fires the train. The trenchant theses were caught up with all the eager interest of a bulletin from the field of battle. "In a fortnight," says a contemporary writer, "they were in every part of Germany, and in four weeks they had traversed nearly the whole of Christendom, as if the very angels had been their messengers, and had placed them before the eyes of all men. No one can believe the noise they made." The roar of the king of beasts is the most powerful and startling sound produced in the realm of animated nature. It is a fitting symbol of that courageous and powerful utterance that shook Europe.

Everything was in a ferment. Many of the monks hailed the theses with joy as setting forth the truth for which they were honestly seeking. Others denounced them in unmeasured terms. The learned took opposite sides. Erasmus could hardly restrain his joy, and Albert Krantz, the famous historian, exclaimed: "Thou art right, Brother Martin." While the famous Dr. Eck sharply attacked the theses, and the two universities of Ingolstadt and Wittemberg were pitted against each other.

Tetzel poured forth threatenings, and publicly burned a copy of the theses. The young students of Wittemberg retaliated by burning Tetzel's counter theses, and hustling the messenger who had brought them into town.

The priests were divided: some, like the aged priest of Hexter, applauded the reformer. The greater number were filled with rage, like Hochstraten, who bellowed forth: " It is high treason against the church to allow so horrible a heretic to live one hour longer; let the scaffold be instantly erected for him."

Many of the princes and civil magistrates rejoiced to see a barrier raised against papal usurpation. Others clapped their hands. upon their swords, and ere long set battles in array.

Maximilian, the German Emperor, said to the Saxon prince (by his envoy): "Take great care of the Monk Luther, for the time may come when we shall have need of him." But the Prince of Brandenberg, who was also a bishop, said to his attendants: "I will not lay my head down in peace until I have thrown Martin into the fire;”—and the Pope thundered forth his summons for Luther to appear at Rome to answer for his heresies.

Everywhere there were manifold signs of a conflict near at hand. Throughout Europe were heard the mutterings of a mighty tempest. The "seven thunders”—all the thunders,—the voices of the powers intellectual and spiritual, religious and civil, political and military,-sounded forth the notes of an approachng convulsion, which should cause that time, reprieve, should no longer be given to the full sway of papal power.

BOW

And thus we are led out into the full meaning of the sublime vision of the prophet: "AND I SAW ANOTHER STRONG ANGEL COMING DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN, ARRAYED WITH A CLOUD; AND THE RAINWAS UPON HIS HEAD, AND HIS FACE WAS AS THE SUN, AND HIS FEET AS PILLARS OF FIRE; AND HE HAD IN HIS HAND A LITTLE BOOK OPEN AND HE SET HIS RIGHT FOOT UPON THE SEA, AND HIS LEFT UPON THE EARTH; AND HE CRIED WITH A GREAT VOICE, AS A LION ROARETH, AND WHEN HE CRIED THE SEVEN THUNDERS UTTERED THEIR VOICES.

VOICES,

SAYING,

AND WHEN THE SEVEN THUNDERS UTTERED THEIR

I WAS ABOUT TO WRITE; AND I HEARD A VOICE FROM HEAVEN

SEAL UP THE THINGS WHICH THE SEVEN THUNDERS UTTERED,

AND WRITE THEM NOT.

AND THE ANGEL WHICH I SAW STANDING

UPON THE SEA AND UPON THE EARTH LIFTED UP HIS RIGHT HAND TO HEAVEN, AND SWARE BY HIM THAT LIVETH FOREVER AND EVER, WIIO CREATED THE HEAVEN AND THE THINGS THAT ARE THEREIN, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS THAT ARE THEREIN, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS THAT ARE THEREIN, THAT THERE SHALL BE TIME NO LONGER: BUT IN THE DAYS OF THE VOICE OF THE SEVENTH ANGEL, WHEN HE IS ABOUT TO SOUND, THEN IS FINISHED THE MYSTERY OF GOD, ACCORDING TO THE GOOD TIDINGS WHICH HE DECLARED TO HIS SERVANTS THE AND THE VOICE WHICH I HEARD FROM HEAVEN, I HEARD IT AGAIN SPEAKING WITH ME, AND SAYING, GO, TAKE THE BOOK WHICH

PROPHETS.

IS OPEN IN THE HAND OF THE ANGEL THAT STANDETH UPON THE SEA

AND UPON THE EARTH. AND I WENT UNTO THE ANGEL, SAYING AND HE SAITH UNTO ME, TAKE IT AND EAT IT UP; AND IT SHALL MAKE THY BELLY BITTER, BUT IN THY MOUTH IT SHALL BE SWEET AS HONEY. AND I TOOK THE LITTLE BOOK OUT of the angel's HAND, AND I ATE IT UP; AND IT WAS IN MY MOUTH SWEET AS HONEY: AND WHEN I HAD EATEN IT, MY BELLY WAS MADE BITTER. AND THEY SAY UNTO ME, THOU MUST PROPHESY AGAIN OVER MANY PEOPLES AND NATIONS

UNTO HIM THAT HE SHOULD GIVE ME THE LITTLE BOOK.

AND TONGUES AND KINGS.

While Tetzel was in Germany hawking indulgences, he visited the town of Hagenau. Among those who became his dupes was the wife of a shoemaker, who bought a general indulgence, or pardon, and paid roundly for it out of their scanty means. Shortly after she died. The husband, pinched by the cost of the indulgence and finding that it promised deliverance from purgatory, took no measures to have the customary masses said for the repose of her soul. The parish priest, reluctant to lose his fee, took him to task, charged him with contempt of religion, and had him brought into court to be punished by the civil magis

trate.

The shoemaker put the indulgence in his pocket and went to answer the accusation. "Is your wife dead?" asked the mag"What have you done for her?” and commended her soul to God."

istrate. แ "Yes," replied he. "I have buried her body "But have you had a mass said for the repose of her soul?" "I have not, it was of no use; she entered heaven at the moment of her death." "How do you know that?" "Here is the proof,”— and he drew forth the document from his pocket, and the