An indulgence for polygamy, for common murder,

for the murder of a father, mother,

brother or sister,

for witchcraft and sorcery,

6 ducats.

7

11

2

9

9

12

The form of the indulgence or absolution,. signed by Tetzel, concluded with these words, "I re-astablish you in the innocence, which you received at your baptism, so that if you die soon, the gate of punishment will be shut, and the gate of happiness open to you, and if you do not die soon, this grace will be reserved and secured to you." See Luther's works and Priestly's history vol. 5.

As soon as Luther heard of Tetzel's proceedings, he wrote to Albert, remonstrating. against the false opinions as well as the wicked lives of the distributors of indulgences,. and intreated him earnestly to exercise his. authority for correcting these abuses. But

finding that the archbishop, instead of correcting them, gave more strict orders to the commissioner to enforce and press, with all possible diligence, the power and distribution of indulgences, he publicly, from the pulpit began to preach against them, and pointed out the danger of relying for salvation upon any other means, than those appointed by God in his word. At the same time he published a paper, containing ninety five thesis or propositions, chiefly upon the subject of indulgences, which he fixed up at the church door at Wittenberg, with a challenge 'to the learned to oppose them, on an appointed day, either in person or by writing.* Among other things, which Luther advanced in these propositions, were the following: "That the life of a christian ought to be a perpetual penance; that the pope can only have the power of remitting canonical penances; that the canons of penance cannot extend to the dead; that the treasure, which the church distributes, is not that of

*This was done on the 31st day of October, 1517. This day is therefore considered as the day of Jubilee of the protestant churches.

the merits of Christ or of the Saints; that the treasure of indulgences is the gospel ; that the gospel was the net with which the apostles caught men, but that indulgences are the net with which priests fish for money." Luther's works--Priestly's church history.

These thesis spread with astonishing rapidity throughout Germany, and all admired the man, who had the boldness thus to step forward in opposition to the pope.*

As soon as Tetzel observed the noise, which Luther's thesis had made, he wrote and published a paper containing 106 propositions, directly opposite to Luther's, and burnt the thesis of Luther publicly at Frankford, and threatening at the same time, to do the same to Luther, and all who opposed in

*When Luther was fixing up his thesis, a foreigner, clapping his hand on Luther's shoulders, said to him in a low Dutch dialect," Min leeve broder Mertin, wenn du dat fegefur und die pappenmarketenderey stürmen und wegschludern kanst, bist du fürwahr ein groter herr." i. e. "My dear brother Martin, if you can storm and cast away that purgatory and toyshop, you are indeed a great lord."

he says,

dulgences. At the conclusion of his address, "that whoever should write against indulgences, or the power of the pope, must expect eternal damnation hereafter, and the most rigorous punishment at present, adding from the books of Moses, "every beast that touches the mountain (holy church) shall be stoned."

It does not appear, that at this early period, Luther had any intention of setting himself against the power of the pope; he even wrote a letter to his holiness, in the most respectful terms, shewing the uprightness of his intentions, and the justice of the cause, of which he was the advocate; however the pope, incited by the incessant representations of Luther's adversaries, issued an order for his appearance within sixty days at Rome, to justify himself. Against this, the elector of Saxony remonstrated, urging that Luther being one of his subjects, had a right to be heard in Germany, and the university of Wittenberg interceding for him, the pope consented that his cause should be referred to his legate cardinal Cajetan, who was then at

Augsburg. When Luther left home to go to Augsburg, he comforted his sorrowing friends, and added, "I am a debtor to Jesus Christ, who has also said to me-I will shew him, how much he must suffer for my name's sake; my house is put in order; honor and character they are tearing away from me; there is only remaining a weak body subject to continual illness, if they take it, they will only shorten my life a few hours; my soul they cannot take, they cannot injure; Jesus my master and my redeemer is sufficient for me, and as long as I live I will sing hymns to his praise."

With these thoughts he went and arrived at Augsburg, in the month of October 1518. Cajetan received him in a friendly manner, but desired that he should recant his errors and cease teaching his pernicious doctrines, Luther begged to know what his errors were, and promised that he would cheerfully retract any doctrine he had taught, provided it could be proved from the scriptures, that it was a false doctrine. "I may have erred:" these were his words" no doubt I have of