按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Rocks fall to dust； and mountains melt away。〃
AUTHORITIES。
Grimm's Life of Michael Angelo； Vasari's Lives of the Most
Excellent Painters； Sculptors and Architects； Duppa's Life of
Michael Angelo； Bayle's Histoire de la Peinture en Italie。
MARTIN LUTHER。
A。 D。 1483…1546。
THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION。
Among great benefactors； Martin Luther is one of the most
illustrious。 He headed the Protestant Reformation。 This movement
is so completely inter…linked with the literature； the religion；
the education； the prosperityyea； even the political historyof
Europe； that it is the most important and interesting of all modern
historical changes。 It is a subject of such amazing magnitude that
no one can claim to be well informed who does not know its leading
issues and developments； as it spread from Germany to Switzerland；
France； Holland； Sweden； England； and Scotland。
The central and prominent figure in the movement is Luther； but the
way was prepared for him by a host of illustrious men； in different
countries；by Savonarola in Italy； by Huss and Jerome in Bohemia；
by Erasmus in Holland； by Wyclif in England； and by sundry others；
who detested the corruptions they ridiculed and lamented； but could
not remove。
How flagrant those evils！ Who can deny them？ The papal despotism；
and the frauds on which it was based； monastic corruptions；
penance； and indulgences for sin； and the sale of them； more
shameful still； the secular character of the clergy； the pomp；
wealth； and arrogance of bishops； auricular confession； celibacy of
the clergy； their idle and dissolute lives； their ignorance and
superstition； the worship of the images of saints； and masses for
the dead； the gorgeous ritualism of the mass； the substitution of
legends for the Scriptures； which were not translated； or read by
the people； pilgrimages； processions； idle pomps； and the
multiplication of holy days； above all； the grinding spiritual
despotism exercised by priests； with their inquisitions and
excommunications； all centring in the terrible usurpation of the
popes； keeping the human mind in bondage； and suppressing all
intellectual independence；these evils prevailed everywhere。 I
say nothing here of the massacres； the poisonings； the
assassinations； the evil doings of various kinds of which history
accuses many of the pontiff's who sat on papal thrones。 Such evils
did not stare the German and English in the face； as they did the
Italians in the fifteenth century。 In Germany the vices were
mediaeval and monkish； not the unblushing infidelity and levities
of the Renaissance； which made a radical reformation in Italy
impossible。 In Germany and England there was left among the people
the power of conscience； a rough earnestness of character； the
sense of moral accountability； and a fear of divine judgment。
Luther was just the man for his work。 Sprung from the people；
poor； popular； fervent； educated amid privations； religious by
nature； yet with exuberant animal spirits； dogmatic； boisterous；
intrepid； with a great insight into realities； practical； untiring；
learned； generally cheerful and hopeful； emancipated from the
terrors of the Middle Ages through great struggles； progressive in
his spirit； lofty in his character； earnest in his piety； believing
in the future and in God；such was the great leader of this
emancipating movement。 He was not so learned as Erasmus； nor so
logical as Calvin； nor so scholarly as Melancthon； nor so broad as
Cranmer。 He was not a polished man； he was often offensively rude
and brusque； and lavish of epithets。 Nor was he what we call a
modest and humble man； he was intellectually proud； disdainful； and
sometimes； when irritated； abusive。 None of his pictures represent
him as a refined…looking man； scarcely intellectual； but coarse and
sensual rather； as Socrates seemed to the Athenians。 But with
these defects and drawbacks he had just such traits and gifts as
fitted him to lead a great popular movement；bold； audacious； with
deep convictions and rapid intellectual processes； prompt； decided；
kind…hearted； generous； brave； in sympathy with the people；
eloquent； Herculean in energies； with an amazing power of work；
electrical in his smile and in his words； and always ready for
contingencies。 Had he been more polished； more of a gentleman；
more fastidious； more scrupulous； more ascetic； more modest； he
would have shrunk from his tasks； he would have lost the elasticity
of his mind； he would have been discouraged。 Even Saint Augustine；
a broader and more catholic man than Luther； could not have done
his work。 He was a sort of converted Mirabeau。 He loved the
storms of battle； he impersonated revolutionary ideas。 But he was
a man of thought； as well as of action。
Luther's origin was of the humblest。 Born in Eisleben； Nov。 10；
1483； the son of a poor peasant； his childhood was spent in penury。
He was religious from a boy。 He was religious when he sang hymns
for a living； from house to house； before the people of Mansfield
while at school there； and also at the schools of Magdeburg and
Eisenach； where he still earned his bread by his voice。 His
devotional character and his music gained for him a friend who
helped him through his studies； till at the age of eighteen he
entered the University at Erfurt； where he distinguished himself in
the classics and the Mediaeval philosophy。 And here his religious
meditations led him to enter the Augustinian monastery： he entered
that strict retreat； as others did； to lead a religious life。 The
great question of all time pressed upon his mind with peculiar
force； 〃What shall a man give in exchange for his soul？〃 And it
shows that religious life in Germany still burned in many a heart；
in spite of the corruptions of the Church； that a young man like
Luther should seek the shades of monastic seclusion； for meditation
and study。 He was a monk； like other monks； but it seems he had
religious doubts and fears more than ordinary monks。 At first he
conformed to the customary ways of men seeking salvation。 He
walked in the beaten road； like Saint Dominic and Saint Francis； he
accepted the great ideas of the Middle Ages； which he was
afterwards to repudiate；he was not beyond them； or greater than
they were； at first； he fasted like monks； and tormented his body
with austerities； as they did from the time of Benedict； he sang in
the choir from early morn； and practised the usual severities。 But
his doubts and fears remained。 He did not； like other monks； find
peace and consolation； he did not become seraphic； like Saint
Francis； or Bonaventura； or Loyola。 Perhaps his nature repelled
asceticism； perhaps his inquiring and original mind wanted
something better and surer to rest upon than the dreams and visions
of a traditionary piety。 Had he been satisfied with the ordinary
mode of propitiating the Deity； he would never have emerged from
his retreat。
To a scholar the monastery had great attractions； even in that age。
It was still invested with poetic associations and consecrated
usages； it was indorsed by the venerable Fathers of the Church； it
was favorable to study； and free from the noisy turmoil of the
world。 But with all these advantages Luther was miserable。 He
felt the agonies of an unforgiven soul in quest of peace with God；
he could not get rid of them； they pursued him into the immensity
of an intolerable night。 He was in despair。 What could
austerities do for HIM？ He hungered and thirsted after the truth；
like Saint Augustine in Milan。 He had no taste for philosophy； but
he wanted the repose that philosophers pretended to teach。 He was
then too narrow to read Plato or Boethius。 He was a self…tormented
monk without relief； he suffered all that Saint Paul suffered at
Tarsus。 In some respects this monastic pietism resembled the
pharisaism of Saul； in the schools of Tarsus；a technical； rigid；
and painful adherence to rules； fastings； stated prayers； and petty
ritualisms； which； originally framed as aids to grace； by
repetition lose their power； based on the enormous error that man
may win heaven by external practices； in which； however； he can
never perfect himself； though he were to live； like Simeon
Stylites； on the top of a pillar for twenty years without once
descending； an eternal unrest； because perfection cannot be
attained； the most terrible slavery to which a man can be
conscientiously doomed； verging into hypocrisy and fanaticism。
It was then that a kind and enlightened friend visited him； and
recommended him to read the Bible。 The Bible never has been a
sealed book to monks； it was ever highly prized； no convent was
without it： but it was read with the spectacles of the Middle Ages。
Repentance meant penance。 In Saint Paul's Epistles Luther
discovers the true ground of justification；not works； but faith；