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Luther the idol and oracle of Germany； the admiration of half
Europe； the pride and boast of succeeding ages； the eternal hatred
of Rome； not his religious experiences； not his doctrine of
justification by faith； but the emancipation he gave to the mind of
the world。 This is what peculiarly stamps Luther as a man of
genius； and of that surprising audacity and boldness which only
great geniuses evince when they follow out the logical sequence of
their ideas； and penetrate at a blow the hardened steel of vulcanic
armor beneath which the adversary boasts。
Great was the first Leo； when from his rifled palace on one of the
devastated hills of Rome he looked out upon the Christian world；
pillaged； sacked； overrun with barbarians； full of untold
calamities；order and law crushed； literature and art prostrate；
justice a byword； murders and assassinations unavenged； central
power destroyed； vice； in all its enormities； vulgarities； and
obscenities； rampant and multiplying itself； false opinions gaining
ground； soldiers turned into banditti； and senators into slaves；
women shrieking in terror； bishops praying in despair； barbarism
everywhere； paganism in danger of being revived； a world
disordered； forlorn； and dismal； Pandemonium let loose； with
howling and shouting and screaming； in view of the desolation
predicted alike by Jeremy the prophet and the Cumaean sybil；great
was that Leo； when in view of all this he said； with old patrician
heroism； 〃I will revive government once more upon this earth； not
by bringing back the Caesars； but by declaring a new theocracy； by
making myself the vicegerent of Christ； by virtue of the promise
made to Peter； whose successor I am； in order to restore law；
punish crime； head off heresy； encourage genius； conserve peace；
heal dissensions； protect learning； appealing to love； but ruling
by fear。 Who but the Church can do this？ A theocracy will create
a new civilization。 Not a diadem； but a tiara will I wear； the
symbol of universal sovereignty； before which barbarism shall flee
away； and happiness be restored once more。〃 As he sent out his
legates； he fulminated his bulls and established tribunals of
appeal； he made a net…work of ecclesiastical machinery； and
proclaimed the dangers of eternal fire； and brought kings and
princes before him on their knees。 The barbaric world was saved。
But greater than Leo was Luther； whenoutraged by the corruptions
of this spiritual despotism； and all the false and Pagan notions
which had crept into theology； obscuring the light of faith and
creating an intolerable bondage； and opposing the new spirit of
progress which science and art and industry and wealth had invoked…
…he courageously yet modestly comes forward as the champion of a
new civilization； and declares； with trumpet tones； 〃Let there be
private judgment； liberty of conscience； the right to read and
interpret Scripture； in spite of priests！ so that men may think for
themselves； not only on the doctrines of eternal salvation but on
all the questions to be deduced from them； or interlinked with the
past or present or future institutions of the world。 Then shall
arise a new creation from dreaded destruction； and emancipated
millions shall be filled with an unknown enthusiasm； and advance
with the new weapons of reason and truth from conquering to
conquer； until all the strongholds of sin and Satan shall be
subdued； and laid triumphantly at the foot of His throne whose
right it is to reign。〃
Thus far Luther has appeared as a theologian； a philosopher； a man
of ideas； a man of study and reflection； whom the Catholic Church
distrusts and fears； as she always has distrusted genius and manly
independence； but he is henceforth to appear as a reformer； a
warrior； to carry out his ideas and also to defend himself against
the wrath he has provoked； impelled step by step to still bolder
aggressions； until he attacks those venerable institutions which he
once respected；all the dexterous inventions of Mediaeval
despotism； all the machinery by which Europe had been governed for
one thousand years； yea； the very throne of the Pope himself； whom
he defies； whom he insults； and against whom he urges Christendom
to rebel。 As a combatant； a warrior； a reformer； his person and
character somewhat change。 He is coarser； he is more sensual…
looking； he drinks more beer； he tells more stories； he uses harder
names； he becomes arrogant； dogmatic； he dictates and commands； he
quarrels with his friends； he is imperious； he fears nobody； and is
scornful of old usages； he marries a nun； he feels that he is a
great leader and general； and wields new powers； he is an executive
and administrative man； for which his courage and insight and will
and Herculean physical strength wonderfully fit him；the man for
the times； the man to head a new movement； the forces of an age of
protest and rebellion and conquest。
How can I compress into a few sentences the demolitions and
destructions which this indignant and irritated reformer now makes
in Germany； where he is protected by the Elector from Papal
vengeance？ Before the reconstruction； the old rubbish must be
cleared away； and Augean stables must be cleansed。 He is now at
issue with the whole Catholic regime； and the whole Catholic world
abuse him。 They call him a glutton； a wine…bibber； an adulterer； a
scoffer； an atheist； an imp of Satan； and he calls the Pope the
scarlet mother of abominations； Antichrist； Babylon。 That age is
prodigal in offensive epithets； kings and prelates and doctors
alike use hard words。 They are like angry children and women and
pugilists； their vocabulary of abuse is amusing and inexhaustible。
See how prodigal Shakspeare and Ben Jonson are in the language of
vituperation。 But they were all defiant and fierce； for the age
was rough and earnest。 The Pope； in wrath； hurls the old weapons
of the Gregorys and the Clements。 But they are impotent as the
darts of Priam； Luther laughs at them； and burns the Papal bull
before a huge concourse of excited students and shopkeepers and
enthusiastic women。 He severs himself completely from Rome； and
declares an unextinguishable warfare。 He destroys and breaks up
the ceremonies of the Mass； he pulls down the consecrated altars；
with their candles and smoking incense and vessels of silver and
gold； since they are the emblems of Jewish and Pagan worship； he
tears off the vestments of priests； with their embroideries and
their gildings and their millineries and their laces； since these
are made to impose on the imagination and appeal to the sense； he
breaks up monasteries and convents； since they are dens of infamy；
cages of unclean birds； nurseries of idleness and pleasure； abodes
at the best of narrow…minded； ascetic Asiatic recluses； who rejoice
in penance and self…expiation and other modes of propitiating the
Deity； like soofists and fakirs and Braminical devotees。 In
defiance of the mo