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the second great power in the world？ The Church has changed
greatly since the early days of the Middle Ages； when it started
out to conquer the heathen and show them the advantages of
a pious and righteous life。 In the first place； the Church has
grown too rich。 The Pope is no longer the shepherd of a flock
of humble Christians。 He lives in a vast palace and surrounds
himself with artists and musicians and famous literary men。
His churches and chapels are covered with new pictures in
which the saints look more like Greek Gods than is strictly
necessary。 He divides his time unevenly between affairs of
state and art。 The affairs of state take ten percent of his time。
The other ninety percent goes to an active interest in Roman
statues； recently discovered Greek vases； plans for a new summer
home； the rehearsal of a new play。 The Archbishops and
the Cardinals follow the example of their Pope。 The Bishops
try to imitate the Archbishops。 The village priests； however；
have remained faithful to their duties。 They keep themselves
aloof from the wicked world and the heathenish love of beauty
and pleasure。 They stay away from the monasteries where
the monks seem to have forgotten their ancient vows of simplicity
and poverty and live as happily as they dare without
causing too much of a public scandal。
Finally； there are the common people。 They are much
better off than they have ever been before。 They are more
prosperous； they live in better houses； their children go to better
schools； their cities are more beautiful than before； their
firearms have made them the equal of their old enemies； the
robber…barons； who for centuries have levied such heavy taxes
upon their trade。 So much for the chief actors in the
Reformation。
Now let us see what the Renaissance has done to Europe；
and then you will understand how the revival of learning and
art was bound to be followed by a revival of religious interests。
The Renaissance began in Italy。 From there it spread
to France。 It was not quite successful in Spain； where
five hundred years of warfare with the Moors had made the
people very narrow minded and very fanatical in all religious
matters。 The circle had grown wider and wider； but once the
Alps had been crossed； the Renaissance had suffered a change。
The people of northern Europe； living in a very different
climate； had an outlook upon life which contrasted strangely
with that of their southern neighbours。 The Italians lived out
in the open； under a sunny sky。 It was easy for them to laugh
and to sing and to be happy。 The Germans； the Dutch； the
English； the Swedes； spent most of their time indoors； listening
to the rain beating on the closed windows of their comfortable
little houses。 They did not laugh quite so much。 They
took everything more seriously。 They were forever conscious
of their immortal souls and they did not like to be funny about
matters which they considered holy and sacred。 The ‘‘humanistic''
part of the Renaissance； the books； the studies of ancient
authors； the grammar and the text…books； interested them
greatly。 But the general return to the old pagan civilisation
of Greece and Rome； which was one of the chief results of the
Renaissance in Italy； filled their hearts with horror。
But the Papacy and the College of Cardinals was almost
entirely composed of Italians and they had turned the Church
into a pleasant club where people discussed art and music and
the theatre； but rarely mentioned religion。 Hence the split
between the serious north and the more civilised but easy…going
and indifferent south was growing wider and wider all the
time and nobody seemed to be aware of the danger that threatened
the Church。
There were a few minor reasons which will explain why the
Reformation took place in Germany rather than in Sweden
or England。 The Germans bore an ancient grudge against
Rome。 The endless quarrels between Emperor and Pope had
caused much mutual bitterness。 In the other European countries
where the government rested in the hands of a strong
king； the ruler had often been able to protect his subjects
against the greed of the priests。 In Germany； where a shadowy
emperor ruled a turbulent crowd of little princelings； the good
burghers were more directly at the mercy of their bishops and
prelates。 These dignitaries were trying to collect large sums
of money for the benefit of those enormous churches which
were a hobby of the Popes of the Renaissance。 The Germans
felt that they were being mulcted and quite naturally they did
not like it。
And then there is the rarely mentioned fact that Germany
was the home of the printing press。 In northern Europe books
were cheap and the Bible was no longer a mysterious manu…
script owned and explained by the priest。 It was a household
book of many families where Latin was understood by the
father and by the children。 Whole families began to read it；
which was against the law of the Church。 They discovered that
the priests were telling them many things which； according to
the original text of the Holy Scriptures； were somewhat different。
This caused doubt。 People began to ask questions。 And
questions； when they cannot be answered； often cause a great
deal of trouble。
The attack began when the humanists of the North opened
fire upon the monks。 In their heart of hearts they still had
too much respect and reverence for the Pope to direct their
sallies against his Most Holy Person。 But the lazy； ignorant
monks； living behind the sheltering walls of their rich monasteries；
offered rare sport。
The leader in this warfare； curiously enough； was a very
faithful son of the church Gerard Gerardzoon； or Desiderius
Erasmus； as he is usually called； was a poor boy； born in
Rotterdam in Holland； and educated at the same Latin school
of Deventer from which Thomas a Kempis had graduated。
He had become a priest and for a time he had lived in a monastery。
He had travelled a great deal and knew whereof he wrote；
When he began his career as a public pamphleteer （he would
have been called an editorial writer in our day） the world was
greatly amused at an anonymous series of letters which had
just appeared under the title of ‘‘Letters of Obscure Men。''
In these letters； the general stupidity and arrogance of the
monks of the late Middle Ages was exposed in a strange
German…Latin doggerel which reminds one of our modern
limericks。 Erasmus himself was a very learned and serious
scholar； who knew both Latin and Greek and gave us the first
reliable version of the New Testament； which he translated
into Latin together with a corrected edition of the original
Greek text。 But he believed with Sallust； the Roman poet；
that nothing prevents us from ‘‘stating the truth with a smile
upon our lips。''
In the year 1500； while visiting Sir Thomas More in Eng…
land； he took a few weeks off and wrote a funny little book；
called the ‘‘Praise of Folly