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The Great Controversy
and praised God for having caused the light of truth to shine forth from
this city, as from Zion in times of old, and whence it spread even to
the most distant countries.”—Ibid., b. 4, ch. 10.
Luther was as yet but partially converted from the errors of Ro-
manism. But as he compared the Holy Oracles with the papal decrees
and constitutions, he was filled with wonder. “I am reading,” he wrote,
“the decrees of the pontiffs, and ... I do not know whether the pope is
antichrist himself, or his apostle, so greatly is Christ misrepresented
and crucified in them.”—Ibid., b. 5, ch. 1. Yet at this time Luther
was still a supporter of the Roman Church, and had no thought that he
would ever separate from her communion.
The Reformer’s writings and his doctrine were extending to every
nation in Christendom. The work spread to Switzerland and Holland.
Copies of his writings found their way to France and Spain. In England
his teachings were received as the word of life. To Belgium and Italy
also the truth had extended. Thousands were awakening from their
deathlike stupor to the joy and hope of a life of faith.
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Rome became more and more exasperated by the attacks of Luther,
and it was declared by some of his fanatical opponents, even by doctors
in Catholic universities, that he who should kill the rebellious monk
would be without sin. One day a stranger, with a pistol hidden under
his cloak, approached the Reformer and inquired why he went thus
alone. “I am in God’s hands,” answered Luther. “He is my strength
and my shield. What can man do unto me?”—Ibid., b. 6, ch. 2. Upon
hearing these words, the stranger turned pale and fled away as from
the presence of the angels of heaven.
Rome was bent upon the destruction of Luther; but God was his
defense. His doctrines were heard everywhere—“in cottages and
convents, ... in the castles of the nobles, in the universities, and in the
palaces of kings;” and noble men were rising on every hand to sustain
his efforts.—Ibid., b. 6, ch. 2.
It was about this time that Luther, reading the works of Huss,
found that the great truth of justification by faith, which he himself
was seeking to uphold and teach, had been held by the Bohemian
Reformer. “We have all,” said Luther, “Paul, Augustine, and myself,
been Hussites without knowing it!” “God will surely visit it upon the
world,” he continued, “that the truth was preached to it a century ago,
and burned!”—Wylie, b. 6, ch. 1