Swiss Reformer
147
Rome proceeded with renewed energy to open her market throughout
Christendom, offering pardon for money.
Every sin had its price, and men were granted free license for
crime, if the treasury of the church was kept well filled. Thus the two
movements advanced,—one offering forgiveness of sin for money, the
other forgiveness through Christ; Rome licensing sin, and making it
her source of revenue; the reformers condemning sin, and pointing to
Christ as the propitiation and deliverer.
In Germany the sale of indulgences had been committed to the
Dominican friars, and was conducted by the infamous Tetzel. In
Switzerland the traffic was put into the hands of the Franciscans,
under the control of Sampson, an Italian monk. Sampson had already
done good service to the church, having secured immense sums from
Germany and Switzerland to fill the papal treasury. Now he traversed
Switzerland, attracting great crowds, despoiling the poor peasants of
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their scanty earnings, and exacting rich gifts from the wealthy classes.
But the influence of the reform already made itself felt in curtailing,
though it could not stop, the traffic. Zwingle was still at Einsiedeln
when Samson, soon after entering Switzerland, arrived with his wares
at a neighboring town. Being apprised of his mission, the reformer
immediately set out to oppose him. The two did not meet, but such
was Zwingle’s success in exposing the friar’s pretensions that he was
obliged to leave for other quarters.
At Zurich, Zwingle preached zealously against the pardon-
mongers, and when Samson approached the place he was met by
a messenger from the council, with an intimation that he was expected
to pass on. He finally secured an entrance by stratagem, but was
sent away without the sale of a single pardon, and he soon after left
Switzerland.
A strong impetus was given to the reform, by the appearance of
the plague, or the “great death,” which swept over Switzerland in the
year 1519. As men were thus brought face to face with the destroyer,
many were led to feel how vain and worthless were the pardons which
they had so lately purchased; and they longed for a surer foundation
for their faith. Zwingle at Zurich was smitten down; he was brought
so low that all hope of his recovery was relinquished, and the report
was widely circulated that he was dead. In that trying hour his hope
and courage were unshaken. He looked in faith to the cross of Calvary,