9. The Swiss Reformer. 181
gested that the sale of these books might be a powerful means of scattering the light.“ Ascertain,” he wrote to Zwingle,“ whether this man possesses sufficient prudence and skill; if so, let him carry from city to city, from town to town, from village to village, and even from house to house, among the Swiss, the works of Luther, and especially his exposition of the Lord ' s prayer written for the laity. The more they are known, the more purchasers they will find.” 253 Thus the light found entrance.
At the time when God is preparing to break the shackles of ignorance and superstition, then it is that Satan works with greatest power to enshroud men in darkness, and to bind their fetters still more firmly. As men were rising up in different lands to present to the people forgiveness and justification through the blood of Christ, 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 Samson, an Italian monk. Samson had already done good service to the church, having secured immense [ 179 ] sums from Germany and Switzerland to fill the papal treasury. Now he traversed Switzerland, attracting great crowds, despoiling the poor peasants of 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
253 Ibid.