The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | 页面 140
Luther was laboring to secure this object, and he secretly rejoiced that a
better influence was making itself felt in the church.
He saw also that as a professor in the university Luther was
eminently successful. Only a year had passed since the Reformer posted
his theses on the castle church, yet there was already a great falling
off in the number of pilgrims that visited the church at the festival of
All Saints. Rome had been deprived of worshipers and offerings, but
their place was filled by another class, who now came to Wittenberg,
not pilgrims to adore her relics, but students to fill her halls of learning.
The writings of Luther had kindled everywhere a new interest in the
Holy Scriptures, and not only from all parts of Germany, but from other
lands, students flocked to the university. Young men, coming in sight of
Wittenberg for the first time, “raised their hands to heaven, 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
Romanism. 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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