The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 179
Many assailed him with gibes and sneers; others resorted to insolence
and threats. But Zwingli bore all with patience, saying: “If we desire
to gain over the wicked to Jesus Christ, we must shut our eyes against
many things.”—Ibid., b. 8, ch. 6.
About this time a new agency came in to advance the work of reform.
One Lucian was sent to Zurich with some of Luther’s writings, by a
friend of the reformed faith at Basel, who suggested that the sale of these
books might be a powerful means of scattering the light. “Ascertain,” he
wrote to Zwingli, “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 purch asers they
will find.”—Ibid., b. 8, ch. 6. 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
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