who entertained the most extravagant notions concerning their efficacy
in forgiving not only the sins already committed but even those which
were contemplated. Luther's soul burned with righteous indignation. Of
what use was the doctrine that forgiveness of sin came by the death of
Christ on the cross if any sinner could obtain it from an emissary of
the pope for a pecuniary consideration. Luther felt that this infamous
traffic was making the Word of God of none effect. He therefore drew
up ninety-five theses against the doctrine of indulgences and nailed
them on the church-door at Wittenberg. The printing-press scattered
copies of these theses everywhere, and soon the continent of Europe
was in a blaze of controversy. Such, in short, was the beginning of
the Reformation and some of the causes leading thereto.

[Sidenote: Gospel standard sought]

The key-note of the reformers was, therefore, the gospel. The views
of the reformers with respect to truth were not altogether harmonious,
and it is evident that some of them had much clearer conception of the
gospel than had others. Nevertheless, their primary purpose was the
same. They were gradually forced to the conviction that Rome had
made the faith of God of none effect by her traditions, errors, and
superstitions, so much so as to make it practically unknown. It was
the purpose of these heroic preachers to bring out these long-obscured
truths and thus make them effectual in the saving of men. The main
doctrine around which the Reformation centered was justification by
faith independent of human mediation.

So far as the Reformation restored to the world right doctrine, it
tended to correct the evils of that phase of the apostasy which we
have characterized as the corruption of evangelical faith. But it did