The fame of this young theologian and preacher spread fast and far.
The common people and the learned were alike impressed by his
originality and power, and rejoiced in the electrifying clearness of
his expositions and teachings. The Elector was delighted, for he began
to see his devout wishes realized. Staupitz, who had drunk in the more
pious spirit of the Mystic theologians, shared the same feeling, and
saw in Luther's fresh, biblical, and energetic preaching what he felt
the whole Church needed. "He spared neither counsel nor applause," for
he believed him the man of God for the times. He sent him to
neighboring monasteries to preach to the monks. He gave him every
opportunity to study, observe, and exercise his great talents. He even
sent him on a mission to Rome, more to acquaint him with that city,
which he longed to see, than for any difficult or pressing business
with the pope.


LUTHER'S VISIT TO ROME.

Luther performed the journey on foot, passing from monastery to
monastery, noting the extravagances, indolence, gluttony, and
infidelity of the monks, and sometimes in danger of his life, both
from the changes of climate and from the murderous resentments of some
of these cloister-saints which his rebukes of their vices engendered.

When Rome first broke upon his sight, he hailed it reverently as the
city of saints and holy martyrs. He almost envied those whose parents
were dead, and who had it in their power to offer prayers for the
repose of their souls by the side of such holy shrines. But when he
beheld the vulgarities, profanities, paganism, and unconcealed