strangers; these pilgrims from distant quarters joined their hands and
bowed their heads at the sight of the towers of the city, like other
travelers before Jerusalem. Wittenberg was like a new Zion, whence the
light of truth expanded to neighboring kingdoms, as of old from the
Holy City to pagan nations."


THE LEIPSIC DISPUTATION.

Up to this time, however, there had been no questioning of the divine
rights claimed by the hierarchy. Luther was still a Papist, and
thought to grow his plants of evangelic faith under the shadow of the
Upas of ecclesiasticism. He had not yet been brought to see how his
Augustinian theology concerning sin and grace ran afoul of the entire
round of the mediæval system and methods of holiness. It was only the
famous Leipsic Disputation between him and Dr. John Eck that showed
him the remoter and deeper relations of his position touching
indulgences.

This otherwise fruitless debate had the effect of making the nature
and bearings of the controversy clear to both sides. Eck now
distinctly saw that Luther must be forcibly put down or the whole
papal system must fall; and Luther was made to realize that he must
surrender his doctrine of salvation through simple faith in Christ or
break with the pope and the hierarchical system.

Accepting the pontifical doctrines as true, Eck claimed the victory,
because he had driven Luther to expressions at variance with those
doctrines. On the other hand, Luther had shown that the pontifical
claims were without foundation in primitive Christianity or the Holy