forgiveness for every imaginable sin, "even for the rape of God's mother,
if that were possible," together with a promise of life eternal in
Paradise, all upon payment of the price affixed to each crime. The
Netherlands, like other countries, are districted and farmed for the
collection of this papal revenue. Much of the money thus raised, remains
in the hands of the vile collectors. Sincere Catholics, who love and
honor the ancient religion, shrink with horror at the spectacle offered
on every side. Criminals buying Paradise for money, monks spending the
money thus paid in gaming houses, taverns, and brothels; this seems, to
those who have studied their Testaments, a different scheme of salvation
from the one promulgated by Christ. There has evidently been a departure
from the system of earlier apostles. Innocent conservative souls are
much perplexed; but, at last, all these infamies arouse a giant to do
battle with the giant wrong. Martin Luther enters the lists, all alone,
armed only with a quiver filled with ninety-five propositions, and a bow
which can send them all over Christendom with incredible swiftness.
Within a few weeks the ninety-five propositions have flown through
Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and are found in Jerusalem.

At the beginning, Erasmus encourages the bold friar. So long as the axe
is not laid at the foot of the tree, which bears the poisonous but golden
fruit, the moderate man applauds the blows. "Luther's cause is
considered odious," writes Erasmus to the Elector of Saxony, "because he
has, at the same time, attacked the bellies of the monks and the bulls of
the Pope." He complains that the zealous man had been attacked with
roiling, but not with arguments. He foresees that the work will have a
bloody and turbulent result, but imputes the principal blame to the
clergy. "The priests talk," said he, "of absolution in such terms, that
laymen can not stomach it. Luther has been for nothing more censured
than for making little of Thomas Aquinas; for wishing to diminish the