the Church, fasts, scourgings, seclusion from the world, self-confinement
in a cell--and our wealth went to Rome. Rarely do we look vainly in the
most beautiful sites on mountain or by river for a monastery! But at
last the sound sense of Germany rebelled, and when Luther saw in Rome
poor sufferers from gout and cripples ascending the stairs of the Lateran
on their knees, a voice within cried out to him the great 'sola fide' on
which our faith is founded. On it alone, on devotion to Jesus Christ,
depends our salvation."

"Then," asked Wolf, "you boldly deny any saving power to good works?"

"Yes," was the firm reply, "so far as they do not proceed from faith."

"As if the Church did not impose the same demand!" replied Wolf in a more
animated tone. "True, base wrong has been done in regard to the sale of
indulgences, but at the Council of Trent opposition will be made to it.
No estimable priest holds the belief that money can atone for a sin or
win the mercy of Heaven. With us also sincere repentance or devout faith
must accompany the gift, the fasting, and whatever else the believer
imposes upon himself here below. Man is so constituted that the only
things which make a deep impression are those that the body also feels.
The teacher's blow has a greater effect than his words, a gift produces
more willingness than an entreaty, and the tendency toward asceticism and
penance is genuinely Christian, and belongs to many a people of a
different faith. Your Erasmus said that his heart was Catholic, but his
stomach desired to be Protestant. You have an easier task than we."

"On the contrary," the young theologian burst forth. "It is mere child's
play for you to obtain forgiveness by acts which really do not cut deeply
into the flesh; but if one of us errs, how hard must be the conflict in