Luther - Works of Martin Luther Vol. 6 - Righteousness is Love

13doctrinal matters to the exclusion of practical issues. Naturally an attackwould be launched against the externals in which these superstitions weregarbed. It was one thing to denounce the sacrifice and to assert theevangelical doctrine, but this asserted demanded ultimately theconsideration of a harmonious dress and a practice as evangelic as thedoctrine. Then, too, if the common people who had been deprived of theblessed privileges of the Gospel were to receive them, these would have tobe brought to them in a form which they could comprehend. Those thingswhich held them bound had to be loosed; their enshrouded knowledge andlife in the superstitious had to be displaced by knowledge of the Truth.It is a mistake to assert that the common people were wholly ignorant.They were ignorant, worse than ignorant, in rudimentary education, butthey were educated to and possessed full knowledge of the teachings of theChurch. But these teachings were only such as the Church saw fit to givethem, — a method of life, devised by the Church, deliberately taught herchildren, centered wholly in and fostered by mechanical obedience toordered acts. The way to salvation was by the stairs the Church haderected. The child of the Church could climb, he did what he was taught,— accompanied by a glorious company of friendly saints, but with just asmighty a company of terrifying spirits lurking in the near distance. Everystep was an externality bathed in the colors of attractive superstition andnourished by the play on human fear; any view to right or left was carefullycurtained by the pomp of rite and ceremony. There was but one way, — upthe stairs of the Church.Oh, yes! — the common people were learned! They knew when to bow, tocross themselves, to beat their breasts; what to do today, what not to dotomorrow; what to eat, when to fast. They knew just which saint waseffective in this situation, which in that; where they should make apilgrimage, what to do and how much to “give” when another need arose.They knew the salutary strength of a vow, and exactly to whom to prayunder certain necessities; what blessed trinket in pocket or wallet wouldprotect from robbers or accident. They knew what would happen to themif they did not make their communion on at least one day of obligation; thatthey were perfectly safe for the day if they had gone to Mass; and howeffective all this obedience was for the Future! Oh, yes, — the commonpeople were learned!