The Great Controversy - Righteousness is Love

92words made a deep impression upon Luther's mind. After many a strugglewith long-cherished errors, he was enabled to grasp the truth, and peacecame to his troubled soul.Luther was ordained a priest and was called from the cloister to aprofessorship in the University of Wittenberg. Here he applied himself tothe study of the Scriptures in the original tongues. He began to lecture uponthe Bible; and the book of Psalms, the Gospels, and the Epistles wereopened to the understanding of crowds of delighted listeners. Staupitz, hisfriend and superior, urged him to ascend the pulpit and preach the word ofGod. Luther hesitated, feeling himself unworthy to speak to the people inChrist's stead. It was only after a long struggle that he yielded to thesolicitations of his friends. Already he was mighty in the Scriptures, and thegrace of God rested upon him. His eloquence captivated his hearers, theclearness and power with which he presented the truth convinced theirunderstanding, and his fervor touched their hearts.Luther was still a true son of the papal church and had no thought that hewould ever be anything else. In the providence of God he was led to visitRome. He pursued his journey on foot, lodging at the monasteries on theway. At a convent in Italy he was filled with wonder at the wealth,magnificence, and luxury that he witnessed. Endowed with a princelyrevenue, the monks dwelt in splendid apartments, attired themselves in therichest and most costly robes, and feasted at a sumptuous table. Withpainful misgivings Luther contrasted this scene with the self-denial andhardship of his own life. His mind was becoming perplexed.At last he beheld in the distance the seven-hilled city. exclaiming: "HolyRome, I salute thee!"- Ibid., b. 2, ch. 6. He entered the city, visited thechurches, listened to the marvelous tales repeated by priests and monks, andperformed all the ceremonies required. Everywhere he looked upon scenesthat filled him with astonishment and horror. He saw that iniquity existedamong all classes of the clergy. He heard indecent jokes from prelates, andwas filled with horror at their awful profanity, even during mass. As hemingled with the monks and citizens he met dissipation, debauchery. Turnwhere he would, in the place of sanctity he found profanation. "No one canimagine," he wrote, "what sins and infamous actions are committed inRome; they must be seen and heard to be believed. Thus they are in thehabit of saying, 'If there is a hell, Rome is built over it: it is an abyss whenceissues every kind of sin.'"- Ibid., b. 2, ch. 6.