“TETZEL,” says a recent writer, “had the voice of a town-crier and the eloquence of a mountebank.” He made a procession through Germany, carrying a great red cross, on which were suspended the arms of the Pope. In front of the procession, on a velvet cushion, was borne the Pope’s bull of grace, and in the rear were mules laden with bales of pardons. As he entered a city or town, amid the beating of drums, the waving of flags, the blaze of tapers, and the ringing of bells, the ecclesiastical and civil authorities, the religious orders, the various trades, and almost the whole population came out to welcome them., They went straight to the cathedral: the red cross was set up in front of the high altar, and a strong iron box was placed beside it to receive the money paid for pardons. Dressed as a Dominican friar Tetzel mounted the pulpit and held forth in his usual style, strongly urging the crowds of people to purchase pardons for themselves and for their friends said to be suffering in the flames of purgatory. “The very instant,” he cried, “that the money rattles at the bottom of the chest the soul escapes from purgatory and flies liberated to heaven.” With daring impiety he urged his audience: “Never before have the gates of Paradise been opened so widely. Press in now: come and buy while the market lasts. Should that cross be taken down the market will close, heaven will depart,” etc., etc. “I declare to you, though you have but a single coat, you ought to strip it off and sell it in order to obtain this grace.” And to crown all his infamous wickedness and blasphemy, he would sometimes add: “The Lord our God no longer reigns: He has resigned all power to the Pope!”
Luther was not alarmed for himself by the ravings and threats of the indulgence-monger Tetzel, and his courage soon took an active turn. “By the help of God,” said he, “I will make a hole in Tetzel’s drum.” From his pulpit at Wittenberg he warned his flock, with all affection and fidelity, not to take part in the great wickedness of indulgence-mongering. “God,” said he, “demands a satisfaction for sin, but not from the sinner: Christ has made satisfaction for the sinner, and God pardons him freely. Offences against herself the Church can pardon, but not offences against God. Tetzel’s indulgences cannot open the door of Paradise, and they who believe in them believe in a lie, and unless they repent shall die in their sins.”
Tetzel went on with the sale of his indulgences, and Luther prepared for further attacks on the iniquitous trade he was pursuing.
On the eve of a celebrated festival, the streets of Wittenberg were crowded with pilgrims. About noon, Luther, who had given no hint to anyone of his plans, sallied forth, and joined the stream of people making their way to the Castle Church. Pressing through the crowd, he drew forth a paper and proceeded to nail it on the door of the church. The sound of his hammer drew the people more closely around him. They began to read eagerly. What was on the paper? It contained ninety-five “theses” on propositions on the doctrine of indulgences. In these he denies the authority of the Pontiff to act contrary to the Word of God, and his power to remit the sentence of condemnation there declared.