Life of Luther with several introductory and concluding chapters from general church history

1. LUTHER ENTERS HOLY MATRIMONY. According to the Pope's doctrine all so-called religious, like the monks, nuns, and priests, dare not marry. Luther, on the contrary, proved fro...

1. LUTHER CITED TO APPEAR AT THE DIET AT WORMS. In 1521 Charles V held his first diet at Worms. Among other matters Luther's case was also to be discussed. The elector therefore...

1. THE APOSTLES OF THE LORD. When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ bid farewell to His disciples on the Mount of Olives, and ascended into heaven, He commanded them to tarry in...

1. BIBLE. Among the many priceless treasures for which all Christendom owes thanks, under God, to Luther, the translation of the Bible into German is one of the grandest and one...

1. THE DRAFTING OF THE CONFESSION. In 1530 Charles V assembled a diet at Augsburg. Contrary to common expectation his proclamation was very friendly, saying that in this assembl...

1. LUTHER CALLED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WITTENBERG. After three years spent in this cloister Luther was called upon the stage where his battle with popery was to be fought. In 150...

1. THE PERSECUTIONS UNDER NERO, DECIUS, AND DIOCLETIAN. About the year 100 A. D. the apostles of the Lord had all fallen asleep. The preaching of the Gospel, however, had not ce...

1. LUTHER BEFORE CAJETAN IN AUGSBURG. Pope Leo X at first treated the affair with contempt, thinking that the quarrel would soon die out. He once said, "Brother Martin has a fin...

1. LUTHER IN MAGDEBURG. When Luther was fourteen years of age he bade farewell to his parents and home and, with his friend Hans Reinecke, went to Magdeburg; for his father wish...

1. THE SMALCALD WAR. Already during the life of Luther clouds of war had frequently arisen, threatening to destroy the Lutheran church. But as long as Luther lived the storm did...

1. PAPAL INDULGENCES. At that time the papal chair was occupied by Leo X. What this Pope believed we may gather from his words addressed to one of his bishops. He exclaimed, "Wh...

1. DISTURBANCES AT WITTENBERG. The sound of the glorious Gospel had gone out through all the lands. Satan indeed had tried to suppress it in every way, by help of Pope, emperor,...

1. PETER WALDEN. Peter Walden, who was a rich and pious merchant of the twelfth century, lived in Lyons, an important city in Southern France. One day he was sitting at meal wit...

1. THE ORIGIN OF POPERY. When, in the course of time, the Christian church continued to expand, it became necessary for the larger congregations to engage more than one pastor....

1. THE MUSTARD SEED. When the Lutheran church in Germany was in its prime it was transplanted also across the waters, into the wilds of America. As early as 1638 the first Luthe...

1. LUTHER'S PRESENTIMENT OF DEATH. Eight days after his last birthday, which he celebrated on the 10th of November in the company of his friends, he finished his exposition of G...

1. ENTRANCE INTO THE CLOISTER. Luther erroneously felt himself bound in conscience to keep his vow, and therefore, on July 15, 1505, once more invited his intimate friends to me...

1. CONSTANTINE. After many anxious years a time of refreshing peace finally came for the Christians. For by God's wonderful providence a man kindly disposed toward the Christian...

1. LUTHER IN THE HOUSE OF HIS PARENTS. When Savonarola breathed his last in the Market Place at Florence, God had already chosen His servant who was to destroy the tyranny of th...

1. ZWINGLI. At the same time that Luther issued his powerful theses against popery a man lived in Switzerland whose eyes had also been opened to the corruption of the church. Th...