been carried all over Germany, and in a month
the Theses had gone to every corner of Christendom. The local
printing-press at Wittenberg had made copies for the students, and some
of these prints were carried the next day to Leipzig and Mainz, and at
once recognized by publishers as good copy. Luther had said the things
that thousands had wanted to say. Tame enough are the propositions to
us now. Let us give a few of them:

The whole life of the faithful disciple should be an act of
repentance.

Punishment remains as long as the sinner hates himself.

The Pope neither can nor will remit punishment for sin.

God must forgive first, and the Pope through his priests can then
corroborate the remission.

No one is sure of his own forgiveness.

Every sinner who truly repents has a plenary remission of
punishment due him without payment of money to any one.

Every Christian, living or dead, has a full share in all the wealth
of the Church, without letters of pardon, or receipts for money
paid.

Christians should be taught that the buying of pardons is in no
wise to be compared to works of mercy.

To give to a poor man is better than to pay money to a rich priest.

Because of charity and the works of charity, man becomes better,
whether he pays money to build a church or not.

Pardon for sin is from Christ, and is free.

The Pope needs prayers for himself more than ready money.

Christians should be taught that the Pope does not know of the
exactions of his agents who rob the poor by threat, otherwise he
would prefer that Saint Peter's should lie in ashes than be built
upon the skin, bones and flesh of his sheep.

If the Pope can release souls from Purgatory, why does he not empty
the place for love and charity?

Since the Pope is the richest man in Christendom, why indeed does
he not build Saint Peter's out of his own pocket?

Such are the propositions that leaped hot from Luther's heart; but they
are not all of one spirit, for as he wrote he bethought himself that
Tetzel was a Dominican, and the Dominicans held the key to the
Inquisition. Luther remembered the fate of Huss, and his inward eye
caught the glare of fagots afire. So, changing his tone, to show that he
was still a Catholic, he said, "God forgives no man his sin until the
man first presents himself to His priestl