hristian from the penalties of purgatory. It is
needless to say that these indulgences for the dead were eagerly
purchased. In filial love and natural affection the indulgence
vendor had powerful allies.

3. The Indulgence of 1515.--The XCV Theses were called forth by
the preaching of the "Jubilee Indulgence" [25] of 1510, which was
not placed on sale in central Germany until 1515. The financial
needs of the papacy were never greater than in the last years of
the XV. and the first years of the XVI. Century, and they were
further increased by the resolve of Julius II. to erect a new
church of St. Peter, which should surpass in magnificence all the
churches of the world. The indulgence of 1510 was an
extraordinary financial measure, the proceeds of which were to
pay for the erection of the new Basilica, but when Julius died in
1513, the church was not completed, and the money had not been
raised. The double task was bequeathed to his successor, Leo X.
On the 31st of March, 1515, Leo proclaimed a plenary indulgence
for the Archbishops of Magdeburg and Mainz, and appointed
Albrecht, of Brandenburg, who was the incumbent of both sees and
of the bishopric of Halberstadt as well, Commissioner for the
sale of this indulgence. By a secret agreement, of which Luther
was, of course, entirely ignorant, one-half of the proceeds was
to be paid to the Fuggers of Ausburg on account of money advanced
to the Archbishop for the payment of the fees to Rome, and of the
sums demanded in consideration of a dispensation allowing him to
occupy three sees at the same time; the other half of the
proceeds was to go to the papal treasury to be applied to the
building of the new church. The period during which the
indulgence was to be on sale was eight years.

The actual work of organizing the "indulgence-campaign" was put
into the hands of John Tetzel, whose large experience in the
selling of indulgences fitted him excellently for the post of
Sub-commissioner. The indulgence-sellers acted under the
commission of the Archbishop and the directions of Tetzel, who
took personal charge of the enterprise. The preachers went from
city to city, and during the time that they were preaching the
indulgence in any given place, all other preaching was required
to cease.[26] They held out the usual inducements to prospective
buyers. The plenary nature of the indulgence was made especially
prominent, and the people were eloquently exhorted that the
purchase