were proffered them. As they
stopped for the night, a friendly priest expressed his fears by holding up
before Luther the portrait of an Italian reformer who had suffered
martyrdom. The next day they learned that Luther's writings had been
condemned at Worms. Imperial messengers were proclaiming the emperor's
decree, and calling upon the people to bring the proscribed works to the
magistrates. The herald, fearing for Luther's safety at the council, and
thinking that already his resolution might be shaken, asked if he still
wished to go forward. He answered, "Although interdicted in every city, I
shall go on."(207)

At Erfurt, Luther was received with honor. Surrounded by admiring crowds,
he passed through the streets that he had often traversed with his
beggar's wallet. He visited his convent cell, and thought upon the
struggles through which the light now flooding Germany had been shed upon
his soul. He was urged to preach. This he had been forbidden to do, but
the herald granted him permission, and the friar who had once been made
the drudge of the convent, now entered the pulpit.

To a crowded assembly he spoke from the words of Christ, "Peace be unto
you." "Philosophers, doctors, and writers," he said, "have endeavored to
teach men the way to obtain everlasting life, and they have not succeeded.
I will now tell it to you.... God has raised one Man from the dead, the
Lord Jesus Christ, that He might destroy death, extirpate sin, and shut
the gates of hell. This is the work of salvation.... Christ has
vanquished! this is the joyful news; and we are saved by His work, and not
by our own.... Our Lord Jesus Christ said, 'Peace be unto you; behold My
hands;' that is to say, Behold, O man! it is I, I alone, who have taken
away thy sin, and ransomed thee; and now thou hast peace, saith the Lord."

He continued, showing that true faith will be manifested by a holy life.
"Since God has saved us, let us so order our works that they may be
acceptable to Him. Art thou rich? let thy goods administer to the
necessities of the poor. Art thou poor? let thy services be acceptable to
the rich. If thy labor is useful to thyself alone, the service that thou
pretendest to render unto God is a lie."(208)

The people listened as if spellbound. The bread of life was broken to
those starving souls. Christ was lifted up before them as above popes,
legates, emperors, and kings. Luther made no reference to his own perilous
position. He did n