aper with ninety-five statements (or theses), attacking the sale of
indulgences. These statements had been written in Latin. Luther had no
intention of starting a riot. He was not a revolutionist. He objected to
the institution of the Indulgences and he wanted his fellow professors
to know what he thought about them. But this was still a private affair
of the clerical and professorial world and there was no appeal to the
prejudices of the community of laymen.

Unfortunately, at that moment when the whole world had begun to take an
interest in the religious affairs of the day it was utterly impossible
to discuss anything, without at once creating a serious mental
disturbance. In less than two months, all Europe was discussing the
ninety-five theses of the Saxon monk. Every one must take sides.
Every obscure little theologian must print his own opinion. The papal
authorities began to be alarmed. They ordered the Wittenberg professor
to proceed to Rome and give an account of his action. Luther wisely
remembered what had happened to Huss. He stayed in Germany and he was
punished with excommunication. Luther burned the papal bull in the
presence of an admiring multitude and from that moment, peace between
himself and the Pope was no longer possible.

Without any desire on his part, Luther had become the leader of a vast
army of discontented Christians. German patriots like Ulrich von Hutten,
rushed to his defence. The students of Wittenberg and Erfurt and Leipzig
offered to defend him should the authorities try to imprison him. The
Elector of Saxony reassured the eager young men. No harm would befall
Luther as long as he stayed on Saxon ground.

All this happened in the year 1520. Charles V was twenty years old and
as the ruler of half the world, was forced to remain on pleasant terms
with the Pope. He sent out calls for a Diet or general assembly in the
good city of Worms on the Rhine and commanded Luther to be present and
give an account of his extraordinary behaviour. Luther, who now was the
national hero of the Germans, went. He refused to take back a single
word of what he had ever written or said. His conscience was controlled
only by the word of God. He would live and die for his conscience

The Diet of Worms, after due deliberation, declared Luther an outlaw
before God and man, and forbade all Germans to give him shelter or food
or drink, or to read a single word of the books which the dastardly
heretic had writte