LUTHER

eS ee 154¢ was perhaps the grea’ religiov reformers of the 16th century. He wa educated for the law, but in 1505 he bx came a monk. In 1517 Luther publishe a series of propositions condemning the sa! of indulgences. These were at once de clared to be oar and he was sum moned to appear at Rome. He decline Te was excommunicated, 152¢ Lao now broke away entirely from th Bort ba Wide, cod eds ‘a a an to the formation of a Sen card -_-. ea we he | He was summoned to a at Worms of | before the Emperor, Chases V. Here he nd | defended himself ably, but found it exer. eo ee a ee he | 1530 his followers had increased to nd ee ee t3. } the = Luther was sn writer, and | bis writings are fairly numerous, the most an | valuable being his translation of the Bible tic |into German. As a man he was enthuief | siastic and excitable, but ke was by of} no means the fanatic that his enemies ce | represented him. He advocated peacefal ‘rs | measures where po ible, and cannot be im | blamed for the acta of violence committed th | by the more ignorant of his followers. His en | “*Table Talk,” a collection of obiter dicta, at} shows him to have been a man of much ic | personal charm, [s. 201]