crying abuses; and hence ensued, about 1076, a long and tedious contest, called The Contest of Investiture, out of which the Church indeed came forth victorious, but not till after many hard trials. After that there arose heretics who kindled the fire of revolt first against the Ecclesiastical, and then against the Secular authorities; as in France the Albigenses, in Upper Italy the Waldenses, in England the Wickliffites or Lollards, in Bohemia the Hussites. Peace, it is true, was restored to the Church, and men, mighty in words and deeds, as St. Vincent Ferrer (d. 1419) and St. John Capistran (d. 1456), went through the countries of Europe, preaching penance to princes and people. Nevertheless an unholy fire lay hidden under the ashes; feelings of disrespect and hostility to the Church, and a fondness for innovations, had gained ground, and were increased by many other attendant evils. Nothing was wanted for the fatal eruption of this volcano of wickedness and rebellion but an opportunity; and this presented itself in the beginning of the sixteenth century in Germany. Like a contagious disease, this lamentable evil spread abroad; thousands and thousands abandoned the Catholic Church; bloody wars, revolts, and corruption of morals ensued; the most splendid establishments, founded by the piety of former ages, were destroyed, and unspeakable misery was prepared both for time and eternity.
From the Rise of Protestantism to the Present Time.
43. [1]Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk and a professor in the University of Wittenberg, a man of an ir-
- ↑ Who was the author of Protestantism? What sort of a man was he? When and how did he begin his conflict with the Church? Did he stop there? How did he behave towards the Pope? What innovations did he introduce? What did he do with regard to monasteries, monks, and nuns? What pretended right did he give to princes and sovereigns? Was his conduct edifying? Whence did he pretend to take his doctrine? How did he interpret the Bible? Did he teach the pure Word of God? Can you name any of his errors? How was his doctrine received by the people, and how by some Princes? "What did he do to gain the favor of the Landgrave of Hesse? Did any imitate Luther's example? Where and what did Zwinglius teach? Where and what did Calvin teach? What did the Anabaptists proclaim? What havoc did the Zwinglians and the Calvinists make? Did the different Sects agree among themselves? Did their disagreement prevent the spread of their doctrines? In what were they united? What measures did they contrive to propagate their principles? What means did they use in many places to make the Catholics renounce their faith?
