Book Description

Chapter 1. Luther's Early Life — A.D. 1483-1501. Magdeburg — "Bread for the love of God" — Why called 'Martin' — Severity of his Parents — Ursula Cotta — Luther's Music Chapter 2. Luther at College — A.D. 1501-1505. Erfurt — Luther finds the Bible — Thirst for truth — Bachelor of Arts Chapter 3. Luther a Teacher — A.D. 1505. Luther Master of Arts — Death of Alexis — Luther in the Storm — His Vow — Paul and Luther — His parting repast — Takes himself to the cell Chapter 4. Luther a Monk — A.D. 1505-1508. His drudgery — Search for Holiness — His anguish — Staupitz — Forgiveness of sins — The Belief — Grace — Luther a Priest Chapter 5. Luther a Professor — A.D. 1508-1510. Wittenberg — Luther teaches Philosophy — Bachelor of Divinity — The little Chapel — Luther preaches Salvation Chapter 6. Luther's Visit to Rome — A.D. 1510. No fasting at the rich Monastery — Luther's sickness and anguish — Corruption at Rome — Jokes of the Clergy — Pilate's Staircase — "The just shall live by faith" Chapter 7. Justification by Faith — A.D. 1510-1517. Luther Doctor of Divinity — Carlstadt — Truth not new, but recovered — Light makes manifest the darkness Chapter 8. Sale of Indulgences — A.D. 1517. Tetzel's preaching — Myconius and the "Free" Indulgence — The Shoemaker's Wife — The Saxon Gentleman — The parting feast — Luther's Theses — Tetzel's Theses — Dr. Eck — Luther at Heidelberg Chapter 9. Luther in Conflict with Rome — A.D. 1518. How Germany was governed — Luther summoned to Rome — George Spalatin — Luther to be tried in Germany — Philip Melanchthon Chapter 10. Luther at Augsburg — A.D. 1518. Cajetan (De Vio) — Discussion — A word of six letters would settle all — Justification by faith ruins Rome — Nothing settled — Luther escapes — God's truth precious Chapter 11. Luther and Miltitz — A.D. 1518. Luther must leave Germany — No, he need not go — The matter postponed, not settled — Decretals of the Popes — The Golden Rose — The truth spreads Chapter 12. Luther and Dr. Eck — A.D. 1519. Carlstadt — Discussion — Supremacy of the Pope — Huss and Wiclif — Purgatory — Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians — The Lord's Supper. Chapter 13. Luther and the Roman Bull — A.D. 1520. Election of Emperor — Charles chosen — Luther on Good Works — His Appeal to the German Nation — Luther writes to the Pope — Zwingli appeals to the Pope — Eck brings the Papal Bull — Margaret of the Low Countries — The Count of Nassau — Luther burns the Pope's Bull — Demand for Luther's death Chapter 14. The Diet at Worms — A.D. 1521. Luther excommunicated — Aleandro's Speech — Luther summoned — Threats on the journey — Reception — George Frundsberg — Luther before the Diet — He will not retract — Duke Eric of Brunswick — Luther departs Chapter 15. Luther at the Wartburg — A.D. 1521, 1522. Luther carried off — Knight George — Translation of the Bible — Monkery — Temptation by Satan — Luther visits his friends — The Sorbonne Chapter 16. The Reformation and Its Dangers — A.D. 1522. The Mass — "Both Kinds" — Carlstadt — Gabriel Didymus — The Prophets — Nicholas Storch — Images broken — Learning despised — Call for Luther Chapter 17. Luther Returns to Wittenberg — A.D. 1522. The Swiss Students at the 'Black Bear' — the New Book — Luther preaches on the state of affairs — New Testament in German — King Henry of England — Melanchthon's "Common Places" — King Henry writes against Luther — Henry made Defender of the Faith — Luther replies Chapter 18. Persecution Breaks Out — A.D. 1522-1525. Henry Voes, John Esch, and Lambert Thorn — Pope Adrian too "good" — Julio De Medici — Diet of Nuremberg — Campeggio — Gaspard Tauber — Henry Zuphten Chapter 19. Revolt of the Peasants — A.D. 1525. The Anabaptists — Count Louis of Helfenstein, his wife and child — John Müller — Munzer caught — The Revolt not a fruit of the Reformation — Death of the Elector Frederick — John, Elector of Saxony Chapter 20. Luther Marries — A.D. 1525. The Nuns of Nimptsch — Catharine Bora — Family Scenes — Luther's Poverty Chapter 21. Diets of Augsburg and Spire — A.D. 1525, 1526. Threatening — The Emperor and the Pope quarrel Chapter 22. The Sack of Rome — A.D. 1527. Rome pillaged by the Catholics — The Pope a Prisoner — Hypocrisy of the Emperor — Judgment Chapter 23. Peace Disturbed — A.D. 1527, 1528. Otho of Pack — His Treachery Chapter 24. Protestantism — 1529. Diet at Spire — The Protest — Protestants Chapter 25. Luther And Zwingli — A.D. 1530. Discussion on the Lord's Supper — OEcolampadius — Bucer — Luther and the Table-cover — The flesh profiteth nothing — They agree to be friends Chapter 26. The Protestant Confession at Augsburg — A.D. 1530. Melanchthon and the Confession — Concession — The Duke of Bavaria and Dr. Eck — Reply to the Confession — Threats to the Reformers — The Gates of Augsburg secured — Flight of Philip of Hesse — The cry for War is changed to Peace — Attempts at Agreement — God prevents it — Christ and Belial cannot agree — Diet ends in confusion — The Swiss and German Christians unite Chapter 27. Attempts at Agreement — A.D. 1530-1536. Meetings at Smalcalde — Luther's "Admonition to his beloved Germans" — Diet at Ratisbon — Fear of the Turks — A General Council — Death of Clement VII. — Paul III. — Verger — Luther ordains — Envoys from France and England — The Reformation becomes political — The Articles of Smalcalde — Death of Erasmus — Not a Martyr Chapter 28. Insurrection of the Anabaptists — A.D. 1534, 1535. Rotman and John of Leyden at Munster — Anabaptists and their visions — John alters the law of Marriage — He is made king of all the earth — His twenty-eight Evangelists — The Famine — John executes his wife — Munster taken — Satan's work Chapter 29. Darkness Amid the Light — A.D. 1540. Philip of Hesse wants another wife — He quotes the Old Testament Saints — Appeals to the Reformers — The Reformers fall — Doctrine of Marriage — Philip with his two wives — Grace abounds over sin Chapter 30. The General Council — A.D. 1540-1545. What is to decide in the Council? — Diet at Ratisbon — Gropper's book — Truth and Error will not unite — Death of George of Saxony — Henry, a Protestant, succeeds — The Council of Trent entirely a Catholic Council Chapter 31. Luther's Old Age and Death — A.D.1534-1546. The complete Bible in German — Its teachings — Luther's Catechisms — Plagues at Wittenberg — Hans Kohlhase, the Robber — Death of Magdalen — Luther at Eisleben — His sickness and death — Luther's character — Faith — Light from the Scripture — In Christ is all I need