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The Great Controversy
... No one can know what my heart suffered during these first two
years, and into what despondency, I may say into what despair, I was
sunk.”—Ibid., b. 3, ch. 6. But he was not left to become utterly
disheartened. When human support failed, he looked to God alone and
learned that he could lean in perfect safety upon that all-powerful arm.
To a friend of the Reformation Luther wrote: “We cannot attain
to the understanding of Scripture either by study or by the intellect.
Your first duty is to begin by prayer. Entreat the Lord to grant you, of
His great mercy, the true understanding of His word. There is no other
interpreter of the word of God than the Author of this word, as He
Himself has said, ‘They shall be all taught of God.’ Hope for nothing
from your own labors, from your own understanding: trust solely in
God, and in the influence of His Spirit. Believe this on the word of a
man who has had experience.”—Ibid., b. 3, ch. 7. Here is a lesson of
vital importance to those who feel that God has called them to present
to others the solemn truths for this time. These truths will stir the
enmity of Satan and of men who love the fables that he has devised.
In the conflict with the powers of evil there is need of something more
than strength of intellect and human wisdom.
When enemies appealed to custom and tradition, or to the asser-
tions and authority of the pope, Luther met them with the Bible and the
Bible only. Here were arguments which they could not answer; there-
fore the slaves of formalism and superstition clamored for his blood, as
the Jews had clamored for the blood of Christ. “He is a heretic,“ cried
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the Roman zealots. “It is high treason against the church to allow so
horrible a heretic to live one hour longer. Let the scaffold be instantly
erected for him!”—Ibid., b. 3, ch. 9. But Luther did not fall a prey to
their fury. God had a work for him to do, and angels of heaven were
sent to protect him. Many, however, who had received from Luther
the precious light were made the objects of Satan’s wrath and for the
truth’s sake fearlessly suffered torture and death.
Luther’s teachings attracted the attention of thoughtful minds
throughout all Germany. From his sermons and writings issued beams
of light which awakened and illuminated thousands. A living faith
was taking the place of the dead formalism in which the church had
so long been held. The people were daily losing confidence in the
superstitions of Romanism. The barriers of prejudice were giving way.
The word of God, by which Luther tested every doctrine and every