movement of reform within the Roman Catholic Church. The church refused to reform according to the teachings of the Bible and consequently a huge 'section of the Roman Church fell away and established the Protestant Church move ment. At the beginning of the 16th century the established church was exceedingly corrupt. This does not mean that there were not worthy men and women con nected with the church, but it does mean that the clergy and the upper hierarchy were shot through and through with im morality and licentiousness of the deepest hue. Whenever a church-system becomes a political power, as the Roman Church had become, it inevitably loses its spiritual lusr tre. Its leaders become more engaged in lining their pockets with gold than in the winning of precious souls to Jesus Christ and His salvation. Again, the church of Luthers day was corrupt in doctrine. To the teachings of the Word of God the church had added volumes of “traditions” which were noth ing more nor less than the teachings of men (cf. Matt. 15:6; Mark 7:1-9). Con sider many of the teachings of the Roman Church in Luther’s day and now, and search in vain in the Word of God for the basis of these teachings—purgatory, the mass, the ascension of Mary, the eleva tion of Mary as the Queen of Heaven, the worship of angels and saints, the ven eration of relics, the innumerable super stitions, the confessional, the special priest1 hood, the office of pope, cardinal, arch bishop and many others. At the beginning of the Protestant Ref ormation God’s people were a suppressed people. People of many nations were noth ing more than the slaves of the pope. The Roman hierarchy imposed impossible tax burdens upon the people, and forced them to pay tribute for the lavish splendor of the papal court and for the maintenance of coveted ecclesiastical positions. The time came when these oppressed millions could stand their plight no longer, and just as God had a Moses to lead His people out of Egyptian bondage, so He had a Luther to lead His people out of papal domination. Actually the roots of the great Reforma tion go back several centuries before the actual outbreak against Rome. You have no doubt read or studied the influential cultural awakening called the Renaissance. During this revival of learning in Europe there arose a fresh hunger for the original teachings of the Bible. Scholars busied themselves in digging out of the archives precious ancient documents containing copies of the Bible in the original Hebrew of the Old Testament and the original Greek of the New Testament. These stud ies were made available to scholars throughout the Continent and the glaring discrepancies of the Roman Church be came apparent. As these inconsistencies and contradictions became known to the masses their hearts were filled with hatred for this system that had become their mas ter, and they longed for the day when CONT INUED ► The Occasion of The Protestant Reformation The Beginnings of The Protestant Reformation
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Each year our nation spends millions of dollars fighting i soil erosion — the destruction of precious topsoil by the j forces of nature. But there is a much greater
must be started. Existing Sunday schools must be kept active and growing. So much money is being spent to improve American farmland. So little is spent on the souls of Amer ican farm children. Your prayer ful support of the work of the American Sunday-School Union will fight “ soul erosion” in rural America. Help today!
threat to rural America — the threat of “ soul erosion.” The forces of evil are destroying souls in thou-' sands of spiritually-neglected rural communities-—communities which have no church, Sunday school or other gospel witness. 160 missionaries of the Ameri can Sunday-School Union are fighting “ soul erosion” in rural America. Last year these mission aries conducted 2,468 Sunday schools and 1,576 Daily Vacation Bible schools in churchless rural communities. But 160 mission aries cannot evangelize all o f our vast farming communities. More workers must be sent out. More Sunday Schools
Send for a copy of / the latest issue o f ' our field magazine The Sunday School Missionary._______
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Mniversaryyear " • . . the Lord's doing, it is marvelous . . . " A great school grown up in a decade. An undoubtedmirade o f G od’s grace. Here you will find wide fellowship, great opportunity and collegiate degree courses o f your choice— 4 years. Also diploma courses — 3 years. Tuition nominal. Catalog on request. Be sure to investigate. Harold D. Burkholder, M.A., B.D., D.D., President G RAC E BIBLE INSTITUTE, 1515 So. 10th St., Om aha 8, Nebraska
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