Cul De Sac Birthday Dog - Charlie Sue

 

Charlie Sue and I are fixed on one or two walks a day. I can shake her leash from the back door and have her running. We came back from our walk to find a birthday party for an extended family - all generations.

A grandmother and her grandchildren came up to us. Grandmother said, "Thank you for the roses! My son brings them to me." We talked a little so I could figure out which were her sons and who lived on the quiet street. Charlie Sue loves everyone, so we moved closer to BBQ party. The children were a lot of fun. I pointed out the green, fancy clothing on one little boy, and his friend asked for color comparisons. Another boy was worried about Charlie biting. I said, "Oh no. She's a kisser!" They raised the volume and Charlie set about licking anyone she could. Lots of laughter.

I have been trying to draw our little street together through flowers.  At the Department of Motor Vehicles, the clerk said a few years ago. "You live next to my grandmother. You're the one with the roses!" I could not deny it. Roses are as rare as Arkansas football victories. Some people drive around the short street to get information on the kinds and the fragrance (overwhelming).

This is a bit touching - the couple I often saw in the early days of Sassy Sue were outside on Scott and asking about Charlie Sue. The husband said when he heard her name, "A smaller Sassy Sue." Bible John (on Joye Street) always brings up his fun with Sassy Sue and the chicken bones she loved. He tossed chicken scraps for the crows, who were very appreciative and gathered big, crowds - a murder of crows. Sassy never had problems with chicken bones and no one was going to stop her. 

Walking is under-rated - great exercise, good for Vitamin D (or D3 for the persnickety). I found the dreadmill at Planet Fitness boring, except when it threw me to the concrete floor. It was a minor fall, a major lift. I think walking is far more enjoyable and diverse for the muscles and tendons. Sassy Sue and I walked so much that one store clerk said to Christina, "I know your husband and dog. They walk by my house often. And you are on Letha?"

 Porchie expects his beautiful hair to be finger-combed.

 This was Christina's first walk after surgery. Sassy lives in the hearts of many people.

Sassy moved into the photo because everyone was laughing.

At the Dinner Table - My Parents Said - "We Are Going the Way of Rome!"

Once they start...

 Step One - 1950s

My parents were raised on the farm and went to country schools, where my mother first began teaching - at a one-room schoolhouse. They talked about Rome because they were trained in the history of the Roman Empire and took Latin as students, without any emotional or psychological damage. The four of us children were expected to take two years of Latin, because "You won't get into a decent college without Latin."

Step Two - 1960s

Once the siblings began college, only one of us took more Latin, added Greek, and became engaged - a graduation wedding. Relatives wondered why I had avoided learning a vocation (accounting, law, etc) during those 3+ years. Christina and I headed for Ontario, where I paid $150 a year for tuition. My friend from Salem Lutheran Church in Moline said, "Greg, this newspaper article says you won't have a church to serve in a few more years." He laughed long and hard and went, as many of my friends did, from Barry Goldwater fan club to socialism and worse. I loathed Goldwater for being a phony and it was later revealed that he was directly connected with the Mafia in Phoenix - and pro-abortion.

Step Three - the 1970s

I was sitting in the District President's office in 1972, the MDiv completed and a discussion about getting a pastoral call interrupted. Christina was on the line, insisting that I talk. The DP was reluctant to interrupt, but she said, "Put him on the phone." She said to me, "You are accepted at Yale Divinity for the STM." The DP became quite animated and shook my hand. I only went back to Ontario to visit, eh?

Step Four - Onward and Downwards - the 1980s

1. YDS was just starting the radical changes. Only one faculty member was a woman, and she was a Lesbian. What began as a way of opening the door to every Left-wing cause turned into an avalanche exit in every possible way. We have arrived at the basics of the Roman Empire:
2. Paganism celebrated in the worst and most obnoxious way. No details needed.
3. Men who want to be women, and women who demand their male. Ha!
4. Children used throughout America and the world - trafficking.
5. Unborn left to die - a Roman said a letter to his wife - "If it is a boy, keep him. If a girl, expose her (in the wilds)." Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East. Co-inky-dink - DEI.
6. Escapism in the form of alcoholism and drugs.
7. Charlatan "physicians."
8. Corrupt leaders from the top down, the President little more than one of the drunk and abusive lower rulers.

Linn Tonstad

Yale Divinity Professor of Theology, Religion, and Sexuality.
I would not recommend YDS or any Lutheran seminary.

The little kitties seem so harmless, one at a time. I once took away a pork bone from one of them. I sat in my chair, some distance away, at the big table. Soon I felt the tiny teeth of the kitty sunk into my big toe, with energy and enthusiasm. A warning!

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - All Saints - "If then a preacher cares more for his belly and worldly living, he does not do his duty; he stands up indeed and babbles in the pulpit, but he does not preach the truth, does not really open his mouth; if there seems to be trouble ahead he keeps quiet and avoids hitting anybody."

 

Complete - Luther's Sermon on the Beatitudes

Gospel

KJV Matthew 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

V. 1, 2. And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying:

HERE the evangelist with a formal stately preface declares how Christ disposed himself for the sermon he was about to deliver; that he went upon a mountain, and sat down, and opened his mouth; so that we see he was in earnest. These are the three things, it is commonly said, that mark a good preacher; first, that he take his place; secondly, that he open his mouth and say something; thirdly, that he know when to stop.

To take his place, that means that he assume a position as a master or preacher, who can and ought to do it, as one called for this purpose and not coming of his own accord, but to whom it is a matter of duty and obedience; so that he may say: “I come, not hurried hither by my own purpose and preference, but I must do it, by virtue of my office."

This is said as against those who have heretofore been causing us so much vexation and tribulation, and indeed are still doing it, namely the factious spirits and fanatics, that are running up and down through the country, poisoning the people, before the pastors or those in office and authority find it out, and thus befoul one family after another until they have poisoned a whole city, and from the city a whole country. To guard against such sneaking renegades one ought not to allow any one to preach who has not been duly and officially appointed; also no one should venture, though he should be a preacher, if he hears a lying preacher in a popish or other church, who is misleading the people, to preach against him; nor should any one go about into the houses and get up private preachings, but he should remain at home and mind his own official business, or keep silent, if he neither will or can publicly take his place in the pulpit.

For God does not want us to go wandering about with his word, as though we were impelled by the Holy Spirit and had to preach, and thus were seeking preaching places and corners, houses or pulpits, where we are not officially called. For even St. Paul himself, though called as an apostle by God, did not want to preach in those places where the other apostles had preached before. Therefore we are here told that Christ boldly and publicly goes up upon the mountain, when he begins his official ministry, and soon afterwards says to his disciples: “Ye are the light of the world;” and: “Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light to all that are in the house”. For the office of the ministry and the word of God are hence to shine as the sun, and not go sneaking and plotting in the dark, as in the play of blind-man’s buff; but all must be done in broad daylight, that it may be clearly seen that both preacher and hearer are sure of this, that the teaching is rightly done, and that the office has been rightly conferred, so that there is no need for concealment. Do thou likewise. If you are in office, and are commissioned to preach, take your place openly and fear nobody, that you may glory with Christ: “I spake openly to the world, * * in secret have I said nothing.” John 18:20.

But you say, “How? Is no one then to teach anything except in public? Or is the head of a family not to teach his servants in his house, or to have a scholar or some one about him who recites to him?” Answer: Certainly, that is all right, and all just in place. For every head of a family is in duty bound to teach his children and servants, or to have them taught. For he is in his house as a pastor or bishop over his household, and he is commanded to take heed what they learn, and he is responsible for them. But it is all wrong for you to do this away from your own house, and to force yourself into other houses or to neighbors, and you should not allow any such sneak to come to you and to carry on special preaching in your house for which he has no authorization. But if any one comes into a house or city let him be asked for the evidence that he is known, or let him show by letter and seal that he has been duly authorized. For one must not trust all the stragglers that boast of having the Holy Spirit, and insinuate themselves thereby here and there into the homes. In short, it means that the gospel, or the preaching of it, should not be heard in a corner, but up upon a mountain, and openly in the free daylight. That is one thing that Matthew wants to show here.

The next thing is that he opens his mouth. That belongs (as above said) also to a preacher, that he does not keep his mouth shut, and not only publicly perform his official duty so that every one must keep silence and let him take his proper place as one who is divinely authorized and commanded, but also that he briskly and confidently open his mouth, that is, to preach the truth and what has been committed to him; that he be not silent or merely mumble, but bear witness, fearless and unterrified, and speak the truth out frankly, without regarding or sparing any one, no matter who or what is struck by it.

For that hinders a preacher very much if he looks about him and concerns himself as to what the people do or do not like to hear, or what might occasion for him disfavor, harm or danger; but as he stands high up, upon a mountain, in a public place, and looks freely all around him, so he is also to speak freely and fear nobody, although he sees many sorts of people, and to hold no leaf before his mouth, nor to regard either gracious or wrathful lords and squires, either money, riches, honor, power, or disgrace, poverty or injury, and not to think of anything further than that he may speak what his office requires, even that for which he stands where he does.

For Christ did not institute and appoint the office of the ministry that it might serve to gain money, possession, favor, honor, friendship, or that one may seek his own advantage through it, but that one should openly, freely proclaim the truth, rebuke evil, and publish what belongs to the advantage, safety and salvation of souls. For the word of God is not here for the purpose of teaching how a maid or man servant is to work in the house and earn his or her bread, or how a burgomaster is to rules a farmer to plough or make hay. In short, it neither gives nor shows temporal good things by which one maintains this life, for reason has already taught all this to every one; but its purpose is to teach how we are to attain to that life, and it teaches thee to use the present life, and to nourish the belly here as long as it lasts; yet, so that thou mayest know where thou art to abide and live when this must come to an end.

If now the time comes for preaching of another life that we are to be concerned about, and for the sake of which we are not to regard this one as if we wanted to remain here forever, then contention and strife begin, so that the world will not endure it. If then a preacher cares more for his belly and worldly living, he does not do his duty; he stands up indeed and babbles in the pulpit, but he does not preach the truth, does not really open his mouth; if there seems to be trouble ahead he keeps quiet and avoids hitting anybody. Observe, this is why Matthew prefaces his account with the statement that Christ, as a true preacher, ascends the mountain and cheerfully opens his mouth, teaches the truth, and rebukes both false teaching and living, as we shall hear in what follows.

Reformation Sunday - 2024.

 YouTube

Daylight Savings Ends Next Sunday

Hymn # 262      A Mighty Fortress         

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

The Lord of Hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is with us.

Wherefore will not we fear though the earth be removed: 

and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.

Psalm. God is our refuge and strength: a very present Help in our trouble.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

O almighty, eternal God: We confess that we are poor sinners and cannot answer one of a thousand, when Thou contendest with us; but with all our hearts we thank Thee, that Thou hast taken all our guilt from us and laid it upon Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and made Him to atone for it: We pray Thee graciously to sustain us in faith, and so to govern us by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may live according to Thy will, in neighborly love, service, and helpfulness, and not give way to wrath or revenge, that we may not incur Thy wrath, but always find in Thee a gracious Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle and Gradual       

KJV Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!

KJV Matthew 11: 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22

The Hymn #387     Dear Christians One and All  

          Faith in Jesus Christ Gives Us Access to God's Grace

The Communion Hymn #267   If God Had Not Been on Our Side                    

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #259  Flung to the Heedless Winds 

Prayers and Announcements

• Sarah Buck, Dr. Kermit Way, Lori Howel, Doc Lito Cruz - and grandson, Pastor Jim Shrader; Callie's parents have serious medical issues.
• Bible John just got 20 more Super Large Print KJV Bibles; he has kidney failure.
• All Saints is also Daylight Savings - November 3rd.

Ministries of Bethany Lutheran Church 

1. The Christian Art of Norma Boeckler and Norma's print books.
2.  Martin Chemnitz Press - Kindle and print books, and free pdfs.
3.  Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry and Lutheran Librarian - free and low-cost print books - Alec Satin.

  Faith in Jesus Christ Gives Us Access to God's Grace

Medieval Burdens and Terror

    It is a pity that modern Catholic universities still argue salvation by works. I was looking over Notre Dame messages, when I saw this, "Those who attend... will receive X amount of years reduced from Purgatory." Nothing has changed.

    Like everyone else, Luther was tortured by guilt. How could he do enough to have his sins forgiven? He was a monk, a leader among the monasteries, and a scholar of the Bible with a PhD in that field, and also soaked in Medieval dogmatics - Augustine, Jerome, and Aquinas.

    Luther was under the authority of the Pope and even traveled to Rome, which was supposedly the holiest place on earth - but it was just the opposite.

The Electoral College

    No one has ever voted for President in America. Not one. The "popular vote" count is pure baloney. There is no popular vote, only the electoral vote. Each voter gets to vote for electors in one state. The electors then vote for President. Why? Tiny states in population - like Nevada - have great clout in the electors. Without electors, the heavily populated states would dominate the final count.

Look at Luther's era - the Electors kept the Holy Roman Emperor away - he did not have enough of the five Electors.

Wikipedia - Frederick III (17 January 1463 – 5 May 1525), also known as Frederick the Wise (German: Friedrich der Weise), was Prince-elector of Saxony from 1486 to 1525, who is mostly remembered for the protection given to his subject Martin Luther, the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation. Frederick was the son of Ernest, Elector of Saxony and his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Albert III, Duke of Bavaria.

He was one of the most powerful early defenders of Martin Luther, as the elector successfully protected him from the Holy Roman Emperor, the Pope and others.^[1]

Frederic kept the Spanish Holy Roman Empire troops away from Germany, and they soon needed Germany to repel the Muslim invaders. Vienna 1683 - Coffee house invented because the Muslim troops left their coffee beans behind.

[This part below infuriates the Big Five Apostates - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic).

Faith in Christ Means Access to God's Grace

Abraham is the Father of Faith, the Father of Nations.

    This is clearly expressed in Romans 4, which serves as the introduction to Romans 5:1-2. Abraham is the Father of Faith. Romans 4 - is the background for Romans 5, and both are founded upon KJV Genesis 15.

KJV Genesis 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

KJV Genesis 22:11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 

The Hebrew text is incredibly precise because the official copyists must count every letter and every word, or the particular part is burned. This has continued ever since the Five Books of Moses and the Old Testament. When you read or hear the original Old Testament and New, it is the ancient Word of God. Romans is not simply "a book about" but a sermon about Abraham and his descendant Jesus, the Incarnate Word.

KJV Romans 5:5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

KJV Micah 7:16 The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. 17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee. 18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Luther found in Romans 5 and also in Habakkuk - Justification by Faith. All the claims, books, decrees, and traditions were lacking because they depended on the righteousness of works - not faith in Jesus Christ. The false doctrine of CFW Walther was continued by his subordinate F. Pieper. The error of Justification without Faith was welded into the 1932 Brief Statement, which was not the Bible, not the Book of Concord, not anything except the Halle Pietism of Bishop Martin Stephan. He promoted it and Walther gloried in it the rest of his life.

    The answer is not in the doing but the believing. This has consolidated the Lutheran sects in their peculiar righteousness of works (DNA, belonging to the right sect, and joining sects/cults together with their error, including ELCA).

    Our daily prayers should always include asking forgiveness, thanksgiving for the many blessings, and help for others.

Reformation Quotes - Bound To Confuse the Seminaries of Today

  

KJV 1 Thessalonians 2:13 - For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. [GJ - That suggests Drucker, Olson, Bivens, Werning, and Scaer do not teach the Word of God.]

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October 25, 2024

The Stooges Foreshadowed the Big Three of Apostasy

 

The Stooges could be very serious.

Church Growthians came down like a wolf on the fold.

And their Almy was glittering in purple and gold.

And the sheen of their spears was like Thrivent's black sins

When the blue wave rolls heavy on Fuller's D.Mins.

And now people wonder, "Why have the Big Three coalesced to represent the Lutheran version of DEI - Dogmatic Ecstasy for Idiots." I am not being too harsh but far too lenient about their fatal embrace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, teaching and healing, miracle-working, dying on the cross and rising from death, ascending into heaven.

Harrison could have been one of the Stooges - so clever, so 8th Commandment.

Harrison goes all out for the Seminex rulers of the LCMS.

Needs more color.

Who gets more money? TOPS or Almy?

 WELS prez Mark Schroeder tried really hard to smile.

ELCA's Archbishop Eaton threatened the remainder of male bishops with medical tests.

MDiv Eaton deals with every topic except the Good Shepherd.

Eaton coordinated her way into being a minor bishop, then full speed on the 2009 Vote to quash heterosexual pastors, professors, and bishops.

Spoken out loud among the frightened male pastors in ELCA - "Why are we seeking the smallest segment of the population to become pastors, bishops, and much more? We are shrinking even faster than ever."

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 22 Epistle - "Our life has not yet reached the heights it is destined to attain. We know here only its incipient first-fruits. Desire is not satisfied; we have but a foretaste. As yet we only realize by faith what is bestowed upon us; full and tangible occupancy is to come. Therefore, we need to pray because of the limitations that bind our earthly life, until we go yonder where prayer is unnecessary, and all is happiness, purity of life and one eternal song of thanks and praise to God."

 

Complete Epistle sermon Trinity 22 - Epistle 

23. Our life has not yet reached the heights it is destined to attain. We know here only its incipient first-fruits. Desire is not satisfied; we have but a foretaste. As yet we only realize by faith what is bestowed upon us; full and tangible occupancy is to come. Therefore, we need to pray because of the limitations that bind our earthly life, until we go yonder where prayer is unnecessary, and all is happiness, purity of life and one eternal song of thanks and praise to God.

But heavenly praise and joy is to have its inception and a measure of growth here on earth through the encouragement of prayer — prayer for ourselves and the Church as a whole; that is, for them who have accepted and believe the Gospel and are thus mutually helpful. For the Gospel will receive greater exaltation and will inspire more joy with the individual because of its acceptance by the many. So Paul says he thanks God for the fellowship of the Philippians in the Gospel, and offers prayer in their behalf.

PRAYER FOR OTHERS.

24. Yes, it should be the joy of a Christian heart to see multitudes accept the offer of mercy, and praise and thank God with him. This desire for the participation of others in the Gospel promotes the spirit of prayer. The Christian cannot be a misanthrope, wholly unconcerned whether his fellows believe or not. He should be interested in all men and unceasingly long and pray for their salvation; for the sanctification of God’s name, the coming of his kingdom, the fulfilment of his will; and for the exposure everywhere of the devil’s deceptions, the suppression of his murderous power over poor souls and the restraint of his authority.

25. This prayer should be the sincere, earnest outflow of the true Christian’s heart. Note, Paul’s words here indicate that his praise and prayer were inspired by a fervent spirit. It is impossible that the words “I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, always in every supplication” be the expression of any but a heart full of such sentiments.

Truly, Paul speaks in a way worthy of an apostle — saying he renders praise and prayer with keenest pleasure. He rejoices in his heart that he has somewhere a little band of Christians who love the Gospel and with whom he may rejoice; that he may thank God for them and pray in their behalf.

Was there not much more reason that all they who had heard the Gospel should rejoice, and thank Paul in heart and in expression for it, praying God in his behalf? should rejoice that they became worthy of the apostle’s favor, were delivered from their blindness and had now received from him the light transferring from sin and death into the grace of God and eternal life?

26. But Paul does not wait for them to take the initiative, as they ought to have done to declare their joy and their gratitude to him. In his first utterance he pours out the joy of his heart, fervently thanking God for them, etc. Well might they have blushed, and reproached themselves, when they received the epistle beginning with these words. Well might they have said, “We should not have permitted him to speak in this way; it was our place first to show him gratitude and joy.”

FEW BELIEVERS NO REASON FOR DISCOURAGEMENT.

27. We shall not soon be able to boast the attainment of that beautiful, perfect Christian spirit the apostle’s words portray. Seeing how the apostle rejoices over finding a few believers in the Gospel, why should we complain because of the smaller number who accord us a hearing and seriously accept the Word of God? We have no great reason to complain nor to be discouraged since Christ and the prophets and apostles, meeting with the same backwardness on the part of the people, still were gratified over the occasional few who accepted the faith. We note how Christ rejoiced when now and then he found one who had true faith, and on the other hand was depressed when his own people refused to hear him, and reluctantly censured them. And Paul did not meet with more encouragement. In all the Roman Empire — and through the greater part of it he had traveled with the Gospel — he only occasionally found a place where was even a small band of earnest Christians; but over them he peculiarly rejoices, finding in them greater consolation than in all the treasures on earth.

28. But it is a prophecy of good to the world, a portent of ultimate success, that Christ and his apostles and ministers must rejoice over an occasional reception of the beloved Word. Such acceptance will tell in time. One would think all men might eagerly have hastened to the ends of the earth to be afforded an opportunity of hearing an apostle. But Paul had to go through the world himself upon his ministry, enduring great fatigue and encountering privations and grave dangers, being rejected and trampled upon by all men. However, disregarding it all, he rejoiced to be able now and then to see some soul accept the Gospel. In time past it was not necessary for the Pope and his officials to run after anyone. They sat in lordly authority in their kingdom, and all men had to obey their summons, wherever wanted, and that without thanks.

29. What running on the part of our fathers, even of many of us, as if we were foolish — running from all countries, hundreds of miles, to Jerusalem, to the holy sepulcher, to Compostella, St. James, Rome, to the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul; some barefooted and others in complete armor — all this, to say nothing of innumerable other pilgrimages! We thus expended large sums of money, and thanked God, and rejoiced to be able thereby to purchase the wicked indulgences of the Pope and to be worthy to look upon or to kiss the bones of the dead exhibited as holy relics, but preferably to kiss the feet of His Most Holy Holiness, the Pope. This condition of things the world desires again, and it shall have nothing better.