Page:Thirty-five years of Luther research.djvu/78

44 ing of the methods of divine pedagogy, finally the unconditional dependence on the grace of God, because of which, following in the steps of Paul and Augustine, he finds nothing of good in himself, but attributes all of holiness, all of virtue, all of good to the freely given mercy of God, — all of these constitute the spiritual seal which Luther's theology bears. They are the proof that God was with him."

4. Luther's Journey to Rome

In the year 1508 Luther was called to the University of Wittenberg. Haussleiter gives us an idea of the university at this time, whereas Bauch sheds light on its relation to Scholasticism and Haupt illustrates how much the universities of today owe to the founding of Wittenberg.38 As is known, after one year at Wittenberg, Luther was called back to Erfurt (probably by his order), where in the fall of 1509 he entered as Sententiarius.

It appears that during this time at Erfurt he made his journey to Rome. As to time, motive for going and route of travel nobody seems to know very much. Hausrath, Tuerk, Elze, Kawerau, Todt and especially Boehmer in our period treat of his journey.39 Hausrath, in using the guide of the pilgrims to Rome at that time, the Mirabilia urbis Romæ, made the interesting attempt to interpret Luther's sojourn at the different places of grace in Rome and his scattered notes concerning these by means of this old guide. It was interesting, but not trustworthy. Much less does the work of Hausrath bring us to a decision as to the time, whether in the winter of 1510-11 or in the winter of 1511-12, or as to the motive for going, whether as a representative of the seven convents rebelling against Staupitz or as a mediator upon