extent than others, suffered themselves to be blindly led in
whatever way was pointed out, and who gave credence to what was
taught and preached to them concerning the way to serve God, yet who
all the time were but worshipers of dumb idols, possessing not the
Word of God and having no witness to the truth of their faith and
their works. Each believed and followed the devices of his own
imagination or the popular choice. No man was able to teach anything
certain and steadfast, anything to give the heart satisfaction and
perfect security. They continually changed from one thing to another,
accepting every new thing presented as real worship and true
doctrine.

12. And the world, ever from the beginning, has had naught but dumb
idols in the countless forms of worship offered to the numerous
gods--gods which never existed, but of which images were made and to
which divine honors were shown. Worship has been rendered to the mere
names of misfortune, disaster and disease, of all sorts; yes, to
insects, and to garlic and onions even. Yet, in the practice of all
this idolatry, supposed to be evidence of great holiness, each one
sacrificing to the idol of his choice--in it all no one could have
the assurance of being heard and answered by his god. Men had no word
or sign of the divine will or work; they possessed naught but a vain
dream and delusion of the human imagination; man devised and made his
own idols.

13. And what did we under the papacy but walk blindly? We suffered
ourselves to be led just as we were directed by the names of God and
the saints. I was myself a pious monk and priest, holding mass daily,
wherein I worshiped St. Barbara, St. Anna, St. Christopher and
others--more saints than the calendar mentions, some of whom no one
knew anything about. I had no knowledge of Christ, I knew not why I
should find comfort in him nor what I should expect of him. I was as
much afraid of him as of the devil himself, regarding him more a
stern Judge than a Saviour. How many shameful pilgrimages were made
to dead idols of wood and stone, images of Mary and of the saints!
How many were the pilgrimages to the graves of the dead, and to bones
called "holy relics"! These relics were mere open deception, devised
by shameless impostors; yet such worship was established by popes and
bishops, and indulgences granted therefor.

14. How many new saints, new brotherhoods, new psalms to Mary, and
new rosaries and crowns did the monks