that such great abominations occur there, if he has not seen and heard and experienced it himself." Thus Luther learned to know popery itself in Rome, and was, therefore, the better qualified to testify against it later on. He said: "I would not for a thousand florins have missed seeing Rome, for then I would always fear that I were wronging the Pope and doing him an injustice; but now we speak that which we have seen." 4. LUTHER IS MADE DOCTOR OF DIVINITY. After his return to Wittenberg Luther took up his work with renewed diligence. One day, while sitting with Staupitz under the great pear tree in the cloister garden, his superior took his hand and said, "Brother Martin, I and all the brethren have concluded that you ought to become Doctor of Divinity." Luther was frightened and excused himself because of his youth, his need of further study, and, also, because of his weak and sickly body, and begged him to select a man more qualified than he was. But when his paternal friend continued to persuade him, he said, "Doctor Staupitz, you will take my life; I will not stand it three months." To this prophecy of approaching death Staupitz playfully remarked, "In God's name! Our Lord has important business on hand; He needs able men also in heaven. Now, if you die you must be His councilor up there." Finally, Luther submitted to the will of his superior and, on the 18th of October, 1512, Dr. Carlstadt with great solemnity bestowed upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. How important this was Luther himself points out when he says: "I, Doctor Martin, have been called and forced to become a doctor without my choice, purely from obedience. I had to accept the degree of doctor _and to swear and vow allegiance to my beloved Holy Bible, to preach it faithfully and purely_." Luther, later on, often comforted himself with this vow, when the devil and the world sought to terrify him because he had created such a disturbance in Christendom.