One Thing Leads to Another...and Another...   

  Wartburg Castle  

While Emperor Charles V and Pope Leo X wanted him burned at the stake, 

here in 1521 Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German 

in 11 short weeks, making it available to common people.

Luther also wrote a preface to each book. 

These in English are the first lines of his introduction to Romans:

Faith is a divine work in us which changes us and makes us to be born anew of God.

Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that 

the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times. 

In May 1738, John Wesley heard this read aloud, 

and experienced the "warm feeling" he spoke of. He preached the 
same Gospel as did Luther, and a Methodist revival ensued.

This led to the conversion of William Wilberforce, 

who would battle Parliament to end the slave trade in the British Empire. 

And the ministry and preaching of George Whitefield in the American 
colonies helped them unite, which led to you know what. 

The American Experiment was/is based on the same belief in 

human equality that free Germans adopted in the 16th century.

   Luther's preface continued...

This knowledge of and confidence in God's grace makes men glad and bold and happy 

in dealing with God and all his creatures. And this is the work which the Holy Spirit
 performed in faith. Because of it, without compulsion, a person is ready and glad

to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer everything out of love 

and praise to God who has shown him this grace.