John Tauler, respectfully known as “the master”, because of his extensive learning, had been born in Strasburg, in Alsace, in the year 1290. His father was probably Nicholas Tauler, a senator of that city, and a man of considerable wealth. The young man entered the Dominican order of monks at the age of eighteen or thereabouts and soon afterwards went to Paris to study theology at the Dominican collect of St. Jacques.

Most of the “Schoolmen”, as the teachers of that period were called, seem to have specialized in lofty philosophical themes in which young Tauler took little interest.

Tauler was a humble man and would not have admitted anything but respect and loyalty to the Church and its teachings. He was sincere and courageous and possessed a great love for the people. Unbounded also was their admiration of his exceptional ability in the pulpit. Somehow, even in the fact of the Interdict, he could not give way to fear, as many other clergymen did. Despite his lack of knowledge of the grace of God in its reality, he was no proverbial “hireling.”

And so, to the relief of the populace, he remained in the city. The masses flocked to hear him, and their appreciation evolved into a pride that their beloved Strasburg should have so great a teacher. He was possessed of a great knowledge of the Bible and a sincere purpose to benefit his hearers in a practical way. Visitors came from some distance to hear him as his fame spread, but his theories of self-improvement proved completely inadequate for the reproduction of any grace in his audience. In the year 1340, the crowds were greater than ever, and “the master” yearned over them, as he attempted to teach them the way to Heaven.

It was no surprise, therefore, when one day he noticed in the audience a humble-looking stranger, whose interest appeared intense. The speaker naturally concluded that the man was deriving much good from his discourse. However, if the thoughts of the one in the pew could have been read from the pulpit, there would have been small room for pride. For this man from Switzerland was thinking thus: “ ‘The master’ is a very gentle, loving, good-hearted man by nature. He has also a good understanding of the Holy Scriptures. But he is dark as to the light of grace, for he has never known it.”

The visitor was Nicholas of Basle, a true apostle of that dark era. Told three times in a dream to go to Strasburg and hear Dr. Tauler preach, he was convinced that the voice of God was urging him to help this great teacher into Gospel light. He spent all available time in prayer and, after listening to five sermons, approached the master and desired, according to the practice of the Catholic Church, to make confession to him. The latter agreed, and Nicholas did so for twelve weeks, after which he asked the Doctor to preach a sermon showing how a man could reach the highest spiritual life possible in this world of sin.

This Dr. Tauler finally did, delivering a practical and scriptural message of twenty-four main headings, upholding, from a human point of view, the pinnacle of Christian perfection. The sermon dealt with self-emptying, humility, the crucified life, inner victory, perfect love and simplicity of motive. However, it was all theory obtained through diligent study of the Bible. Indeed, those who think of that period of time as the dark ages, would not believe that a clergyman of that day could have portrayed so clearly what God requires of all who desire to be wholly His.

But the sermon omitted two most important facts - the utter degeneracy of man, with his consequent inability in himself to attain to that standard; and faith in the merits of Christ’s atonement as the one and only avenue to the blessed experience portrayed. Nicholas wrote the entire sermon from memory, later reading it to Tauler who, amazed at the intelligence and ability of the writer, urged him to remain in Strasburg and listen to future addresses.

Imagine “the master’s” consternation and surprise, when he heard the following from the lips of this meek stranger: “You are a great scholar and have taught us a good lesson in this sermon. But you yourself do not live according to it. Yet you try to persuade me to stay here that you may preach me yet another sermon. Sir, I give you to understand that man’s words have in many ways hindered me much more than they have helped me. And this is the reason: it often happened that, when I came away from the sermon, I brought certain false notions away with me, which I hardly got rid of in a long while with great toil. But if the highest Teacher of all truth comes to a man, he must be empty and quit of all else and hear His voice only. Know ye, that when this same Master cometh to me, He teaches me more in one hour than you or all the doctors from Adam to the Judgment Day will ever do.”

“The master” took this in good part, urging his guest to remain in Strasburg a while longer. Nicholas agreed to do so, if the Teacher would permit him to speak freely to him under the seal of confession. He then proceeded to teach the one who had thought to instruct him. He declared that the reason Tauler’s sermons “killed and did not make alive” was that, in reality, his desires were not toward God, but instead directed to His creatures; and especially toward one (himself) whom he loved above measure. In consequence, he had no single heart toward God.

“And therefore,” he said, “I liken your heart to an unclean vessel. And when the pure, unmixed wine of godly doctrine passes through that vessel which is spoiled and covered with lees, it comes to pass that your teaching has no good savour and brings no grace to the hearts of those who hear you. And whereas I further said that you were still in darkness and had not the true light this is also true; and it may be seen hereby that so few receive the grace of the Holy Spirit through your teaching.

“And whereas I said that you were a Pharisee, that is also true; but you are not one of the hypocritical Pharisees. You have, notwithstanding, this mark of the Pharisee, that you love and seek yourself in all things and not the glory of God. Now examine, dear sir, and see if you are not a Pharisee in the eyes of God. For know, dear master, a man is a Pharisee in God’s sight, according to what his heart is bent upon. And truly in the sight of God, there are many Pharisees.”

As these words were spoken, Tauler fell on Nicholas’ neck and kissed him, saying, “A likeness has come into my mind. It has happened, as it did to the heathen woman at the well. For know, dear son, that thou hast laid bare all my faults before my eyes. Thou hast told me what I had hidden up within me, and specially that there is one creature upon whom my affections are set. But I tell thee, of a truth, I knew it not myself, nor did I believe that any human being in the world can know of it. Doubt not, dear son, that thou hast it from God.”

In further conversation, Tauler revealed to Nicholas the fact that to be called a Pharisee had hurt him deeply. But the humble servant of Christ faithfully showed him how he, too, like those teachers of old, placed burdens on others that he did not lift and, like them, he often “said and did not.”

“Dear master, look at yourself,” he continued. “Whether you touch these burdens and bear them in your life is known to God and also to yourself. But I confess that, as far as I can judge of our present condition, I would rather follow your words than your life. Only look at yourself and see if you are not a Pharisee in the eyes of God, though not one of those false hypocritical Pharisees whose portion is in Hell fire.”

The master replied, “I know not what to say. This I see plainly, that I am a sinner and am resolved to better my life, if I die for it. Dear son, I cannot wait longer. I beg of thee, simply for God’s sake, to counsel me how I shall set about this work; and show me and teach me how I may attain to the highest perfection that a man may reach on earth.”

Nicholas then told “the master” that if he really desired to know the ways of God, he would set him an “ABC” lesson. He knew only too well that the strong-willed teacher or any other man could not attain to these commands by mere striving. His desire was that this final burst of self-effort would cause Tauler to catch such a glimpse of his own insufficiency and nothingness that he could be given a divine revelation of the way of salvation by faith alone.

After three weeks, Tauler, in despair, confessed that he had experienced great agony of soul and would be dishonest if he said he had learned even the first letter of the lesson assigned. But, after another period of similar length, he sent for Nicholas, saying, “Dear son, rejoice with me, for I think that, with God’s help, I could say the first line.”

How happy Nicholas was for, as Tauler pleaded that he teach him further, it was evident that “the master” was approaching the end of all self-effort. He then gave advice which he knew would spell death to all that the great preacher held dear. In short, it was to take the way of the Cross, which confronts every one who would follow Christ. He suggested that Tauler temporarily cease from preaching and other ministerial duties, concentrating on his search for God.

This, said Nicholas, would mean friends would turn against him. The audiences, which he had held spellbound, would leave him in disgust. And so it happened. For two desolate years, Tauler refused to preach or teach. The populace became angry, calling him a mad man. As a result, he was deprived of his livelihood and, during that period, to relieve the pangs of hunger, he was forced to sell some of his much-loved books. He became ill and, when his friend next saw him, he urged Tauler to take better care of the body which had been given him by God. Nicholas, however, was encouraged and, bidding “the master” persevere, promised to come to him any time he was needed.

But our heavenly Father was watching and waiting to be gracious. The revelation from Himself was now not far away. It is significant that it was at the time of the celebration of the feast of St. Paul’s conversion that the greatest event of Tauler’s life took place.

The Doctor was convicted of his sinfulness of heart and, under the revelation, became so ill that he could only lie on his bed, pleading, “O merciful God, have mercy upon me, a poor sinner, for Thy boundless mercy’s sake; for I am not worthy that the earth should bear me.” And, as he lay there, weak and stricken with sorrow, he heard a Voice saying, “Trust in God and be at peace; and know that when He was on earth as a man, He made the sick, whom He healed in body, sound also in soul.”

So great was his reaction to this message that, for a time, reason seemed to reel. When he came to himself, he was possessed of a strange, new inner strength, and divine truth, which before had been dark to him, was now clear as the day. He sent for Nicholas, who, observing him with joy, exclaimed, “I tell you that now, for the first time, your soul has been touched by the Most High…The latter which has slain you now maketh you alive again, for it has reached your heart in the power of the Holy Ghost. Your teaching will now come from the Holy Ghost, which before came from the flesh. For you have received the light of the Holy Spirit, by the grace of God, and the Scriptures which you already know will now be made clear to you, for you will have an insight that you never had before.”

And so it was. Tauler was a new creature, alive and vibrant with a message from Heaven. Nicholas gave him money with which to redeem his books and advised him to begin preaching again. “The master” announced a service and the people came but, instead of sounding forth the Word, he could only stand and weep. The crowd which had come in eager anticipation waited, but there was no sermon that day. The one-time orator had no words to utter; his entire frame continued to shake with sobs. At length, they dispersed in anger, believing Dr. Tauler to be more unbalanced than ever.

But the great inner change had come and, in view of the dire spiritual need everywhere, it was impossible for the Doctor to long remain silent about what had taken place. His reputation or his own interests now meant nothing to him.

He remembered the monks and nuns, with their sacrifice and self-inflicted penance, as well as their professed sanctity. As he thought of the gross sins and follies, he longed to reveal to them the secret of his deliverance. So, knowing that he had a message from God, he preached in front of the convent to an assembly of nuns and others. Taking as his text, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him,” he spoke of Christ as the Bridegroom of the soul, which was the relationship the sisters claimed regarding the Lord Jesus.

What a message it was! Considered in the light of what happened at the close of the sermon, it must have been devastatingly convicting. The Holy Spirit smote hearts right and left, as the speaker described the state of the professed Bride of Christ, filthy with self-interest, love of the world, its praise and greed. It was a loving, but penetrating discourse, on what is in the heart of every human being, regardless of his calling. The message concluded with a picture of the Bridegroom giving Himself for the cleansing and sanctification of the Church. When he had finished, about forty enquirers remained for some time sitting in silence in the churchyard.

“The master” began preaching to the masses again, and the action proved to be indeed well-timed, for soon the community was visited with pestilence and earthquakes. These were followed by the dreadful “Black Death”, which resulted in the deaths of about 16,000 persons in Strasburg and 14,000 in Basle. Is it not wonderful that this great preacher was filled with the Holy Spirit for such a time?

For six years, Dr. Tauler gave out the light of the Gospel to the living and the dying.

There are frequent instances in the biographies of godly Europeans during the ensuing centuries, where the seeker after the deeper spiritual life went far back to the dark pre-Reformation days and read John Tauler’s sermons with great avidity and blessing. Two excerpts from lectures will show to what extent this searcher after God had discovered some of the most profound secrets.

“Those who go into God’s vineyard are truly noble and highly-favored men, who in deed and truth rise above all creature things in God’s vineyard; for they seek and love nothing but simply God in Himself. They neither look to pleasure, nor to any selfish end, nor to that which is a mere outflow from God; for their inner man is wholly plunged in God, and they have no end but the praise and glory of God, that His good pleasure alone may be fulfilled in and through them and in all creatures. Hence they are able to bear all things and to resign all things, for they receive all things as from God’s hand and offer up to Him again in simplicity of heart all that they have received from Him, and do not lay claim to any of His mercies.

“They are like a river that flows out with every tide, and then again hastens back to its source. So do these men refer all their gifts back to the Source whence they proceed and flow back again unto it themselves likewise. For inasmuch as they carry all the gifts of God back into their divine fountain, and do not claim any ownership in them, either for pleasure or advantage, and do not purpose this nor that, but simply God alone, God must of necessity be their only refuge and stay, outward or inward.

The summary of another lecture on one of the Beatitudes is as follows:

“ ‘Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.’ A pure heart is more precious in the sight of God than aught else on earth. A pure heart is a fair, fitly adorned chamber, the dwelling of the Holy Ghost; a golden temple of the Godhead; a sanctuary of the only-begotten son, in which He worships the Heavenly Father, an altar of the grand, divine sacrifice, on which the Son is daily offered to the Heavenly Father.

“A pure heart is the throne of the Supreme Judge; the seat and secret chamber of the Holy Trinity; a lamp bearing the Eternal Light; a secret council-chamber of the Divine Persons, a treasury of divine riches; a storehouse of divine sweetness, a panoply of eternal wisdom; a cell of divine solitude; the reward of all the life and suffering of Christ.

“Now what is a pure heart? It is, as we have said before, a heart which finds its whole and only satisfaction in God, which relishes and desires nothing but God, whose thoughts and intents are ever occupied with God, to which all that is not of God is strange and jarring, which keeps itself as far as possible apart from all unworthy images, and joys and griefs, and all outward cares and anxieties, and makes all these work together for good; for to the pure all things are pure, and to the gentle is nothing bitter. Amen.”

The godly life of John Tauler and his uncompromising teachings influenced two other men of the Church, Thomas of Strasburg and Ludolph of Saxony, both of whom were priors. These three “Friends of God”, as they and others like them often were called, were fearless in their teachings and writings, which were startlingly in contrast with the tenets held by the Church in power. They counseled the people to take no heed to the Interdict of the Pope; to visit the sick and the dying, comforting them by pointing them to the “death and sufferings of our Lord, Who had offered up Himself as the perfect Sacrifice for them and for the sins of the whole world.”

Vengeance on the part of their enemies was sure, and the three eventually were removed from their positions of influence. Six years after his conversion, Tauler was forced to leave Strasburg for Cologne, to the grief of many, not a few of whom had experienced changed lives during his ministry. In that city he was free to preach as he would and did so for about ten years.

At seventy years of age, ill and infirm, he returned to Strasburg, where he was nursed by his aged sister, in one of the houses belonging to the convent in which she was a nun. There Nicholas visited him, and together they agreed that he should write an account of Tauler’s life, though he was never to mention the Doctor by name. He was to be known only as “the master” and Nicholas as “the man”, that God might have all the glory of anything he had accomplished. Soon after this, the dear man of God went to be forever with the Lord. Nicholas and the townspeople mourned him deeply.

Martin Luther held the writings of Dr. Tauler in the highest esteem and declared that in them he had found more to instruct him than in those of all the schoolmen put together. To his friend, Spalatin, he wrote, “If you desire to make acquaintance with sound teaching of the good old sort in the German tongue, get John Tauler’s sermons, for neither in Latin, nor in our own language, have I ever seen any teaching more solid or more in harmony with the Gospel.” For many years, Tauler was remembered in Strasburg as “The Doctor who was enlightened by the grace of God,” or “The master of the Holy Scriptures.”

Copied