Tauler esteemed the holiest man he had ever seen one who had never heard five sermons in his life.

All honest labor is called God's service, spinning and shoe-making the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Pure religion is to be "drowned in God," "intoxicated with God," "melted in the fire of his love." Transcending the common view of the average Christian that religion's one end was his own salvation, Tauler taught him that the love of God was greater than this.

He tells of a woman ready to be damned for the glory of God--"and if such a person were dragged into the bottom of hell, there would be the kingdom of God and eternal bliss in hell." One of the fine flowers of German mysticism is a book written anonymously--"spoken by the Almighty, Eternal God, through a wise, understanding, truly just man, his Friend, a priest of the Teutonic Order at Frankfort." _The German Theology_, [Sidenote: _The German Theology_] as it was named by Luther, teaches in its purest form entire abandonment to God, simple passivity in his hands, utter {32} self-denial and self-surrender, until, without the interposition of any external power, and equally without effort of her own, the soul shall find herself at one with the bridegroom.

The immanence of God is taught; man's helpless and sinful condition is emphasized; and the reconciliation of the two is found only in the unconditional surrender of man's will to God.