Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1850-12-19


chanic's Association was delivered at
Bellevue Hall. Friday evening, by the
Rev. John Lord. His subject was "Lu-
ther, Relormer---or the struggle be-
tween Reason and Authority" Mr..
Lord did not attempt TO give an histori-
cal sketch Of the life of Luther, but he
presented, briefly, the most prominent
eras in his career as a Reformer, and
summed up what he conceived TO be the
distinguishing characteristics of Luther,
closing with brilliant eulogy on the
blessings of the Reformation, the fruits
ofwhich are the liberty to worship God
according to the dictates of our own
consciences, and TO interpret the Bible
according to our own reason and under
standing.
We think that Mr.. Lord, like most
other Protestant writer's, vastly overes-
Inmates the blessings of the Reforma-
ton we agree that it was one Of the
most marked events in the world, and
that il was The beginning Of great revo-
lutions in the religious and also in the
political world. While much good was
accomplished by the Reformation. there
is a prodigious amount of evil huge
| piles Of fearful sin, enormous wrongs
and the most dire crimes which must
ever be charged upon the Reformation,
portion of the responsibility Of which
must ever rest upon the shoulders Of
Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others
\ of their kindred. Previous TO this time.
whatever enormities were committed.
/ the Church OF Rome had to assume
them, because she had the sway of the
world and she alone was responsible for
the wrongs Of the world ; but after the
II Reformation, the wrongs and evils and
sins were divided and subdvided among
hundreds of denominations, and conse-
buentIy people did not and do not see
them so glaringly as when they were
concentrated upon one religious denom-
Il ination.
/ If there is an established Church on
| earth, if there is regular unbroken
Apostolic succession from the Cross, to
the present time the Church Of Rome
is unquestionably the Church, and the
succession from Peter to Plus Ninth is
The true secession. The claim OF the
Church Of England TO the succession is
prepos,erous in the extreme, and cannot
be maintained by history, or substantial
ted by argument
If the Reformation was all that its
most Jealous admirers contend, it would
be reasonable TO suppose that the Re-
formers and their followers would have
at least, been tolerant in matters Of
Faith and Religious Belief; and that
they would not have prosecuted those
who pursued the same course which
they did. But what was the result.
Why only nine years after Martin Lu-
the commenced his warfare against the
Church Of Rome, in Germany, John
Calvin continued the fame, and set
Switzerland on fire ; and Immediately
burnt Servetus at Geneva. because he
adv ,cated Unitarian doctrines. This
was the beginning ofAhe blessings ofMe
Reformation. This iods The result Of
porshipping God according TO the die
tdtes Of our orn conscicnces, this rds the
f7it Of Interpreting the Bible according
to our oun belief all the blessings oflhe
Reformation. Martin Luther threw
away the tinseled gowns of the Roman
Church, but he retained a Priestly robe ?
WHY did he do this2 Was it because
the Savior preached in gown, or be-
cause the Bible taught him TO oilicate in
robes Why did he s,l cling to the
( visible presence in the Eucharist ? 1t
has always appeared to lis that the
leaders OF the Reformation were not ac-
tuated SO much by the principles which
| Protcstants have ascribed to them, Of
desire to purge the Roman Church Of
lis corrupiiois at to acquire power
themselves and although they might
not have desired TO occupy the chair of
st. Peter, that still, they wished TO
sway as much power, perhaps in df-
ferent way, as did the dignitaries OF the
Papal Church.
Follow the Reformation down. How
did the Church of England exercise her
power7 The head Of the Church and
State are indivisibly united. No Mon
arch can 81, upon the throne Of England
until the Archbishop Of Canterbury
places the Royal Grown upon his head,
and pronounces him the Imperial Mon
arch. Thus the State derives its exis-
tence, It's authority and its power from
the Church the temporal is subservient
TO the spiritual reign. How did the
Church OF England exercise its power
in matters ofrehgious Belief and relig-
| ious tolerance Why it became mon
sirous, barbarous and insuferable. Its