New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-11-10
THE NEW-ENGLAND COURSE.
Martin Luther.
BY Z. 7. wHrPPLE, or BOSTON.

/ The opening Lecture Of the New-Englan1
Course was delivered at the Brooklyn Institute last
evening, by EDWIN P. WmPPLE, ESQ., Of Boston. be.
fore large and highly appreciatve nudtory-dis sub
jet being the Life and Character Of the Great Re-
former Of course il impossible for n this brief
sketch to follow the lecturer closely through the range
OF keen, sparkling satire, acute analysis telling il
lustraton in which his subject was developed was
characterized from beginning end by energy and
yigor Of thought clearness and strength Of judgment
and an eaberateness Of finish, worthy Of the highest
grade Of scholastic oratory.
He commenced by saying that it was a remark OF
Sir James Meckintosh that in modernhistory three men
stand prominently cut whose faith in others has given
to modern society its shape and protection. These
/ great representative Columbus Luther and
Bacon-the dscoverer the reforner, and the philoso
pher Ofthese, none more forciby challenges al
/ teItOn than the peasant monk Martin Luther In him
we behold one of the greatest specimens OF robust man
hood Of modern times The greatness Of Luther is the
/ greatness Of Character--the greatness Of strong
and imprisoned Faith It the fusion Of sense and
thought into one indomitable Vitality; that words
rs well acts are stamped with depth of meaning.
The elements Of his character various but the
character had for It's foundation the soul OF fire. and
of vehement passion Force il his peculiar character
istic-iorce Of thought of speech and Of opinion.
and this force from a terrible unity Of all his
powers in sublime power. and embodied one in
tense will This tremendous vitality of Luther, this
concentrated personal might had its origin in a
zing mind in that power which valzes things into
convictions makes objects present to thought act with
more Inspiration to the will than objects Immediately
before the eye and above all. gives that vision Of
spirits which leaves the soul with wings and draws
it with irresistible fascination. Give TO a this
copon of spiritual realities and he always startlos and
his generation by the divine greatness of his
speech and the moral audaoity Of his will. He feels
that his being is in eternity though his life be in time
Everything Luther perceived he perceived in it's life
and substance@t became TO him food and amcnt
With him opinions passed swiftly into principles, and
principles deepened into motives and motives tore
through that iro actions. This great power was first
exercised on the superstions of his time. Born in
1894 at Eseben, in Saxony, and the con of miner, he
early exhibited desire study law, which he accord
ingy entered upon, at Esenach and Eriurt. IH'his
boyhood his father used the rod and his mother super
sttious fear and it is chroncled that remark
able occasion he received fifteen hoggngs from
compshod professor Of the birch But his high spirit
not to be thus broken One day he fled from home,
and on his return his mother scourged him till the
blood came and again she scourged him unm srcifuly
just for miserable nut he had eaten At home or az
school pains were bestowed upon his elgious train
ing. He hnd other idea of Christ than to form HIM
in his mind as sitting on a rainbow surrounded with
spendor Poverty added to his suterings. He
sang in the streets for subsistence going from door
TO door and crying aloud, Bread for Gods sake !"
And Of this he not ashamed.
In the University at Ei.euach he remained four
years. Here his nature genialy developed in the
study Of logic, of Law, and music and in the free ex
preston to that susceptibility to the pleasurabe and
that rich humor which were characteristic of his
ture. But beneath this cheerfulness q morbid con
scieniiousness and superstous fear working in
the depths of his being.
in 1906, the circumstance of friend being killed at
HE side, by lightning, induced him to become monk
Much the anger of his father he entered the Angus
tine order in 1907 was ordained priest. In the
early part Of his career he of the most noler
ant champions of the Papa auhority-a fanatica Cath
lc-and mathematical the Reformer Huss az hereto.
He amazed the monks among who he placed by
the ieryor and of his faith If ever monk
got to Heaven" said he, by monkish actions, will
get there This his guiding maxim. Then, agan,he
would times conceive himself forsak OF God Horrd
shapes danced delrously before him. In the Of
year this mental anguish had completely changed his
appearance His erect body lost its vigorous strength
and bis black penetrating eye became dull and sunken
In 1907 he WIS consecra,cd priest and in l1OS
was sent to Italy a missionary. He went to Rome
full of joy with the thought of quenching his thirst at
the fountain head of Religion AS he approached the
city, he fell upon his knees, and cried: Hail to thee,
holy Rome But he returned shocked at all he saw.
His great soul hungered for salvation but found that
religion there but political machine. OF ruling
art Graft and wordiness luxury and licentiousness
met his gaze at every step. He found it to be com
mon remark in the streets OF the city that II there be
q Hell, Rome is built upon it,"
In 1919, at the early age OF % he was made Doctor
of Divinity. In 1917 John Tetzel Dominican, set up
the business of selling indugences and absoutions-a
business which he pursued with all the craft Of Yankee
tinman and the wrath of a Csrolnian disunionist.
Against this man Luther commenced a vigorous oppo
sition Leo y seems 10 have possessed every qualih
cation to be the head Of Chrsendom except Chris
.ianity He did object the merchandise of abso
buttons if he could thereby obtain the means oil pur
chasing the Second Book of Livy.
Passing on the lecturer dwet at some length upon
that period in Luihers life Q5ls) when he cited to
appear at Rome to answer TO the charge Of heresy,
and remarked that If he had cJntented himself
with attacking the Pspacy, he would have had all
Germany with him; but he attacked the fundamental
doctrines of the Church lie then passed to glowing
Description OF his trial the Die, of Worms where the
Pope tried every means possible 70 have him con
dcnned He was summoned to appear before this
Diet en- the 18th OF April 1871 lie Get out this jour
pey with the full assurance that he would never return
The thought OF martyTdom however FAR from frighten
ing him, inspired his soul with great courage. His
friends tined to persuade him from going But no. His
mind was made up GO; and said he, though they
ebould kindle fire reaching from Ndtenbers to
Worms. vet would | go, and trust in the Lord Ar
rived At the hall of trial he not allowed to speak in
defense of his doctrines but commanded to retrae
his savings To this Luther replied neither can nor
will retract anything Iii neither safe nor prudent TO
do sught against conscience, aud cannot otherwise
God help me Amen"
Tie placed under the han OF the Emperor IN
der an elict which accused him OF stirring up re-