Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-19

held aloft, told them in the crisis what was
duty, and that God who had never forsaken
his church, stood by them, and guided
them into the true path. Behold those Lu-
theran members of the diet, weak indeed
as compared with the emperor and the
whole Papal church, but strong in that
strength which comes from a conscien-
tiousness of possessing the whole truth,
and being grounded in it. It is q noble
picture as we see them filing into the
council chamber and dare to protest
against the DEGREES of corrupt and self
seeking majority.
Here was rung out the keynote of all true
Professionalism. These noble men were
true Prostestants, protesting against ty-
ranny, against burdening mems conscien-
ces with human DEGREES, against priest
craft, in short against everything which is
contrary to the truth and to the principles
of al! true liberty, and by this protest the
Lutheran church has stood and does stand
to-day, and many not of her enjoy aud de-
fend with her these noble principles which
lie at the, foundation of the best govern
ments in our day.
By this protest was secured to
US a free Bible by which God enlightens a
free church, where we can worship as con-
science dictates, and in which the gospel,
unbound and free is proclaimed to cheer
the heart of the respondent and to warn
the Indifferent and seif-secure. We have
an evangelical service in which the whole
congregation can intelligently engage and
worship God with the spirit and the IN
derstanding. We sing the beautiful songs
of Zion in our tongue, which Luther
again restored to the churches. for
Luther was the founder of the hymn book
(1524) by means of which the people were
enabled to mingls their voices in praise 30
God. And what more?
Look around you and behold a more
majestic monument to Luther than any
hewn in marble or cast in bronze. It is
| 50,000,000 of people in free land under
free religion enjoying the favor OF God,
an asylum for the oppressed of all
nations.
These things were secured to Us
by Martin Luth or, and thereby the pres
ervation and dissemination of the pure
gospel was assured throughout all time.
For this the foundation had already been
| laid, and now that the first grand victory
| was secured it was necessary to labor all
| the more earnestly that the church be
strengthened that the people might not
lose that which they already possessed for
want of that which was most necessary to
| establish thsm in it.
The only thing that could, preserve the
now restored apostolic faith IN the hearts
of the people was the word of God in
their own language, and diligent instruc-
ton of the young in that word. In this
Luther had already made great prepare
! ton. The Bible, the book OF books, which
even the priesthood, who were the teach
| ers Of the people, knew so little, had al
ready been rescued from oblivion, snd, as
the light Of The world, was strewing its
light rays into many hearts. The New
Testament wis translated and largely cir
| culated, but it remained for the whole
| scriptures TO BE given to tho world, and
fer the confession of the faith of which
they are the rule, to be promulgated SO
| that the churches of God might be known
to each other in the blessed hereafter.
| At Augsburg in 1880 the great
confession of Professionalism was given to
the world. The Augsburg confession is
not our rule of faith, but in it is truly set
forth the faith of which the word OF Coo
alone is the rule. The battles against error
are nc fought with the confession, but by it
| are pointed out the weapons which Gods
word alore furnishes by which they are
| fought. stu all lands in which the battle
Of the reformation was fought, the Bible
| furnished hanDor, armor add arms. The
| word of God opened the eyes of the
| reformers 70 the existing c0rruptions: it
called them forth from Babylon; it inspir-
ed them With ardor for their holy work;
it lifted them above the desire for mans
favor and the fear of mans face. The
Bible made them confessors, and pre-
pared them to be martyrs" Hence the
giving of the Bible to the people in the
| language of the people was the greatest
Of all gifts which Luther gave to the
! world. His Incompatible translation into
| clear vernacular German was the incentive
| which led to the translation of the book
| iute other languages so that to-day ii can
be read, at least in part, i'll nearly
every language and tongue upon earth.
Having placed it into the
hands of the people, every
Christian uId5tudy Gods book and could
for himself find the truth. Besides the
people could now daily search the scrip
lures and see whether what Luther wrote
and uttered against the Roman church was
iniharmony with the truth of Gods word.
Himself and his work was not only will
| ing, but desired to have tested by the
highest authority, and he was ready to
stand by the verdict which that authority
pronounced. There it is where the Lu-
theran church stands today after the lapse
of nearly four centuries; being entrenched
in the word of God, and knowing of nc
higher authority, she is ever ready to be
judged by it. But if the truth is to be q
blessing, it is necessary that men learn il
early and we'll. Ignorance and supersti
ton go hand in hand. This Luther vel
knew, and seeing the deplorable condition
of the schools he set about to remedy the
evil, and thus became the first champion OF
popular education, but of positive char.
ecter. In 1924 he issued q powerful appeal
to the burgomaster5 and magistrates of all
towns IN the German countries, in which
he urged them to establish schools and tc
provide for the education of school teach
ers, and the establishment of school libra
ries.
Many to-day admiring the heroisn and
bold courage of Luther, and recognizing
the blessings the world enjoysl through hii
work in bringing about reformation
still fail to appreciate him and his work
Standing themselves along side Of God.
word instead of being entrenched in it a.
he was, they call him bigoted, one whose
I