Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-09-16
LUrTER AND SOEiEsKI.


The week that has just passed was rich |
in historic revivals-the defense of |
Vienna by John Sobieski and the birth Of |
Luther, the great reformer-two of the |
most notable events in the history of the |
world. The capital of Austria saved from |
the Turks prevented Kara Mustapha from |
overrunning Europe, and with Luther
was born anew the right of private
judgment, liberty of conscience and
religious freedom. The Hungarians, smart |
ing under the expressions of Germany, in
an effort for freedom invited the co-opera-
ton OF the Turks, who went to their as
sistance to the number of 10000, under
the command OF the Grand Vizier Kara
Mustapha, one Of the most accomplished
of the many able commanders then in the
service ofthe Sultan. The EmperorLeopold,
timid man, with more divine right than
courage, fed at the head of his army be-
fore the advancing Turks, who, in July,
1858, laid siege to Vienna, then garrisoned
by about IL 600 men under Count Stah-
renberg. Sobeski, the king of people
whose love of freedom made them
odious TO the Emperors of Ger
many and Russia, was appealed to
for aid. He responded promptly and
after the generous fashion of his heart,
but could not assemblelris army before Au-
gust. At the end of that month he set
out with 24,000 men, and, joining the
Duke of Lorraine, in command of
the German army, moved rapidly
to the scene OF operations. On
the 18th OF September, 1883, at 8 o'clock
the action was commenced, and at .
o'clock was closed by the complete rout
of the Turks, who could not afterward
be rallied. Vienna was saved to Austria
and Europe to Christianity. The cow
ardly Emperor grudgingly expressed his
gratitude 10 the King OF free peo-
pie, to which the brave Sobieski re-
sponded: Brother, / am glad /
have done you that small service"
The significance of this "small service"
not only 10 Austria but to Europe can
easily be realized by reference to the con-
dition of the Danubian principalities so
recently rescued from the domination of
Turkey, whose touch brings decay and
death. Had Mustapha succeeded his
tory would h2ve repeated itself in all
that splendid region of country over
which floats to-day the flag of the Austro-
Hungarian empire. The advancement in
civilization made along the Danube would
have been postponed, and instead of law
and order there would have been the
fatalism, the confusion, the inertia, and
worse than all the irresponsible taxgath-
erer of the Turk. Holding the gateway
to Europe the Moslem power would have
been constant menace to. the peace
of the continent, power more to he feared
than the Cossack, who haunted Napoleon's
dreams For this "small service" all
Europe, all Christianity should long ago
have reared monument greater than the
pyramid OF Cheops to Sobieski, and the
Polish nation, so free and chivalrous,
should have bcen the pet of the
rontinent it freed from the grasp
Of the invader Instead of this the
grudgingly expressed gratitude of Leo
pold was succeeded hundred years later
by the invasion of the land Sobieski loved
and its partition between Austria, Prussia
and Russia. The memory OF Vienna
should have restrained ut least the
rapaeity OF Austria and saved to the
Poles even Il corner of their fatherland
wherein TO organize and win back the
rest But though this poor favor was de-
nied them, their conquerors cannot pre-
vent the sympathy of the world from going
out to them with an impassioned desire
that some day the countrymen OF Sobieski,
who lent the thirteen colonies the services
al the gallant Kosciusko, may gather
around their own council board freer than
when they elected their kings, and proud
er because equal to a place among the
great nations who are rivals in the race OF
progress. Sobieski is not forgotten. He
is one of the worlds heroes, and like
the immortal Luther, his name
is the synonym of a righteous
purpose and an accomplished fact
To Luther our debt of gratitude is ever
greater than to Sobeski. Just 40 year
before the great victory in front of Vienna
Tue TtlOIIllcT 'iJsttl u lllt lull VI NiClSSl
tudes but crowned with success. Hi:
sturdy figure rises before us luminous
with the fires OF an unquenchable ardOr
"Here ] am! | cannot do otherwise
SO help me God. Amen" Will
these words Luther entered upon the worl
10 which he was destined. lie found thu
eGasciences of men incrusted by super
sSitiens, he left them free. He stripped
the church of its sacerdotal power, anC
maintained the right of private judgment
lie inveighed against indulgenGes and
preached the spiritual supremacy O
Christ. lie found the nations stag
naha under = system hoary in abuse
Sf solemn trust, and he revitai
lied them with religious freedom. His
passions, his prejudices, his stormy ways
apsi his language, not always gracious o
graceful, are all forgotten in presence o
his triamph. The people, made free il
matters of conscience, have grown frcss. Sc
Eig:ous to political freedom. Itwas the pro
testing spirit of the founders ofourrepubliC
Il spirit born Of Luther's boidhSss, stead
fastness and courage. that enables Us tc
,lay in these free and United States :
:nHVe and enjoy in peace the blessings c
rcli,Aous freedom and individual liberty
il is 10 this spirit that we owe all that "
are AZ a people, and it is by the maintC
nance OF il in its original streng
that We are 90 P6Fpetuate ii as
Light to all the nations round about. Nor
than any other people we have reason I
.be thankful for the example the creates
al the reforns,,s has left us. With us tn
name Of Luther should never die. Iii
birthday should be Sc sacred
us as that Of Washington, revi'
ing rs it does an epoch the mo'
remarkable in modern times. His prote'
agalEsst error, his sturdy and ringing cor
tests tor the right OF private judgmel
should be revived on every recurrence {
IL that our hearts Elay not be steeled
pride of cur position and +:tainments as
people Like the famous Baptisa, Roger
we should be instant in seaso
and out for the fullest liberty
all mon like him we should
impatient "a mere liberation and insi
not only thai IN matters OF conscience me
are OF right and should tG free, but that
the exercise of that freedom tsey ere to
respected just in proportion as they al
true to the convictions that cone to thei
from it. To this wide stretch of freedol
Luther led the way. His soul aiiam
Eitb the truth, his esESietioI
strengthened by laborious study, 1
could not DO or say less tina
he did Grateful fer his life and labor
Get us show it by constant protest again
error in whatever form, and ~ stern
upholding the liberty for which he ",
ready to die. Catholics, Protestants al
Jews are alike the ia@irs of that ibert
alike profit by and alike prosper by
maintenance in these United States,
none of the countries dominated by kin
or empirical sway do any OF the cree
prosper as they do here where they deper
upon the voluntary efforts of their mel
bara Ereadom has broupht to fhenX