New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-11
THE CELEBRATION IN THIS CITY.
LARGE GATHERING IN sTEINwAY HALL ADDRESS
BY TIE REV. DIR. sEISs.

LARGE GATHERING IN sTElNWAN HALL ADDRESS
BY TIE REV. DIR. sEISS.
A large audience assembled ut Stcnway Hall
last night to celebrate the fourhundredtb anniversary Of
the birth Of Luther. The meeting was held I'M
der the auspices OF the Martin Luther Society
OF New-YOrk. Jacob F. Miller presided, and on
the platform were DclanO C. Calvin, Judge Noah
Davis Judge Van Hoesen Judge Van Worst,
Judge Shea, Judge Van Brnt, Luther r. Marsh, John
Jay, William E. Dodge, i. B. Thurber II. X. Thurbcr,
Dr. Philip scha DIT Brown, OF Union College; Dr. shedd,
Dr. ]. P. Newman, Dr. Aunitage DR.. Macarthur, Dr. j.
W. Kramer DR.. futile, DR.. j. p. Krobel, DR..
Deems, the Rev. A. Strckert, OF Ncw-Jersey
T. W. Gersenhainer, O. Burkhaltcr, and others who
the silver medal OF the society. In
the centre of the platform bust OF the Reform er
dishgured by something which supposed to be a
wreath Of verdure but Of kind unknown to botany.
The exercises began with the singing Of Luther's hymn,
Lord, keep scadflst IN Thy Word" to organ and
orchestra, the vast audience Joining vigor-
ously in the stirring strain prayer then
offered by the Rev. Mr. Reimensnyder and the 10th
Psalm was read by the Rev. Mr. Buermoier.
The president then made a few remarks, introducing
the of the evening the Rev. DR. Joseph A. ses Of
Philadelphia, who said "The nOblest people upon the
earth arc together TO celebrate with gratitude the
birth OF four hundred years ago But
who number the precious fruits that
have accrued to from that mans heroic
faith and darlnga Some men are raised so
high upon the pinnacle OF fame that modern men can
hardly get high enough TO take thermeasure They leave
their impress all the ages after them. They have
brought themselves into the very life OF the age and be
come part and parcel Of history. Such Martin
Luther poor man, without influence and authority,
and no weapon save the Bible, yet with him
human history took start. History
has had grand episOdesthe rule Of the Caesars and
the of the cratic tribes. Luther embodied spirit
OF the latter One meant desoatOn, the other renova-
ton. At this period the power OF the Bishop Of Rome
was unbounded. He claimed To command the anathemas
Of the Almighty upon all who dared question his au-
thority. It was a power that could make the
individual aohoTed as though smitton with
lOahsOme disease 1t could penetrate the innost sanctu
aries OF lie ana even shut up the graveyard against
beyond the reach OF law The Vicar Of God on earth
could not To abase and humble this gigantic power
had been the effort Of kings and emRercrs and general
councils but II reserved for the TbuTngan miners
Court and free the world from It's terrible oppres
siOn but despite them all, 1t remained tho
nations free TO deliver the world from the cOrrupuons
that had accumulated through thousand years was the
work OF the man whose four-hundredth birthday we
assemble to commemorate
"But the work was to be DONE and the instrument
man upon earth suited to the task quite united appaT-
emily FOR the work. he like David, the shepherd boy,
OF the world born In stable The leader Of the greatest
Of modern ed ~ @ ON 9s son U INNER %3
body and soul together and indebted TO charity and aims
Of fbe GerInanio mind He was Trained To- love
truth and honesty and hate hypocrisy and lies.
But he needed other training for his life
work. The Reformation was wrought ont upon
two district fields: the RefOTmePs SOUL and
then upon the world at large. IL Ike the mighty
peaks OF the Himalayas and Alps whose in the
earth, bur whose submits pierce the heavens. Wherein
lay the vital spring Of this wOndrous influence Its real
powers IL I'm the conscience OF the II the
soul trembling before its obligations 10 the eternal Cod
The Reformation not the mere overthrow OF an OF
pressive hierarchy; 10 sought 10 touch
That hierarchy az all untl II trammeled con-
science and crushed the intellect. The heart and
OF the whole in the working out Of this fact
the obligations Of the soul toward God How Luther
learnt this truth Of the most essential parts OF the