The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-12

was preparation and occasion for Lnther's work,
else he had not worked. He was equal to his
occasion, and herein is his greatness. The stone
over which weak man would have stumbled
he MADE stepping stone for himself and for the
world TO rise on. A reformation presupposes u
two-fOld something-a something to be reformed
and that something worth reforming. The
Roman Catholic Church had and has the truth.
We have the great first creeds in common. We
should be able, after more than 300 years, to
consider the life and work of Luther with fair
ness nj the same time TO the Roman Church.
Even the Catholics still appear to he incapable
OF seeing any good i'll Luther or the
tney do not The Peprs annual CURSE Tss
against hurts only himself ana his church.
Luther sail: 1.-THE world for these two hundred
years has hated no one as it hated me-" But 1t
does seem 10 be an OUTRAGE thai to-day, with the
history made and passed upon by "A universal
impartial judgment, confirmed too by "the logic
of events. with the fruits enjoyed by every man,
woman aud child In free and in unfree lands, in
Protestant and Catholic alike that to-day one
can hardly take up a Catholic paper that is not
dlshonored by the most infamous ISLANDERS
against a name which all the free world besides
holds IN grateful and immortal memory. II Is
so unfair, so ungenerous, so OUT of tune with the
spirit of the times. Three hundred and thirty
seven years after his death-ln this day of hon
orabie fairness to the wrOnged of every age, this
day OF statues TO Savonaroa and Arnold of
Bresea in free Italy, even in this day Catholic
fingers itch to dlsfigure fair picture to dishon-
or The dust that reposes IN peace i'll Witlenberg.
When Charles entered thar town
a conqueror, after Luther's death, some
that Luthers dust be taken up and dshonUred,
81 war not with the dead" he replied. But the
breed OF that base suggester has survived. No
body who knows will deny that there is good IN
the Roman Church. 1t has a good excuse fer be-
ing. 1t lives because there is good in it-because
i5 does 10 work that no other church has vet
seemed able to do. No old thing dies until its
good has been transfused into tina new. We all
acknowledge the sweet humane ministries of the
Roman Church to suffering mankind. Luther
never failed to acknowledge his Indebtedness to
the church. We remember that he was reared
in it. We have no mother church other than the
Roman. Luther dld not want TO leave it. He
had to or be untrue. He could say to her in the
sixteenth century:
Chou sayesE 1t and not l; for thou hast done
the ugly deeds that made these ugly words"
To the taunt. "Where was your church
before Lnther7" there is a pertinent reply:
washed?" The confusion that Hercules
made in Augea's stables was not
the fault of Hercules, bnt of the filth. The
formation came because OF corruption. The dis
ease, and not the doctor, is responsible for the
trouble. But still the reformation presupposes
a some thing to be reformed that Is worth re-
forming No Catholic Church, and no e0rrup-
tions given, and there had been no Luther.
Ambition for power is the secret of the cor
rupfloD. Capitalization and infalihility are
the hands. The Roman Church encouraged ig-
norance to secure power 1t made new sacra-
ments, elevated the priesthood, enforced con-
fession and celibacy, made purgatory, smOt6-
cred the doctrine of Justification BY faith. and
chained the Bibe-an to secure power. De-
vOtion was secured at the price of light The
right of private Judgment was consistently re-
pressed. The opening eyelids were held down,
and band put round mems hearts that they
could not breathe free. COperIicus held
back his theory from publication until
almost the day of his DEATH Calico was forced
to tell lie. Geordano Bruno, Arnold of Bres-
cha, Huss, Jerome and savonarolo were burned.
Wycliffe's ashes given to the sea.
The reformation stands to prove the cOrrup-
tons of the church-as smoke, as dawning
word. Germany WAS made poor by her. Luther
wrote tn Leo concerning this inpoversh ment
"a gainst it l have commended, and will vet con
w my brIc IAN inf XUif
me" The RIGHTEOUSNESS and worldliness of
pOpes, monks and nuns cannot be exaggerated
1t was high time for Luther to come.
The speaker reviewed the life ana work of
Luther chronologicaiY. He spoke of protes-
tantsm-the frnits OF the reformation, the i'm
pulse TO letters, arts, science and in
Its iberality, as still inspired by
the spirit that set conscience free; of The fact
that the Lutheran Church bases iTs doerinal sys-
TEN on the person of christ. Luther said: lyon
must not be Luther's, but Christs disciples"
right and duty OF private Judgment, the lnteh
glbility OF the Scriptures, the priesthood of all
believers, the Invisibility or the true and the
fallloilty of the visible church. He ever main
tanned the right of the Christian man. He said
every man believes as he believes at his own
peril. 1t is free work which concerns faith to
which no man can be forced. 1t would be better
though the people should err, to let them err
than to drive them to lie, for it is not
proper to prevent a less evil by q greater. God
will not and cannot permit anyone to rule over
the soul but Himself alone. Nobody can he or
taxable. Heresy lie an intellectual tnipg. Here
tics should be overcome with arguments and not
with tire-otherwise the hangmen would be the
most learned doctors earth"
Luther published us books and pamphlets in
his public life of twenty-nlne years He is the
creator OF the language of German literature.
He proposed the incompatible German school
system, with compulsory education. He was
the earliest champion of higher education for
women. He wanted to see all the arts aud sci
ences fostered and in the service OF God. He
loved and composed music prepared the first
collection of sacred songs. and introduced con
gregaIional singing. His foresight in civil and
social matters was remarkable He cOntended
for the separation of church and state. He
warned Germany concerning her ntemperance
He suggested our charity organization society
three centuries ago. He encouraged husbandry
He was beforehand with antt-monOpoly views
His mind was worldwide. His courage
tenderness aud humOr are pre.emnent
His moderation and tolerance seem
almost paradox in such IL character.
He would have unessential things go as they
would or stay. He made.uO war on music or art
ID the churches
The speaker spoke OF his personal appearance,
and closed with estimates of the man by Heine,
Lesslng schlegel. Carlyle, Colerdge, Southey,
Wesley, Bunyan. Hedge, Fisher. Stowe, Froude,
Clarke, and others.