The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-11-15
MARTLN LETHER

MARTIN LUTHER.
e celebration of the fourth cente.
of the birth of the central figure OF
Reformation has again brought that
Irkable man prominently To view
re the civilized world and the fol
ng intelligent analysis of his work
character from the pen OF Captain
~ King, of the st. Louis Globe
ocrat, will be of interest at this
artin Luther was enc Of those strong,
ed characters founded on the bed
of deep personal convictions and
mitable courage, who occasionally
IN the sluggish "tIde OF times" TO
tie the stagnant waters and shake
.ity TO its center. The condition
ssary To such AN upheaval rs the
rmatiOn is the awakening
honest natures 10 the abuses
IN have crept into the forms of
age and TO the inadequacy Of the Gus.
to meet the wants OF developing
iZation which must ever have ret.
ce 10 the truth OF things as near as
n be apprehended by an imperfect
an understanding. The time was
for Luther or he would have been
he'd. He had but to speak. and the
ss gathered around him which were
TO protect him and preserve him TO
a long and active, albeit stormy,
lie was the kind of hero in which
/ vie delights-a man TO rise in his
strength and give utterance 20 the
lght that is in him and To live up to
thought, though profit, comfort
so far as he knows, the approval OF
are denied him thereby. Such in
| Qualities rise like mountains on the
n of humanity, often unconscious OF
rown greatness, but nevertheless the
I .rnation Of power.
. he application of vigorous and
hiring moral aud intellectual force 10
practices of the church in the early
of the sixteenth century would have
luccd a reform within that body il
AL been PERMITTED TO prevail within
The abuses which gave Luther his
hold we're not long aiterward, per
not then, sustained 10y good Catho-
though the fundamental principle
IN which he built WAS essentially
Catholic. lie went directly To the
+ L. for his belief, and acknowledged
intervention. Justification mus
he by faith alone. The old
\ plastic philosophy was dead tC
mere rubbish which blocked the
4 10 clear conviction. He swept n
e and went directly TO what appear
hto him to be the center o
Jgs. He had no intention or going
F,Ide the church, but there was M
ding in the man and he was eXcnm
'aicated. The sale of indulgences be
his eyes brought from him a pro
against this proclamation of holy
igs which grew into the declaration
the Pope had no power ~ forgive
]. lie pasted DIncty-five theses OF
subject ON the doors of Schlosskirch,
7 Vhittenberg, and sent copy of then
he archbishop at Madgeburg praying
he would put an end 10 this wicked
3 in his bishOpric. This was the
biting of the torch and the era of the
formation began in earnest. Relig
excitement prevailed throughout
rope and Professionalism took a firm
] ON existence. or course there haC
u manifestations of il before, but il
instance il came in the fullness q
e, and princes and univers
and scholars and who'll
sses of people joined q
c it an irresistible strength. NJ
70 was il To be stamped out by ih'
4 gers of Rome. 4 bull of eXcOmmu
alton was directed against Luther
the document was burnt in public b,
relormer with the professors ant
tents of the | University of WittenberI
und him. There was no longer an,
nee for reconciliation.
'urther emphasis and detinitenes
gwen 10 the great movement bv III
Dcarance before the Diet Of Worm:
ere he WAS called upon in the pres
q of the Emperor Charles '. and th
lrch and state dIgnitarIes To recan
where he uttered the memorabl
rds which form the key To his con
4 at Mess shall he refuted an
lvinced by testimonies of the HOl
'iptures, OF by public, clear an
dent arguments and reasons, l ca
and will not retract any
ne, since believe neither the Pop
the councils alone, both OF them hay
|, evidently often erred and contra
ted themselves. and since it is ne
7 safe nor advisable To do anythin
Nlinst the conscience. Here | stanC
An not do otherwise; God helD mt
zen" lie was placed under the ba
the empire, but il did not seriousl
crfere with the prosecution of n
rk. The storm which he had bee
,trumental in raising ragged aroun
n, and in some directions Protestan
ran into fauaticism, rs was perhaI
,vitahle. Then he turned again
)se who naturally expected suppo
IN him. lie was conservative in pc
-, and advised stern repression I
. ything like anarchy. He was d
rnest advocate of popular educatIo
q laborcd III behalf of the commC
hools. Luther was the type of Germs
lionaliiy. The German nAtlo
4yiliZed as IL is, has somethiu
rsh and uncouth about il. Luth
ls not refined. He was overbearII
Il dogmatic. jovial at times, fond (
ne and beer, which he INDUCED
ely, humorous and man of Yiolel
npsr. lie was very human. A dec
riousness, however. lay at the root I
; character. He was intense. Whe
did OF believed thing. II was VII
his might.
IL was inevitable that such a ma
ould err, and there are some things
Is life which II is difficult To hATmo
2 with his inherent goodness. Bt
At he was guided in the main by n
CHEST motives, loved God and ms
ld possessed an uDquenchahle faith
o promise of the Scriptures, there CO
no doubt. There is the majesty
|DnscieRtious strength in Luther's cha
ter. He is n grand figure of human
and compels the admiration oi tho
no can-see his errors AS well as Of tho
no can no..