Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1883-11-15
MARTIN LUTHER.
Four Hundredth Anniversary
of the Great RefOrmcr's Birth.

uAI\ Ilt LO HIN.
| Four Hundredth Anniversar
Ofthc Great RefOrmer's Birth.
THE TWENTY-FIVE THESES
Rapid Grow th of Professionalism Dul
ing Tl'ree Hr16-'e ed and Fifty
Years.
On Saturday, November 10, oc
Cured the four hundredth ami
versary of an event which mark
one of the greatest religious epoch
of the worlds history-viz.. th
birth of Martin Luther. He was no
known as a great thcologian, 70
others of his time ranked mucl
higher; but he was the one mai
who had the courage to expos
and oppose the mass of corruption
which he found existing in th'
Church of Rome, and had daret
to be faithful to the true princi
pies of tho Church to which hi
had dedicated his life. He was borr
in the age of great deeds by noble
hearted men. He was but ninC
years of age when Columbus sail
ed for the New World (America);
the printing press was invented;
Dante had given TO the word In.
ferno' and Virgil had produced
'Eneid;' the renaissance of art
had been started by the master
spirits, Raphael and Michael An
gelo, and the latter had planned
the greatest cathedral of the world
(St. Peter's) at Rome. Extrav-
agance and profigacy character
lied tie majority Of Ita]y's rulers;
even the popes were contaminated
by the restless spirit Of the age
and used their position for private
gain, as we'll as for the advance.
ment of the interests of the
church. Henry VIII. had rebelled
against the Pope's authority;
Charles V. of Spain and Francis I.
of France were tring to extend
their dominions, and used the aid
Of the Church or openly defied it
rs best suited their plans. Saw
had done noble work as a
pioneer in preparing the path for
hose who followed him in en-
leavoring to purify the Church.
like Luther neither threats nor
,ribes could turn him from the
Straightforward performance of
What he considered his duty.
CHILDHOOD. ssst--
Martin Luther was born at
Gisle ben, little town among the
forest mountains in
he heart of Germany, on NOvem-
,er 10, 1883, and was the eldest
hid of miner, Hans Luder, and
lis wife, Margaret. His name
vas also written at the time Lu,
|er. Ludher nd Leuder. The pres
mt form appears after he entered
professorship at Whitten berg.
nd has been considered a person
i name equivalent to Lothar, sig
flying one who is distinguished
S a leader. His childhood was
influenced by tho piety and up
ichtness of his parents, but all
outhful enthusiasm was checked
V their harsh domestic discipline.
i lille at school he shared the
igid duties of the monks, who in
tructed himself and classmates,
Ding from door to door singing
arois and begging food. In this
7ay he was brought before the no
ice of a LADY Of culture, Nine.
Ursula Gotta, the incidents OF the
id which she was the means OF
recurring for him being fully giv>
n in the we'll known chronicles |
f the Schon5 5erg Gotta Family
the Erfurth University /
n 1901 to pursue his studies, he
aw in the library OF that institu-
ion. for the first time in his life, a
opv of the Bible. He had been |
tudying law, but determined to |
hanee his course of study and
evote his life to the Church. Sew
raj tragic incidents confirmed |
his resolution. He was prOstra- |
ed by a dangerous illness, one of |
is intimate college friends had
,een assassinated, and as he was
eturning to the university after a
acation he was overtaken by a
thunderstorm so violent that he
owed to dedicate his life to the
ervice of God if he were delivered
rom the danger of the storm. He
ntered the Augustlnian monas-
cry and began his religious life
uly II, 1906. He was disappoin-
ed iu the life he found here, but
vas convicted that the Gospel
Ian of salvation by faith and not
" works was the foundation OF a !
rue religion and here first learned
o turn to Christ for the forgive
less of his sins and the saving of
lis soul, finding in this the peace
le had sought for in vain else
yhere. This was the beginning
# his doctrine of justification by
aith, which was the keynote OF
lis work of reform and which to
his day remains one of the leads
ng doctrines of the Lutheran
hurch. The neglect Of this doc
rine was one of the leading caus-
IS of the corruption in the Roman
Catholic church of that time and
opened the way for Luther to open
he Sacred Scriptures that the neo
lie might Judge for themselves
md not take the word as inter,
,re ted by corrupt priests.
THE SALE OF INDULGENCES.
In the year 1910 the treasury at
Rome .Tas unable to provide the
means for building St Peters, and
;oon the plan for selling indul-
senres was resorted to by Pone Leo
<. as a means of filling the empty
.reasury. This traffic was intrusted
10 q monk named John Tetzel and
1thore. This man would enter the
villages ENID ringing Of bells, and
with all the pomp and pageantry
he could command he would, says