Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-12

descrip ption as above of the historical dec
orations of the church for this occasion, by
saying that he should endeavor to give
short and succinct detail of the life and
work of the great reformer, whose four
Century birthday the world has united to
celebrate with commemorative services,
which ee was more fully able to do by an
illustrated map OF Saxopy, drawn for that
purpose.
Luther's great work was wrought in the
fifteenth and sixteenth Centuries, and no
saoh similar centuries can exist upon this
earth until Jesus shall again appear in his
second coming. 1t was at time when super
stition and ignorance long IL the ascen-
dency, had been dispelled by the light of
knowledge and education and especially
IN Germany and Switzerland. The people
had become dissatisfied with the forms of
their religion, restless under its glaring
inconsistencies, and felt there was some
thing wrong in it and out of joint. They
were in the midst of an age of invention
and progress and had discovered the print
ing press, the mariners compass and
gunpowder, which were in measure to
reyolutionize the old customs of the world,
and their minds being brought up from a
half civilized state to that of full intelIi-
gence, they began to feel the yoke Of i'm
perial papal power in their
religion, while they retained
their belief in God. In Saxony the
people we're in the same condition at this
time as the English people were under the
reign of William the Conquerer, and like
them began to feel the infiction of being
ruled by foreign powers, especially in their
spiritual matters, and felt the necessity
that Germans rule Germany ,and that their
diets be held in their own country instead
of being subject to the will and dictation
of the Roman empire.
They began to realizs the principles for
which John Huss died a martyr in 1415,
and for which other men of mind had fall
len in the trenches for the purpose of max
ing bridge of their bodies over which the
reformers of the centuries in which they
lived could march to victory against the
superstitions and arrogance of the Romish
papal power 10 which all the princes of
Saxony then bent the knee in worship.
Such was the state of affairs in Saxony
when Martin Luther was born, Nov. 10,
1893, just four hundred years ago. His
parents brought him up rather vigorously,
his mother having punished him until the
blood flowed for stealing single hazel
nut, while he was once punished at school
fifteen times in a single day. In 1901 he
attended parish school and begged his
bread in the streets, and contrary to the
desires of his parents entered convent
| in which was the best library then existing
in Germany, when new world seemed to
be opened to him in persistent reading
and study, In the pursuit of which be only
! recreeted in learning music and to play
upon musical instruments.
Here ia 1905, while walking with fel-
low student in the open air, it is recorded
that bolt of lightning fell from an insig-
nifcant cloud in almost a clear sky, and
| killed the companion by his side, which
had suoh an influence upon his mind that
he decided to become monk and preach,
which decision made his father very angry,
who wished him rather to become teacher
| of philosophy; and although be was pres
ent when Martin was ordained he was very
melancholy and sad, and viewed the pro-
ceedipg so lnauspiciOusiy as TO say tc him,
| You better look out lest you be on the
track Of the devil.'
Previous to his ordination his brother
monks were very jealous of his intellectual
powers, aud fearing his prominence sub
jected him to the humblest and meanest
occupations about the monastery, such as
the bringing Of weter, building dres, scrub
biug the floors, etc. for the space of two
years, which he bore with patience and
still continued to pursue his studies with
unabstsd vIgor and diligence.
Soon after his ordination Frederick OF
Saxony founded the university of Witten-
berg for the education of the young men
of his dukedom, whittier Luther went and
where his future was largely shaped. Here
he met celebrated teacher who was a
vicar general of the Romish church but of
the MOST liberal ideas, though with great
love for ths papal religion. Luther was
constantly troubled in his mind by his sins,
both great and small, and was continually
analyz yzing himself to prevent their COM
mitment, and doing the severest penanee
therefor almost vigorously for those mi
eroscopic ss we'll as Of more magni-
tude. This friend, who had q full
Bible which he made his guide, convinced
Luther that he had better be sorry for his
larger sias, but that there was little need
of self-infiicted or mortally prescribed
penance for these, as the Lord alone could
forgive both great and small, and Luther
found new religious light dawnlng upon
1 LIS SCNA AL tAEcO tSuSAAAESf tAC 1CohAIH Ok
the true gospel and some ''hereticsl ser
mons preached and published $50 years
before, and for which the author unac-
ceuntsbly escaped burning at the stake
The peculiar passage which seemed to
have altered LRther's views, in connection
with other teachings and readings was
THE just shall live By faith, By simple
con6ding trust in the Lord Jesus Christ
At the age of -, Luther was made pro-
fessor OF philosophy il Witten0erg uni
vsTsity, and his friend and teacher, the
vicar general of the province, hsyiag bear
threatened with accommodation by the
Romilh church, delegated him as an am
besssdor to Rome in his behalf. This visit
which lasted two weeks, decided Luther IL
mis- future course, coupled with the fac
that the people we're waiting for Just such
g reformstory lssder, and pushed him for
ward without his having any volition in OF
thought of such a sequence. From tht
pure aud primitive Catholic worship O.
Ssxony with its plain fare and coarse gar
ments and strict adherence TO old forms
and tenents, he passed over the Alps int
Italy where he found an entirely iifferer
state OF affairs. Here sumptueusness enS
msgnifcerce snd the non-piety and arro
gance OF The priesthood, against which n
raised his voice Oh more than one occasion
and vss told 10 mind his business, sen
him home outraged in all his feelings q