Morning journal and courier., 1883-11-12
The Luther Anniversary.

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 Yesferday-The Four HundTedth Anni- versary of Luther s Birth.
 Yesterday the four hundredth anniversary of the birthday of Martin Luther was ob- served by commemorative sermons in various of the city pulpits. A synopsis of some of the discourses is given below Tg q
 THIRD ooNGREeATIoNAL CHURCH.
 Had the weather been more propitious, in- stead of indicating a coming shower, no doubt the congregation would have been larger to hear Dr. Dennen yesterday afternoon on Martin Luther. He gave in detail the lead ing and most striking events in the life of this wonderful man, tracing his life from child hood to maturity ''His Holiness" :" the Pope and the ecclesiastical council that tried Lu- ther had necessarily to take some hard knocks. Justification by faith, true contri- tion and sincere penitence for sin, confes- sion to God alone without the intervention of priest or prelate, the light of private opinion, and the freedom of discussion were shown to be the bulwark and basis of Protes- tant Christianity to which we owe the privi- leges we enjoy. "So help me God"- Luther WAS sustained by his be- lief in a personal God as al most every great man has been. This belief is as necessary for Christians to-day as it was for Luther. It is the source of the be- liever's usefulness and power. The eloquence logic and magnetic influence of the great re- former, as well as his translation of the Bible, were graphically portrayed and will long be remembered by those who heard it described. 'sSometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings" Had the gas light been turned on during the singing by the choir it might have surprised us, but 1t would have been extremely welcome.
 CENTER CHURCH.
 At Center church yesterday morning the pastor, Rev. Dr. Newman Smyth, preached on the subject of Luther and the Reforma ton. The discourse was very fine effort and brilliantly treated of the state of religion in Luther's time which led to his great and immortal work and of the life and character of the reformer, and the untold blessings which had followed the Reformation.
 AT ST. PAUL's.
 Rev. Mr. Lines at St. Paul's delivered studied and thoughtful discourse on the life and work of Martin Luther yesterday, deeply interesting his congregation, which was quite large.
 ST. JOHN STREET M. E. CHURCH.
 Rev. MT. Harris, at both the morning and the evening services yesterday, devoted the time to Luther and the Reformation. Both sermons were well worthy ofrepetition, being specially able. The choir in the evening, numbering thirty-five voices, Professor Jep- son director, sang finely among selections Luther's hymn, ''A strong castle is our Lord.'
 NORTH CHURCH.
 The attendance at the North church was quite full, larger indeed than on some pleas anter Sundays with no rain clouds threaten ing as they did yesterday. According to mo- tice given on last Sabbath the pastor made a very telling appeal for the contribution in behalf of aged or disabled ministers and their families, which was taken up before the sermon. This is the second contribution to this object in the twenty years since the fund was first established. The collection seemed good one.
 In remembrance of the four hundredth an- niversary of Luther's birth the chosen text was the motto and the war cry of the great reformer: ''The just shall live by faith" At the beginning of the sixteenth century, the period of Luther's life and work, so absurd and corrupt had the Christian religion (so SONSA4AA5 1@H practices had become intolerable. Wickliffe in England and John Huss in Germany in their lives and their deaths had shown the dawning light of the reformation. But to the great reformer Luther belongs the credit of pulling down the false doctrine of penance works, and human power to save from sin, and the establishing again the true ] foundation laid by Christ and his apostles | in their age and time. The doctrine of the oko e, oil ind in hn doofh nf 1 Christ, and the free grace of God, by which ! each one can come directly to God and find pardon and peace, as opposed to the teaching that priestly offices are necessary to salvation from sin, was established by the great | German reformer. Justification by faith, not by works, as clearly taught in the New Testament, is the great doctrine which Lu- ther re-established. Cheerfully to day true Christians everywhere unite in according praise and honor to him for four centuries Of religious freedom. The service of song was well rendered throughout, closing with Lu- thers hymn:
 GA mighty fortress is our God" etc. REV. DR. HAYWOOD AT TRINITY CHURCH.
 Dr. Harwood's evening sermon yesterday had for it's subject Martin Luther. In open ing he said: "A great nation has been for two days celebrating the anniversary of the
 
 down to the humblest village pastor, all classes of people have united to render honor to the name and achievements of Martin | Luther. Not Germany alone, but England, Switzerland and America have celebrated this glorious anniversary. Who shall say that the world is losing sight of it's Christian heroes? Eighty thousand children in pro- cession, the Emperor, Grown Prince, the great leaders of Germany, the professors in the great universities meeting to thank God for Luther, these attest the appreciation of | the people of this age of a man who lived l four hundred years ago. Luther touched | men in their hearts, in their hopes, in theil reason, in their aspirations.'
 The preacher continued speaking of Luth' | CTS early life briefly, his education, his re | solve to become monk, his life as professor in Wurtemburg, his disillusion about the l papacy after his visit to Rome, his increasing love of righteousness, the condition of ths ! church at his time, the practice of granting indulgences, Luthers strong fight against tht practice, eliminating in his mailing his thesel | denying the power of the priest to the dool of the castle church, the debate that followed | this act of defiance, which was, the preacher | explained, not meant to be declaration O. | war, the Reformation and Luther's leader l ship, his preaching and writing of tracts anG books, his large following in both the nobil
 ity and the lower classes, the papal bull oi accommodation against him and his treat ment of it. the Popes appeal to the Empero to save the church, Charles reply, the die of Worms. Dr. Harwood explained tho constitution of the diet briefly. He also de described Luther's trial and his subsequen life. The origin of the term Protestant wa
 also explained very fully and clearly. II
 conclusion the preacher mentioned brief,
 some of Martin Luther's personal defects, hi
 coarseness, his weakness as an organizer Luther labored to spread the gospel H
 wanted to see the poor and lowIy as we'll a
 the rich and powerful have the advantage o
 the Bible. His translation is still used il
 many churches of Germany. He was also
 musician and wrote many grand hymns whicl
 we sing now. He was great reasserter of
 spiritual religion, the greatest in that respec
 since Paul. He believed in and urged upol
 men with all the force of his strong nature
 direct personal allegiance to God. His nam
 is still great force. Calvin became to late
 generations Calvinism, but Luther did no
 become Lutherism. His name still stand
 representing his earnest life, noble deeds ant
 wonderful reformation.
 | MARTIN LUTHER AND HIS LIFE woRK-ADDREss
 Es BY REV. MIR. BUCK AND REV. DR &vINCEN AT THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH,
 l Tho Firuf Makhodiek choroL, 1,oo xnaI elIo