Daily Republican., 1883-11-10
MARTIN LUTHER.
A SKETCH OF TIE LSYE AND La.
DOa0 Or THE GREAT
Rk1OMED.

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Tomorrow tho four huudredth ami
versary Of the birth Of Martin Luthe
will be celebrated In many christian
churches throughout the world, and 1t
an event Of such great importance tha
itmay be we'll to give brief review O
the life and history Of this man, who
In the fifteenth century, exerted al
influence that las descended dow,
through nearly four centuries, aud vii
endure while time shall Inst. Th,
words uttered by Charles Wesley wbel
dying that "tho workmen die, but tn
work goes on" applies with peculiar
fitness to the great refOrmer
Martin Luther was born In Eislebel
in lower Saxony in 1893, Of poor bu
pious parents His father, Hans Luther
was miner, anil shortly after hi
birth settled with his family at Mans
field. The mother was very pioul
woman, and probably the lessons sh'
taught him In infancy had great efisc
in shaping his character and influencing
him in after life Though his parent,
were poor they managed to give him al
excellent education, during the progress.
Of which he gave many Indications o
uncommon vig0r and acuteness o
genius. Az her mind was naturally
susceptible Of serious impressions, and
tinctured with somewhat Of that re.
ligious melancholy which delights N
the solitude and devotion Of o monastit
life, he retired into monastry of Angus
tinan friars, where he soon acquired
great reputation, not only for his piety
but also for his love of knowledge and
unwearied application to study.
He had been taught the scholastic
philosophy W hich was in vogue In
those days.. and made considerab ble pro-
gress In 1t, but happening to find a copy
Of the Bible which laid neglected In the
library at tho monastry, he applied
himself to the study of it with such
eagerness and assiduity that he aston
ished the monks, and increased his
reputation for saDctity 80 much that he
was chosen professor first of philosophy
and after wards Of theology in Witten.
burg on the Elbe. where Frederic,
eIector Of Saxony, had founded q uni.
versity.
During this time he was passing
through severe mental struggle, and
his daily life seems to have been sue.
cession Of conflicts. The writers of that
day say that he spent many hours on
his knees with his bible before him,
seeking and praying for guidance or
consolation. He had been ordain ed a
priest in 1908. and after he was appoint.
ei to the professionally at Wittenburg,
his powerful mind soon showed itself,
and he threw off the fstters of scholas.
tic philosophy and as serted the rights
OF reason.
At this time Tetzel, a Dominica
friar, came to Wittenburg In order TO
publish indulgences. Luther beheld
his success with great concern, and hav.
ing first inveighed against indulgences
from the pulpit, he afterwards publish
ed ninety five theses, containing his
sentiments on the subject. He did not Of.
fer these as points fully established, but
as subjects OF inquiry and disputation,
and appointed day on which the
learned were invited to impugn them
either in person or writing. No oppo.
uent appeared at the time fixed, and the
consequence was the theses spread over
Germany with astonishing rapiiity,
and we're read with the greatest eager
ness.
Although Luther met with no opposi.
ton for a short time after he began to
publish his new doctrines, 1t was not
long before many Jealous champions
arose to defend those opinions with
which the wealth and power Of the
priests were no strictly connected. The
powers at Rome which had at first de.
spised these new doctrines and disputes
also turned their attention to them, and
IN 1913 the Pope summoned Luther to
appear at Rome, within sixty days,
before the auditor of the chamber.
letter was also sent by the Pope to
the el 'ctor Of Saxony, beseeching him
moi to give any protection TO the man
whose heretical and prOfane tenets
were 30 shocking topious ears. He also
enJoined the provincial of the August.
mans to check, by bis authority, the
rashness ofwhat he termed an arrogant
monk, which had already brought dis
grace upon their order, and gave ofiense
and disturbance to the whole church.
One of Luther's enemies, named Prier-
iuS, who had written against him, and
opposed him In every way, was appoint
ed to examine his doctrines and to de- |
eide concerning them. From these facts
Luther saw what sentence he might ex
ptct should he obey the papal summons
and 20 to Rome, and therefore made
every effort TO hare his case tried in
Gernany, before less suspicious tri-
bunal. He wrote q submissive letter
"the Pope, In which he promised an
uhreserved obedience to his will, for
ay't he entertained no doubt of the
alylne origin of the Pope's authority.
rms letter was accompanied by others
rom several professors. and the Pope's
,,esate in Germany was appointed to
hear aud determine the cause, and Lu
thrr appeared before him without hest.
tatiou.
The legate, however, seemed to consid
crit beneath his dignity to dispute with
aperson NO much his inferior In rank,
ana therefore required him, by virtue
o' his apostolic powers, to retract what
he had uttered In regard to indulg-nces,
ana abstain In the future from the pub
'ca'ions of his dangerous opinions, and
concluded by fOrbidding him TO even
appear In his presence, unless he would
Promise to comply with bis require
Hthis.
rne naughty and violent manner of
,'e iosate convinced Luther and his
,rends that unless he secretly with
a'ew from Augsburg, where he had
gone to meet the legate, lie would be in
serious danger, and he accordingly re
'a'hed to his own country. The legate
Srnr"gtd At this, wrote to the eleotOr of
oAHony to arrest the seditious monk
auI send him close prisoner to Rome,
vi Danish him from his territories. The
s,"gCtor, however, refused to comply
,H''h either of these requests, and open
Expressed his great concern for Lu-
'0,I's safety.
Matters, an far "a Luther was con-
IIIf'ted, continued to grow worse, and
M %'' theses against indulgences was con-
W"1mned IN heritical and burnt, but even
"'', joined with the threats and mt.
o' ""es Of the clergy, had not the effect of
"i'ihg him to recant or recetle from his