The Portland daily press., 1883-11-12


of Luther, the great Ratormer, and the event
was properly noticed in several Of the
churches. Abstracts izom the sermons deliy-
cred are as follows:
aT. LAWRENCE STREET
Rev. Mr. Wright preached from the text,
mighty in words and deeds, Acts vii, %.
Such was Moses; such also was Martin Luther.
The might of Moses lay ia his wisdom and
faith. Herein, too, lag the power of Luther.
Luther became wise in the knowledge of Di-
vine truth, and was made strong in his faith
in the God of truth. Luther had his INDIAN
like Moses,-the time OF secusion, study and
struggle with self. AS Moses cana forth from
the obscurity of the wilderness to meet God
at the burning bush, and receive his commits
sion, so Luther, disciplined and taught of God,
emerged from the narrow cell of an Angus
tiniaD convent, to be the leader of religious
thought, and the champion of religious liberty
in Germany.
All great moral epochs have been preceded
by great minds. Moses came before the deliv-
erance of Israel; Elijah came before the over
throw of Baal; Josiah came before the down.
ward career of Israel was checked; SO Luther
came before the Protestant Reformation.
There were reformers before Luther's day,
but no reform. Wycliffe in England, Uuss
in Bohemia, and Savonarola in Italy, were
true reformers, but none of them inaugurated
reform. They were the John Baptsts of the
Reformation.
When Savonar0la was burned in Italy in
1893, Martin Luther was lad of fifteen years
in the school of the wise Trebonius at Else
mach. We must know something of the early
history of this German lad, if we would know
by what process, in the providence of God, the
tanners son of Eisleben was prepared to stand
for truth, against the whole power Of Rome.
Luther's humble parentage, his early pow
erty, his university training and conventical
life were rapidly sketched by the preacher.
The manifest leadings of Divine Providence
in his preparatory studies and conflicts with
self were dwelt upon, especially in his appoint
ment to the professorship at Wittenburg, and
his mission to Rome.
Luther could not be hidden. In most re-
markable manner he was turned from the pur-
suit of the law to the study of the Word of
God. To profound knowledge OF Scripture
was added the personal knowledge Of Rome,
which he entered an adoring pilgrim, but
which he left in holy indignation and sorrow.
Amid the outward splendor and glory of Rome
find purity and light he found corruption and
perversion. Shocked and grieved beyond ex-
preston he fled back to Germany. The revul-
sion in his thought and feeling made him o
Protestant and reformer.
When the iniquitous trade in indulgences
began in Saxony, under Tetzel, Luther was
prepared to act and speak. He posted his the
ses upon the church door of Wittenburg. A
mighty deed, which made the 31st of October,
1917, the most memorable day in modern histo-
ry. Then followed mighty words, which fell
thick and fast upon the astonished ears of men.
A new prophet had arisen; "a Daniel had
come to judgment Who can doubt that Luz
theirs act was inspired? Luther knew not
what he had done. Not until afterward did he
realize the momentous Significance of his act
then he declared that he chad kindled fire
that would burn until the judgment day."l
The papai accommodation followed. Luz
Their retaliated by burning in public the Pope's
bull and decretals, and made most solemn
protest against the authority of Rome, and APP
pealed from the Pope to a general council of
the empire. That protest and appeal was the
declaration that the Catholic church may ex-
ist apart from the Papacy, and that man may
be Catholic Christian without being in COM
munion with Rome.
Luther was now an open enemy of Rome,
but all the more true friend of the church of
God.
At the Diet of Worms, Luther stood, not
fearless but invincible. His prayer. offered
before he faced that august assembly, shows
the secret of his strength. He stood, with
God, for the truth, which he priced more than
life. By his faith in God, and intrepidity be-
fore his powerful enemies, he indicated the
two great principles of the reformation the
supremacy of the word of God, and the right
There is nothing moro wonderful in history
than Luther's preservation from the wrath of
the papal power. We read in it the providen-
tial care of God, who had more work for Luth-
or to do. Driven into exile, Luther had time
to perform the greatest literary work of his
age, the translation of the Bible into the Ian
guage of the German people. 1t remains q
monument OF learning and patient toll, a won
drous boon to Germany. Luther was great in
ability aud character and his work is great in
results. III iG diffinut tn ont tba
who has lived in the 337 years since his death,
whose influence has been so powerful for good
in the world "That there is any faith or pie
ty alive in Europe now" says Froude, sis due
in large measure to the miners son, born
400 years ago." Lutber's work was world
wide IN its benefcent results. Germany
owns him SIS her most ilustrious son. The
world claims him as its benefactor. Charles
", thought that the fatal mistake of his reign
was in not crushing Luther. He might have
destroyed the reformer. but the principles Of
Luther, and the spirit of Luther would have
survived. as they do this day, an unfailing
source of strength and inspiration to all Protes-
tant believers
PINE STREET.
Rev. J. M. Williams, the pastor of Pine
Street Methodist Church, selected as his text
Phil. 1880, and chose for his theme "The
Wellington of the Christian Church" After
referring briefly to the use of the Napoleonic
power, and the dream Of universal empire by
which the great Napoleon was enchanted and
deluded, Mr.. Williams drew the scene of his
final overthrow by Wellington at Waterloo.
1t was the check not to empire, but to a par
ticular phase and pretension of empire. So
Luther stood forth in the sixteenth century
not to overthrow Christianity, for he believed
in it, but to check certain specious claims and
monstrous pretensions that the great Roman
church was making in the name of Christian
ity. The discourse then ran along the relie-
ious life and work of Luther. He was born in
Eisleben, Nov. 10th, 1883, of reputable par
ents In moderate circumstances, strict il not
austere, in their religious lives. In early life
he Joined the Augustinian order of monks
He visited Rome in 1910. When he came in
sight of the Eternal City he fell on b is knees
and exclaimed, Hail, sacred Romel thrice
hallowed with the blood of martyrsl" He was
full OF honest fervor and pious credulity, but
for his strong credence. He discovered that
the heads OF Peter and Paul were but bad
carvings in wood; and after climbing the stairs
of PLATE concluded that not thus do "the Just
live by faith" In the absence OF the Provin-
cial, Stanpitz, he visited the cloisters of Mis-
mia and Thuringis in 1913 when his eyes were
opened to the corruptions among the people
and the clergy.
The traffic in indulgences was at this time
entrusted TO thelArchbishop of Magdebury for
Germany, and this prelate employed one John
Tetzel to effect the sale. A certain percentage
was to go towards completing st. Peters at
Rome. The unblushing methods of this man
with his holy wares excited the indignant pro-
test of Luther. This was the immediate cause
of his mailing his ninety-fve theses upon the
door of the castle church, October 81, 1917. In
these he declared himself ready to show that
distinction is to be made between the internal
repentance, which is of the heart, and the ex-
ternal thing of confession and satisfaction.
After some efforts at reconciliation by Cardi-
nal Cajetan and others, Luther finally APP
pealed in October, 1918, from "our moet holy
master, Leo x, lily informed, to Leo x, to be
better informed" Then followed the cele-
brated disputation at Leipsic between Luther
and DIR. Eek, which lasted from June 26 to
July 16, 1919. A bull Of condemnation, dated
June l6, 1920, was brought into Germany BY
Or. Eek on the following September, and this
being burnt by Luther before the gate at Wit.
.enburg, where Luther was now professor on
The 10th of December, the bull of excommuni-
cation was issued Janury 6, 1921.
The Papal legate now demanded the ban of
the empire against Luther, but the imperial
estates would not permit it until he had been
heard. The Emperor, Charles V, granted
safeguard, and Luther repaired to Worms,
against the urgent advice of his friends, say
ing. "ThOugh there were az MANY devils in