Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-05
Of THE REFORMATION.
ces in the Evangelical Lu'
i,t,nrcl, Yesterday in Common

ces in the Evangelical Luz
Church Yesterday in Common
IN of a ssreat Event-The Posting
he Ninety-five ProPOsitiOns-An
lie sermon by the Pastor.
he annual festival in celebration
f the commencement Of the Reforma-
nation was held yesterday in the Evan
,ralical Lutheran Church, of which Kew.
mr. " :. Bowman Is pastor. A large
CONGREGATION participated IN the eXer-
eises. The members Of the SUNDAY
school. including the teachers, were as
signed seats in the choir gallery, and
rendered the choral, the bat
tie bvmn Of the Reformation, and chants
in a most acceptable manner. Professor
Schreiner presided at the organ. and exc
cuted the music with fine effect.
The intr0it and prayer, as prescribed III
the ritual of the church for the day, was
offered by the pastor.
LuthOr posted his 50 propositions on
the door of the Cathedral at Wittenberg,
and this act was the first public declara-
ton of Martin Luther that inaugurated
the Reformation. The Lutheran Churcn
l. accustomed to celebrate this event on
the SUNDAY which falls nearest TO that
date. and Dr. Bowman, IN his sermon
yesterday. took as his theme: The
i-burch Of the Reformation and Her
Influence on the World" the text being
from Ist Thess.. v, y, which reads
prove all things: hold fast that which Is
good" He then went on to say that
..tbis inspired and eminently practlcal
admonIti0n of the Apostle IS worthy o.
careful consideration in all departments
Of human life. but most particularly IN
matters pertaining TO religious taltn. All
men have religious faith Of some KIND.
They are Jews. Heathens, MOhammedans,
or Christians in some Of the senses deslg-
mated bY these terms. Now, the testl-
monv bv which the Apostle would have
rs t.prOve'' the inherent and relative
value of these several systems Is, hrst OF
all. the inspired Word OF God.
/ Then he would have US to study
narrowly the practical workings
| al these systems in the history, civiliza-
ton. enlightenment, Jurisprudence and
prOsperitv of the different nations OF the
/ earth. and that which stands as proved
I by the word of God.
/ The speaker then referred to the cOrrup-
/ ti0ns of the church and the consequent
/ corruption Of society in the sixteenth
| century. which made reformation
/ necessary. Christianity, ne Oh
/ served. SIS not the work of man whose
/ Iahors pass away and are forgotten. IL Is
| the work of God. who uphOlds what lie
/ has created. and it has the promise OF It's
/ Divine Head as the pledge Of its duration.
! The manner in which this Divine truth
Z 5pOiUting TO the Bible was brought FORTH
/ the deep Obscurity Of clustered superstl-
/ ton is too we'll known to need repe-
I titiOn. Luther, the WOnderIul agent
/ whom God employed to restore His truth
| 10 the church and TO the world, Is
| household word throughout Chrlstendom'
| Dr. GOebel. in his work on Luther ana the
| Reformed Church. SAYS. FIRST AT W lIteh-
berg. and not long after at Zurich when
at the beginning of the sixteenth century
| the nIlnesss of Gods time had been
| reached. there blazed up ilre which had
long been hidden beneath the ashes. IL
burst into a mighty flame. The tarthest
I horizon Of northern Europe grew bright
as with some wondr0us display Of electric
/ light. the reflection of which touched
with its glory the remote south, even 10
Z italy and Spain. The truth which had
/ been set free moved with bold steps to the
I conquest of the hearts of men.
The speaker then explained the doe
/ triues OF the Lutheran Church, and re-
marked that lin so far as these doctrines
/ have been incorporated into the creeds OF
| other churches. those churches are really
Lutheran to that extent
In conclusion. DR.. Bowman stated thai
the Evangelical Lutheran Church now
breaches the gospel of Christianity II
thirtv-three different languages, and hel
I 5000. 900 Of communicates are so dls
| persed around the globe that the sun OF
/ Heaven never sets upon them.