The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-12
MAYFLOWER CHURCH.
Rev. N. A. Hyde's Views of the Work of the
Great Reformation.

Rev. N. A. Hyde's Views of the Work of the
Great Reformation.
Rev. N A. Hyde preached at MayfiOwer
Church yesterday morning, reviewing the work
of Luther. After taking his text from Galatians,
IT'LL, 1.-THE just shall live by faith" He said:
1t is given to but few men, after four centuries
from their birth, to receive such honor as is TO-
asy rendered TO the great German reformer
rms commenorat1on means that he won a vic
tory for freedom, for the truth, which has made
all ChristendOm his debtor. Nothing can be
more wholesome than q review OF the heroic
deeds, the virtues of the brave monk who defed
the tyranny and corruptions Of the ff-
teenth century, Looking at the origin
and early life OF Luther We find he came from
hnmole parentage, and was disciplined in the
school of penury and hardship. When God
wanted leader to take his oppressed church
ont of bondage in Egypt he found him in the
Hebrew child given to the peris of tile river to
escape greater danger of death. If q king ia
wanted to establish the throne of Israel, he finds
strong, heroic spirit is wanted to deliver the
church from the bondage OF ecclesiastical
tyranny and superstition, Coo finds his chosen
instrument in the family of a poor miner
of Esleben Thurlngia. Speaking OF himself
Luther says: II ALI a peasants son. Ny father
was q poor nline-digGer, anu my MOI her did
carry her wood on heI shoulders, and after this
sort did they support us, rheiF children, They
had sharp, bitter experience of it," His child
hood was one of hardship. According TO the
custom of the age the discipline of the home was
severe, and he suffered not "a little from the rod
The schools he attended he describes as '.purga-
tories, his teachers tyrants aud taskmasters."
He literally begged his bread by singing from
house TO house, His suffePings at times were
extreme. Looking back atterward he did not
complain, but attributed 10 this hard
experience the strength of his character AL
luding to HE own case, he said: ut is Gods way,
of beggars to make men of power, just as lie
made the world out of nothing"
Luther was destined for conflicts. He was 10
be the bOldest figure in the greatest upheaYal of
society that Europe had SEEN A preparation
for his mission was required. He must himself
have experience of inward struggle and conflict:
spiritual transformation must be wrought in
him before he is fit to take the
field as reformer. No chapt
IN his life is more Interesting than the narration
of his struggle AZ monk TO ind peace OF CON
science. No man ever Tried more honestly tho.
penances ana tasks imposed by the medieval
church. But these only plunged him itt0 deeper
doubt. II was like lie from IAe dead when he
found in the chained Bible of his convent the
truth OF forgiveness of sins aud Justification by
faith. BY this blessed truth his soul was eman-
eipated from it's thraldOm. He was free
man in Christ Jesus. With this truth that
had freed him, he was to break the chains with
which an eccesiastleal hierarchy had bound the
conscience of the Christian world. This expe-