The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-08
[zion's Advocated
Martin Luther.

November 10, 1883, four hundred years
ago, Martin Luther was born in Eisleben,
in Lower Saxony, Germany. 1t was St.
Martins day, and in commemoration of this
fact he received his name, Martin. 1t is
worthy of note that from humble homes, for
the most part, came the great leaders of the
| Reformation. Luther's father was farm
er and miner; Melancthon's an armorer,
and lwinglis shepherd. Luther was the
nrst child of his young parents, John and
Margaret Luther. The name as then writ
ten, says Kostlin, was Luder, also Ludher,
and Leuder. He adds: "The present form
we fist find proceeding from Luther HIM
self, after he had become professor at
| Wittenberg, before he entered upon his ref
ormation controversies, and from him first
the other branches of the family adopted it.
The name is not originally family name,
but personal name equivalent to Lothar,
which according to its etymology means,
one who is distinguished as leader" How
prophetic OF the great Reformer's careerl
The house in which Luther was born is still
standing, and is used as a school for poor
children.
The prominent facts in Luther's life we
can only briefly sketch. He went to school
at Magdeburg in 1897, and at Eisenach in
| 1893. In 1901 he entered the University at
Erfurt. 1t was his fathers purpose that he
| should enter the profession of law, but the
| sudden death of an intimate friend, and his
Own narrow escape from death by lightning,
| led him TO renounce the world, and he en-
| tered the Augustinian Monastery at Erfurt
| in 1905. La 1903 he was elected professor of
| philosophy at Wittenberg. In 1910 he visit
ed Rome. In 1912, having been made doc
tor OF theology, he was transferred to the
chair OF theology in the University. In 1916,
while visiting the cloisters of Misnia and
Thuringia, his eyes were opened to the cor
ruptions of the church. In 1917 he strenu-
ously opposed indulgences, in condemnation
OF which, Oct. 81, at midday, he affixed to
the door of the castle church at Wittenberg
his ninety-fiye theses. In 1921 he was sum-
| moned by the Emperor, Charles ", to ap
pear before the Diet at Worms, where he
boldly defended himself, but was declared
| an outlaw. On his return, at Alterstein, in
| The Thuringian Forest, he was seized by
| masked horsemen, acting under orders from
| his friend, the elector OF Saxony, and taken
| to the Wartburg, where he remained in dis
| guise ten mouths, emp Toying his time in
| preparing translation of the New Tesla
ment. He was then recalled to Wittenberg
| on account of the presence of the Zwickau
| prophets, who had won over Carlstadt to
| their views, and had made an impression
| even on MelancthOn. Luthers victory was
complete, and the work of reform was CON
| tinued in the direction he had already given
it. In 1925 he married Catherine Won Bora.
In 1929 he had an interview with Zwingli at
Marburg, when an unsuccessful attempt
was made to harmonic their diver gent
views in reference to the Lords Supper
| his most important labors between 1921 and
1884 were in connection with his translation
OF the Bible, which he completed in the lat
| ter year. His last literary work was COM
| mentary on Genesis, which he began in 1885
and finished in 1915. Early in the follow
ing year he went to Esleben to settle QUAR-
rel between the Counts of Mansfield. While
there he was taken suddenly i'll, and died
Feb. IL. 1t was the wish of the people at
Eisleben that he should be buried there
but the Elector ordered otherwise, and his
remains were taken to Wittenberg, and
buried in the castle church.
Carlyle's estimate of Luther is Just one
Il will call this Luther true great man
great in intellect, in courage, affection and
integrity; one of our most lovable and pre-
cious men. A right-spirted hero and
prophet; once more a true son of nature
and fact, for whom these centuries, and
many that are to come yet, will be
thankful to heaven.'' To use the
reformer's own words, he was "rough
boisterous. stormy, and altogether war
like, born to fight innume-able devils
and monsters, to remove stumps and stones
to cut down thistes and thorns, and to clear
the wild woods" But it is doubtful if one
less rugged and bold could have accomplished
what Luther accomplished Sturdy blows
were needed in order to destroy abuses SO
firmly established. There is no need that
we call atteBti ton to what Luther failed to
do. We will remember now only the good
which he accomplished, and rejoice that we
have been permitted on these western shores
and at this distant day, to enjoy the fruits Of
these far-reaching labors.