Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-10

Will nave jubilee at p. IN.
CONCORDIA
At COncordia church. Goth and G. streets reg
ular services in German will be held in the mora
ing. The discourse by the pastor, Rev l.. H.
Schneider. will treat of the Reformation and its
results. There will be special program of
music. with an orchestra of several pieces At
3 O'Clock in the afternoon the Sunday school
VIII nave Its celebration The members Of the
Bible Class viii recte life of Luther there will
oe music and singing by the children and an adj
dress by the pastor In the evening English
services Will be held. and the discourse Will
Dear on the results of the Reformation. The
church VIII DC appropriately decorated.
Martin Luther's Life.
Martin Luther was born at Eisleben. little
town among the Thuringian forest mountains in
the heart of Germany, on November 10th. 1883,
aad VAS the eldest Child OF a miner. Hans Luder,
and his wife, Margaret. His name was also
written at the time Luder. Ludher Liider and
Louder The present form appears after ne en-
tered prOiessOrsAip at Witteubcrs and has
been considered personal name equivalent to-
Lothian siInfylng one who is dstin rujslIed as a
leader- Luther always spoke Of himself and Of
his ancestors as belonging to the peasantry.
HIS CHILDHOOD
was influenced by the piety and uprghtness
of his parents, but all youthful enthusiasm was
Checked by their harsh domestic discipline.
While at school he shared the rigid dnk es of the
monks. who instructed himself and Classmates
going from door to door singing carols and beg
ging food. In this way he was brought before
the notice of a lady of culture, Nine. Ursula
Gotta the incidents ofthe aid which she was the
means OF procuring for him being fully given in
the we'll known 'ChrOnicles OF the Schouberg
Gotta Family" Entering the Erfurth Univer-
sity III l3Ol. to pursue his studies he saw in the
library of that institution for the first time in his
fe copy of the Bible He had been studying
law. but determined to change his course OF
study and devote his life to the church. Several
tragic incidents confirmed this resolution He
was Frustrated by dangerous Illness one of his
Intimate college friends had been assassinated
and as he was returning to the university after a
vacation he was overt AIKEN by a thunder storm so
violent that he vowed to dedicate his life to the
seIvicc OfGod if he We're delivered from the dan
ger of the storm.
LUTHER AS A MONK.
He entered the Augustinian monastery and
began his religious life July II, 1906 His father
strongly opposed his becoming monk OF his
father Luther afterwards wrote, ''He we'll knew
the wicked cunning of the monks He was dis
appointed in the life he found here but was
convinced that the Gospel plan of salvation by
faith and not by works was the foundation Of
true religion and here first learned to turn to
Christ for the forgiveness OF his sins and the
saving Oh his soul finding in this the peace he
had sought for in vain elsew here. This was the
beginning of his doctrine of Justification by faith
which was the KEYNOTE OF Ills work of reform
and which To this day remains one of the Lead
lng doctrines OF the Lutheran church The ne
eject OF this doctrine. it is claimed was one of
the leading causes OF the corruptions in the Ro-
man Catholic church of that time and opened
the way FOR Luther to open the Sacred Scrip
lures that the people might Judge for them
selves and not take the word as Interpreted by
Corrupt priests.
On the I'd of May 1907. Luther was ordained
a priest Luther travelled from village to vii
LACE. said mass "begged cheese" and laughed
AT the country organsts who Introduced the
wrong music into the service. About the year
l503, at the request of Df. StaupitZ he went to
th-, university III Wittenber.s to lecture. on phi
los"phy- 1t was about this time that he
preached his first SERMON and. like many ora
tors. he felt very nervous On coming before an
audience.
PILGRIMAGE TO ROME.
In 13l0 he made u pilgrimage to Rome
Climbed up the stairway of st. Peters on his
knees. to get the indulgence of a thousand
years Tor penance imposed. though, while he
did it. Voice seemed 10 call out to him: The
just shall live by faith He was not fayoraby
impressed with the condition of the clAch and
the iiNt'S CT the cct!.>i~JiCtI ti1HtaripS III the
Eternal City He thought the Pope was sur
rounded with too InuCh slc,itiur that il did not
look well for him to take the sacrament sitting:
that there was great RIGHTEOUSNESS among the
cardinals; that the Roman court was brothel
and writes that he heard people say in the
streets of the city that, if there was hell,
Rome was built upOn it.
1t was in the year 1917 that Luther nailed to
the Gates of the church his ninety- PROPOSE
lions against induigenceS.
EXCoMHUNICATED
In August, 1913 Luther was ordered to 90 to
Rome for trial. and soon after he was excommu-
nicated by a Papal bull. and his writings de-
clared to be heretical and dangerous. He had
said that the Scriptures were the only grounds
of authority in religion, and that. moreover,
every man had right to interpret them for
himself. In 1921 he appeared before the Diet of
Worms, body consisting of both spiritual and
temporal d-rnitaries OF the German empire and
IN his defense. while refusing TO recant his opn-
ions. uttered the famous sentence: UNLESS my
errors can be demonstrated by texts from Scrip
turc will not aud cannot recant for it is not
sale tor man to go against his conscience
Here am can do no otherwise God help
me. Amen great number of people be-
came his followers. He translated the Scrip
lures, wrote books and tracts. carried on an
immense correspondence and preached coD-
stantly. The Scriptures were translated at a
castle among the 1hurin"ian forests, where he
went to endure voluntary Imprisonment dis
elliscd a. knight. There he had leisure and
quiet for his literary work.
HIS MARRIAGE AND DOMESTIC LIFE.
June Is, 1925 Luther married Cat!arine Won
Bora who had been a nun. Luther was then ~
and Catharine was 2G. 1t was a very bold thing
to commit a twofod violation Of the monastic
vow, and when the marriage, which was private
became known it caused unfavorabe comment
even from some Df Iuther's best friends
IutherS marriage appears to have been happy
one. though women. AT that period were not
locked at from such sentimental point OF view
as they are at present. Luther was rather i'm
nroyidrnt in pecunary matters. He gave away
Il great deal to the poor. assisted needy rela-
tons and was fond of entertaining company at
his house. He would run into debt, and writes
how he pawned three goblets to raise little
money for temporary Use. His wife. on the
contrary. was frugal and economical and doubt
less the family would have been reduced to
almost starvation had it not been for her good
management
As a preacher Luther was powerful and elo-
quent and his discourses were always listened
to by large audiences. He had a manly form. a
piercing. fiery eye. penetrating voice. a clear
styie. great practical sense an eye for the beau
tiful. and the ability to draw pOetical illustra-
lions from life and nature.
He preached his last sermon from Matt xi:25-
80, and closed by saving: This and much moro