The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-06-04
or the HEEAlo.
,->-,-r,,rxc, OF THE LUTHEL STAT
rr AT WASHINGTON, ID &

ali DaItc Nl liiN = L' l.
inc ceremonies were preceded by q
German meeting in the Memorial
Church. and street parade oi yer yer
man societies. The services at the
Memorial Church were conducted
in German at 10 a. N. The large
and beautiful church was well hliea
with AN audience representing all Oh
the English aud German Lutheran
CONGREGATIONS in the city, besides
many visitors. Mr.. A. J. ID. Nede-
mver. o.! New York. presided, ana
with him upon the platform were
The speakers, Revs. Henninghausen,
Of Raltilaore. Medekind and Mohl-
denke of New York. Also the pas
Tor Rev. DR. Butler, ana DR.. Morris,
the President of tne Luther Statue
Association. During the services
Lutbers great battle hymn was
sung with inspiring effect 10y the
the audience, led by the choir ana Il
cornet.
The procession of the German So
cieties was formed at German Han,
Eleventh street. above r. lhe nan
was beautifully decorated with iiags
and streamers. The Washington
men who paraded wore white rlo-
bon badges, with pictares OF the Lu-
tner statue stamped on them. Each
detachment carried German ana
American flags. The procession
formed as follows
Squad Of mounted police Chlel
Marshal, aids, DC. Dickinson :
brass band. Of Baltimore. IN scarlet
coats: Martin Luther Association,
of Baltimore. 200 men; delegates
from the Gustav Adolf, the order
Of Black Knights, and otner societies
from Maryland. and Douchs band.
Second Division-A number OF
visiting clergymeu Members OF the
Concordia. Trinity, st. JOINS $ and
Fatherland: German Lutheran
Churches OF Washington, and dele
gates from Richmond, New York.
Philadelphia, and other cities car
riares. containing prominent Luther
ans and visitors.
Many houses along the line OF
march were beautifully decorated.
The statue was concealed from view
bv a large American flag 1t stands
IN the triangular park fronting the
Memoria. Church The entire park
ing. from tie south church door to
It's extreme triangular point, was
covered with a platform containing
chairs for 1900 people, all OF which
were occupied, and many were con-
tent to stand. The spectators began
10 arrive as early as l. O'Clock.
They came in street cars, all kinds
of vehicles. and on foot, aid by two
O'Clock it was estimated fully 1000
people occupied all the available
space. The Marine Band arrived
early, and took position on the
grand stand. The speakers stand
was situated directly beneath the
statue. facing south. 1t was sur
mounted by an awning and profuse-
IN decorated with German and
American flags, and long red, white
and blue streamers.
Justice Miller, of the L. :. Su-
preme Court, presided. The open
ing music, The Heavens Are Tell
ing" was played by the Marine
Band. Rev. Conrad followed in
an earnest prayer At It's conclu-
sion DIR. Butler read the history oI
the statue. At this point a part OF
the platform. on which the invited
guests were seated, gave way, and
with a crash sank to the ground, a
distance Of about three feet. There
were lew shrieks, 5ut rs no one
was hurt, the excitement soon sub
sided. The Marine band played a
concert air, and the programme wa:
proceeded with.
Justice Miller then introduced
Senator Conger, who delivered tn,
first Grafton. He was listened q
attentively. and concluded by plac
ing Luther's name among those
great. those immortal names thai
were not born to die"
Duriug Senator Conger's remark.
the German societies that had pa
raded the principal streets of the
arrived, and marched by the statue
with bands playing, and banners
and flags flying. At the conclusion
of Handel's Halleluiah chorus by tn,
band, Rev. j. G.. Morris, d. ID. Ii
d., the second orator was introduc
ed, and delivered a very eloquent
address. During bis speech another
section of the platform fell, but nO
one was injured. A" was talking
about the fall of Rome . shouted tn,
speaker, and the crowd laughed anC
applauded. 1t was Luther's work,
he concluded, that produced 20
htical freedom and the freedom o
the press.
Justice Wood then stepped for
ward and said: We will now dis
close TO your view the counterfeit
presentment of a man who present
ed to the world the right OF fre
thought lover OF the human
race. whose name shall stand as thu
emancipation of humanitv-Martir
Luther The Justice then took Nh
". ". Corcoran by the hand. anl
said The lot of disclosing this no
ble tribute falls to your cid and re
sDected townsman, W ". Corcorau
Mr.. COrcOran seized the rope tugge,
away at it, but the rope would no
fall. The emblem of liberty seeme
10th to part from the statue of hin
who SO earnestly labored to give II
ligious liberty and freedom q
thought to all the world. FINAL,
as the flag was removed and fell I
the ground, the inspiration Of III
the immense crowd was instanti
manifested in an outburst of az
plause, while the full Marine ban
played with grand effect Luther
battle hymn, Fine feste Burg j
unser Gott. Banners were dippe
umbrellas and parasols waved. an
hats thrown intn the air. 1t
said no similar demonstration
were ever witnessed at the unveilir
of any statue in our National Capit
before. The closing scene was vel
impressive. Bishop Payne. the ver
cradle colored bishop of The A !