Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-10
FESTIVAL OF THE REFoRMATION.

The Event Commemorated by Special
Services in the Lutheran Church-SeF-
mon by Rev. DR.. Bowman
The Evangelical Lutheran Church was
crowded Yesterday at the morning service
The exercises were a celebration OF inc
Reformation. Rev. ". s. Bowman, the
nasfor. OBLIGATED. The service was begun
with selections from the liturgy, with the
children Of the Sunday school leading in
the singing Of the kyrie and the Gloria
in Excelsis, followed by the rendition Of
the chants and hymns.
The singing Of the hymn beginning with
the words: "a Safe Stronghold Our God
is STILL" was one Of the marked features
OF the exercises. The pastor chose for his
text the words from Acts xvii, 6: ''These
that have turned the world upside down
are come hither also" He promised bis
disco urse by saying that the text was the
language Of agitation. revolution and
change. II referred 10 the wide
spread introduction of Chris
tiauity into the world by the
preaching. the miracles. and the teaching
0t the Apostles. 1t had reference 10 the
overthrow Of the Jewish hierarchy and
the abolition Of the Jewish religion in
many places by the peaceful religion Of
the worlds Messiah. and the glorious
doctrine Of Justification by faith in Him.
BEGINNING at Jerusalem and throughout
Macedonia. in Pnilippl, and at Ihessa-
lOnia. at Perea and at Athens. the IA
nous and erudite metropolis Of Greece,
there had been a wonderful revolution in
faith AMI practice in the experience Of
hundreds as the result Of the Apostles
preaching. The new religion as It was
called by many, had so effectually super
seeded the ancient standards OF faith and
practice. that the bitterest enemies OF
Christianity accused the apostles Of hav-
ing literally ''turned the world upside
down." and by this ill-meant accusation
they unwittingly gave testimony Ia the
overwhelming power Of divine truth,
when preached in its purity and accom-
panied By the divine spirit. In one sense
| the text he said was literally true. When
1 the gospel comes in Its power into place,
or into a soul, il works such change
| and so revOlutiOniZes the hearts, the life,
/ the conduct and the conversation, that
| IL NAV be said 10 turn the world
upside down in that heart and in that
/ place. The speaker went on TO say that his
| present purpose was to apply the text TO
| the greatestrefOrmatiOn Of the16th century
/ which next to the original introduction Of
/ Christianity into the world, produced
| the great religious revolution, and the
! greatest Overturning of the previous order
/ Of things that the world has ever wit
| messed. He went on to call the attention
/ Of his hearers to what he termed
\ two pre-eminent events In history
| as being strikingly analogous. First,
\ the reformation was effected by the
| peaceful preaching of the truth, and not
/ bv the interference Of secular power.
On Oct. 81, 1511, solitary monk, then
| belonging as professor in the University
/ Of Wittemberg proceeded alone 10 the pub
/ lie square Of the town and nailed TO the
/ church door % theses against the sale Of
/ indulgences. This man was Martin
/ Luther. who. according TO the testimony
I Of impartial history, has borne more
/ conspicuous part in subscribing Gods
/ purposes than any other man that has
/ ever lived.
/ The pastor then referred to the principal
I acts which precipitated the reformation,
I one beng LutheT's preaching against
/ the purchase OF religious indulgences
/ wherein he avoided cOunsehng any
\ thing like INSTRUMENTATION to civil
l law. excited no thirst for blood and
led no vanguard Of insurrectiOn against
/ the State. He resOrted TO argument based
I upon the scriptures, aud hence ii is that
| on Oct 81. or on the Sunday nearest that
! dav. the festival of the Reformation is cele-
| brated in the Lutheran churches Of the
{ world in anniversary OF the mailing OF
] Luther s theses on the cuuECu uuuIs Autsc
/ theses or points Of doctrine spread with
l the rapidlty of lightning"
In less than a month they mad been
/ heard Of all over Germany. Four years
later the Great RefOrmer was summoned
before the Diet of Worms and called upon
I to racant. when he made his celebrated
response: Except l be convinced by
/ sound argument. and from the Holy Scrip
| lures. that I am in error. l can and viii
/ retract nothing. Here l stand; l cannot
do otherwise: God help me. Amen The
/ subsequent trials OF the LutheTans were
then referred TO by Mr.. Bowman, and the
/ progress Of the gospel revolution recapitu-
Z lated. The sermon was instructive, not
only in a historical sense, but went 10
show the power Of a firm faith in the
I scriptures by which Professionalism was
/ enabled to flourish. even in the midst OF
! fierce persecution and Intolerance. The
pastor concluded by remarking that the
Lutheran Church had freed the world
from penances. Negotiations, and pilgrim
/ ages But how many have in their
/ hearts true repentance-that Cody
! sorrow for sin which the Bible puts IN the
I place Of the old anti-PrOtestant cere-
| mOniess How many, he asked, ponder
I the sacred pages OF the pure word
I Of God which the church has. through the
/ reformatOry movement, given 10 the
| world.