National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-19
WASHINGTON STATUARY.
A Lecture Delivered by Rev. S. Domor in
st. Paul5 Lutheran Church.
Objections to Luthcr's Statue, Because OF
His Creed, Ably Answered.

At st. Paul's English Lutheran church last
evening Rev. s. Domor, tho pastor, delivered
lecture upon the statuary in Washington,
the unveilng of the Luther statue this week
giving occasion for such a lecture He spoke
of tho new departure in erecting a statue TO
man noted, not for achievements in war or
politics. but in religion, lie thon gave a
complete list of tho names, locations, and cost
of tho statues which ornament the parks aud
reservations of the city with description of
each. He said that tho city aud nation wero
yet young, and that its art was also young.
It could not compare, and would not for
many years. with the art of ancient nations
or even with some of the old arb capitals OF
the old world. Referring to tho statues in
ancient Athens and Rome, he spoke of our
modern liking rs being toward political
monuments rather than for the fino arts.
Our art has been initiative rather than
creative. Our statues arc Of military and
maritime heroes Science is represented by
tho statue of Prof. Horny law by that of
Chief Justice Marshall, and horosm, stnto5.
manship, and tho diYinest philanthropy in
the image of Abraham Lincoln in the oman-
cipation group.
Referring to tho statue of Luther, Dr.
Domer gave its history az it was published
in THE REPUBLICAN, last Saturday.
Several lines of thought" said he, "start
out from the present situation us to statues
in this city, but especially as to tho uses of
public reservations in relation to the type of
statues admissible on public grounds. What
over may have been tho original intention of
tho government in relation to the reserva.
ttons and their embellishments with statues
OF distinguished men, aud other works of art,
as fountains, &C., hitherto tho mon OF war
have found the first place in tho conseora.
tions of bronze and marble A commendabla
departure from the martial idea has recently
manifested itself in the tributes to
science and law in tho distinguished
characters which have lately been memorial
lied in bronze in tho Smithsonian and capitol
parks. Peace has her victories, as well as
war; and her heroes not less worthy than
those who como forth from the smoke and
thunder and blood of contending armies.
Ideas rule tho world, whatever other forces
and elements may sometimes seem to enter
into the account. Accordingly tho repre-
sentatives of thought, whether civil, moral.
scientific, or religious, command attention,
and grow out into the immortaites Of fame
as necessary and logical result of their
fOrceful lives. The ages will not lot thom
die, and so it happens that whether in
tho mummied forms of the old orypts or in
the apOthesss of art amid the wonders of
classic Greece and Rome, whether in paint.
ing or sculpture; whether in poetry or his
tory; whether in prose or in song, somehow
and someway the civilizations declare that
their WORTHLESS must not be forgotten. Death
docs not end all with them, rather it renews
all, and lifts up tho men 'who were not born
to die" into heights where all coming genera
tins may gazo upon them and admire their
sublime achievements. Tho Luther memo
rial may consequently most properly
find place in this capital of tho nation, and
really merits no second place among the
memorials which now exist hero or shall yet
be erected here. Among the men of modern
times no character has appeared in such
colossal outline and worldwide power as he;
aud tho estimate put upon his greatness by
MIR. Froude, the English historian, that the
nations and peoples of tho Anglo.Saxon
tongues would not be what thoy are If
'HaseG 'sy--tic facts -of - history If> since ho
toiled amid the forests of Thuringia ana
wrestled in successful combat. with the hoary
tyrannies of the middle ages. Four hundred
years have been sitting in Judgment on the
lito that he lived and the work that he
wrought, and the verdict of approving ages
and generations Aas gone into the record and
life of tho civilizations which now belt the
world with summer beauty and splendor, and
the proneness Of men to man worship has
never been SO perilously apparent in tho
presence of any other namo Of modern times
as in that of the great hero of Saxony,"
Tho sect idea, it seems to me, should have
boon and should be quito secondary in such
movement as this, of erecting monument
to Luther in this country; but perhaps that
was impossible, aud yet it is more largely
true of Luther than of Washington, that he
belongs not TO any country or nation; not TO
one ago or ono party, but to all. Second rate
relormars, politicians and philosophers belong
to scots, and are limited; the greatest men
transcend such limitations and belong TO the
race, while the glory of their deeds flame on
forever. Such was Luther; not German
simply, not the reformer of the sixteenth
century, but he belongs to all nations, to all
denominations, to all centuries, to all climes
The homage Of the world during tho fourth
centenary Of his birth has demonstrated the
largoness of his citizenship and the cosmo-
politqn sphere which he llls in the religious
world.
II need not now inquire as to the congress
sional authority or tho laws under which
the public reservations are controlled, whether
any uses of this sort can be made OF them
under existing regulations, no test to this
end having yet been made; but would, for
myself, rejoice to see such liberalism on tho
part Of our congressional methods and views
touching these privileges that grand and
glorious men of all types of thought, who
| have lived to bless the world in former ages,
might find welcome here in statuary, when
such favor is wanted, as we have been ready
to welcome the living millions from foreign
shores to citizenship and to ownership in
| this broad land of ours Tho Luther
statue will now need a place by
national consent; but should statues
Of tho leaders of other churches, whether
Protestant or Catholic, hereafter DO proposed
for unoccupiod places in our public parks, |
would say lot them be given until they shall
be filled with celebrities Of our own and
other lands, and these ornamental monuments
| mako our capital q pantheon, or, if you OBJ
ject TO that term, pantheon of tho wise,
and brave, and good from all classes of men.
| Why not when no funds are asked from con-
gress TO do the work Why not n bronze
| Wesley, or Calvin, or Xwingli when tho
churches which they represent are already
! planted along oveTy stroot2 Why not both
Protestant aud Roman Catholic statuary,
with equal generosity of favor, when
Protestant and Roman Catholic churches
side by side adOrn our city and their pGo,
| ple comminglo in all tho walks of
social and business lifc2 TO deny such
privileges Is tho ungenerous act; to cry out
against tho proposition to erect a statue 10
Luther or TO Pope Leo X is equally soctarian
and small; and l cannot understand why the
political capital of nation should want 10
monOpOli2e the military idea in statuary, and
make its enyirons only tribute to the art
of war and 6lood5hed Better far, it seems
TO mo, would il be TO mako both painting
and sculpture tho handmad5 OF
tho peaceful religion and kingdom
|aE t.t. 4. a Al