Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-17

on November 10th, 1883. The discipline OF his
childhood was stern and rigorous according to
the severe ideas then in vogue concerning the
treatment of children. He began his school
days at Mansfield. then entered the Franciscan
school at Magdeburg, and finally the Latin
school at Eisenach. He had to beg his bread
from door to door, singing carols in the street,
and his poverty and the harshness of the monks,
his instructors, SO discouraged him that he fire.
quently desired to abandon study altogether.
At Eisenach however, Ursula Gotta, a mar
ried lady of culture. means and liberality
attracted by his musical culture and devotion
TO the church, became Interested in the young
student. and taking him to her house supported
him until he was prepared to enter the unver-
sity Of Erturt In 1901. Here in the library of
that institution he for the first time in his life
saw a copy of the scriptures. 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 returning to
the university after vacation he was Overtaken
by thunder storm so violent that he vowed to
dedicate his life to the service of God if he were
delivered from the danger of the storm.
HIS MONASTIC LIFE.
He entered the Augustinian Convent in 1908,
and here his ascetic practices and constant study
led him to regard his moral condition as help
less, save as it was uplifted and sustained by the
power and consultations of religion as embodied
in the Christian church. He studied constantly
and pOndered profoundly on the Bible the writ
ings of st. Augustine, the sermons of Tauder
and the commentaries of De Lyra. and he re-
ceived much assistance from Johann Staupitz.
n
it is stated, he laid the foundation of the doc
trine OF justification by faith. which he after
wards advocated with so much zeal. persistence.
and success against the established church. In
1908 he was a professor in the new University of
Wittenberg. where he occupied the chair Of
scholastic philosophy, leading the students to
the system Of st. Augustine, and the then al
most unknown doctrines of the Bible. In 1910
he
JOrRNEYED To ROME,
but his biographers state that the corruption of
the Italian clergy and the rottenness OF Roman
life drew forth his sternest disapproval, and
while he climbed up the stairway of ST. Peters
on his knees, to get the indulgence OF thous-
and years for penance imposed. a voice seemed
to call ont to him: The just shall live by faith"
He thought the Pope was surrounded with too
much splendOr; that 1t did not look wef for him
to take the sacrament sitting; that there was
great RIGHTEOUSNESS among the cardinals: that
he heard people say in the streets Of the city
that, if there was he'll Rome was built upon it,
In 1917, the abuse by Tetzel of the privilege
OF prOmulgating the indulgences granted by
Leo X preciptated the conflict which had been
threatening the internal peace Of the church for
a century. 1t was in the year 1917 that Luther
nailed to the gates of the church his ninety-fve
propositions against indugences. These theses
contained the germ of the Protestant doctrine
and the art of printing now for the first time
n liar aIrc hrc
principles with the speed Of the wind through
Europe.
The discussion waged fercey. and in 1920 the
Pope Issued bull Of accommodation against
the stubborn German hereto Luther re-
sponded by burning the bull. The result of his
defiance was that he was summoned by the en-
peror
BEFORE THE DIET
Of the empire In the city of Worms, and though
warned by his timid friends not to 60, he said.
Though there are as many devils in Worms as
there are tiles on the houses yet will co. Be-
Tore the MOBILES OF church and state, he appealed
10 the Bible, his conscience and private judg-
ment against the pope, the traditions ana the
councils. Subsequently the diet placed him I'M
DER the ban of the empire and he was an outlaw
before church and State. He was shielded by
Frederick the Wise and lodged in the now cele-
brated castle of Wartburg. In 1926 he married
Catharlne Won Bora, In order, as he said ito
please his father to tease the pope and to veX
the devil" 1t was daring act in that age and
among that people, for she was an ex-nun. but
although the marriage was bitterly criticised
even by Luthers friends, it was nevertheless
happy one. The most important work of
Luther between 1921 and 1884 was his transla-
ton of the Bible 1t displaced all other German
TRANSACTIONS, assisted powerfully in the spread
of the reformation and is yet in general use in
the Protestant churches of the German tongue
He also wrote many other works as commen-
taries, tracts and hymns. Among the latter is
'Ein feste Burg list unser Gott," the war song of
the refOrmers.
quent. and his discourses were always listened
to by large audiences. He had manly form,
piercing, fiery eye, penetrating voice,
clear style, great practical sense an eye for the
beautiful. and the ability to draw poeticaI illus
tratiOns from life and nature
He preached his last sermon from Matthew
xi:25'3O, and closed by saying: "This and much
more may be said from the passage, but l am
too weak, and here We will stop" He died on
the 18th of January, 1916, between two and
three O'Clock in the morning, at the age Ofsxty-
two years, three months and eight days.
What a Clerk Wants to Know, You
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
Why is it that in some of the departments
the clerks year" is the calendar year. while in
other departments it is the fiscal year? Thus
the latter usage Obliges the clerk to take his
''ieave" before July. Every year the question is
asked, Why some clerks have but fifteen DAYS
leavef Congress gives thirty days. FIFTEEN.
To -, with a Bunch Of Pansies.
COPY OF LINES FOUND ON THE sTREET)
Only from me! Oh! let them stay
Near you; tits all / ask to-day
They bear the beauty of the skies
Still on their breasts, yet In them lies
No hope. No more for them the sun