The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-06-06
DAWN OF NEW ERA.
THE BEGINNING OF CIVIL LIBERTY.
How the Seed Was SOWn by the Reforma-
tiOn, and, Although Cut Down By
Persecution, Sprung Into New
Life Until 1t Has Become the
Hope Of Nations.

/ banquetprecedlng the Cellc4uon OF tEe
new theological Seminary buildings at
Lancaster, Pa, on May 10. Mr.. Baer's toast
was The influence OF the Reformed
Church on Civil Government" He said:
Mr.. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen
4 great historian says. The germ Of the
I Constitutional liberties Of modern times
lay hid in the bosom ofthe Reformation. "
He could have added, with equal historic
truth, that the Reformed Church was the
principal factor in the development Of
this germ. or course, by the Reformed
Church, mean the Church known in
history by that name, eliminating mOdi-
fieatjons in organization caused, and per-
haps necessarily, by differences in Ian
guage, national habit and locality.
The Reformation did not start as al
organized movement II was the out
come Of ages Of misrule and oppression
The people everywhere were dissatisfied
with the existing order Of things. The
leaders did not originate; they simply
formulated the grievances, gave ex2res-
sion to the longings Of the masses, pro
claimed that which had been slumber-
ing, and only waited voice 10 give il
utterance-a voice that would az once be
recognized as the voice Of the people.
The revolt was general but, when the
attempt was made TO organize and con-
bire II into one organic union, formida-
bic obstacles were encountered. The
common view is that the unihcatiOa Of
protestantism Was prevented by a disa-
greement about theological dOgmas. To
some extent this is true. What We now
regard as an unseemly controversy over
@hoc esf corpus uislla7 was a factor in pre-
venting the union Of professionalism IN
the Sixteenth century; but 1 Do not
think that 4 critical examination Of the
history Of the times shows this 10 have
been the controlling factor. TIE dider-
ences between the two great forces ofths
Reformation, which are known by the
names Lutheran and Reformed, were
more organic and much wider and deep
er; they we're differences in the spirit,
scope and purpose Of the revolution in
which they were engaged. To some ex-
tent the division was geographical. That
which We know as the Lutheran move
ment had its centre in Saxony, and
resched the neighbOring provinces as far
south as the Rhine. Il had the power
ful support Of the elector Of S1xony and
many Of the German electors and prin-
ees- From first 70 las, il aimed only to
reform the church. The reformation Of
the State vas not thought Of The Re
formed movement was most general in
the countries s0uth Of the Rhine-.hat Is,
in Switzerland, France, some of the
Rhine provinces, and the Netherlands
Ghen those people reyoltel ag.inst
Rome, they not only revoited asaius;
the spiritual abuses of the church, bat
against the int0lerable civil rule that
everywhere had been forcel upon them.
They could not see how reio-altiJu Of
religion could be brought about without
reforming the civil power by which the
tyranny and eorruptiOns Of religion we're
upheld Church and State, Pope and En-
peror, Bishop and Barron, were but diff
6erent names Of a mighty and all-power-
fdl combination that everywhere op-
pressed the people In other words, the
Returned leaders sought TO reform
Church and State. The conditions in
the north and south Of Europe were es-
sentially different In the south, the
power Of medieval feudalism was al
ready broken. The revival Of learning
in Italy had restored to the world the
classic literature Of Greece and Rome.
Mems imaginatiOns were inh4net By
the glories Of the Grecian republics, and
their anger aroused at the cruel debsueh-
cry Of the Borgia popes- They founi
the Old and New Testament full Of fierce
denunciatiOns against bad kings and false
priests The route Of travel and trade
from the Adriatic to the cities Of the
Hanseatic league became the route Of
news, intelligence and communication.
II developed many free cities . which
special priveliges we're granted. These
cities were miniature replblics, generally
clothed with full local autonomy; their
citizens were tenacious Of their priyile-
ges, and possessed larger degree Of free
dom than the masses who still were
ground under the heavy burdens Of
medieya, feudalisn. SgitzsrlAad was a
confederation Of little republics. IN the
very beginning the Swiss reformers be-
came the leaders Of the Reformed move
ment. These people had tasted liberty
and longed for more Of il. These differ
ences in scope and purpose were clearly
developed at the M8rburg Conference
You remember it was called to effect a
union Of protestantisn. The eOntrOver-
sy between the Saxon and Swiss reform
ers over the eucharist Was sharp and Bit
ter. In the end some sort Of cOnprO-
mise was reached. Il vas not satisfaeto-
"; compromises seldom are. The con-
ference, however, broke up without se-
eomplishiug the union Of Switzerland
and SaxOny in a common defence Of
professionalism agzins. the assaults Of
Rome. Why? Obviously becInss the
Saxon reformers saw that the Swiss
movement involved more than a mere
reformation Of the Church. L1ther's re-
mark TO Zsingli: You are not Of the
same spirit" Is often quoted and gener-
ally applied TO theological differences
This is misappiIeatiOn- What Luther
meant by a different spirit is clearly dis
closed by 3 remark Of Jonas. one Of his
colleagues when, said he to ZEingli,
you have reformed the hats Of the peas
ants you will claim to reform the sable
caps Of princes This spirit Of liberty
was strong in ZEingli He held that po-
litical freedom Was Christian duty. It
was this spirit that offended the Saxon
reformers.
At a subsequent period, when the
treaty known as the Recess Of Augsburg
was made, as 4 result Of the victory Of the
protestant forces under the leadership Of
Maurice Of Saxony over Charles the Fifth,
the Pope and Emperor we're careful to