The Irish standard., 1894-05-26
A DEFENSE OF LUTHER.

tional treasury.
A DEFENSE OF LUTHER.
The esteemed editor of the Progressive
Age, weekly journal Of social reform
published in this city, brings Father
Cleary to task for uttering the following
words in a recent discourse: "When
Martin Luther began his revolt against
authority and Christian virtue, he not
only violated his own voluntary vows of
chastity, but he robbed the cloister OF its
consecrated virgin, and emphasized his
contempt for womanly purity in his un-
lawful marriage with woman welded
to virginity." Commenting on the fore
going quotation he expresses his admira.
ton of the "manly, moral and intellectual
courage" Of the German monk in declar-
ing against the church, and says "he
would have been a sneaking coward to
have refused to break his vows" If he
changed his mind religiouely. He further
says that Judged by the ethical stand
ards of today Luther would be vindi-
Gated by the Catholic Church as body"
This is extraordinary language for Prot.
Dobbyn to use, and we beg to assure
him that he has false conception of the
Catholic Church if he thinks for mo-
ment that it sanctions the violation of
sacred VOW by either priest or layman.
Our friend of the Progressive Age is, of
course, at liberty to entertain any opinion
he pleases of the action OF Luther in
breaking his VOW of chastity, but he as
sumes too much when he asserts that
Judging him by the ethical standards OF
the present day the Catholic Church,
.'the oldest representative of Christianity
in the western world" would condone his
sinful act. We do not know whether
Prof. Dobbyn believes in the Christian
religion or not, for he seems to place
Christianity on an equality with Brahm-
anism and Buddhism, but if he believes
the Bible is the inspired word Of God,
how can he express his admiration OF
Luther for breaking VOW which the
Bible commanded him to fulfill? Luther
himself knew the sinfulness Of his act,
for he said before his marriage with
Catherine Bora that "tle friars have OF
their own accord chosen life of celibacy
and are not at liberty to withdraw from
the obligations they have laid themselves
under" After his espousal to woman
who had also made VOW Of perpetual
virginity he changed his tune and showed
his Inconsistency by declaring the re-
verse, and saying that chastity was an
objectionable sin, while concubinage
should not make us despair of salvation"
Tt will not do for the editor of tho Pro-
gressive Age to say that he recognizes
many weaknesses in Luther's character,
but overlooks them because they reflect
the spirit of the age which produced him.
That is hardly valid apology for the
licentiousnees of man who claimed
divine commission to establish new re
ligion and set himself up as retormer
Of the Church founded by Christ and his
apostles Our esteemed friend may take
for granted that The IRISH STANDARD is
actuated by prejudice in referring to
Luther as libertine, but we say it Oh
the authority of his contemporary re-
formers who associated and labored with
him in establishing Professionalism in
Germany. Luther, according to his own
associates and friends, was man devoid
of all sanctity after leaving the Cath Die
Church. Melancthon says that the devil
was his master, and that he was possessed
not by one but by whole troop of de-
mons, and the writings of Luther show
Enthusiastically that he was on familiar
terms with the arch-enemy of mankind.
He used the coarseet ribaldry against his
opponents and employed obscene lam
guage in conversation. His 'Table Talk"
was not fit to be read without eliminatr
ing the obscenitiee, vulgarities and bias
phemies it contained. It takes cour-
ageous Protestant nowadays to eulegize
such a monster of iniquity as Luther is
proved to have been by impartial his
torians. He was addicted to beer drink
ing and imbibed copiously of the Ger
man beverage for fifteen years in the
Black Eagle tavern, and because of that
fact he was aptly called the "ale-pope."
Does God select such mon as this to re-
form religion and do His work for the
uplifting Of humanity? Had Luther been
in Minneapolis today during Mayor Eus-
it's administration he would be regular
patron Of the Sunday saloon, and would
be the last man to join the preachers in
denouncing our genial chief magistrate.