The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-15
First Congregational.


The church last evening was filed
with large audience. Mr.. Brown
gave his third lecture in the course on
Historic Young Men, upon The
Youth of Luther"
When Savonorola was executed at
Florence for his protest against the
corruption and the tyranny OF Rome,
Luther was a lad of Is, III his first year
at school at Eisenach; and little did
anv one dream that in this German
bow. singing in the streets to earn his
living, God was training the solder
who was to lead the forces and win
the fight for the Protestant reforma-
ton.
In this vast movement, whose remote
causes and far-reaching results even
Luther could not see, Luther was
nevertheless the great central figure.
Large as was the stage, still Luther
stands out in proportions that match
the greatness of the scenes.
1.-THE method of providence in his
tory is never magical" says Prof.
Fisher.
The reformation was not an isolated
event nor the creatio1 of any one man.
1t is a subject that has been much
written about, and concerning which
a great number Of theories have been
advanced.
"The reformation. whatever may
have been its latent tendencies and
Interior consequences, was an event
within the domain of religion" 1T
was the reaction of Christianity as
GOSPEL against Christianity as law.
IT was not only a protest against Rome,
but a great revival Of religion coming
with the great revival Of learning and
the general progress Of the fifteenth
century.
1t marked the point where the stream
had gathered sufficient force 10 sweep
away all the barriers that had been
accumulated e.cross its channel.
The work of many an obscure Protes-
tant before the reformation had not
been lost
The WaIdenses, the Mystics and the
LoliarGs had not lived and suffered in
vain. Inss and Savonorola had not
failed. They might burn Huss body,
but they could not burn his truth.
But when Ali other causes have been
| considered, Luther still remains the
! larGes. cause Of all
He was the sturdy son Of a peasant
home, fond of music. of books and Of
college sports; with large brain, vivid
inlag:naticn, quick sensibilities and q
/ deep religious nature.
To him, sin was tremendous reality
and no price too great to pay for free
dom from it. He thought it might be
found in a monastery. and TO a Inonas-
terry he fees.
Deep men have deep convictions. He
prayed. he tasted, he practiced all pos
sible austerities. One morning he was
found senselcss and seemingly dead; a
brother played TO him on a flute, and
sootled his senses back to conscious
ness. He had never been dissipated.
The men who make the deepest I'M
| press on the world are not those in
the deepest experience of sin, but OF
deepest conviction of sin
The plague came to the town. The
rest flee and exhort him to do the same.
Il am no Saint Paul." he said: am
afraid of death. but there are things
worse than death, and if / die. die"
This was the kind of man who a lit
tie later stood ready to forfeit life
rather than compromise the truth.
Quite in contrast with Erasmus. who
wrote Archbishop Warham: Gas 10
me, i have no inclination to risk nv
/ life for the truth. shall keep on the
safe side
! Erasmus would prefer truth if he