The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-11
SOLDIERS ATTEND CHURCH.
THE GERMAN VOLUNTEERS HONOR
THE MEMORY OF LUTHER.

Sung by the Choir and COngrega-
ton.
The services in commemoration of the
birthday of Martin Luther, at the Evan
gelical Lutheran Church of the Ascension
yesterday morning were largely at
tended.
Rev. DR.. Schaefer's discourse was of an
historical character. He gave an account
Of Luther's humble birth in the little
town Of Eisleben, his struggles for an
education, his study for the priesthood
and the gradual development of the ideas
which led him to his great work of re-
formation, and the results Of that work
then and now.
DR.. Schaeffer's text was from Romans,
/ chapter II verse: THE Just Shall Live
by Faith" the same text which first
brought light to the troubled mind of
Luther In contrasting of the humble ori-
gin of Luther and his subsequent great
ness Dr. Schaeffer quoted the comment
of Carlyle in his Heroes and Hero Wor-
ship" as follows:
In the whole world that day, there was
not a more entirely unimportant-looking
pair OF people than this miner and his
wife. And yet, what were all emperors,
popeS ana potentates in cOmparisOn2
There was born here. once more. a mighty
man, whose light was to flame as the
beacon over long centuries and eDochs of
the world. The whole world ana its mis-
tory We're waiting for this man. 1t Is
strange, II is great 1t leads us back to
another birth-hour in a still meaner en-
yironment, eighteen hundred years ago
Of which II is fit that We say nothing:
that we think only in silence-fOr what
are words there! The age of miracles
here!
DR.. schaeffer spoke of the different
places at which Luther attended school,
among them the town of Eisenach, where
he sung in the streets with the other stu
dents seeking aims for their support II
was in this way that he attra cted the at
tent1on Of the Gotta family which after
wards aided him so greatly. From Esen-
ach ne went TO the University of Erfurt
to study for the priesthood. He was great
~ troubled about his soul and sought in
formation and consolation from the va
rious religious works to be had in the
schools, but without success.
One day he discovered a dust covered
book chained to the wall in an obscure
place. lie examined IL and found il to be
a Bible Although he, was student for
the priesthood he had never seen COM
plete Bible before. He opened it at the
story Of Hannah taking her son Samuel
to the prophet Eli to be trained up in the
service Of the Lord He was greatly i'm
pressed with this story and a little later
joined himself to the Augustnian monks.
The corruption into which the Roman
church mad fallen DR.. Schaeffer said,
finally dawned upon Luther lie desired
reform but seeing that he could ac-
cOmplish nothing in his then station de-
cided TO go to Rome to seek consolation
or the pope. At kOme he was astouuded
with the luxury and the abandoned revelry
which he saw everywhere. He decided
to climb Pilates staircase as a penaae
and while doing so the meaning of the
text: THE Just shall 1--we by faith"
dawned upon him. His mind was olsen
thralled, and Luther, the monk, became
Luther. the reformer.
DR.. schaeffer said that Europe was at
that time in a state Of papal bondage.
The church was in control everywhere,
and reigned supreme by its many devices,
controlling all from the humblest TO the
highest The strongest governments had
found themselves helpless in the struggle
to maintain their authority against the
supremacy Of the pope. Henry the Fourth
of Germany after a long struggle against
the authority of the church, was forced
to undergo the greatest humiliation TO
which a sovereign was ever subjected.
He was compelled TO spend three DAYS
and nights in the open air in the midst
of winter, in his bare feet, and clad only
in loose garments, imploring the forgive
politicians of Europe. Dr. Schaeffer said
had struggled in vain against this state
OF AFFAIRS. The DEGREES of the pope were
the absolute laws of the nations of the
earth, and there was no appeal from his
authority. The attempt at political re-
formation had proved fruitless and il
was left TO religious reformation to open
the way for the overthrow of the papal
authority.
This was the. state of affairs, the preach
er said, which confronted Luther when
he began his work to disenthral the mil
lions, and re-establish the brotherhood of
man and the fatherhocd of Gcd. The
church was entrenched behind walls of err
ror Luthers statement of the three walls
behind which the church authorities en-
trenched themselves we're as follows:
If pressed by the temporal power they
affirmed and maintained that the tempor-
al power had no jurisdiction in matters
of religion.
IL
with scriptures. it was objected that no
one might pretend to interpret the scrip
lures but the pope.
If threatened with a council the reply
the pope.
Luther Dr.. schaeffer said, took his
stand on the Bible and defcd the pope
His position was defined in his four great
treatises and his ninety-hve theses lie
Followed these with his appeal to the
German nobility and his book entitled
The Babylonish Captivity of the Church"
The principles laid down by Luther, DR.
Schaeffer said, We're complete, and moth
ing essential has been added since He
was not only the author Of religious liberty
but the originator and defender of civil
liberty, as well. As evidence in supbort
OF this statement he quoted Michele.
the great French Catholic historian. VINO
in one OF his works, makes the following
statement:
1T is not incorrect" saws he "to sa,
that Luther has been the restorer of lis
erty in modern times. If he did not create
Hcr never tllSlSaSs COudSeOuSly affixed lsE
signature to that great revolution whic,,
rendered the right Of examination Lawful;
in Europe. And if we exercise in al;
its .plentitude; at this day, this first and
highest privilege Of human INTELLIGENCE
ii is to him we are most indebted for +,
Can we think, speak or write, without
being made conscious, at every step OF
the immense benefits of this intelIectuai
acknowledgment? To whom do l owe the
power of publishing what I am now in
dieting but to this hberator of modern
thought"
Freeman Clarke was also quoted on the
same line. Luther, DR. Schaeffer said also
originated and introduced what IS now
known as the public school system. he
also Interpreted the German Bible from
the Hebrew, which is still to-day the mr.
est German extant and in this wav he
might be said to be the originator of the
modern German language. These achieve
ments We're quoted as showing LuthAr's
great breadth Of mind and that he was
not a man simply of one idea
The services closed with the SINGING Of
Luther's great hymn, "A Mighty Strong
| hold is Our God by the choir and con-
gregation. The musical programme rem
dered by the choir of IS voices under The
direction of Prof. Frarz Hubner. was verv
fine, II was IS follows: Voluntary. violin
solo by Prof Hummer. ftTfA.a