Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-04-30
MARTIN LUTHER
An Interesting Lecture'at The hew-Centur!
Club Monday Evening By the Rev. II udsoi


Luther" Mr.. Shaw endeavored to
present to the audience a dispassionate
viow of Luther and the influences that
nodded the great epoch OF his life.
Luther WAS born at Eisleben, Mans
field county, Thuringia, Novemer 10th,
1883 His father, Hans Luther, was Il
stone cutter by trade and his mother
was Margaret Lindleburn, A more
miserable childhood would be difficult
to conceive thaa that in which the
early life of Luther was surrounded.
He was logged up rather than reared
and both at home and at school he was
thoroughly Injured to terror and fear.
His father did not always remain poor,
but was enabled TO lay aside sum 10
educate his son, whom he desired to
make mark in the world. At school
young Luther go distinguished himself
that his father determined to make a
lawyer of hin, and in li0T sent him to
franciscan school 10 Magdeburg and
then to Eisenach. There Luther sang
for aims in the street with the other
poor stuuents and begged upon tho
highways. In his 18th year Luther
went t., the High School at Erfurt,
where his fayorite master was the
huuanist, Trutwetter, who taught
him philosophy and toe classics. He
received his degrees in 1901 and 1905.
At Erfurt which may be called the
''ciadle Of the Reformation, he be.
came deeply impressed with the teach
ings of the towns pastor, Weisemann,
and his frequent exhortation to study
the Scriptures.
The death Of near friend and his
own narrow escape from death by hight
ming caused him to vow that IL he were
delivered he would become monk. AS
he had been a loyal orthodox Catholic
all HE life this step was not unnatural,
and in 1905 he entered the Franciscan
convent at Erfurt. The first years of
his monastic life were spent in fierce
mental struggle. besides the perform
ance of the most mental labor and ser
vitude. Staupitz, the head monk of
the order taught Luther the signifi-
cance of true repentance, and il is re-
corded that during the three years at
Erfurt Luther became most exem-
plary monk, performing all his duties
with true submission. The theory that
monasteries were hotbeds of ideness
and immortality was not true in Luther's
time, and he led the life of tho strictest
recluse, guided and Influenced by tho
grand and poble character of Staupitz.
While we think OF Luther in the crown
ing DAYS of his success as reformer,
the discipline of Catholicism made
him what he was.
Luther was ordained q priest in 1907,
and the next year was appointed pro.
fessor In the University Of Wittenburg,
which had boen founded in 1902 In
1903 he began his religious lectures,
which were power in the university.
In 1911 he went to Rome as true loyal
Catholic and in fulfilment OF VOW. He
was horrifiod by what he saw in Rome.
Skepticism WIS rampant and all forms
of vice and every repellent sin was
openly endured. All this sowed the
seeds OF Prote5tantism, and he began
Immediately on his return to Witten-
burg tc talk and lecture on certain
parts of the Scriptures that had been
made clear to him by his pilgrimage
to Rome.
In l5l7, the year of the Reformation.
Luther dared to defy the right of Pope
Leo to follow the practice of selling
indulaences which was the popular
method of raising money. The Pope
was supposed not only to be able to
grant dissolution for present sins, but
to he able to transport sinners from
purGatory TO bliss by the mystical power
OF absolutiop.
John Tetzel, the chief agent Of the
Pope, was very successful in gaining
nhsolution for very large number OF
olfen5es and sins for those who we're
right within the teaching and influence
of Luther. When Tetzel encroached
too close to Wittenburg, Luther could
bear it no longer, so on the eve of Octo.
ber 3lsI, 15l7. he nailed on the door of
the Castle church his 05 propositions,
denouncing indulgences, which shook
the whole world. While they all do
nuunce the practice they do not deny
tho value of absolution if rightly pre-.
scribnd.
gan aud all Germany was ablaze with
the beginning of the Reformation.
Men everywhere seemed TO support
portors where he might. Unwilling to
quarrel with Germany, tho Pope sent
Caietan to name conciliatory measures
and TO seek to have Luthor reoant but
Luther would not retract word. The
bDb upppdlull w GlhIiod v. lO CRUSH
tho heresy in Germany, but tho friend
ship of Frederick of SRxony for Luther
caused that ruler to hesitate. Luther
was, however, summoned before Charles
V. and the uiet to be held at Worms.
He was condemned of heresy before the
council of judges, lawyers, mobiles,
ecclesiastics and priests. Whom asked
il be would retraGt, he said; ~ cannot
and will not retract anything, for to
act against conscience is unsafe and
unholy." After his condemnation no
was abducted by servants of Frederick
and lived at Wartburg in disguise for
10 months.
In speaking Of the flaws in Luthcr's
character, Mr.. Shaw said that he was
u destroyer rather than a constructor of
religions. ERASMUS said that he could
dispose Of error, but could not teach
truth. The same freedom of thought
that he himself claimed he denied to
others. Yet with all the flaws and
faults, the grandeur of the achievements
of his life overpower and make us for
get all tho imperfections.
At the conclusion of the lecture many
OF the auditors remained TO bid the
lecturer farewell.
Trouble over Payment for Milk.
John Q. BuIrell and Louis Squib last
Monday brought suit against Delaware