Evening star., 1897-02-16
THE MELANcHrHoN CELEBRATION.
Exercises Mt the Memorial Lutheran
Church Last Night.


Church Last Night.
A two evenings celebration of the
4OOth anniversary of the birth of Philip
Melanchthon. the co-worker Of Martin Luz
tier, began last evening at Luther Memo
rial Church, Rev. DIR. ]. G. Butler, pastor
The galleries were handsomely draped with
United States flags. and on either side of
the pulpit were suspended portraits re-
spectively of Melanchthon and Luther, fes-
tooned with flags. A large audience was
present.
Those on the platform were Senator
Knute Nelson. Senator-elect George L.
Wellington. Revs. ]. H. w. stuckenberg,
D;D.. j. G. Butler. ID. s. Domer. D.D..
Chas. H. Trump of Martinsburg, VIVA,
Stanley Billheimer. Chas. H. Butler A. T.
q. Apple. Albert Osborne S. j. Smith and
Messrs. George Ryneal jr, and Lucius D.
Alden. president Of the Lutheran Young
Peoples Union.
Senator Nelson. who presided. made a
shors address, explaining the object of the
celebration.
A voluntary. rendered by the combined
choirs of the Lutheran churches of Wash
inSton, followed, after which Rev. DR.. w.
p; Parson read the Scripture selection.
which comprised the 46th Psalm. com
mencing, God is our refuge and strength
The invocation was offered by Rev Dr.
l.. M. kuhns. President Alden of the
Lutheran Young Peoples Union, made an
address. in the course Of which he returned
the thanks Of the union to all who had as
sisted In making the anniversary a success
Ihe address OF welcome was delivered by
Rev Dr. J. g. Butler. who stated that
while the finance committee had arranged
for the expenses of the celebration, he de-
sired to call the attention Of the audience
to the fact that the authorities of one of
the Youngest Lutheran colleges, the Mid
land College. located at Atchison, Kan.
asked for 10000 to build Melanchthon
library during this memorial year. In his
opinion no more fitting or lasting tribute
could be paid to the memory Of this great
ly honored scholar and co-worker Of Lu-
ther than to build this library In conclu-
sion DR.. Butler asked that those who at
tend the two evenings services would at
least contribute couple hundred of dol
lars. sufficient to place Luther memorial
window In the proposed library.
The Lutheran Reformation was the
subject of the grafton of senator-elect
George l.. Wellington of Maryland
Il am" said Mr. Wellington, proud of
two things-the one. that was born in tho
great American republic. and the other,
that 1 can trace my ancestry to the same
world Martin Luther" Mr.. Wellington
sketched the origin and development of the
Christian religion He described rapidly and
eloquently the life of Luther. Luther"
he said. was giant in bodily strength
and mind. He Was the central planet of
the century. around which all the other
great men were merely satellites. Melanch-
thon's chief claim to fame now Is that he
was the friend and co-worker of Martin
Luther. and Melanchthon was exactly the
opposite of Luther. He was slight of
stature, sickly, wavering in disposition, and
gentle as woman. Without Luther
Melanchthon would have been noted as a
great scholar. but with Luther's strength
behind him he became what we know of
him." Mr. Wellington closed with refer
cree to the fact. which, he said, seemed to
him most appropriate, that Luther's por-
trait which was before the audience had
been festooned with the American colors.
Rev. DR.. Stuckenberg of Cambridge,
Mass. who was the last speaker, said in
part: ut was through Melanchthon that
the evangelical church was enriched by the
treasures OF classical learning. Luther
said. Our Melanchthon Is a wonderful man,
nearly all his powers being above the aver
age To another friend he wrote of
Melanchthon: He II q perfect Greek, thor
oughly learned. friendly and genial His
he impels all the theological students to
pursue Greek
'It is said that at times there were 1000
students at his lectures. among them
preachers and professors princes and no.
blemen, Germans and French, and English
and Italians and Hungarians, and even
Greeks.
"Among his greatest work was the es-
ton. He made the classics. the essential
factor in these schools. Well does he de-
serve the name OF 'Preceptor OF Germany
for no one before or after him has exerted
SO powerful an influence ON German educa-
ton.
But Luther said Of him: I prefer
Melanchthon's writing to my own. have
been born to battle with factions and
devils; therefore my books are stormy and
warlike. I must root out stumps and am
the coarse pioneer who makes new roads
through forests, but Philip moves along
gracefully and quietly. plants and cult
Yates with pleasure. since God has so rich
ly endowed him."
Rev. DR.. Butler read q letter from Bishop
Hurst, who stated that he had sent by his
friend, DR.. Osborn, for the inspection Of
the audience several books which had once
belonged to Philip Melanchthon.
The exercises were closed by the singing
Of Luthers battle hymn. IA Mighty For.
tress II Our God" the doxology, and the
benediction by Rev. A. Homrighaus,
Charges DesePtlon.
James Stillwell today applied for divorce
from Emm9 ". stillwell, charging that she
deserted him June -. 1870. They were
married hare August Z 1859. one child
being born to them. The petitioner 4 rer,-
resented by Attorney Ernest l. 0chmidt