The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-15
IN HONOR OF MELANCHTHON.
,-rv,rRANs CELEBRATE HIS -FOUR
HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY.

so,aeffer's sermon on the Life
nd work of the Great Educator.
- Coadiutor of Martin Luther
~ p1oucer of the Reformation.
The Anniversary to Be Celebrated
,,,.oyabout ChristendOm This
week.
,-ro foDr hundredth anniversary OF the
81, of philip Melanchthon was commem-
D.arad Yesterday with special services at
'sTutheran Church of the Ascension.
- r,ornins. sermon was preached by Mr..
60 3. Cromer, A. NJ, president OF
-r.,borrv College, South Carolina Mr..
-,1or,er,s subject was Christian Educa-
u He addressed a large congrega-
ton and his sermon was pronounced one
of singular power.
Mr. Cromer is in the city as the guest OF
~ " c. Schaeffer. He will remain
ell Tuesday when he will return to New
berry.
The evening services were devoted to
history of Melanchthon. Dr. Schaeffer
presented this history in an interesting
manner
oFour hundred years." he said, will
have elapsed next Tuesday, Feb. 16, since
the birth of Philip Melanchthon, the
friend and coadjutor of. the great reform
er Martin Luther.
"A man whose name is held in reverence
as) wears after his birth, must have
achieved some great things for the good
If his fellow men. The world is proverbi-
s1lv ungrateful 1t is not apt to remember
its true benefactors for a great while.
Many of the names of such benefactors
nave been forgotten, while the names of
Great conquerors, who have harassed the
world with war and misery and to crafty
whose ambition, thousands of their fellow
beings have been ruthlessly destroyed,
still shine on the pages of the worlds his
tory as worthy of all honor.
I'VE may congratulate ourselves that
there are names on the page of history
that shine not with lurid glow, but with
mild and heavenly radiance. There are
names which we know, have
not only earthly but heavenly
Immortality, because their earthly lives
we're governed by heavenly principles and
set their felowmen bright examples of
right living Among these honored names
that of Philip Melanchthon will be as
imperishable in coming centuries as it
my
the Lutheran church. but all Protestant
chrstendom owes it to him, the learned,
wise and steadfast coadjutor OF the great
pioneer of the reformation, DR.. Martin
Luther to lovingly and gratefully per-
petuate his memory.
Philip Melanchthon was born Feb. IS,
49, at Bretten, in the palatinate of the
Rhine, now in the grand duchy of Baden.
His parents were George and Barbara
Schwartzerd. His father was an armorer,
in the employ of the Palatine princes.
Of John Reuter-, mayor Of Bretten. She was
pious Industrious, domestic in her habits
and an excellent housewife. At the advice
Of his uncle, Philip changed his name, as
the custom of the learned at that
time. from Schwartzerd, which means
black earth" into the Greek name Me-
ldnchthOn, which means the same thing.
After attending school in his native town
and receiving private instruction at the
age OF only IL years, he entered the
later he received the degree of bachelor of
arts.
Three years later, when only II years of
age, he received the degree of master of
arts at the University of Tuebingen, He
remained five years at the University of
Tuebingen, pursuing his studies and en-
gagged in literary labors; By this tbs
d s'' years. airaouS" of Il" age, ~ he had
acquired a wide reputation by his scholarly
attachments.
Declining calls to the universities at
Leipzig and Inglestadt, he accepted a
call to a professorship in the new Uni
Versity of Wittenberg, where he became
associated with Martin Luther.
In their personal intercourse Luther
ana MelanchthOn were daily drawn into
closer friendship and fuller mutual esteem.
MeIanchthon was filled with admiration
Tor the clear, forceful intellect, the deep
sincere piety and the heroic spirit of Lu-
ther, while the great reformer,. on the
other hand, was charmed by Melanch-
th0ns amiable disposition, his gentle ma
ture and the grace and elOquence with
which he employed his vast learning. His
bOgrapher says: With the coming of
MeIanchthOn a new era of prosperity
dawned upon the University Of Witten-
berg. Students began to pour in from all
tries of Europe
In 1921 he published the fiat system of
theology of the reformation. called Loci
Communes, this he revised in 1886. 1t was
ms greatest work and treats of the prin-
cipal articles Of Christian doctrine. 1t
passed through more than q hundred edi-
eiQns and was translated into number of
otHef languages. Luther was delighted
WIN THIS work, and declared 1t was wOr-
my not only of Immortality, but even to
De admitted into the canon of scriptures.
Melanchthon also wrote the great con-
Iession presented by the Protestants at the
2lSt OF Augsburg, in 1880, now known as
me Augsburg Confession.
True, to Luther belonged the substance
OF the confession, but TO Melanchthon, we
are indebted for its perfect form.
ANA TO this day this noble confession
=
V,WQWV of people, without even a sug-
sestion TO amend or alter it, It is the
Hrst ana greatest of all Protestant con-
LESSONS. In 1t the very heart of the
gospel beats again. Melanchthon also
wrote the Apology, the confessio saxoni-
"a, blbhcal commentaries and many eth
zeal works
Meianchthon was not only one of the
most learned men of the sixteenth cent
pIy and most renowned as a teacher, but
ne was in marked degree the founder.
director and organizer of high school and
universities throughout Germany Upon
n.n was well bestowed the title of Pre-
eeptor of Germany"
=. A olographer says of him: "Melanch-
cnoh strength lay, not in the ability to
tosdle great and comprehensive sys-
WI, WI oil doctrines, but in the power to de-
s,v.op, expand, clear up, define and defend
nv %Hsehcal truth. There is much truth
49, tle Ola comparison, that Luther found
~ ueep-iying veins of ore and brought
a. S precious metal to light, while Me-
iatjiCnlnon coined IL and set IL to circu-
fronms' The doctrines which Luther drew
elohl me holy scriptures Melanchthon
ser1i9gIaled, put in pleasing form and dis
Ill NiuSled Il was particularly through
ana euorts that the gospel found accept
iearr among the princes, nobility and
s1iiHe9 men Of the day Luther himself
y15i am born to be a rough contro-