The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-23
JEROME sAvoNARoLA


JEROME sAvoNARoLA
Anniversary Sermon on the Martyrs
Death, by DR.. Wendte
At the Church of the Unity was celebrat-
ed the 400th anniversary Of the martyr
death of Savonarola. Rev. c. w. Wendte
delivered a memorial address on the occa-
sion. He said:
Tomorrow. the 23d Of May, will be the
A00th anniversary Of the execution and
martyr death Of Jerome Savonarola, the
last of the great pre-reformers, whose he
roic testimony prepared the way for the
emancipating word and work of Martin
Luther and the Protestant reformation.
On that eventful day 400 years ago, in the
city Of Florence, Italy. Savonarola. the
lion-hearted, prior Of the Church Of st.
Mark, the brave and eloquent preacher Of
a spiritual Christianity and a purified
church, having been accommodated by
Rome, was delivered over to his enemies.
At the instigation Of the corrupt pope
Alexander vi. known in private life as the
Infamous Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia, Sa-
vonarola was tortured. strangled and his
ence, amid the plaudits Of the tickle multi
tude, who, but a few weeks before, had re-
vered him as prophet sent from God.
1.-THE proud Florentines have long since
repented Of their cruelty towards one of
their most devoted and illustrious citizens.
and have sought to atone for their one
time cruelty by perpetuating and glorify-
ing his memory. His is the presence which
~
present day. 1t seemed to be ever with me
during my sojourn there. 1t is Savonarola
you recall when you cross the sunny piaz-
"a where his soul went up in chariot of
fire. Whenever white-robed Dominican
passes you. you involuntarily say to your
self thus did Savonarola appear 400 years
ago. You feel the spell Of his presence even
more when you visit the monastery of San
Marco, wander through its sunny gardens
and deeply shaded arcades, and in the bare
little cell of the reformer gaze upon his
portrait, his hair shirt. his Bible. with
marginal notes in his own handwriting.
and other personal relics. And when, in
the Lenten season, you hear in thssr great
Duomo yonder the sonorous voice Of some
preacher of repentance you think Of the
vast and eager crowds that singing absnt
this very pulpit four centuries ago, listened
to Savonarola's burning eloquence as to 4
revelation from heaven.
1.-THE earthly immortality of the lofty
souled Dominican seems assured. He has
done a mighty work. He has won the ad-
miration and love of man throughout the
world kindled them to purer impulses and
helped sgnally to set in motion the forces
out of which Professionalism was born. He
shines like a serene, spiritual light for
ever on the horizon OF departed ages
HE foretold his own tragic death If
you ask me- he said, what the end of this
struggle will be, will tell you. The end
will be that shall be cut to pieces and die;
but my principles will be victorious, for
they are not mine, but Gods
This is the strength of the lonely and
prosecuted reformer. He knows that.
sooner or later, the truth will triumph and
its victory will assure him deserved rec
ognition. As Lowell sings:
Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong for
ever on the throne
Yet that scaffold sways the future and be-
hind the dim unknown
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping
watch above his own.
Far In front the cross stands ready, and
the cracking faggots burn,
While the hooting mob OF yesterday IN
silent awe return
To CLEAN up the scattered ashes into his
tory's golden urn.
Tomorrow morning there will take place
in the ancient and splendid city Of Flor
ence an imposing civic celebration of the
40Oth anniversary Of Savonarola's martyr
dom.
1.-THE Catholic church will also observe it
with impressive ceremonies. For the
Church of Rome has long since realized its
error and repented its persecution of the
reformer.
"Only sixty years after his death it
sent his writings to the Congregation of
the Index, which pronounced them free
from heresy. Pope Benedict XIV. be-
lieved him worthy to be called a saint.
Savonarola never denied her dogmas or
formally broke with Rome. He limited
himself to a protest against the corrup-
lions Of the papacy. Hence that church in
our day sees no Inconsistency in claiming
him as one Of her most illustrious sons, and
celebrating his memory.
with even greater reason the Protesfan.
wing of the universal church of Christ
reveres his example and word. 1t was
through MS brave ueHdHce VI 1tOIIles uls
insistency on the Bible as the supreme
rule of faith and practice, and his lofty
appeal for spiritual and free Christianity
which, following on the emancipating word
and work Of John Wickliffe, Peter Wal
dus and John Huss, made possible the
later and triumphant protest of Martin
Luther and the religious heroes of the
fifteenth century.
"Savanarola was not Protestant in the
usual understanding of the word. But
he was an apostle of the right of private
| Judgment, a reformer before the reforma-
ton, a castigator Of the vices of the exist
ing church. and a champion of popular lib
| critics.
"Thus he declared In his reply to the
pope's bull of accommodation: Tho
excellence of man consists not in the law
but in Christian love, and he only vhc
possesses this knows what is necessary to
the salvation. He who commands any
thing Christian love-anathema sit! lei
him be accommodated of God! And
though an angel said it. though all the
saints and Virgin Mary said it, (Which is