The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-11-12

James Witke. While G. g. Spieker
Spoke in English and Told of the
Great Reformer's Work.
| The three hundred ami seventeenth
| anniversary OF the birth Of Martin ILL
ther. the great German reformer, was
fttingly celebrated last night in Zion
Evangelical Lutheran church on Milf
| Tin avenue. where a union service was
| conducted by the congregations of the
following churches: Zion's, Christ,
st. Peters Holy Trinity. st. Marks
and ST. Paul's.
The church was very handsomely
decorated with flowers and evergreen,
| and over the pulpit was hung a por-
trait of Luther entwined with green's.
Music was furnished by the choirs OF
Zion and Holy Trinity churches, who
rendered several German and English
hymns in an especially attractive
manner.
Seated upon the rostrum when the
services began were the following
clergymen: Rev. James Wilke. pastor
of Christ church: Rev. C. G.. Spieker,
pastor Of Holy Trinity church; Rev.
a. l.. Raemer, pastor of st. Marks:
Rev w. c. J.. Lauer, pastor of st.
Paul's mission; Re. John w. Ran
dolph. pastor of 1t. Peters; Rev.
Frederick ZiZleman pastor of Zion
church.
The usual altar service was conduct
ed by Rev. John Randolph, after
which an especially eloquent sermon
in German was preached by Rev.
James Witke. who dwelt upon 1.uther's
life and the existing conditions which
made the revolution necessary. He
was followed by Rev. c. G. Spieker,
who preached in English. lie spoke,
in part, as follows:
REV. sPIEKER'S SERMON.
"We are gathered here tonight to
commemorate the memory Of one who
was the greatest gift of God to the
world since the days of the apostles;
Il man who stands above all others
of modern times like the cathedral
stands above the smaller buildings in
a city; a man who was great In IN
rellect great in deed and great in
God: man for all the ages, and whose
name we are proud of-Dr Martin
Luther.
"Iuther was a man whom I believe
to have been sustained by God in
his great work, as We're the patriarchS
of old. He gave to us free access to
a loving Saviour, Il pure and true
Gospel, and untrammeed sacraments.
Well may we say of him. Thanks be
to God for his unspeakable gifts.
I'VE are gathered here tonight to
commemorate the memory Of man
who paved the way for the wonderful
civilization in which We are living to-
day, and who has set on high where
all may see and read, The pure Cos
pei.
I'VE are not, as some people call
us. man worshippers. We do not wor-
ship Luther. but we respect him and
honor him because he worked out IL
Divine mission under the guidance of
Christ Jesus. Luther was a man. like
unto us. He had a human side like
you and I. but he had more humanity
than any man of his time.
lie was born of the humblest par
onts and he lived among peasants in
his early years, but he rose to posi-
ton where he was above princes and
kings, cardinals and popes. If we eX-
clude the idea that Luther had Di-
vine call and that his was a Divine
mission, how can we explain his life
and how can we account for his great
work.
LTTHER'S GREATNESS.
1.-The secret of Luthers greatness and
the source of his wonderful power was
the secret of every great mans great
ness and the secret of the power pos
l,,-.,
we find him he was always the man Of
God. Remove from him all his self-sac-
rlfcing effort. take away his faith in
the word of God and what would YOU
have left? Nothing.
THE secret of Luther's greatness lay
in his devotion to God and to His word.
Upon the word OF God he stood sound
and firm. 1t is not possible that anv
man could carry out any such work as
Luther's with any other force than God
behind him. He was ever ready to sac
rifice all, and was never willing to yield
one jot of the Scriptures.
He stood for the word of God; for
that he battled: for that he suffered:
for that he sacrificed and all his great
ness, influence and power centered in
and revolved around it.
I'VE honor Luther because of his de-
votion to and work in behalf of the
pure truth of God. If We are ashamed
of him 1t Is the same as being ashamed
of the word OF God. We must remem-
ber that we are Lutherans only when
we live and die as Luther did. Ii we
truly honor him we must follow the
way of life over which he journeyed,
We must show our love not alone in
idle thought but by living Il true
Christian life
The closing service was conducted by
Rev. w. c. l.. Lauer, and the benedic-
ton was pronounced by Rev. p. r..
Iizelman. The services We're attended
by Il nnnnrnoa ion n.hinh con,.la.o..