The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-11
IN HONOR OF LUTHER
GREAT REFORMER's NATAL DAY
CELEBRATED IN TWO CHURCHES.
THE GERMAN VOLUNTEERS
ATTENDED THE LUTHERAN
CHURCH OF ASCENSION.

| chester-EIoquent EuIOgy on Luz
Their Pronounced by Rev. w. C.
| Schaeffer-Similar Services Held
in st. Paul's Church Where, Also,
Annual Reports of the Church
Were Submitted.
| The largest congregation that has at
tended the Lutheran Church of the AS
cension since Easter gathered yester-
day morning at the services commem-
Grating the 41Sth anniversary of the
birth of Martin Luther, of which the
chief feature was the eulogy pronounc-
ed upon the great reformer and foun-
Ger of the Lutheran faith, by Rev. DR..
w. C. Schaeffer.
The church had been beautifully de-
corated under the direction of the
Luther League. and also an unusually
fine programme of music was rendered
by the choir and an orchestra, under
the direction of Prof. Franz Hubner.
One of the selections was the favorite
hymn of Luther, "A Mighty Stronghold
Is Our God" Pictures of Martin Luz
Their and of Melancthon were on either
side of the pulpit. The German volun-
teers attended the service, uniformed
and in body.
DR.. Schaeffer gave a rapid sketch of
the life and work of Luther, declaring
that since Paul, no man has done more
for the race, bequeathing to men for
all the centuries legacies of imperish-
able value. Day by day thoughtful
students of history are coming into
fuller recognition of the fact, not only
that Luther was one of the worlds
greatest heroes, but that in the provf-
dence of God, he was instrumental in
starting forces which have revolution
lied the worlds history-"the real au-
thor of modern liberty of thought and
action, the giant founder of modern
| civilization
Whilst the controlling idea of the
Reformation which Luther led was
religious one, yet there were vital po-
litical principles underlying the whole
movement, not merely incidental to it,
but the necessary, logical outgrowth of
it, which can be traced in the current
of history, pulsing and throbbing
through the centuries at times crushed
by the iron heel of despotism and again
emerging from amid bloody baptism
| into renewed life and energy-ever wild
ening and deepening and to-day consti-
| tutlng the basic principles of all con-
stitutional government.
"Luther's life was briefly and graph
ically sketched from his humble birth
in poor PEASANTS cottage in Eisleben,
Germany, through his school days and
to his entrance of the University at
Erfurth. His poverty, his severe train
ing, his spiritual struggles were all pre-
pairing him for his exalted and peril
GUS mission. His brilliant intellectual
powers, his wonderfully retentive mem
Dry, his prodigious power for work soon
| made him man of mark.
| AT the age of 25 Luther was invited
by the elector of SaXony to become
professor at the University of Witten-
berg. Here was the field on which
he was to fight many hard battles. His
courage and faith were always ade-
quate to the occasion. Here he emery
ed out of his spiritual conflict and soul
agony into new man in Christ Jesus.
when the truth of justification by
faith flashed through Luthers mind,
it was the discovery of a
new world. He then understood what
Jesus meant when he said: This is the
work of God that we believe in Him
whom God has sent This fundamental
fact of justification by faith now so
strenuously held and courageously de-
Tended by DR.. Luther, led on to larger
developments, presenting new issues.
THE Holy Scriptures must now stand
the Supreme Authority as over against
that of priests and councils and popes.
The word of God must be the only in
fallible rule of faith and practice. Jus :
| ~ Cot
preme authority of the Scriptures, re
ligious liberty, the right of private
judgment must be insisted upon.
Here begun Luther's mightiest con =
fiicts. The DEGREES of the pope were
absolute law. There could be no chal-
lenge of this authority, no appeal from
it, no freedom of thought, no liberty
on conscience, no exercise of private
Judgment. All disputes with Rome led
to the stake. 1t was this gigantic des-
potism that confronted Luther
"On this starless night of absolutism
arose this mighty man of God, releas-
ing thought from iron bondage, stamp
ing the signet of manhood on the brow
of peasant and serf. asserting the
brotherhood of man and the father
hood of God, and laying, forever. broad
and deep, the foundations of civil and
religious liberty, on which have been
built up the grand Christian civiliza-
ton of this twentieth century.
And when summoned to the Diet Of
Worms by the powerful Emperor
Charles V, amid the glory, learning and
power of Rome to answer for his au
dacious assumption, Luther never fall
tered. That was one of the grandest
spectacles of the ages. In the midst of
all that pomp and power stood undis-
mayed the defenseless Doctor Luther
and dared to say to the supremest
temporal and spiritual power on
earth: Unless you confute me by ar
guments drawn from Scripture. / cam
not and will not recant anything. Here
| stand; / cannot do otherwise. God
help me. Amen'
Firm as the eternal pillows. of
truth and Justice, he stands. The
cause is gained! The victory is won
Man is free! The whole world should
to-day thank God and be proud that
such a man as Martin Luther livedl"
The choir consisted of Prof Franz
Hubner. director; Prof .Warth. organ,
ist; Mrs. Barbour. soprano: Mrs
Franz Hubner, alto; Mr.. II. Hill. tenor.
and Mr.. Hardee and Mr.. b. A. Hoff-
man, bass
The day was also observed at 81
Paufs Lutheran Church, where an elo-
quent address on the life and work Of
Luther was delivered by the pastor
Rev. NJ. j. Epting. In addition the
officers OF tn echurch submitted their
reports for the conduct OF the church
work for the past year They showed
that all departments are IN a most