The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1902-12-27
- IN aoNoR oF LurHER
Anniversary Of Reformation Celebrated
Last Nlght

The First Lutheran church was vel
filled last night TO join III the ceieDra
ton OF the anniversary Of the begin.
ning OF the Protestant reformation II
Germany, oS5 years ago. They met t
glory over tho memory Of Martin Lu
tier and the time SO many years age
wAea he nailed his ninety-iive theses
upon the church door at WittenDerg
Germany, and gave to the " rid new
epoch. a new hight which has been eve.
growing larger The goodness and great
ness OF Martin Luther was the tnemt
and the foundation and the belief and
the objects OF the Lutheran chulx
were dwelt upon by the speaker o. t.e
evening. Or. Carl Swensson, presided
Of Bethany college. az I.iiidst0fg. X
The gathered followers Of tho goat
former were told that had IL not been
for Luther, had it not boen for his dec
laration Of freedom in belief, In mind
the great American republic would mol
lave been possible. The Declaration q.
independence. be declared. had for its
foundation the liberty principles Of Lu-
ther.
Incidental to an address which heid
the closest attention OF his hearers and
IN which the speaker spoke with a feel.
ing and enthusiasm OF the different in
cldents Of Luther's life, DR.. Swenss3a
took occasion to denounce the recent
act OF the Chicago university IN deciar-
Ing against co-education as a detestabif
sct and step backward 70 that great
university. He glored that DR.. Harper,
the head OF that Institution, was not 0
Lutheran and said that be would't be
surprised il the next move Of Dr. Har.
per and Mr. Rockefeller would be ts
get out an Injunction to prevent girl.
being born Of the same parents as boys.
This came up incidental to a part oi
his address in which he said that Mar
tia Luther was the first pedagague to
declare that women had the SAINT
rights to education as men.
Rev DR.. l.. S. Keyser. OF Atchison
and Rev. DR.. j. A. Zeigler, pastor OF the
local church, also took part in the ser
vices. During the afternoon mer' 6
Of the ministers CT the two k. Is
Cltys was held at the church to talk
over the reformation and its different
with be singing Of Luher's great hymn
with the singing Of LuthfG,s great
hymn, Elm Feste Burg
Dr. Swensson told Of his visit to the
grave Of Luther and then proceeded tc
outline the move Of the reformation. lie
spoke Of the character Of the man d
what his work has meant to the wori l.
Nothing has created such a stir In g
religious world as the thesis Of Luther.
Far back In 1917, in the darkness OF the
middle ages, the old light--we cali 4
the new-shone upon the world. he
should be proud to be the sons c. sucl
a church. the church of the first Protes-
tant communion Luther was the re-
former OF the sixteenth century, the
refoImer OF all centuries. The conver-
sion Of that one German was the begin
ming Of a new world--a new epoch
more beautiful, moro wonderful than
10 all history"
Luther's great struggle with his coz
cience was told Of. and bis final o,
burst against the conditions OF th
tunes. when SO much money boug
the forgiveness Of sins. Luther believe
that forgiveness could rlily ne found
through faith In God. The life Of a
Christian should be only a life Of lo- Z
and life Of service.
Luther and his reformation were
great because he had the true concep-
ton o. life In general. He had supreme
faith IN the Bible inspiring the faith
Of God. II the Bible is not true then
religion is false. Lutheran chr siianity
stands on the old platform that the
word OF God Is contained in the Bible
ard that --e Bible is the word OK God
and an inspired book.
DR.. Swensson closed wit. a plea for
a united Lutheran church and the cit
ing Of a few figures 10 show that there
.. L.. \
while combined, the five other leading
Protestant denominations only equal I
60,000, 900.