The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-07-18
GIVES SERMON
ON SAv0NAR0LA
Rev. 7. w. Pinkerton Talks on
italian Martyr.
HIS LIFE AND WORKS
WAS THE EMANCIPATION OF HIS
COUNTRY.

SavOnar0ls, his life and work, was
the subject of Rev. T ". Pinkerton's
discourse last evening at the Central
Christian church. He said in part:
when Luther was on the way to the
Diet OF Worms, he was exhorted 10
stand fast, and at the same time there
was handed him q picture. which he
kissed It was a portrait of Savonaroia,
an Italian patriot. statesman, reformer
and philosopher
This man was called OF God and IN
the spirit and power of the Prophet
Elijak, he came with a message that
shook the foundations of the political,
social and religious life of his day he
was the John the Baptist Of the re-
formal ton, whose light was 10 blaze
far and wide scattering the darkness.
ignorance, tyranny and superstition
The fifteenth century was big with
events. We are indebted to many Of the
men who lived during that century
for all we hold dear and prize most
in the way of religious liberty and
political freedom and TO SayOnarola as
much or more than to any other one
man.
Tie marvellous century was Ushered
in by the light Of TIE burning fagots OF
the martyrs fires. To the first stake
NcS AAEN a swell s54IA ~ AA0SE HlAAA ~ cAS
only eqUaIIed by her courage, faith
and patriotism, and soon her fTan body
was enveloped in flames that ignorance,
bIgOry and superstition had kndled
and the pure spirit OF Joan of Are re-
turned to God whe gave it.
To the stake we see them at the
close of the century binding a man
crippled and feeble by the most cruel
torture, man wEo had lived blame
less aud nzrCa1fr1Eh life VrhfEf
vOnarOla-
in 1883 ConstantinopIe was taken
by Mahomet Il The western march
of the Turkish army drove a great
number of Greek scholars into Europe
Italy was IL the advance in learning
and Florence became one of the most
celebrated cities of the world To Italy
and Florence many of these scholars
came The Greek language began to
be studied and Europe became familiar
with Greek poets, historians and phil
Osophers.
"Savonarola was born at Ferara on
September n 1852. his grandfather
was a celebrated physician His father
following in his footsteps was a physI-
clan, but was far inferior in force Of
character. His mother, like the moth
erS Of all great men, was a woman
Of great force.
"Savonarola was a timid, serious
Child; his nature was deeply religious.
His daily prayer was. Lord teach me
the way my soul should walk The
Bible, the magma charta of religious
freedom, was his daily companion \
sermon heard at the age of twenty
fixed his purpose to become a monk.
he slipped away from home and en-
tered a convent at Bologne. Here he
learned Self-denial and obedience
he wrote back TO his father saying,
1 nave taken poverty as my bride and
nave sacrificed my body to save my
SOUL Comfort my mother and both OF
you send your blessing. For eight
IasJing, praying. and. studying. The
purity and earnestness of his character
attracted the attention of his suEerfors.
and won their confidence.
he was sent TO his native city to
preach, but attracted little attention
IN 1880 he was sent TO Florence. He
made the journey on foot. As he
stood upon the hill and looked down
upon that beautiful city. what emo
tons must have filled his soul. Here
Dante the great poet was born and
rom which he was banished because
II was not worthy Of him.
Lorenzo, the magnificent, had made
Florence city Of palaces and a gar
oe1 OF delight. When Ssvonarola first
looked upon the city. there were one
hundred and seventy churches Of vari-
Gus styles of architecture. In the cen
tree was the cathedral, a poem in. stone
OF which Michael Angelo said. I can
not make better and ! will not make
one like YOU
Florence was a gay and corrupt
city Faith was dead and virtue had
neu- The multitude was swayed by
his preaching as the forest is sha ken
Fln 5f-rF1
IKE lightning and startled like a thun-
derboh- Your sins he cried. have
made me prophet The corrupt and
pleasure loving Lorenzo at first treated
MN With indifference, but such a man
can not .o1g be ignored, and tie ruler
nnally came to hear him.
Ihe sins Of the monarch and the
people were unSpaTingly Tebuked. Lor-
EMO sent i've leading men TO see him
ana 10 demonstrate with him upon the
severity Of his preaching. I know he
said' who sent you Tell your master
10 repent Of his sins for the Lord has
no fear Of princes They plead will,
MN 10 change his style. Of preaching.
Ieu your master. ne said to change
MS style of living The messengers
then tried bribery with promises of
pfe4efiaeht and limited at assassfna-
tloh. Finally he said. Tell your mas
Ter that ] am an humble stranger and
ne me prince of the city. 1 sLaU re-
main, he shall depart
II was about this time that be pre-
dieted the death Of the Dope and of
Lorenzo and the invasion OF TtaIv bv \
IoTelgu power. In u few months the
French were laundering at the vatss
OF Florence. In April. 1892. Lorenzo
lett Florence and retired to his beau
tifUl villa to die.
ne tLat is prophet today may be
outlaWed tomorrow. They. who spread
their garments in the way TODAY and
cry HOsanna' may tomorrow be with
those who cry Cruelty him 50 the
people Of Florence soon forgot Savon-
arOIa.
A sermon he preached reached the
pope and in May. 1875 he was con-
demned TO die As the bishop was 70
moving his prieStly robes he said tn
SaVonarola. i separate you from the
cnuTch militant and the church
triumphant Not from che church
y ltAi--i 5..an, that is beyond your power
ne replied. The fire was kindIed and
his sufferibgs were soon over. T5us
passed the heriOc soul to God. -