The Cairo bulletin., 1907-11-11
MARTIN LUTHER
And the Reformation 49, Tribute by
President Roosevet-Claim and
Character Of the Church.

"Dr Martin Luther anu Inc ne
formation" was the theme discussed
by Pastor Charles n. Armstrong, II
the Lutheran church last night. The
sermon was simple, plain presenta
ton OF few OF the salient features
OF the Reformation. with q brief his
tory of DR. Martin Luther, the great
reformer Of the sixteenth century, dc
Iliyered for the especial benefit Of the
Sunday school
The one work-if he had done no
Iother good-that placed humanity for
ever in the debt Of the German priest.
was I.uther's translation of the Bible
Into High German. thereby placing
Gods revealed will to man in the
hands of the people-the rank and
file"
II seems almost prudential that
about this time-the art of printing
lbecame generally known, and that the
world learned how to make paper
from rags, making it possible -
broad cast the sacred message
throughout the length and breadth OF
Germany.
/ Luther's finding the Bible, for the
first time, in an obscure niche Of the
library Of the university Of Erfurth--
with the Holy Book falling open, as
If bv accident. at the first chapter OF
the book Of first Samuel an accoun.
lof Hannah consecrating her boy to
1.-THE Lord-was beyond dontt nroyi-
dental.
The forces set In motion by Luther
ana his able eo-adiutors lin the six
lteenth century have done much for
lciyilization and righteousness, with
out Luther and his aids, Protestant
ism would not have been.
| or the Lutheran church, in his al
ldress at the re-opening Of Luther
Place Memorial Evangelical Lutheran
| church. OF Washington 2. G., Jan
| e. 1905. President Roosevelt said;
l-It Is destined to be one of the two ~
three greatest churches and most i'm
| b, rtant national churches in the Uni
ted States; one OF the two or three
lchurches NEST distinetiyely American
lamong the forces that are to tell for
making this great country even great
er in the future"
And the Rev Prof Chas. P, Krauth,
b. D.. says the following on the
Claims and Character of this
church:
THE Lutheran church has peculiar
claims upon the interest Of the
thoughtful reader Of history, as the
oldest. the most clearly legitimate
the most extensive of Protestant
churches. and In certain sense the
mother OF them all Embracing the
/ North of Europe. the Scandinavian
kingdom, the German states, with mil
lions of her children in Russia. Hun
gary. Poland, France. Holland, and in
almost every part Of the globe where
| Professionalism is tolerated she
speaks in more tongues, and minis
ters in more natiouaIities than all the
others together she Is the most CON
servative OF them all. though she bore
| the first and greatest part IN the
most daring aggression on establish
ed error. No church has SO vigorous
Ily protested against the abuses OF
human reason. and none has done SO
much for the highest culture OF the
human mind--she has made Germany
the educator OF the world. No
church has been so deeply rooted in
the verities of the ancient faith. and
none has been marked by so much
theological progression; in none has
independent religious thought gone
forth In such matchless orature OF
learning and under such constant con
troll of genuine moderation. No
church has enunciated more boldly
the principles of Christian liberty, and
none has been so free from ten
dency to pervert IL to RIGHTEOUSNESS.
No church has more reverently bowel
to the authority OF Gods word. aud
none has been more free from the
tendency TO sect and schism. More
than forty (seventyl millions Of the
human race dGknoNleiEc hfi a. eH'tA
spiritual mother: and she gives them
all. not only the one rule of faith, but
she does what no other church does:
acknowledging the Bible as the only
authority. she gives TO her various
nationalities one confession OF taitn.
the Augsburg Confession. This I'M
mortal document furnishes an integ-
raj defining term TO the Lutheran
church. Through all time and in all
lands this is hers: it is her grand dis
tinction that she is the church of the
Augsburg Confession.
II has been said by an author that
They do not die who leave their
thought imprinted on some deathiess
page" and. in this sense. Luther
possibIy more than any other
lives.
CRIME IN KENTUCKY"