Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1907-06-20
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Of Martin Luther, a Great Reformer
of the 18th Century, Born Of Poor
Parents but Finally Gained
Worldwide Reputation

0kSAbS WV AAAAAy Ss~AASS ~
Worldwide Reputation
Martin Luther was the son of a
Saxon miner, was born at Eisleben
in Prussian SaXony on the 10th Of
November 1883. He was reared un-
der very pious parents and under
very severe discipline aud it is re-
ported that he was logged fifteen
times in one afternoon for mis-
behavior.
While at school at Mansfield, he
earned his bread by singing from
door to door in the neigh boring
villages. When fourteen years of
age he was sent to the Francician
school of Magdeburg where he was
obliged to support himself in the
same way. A year later he went to
Eisnach where he had relatives.
They were too poor to help him and
his songs were still his main reliance.
One day while singing on the
streets he attracted the attention of
a charitable lady named Ursula
Gotta who took him to her home and
befriended him until he was pre-
pared to enter the University Of
Erfurt at the age of eighteen. Here
he prosecuted his studies with such
vigor that in 1906 he graduated with
the degree of Master OF Arts.
He gave great attention to the
study of the Scripture, complete
copies of which he found in the con-
vent library. Johann Staapitz, the
superior of the Saint Augustinian
order in Germany, took great in
terest in him and gave him copy Of
the Bible for his own use, and in
other ways assisted him in his
studies.
In 1907 he took priests orders and
the next year was made professor Of
scholastic philosophy in the Univer-
sity of Wittenberg. The insight
which he had gained into monastic
life by his residence in the convent
made Luther feel inclined to doubt
some of the practices and doctrines
of the church and these doubts were
increased by a journey which he
took to Rome in 1910 in the inter-
ests OF the order.
In order to raise funds for the
rebuilding OF st. Peter few years
later, Pope Leo X. authorized the
sale of indul gencies and intrusted
this traffic in Saxony to Monk
named John Tetzel who was such q
trickster that many devout Catho-
lies were shocked at his manner of
disposing of his wares. When he
came to Wittenberg, Luther sternly
denounced the traffi; in indalgencies,
aud declared that he would refuse
absolution 10 any one who should
purchase them.
On the 31st dav of October, 1911
he took more decisive step in adj
vance and affixed to the door of the
Castle church at Wittenberg, thesis
made up of ninetY-five propositions
in which he denounced the assump-
tion Of the papacy, and declared that
every sincere penitent would receive
absolution of his sins from Christ
direct without the Intervention OF
the church. This was an open rup-
ture with Rome and is regarded as
the beginning of the Reformation.
A sharp controversy followed in
which Luther decidedly worsted
Tetzel and others on the Romish side.
In 1920 Luther Issued his famous
address aud from that time stood as
the enemy to the Roman Catholic
church. In this he was supported by
his university and many prominent
men. Pope Leo had treated the mat
ter up to this time as mere quarrel
among the German monks but on thu
18th of June 1920, issued bulletin
denouncing the penalties OF eAcom'
munication against Luther if h'
should not recant within one hun
dred days. On the 18th of Decem
Der Luther burned this bull in thu
presence Of the students and protes
sors Of the University
Emperor Charles V. summoned
him to appear before the Diet o
Worms and he promptly obeyed thu
summons although he was advise
to the contrary. He boldly defend
ed his doctrines and departed I'm
molested. He was sliced by q ban
of armed and masked men and re
ported waylaid and murdered.
1t proved ruse of a friend and b
was taken to Castle Wartberg whel
he spent ten months hunting, issuin
tracts and translating Scriptures
the German language. In 1925 /
married an ex-nun. This he did
tsplease his father, tease the poI
and vex the devil" He died on IL
18th day Of February, 1916, and W
buried near the pulpit in the Cast
church of Wittenberg, Germany.
A Lesson In Health