Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-01-21
An Estimate of Martin Luther.
WASHINGTON. Jan. Is, 1909.

the great German reformer and true
estimate of his influence in the world
history. One more point might be
added to his credit. that notwithstsnd-
ing his strenuousness and positive
opinions, bis fight for religious liberty
was never tainted by countenancing
the persecution OF those who dissented,
as unfortunately did the Gallo and
and Anglican Protestsnts atterward.
This article also shows how appropri-
ately the finest central square of the
National Capital is adorned by the
bronze statue of the Saxon Monk, the
father of both religious and political
liberty. ST. J. B.
MARTIN LUTHER.
In the early dawn of an October
morning in the year 1917 young
man in the garb of a monk, and carry
ing hammer in his hand, walked up
to the door of an old cathedral in a
little German city and nailed a pla-
card on 1t. The blows of his hammer
scarcely disturbed even the most rest.
less of the sleeping burghers, but they
were lond enough to resound through
out the whole civilized world, to
awaken a nation to life, and to send
down the centuries echoes that have
not yet been stilled.
Save in his native land and in the
churches that bear his name. the work
of DIR. Martin Luther is almost over
looked by the busy world of the
twentieth century. Yet had it not
been for the daring and the faith OF
this man, the twentieth century would
have been far different. Not to Her
mann of the Cherusci. nor to Frede-
rick Birbarossa, nor to Ohio the
Great, who were before him-nor yet
10 Bismarck, of later dste-do the
Germans owe their national existence,
but to Martin Luther, the monk Of
Wittenberg. A still greater claim to
fame, perhaps, remains to this poor
monk in that it was his act which
gave to the whole world the priceless
boon Of religious liberty. Without
religious liberty no such thing as poll
tical liberty could ever have drawn
its breath. So that when on Octobe'
81 last the mind o. the nation was
fixed upon the approaching election
1t is most surprising that tde celebra-
ton, on the part Of few churches in
our land, of the event which made
that elect on possible was nearly over
looked.
Before Luther broke the chains
which bound the Bible to the cloister,
and gave it to the world, Germany
was not a nation, but a conglomera.
ton Of peoples held together by geo.
graphic lines and the sword. 1t had
no language it had no binding ties
other than that of blood. Out Of the
fundamental materials Of the German
ic tongues he. virtually unaided, built
up language, tran slated book into
it. and gave the language, with the
book, to the people. 1t is the only
case in human history where man
wrote a book in a language that was
not yet born. From that day the
German people became nation, capa-
bic Of INSTRUMENTATION, sympathet-
lc ideals, and political development.
When Luther nailed his 95 theses,
denying and defying the abuses OF the
church, on the door of the old church
at Wittenberg, be vas the voice OF all
future mankind declaring humanity
should not take its creeds from the
sword and from the inquisitorial fire.
Before his day man had to believe
what men decreed be should believe,
or die. II has not been many steps
to this day, when man may believe
what be pleases, aud account to no
man for it. This was the great revo-
luton of the Mi idle Ages 1t re-
quired the French revolution to COM
plete the work by making it applica-
BILE to political institutions as well as
to conscience.
No work of man has been Of great
err moment since the legions Of Caesar
brought Rome's civilization across Eu.
rope. In the galaxy of humaDity's 8
most powerful figures that of Dr..
Martin Luther stands easily among
the first ten.
"It's hard, said the sentimental