Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1910-04-21


ness to do so. even among Catholics.
Leo X had died and Adrian VI, an
orthodox Dominican, instructed his
nuncio TO the diet of Nuremburg TO
ask the enforcement of the edict of tho
diet of Worms. at least to arrest the
preachers who were filling the pulpits
of the land. The diet declined to do
this, issuing at the same time humid
red grievances to the Pope. The new
Pope, Clement VII, next year de-
manded the execution of the edict of
Worms, which was again refused and
the edict annulled. In 1929 the diet
met at Spires and MANY of the mem
bers being Catholics. a decree was
passed requiring all changes in religi-
GUS forms should be discontinued, and
the minority of Protestants made Pro-
test against the decisions of the Catbo-
lie majority. During these conten-
tions between Popes and diets, Luth-
err S literary activity was unparalleled.
He wrote tract after tract, an Order of
the Worship of God, and Hymn
Book.
The tragic period of the Reformation
now came upon it. Germany was now
divided and bloodshed ensued. The
peasants uprose against the rapacity
of the mobiles. They were inclined to-
wards Luther, and he for time stood
by them. Allied as he had been all
this time with the German prince, he
could not continue thus, and he soon
changed against the peasants, and los
ing his head, issued a pamphlet
against the peasants in which he urg-
ed the authorities to stab, kill and
strangle the numbering, robbing
hounds of peasants. The peasants
were routed, and so, 600 slain or execu-
ted, among them many of the best
friends of Luther. This war democrat
lied the Protestant congregations, and
left them ignorant and savage.
In 1925 Luther married Catharine
Won Bora, who with eight other sis
tiers had left convent, like him
abandoning their vows, and from the
union resulted six children. Luther
had long advised his friends among
the monks and priests to take a wife,
but had neglected himself to take the
step. He still continued professor in
the university of Wittenburg.
The remainder of Luther's life was
spent in debate. He met the Swiss re
formers under Zwingli at Marburg
but differed with them as to the sacra
ment of the Eucharist, Luther chalk
ing out on the table the Latin words
"Hic est corpus meum,, to sustain
his argument that the true body o.
Christ was corporeally present.
A diet was held at Augsburg il
1880, by which Protestants were giver
to the next spring to return to thu
church or measures would be taken TO
their determination. An armed League
of Protestant princes was then for1l cd
but religious truce was declared q
Nuremburg, and the threatened wa
averted for a while, or until 1852
when the events eliminated in tn
Terrible Thirty Years War.
Zwingli and Luther had never go
along we'll together, and in 1914 Luth
er renewed his attack on Zwingli wit
even more fury, publishing book re
newing the controversy. Pope Pau
III. in 1887 had called council a
, Mantua, and invited the Lutherans t
be present. Luther prepared creed
! but the German princes befused to g
: from German soil to the propose
council Next the conference was re
, sumed at Worms, when the Roma
l Catholic party promised reforms If tn
Professionals first submitted to the Pope
1 which was refused. The German EN-
a peror still urged for peace. as he plain
. ly saw that civil war was approach
3 ing, an event that Luther as WEI
: plainly foresaw. With tie hope tina
: civil strife might be averted, h
wrote the Wittenburg Reformation.
r document setting forth how near tn
evangelical church might approach tn
r Roman Catholic and still retain tn
S truths it upheld
The end of Luther's life was now ar
D preaching. In 1915 Luther died at hi
9 birth place, Eisleben, from violen
+ cold, his death occurring Feb. II, an
r that summer saw two armies reaping
j vintage of death in Germany over re
!. ligion, strange condition.
0 Luthers doctrines were rigorous an
s intolerant He held that Anabaptist
/ ought to be burned, declared all meas
a ures lawful against Catholics and il
!. voked the civil power against Car
e stadt, his friend, and Zwingli. Ill
n permission to the Landgrave, Philip
9 Hesse, to take second wife durin
n the lifetime of the first, was lax ide
n of morality, although bigamy wa
punishable by death at that time nj
: der German law. The Landgrave Wa
i. married March 4, 1910, to wife No
i by Melander himself, minister wit
: three wives living. Luther defende
S this on the false principle that the en-