Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-02-01

dictate a want OF ripeness Tor such 4
service, But the period was ono that
save mrth 10 strong minds, and
brought them early to maturity at
the time nov pndor consideration,
they stood in the drst rank of Protest.
anf theolngians, and were counted an
ornament 70 The university where
they labored
Their commission was 10 form q
catechism that should suit the wants
d the palatinate. and with this com
mission they went to work. Due TO
Che fact that ursinus and 0iesiauus
had been working along this line for
solne time, in the COURSE OF the same
year the Catechism was completed
and placed in the Electors hands.
The next step was to elothe it with
suitable ecclesiastical authority and
force. For this purpose he immediate
" conyoked at Heidelberg a synod
of the pastors Of the entire Paiati-
nate, to whom the work was submit.
ted for examination and review. This
was done ia several successive sit
tings: at the close of which The body
with one voice declared itself, not
simply satisfied but delighted with
the accuracy. force and comprehen.
siseness Of the whole production as q
%formulary OF faith, and begged that it
might be adopted and made public as
such without delay. Accordingly on
Jan, 18th. 1868 the Elector Frederick
III ordered its publication and adop.
ton as the Confession Of the Church
Of the Palatinate, thus establishing
the German Reformed Church.
~With the publication OF the Held
elberg Catechism the Palatinate be-
came Reformed. this book OF instruc-
tion being enthroned everywhere as
the rule and measure of public faith.
The family. the common school, the
weekly pulpit. the gymnasium and the
university, we're all expected and re.
CURED, in the Palatinate, to cooper
ate continually in carrying out with
efficiency the great design OF the
Heidelberg Catechism. It's effect was
most salutary. 1t is said that a spirit
Of piety leigned throughout the Pa
~latinate, such as had never been
known.
THE Catechism soon had an ex-
@ensive circulation. -Four editions were
sealled for in the same year. II was
considered the glory of the Palati-
mate.
Notwithstanding its favorable re-
ception IN many quarters the Cate
chism soon became the object of bit
ter attacks on the ground that it was
an infringement on the Augsburg Con
fession which had been declared the
authoritative Protestant Confession
tor Germany, The Elector was sum
moned by the Emperor to appear be-
fore the Diet at Augsburg to be
held in 1866. AT this Diet Freder-
lex made his memorable defence Of
his position and of the catechism, As
a result nc was allowed 10 return to
the P~alatinate as a victor, his posi-
ton having been approved, and the
German Reformed Church received
a legal standing in Germany. On his
return to his country he was hailed
with shouts of JOY by his people.
"As soon as the German Reformed
Church had thus been given a legal
standing IN Germany the Catechism
began to spread to other lands. In
Germany ii spread with a wonderful
rapidity. From Germany it spread
to Switzerland. France, England Hun
gary, Poland. Holland: later to Amer
lea and Spain, and South Africa; and
today it is spreading to Japan, China,
Arabia and South America.
THE Heidelberg Catechism is a
book of religious instruction contain
ing, in 129 questions and answers, the
teachings of the Bible. The center OF
this Confession is the Apostles Greed,
and the center of the Apostles Creed
is Christ. The Heidelberg Catechism
is thus, Christo-Centric, It revolyes
around the Divine-Human Christ.
"In form the Heidelberg Catechism
IS based on the Epistle of st. Paul to
the Romans. II has three divisions.
The first treats OF mans misery, thus
leading to a conviction of sin. The
second holds up Christ as the only
Savior of men. The third brings out
the idea of thankfulness for this de-
liverance revealed in a life OF good
works and prayer; the life Of good
works and prayer being the outgrowth
of the redeemed life as the fruit is
the outgrowth of the tree.
THE true child Of the Heidelberg
catechism finds it his chief aim in life