Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-10-29
LUTHERAN FESTIVAL, ATTENDED
BY LOO PEOPLE ON SUNDAY
NIGHT WAS TERESTINC EVENT

broad outlines, the improved condi-
ton of mankind. resulting from the
free and extensive operation Of. Bib
cal principles in Protestant communi-
ties during the past four centuries.
The bodying forth of these principles
in the. conditions, Achievements and
aspirations of our day constitutes the
chief glory of modern times; and
every Lutheran will, accordingly. feel
a tide OF, lofty sentiment sweep over
his soul, stirring the very depths Of
his being, as these priceless treas
ures are brought to view; for they
are ours by inheritance; ours u en-
Joy; ours to perpetuate.
Religious Liberty Secured.
1.-The prophet Ezekiel, speaks Of
the influence of the gospel under the
similitude Of a river whose healing
waters. issuin~ from the sanctuary
and flowing into the wilderness.
brings life to everything along its
course. Even the. leaves of the trees
growing on it's banks are for the
healing of the nations. 1t is natural
kinds of grain, irrigated by the wa
tiers of this river, extend in all direc-
tions, and that they rustic like Le-
banon as they wave before h wind;
and in like manner it is natural to
suppose that many and various bles-
sings to society would result from the
recovery of the Bible. Let us look
at some of these blessings. The first
is tina of Religious Liberty. Who
can estimate its val9e?. Who can
adequately describe its cxce:lence?
IlNaS il rnt onrStifIta tho Vorv SnI1I
of freedom that no tyrant can enter
the sacred temple of your conscience
to dictate your duties to God, but that
the dictates of your. own conscience
determine your, choice in matters of
religion? And yet you know full
we'll that, for long and weary cen
turtles prior to the recovery of the
Bible. the conscience of millions was
chained in the dungeons of hierarch-
ical authority. We who are accus-
toned to breathe the bracing air of
religious liberty, whose conscience
knows nc master. save God in Heaven,
know nothing of the sitting air and
the CALLING chains Of the spiritual
prison house of blind obedience,-a
prison house in which you are not
only to do what . are told to do,
but at the peril of your life here
and hereafter, to believe what you
are told to believe.
The Principal of liberation.
Liberty of conscience, however,
can not exist in human society with
out Religious federation. And this
principle exhibited with remarkable
force in Protestant countries today,
has become operative and effective
in the affairs of men only by the re-
covery of the Bible. The parable of
the wheat and the tares. that of the
good Samaritan, and kindred Bible
passages, showing the proper spirit
and motives of believers in dealing
with men of a different faith, all go
to show the propriety of religious toll
GRAFTON. This important principle
was understood and proclaimed very
early by that great religious genius,
Martin Luther. While Calvin, moved
by a less evangelical spirit than was
Luther, ordered the burning of Ser
vetus, the Wittenberg theologians
were guilty of no such fault. And it
is a noteworthy fact redounding
greatly to the honor Of our church,
that while even the Protestants in
England, following Calvin's lead, fire.
quently paid the Catholics in their
own coin, the short argument of fire
has never, to my knowledge, beer
used by the Lutheran church to set
tie religious questions. And yet, the
principle of religious ~toleration, like
Christianity itself, acts like a leaven
gradually leavening the whole :ump.
Even in Lutheran countries the re-
! ligious federation shown a hundred
years 6 was crude and imperfect
as compared with that Of tooay. At
present religious liberation is recog-
nized not only as a convenient and
necessary course of conduct, but as
being based on a wise and just prin-
ciple. Our own country probably at
fords the most splendid example OF
the successful operation of this prin-
ciple; and we all hope and pray that
this priceless jewel may retain its
present prominent place in the laws
and institutions Of our
What Science Achieved.
Private judgment in matters of re-
ligion having been established by the
reformation Fl AIT
scientific investigation in the different
departments Of human knowledge re.
ceived and impulse so powerful that
the triumphs of science and invention
Of our day will rise like a heaven
kissing monument upon which stu
dents of history will gaze with ad-
miration for a thousand years. Tc
give but n example of the countless
marvels of modern times; by Of
electricity human thought throbs
through the chambers Of the deep
sings to the accompaniment Of the
aeolian harps whose sounding strings
are stretched across the prairies AM
the mountains flashed nv u;ro1o,.