The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-10-26
LUTHERANS TO
CELEBRATE
40Oth ANNIVERSARY OF MARTIN
LUTHER'S NINETY.FlYE THESES.

Even though we are profoundly ab-
sorbed with the terrible fact of the
greatest conflict of all ages, the whole
Protestant world could do no more
appropriate act at this time than to
pause to give deliberate and cOnSid-
crate notice to the celebration of the
birth of Professionalism, which occur
red four hundred years ago when Mar
tin Luther posted his Ninety-Five
Theses on IndulgenceS to the Castle
Church door at Wittenberg, October
81, 1917.
That act has become in the annals
of history an epoch making event, sec
ond to none since the day of Pente-
cost, the issues and consequences Of
which have changed the course of his
tory, bringing down to us the bless
ing and benefactions of modern civil
ization. That which we prize most
highly in church and state, the right
of private judgment in religion and
government, the God-given preroga-
tive to worship the Creator accord
ing. to the pure teaching of Gods
Holy Word and the dictates of ones
conscience, the freedom Of the individ-
ual from every form of tyranny
whether ecclesiastical or civil, the un-
told blessings of universal and un-
restricted education, have all come
down to us in consequence Of the Re-
! formation.
| The benefcent idea of democracy
as against the autocracy of privilege
was brought to light in the Reforma-
! tion doctrine of the priesthood of all
believers. The very principles we are
contending for and raising armies ard
| T nrfx fn 1a1y mo-
nations, are principles that have
become established in the wake of the
Protestant propaganda. Should these
principles fail of vindication and mil
itaristic autocracy triumph in the pres
ent struggle the whole world would
come under the tyrannous sway of the
mailedtist, precisely and as univer-
sally as the world was under the domi-
nation of Rome.
When Luther nailed his theses to
the church door, every stroke of the
hammer was for an open Bible. The
scriptures and the scriptures alone
were to be the only infallible rule OF
faith and practice. Tradition and the
superstitions of Dark Ages were tC
dissolve in the pure rays of the unfet-
tered revealed Word of God. The
soul of every men was to have direct
access to God untrammeled by any
interposition of men or even church
however great their assumed author
ity might be.
Luther unlocked the manacleC
doors of the scriptures and brought
forth to the waiting world the great
apostolic doctrine of Justification by
Faith alone, and that salvation is to be
found solely in the free, redemptiVt
grace of God as revealed in Christ
Jesus. This is the very foundation
principle of Professionalism, the corner
stone of the modern spirit of our age
which seeks to liberate men and ma
tions from the bondage of sin, of ig
norance and Of superstition, through
Christian education and the promul'
cation of Christian teachings.
This Reformation teaching is still
seeking to bring the whole wide worit
to Christ, through missions and educa
tional institutions and philanthropiC
enterprises which it fosters and stead
lily maintains.
The leaven Of Luther and the Other
reformers those before his time, those
contemporaneous with him and follow
ing after is still nightly at work anC
shall continue until the whole worlC
is leavened. These men belong to al
the ages. Luther's bold act was cal
culated in the Providence of God tt
focus public attention to that which
the common people already felt in
their hearts but had not the courage
to express. He was a man unique anC
mountain-like in genius, raised up al
the proper time for his herculean task
We honor his name and give glory tt
God for his unquestioned and unsus
picioned moral and spiritual integrity
His bold and fearless stand for reveal
ed truth crystalized the greatest anc
most profound movement of any age
save the beginning Of the Christian
era, and today we stand in the ever
increasing splendor and brilliance o.
this age. the end of which no man car
tell WIN. RI. HETRlCh.