Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-09-30
40OTH Anniversary
Of Professionalism TO
Be CELEBRATED SOON
OF DATE ON WHICH
MARTIN LUTHER NAILED HIS
THESES TO CHURCH DOOR is
OCTOBER IS.

l1HSJdut churches throughout tue CIVIL
LIED world will celebrate the 400th an
Iniversary of the Reformation In
spite of the war, those Interested In
the plans believe that the enthusiasm
this year will eclipse that of all pre-
Iceding celebrations. Naturally, the
plans centre about the figure of Martin
Luther, the reformer, who has been
called the greatest polemic the world
has ever seen.
Luther, it will be recalled, was a
young German monk of lowly descent,
possessed of an unusually keen mind
and fiery spirit. He made pilgrim
age to Rome, and so much did he dis
approve of the life the monks in the
Holy City lived, it has been said he
went a medieval Christian, meaning
thereby a devout Catholic, and return
ed a Protestant His promotion to the
degree of Doctor of Divinity and his
appointment as district vicar for the
country around Wittenburg, the city
most closely associated with his name,
gave him ample opportunity to preach
the new gospel-that of the true re-
ilationship between man and God.
1t was in 1917, however, the period
since designated as the year of the
Reformation, that things came to a
head. A new Pope Leo X, had been
elected. Finding the Golfers of the
Papal estate empty, he hit upon a COM
mon plan for filing them, the one Of
selling indulgences to the people with
in his jurisdiction. This practice con-
sisted of a so-called religious ceremony
wherewith a man for the stipulation
of a certain sum of money might be
labsolved from all sin. John Tetzel,
la Dominican monk, was assigned to
sell thesee indugnces in SaXony, the
home of the Germans. Luther thumb
cred forth his indignation against Tet-
eel and the Church for which he stood
from the pulpits of Wittenburg. Besides
this, he made several unsuccessful at
tempts to prevent the entrance of the
vendor of Gods grace into his terri
tory These falling, Luther could no
longer contain himself, and on the eve
OF All Saints, October 10, 1917, he
nailed to the door of the Castle Church
Wittenburg his famous ninety-fve
theses dencuncing the practices of the
established church
This act is considered by the Pro-
testant world as marking the turning
4 point in the life of Luther. The theses
were a continuous harangue against
the doctrine and practice of pardon
selling. The three main points con-
tanned therein were as follows:
There may be some good in indulg-
ence if it be reckoned one of the many
ways in which the forgiveness of God
may be proclaimed.
The external signs OF sorrow are
not the real inward repentance, ior
are they as important as that IS, and
no permission to neglect the outward
expression and permit the neglect of
true repentance.
Every Christian who feels true sor-
row for sin is then and there pardon
ed by God for Christ's sake without
any indulgence ticket or other human
lcontrivance.
These and other writings soon led
to the accommodation of Luther,
and he publicly severed all relation
ship with the Church of Rome by burn
ing before large multitude the Papal
bull which apprised him of his fall
from grace,
This marked the first period of the
Reformation as well as the first period
of Luther's life. He went on with his
work, spending most of his time In
writing theses and disputations, and
lin translating the Bible into the lang
luage of the people. In this work he
was helped by the most famous schol-
ars Of the time.
1t is in recognition of this work OF
Luther and those associated with him
that the Protestant churches are now
working together Adequately to honor
his memory. According to the Rev.
0. H. Ponnoke. secretary of the
/ Quadi-centenary committe of New
York, $4,000 churches in this vicinity
are cooperating, insluding all denom-
nations The Sunday schools, Mems
Biblee classes, Young Peoples asso-
cations, theological universities and
.seminaries throughout the country are
sWhehind the movement to make 1917