The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1921-04-14
LUTHERANS CELEBRATE

1t is a great week for the Luth
creams. Everywhere they are cele
brating the four hundredth ann
versary of the Diet of Worn
where Martin Luther took his couf
ageous stand on April II and1S
1921, against the church author
tiles of his time. By universal con
sent the event is recognized as tn,
birthday of the Protestant religion
Martin Luther was one of tn,
worlds greatest reformers, and h!
anniversary is so significant tha,
we feel justified in recounting {
few of the great events Of his lif>
for our readers:
Luther was born at Eiselbon
Prussian Saxony, November 10th
1883, and died there February Is
1916. His father was q slate cut
ter by trade. In spite Of his hum
bic origin, Luther received tn
best possible common school anC
university education posslple ir
his time, becoming in 1907 con
secrated priest, and in 1903 one OF
the professors of philosophy al
the University of Wittenberg. Two
years later he journeyed to ROM
in connection with business for
his mOnastic order, returning some
what disturbed by revolutionary
ideas. He was early in revolt ag,
ainst some of the then practices
Of the Roman church, and In Oct
Ober, 1917, nailed on the church
door at Wittenberg his nine-five
theses against the sale of indul-
gences. This brought down upon
his head the condemnation of the
church dignitaries and thereafter
there was war between them and
Luther to end Of his stromy life.
Luther standing in the falling
snow Of that bleak October day.
nailing his theses to the old church
door, proclaimed the protestant re
formation. After the publication
Of two notable books of revolt In
1920, Luther was formally excom-
municated by Leo K. The book
were burned by the church in
Rome and Luther and his friends
by publicly burning the
Oull of accommodation. Then
came the Diet of Worms, the fol-
lowing year, to which Luther was
sumoned to make recantation of
his heresies. He dutifully appear
ed and faced his accuscrs, and on
April IL, 1921, made his great
speech ending with the celebrated
words: There | take my stand.
can do naught else. 50 help me
God. Amen" +" The result of this
vas that to the communication
oy the church was added proscrip-
ion by the emperor and Luther
became an outlaw and hunted
man. On his way home he was
captured by his friends, and car
red by them to Wartburg, where
le spent nearly year in hiding
md in disguise, employing the
lime in translating the New Testa-
nent into German. Later he came
out into the open In spite of the
iecreee of the emperor and deliv-
cred many addresses, prepared
church services for the reforma-
lion, and completed his trasIation
If the Bible, 1t should not be for
gotten, In any just summary of
his achievements, that this latter
vas one of the great works of his
life, his translations in time becom-
ng the standard.
Martin Luther was one of the
great men of all time. His was
! controversial age, an age of Bit
5erness, but it has passed. Today
all historians, we believe, agree
that his coming worked not only
4 reformation, but most benefi-
,ial one within the Roman church
tself. He was a man towering
mountain high, and we are glad
20 turn aside and-devote this little
space to testimonial to his cour-
age and the greatness of his achie-