The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-02-25
LUTHERANS AND
OTHERS TO OBSERVE
LUTHER DAY
World Wide Celebration Will Be Held
ON April II, the 4ooth Anniver-
sary of Arrangement Of Mar
tin Luther Before Diet
of Worms.


New York, Feb 25.--Eighty millions
of Lutherans and innumerablc other
Protestants, it was announced here to-
day by the National Lutheran council,
will participate in world wide cele-
bration on April II Of the 400th ami
,ersary of the arraignment Of Martin
Luther before the diet at worms
when Luther nailed his ninety five
theses upon the door of the Uniyer-
sity of Wittenberg and refused to re-
cant his alleged heresies despite the
threat of communication" says the
statement of the council, he helped to
usher in modern religious and civil lib
erty. Denouncing as tyranny the en-
slayement OF Christian conscience, the
dauntless monk declared the Bible to
be the only infallible rule of faith and
practice and closed his defense with
The words: There ] stand. | can do
naught otherwise. So help me God /!
Amen,
The main purpose of the celebration,
ii is stated, is to obtain clearer I'M
Outstanding of how Lutherans and
Christians of other denominations
throughout the world may become
more effective in bringing Gods will
to bear powerfully upon present un'
happy world conditions To this end,
special congregational services will be
held on Sunday, April IL, and at 4 p.
m. on that day, the hour when Luther
was summoned to confront his judges,
all Christians are invited to read the
scriptures, mediate and pray for "pur-
ty and unity of the Christian faith,
effectiveness in all good work and the
advancement of the true Christian lib
erty, brotherhood and universal good
will"
A message from the council, ad-
dressed to the Lutherans of every land,
recommended the quadricentenary as
"a fitting time to review the benefits
Inherited from Luther's unshakable ut
terance. The tribunal before which
Luther appeared was the most impos-
ing assemblage of church and state po-
tentates that could have been gathered
anywhere in the world at that time.
II continued:
"A century earlier John Huss APP
peared before such a body under very
similar charges and was burned at the
stake. Luther knew that but he went
fearlessly forward to the test. He
knew that his writings gave expires
sion to the deepest yearnings of multi
tudes of pious souls among his coun-
trymen, He had arrived at a new prin-
ciple of religious authority. He def
nitely rejected all authority except
the word of God in matters of religion.
With the dramatic scene at Worms,
Luther burned all bridges behind him.
"The incident contributed another
principle that is vital to the modern
world; The principle Of separate func-
tions for church and stated the princi-
pie that guarantees freedom Of CON
science, right Of private judgment and
religious liberation.
Times not yet born were listening
Thus the spirit Of modern liberty was
conceived in the first quarter of the
10th century in the rugged soul % a
medieval monk. II was born in the
last quarter of the lsth century on the
Atlantic seaboard Of the North Ameri-
can continent And now. in this first
quarter Of the Goth century BY the
grace of God it is coming 10 full ma
turity all over the world"
The program for the celebration will
include. beside special gatherings in
churches and halls by congregations
women's organizations, Young peoples
societies and mems brotherhoods. 9th.
er features such as Sunday school ex.
ercises. music Of the reformation peri.
I'd and street psgesnts. Large ar;
posters and a qusdricentenary hand
book svmbOlizing Luther's work will
b distributed
Messages from Lutherans IN every
walk Of life throughout the world will
be read al most Of the meetings. They
win b. received BY the council here and
after being complied viii he sent out
broadcast 70 all churches. The messages
will be confined TO these topics "Thg
influence Of Iuther's stand az Worms
on subsequent individual. church and
civil life. An estimate Of the successes
and failures of Professionalism and the
rpasons. The successes and failures ~
the Lutheran church and the reasons
and the means hv which Christianity
nav be made more etTectusl in its