Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-03-24
Lutherans To Celebrate Anni,o-

Lutherans To Celebrate Anniyo-
Eighty millions of Lutheran ana
Vulnerable other Protestants i, n,.
announced in New York last well -
the National Lutheran Councn n.;l
participate IN world wide ceIeb-,
, tion on April 18th, of the four bun5-a..
anniversary of the arraienmer, NJ v,.
TIN Luther before the Diet at wo--.
when Luther nailed his e5 ,ba...
upon the door of the University ~
Nuremberg and refused to re,an, l..
alleged heresies despite the tb-ao. -,
ex-communicaton," says the staten.,,
OF the council, che helped to usher u
modern religious and civil Iibe-,y
Denouncing as tyranny the ensI.va.
ment of Christian conscience the
daunflesss monk declared the R;bla
to be the pnlv infallibIe rurs .,
faith and practice and closed his de.
tense with the words: "There stand
can do naught otherwise. 81 holm
me God! Amen"
The main purpose of the cele.
oration it is stated, is to obtain clear
understanding of how Lutherans and
Christians of other denominations
troughout the world NAV become
more effective in bringing Gods will
to bear powerfully upon present un.
nappv world conditions" To this end
special congratulations services will
De held on Sunday, April 18th. and AZ
4 p. m, on that day, the hour when
Lutfer was summoned to confront his
Judges, all Christians are invited 10
read the scriptures. mediate and pray
Tor purity and unity of the Chris.
tan faith, effectiveness in all good
work and the advancement of true
Christian liberty, brotherhood and
universal goodwill"
A message from the council. ad-
dressed to the Lutherans of every
land, recommended the quadrcen-
tenary as "a fitting time to review
the benefits inherited from Luther's
unshakable utteranceS. The trbun-
al before which Luther appeared
CT church and state potentates that
could have been gathered anywhere in
the world at that time" 1t continued:
"A century earlier John Huss ap-
peared before such a BODY under
very similar charges and was burned
at the stake. Luther knew that, but
went fearlessly forward TO the test
He had arrived at new principle OF
religious authority. He definitely re-
lected all authority except the Word
OF God in matters of religion With the
dramatic scenes at Worms Luther
burned all bridges behind him.
The incident contributed another
principle that is vital to the modern
world: The principle of separate
functions for church and state; the
only pricipal that guarantees freedom
OF conscience, right of private judg-
ment and religious federation.
Times not yet born were listening.
thus the spirit of modern liberty was
conceived in the first of the siXtecnin
century in the rugged soul OF me-
diaeval monk. 1t was born in the last
quarter of the eighteenth century on
the North American Continent. Ana
now, in this first quarter Of the twen-
tieth century, by the grace of God
it is coming to full maturity all over
the world"
The program for the celebration VII
include, besides special GATHERINGS III
and halls by congregations
women's organizations, young faopleS
societies and mems brothefho'oS,
other features such as Sunday schoo'
exercises, music Of the RetornlNO"
period and streetpageants. Large an
posters and quadricentenary Nanu,
book symbolizing Luther's WORK VIII
be distributed
Messages from LutheransIn -'''l
walk of life throughout the wor!i VI"
be read at most of the meetings ''''
will be received by the counci. '-
and after being compiled will he ''"'
broadcast to all churches.