Evening star., 1933-11-10
.COLORFUL SERVICE
TO HONOR LUTHER
Diplomats and High Govern
ment Officials Will At
tend Pageant.

A colorful religious pageant in Con-
! stitution Hall tonight at 8 O'Clock Will
| bring 10 close two-day celebration
by the Lutheran churches of Washing
ton Of the 450th anniversary OF the
birth of Martin Luther.
Members of the diplomatic corps,
high Government officials and mem
bers of Congress will be among the IN
vited guests. All Protestant churches IN
Washington will poin with the Lu-
therans in honoring the idealist and
celebrated reformer.
As a prelude to the closing cere-
monies, the General Committee In
charge of the Luther day celebration.
headed by Rev. Howard E. Snyder,
pastor of the Church Of the Atonement,
at 9 o'clock this morning placed O
wreath on the statue of Martin Luther
Luther place. This statue was
erected SO years ago to mark the 4ooth
anniversary OF Luther's birth.
Vesper Service Tonight.
One Of the features of the closing
exercises will be an elaborate vesper
service. Taking part will be the COM
bined choirS of all Washington Lu-
theran churches under direction Of John
Monroe and the Washington Orches-
tral Society directed by DR. c. E Chris
tiani There will be no admission
charge but an offering will be taken.
Rev. Paul E. Scherer, pastor of the
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church OF New
York. will make the principal address.
Dr. Hans Luther, German Ambassador
to the United States, and a collateral
descendant Of Martin Luther, also will
speak. His subject is. Martin Luthers
Influence on Christendom."
Tho famous TJIrQS Cranqrh Rihla
nearly 400 years old, and valued at
$500, 900, will be used in the service,
and placed on exhibition afterward.
The Bible. in three volumes, contains
the handwriting of Martin Luther, and
has been loaned to the Lutheran Cele-
bration Committee by the owner, DR..
Otto H. F. Vollbehr.
Program In Detail.
The detailed program of the service
follows:
Prelude, Allegro con Brio" Bee
thoven. the Washington Orchestral
Society
Procession-Crucifer, the open Bible,
acolytes, the American flag; massed
choirs representing the following
Lutheran churches: Atonement, Con-
cordia, Georgetown, Incarnation, Keller
Memorial, Reformation, st. Erics
Swedish, st. Marks, st. Matthews, st.
Pauls and Zion; the church flag. the
local Lutheran clergy, educators, guest
clergy, diplomats, the Minister Of Nor
way, Halvard H. Bachke; the Minister
Of Denmark, Otto Wadsted the oflciat-
ing clergy, Rev. Charles Enders, pastor
of Concordia Lutheran Church; Rev.
Henry w. Snyder, pastor of st. Paul's
Lutheran Church; Rev. Carl c. Ras-
musSen, pastor of Luther Place Me-
mortal Church; Rev. S. T. Nicholas,
pastor of Keller Memorial Church; the
Ambassador of Germany, DR.. Hans
Luther; the hturgist, Rev. Howard E.
Snyder, pastor of the Lutheran Church
OF the Atonement, general chairman:
Rev. Paul Scherer, pastor of the Lu-
theran Church Of the Holy Trinity, New
York City; acolytes.
The vesper service -- Professional
hymn, Come, Holy Spirit, God and
Lord" written by Martin Luther in
1924; opening service, conducted by DR..
Snyder; Psalm 46, God Is Our Refuge
and Strength; the lessons read by Rev.
Charles Enders, the prayer offered by
the Rev. Henry w. Snyder, anthem.
Praise Him. Praise the Great Creator. .
by j. 8. Bach, sung by the massed
choirs; address by DR.. Luther, hymn,
Elm Feste Burg" Luthers great battle
hymn, words and music written by him
in 1929; sermon, When Half Gods Go.
the Gods Arrive" Rev. Paul Scherer:
offering in charge of Rev. Carl C. Ras-
mussen, offertory by the Washington
Orchestral Society, Sunday" by Ole
Bull: closing service conducted by DR..
Snyder, benediction pronounced by Rev.
S: T. Nicholas, recessional hymn, God
OF Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand !"
written BY Daniel C. Roberts in 1876:
postlude, THE Prophet" by Meyerbeer.
by the Washington Orchestral Society.
DR.. N. j. Gould Wickey, executive
secretary OF the Lutheran Board OF
Education. and former president of
Carthage College, was principal speaker
at noon today at Lutheran exercises
in the chapel at George Washington
University
The Luther Club at the university
presented II books dealing with Lu-
ther and the Protestant Reformation
to the college library. The presenta-
tlon was made by John Hagenbuch,
president of the club, and the books
were received on behalf Of the unit
versity by John Russell Mason, L.
brarian.
The forty-sixth Psalm, which In
spired Luther's hymn, "A Mighty
Fortress Is Our God" was read BY
Dr. William Allen Wilbur, provost Of
Seeger, faculty adviser of the Luther
Club, presided.
1t was announced that members Of
the club will serve as ushers tonight
at the Luther memorial celebration in
Constitution Hall