Christian herald., August 17, 1883, Page 2, Image 2

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If
OErRTSTIAISr. HERALD,
A
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the leading professor at Erfurt.
This man led Lutlmr into the intri-
cicies of scholastic philosophy, as
the science of moral philosophy was
then called. In connection with
the lectures of Trautvetter, he read
ing of this book. The Reformation
lay hid in that old neglected Bible.
The Romanist« pretend to ridi­
cule the whole story of Luther’s
finding the Bible. ~
*
Dr. Spaulding,
in his review of D’Aubi
—igne, says
•rrowalf
history of Saul of Tarsus. Before Dum Scotus, Thomas Aquinas, and this fine history from Mathesius.
his conversion, Saul was a bitter other celebrated schoolmen. These It is a story absurd enough, in all
fim] ct 41 IlvrVtS nVAQOPllf.AT
triivtiiy nr ctiitT
UrUWX U UCFr 1 CTT men were all the servile follower
the churches of Christ. Yet, some of Aristotle, whose absurd system trived even for a well digested
time after his conversion he declared of logic had governed 'the whole romance. What ? Are we to believe*
^hat he had lived in all ^£^com intellectual and theological worlds that Luther, at the age of twenty
science~l)efore God until that day. for two thousand years. Every­ did not know there was a Bible,
But how could he have a clear con thing had to be taught in conform­ until he chanced to discover one in
science while engaged persecuting ity with this false system. Luther the library at Erfurt ? The thing
God’s people ? Why, easy enough. had to study this absurd system of is utterly incredible.” Not at all
Saul was not only, a Jew, but a logic in ord-w to see ito fallacy, and ineredrMe t«If'this'““
conscience. So the conscience must Pharisee, and like most of his to demolish it. He commenced the story is not true, no fact in the
not only act with the judgment, class, had not been taught the way undermining of it, which was more history of the reformation can be
To corroborate it,
but the decision of the judgment of the Lord. He believed that the successfully prosecuted by Peter established.
must always go before the proper religion of the Jews was the Ramus, of Paris, and at last alto­ Carolstadt declares that he hail
exercise of the conscience.
In religion of all time. Hence he re­ gether overthrown by Sir Francis been made a doctor of divinity be­
other words, the conscience can garded the Christ as an imposter, Bacon. If Luther had never done fore he had ever seen a Bible '
■sins say^ he never heard ~
only' act on the decision of the and his religion, as an enemy of .anything more than to destroy tine And
judgment. This will greatly aid us God. While his judgment thus de­ influence of Aristotle over the the Ten Commandments, the Creed,
to understand the true office of cided, his conscience approved it, Human mind, ho would be entitled or the Lord’s prayer read in a
and was hence a clear conscience. to the everlasting gratitude of the Roman Catholic ChurchT aml he :
judge ■betwoen -rnrettcr of right aird“ ,^ut iiiLis-coiiversio»4ie™^tts fully“ -literary"-world f- Lnthcr~"was a was twenty five yiars'oTffmwIieri he
wrong, approving on the one hand convinced that Jesus of Nazareth great reader; he read everything left the Papal Church. This is
and disapproving on the other, but was the Messiah, the decision of that came in his way, and seems to pretty strong presumptive evidence
it is simply to follow, after and his judgment was completely re- have remembered nearly all he in favor of Luther’s ignorance bf _
carry into effect the decisions of Vcise(t a,‘d
being whom he read. This is evident from all his the Bible. The fact is Romanism
the judgment whether right or had regarded as an imposter, now writings, but more especially from always chaias the Bible or locks it
wrong. Hence, if the dcision of became his Savior. The conscience, his protracted debate at Leipsie up in a dead language.
But to proceed with Luther’s
the judgment is correct, the con­ following the decision of his judg­ with John Eck. One of the rules
*•*
science will be right; but if the ment, was also reversed and hence of that debate was that no books discovery of the Bible. He opened'
it
at
1
Samuel,
and
read
the
first,
V
—
should
be
used
on
the
rostrum
prompts
him
to
preach
the
Christ
judgment be wrong, then the con­
science also will be wrong. To he once denounced, and to build up On that occasion Luther quoted second and third chapters. Han­
illustrate: the office of the con­ the religion he had been destroying. the fathers, the Decretals, and the nah, her son Samuel, his birth and
science and the judgment may be So we conclude that the conscience Clementines by the hour. It was dedication to God—what a wonder­
compared to that of the judge and will not do for a standard of recti­ during the second year of his resi ful narrative, how grand, and yet
the sheriff in our civil courts. It tude. But the will of God alone dence at Erfurt, that an event oc­ how simple T He had read many
is not the province of the sheriff to must be that standard, and man’s curred that changed the destinies of thrilling legends of the saints, and
decide in matters that came before judgment must decide what consti­ this young man. It was the find­ many beautiful pictures drawn by
ing of the Bible. It occurred in this the classical poets, but such a
the court. If the judge orders the tutes that will.
wise. One day, in looking over touching scene he Lad never read
prisoner confined in chains in har­
Martin
Luther
the
Student.
the
library, he saw a large volume before. Cicero, Livy, Virgil, and
mony with the decision of the
bound in parchment, with large even his beloved Plautus, are thrown
BT KEV. B. WEI8EB, D.D.
jury, it is the duty and office of
the sheriff to obey orders. Hence
In 1501, Luther, then in his 18th red letters on the back, “ Biblia aside for the Bible.
he asks no questions. But if at year was sent to the University at Sacra,” Holy Bible. It was in
The Bible fell into Luther’s
Latin.
He
was
struck
with
the
any time afterwards the decision of Erfurt, at the time one of the most
hands at a most favorable juncture.
title
“
Biblia
Sacra,
”
he
wondered
J
the court should be reversed and famous institutions of learning in
He was near the close of his classi­
I
what
kind
of
a
book
it
was,
he
had
the prisoner ordered to be released, Germany. The financial condition
cal course, and as his father had in­
never
seen
nor
heard
of
such
a
it is still the duty of the sheriff’ to of his father hail improved so that
tended, he had commenced the
book
before.
So
he
opened
it
to
obey. In other words, the sheriff’ John Luther was now able to sup­
study of law. But the reading of
see
what
it
was.
And
in
opening
in every case is simply to follow port his son at the University.
the Bible changed his views on that
it
he
happened
to
open
it
at
the
the decision of the judge. Now in Luther was well prepared to enter
subject.
* a similar way does conscience act. upon the study of the higher bran­ Book of 1st Samuel, 1st chapter.
Towards the close of his second
Every matter of wright and wrong ches. He had laid a good founda­ Did it happen by chance, or did year in the university, he had a
is first submitted to the judgment tion at Mansfield and Eisenach. God in his Providence open it ? severe spell of sickness, brought on
for approval or disapproval. If He had paid much attention to The first thing that attracted his by too close an application to his
the judgment decides that a certain Latin, read Virgil, Cicero, and Livy, attention was tho beautiful and studies, and on his convalcscense he
course is right, then the conscience but his favorite Latin author seems touching story of Hannah and her returned to his home at Mansfeld
piompts him to carry into execu­ to have been Plautus. Up to this son Samuel. He read this touch­ to recruit his health. How long he
tion that decision; and if he does time he had not studied Greek or ing narrative with deep interest, remained in his father’s house we
\not do so, his conscience will sting Hebrew ; these langirages he stu and it made such an impression on
his mind, that he could think of do not know; but aliout the time
and lash him. On the other hand, died afterward, arid jstudied them nothing else. Henceforth he de­
of his return to the university, two
A
if the judgment decides a thing to thoroughly. Dr. Trautvetter was voted all his spare time to the rcad-
events occurred that had an impor-
-
* • -
thus get rid of the evil tendency.
• Now in order to see the truth on
T
. this important subject it is only
necessary to briefly examine the
office of conscience. Let it then be
fully understood in the beginning
a'creatnre of ed­
ucation. What it approves one
day, it may disapprove the next.
~And again,“let it be nOteit that it
can only act in connecfion with
the other faculties of the mental
and moral man. For example it
the judgment be destroyed the
conscience will cease to act. The
decision of the judgment is neces­
sary to the exercise of the con-
A
À- ?-
be wrong, then the conscience
acquiesces in that decision ; so that
the conscience, instead of being a
rule of action, is simply an execu­
tive faculty.
Now with these facts before us
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