The Rev Mr Stacker's Speech at the Luther Celebration.

Southland Times, Issue 4792, 15 November 1883, Page 2

The Rev Mr Stacker's Speech at the Luther Celebration.

«*— The following is a more extended report of the Rev. H. Stacker's speech than we were able to give on Tuesday morning. Speaking of Luther's relation to the English Reformation, the reverend gentleman said : — " As my time is too short for the subject, let me give you the heads of what I should say, did time permit. There is no one name connected with the Reformation in England — no English Luther or Knox, and this, because the Reformation was, at first, not doctrinal nor theological, but political — it was the throwing off of the power of Rome. The growth of that power commenced with William the Norman. William was the greatest statesman of his age, save one, and that one was the Pope. William thought that he was very wise and politic in getting the sanction of the Pope for his projected invasion, and he was wise and politic, but the Pope, still more farseeing, gave his sanction, because he knew he would gain a hold on England. From that time, in the struggle between him and the people, each s'de in turn appealed to tbe Pope, t , each had to pay for the favor — till little by little the claims of Rome were riveted over the heart of England. The leign of Edward 111, in whioh Wickliffe first appears as a conspicuous character, was a time when the national spirit was raised to the highest point. The Pope renewed a claim for the tribute imposed in John's reign, and the nation refused it. Papal agents traversed the country collecting dues and tenths, and the money thus collected went to France, where the Pope was living under French protection. Tiiere was a general feeling of patriotic it and Wickliffe headed the national party. He hated the Pope for his exactions ; bated the French and Italian ecclesiastics who sucked England dry ; hated the friars, the Papal militia, who regarded no English interests, but served a foreign master. It was only at a later stage that the work assumed a doctrinal character, and Luther, in bis day saw tliis -, for he eaid that Wickliffe had attacked only the life of the chuich and not the doctrine. But it was tbe beginning, and [from the political aspect man went on to the religious. Much of the same may ba said of the Reformation in the time of Henry VIII. He had his own selfish ends to pursue. He had the masterful Tudor temper, which brooked no master, a,nd the people desired to cast off the yoke of Rorafi. From 1547 to 1550 the progress was rapid — perhaps over rapid — for in all things that touch a man's faith, progresSj to be permanent, should not be to^ rapid. Up to this time the foreign influence on the Reformation was small, Then Somerset and his party

opened communication with the foreign reformers. Melanctbon pioposed a union of the reformed bodies under the leadership of England. Then the influence began to be felt as changes were made in the ritual and formularies of the Church. Wi « h _ Mary the Reformation was'checked. L ! ■/.* beth sought a firm basis by shutting our extreme Romanists and extreme Protestants. England did not accfipt Luthertnism, but showed sympathy with it.