A CONTRAST. FATHER MATHEW AND LUTHER AS REFORMERS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 27, 1 November 1873, Page 13

A CONTRAST. FATHER MATHEW AND LUTHER AS REFORMERS.

(A Contributor.) The personal character of the above two celebrated men was as widely different as the nature and the fruit of their labors. Father Mathew was a model of purity, modesty, meekness, and charity. In the words of Mr Gladstone, " he shewed forth in deed and truth the beauty of holiness, and presented to his fellow creatures much of the image of our blessed Saviour." Luther, on the other hand, was," at least after he became a rebel against the authority of the Catholic Church, a prey to violent lust ; he tells us so himself. He held the most loose and accommodating views on the subject of marriage, and expressed himself on that subject in language too gross to be repeated. In fact, he held polygamy to be an M open question." By the way, I have heard of an Anglican clergyman in this colony who shared in Luther's sentiments in that respect. Luther was, moreover, in the habit of using towards his opponents language the most violent, foul, and disgusting, such as oould only emanate from the lips of one whose heart was full of hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness, and which not even the alleged barbarism of his times could palliate, far less justify. Fathor Mathew did not introduce any novelties into the Christian religion. Luther did j novelties tending to strike, and which have struck, at the root of all constituted authority, and even of Christian faith and morals. Father Mathew's labors led to a -widespread, to an amazirg improvement of the morals of the people. Numerous testimonies in support of this assertion could be adduced, testimonies of the highest and most unimpeachable character. Miss Edgeworth, the celebrated novelist, for example, speaking of his work as a reformer of public morals, says 11 It is amazing, and proves the power of moral and religious influence and motive beyond any other example on record in history." What was the effect of Luther's work on public morals ? Fortunately we have his own testimony and the testimony of his accomplices on that point. Well, may we adopt *he language of Miss Edgeworth, and say "it was amazing." Public morality previous to the so-called Lutheran Reformation was low enough, but after that change— after Luther and hie friends had " emancipated " the people from those restraints which the Catholic faith and discipline liad hitherto imposed on their evil passions to a greater or less extent— then the flood-gates of iniquity were opened wide, and the pretended reformers themselves, like Judas Iscariot, were appalled at the awful work of their own hands. Christendom became another Sodom— England more especially. The work of Luther led to all those plots, treasons, and revolutions which have filled, and are still filling, Christendom with war since his day. If any of your Protestant readers think I have done an injustice to Luther's memory, I hope you will allow them to show how. The devil, poor fellow, onght to have his due, and should not be painted blacker than he is.