Saturday, July 6, 2019

Alec Satin - Anecdote about Luther's Galatians Lectures



Found this very interesting aside written by Krauth as part of the Reminiscence of Christopher F. Bergman.
 
Hope you had a good Independence Day.
 
Alec
 
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Several interesting incidents are on record, in the early history of the colony of Virginia, of the influence of Luther's writings in producing seriousness, and in leading individuals to a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. At this period the Church of England was the established religion, and much formality prevailed. Rev. Samuel Davies writes to the Bishop of London,
 
    "that a little before the year 1743, about four or five persons, heads of families in Hanover, had deserted from the established church, not from any scruples in reference to her ceremonial peculiarities, the usual cause of non-conformity, much less about her excellent articles of faith, but from a dislike to the doctrines generally delivered from the pulpit, as not savoring of experimental piety, nor suitably intermingled with the glorious peculiarities of the religion of Christ. These families were wont to meet in a private house on Sundays, to hear some good books read, particularly Luther's; whose writings were the principal cause of their leaving the church."
 
    It is also stated, "that a gentleman got possession of Luther on the Galatians. Deeply affected with what he read, so different from what he had heard from the pulpit of the parish church, he never ceased to read and pray till he found consolation in believing in Christ Jesus the Lord his righteousness."
 
    Several refused to attend the ministrations of the church, and determined to subject themselves to the payment of the fines imposed by law. They agreed to meet every Sabbath alternately, at each other's houses, and spend the time with their families in prayer and reading the scriptures, together with Luther's Commentary on the Galatians — an old volume which had, by some means, fallen into their hands."
 
    Mr. Morris moreover remarks, among other things respecting the interesting awakening that existed at the time, "that as we knew but little of any denomination of dissenters, except Quakers, we were at a loss what name to assume. At length recollecting that Luther was a noted Reformer, and that his book had been of special service to us, we declared ourselves Lutherans ."— _
Vide Sketches of Virginia_, by Rev. W. H. Foote, D. D.
 

Foote, William Henry. Sketches of Virginia: Historical and Biographical. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1856.