Who was Martin Luther?

I am a relatively new Lutheran. Sure, my dad was baptized Lutheran. And, my paternal grandmother was a German Lutheran from eastern Nebraska. But, until I married a Lutheran I am not sure I understood what it meant to be Lutheran. To tell you the truth, I am still learning what this means every day.

So, today, on this Reformation Day, I would like to learn more about the man who started the Protestant Reformation within the Roman Catholic Church. Who was Martin Luther? And, what were some of his ideas that were so radical that the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated him in 1521? This is what I hope to learn.

First, I start with Martin Luther's biographical statistics. He was the oldest son of Hans and Margarethe Ludher (later changed to Luther). Martin was born on November 10 1483 in Eislenben. Hans Ludher owned the rights to several mines and also a smelter. Hans wanted his oldest son to become a lawyer, and so he sent his son to school to receive this training.

Martin graduated from the University of Erfurt in 1505. He soon enrolled in the law school at this university, but he soon dropped this course of study. He later claimed that this was due in part to a scare he received during a storm in which lightning very nearly struck him. He claimed that he cried out to Saint Anna, vowing he would become a monk in return for his safety. This greatly upset Hans Ludher who believed this was a waste of Martin's education.

By 1507, Martin Luther had become an ordained Catholic priest. And, a year later he began to teach theology at the University of Wittenberg. In 1512 he obtained a doctorate in theology. And, thus, by these events it might be assumed that Martin Luther may have been satisfied with his life if not for an event in 1517 that led to the Great Reformation.

In 1516, Dominican Friar Johann Tetzel came to Germany, selling indulgences to raise money for the Roman Catholic Church. For those unfamiliar with indulgences, like myself, an indulgence is a full or partial forgiveness of a sin. It upset Martin Luther that forgiveness could be bought from the Church. He believed that forgiveness was God's alone to grant. Also, it troubled him that this money was being used to rebuild St. Peter's Basilica rather than for true charity work with the poor. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther either delivered his grievances to his bishop, Albert of Mains, or nailed them to the castle door at Wittenberg. These grievances became know as Martin Luther's Ninety Five Theses.

Some say Luther had no intention of radically changing the Church. They feel that Luther posted his letter as a scholarly dispute to some church practices. But, nevertheless, the Church was threatened by Luther's objections to Church doctrine. The Ninety Five Theses might have died in the fall of 1517 if not for Luther's friends who translated this work from Latin to the German language. The distribution of this work spread like wildfire, first through Germany and then across Europe. This can in part be attributed to the use of a printing press, enabling written works to be accessible by even commoners in European society. And, those who read Luther's work flocked to Wittenberg to hear him lecture.

In 1520, Pope Leo X issued an order that Martin Luther withdraw some of his thoughts reflected in some of his writings. When Luther refused, he was excommunicated by early 1521. He was later given a chance to renounce his writings at the Diet of Worms, a assembly or court of sorts, but Luther again refused to renounce his writings. Upon his refusal, Emperor Charles V declared Martin Luther to be an outlaw. Luther's writings were banned, and a demand for his arrest was issued.

In 1522, Martin Luther translated the Old Testament into German. By 1534, he, with help from others, published a Bible that was entirely in German. He was often criticized for infusing his doctrine into this translation of the Bible. In spite of this, his translation of the Bible is credited with standardizing spoken German across the region. For the first time there was one language that was both spoken and read in the area, not one dialect for nobility and one for commoners.

Martin Luther also paved the way for clergy to marry. In 1525, he married Katharina von Bora. They went on to have six children. She was a nun who Luther had helped to escape form the Nimbschen Cistercian convent.

In 1526, Luther began to work on efforts to organize a new church. By 1529, he had written to Cathechisms to help summarize principles to be adopted by this new church. The Large Cathechism was intended for clergy, while the Small Cathechism was for the parishioners. These works were set up in a question and answer format. These works remain central to Lutheran beliefs today.

Martin Luther's influence in the church was not limited to doctrine. He also wrote many hymns, the most famous of which is A Mighty Fortress is Our God, pulling inspiration from Psalm 46. Luther often incorporated folk music into his works, as well.

Luther's contribution to the Great Reformation and rise of the Lutheran Church remain eveident today. Martin Luther died in February 18, 1546 at Eislenben - his birthplace. He had returned to negotiate a settlement in mining disputes that involved the local government and his siblings. Luther was buried under the pulpit at the Castle Church in Wittenberg, a fitting tribute to a man who had given over his life to God.

To those of you who are reading this, yes, I know that there is much, much more to Luther's life. But, I fear that I did not set out this morning to write a novel. I hope that next year, on Reformation Day, I will have time to learn more about this great man. And, thank you to Susan Gee Heino for allowing me to use this photo of Pastor Jack Heino reenacting the nailing of the Ninety Five Theses to the door.

Today in History - October 31

On this day in 1517, the Protestant Reformation began. Martin Luther posted his Ninety Five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Castle. This document paved the way for Christians around the world to question the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

On this day in 1861, General Winfield Scott of the Union Army resigned his commission as commander of the United States Army.

On this day in 1913, the Lincoln Highway was dedicated as the first road built and created with automobiles in mind.

On this day in 1941, the carvings on Mount Rushmore were completed. Gutzon Borglum was the sculptor in charge of the project. The carvings were supposed to include the presidents from their waists on up, but money shortages lead to a change in the design.

In the Chuckery, Ohio area in 1889, local school teacher Carrie Morris took a week's vacation.

Ebenezer Zane - But, Which One?

Lately I have found myself fascinated by the Zane family of pioneer fame. I even posted a picture of Ebenezer Zane's cabin located in Zanesfield, Ohio. But, in remembering my Ohio History, I realize I forgot to make a distinction between the two individuals name Ebenezer Zane. To fully understand which Ebenezer is which, I will delve into the Zane genealogy.

The Zanes were a pioneer family living in a part of Virginia that is now West Virginia during the Revolutionary War. In September of 1782 the family found themselves under siege in Fort Henry. Fort Henry was at the site of present-day Wheeling, West Virginia. When the father, William Zane was wounded and the men were running short of ammunition, daughter Elizabeth "Betty" Zane volunteered to walk past the Indians to the Zane cabin and retrieve more from a hiding spot under the cabin. The Indians let her pass because she was a woman. Once the purpose of her mission was discoverd, they fired upon her. But not before she was able to successfully retrieve a part of the stash of munitions. And, this is just the beginning of the Zane Family's story.

William Zane was married to Nancy Ann (Nolan) Zane. And, besides Betty, they had five sons; Silas, Ebenezer, Andrew, Jonathan, and Isaac. Betty was the youngest of the Zane children. Ebenezer, Silas, and Jonathan were founders of the first settlement at present-day Wheeling, West Virginia. It was here that Fort Henry was built in June of 1774 to defend the frontier settlements in the area.

Isaac Zane was not with his family when the came to the present-day Wheeling area because he had been taken captive by the Wyandot Indians years earlier in 1762. He eventually married the Wyandot Princess, Myeerah, daughter of Chief Tarhe. One of Isaac and Myeerah Zane's children was named Ebenezer. This is the Ebenezer Zane who originally built the cabin I discussed in an earlier post.

More on the Zane family will follow soon! Thank you for following along on my adventure in history!

Today in History - October 30

On this day in 1485 King Henry VII of England ascends to the British throne.

On this day in 1735, the second US President, John Adams, was born.

On this day in 1938, Orson Welles broadcasted THE WAR OF THE WORLDS by H G. Wells. Panic ensued in some areas of the United States.

In the Chuckery, Ohio area in 1889, it was reported that George Bishop from Marysville moved onto his father's farm.

More About the Ebenezer Zane Cabin in Zanesfield, Ohio

The Zane family was originally from Virginia. And, they may have remained happily in Virginia for many generations, had the Wyandot not captured two of their children in 1763. The older child was soon released. But, young Isaac was not released. Soon, the Wyandot fled into the Ohio Country to escape fighting with the Shawnee, and they ended up in the Mad River Valley.

Isaac Zane escaped from the Wyandot by age 18. But, he returned to his adoptive family within five years. He soon married Myeerah, a daughter of the the Wyandot chief. And, for the remainder of their lives, they remained in the present-day Zanesfield, Ohio area, a part of both societies - natives and settlers, until their death in 1816.

The Ebenezer Zane Cabin is a restoration of an actual cabin from the pioneer days of Zanesfield, Ohio. The original cabin was built in 1805. And for nearly eleven years, the cabin was quite ordinary.

Separate from life in Zanesfield, a Methodist Lay Preacher, John Stewart, was working tirelessly to gain the trust of the Wyandot in Ohio. He was on the verge of abandoning this task when he was finally granted tribal acceptance. And, he began sharing Methodist Theology with his new friends.

Soon, the Cincinnati Methodist District received word that both natives and settlers were accepting the Word as taught by John Stewart. A circuit rider, J. B. Finley, was sent to report on the progress of John Stewart's work.

On November 13 and 14, 1819, a meeting of the Zanesfield Methodist Mission was held. During this meeting 60 indians accepted Christianity in front of approximately 300 settlers from the area. By 1823, a "Bible Class" was formed at Zanesfield. This marked a very important point in the Methodist Missionary movement in Ohio.

To mark the importance of these cabin meetings, the United Methodist Church has marked the Ebenezer Zane Cabin a historic spot within the church.

A School Field Trip to the Zane Cabin

On October 24, I had the pleasure. . . No, I had the distinct honor of accompanying my daughter's kindergarten class to the Zane Cabin. I had no idea what to expect. My oldest daughter, Madeline, loves history. She is truly her momma's little girl. But, my kindergartner, Julie, has told me multiple times that she gets tired of our little trips to historic places. She has also told me that she does not want to visit anymore battlefields, but, mind you, that is a story for another day.

Anyway, I went to Zanesfield, Ohio last Monday with the St. Johns kindergarten. And, it was a lot of fun. Our morning started with a brisk game of skip-to-my-lou. The children, all dressed in period garb, circled 'round their teacher, Mrs. Walker, and began to clap and sing. Then the girls and boys divided into two lines. Each pair would bow and curtsy and then take hands and dance. Oh, how much fun they all had!

Soon we heard the clip-clop of horses walking up the road. A covered wagon soon came into view. The kids were soon clamoring up the backside of the wagon, and then they were off! Mrs. Walker went with the children while the parents stayed behind to set the table for a genuine pioneer meal. The children were all singing when they returned, "She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes!" After we had taken pictures with the horses and washed hands, the children filled the cabin. Lunch consisted of a hearty beef stew, corn bread, cheese, and raw vegetables.

But, soon the children were back out in the yard. Children were singing, laughing, and dancing! Oh, to be that young again! A game of tug-o-war soon ensued. The first match as won by a lot of giggling girls, while the second match was dominated by the boys.

And, then it was time for candle making - the old fashioned way. The children lined up with strings and walked round and round the table while dipping into pots of molten wax. The very ambitious children had soon made a dozen candles to take home - one a piece.

After clean-up, the children were once again given tasks that their great grandparents might have enjoyed yesteryear. Children sat outside the cabin on a bench to sew. Some came inside to write letters with a quill pen. And, others sat down with slates to practice their primer letters.

But, all to soon, it was time to return to school. So, the children set down their slate boards, samplers, and quill pens and climbed into modern day cars for transport back to the future, so to speak.

I was truly amazed by the day. My Julie was glowing! She was able to tell me all about the cabin we had visited. She was enjoying history, just as I do.

Today in History - October 29

On this day in 1618, explorer Sir Walter Raleigh was beheaded. He was accused of plotting against King James I.

On this day in 1863, the International Red Cross was formed at a conference in Geneva. Eighteen countries are credited with the formation of this aide organization.

On this day in 1929, the Stock Market continued its downward spiral on a day we remember as Black Tuesday.

On this day in 1998, John Glenn returned to space on Shuttle Discovery. He was 77 years old.

In the Chuckery, Ohio area in 1894, it was reported that Lew Fairbanks planned to sell his livestock and farm implements so that he could fund a new business venture as a blacksmith.

Today I am combing through Census records. . .

What are my plans for today? Well, after I get the dishwasher loaded and some laundry folded I think I might follow the journey of my mother's great-great grandfather, Claudius B. Miller. I know he was born in Tennessee in 1825. And, I know that he died in Iowa in 1917. But, I want to know how he ended up in Iowa. I also suspect he fought in the Civil War, but I am not sure on which side he fought. So, today I hope that I can find out a little more about this great grandfather of mine. If I find a Civil War connection, I am sure my 7 year old daughter will be thrilled, as she is such the Civil War history buff.

Today in History - October 28

On this day in 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony established the first college in the New World. This college became Harvard University.

On this day in 1886, US President Grover Cleveland formally dedicated the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. This statue was a gift from France, and was designed by Frédéric Bartholdi. Édouard René Lefèbvre de Laboulaye is remembered as the intellectual creator of the Statue of Liberty. In 1865 he had the idea of presenting a statue to the United States that would represent the concept of liberty.

On this day in 1929, the Stock Market crashed on Wall Street, causing chaos. This day is now remembered as Black Monday.

In the Chuckery, Ohio area in 1891, it was reported that Phillip Vollrath moved into his new house.

Today in History - October 27

On this day in 1904, the New York City Subway opened. Over 100,000 people paid the nickel fare to ride a train under Manhattan. Though it was not the first subway in the United States, it was soon the largest subway system in the United States.

On this day in 1961, NASA launched its first Saturn I rocket. This was the start of the Saturn-Apollo Space Program for NASA.

In the Chuckery, Ohio area in 1886 it was reported that Russell Bigelow's saw mill was broken. And, the Joseph Morse Family of Marysville was in the area visiting relatives.