POLYGAMY AND THE REFORMERS.
By Editor
The Catholic Mirror says:— As a rule, the people of this country ascribe incorrectly the origin of this pestiferous doctrine of polygamy to Brigham Young and his associates, but its true paternity is to be traced to Martin Luther, of "open Bible" record, and his colleagues, as we propose to show in this article. The only thing shown in this article is the alleged position of Luther and other of his contemporaries on the doctrine of divorce. He is not once shown to be a defender of polygamy. Now, while we do not propose to stand as Luther's defender in the doctrine of divorce, we still believe the loose system of divorce, evil as it is, a thousand times preferable to the Catholic doctrine of the celibacy of the clergy, with its countless scandals, and the existing loose relation between the sexes in countries which have been under the tutelage of Roman Catholics for centuries. Martin Luther and his co-laborers were pioneers. They saw through a glass darkly. Their vision was blinded, their minds darkened by the errors of Roman Catholicism, to which they still held. Their principles—fundamental principles of Protestantism or Christianity—were correct. Above the civil magistrate was placed the tribunal of conscience, and above the visible church the authority of the Word of God. In the words of another: "The Reformation was accomplished in the name of a spiritual principle. It had proclaimed for its teacher the Word of God; for salvation, faith; for king, Jesus Christ; for arms, the Holy Ghost; and had by these very means rejected all worldly elements." The only reason why Protestantism has failed to be the power in the world that God designed she should be is that she has been false to these principles. Was Luther false to these?—It was owing either to the perversity of his humanity, common to all, Protestant and Catholic, or to the errors which he inherited from his former religion. Martin Luther is no more a guide to true Protestants, to Bible Christians, than is Leo X, or Tetzel of Indulgence fame. We honor the Reformers only for the principle and courage they manifested in following the little light. They blazed the path through the interminable Roman jungle of errors. God wants His children who come after, by clearer light, to make that path a plain highway of holiness, cleared from rubbish and stumbling, prepared for the last generation and the coming King.