Luther - Works of Martin Luther Vol. 6 - Righteousness is Love

28contract; this is her inheritance from this so-called Order; and she, no morethan they, has not successfully answered the question raised by thetransition from the old, — the tradition, into the spirit of the new, althoughshe has striven to emphasize the spiritual in her present Order.The day was bound to come when men would have to be ordained to theministry of the Church of the Reformation. When it did arrive twoimportant matters had to be settled. Essentially what is the Ministry, andwhat is ordination? These questions are answered in Luther’s Order forOrdination. This is expressive of the doctrine of the ReformationMovement and opposite to the Roman conception and to the RomanOrder. Luther’s Order must be viewed as a step in transition and possiblyas the first-definite contribution to meet a necessity which had but latelyarisen in Evangelical circles. As such it is blazing the way, and is open tofurther adaptation in the course of time.When one remembers the vast amount of work which occupied Luther inother connections, one is amazed at the sum-total of his liturgical activities.These did not eventuate in a mere group of writings, exhibits of opinions orsummaries of teachings; they were effective contributions, — the practicalinstruments for active use. Here were the furnishings for the house ofworship which the Movement possessed.The success of Luther’s contributions and their real value can, at this day,be estimated from an angle other than the liturgical; that is, from thestandpoint of their influence and abiding worth. They outlived the period oftheir immediate service; they have never ceased living, or for that mattercontributing their influence. The results of Luther’s liturgical activitiesremain in the life of the Church today.While he was not the pioneer in using the vernacular in worship, nor theone to make the first practical attempt, or the first to issue the firstcomplete vernacular service, his Deutsche Messe, outfitted with his hymnsand prayers and the New Testament lessons in the vernacular, was theclimax of this effort and became the most popular service of the period. Itwas successful not alone as an experiment but as a lasting use. It becamethe authoritative norm for this type of service.The Deutsche Messe with its great popular appeal and its wide reach offreedom and simplicity, on the one hand, and the constructive, churchlyFormula missae with its traditional values and its liturgical conservatism,