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diff --git a/36433-8.txt b/36433-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f8a3d79 --- /dev/null +++ b/36433-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,19247 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chronicles of the Schonberg-Cotta Family, by +Elizabeth Rundle Charles + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Chronicles of the Schonberg-Cotta Family + +Author: Elizabeth Rundle Charles + +Release Date: June 15, 2011 [EBook #36433] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRONICLES OF THE *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + CHRONICLES OF THE SCHÖNBERG-COTTA FAMILY + + BY TWO OF THEMSELVES. + + + NEW YORK: + DODD, MEAD & COMPANY, + PUBLISHERS. + + + + +PUBLISHER'S NOTE. + + +To those unfamiliar with the history of Luther and his times, the title +of this unique work may not sufficiently indicate its character. + +The design of the author is to so reproduce the times of the Reformation +as to place them more vividly and impressively before the mind of the +reader than has been done by ordinary historical narratives. + +She does this with such remarkable success, that it is difficult to +realize we are not actually hearing Luther and those around him speak. +We seem to be personal actors in the stirring scenes of that eventful +period. + +One branch of the Cotta family were Luther's earliest, and ever after, +his most intimate friends. Under the title of "Chronicles" our author +makes the members of this family, (which she brings in almost living +reality before us), to record their daily experiences as connected with +the Reformation age. + +This Diary is fictitious, but it is employed with wonderful skill in +bringing the reader face to face with the great ideas and facts +associated with Luther and men of his times, as they are given to us by +accredited history, and is written with a beauty, tenderness and power +rarely equalled. + + + + +I. + +Elsè's Story. + + +Friedrich wishes me to write a chronicle of my life. Friedrich is my +eldest brother. I am sixteen, and he is seventeen, and I have always +been in the habit of doing what he wishes; and therefore, although it +seems to me a very strange idea, I do so now. It is easy for Friedrich +to write a chronicle, or anything else, because he has thoughts. But I +have so few thoughts, I can only write what I see and hear about people +and things. And that is certainly very little to write about, because +everything goes on so much the same always with us. The people around me +are the same I have known since I was a baby, and the things have +changed very little; except that the people are more, because there are +so many little children in our home now, and the things seem to me to +become less, because my father does not grow richer: and there are more +to clothe and feed. However, since Fritz wishes it, I will try; +especially as ink and paper are the two things which are plentiful among +us, because my father is a printer. + +Fritz and I have never been separated all our lives until now. Yesterday +he went to the University at Erfurt. It was when I was crying at the +thought of parting with him that he told me his plan about the +chronicle. He is to write one, and I another. He said it would be a help +to him, as our twilight talk has been--when always, ever since I can +remember, we two have crept away in summer into the garden, under the +great pear-tree, and in winter into the deep window of the lumber-room +inside my father's printing-room, where the bales of paper are kept, and +old books are piled up, among which we used to make ourselves a seat. + +It may be a help and comfort to Fritz, but I do not see how it ever can +be any to me. He had all the thoughts, and he will have them still. But +I--what shall I have for his voice and his dear face, but cold, blank +paper, and no thoughts at all! Besides, I am so very busy, being the +eldest; and the mother is far from strong, and the father so often wants +me to help him at his types, or to read to him while he sets them. +However, Fritz wishes it, and I shall do it. I wonder what his chronicle +will be like! + +But where am I to begin? What is a chronicle? Two of the books in the +Bible are called "Chronicles" in Latin--at least Fritz says that is what +the other long word[1] means--and the first book begins with "Adam," I +know, because I read it one day to my father for his printing. But Fritz +certainly cannot mean me to begin so far back as that. Of course I could +not remember. I think I had better begin with the oldest person I know, +because she is the furthest on the way back to Adam; and that is our +grandmother Von Schönberg. She is very old--more than sixty--but her +form is so erect, and her dark eyes so piercing, that sometimes she +looks almost younger than her daughter, our precious mother, who is +often bowed down with ill-health and cares. + +[Footnote 1: Paralipomenon.] + +Our grandmother's father was of a noble Bohemian family, and that is +what links us with the nobles, although my father's family belongs to +the burgher class. Fritz and I like to look at the old seal of our +grandfather Von Schönberg, with all its quarterings, and to hear the +tales of our knightly and soldier ancestors--of crusader and baron. My +mother, indeed, tells us this is a mean pride, and that my father's +printing-press is a symbol of a truer nobility than any crest of +battle-axe or sword; but our grandmother, I know, thinks it a great +condescension for a Schönberg to have married into a burgher family. +Fritz feels with my mother, and says the true crusade will be waged by +our father's black types far better than by our great-grandfather's +lances. But the old warfare was so beautiful, with the prancing horses +and the streaming banners! And I cannot help thinking it would have been +pleasanter to sit at the window of some grand old castle like the +Wartburg, which towers above our town, and wave my hand to Fritz, as he +rode, in flashing armour, on his war-horse, down the steep hill side, +instead of climbing up on piles of dusty books at our lumber-room +window, and watching him, in his humble burgher dress, with his wallet +(not too well filled), walk down the street, while no one turned to +look. Ah, well! the parting would have been as dreary, and Fritz himself +could not be nobler. Only I cannot help seeing that people do honour the +bindings and the gilded titles, in spite of all my mother and Fritz can +say; and I should like my precious book to have such a binding, that the +people who could not read the inside, might yet stop to look at the gold +clasps and the jewelled back. To those who can read the inside, perhaps +it would not matter. For of all the old barons and crusaders my +grandmother tells us of, I know well none ever were or looked nobler +than our Fritz. His eyes are not blue, like mine--which are only German +Cotta eyes, but dark and flashing. Mine are very good for seeing, +sewing, and helping about the printing; but his, I think, would +penetrate men's hearts and command them, or survey a battle-field at a +glance. + +Last week, however, when I said something of the kind to him, he +laughed, and said there were better battle-fields than those on which +men's bones lay bleaching; and then there came that deep look into his +eyes, when he seems to see into a world beyond my reach. + +But I began with our grandmother, and here I am thinking about Friedrich +again. I am afraid that he will be the beginning and end of my +chronicle. Fritz has been nearly all the world to me. I wonder if that +is why he is to leave me. The monks say we must not love any one too +much; and one day, when we went to see Aunt Agnes, my mother's only +sister, who is a nun in the convent of Nimptschen, I remember her saying +to me when I had been admiring the flowers in the convent garden, +"Little Elsè, will you come and live with us, and be a happy, blessed +sister here?" + +I said, "_Whose_ sister, Aunt Agnes? I am Fritz's sister! May Fritz come +too?" + +"Fritz could go into the monastry at Eisenach," she said. + +"Then I would go with him," I said. "I am Fritz's sister, and I would go +nowhere in the world without him." + +She looked on me with a cold, grave pity, and murmured, "Poor little +one, she is like her mother, the heart learns to idolize early. She has +much to unlearn. God's hand is against all idols." + +That is many years ago; but I remember as if it were yesterday, how the +fair convent garden seemed to me all at once to grow dull and cheerless +at her words and her grave looks, and I felt it damp and cold like a +church-yard; and the flowers looked like made flowers; and the walls +seemed to rise like the walls of a cave, and I scarcely breathed until I +was outside again, and had hold of Fritz's hand. + +For I am not at all religious. I am afraid I do not even wish to be. All +the religious men and women I have ever seen do not seem to me half so +sweet as my poor dear mother; nor as kind, clever, and cheerful as my +father; nor half as noble and good as Fritz. And the Lives of the Saints +puzzle me exceedingly, because it seems to me that if every one were to +follow the example of St. Catherine, and even our own St. Elizabeth of +Hungary, and disobey their parents, and leave their little children, it +would make everything so very wrong and confused. I wonder if any one +else ever felt the same, because these are thoughts I have never even +told to Fritz; for he _is_ religious, and I am afraid it would pain him. + +Our grandmother's husband fled from Bohemia on account of religion; but +I am afraid it was not the right kind of religion, because no one seems +to like to speak about it; and what Fritz and I know about him is only +what we have picked up from time to time, and put together for +ourselves. + +Nearly a hundred years ago, two priests preached in Bohemia, called John +Huss and Jerome of Prague. They seem to have been dearly beloved, and to +have been thought good men during their life-time; but people must have +been mistaken about them, for they were both burnt alive as heretics at +Constance in two following years--in 1415 and 1416; which of course +proves that they could not have been good men, but exceedingly bad. + +However, their friends in Bohemia would not give up believing what they +had learned of these men, although they had seen what end it led to. I +do not think this was strange, because it is so very difficult to make +oneself believe what one ought, as it is, and I do not see that the fear +of being burned even would help one to do it; although, certainly, it +might keep one silent. But these friends of John Huss were many of them +nobles and great men, who were not accustomed to conceal their thoughts, +and they would not be silent about what Huss had taught them. What this +was, Fritz and I never could find out, because my grandmother, who +answers all our other questions, never would tell us a word about this. +We are, therefore, afraid it must be something very wicked indeed. And +yet, when I asked one day if our grandfather (who, we think, had +followed Huss), was a wicked man, her eyes flashed like lightning, and +she said vehemently,-- + +"Better never lived or died!" + +This perplexes us, but perhaps we shall understand it, like so many +other things, when we are older. + +Great troubles followed on the death of Huss. Bohemia was divided into +three parties, who fought against each other. Castles were sacked, and +noble women and little children were driven into caves and forests. Our +forefathers were among the sufferers. In 1458 the conflict reached its +height; many were beheaded, hung, burned alive, or tortured. My +grandfather was killed as he was escaping, and my grandmother +encountered great dangers, and lost all the little property which was +left her, in reaching Eisenach, a young widow with two little children, +my mother and Aunt Agnes. + +Whatever it was that my great grandfather believed wrong, his wife did +not seem to share it. She took refuge in the Augustinian Convent, where +she lived until my Aunt Agnes took the veil, and my mother was married, +when she came to live with us. She is as fond of Fritz as I am, in her +way; although she scolds us all in turn, which is perhaps a good thing, +because as she says, no one else does. And she has taught me nearly all +I know, except the Apostles' Creed and Ten Commandments, which our +father taught us, and the Paternoster and Ave Mary which we learned at +our mother's knee. Fritz, of course, knows infinitely more than I do. He +can say the Cisio Janus (the Church Calendar) through without one +mistake, and also the Latin Grammar, I believe; and he has read Latin +Books of which I cannot remember the names; and he understands all that +the priests read and sing, and can sing himself as well as any of them. + +But the legends of the saints, and the multiplication table, and the +names of herbs and flowers, and the account of the Holy Sepulchre, and +of the pilgrimage to Rome,--all these our grandmother has taught us. She +looks so beautiful, our dear old grandmother, as she sits by the stove +with her knitting, and talks to Fritz and me, with her lovely white hair +and her dark bright eyes, so full of life and youth, they make us think +of the fire on the hearth when the snow is on the roof, all warm within, +or, as Fritz says,-- + +"It seems as if her heart lived always in the summer, and the winter of +old age could only touch her body." + +But I think the summer in which our grandmother's soul lives must be +rather a fiery kind of summer, in which there are lightnings as well as +sunshine. Fritz thinks we shall know her again at the Resurrection Day +by that look in her eyes, only perhaps a little softened. But that seems +to me terrible, and very far off; and I do not like to think of it. We +often debate which of the saints she is like. I think St. Anna, the +mother of Mary, mother of God, but Fritz thinks St. Catherine of Egypt, +because she is so like a queen. + +Besides all this, I had nearly forgotten to say I know the names of +several of the stars, which Fritz taught me. And I can knit and spin, +and do point stitch, and embroider a little. I intend to teach it to all +the children. There are a great many children in our home and more every +year. If there had not been so many, I might have had time to learn +more, and also to be more religious; but I cannot see what they would do +at home if I were to have a vocation. Perhaps some of the younger ones +may be spared to become saints. I wonder if this should turn out to be +so, and if I help them, if any one ever found some little humble place +in heaven for helping some one else to be religious. Because then there +might perhaps be hope for me after all. + + * * * * * + +Our father is the wisest man in Eisenach. The mother thinks, perhaps, in +the world. Of this, however, our grandmother has doubts. She has seen +other places besides Eisenach, which is perhaps the reason. He certainly +is the wisest man I ever saw. He talks about more things that I cannot +understand than any one else I know. He is also a great inventor. He +thought of the plan of printing books before any one else, and had +almost completed the invention before any press was set up. And he +always believed there was another world on the other side of the great +sea, long before the Admiral Christopher Columbus discovered America. +The only misfortune has been that some one else has always stepped in +just before he had completed his inventions, when nothing but some +little insignificant detail was wanting to make everything perfect, and +carried off all the credit and profit. It is this which has kept us from +becoming rich,--this and the children. But the father's temper is so +placid and even, nothing ever sours it. And this is what makes us all +admire and love him so much, even more than his great abilities. He +seems to rejoice in these successes of other people just as much as if +he had quite succeeded in making them himself. If the mother laments a +little over the fame that might have been his, he smiles and says,-- + +"Never mind, little mother. It will be all the same a hundred years +hence. Let us not grudge any one his reward. The world has the benefit +if we have not." + +Then if the mother sighs a little over the scanty larder and wardrobe, +he replies,-- + +"Cheer up, little mother, there are more Americas yet to be discovered, +and more inventions to be made. In fact," he adds, with that deep far +seeing look of his, "something else has just occurred to me, which, when +I have brought it to perfection, will throw all the discoveries of this +and every other age into the shade." + +And he kisses the mother and departs into his printing-room. And the +mother looks wonderingly after him, and says,-- + +"We must not disturb the father, children, with our little cares. He has +great things in his mind, which we shall all reap the harvest of some +day." + +So, she goes to patch some little garment once more, and to try to make +one day's dinner expand into enough for two. + +What the father's great discovery is at present, Fritz and I do not +quite know. But we think it has something to do, either with the planets +and the stars, or with that wonderful stone the philosophers have been +so long occupied about. In either case, it is sure to make us enormously +rich all at once; and, meantime, we may well be content to eke out our +living as best we can. + + * * * * * + +Of the mother I cannot think of anything to say. She is just the +mother--our own dear, patient, loving, little mother--unlike every one +else in the world; and yet it seems as if there was nothing to say about +her by which one could make any one else understand what she is. It +seems as if she were to other people (with reverence I say it) just what +the blessed Mother of God is to the other saints. St. Catherine has her +wheel and her crown, and St. Agnes her lamb and her palm, and St. Ursula +her eleven thousand virgins; but Mary, the ever-blessed, has only the +Holy Child. She is the blessed woman, the Holy mother, and nothing else. +That is just what the mother is. She is the precious little mother, and +the best woman in the world, and that is all. I could describe her +better by saying what she is not. She never says a harsh word to any one +nor of any one. She is never impatient with the father, like our +grandmother. She is never impatient with the children, like me. She +never complains or scolds. She is never idle. She never looks severe and +cross at us, like Aunt Agnes. But I must not compare her with Aunt +Agnes, because she herself once reproved me for doing so; she said Aunt +Agnes was a religious, a pure, and holy woman, far, far above her sphere +or ours; and we might be thankful, if we ever reached heaven, if she let +us kiss the hem of her garment. + + * * * * * + +Yes, Aunt Agnes is a holy woman--a nun; I must be careful what I say of +her. She makes long, long prayers, they say,--so long that she has been +found in the morning fainting on the cold floor of the convent church. +She eats so little that Father Christopher, who is the convent confessor +and ours, says he sometimes thinks she must be sustained by angels. But +Fritz and I think that, if that is true, the angel's food cannot be very +nourishing; for, when we saw her last, through the convent grating, she +looked like a shadow in her black robe, or like that dreadful picture of +death we saw in the convent chapel. She wears the coarsest sackcloth, +and often, they say, sleeps on ashes. One of the nuns told my mother, +that one day when she fainted, and they had to unloose her dress, they +found scars and stripes, scarcely healed, on her fair neck and arms, +which she must have inflicted on herself. They all say she will have a +very high place in heaven; but it seems to me, unless there is a very +great difference between the highest and lowest places in heaven, it is +a great deal of trouble to take. But, then, I am not religious; and it +is altogether so exceedingly difficult to me to understand about heaven. +Will every one in heaven be always struggling for the high places? +Because when every one does that at church on the great festival days, +it is not at all pleasant; those who succeed look proud, and those who +fail look cross. But, of course, no one will be cross in heaven, nor +proud. Then how will the saints feel who do _not_ get the highest +places? Will they be pleased or disappointed? If they are pleased, what +is the use of struggling so much to climb a little higher? And if they +are not pleased, would that be saint-like? Because the mother always +teaches us to choose the lowest places, and the eldest to give up to the +little ones. Will the greatest, then, _not_ give up to the little ones +in heaven? Of one thing I feel sure: if the mother had a high place in +heaven, she would always be stooping down to help some one else up, or +making room for others. And then, what _are_ the highest places in +heaven? At the emperor's court, I know, they are the places nearest him; +the seven Electors stand close around the throne. But can it be possible +that any would ever feel at ease, and happy, so very near the Almighty? +It seems so exceedingly difficult to please Him here, and so very easy +to offend Him, that it does seem to me it would be happier to be a +little further off, in some little quiet corner near the gate, with a +good many of the saints between. The other day, Father Christopher +ordered me such a severe penance for dropping a crumb of the sacred +Host; although I could not help thinking it was as much the priest's +fault as mine. But he said God would be exceedingly displeased; and +Fritz told me the priests fast and torment themselves severely +sometimes, for only omitting a word in the Mass. + +Then the awful picture of the Lord Christ, with the lightnings in his +hand! It is very different from the carving of him on the cross. Why did +he suffer so? Was it, like Aunt Agnes, to get a higher place in heaven? +or, perhaps, to have the right to be severe, as she is with us? Such +very strange things seem to offend and to please God, I cannot +understand it at all; but that is because I have no vocation for +religion. In the convent, the mother says, they grow like God, and so +understand him better. + +Is Aunt Agnes, then, more like God than our mother? That face, still and +pale as death; those cold, severe eyes; that voice, so hollow and +monotonous, as if it came from a metal tube or a sepulchre, instead of +from a heart! Is it with that look God will meet us, with that kind of +voice he will speak to us? Indeed, the Judgment-day is very dreadful to +think of; and one must indeed need to live many years in the convent not +to be afraid of going to heaven. + +Oh, if only our mother were the saint--the kind of good woman that +pleased God--instead of Aunt Agnes, how sweet it would be to try and be +a saint then; and how sure one would feel that one might hope to reach +heaven, and that, if one reached it, one would be happy there! + + * * * * * + +Aunt Ursula Cotta is another of the women I wish were the right kind of +saint. She is my father's first cousin's wife; but we have always called +her aunt, because almost all little children who know her do,--she is so +fond of children, and so kind to every one. She is not poor like us, +although Cousin Conrad Cotta never made any discoveries, or even nearly +made any. There is a picture of St. Elizabeth of Thuringia, our sainted +Landgravine, in our parish church, which always makes me think of Aunt +Ursula. St. Elizabeth is standing at the gate of a beautiful castle, +something like our castle of the Wartburg, and around her are kneeling a +crowd of very poor people--cripples, and blind, and poor thin mothers, +with little hungry-looking children--all stretching out their hands to +the lady, who is looking on with such kindly compassionate looks, just +like Aunt Ursula; except that St. Elizabeth is very thin and pale, and +looks almost as nearly starved as the beggars around her, and Aunt +Ursula is rosy and fat, with the pleasantest dimples in her round face. +But the look in the eyes is the same--so loving, and true, and earnest, +and compassionate. The thinness and pallor are, of course, only just the +difference there must be between a saint who fasts, and does so much +penance, and keeps herself awake whole nights saying prayers, as St. +Elizabeth did, and a prosperous burgher's wife, who eats and sleeps like +other people, and is only like the good Landgravine in being so kind to +every one. + +The other half of the story of the picture, however, would not do for +Aunt Ursula. In the apron of the saint, instead of loaves of bread are +beautiful clusters of red roses. Our grandmother told us the meaning of +this. The good Landgravine's husband did not quite like her giving so +much to the poor; because she was so generous she would have left the +treasury bare. So she used to give her alms unknown to him. But on this +day when she was giving away those loaves to the beggars at the castle +gate, he happened suddenly to return, and finding her occupied in this +way, he asked her rather severely what she had in her apron. She said +"roses!" + +"Let me see," said the Landgrave. + +And God loved her so much, that to save her from being blamed, he +wrought a miracle. When she opened her apron, instead of the loaves she +had been distributing, there were beautiful flowers. And this is what +the picture represents. I always wanted to know the end of the story. I +hope God worked another miracle when the Landgrave went away, and +changed the roses back into loaves. I suppose He did, because the +starving people look so contented. But our grandmother does not know. +Only in this, I do not think Aunt Ursula would have done the same as the +Landgravine. I think she would have said boldly if Cousin Cotta had +asked her, "I have loaves in my apron, and I am giving them to these +poor starving subjects of yours and mine," and never been afraid of what +he would say. And then, perhaps, Cousin Cotta--I mean the +Landgrave's--heart would have been so touched, that he would have +forgiven her, and even praised her, and brought her some more loaves. +And then instead of the bread being changed to flowers, the Landgrave's +heart would have been changed from stone to flesh, which does seem a +better thing. But when I once said this to grandmother, she said it was +very wrong to fancy other ends to the legends of the saints, just as if +they were fairy tales; that St. Elizabeth really lived in that old +castle of the Wartburg, not more than three hundred years ago, and +walked through those very streets of Eisenach, and gave alms to the poor +here, and went into the hospitals, and dressed the most loathsome wounds +that no one else would touch, and spoke tender loving words to wretched +outcasts no one else would look at. That seems to me so good and dear of +her; but that is not what made her a saint, because Aunt Ursula and our +mother do things like that, and our mother has told me again and again +that it is Aunt Agnes who is like the saint, and not she. + +It is what she suffered, I suppose, that has made them put her in the +Calendar; and yet it is not suffering in itself that makes people +saints, because I do not believe St. Elizabeth herself suffered more +than our mother. It is true she used to leave her husband's side and +kneel all night on the cold floor, while he was asleep. But the mother +has done the same as that often and often. When any of the little ones +has been ill, how often she has walked up and down hour after hour, with +the sick child in her arms, soothing and fondling it, and quieting all +its fretful cries with unwearying tender patience. Then St. Elizabeth +fasted until she was almost a shadow; but how often have I seen our +mother quietly distribute all that was nice and good in our frugal meals +to my father and the children, scarcely leaving herself a bit, and +hiding her plate behind a dish that the father might not see. And Fritz +and I often say how wasted and worn she looks; not like the Mother of +Mercy as we remember her, but too much like the wan pale Mother of +Sorrows with the pierced heart. Then as to pain, have not I seen our +mother suffer pain compared with which Aunt Agnes or St. Elizabeth's +discipline must be like the prick of a pin. + +But yet all that is not the right kind of suffering to make a saint. Our +precious mother walks up and down all night not to make herself a saint, +but to soothe her sick child. She eats no dinner, not because she +chooses to fast, but because we are poor, and bread is dear. She +suffers, because God lays suffering upon her, not because she takes it +on herself. And all this cannot make her a saint. When I say anything to +compassionate or to honour her, she smiles and says,-- + +"My Elsè, I chose this lower life instead of the high vocation of your +Aunt Agnes, and I must take the consequences. We cannot have our portion +both in this world and the next." + +If the size of our mother's portion in the next world were to be in +proportion to its smallness in this, I think she might have plenty to +spare; but this I do not venture to say to her. + +There is one thing St. Elizabeth did which certainly our mother would +never do. She left her little father less children to go into a convent. +Perhaps it was this that pleased God and the Lord Jesus Christ so very +much, that they took her up to be so high in heaven. If this is the +case, it is a great mercy for our father and for us that our mother has +not set her heart on being a saint. We sometimes think, however, that +perhaps although He cannot make her a saint on account of the rules they +have in heaven about it, God may give our mother some little good thing, +or some kind word, because of her being so very good to us. _She_ says +this is no merit, however, because of her loving us so much. If she +loved us less, and so found it more a trouble to work for us; or if we +were little stranger beggar children she _chose_ to be kind to, instead +of her own, I suppose God would like it better. + +There is one thing, moreover, in St. Elizabeth's history which once +brought Fritz and me into great trouble and perplexity. When we were +little children and did not understand things as we do now, but thought +we ought to try and imitate the saints, and that what was right for them +must be right for us, and when our grandmother had been telling us about +the holy Landgravine privately selling her jewels, and emptying her +husband's treasury to feed the poor, we resolved one day to go and do +likewise. We knew a very poor old woman in the next street, with a great +many orphan grandchildren, and we planned a long time together before we +thought of the way to help her like St. Elizabeth. At length the +opportunity came. It was Christmas eve, and for a rarity there were some +meat, and apples, and pies in our storeroom. We crept into the room in +the twilight, filled my apron with pies, and meat, and cakes, and stole +out to our old woman's to give her our booty. + +The next morning the larder was found, despoiled of half of what was to +have been our Christmas dinner. The children cried, and the mother +looked almost as distressed as they did. The father's placid temper for +once was roused, and he cursed the cat and the rats, and wished he had +completed his new infallible rat trap. Our grandmother said very +quietly,-- + +"Thieves more discriminating than rats or mice have been here. There are +no crumbs, and not a thing is out of place. Besides, I never heard of +rats or mice eating pie-dishes." + +Fritz and I looked at each other, and began to fear that we had done +wrong, when little Christopher said-- + +"I saw Fritz and Elsè carry out the pies last night." + +"Elsè! Fritz!" said our father, "what does this mean?" + +I would have confessed, but I remembered St. Elizabeth and the roses, +and said, with a trembling voice-- + +"They were not pies you saw, Christopher, but roses." + +"Roses," said the mother very gravely, "at Christmas!" + +I almost hoped the pies would have reappeared on the shelves. It was the +very juncture at which they did in the legend; but they did not. On the +contrary, everything seemed to turn against us. + +"Fritz," said our father very sternly, "tell the truth, or I shall give +you a flogging." + +This was a part of the story where St. Elizabeth's example quite failed +us. I did not know what she would have done if some one else had been +punished for her generosity; but I felt no doubt what I must do. + +"O father!" I said, "it is my fault--it was my thought! We took the +things to the poor old woman in the next street for her grandchildren." + +"Then she is no better than a thief," said our father, "to have taken +them. Fritz and Elsè, foolish children, shall have no Christmas dinner +for their pains and Elsè shall, moreover, be locked into her own room +for telling a story." + +I was sitting shivering in my room, wondering how it was that things +succeeded so differently with St. Elizabeth and with us, when Aunt +Ursula's round pleasant voice sounded up the stairs, and in another +minute she was holding me laughing in her arms. + +"My poor little Elsè! We must wait a little before we imitate our patron +saint; or we must begin at the other end. It would never do, for +instance, for me to travel to Rome with eleven thousand young ladies +like St. Ursula." + +My grandmother had guessed the meaning of our foray, and Aunt Ursula +coming in at the time, had heard the narrative, and insisted on sending +us another Christmas dinner. Fritz and I secretly believed that St. +Elizabeth had a good deal to do with the replacing of our Christmas +dinner; but after that, we understood that caution was needed in +transferring the holy example of the saints to our own lives, and that +at present we must not venture beyond the ten commandments. + +Yet to think that St. Elizabeth, a real canonized saint--whose picture +is over altars in the churches--whose good deeds are painted on the +church windows, and illumined by the sun shining through them--whose +bones are laid up in reliquaries, one of which I wear always next my +heart--actually lived and prayed in that dark old castle above us, and +walked along these very streets--perhaps even had been seen from this +window of Fritz's and my beloved lumber-room. + +Only three hundred years ago! If only I had lived three hundred years +earlier, or she three hundred years later, I might have seen her and +talked to her, and asked her what it was that made her a saint. There +are so many questions I should like to have asked her. I would have +said, "Dear St. Elizabeth, tell me what it is that makes you a saint? It +cannot be your charity, because no one can be more charitable than Aunt +Ursula, and she is not a saint; and it cannot be your sufferings, or +your patience, or your love, or your denying yourself for the sake of +others, because our mother is like you in all that, and she is not a +saint. Was it because you left your little children, that God loves you +so much? or because you not only did and bore the things God laid on +you, as our mother does, but chose out other things for yourself, which +you thought harder?" And if she were gentle (as I think she was), and +would have listened, I would have asked her, "Holy Landgravine, why are +things which were so right and holy in you, wrong for Fritz and me?" And +I would also have asked her, "Dear St. Elizabeth, my patroness, what is +it in heaven that makes you so happy there?" + +But I forgot--she would not have been in heaven at all. She would not +even have been made a saint, because it was only after her death, when +the sick and crippled were healed by touching her body, that they found +out what a saint she had been. Perhaps, even, she would not herself have +known she was a saint. And if so, I wonder if it can be possible that +our mother is a saint after all, only she does not know it. + + * * * * * + +Fritz and I are four or five years older than any of the children. Two +little sisters died of the plague before any more were born. One was +baptized, and died when she was a year old, before she could soil her +baptismal robes. Therefore we feel sure she is in paradise. I think of +her whenever I look at the cloud of glory around the Blessed Virgin in +St. George's Church. Out of the cloud peep a number of happy +child-faces--some leaning their round soft cheeks on their pretty +dimpled hands, and all looking up with such confidence at the dear +mother of God. I suppose the little children in heaven especially belong +to her. It must be very happy, then, to have died young. + +But of that other little nameless babe who died at the same time none of +us ever dare to speak. It was not baptized, and they say the souls of +little unbaptized babes hover about for ever in the darkness between +heaven and hell. Think of the horror of falling from the loving arms of +our mother into the cold and the darkness, to shiver and wail there for +ever, and belong to no one. At Eisenach we have a Foundling Hospital, +attached to one of the nunneries founded by St. Elizabeth, for such +forsaken little ones. If St. Elizabeth could only establish a Foundling +somewhere near the gates of paradise, for such little nameless outcast +child-souls! But I suppose she is too high in heaven, and too far from +the gates to hear the plaintive cries of such abandoned little ones. Or +perhaps God, who was so much pleased with her for deserting her own +little children, would not allow it. I suppose the saints in heaven who +have been mothers, or even elder sisters like me, leave their mother's +hearts on earth, and that in paradise they are all monks and nuns like +Aunt Agnes and Father Christopher. + +Next to that little nameless one came the twin girls Chriemhild (named +after our grandmother), and Atlantis, so christened by our father on +account of the discovery of the great world beyond the sea which he had +so often thought of, and which the great admiral Christopher Columbus +accomplished about that time. Then the twin boys Boniface Pollux and +Christopher Castor; their names being a compromise between our father, +who was struck with some remarkable conjunction of their stars at their +birth, and my mother, who thought it only right to counterbalance such +Pagan appellations with names written in heaven. Then another boy, who +only lived a few weeks; and then the present baby, Thekla, who is the +plaything and darling of us all. + + * * * * * + +These are nearly all the people I know well; except, indeed, Martin +Luther, the miner's son, to whom Aunt Ursula Cotta has been so kind. He +is dear to us all as one of our own family. He is about the same age as +Fritz, who thinks there is no one like him. And he has such a voice, and +is so religious, and yet so merry withal; at least at times. It was his +voice and his devout ways which first drew Aunt Ursula's attention to +him. She had seen him often at the daily prayers at church. He used to +sing as a chorister with the boys of the Latin school of the parish of +St. George, where Fritz and he studied. The ringing tones of his voice, +so clear and true, often attracted Aunt Ursula's attention; and he +always seemed so devout. But we knew little about him. He was very poor, +and had a pinched, half-starved look when first we noticed him. Often I +have seen him on the cold winter evenings singing about the streets for +alms, and thankfully receiving a few pieces of broken bread and meat at +the doors of the citizens; for he was never a bold and impudent beggar +as some of the scholars are. Our acquaintance with him, however, began +one day which I remember well. I was at Aunt Ursula's house, which is in +George Street, near the church and school. I had watched the choir of +boys singing from door to door through the street. No one had given them +anything: they looked disappointed and hungry. At last they stopped +before the window where Aunt Ursula and I were sitting with her little +boy. That clear, high, ringing voice was there again. Aunt Ursula went +to the door and called Martin in, and then she went herself to the +kitchen, and after giving him a good meal himself, sent him away with +his wallet full, and told him to come again very soon. After that, I +suppose she consulted with Cousin Conrad Cotta, and the result was that +Martin Luther became an inmate of their house, and has lived among us +familiarly since then like one of our own cousins. + +He is wonderfully changed since that day. Scarcely any one would have +thought then what a joyous nature his is. The only thing in which it +seemed then to flow out was in his clear true voice. He was subdued and +timid like a creature that had been brought up without love. Especially +he used to be shy with young maidens, and seemed afraid to look in a +woman's face. I think they must have been very severe with him at home. +Indeed, he confessed to Fritz, that he had often as a child been beaten +till the blood came for trifling offences, such as taking a nut, and +that he was afraid to play in his parents' presence. And yet he would +not hear a word reflecting on his parents. He says his mother is the +most pious woman in Mansfeld, where his family live, and his father +denies himself in every way to maintain and educate his children, +especially Martin, who is to be the learned man of the family. His +parents are inured to hardships themselves, and believe it to be the +best early discipline for boys. Certainly poor Martin had enough of +hardship here. But that may be the fault of his mother's relations at +Eisenach, who, they hoped, would have been kind to him, but who do not +seem to have cared for him at all. At one time he told Fritz he was so +pinched and discouraged by the extreme poverty he suffered, that he +thought of giving up study in despair, and returning to Mansfeld to work +with his father at the smelting furnaces, or in the mines under the +mountains. Yet indignant tears start to his eyes if any one ventures to +hint that his father might have done more for him. He was a poor digger +in the mines, he told Fritz, and often he had seen his mother carrying +firewood on her shoulders from the pine-woods near Mansfeld. + +But it was in the monastic schools, no doubt, that he learned to be so +shy and grave. He had been taught to look on married life as a low and +evil thing; and, of course, we all know it cannot be so high and pure as +the life in the convent. I remember now his look of wonder when Aunt +Ursula, who is not fond of monks, said to him one day, "There is nothing +on earth more lovely than the love of husband and wife, when it is in +the fear of God." + +In the warmth of her bright and sunny heart, his whole nature seemed to +open like the flowers in summer. And now there is none in all our circle +so popular and sociable as he is. He plays on the lute, and sings as we +think no one else can. And our children all love him, he tells them such +strange, beautiful stories about enchanted gardens and crusaders, and +about his own childhood, among the pine-forests and the mines. + +It is from Martin Luther, indeed, that I have heard more than from any +one else, except from our grandmother, of the great world beyond +Eisenach. He has lived already in three other towns, so that he is quite +a traveller, and knows a great deal of the world, although he is not yet +twenty. Our father has certainly told us wonderful things about the +great islands beyond the seas which the Admiral Columbus discovered, and +which will one day, he is sure, be found to be only the other side of +the Indies and Tokay and Araby. Already the Spaniards have found gold in +those islands, and our father has little doubt that they are the Ophir +from which King Solomon's ships brought the gold for the temple. Also, +he has told us about the strange lands in the south, in Africa, where +the dwarfs live, and the black giants, and the great hairy men who climb +the trees and make nests there, and the dreadful men-eaters, and the +people who have their heads between their shoulders. But we have not yet +met with any one who have seen all those wonders, so that Martin Luther +and our grandmother are the greatest travellers Fritz and I are +acquainted with. + +Martin was born at Eisleben. His mother's is a burgher family. Three of +her brothers live here at Eisenach, and here she was married. But his +father came of a peasant race. His grandfather had a little farm of his +own at Mora, among the Thuringian pine-forests; but Martin's father was +the second son; their little property went to the eldest, and he became +a miner, went to Eisleben, and then settled at Mansfeld, near the Hartz +mountains where the silver and copper lie buried in the earth. + +At Mansfeld Martin lived until he was nineteen. I should like to see the +place. It must be so strange to watch the great furnaces, where they +fuse the copper and smelt the precious silver, gleaming through the pine +woods, for they burn all through the night in the clearings of the +forest. When Martin was a little boy he may have watched by them with +his father, who now has furnaces and a foundry of his own. Then there +are the deep pits under the hills, out of which come from time to time +troops of grim-looking miners. Martin is fond of the miners; they are +such a brave and hardy race, and they have fine bold songs and choruses +of their own which he can sing, and wild original pastimes. Chess is a +favorite game with them. They are thoughtful too, as men may well be who +dive into the secrets of the earth. Martin, when a boy, has often gone +into the dark, mysterious pits and winding caverns with them, and seen +the veins of precious ore. He has also often seen foreigners of various +nations. They come from all parts of the world to Mansfeld for the +silver,--from Bavaria and Switzerland, and even from the beautiful +Venice, which is a city of palaces, where the streets are canals filled +by the blue sea, and instead of waggons they use boats, from which +people land on the marble steps of the palaces. All these things Martin +has heard described by those who have really seen them, besides what he +has seen himself. His father also frequently used to have the +schoolmasters and learned men at his house, that his sons might profit +by their wise conversation. But I doubt if he can have enjoyed this so +much. It must have been difficult to forget the rod with which once he +was beaten fourteen times in one morning, so as to feel sufficiently at +ease to enjoy their conversation. Old Count Gunther of Mansfeld thinks +much of Martin's father, and often used to send for him to consult him +about the mines. + +Their house at Mansfeld stood at some distance from the school-house +which was on the hill, so that, when he was little, an older boy used to +be kind to him, and carry him in his arms to school. I daresay that was +in winter, when his little feet were swollen with chilblains, and his +poor mother used to go up to the woods to gather faggots for the hearth. + +His mother must be a very good and holy woman, but not, I fancy, quite +like our mother; rather more like Aunt Agnes. I think I should have been +rather afraid of her. Martin says she is very religious. He honours and +loves her very much, although she was very strict with him, and once, he +told Fritz, beat him, for taking a nut from their stores, until the +blood came. She must be a brave, truthful woman, who would not spare +herself or others; but I think I should have felt more at home with his +father, who used so often to kneel beside Martin's bed at night, and +pray God to make him a good and useful man. Martin's father, however, +does not seem so fond of the monks and nuns, and is therefore, I +suppose, not so religious as his mother is. He does not at all wish +Martin to become a priest or a monk, but to be a great lawyer, or +doctor, or professor at some university. + +Mansfeld, however, is a very holy place. There are many monasteries and +nunneries there, and in one of them two of the countesses were nuns. +There is also a castle there, and our St. Elizabeth worked miracles +there as well as here. The devil also is not idle at Mansfeld. A wicked +old witch lived close to Martin's house, and used to frighten and +distress his mother much, bewitching the children so that they nearly +cried themselves to death. Once even, it is said, the devil himself got +up into the pulpit, and preached, of course in disguise. But in all the +legends it is the same. The devil never seems so busy as where the +saints are, which is another reason why I feel how difficult it would be +to be religious. + +Martin had a sweet voice, and loved music as a child, and he used often +to sing at people's doors as he did here. Once, at Christmas time, he +was singing carols from village to village among the woods with other +boys, when a peasant came to the door of his hut, where they were +singing, and said in a loud gruff voice, "Where are you, boys?" The +children were so frightened that they scampered away as fast as they +could, and only found out afterwards that the man with a rough voice had +a kind heart, and had brought them out some sausages. Poor Martin was +used to blows in those days, and had good reason to dread them. It must +have been pleasant, however, to hear the boys' voices carolling through +the woods about Jesus born at Bethlehem. Voices echo so strangely among +the silent pine-forests. + +When Martin was thirteen he left Mansfeld and went to Magdeburg, where +the Archbishop Ernest lives, the brother of our Elector, who has a +beautiful palace, and twelve trumpeters to play to him always when he is +at dinner. Magdeburg must be a magnificent city, very nearly, we think, +as grand as Rome itself. There is a great cathedral there, and knights +and princes and many soldiers, who prance about the streets; and +tournaments and splendid festivals. But our Martin heard more than he +saw of all this. He and John Reineck of Mansfeld (a boy older than +himself, who is one of his greatest friends), went to the school of the +Franciscan Cloister, and had to spend their time with the monks, or sing +about the streets for bread, or in the church-yard when the Franciscans +in their grey robes went there to fulfill their office of burying the +dead. But it was not for him, the miner's son, to complain, when, as he +says, he used to see a Prince of Anhalt going about the streets in a +cowl begging bread, with a sack on his shoulders like a beast of burden, +insomuch that he was bowed to the ground. The poor prince, Martin said, +had fasted and watched and mortified his flesh until he looked like an +image of death, with only skin and bones. Indeed, shortly after he died. + +At Magdeburg also, Martin saw the picture of which he has often told us. +"A great ship was painted, meant to signify the Church, wherein there +was no layman, not even a king or prince. There were none but the pope +with his cardinals and bishops in the prow, with the Holy Ghost hovering +over them, the priests and monks with their oars at the side; and thus +they were sailing on heavenward. The laymen were swimming along in the +water around the ship. Some of them were drowning; some were drawing +themselves up to the ship by means of ropes, which the monks, moved with +pity, and making over their own good works, did cast out to them to keep +them from drowning, and to enable them to cleave to the vessel and to go +with the others to heaven. There was no pope, nor cardinal, nor bishop, +nor priest, nor monk in the water, but laymen only." + +It must have been a very dreadful picture, and enough to make any one +afraid of not being religious, or else to make one feel how useless it +is for any one except the monks and nuns, to try to be religious at all. +Because however little merit any one had acquired, some kind monk might +still be found to throw a rope out of the ship and help him in; and, +however many good works any layman might do, they would be of no avail +to help him out of the flood, or even to keep him from drowning, unless +he had some friends in a cloister. + +I said Martin was merry; and so he is, with the children, or when he is +cheered with music or singing. And yet, on the whole, I think he is +rather grave, and often he looks very thoughtful, and even melancholy. +His merriment does not seem to be so much from carelessness as from +earnestness of heart, so that whether he is telling a story to the +little ones, or singing a lively song, his whole heart is in it,--in his +play as well as in his work. + +In his studies Fritz says there is no one at Eisenach who can come near +him, whether in reciting, or writing prose or verse, or translating, or +church music. + +Master Trebonius, the head of St. George's school, is a very learned man +and very polite. He takes off his hat, Fritz says, and bows to his +scholars when he enters the school, for he says that "among these boys +are future burgomasters, chancellors, doctors, and magistrates." This +must be very different from the masters at Mansfeld. Master Trebonius +thinks very much of Martin. I wonder if he and Fritz will be +burgomasters or doctors one day. + +Martin is certainly very religious for a boy, and so is Fritz. They +attend mass very regularly, and confession, and keep the fasts. + +From what I have heard Martin say, however, I think he is as much afraid +of God and Christ and the dreadful day of wrath and judgment as I am. +Indeed I am sure he feels, as every one must, there would be no hope for +us were it not for the Blessed Mother of God who may remind her Son how +she nursed and cared for him, and move him to have some pity. + +But Martin has been at the University of Erfurt nearly two years, and +Fritz has now left us to study there with him; and we shall have no more +music, and the children no more stories until no one knows when. + + * * * * * + +These are the people I know. I have nothing else to say except about the +things I possess, and the place we live in. + +The things are easily described. I have a silver reliquary, with a lock +of the hair of St. Elizabeth in it. That is my greatest treasure. I have +a black rosary with a large iron cross which Aunt Agnes gave me. I have +a missal, and part of a volume of the Nibelungen Lied; and besides my +every-day dress, a black taffetas jacket and a crimson stuff petticoat, +and two gold ear-rings, and a silver chain for holidays, which Aunt +Ursula gave me. Fritz and I between us have also a copy of some old +Latin hymns, with woodcuts, printed at Nürnberg. And in the garden I +have two rose bushes; and I have a wooden crucifix carved in Rome out of +wood which came from Bethlehem, and in a leather purse one gulden my +godmother gave me at my christening; and that is all. + +The place we live in is Eisenach, and I think it a beautiful place. But +never having seen any other town, perhaps I cannot very well judge. +There are nine monasteries and nunneries here, many of them founded by +St. Elizabeth. And there are I do not know how many priests. In the +churches are some beautiful pictures of the sufferings and glory of the +saints; and painted windows, and on the altars gorgeous gold and silver +plate, and a great many wonderful relics which we go to adore on the +great saint's days. + +The town is in a valley, and high above the houses rises the hill on +which stands the Wartburg, the castle where St. Elizabeth lived. I went +inside it once with our father to take some books to the Elector. The +rooms were beautifully furnished with carpets and velvet-covered chairs. +A lady dressed in silk and jewels, like St. Elizabeth in the pictures, +gave me sweetmeats. But the castle seemed to me dark and gloomy. I +wondered which was the room in which the proud mother of the Landgrave +lived, who was so discourteous to St. Elizabeth when she came a young +maiden from her royal home far away in Hungary; and which was the cold +wall against which she pressed her burning brow, when she rushed through +the castle in despair on hearing suddenly of the death of her husband. + +I was glad to escape into the free forest again, for all around the +castle, and over all the hills, as far as we can see around Eisenach, it +is forest. The tall dark pine woods clothe the hills; but in the valleys +the meadows are very green beside the streams. It is better in the +valleys among the wild flowers than in that stern old castle, and I did +not wonder so much after being there that St. Elizabeth built herself a +hut in a lowly valley among the woods, and preferred to live and die +there. + +It is beautiful in summer in the meadows, at the edge of the pine woods, +when the sun brings out the delicious aromatic perfume of the pines, and +the birds sing, and the rooks caw. I like it better than the incense in +St. George's Church, and almost better than the singing of the choir, +and certainly better than the sermons which are so often about the +dreadful fires and the judgment-day, or the confessional where they give +us such hard penances. The lambs, and the birds, and even the insects, +seem so happy, each with its own little bleat, or warble, or coo, or +buzz of content. + +It almost seems then as if Mary, the dear Mother of God, were governing +the world instead of Christ, the Judge, or the Almighty with the +thunders. Every creature seems so blithe and so tenderly cared for I +cannot help feeling better there than at church. But that is because I +have so little religion. + + + + +II. + +Extracts from Friedrich's Chronicle. + + + ERFURT, 1503. + +At last I stand on the threshold of the world I have so long desired to +enter. Elsè's world is mine no longer; and yet, never until this week +did I feel how dear that little home-world is to me. Indeed, Heaven +forbid I should have left it finally. I look forward to returning to it +again, nevermore, however, as a burden on our parents, but as their stay +and support, to set our mother free from the cares which are slowly +eating her precious life away, to set our father free to pursue his +great projects, and to make our little Elsè as much a lady as any of the +noble baronesses our grandmother tells us of. Although, indeed, as it +is, when she walks beside me to church on holidays, in her crimson +dress, with her round, neat, little figure in the black jacket with the +white stomacher, and the silver chains, her fair hair so neatly braided, +and her blue eyes so full of sunshine,--who can look better than Elsè? +And I can see I am not the only one in Eisenach who thinks so. I would +only wish to make all the days holidays for her, and that it should not +be necessary when the festival is over for my little sister to lay aside +all her finery so carefully in the great chest, and put on her +Aschputtel garments again, so that if the fairy prince we used to talk +of, were to come, he would scarcely recognise the fair little princess +he had seen at church. And yet no fairy prince need be ashamed of our +Elsè even in her working, every-day clothes;--he certainly would not be +the right one if he were. In the twilight, when the day's work is done, +and the children are asleep, and she comes and sits beside me with her +knitting in the lumber-room or under the pear tree in the garden, what +princess could look fresher or neater than Elsè, with her smooth fair +hair braided like a coronet? Who would think that she had been toiling +all day, cooking, washing, nursing the children. Except, indeed, because +of the healthy colour her active life gives her face, and for that sweet +low voice of hers, which I think women learn best by the cradles of +little children. + +I suppose it is because I have never yet seen any maiden to compare to +our Elsè that I have not yet fallen in love. And, nevertheless, it is +not of such a face as Elsè's I dream, when dreams come, or even exactly +such as my mother's. My mother's eyes are dimmed with many cares; is it +not that very worn and faded brow that makes her sacred to me? More +sacred than any saintly halo! And Elsè, good, practical little Elsè, she +is a dear household fairy; but the face I dream of has another look in +it. Elsè's eyes are good, as she says, for seeing and helping; and +sweet, indeed, they are for loving--dear, kind, true eyes. But the eyes +I dream of have another look, a fire like our grandmother's, as if from +a southern sun; dim, dreamy, far-seeing glances, burning into the +hearts, like the ladies in the romances, and yet piercing into heaven, +like St. Cecilia's when she stands entranced by her organ. She should be +a saint, at whose feet I might sit and look through her pure heart into +heaven, and yet she should love me wholly, passionately, fearlessly, +devotedly, as if her heaven were all in my love. My love! and who am I +that I should have such dreams? A poor burgher lad of Eisenach, a +penniless student of a week's standing at Erfurt! The eldest son of a +large destitute family, who must not dare to think of loving the most +perfect maiden, in the world, when I meet her, until I have rescued a +father, mother, and six brothers and sisters from the jaws of biting +poverty. And even in a dream it seems almost a treachery to put any +creature above Elsè. I fancy I see her kind blue eyes filling with +reproachful tears. For there is no doubt that in Elsè's heart I have no +rival, even in a dream. Poor, loving, little Elsè! + +Yes, she must be rescued from the pressure of those daily fretting cares +of penury and hope deferred, which have made our mother old so early. If +I had been in the father's place, I could never have borne to see winter +creeping so soon over the summer of her life. But he does not see it. Or +if for a moment her pale face and the grey hairs which begin to come +seem to trouble him, he kisses her forehead, and says, + +"Little mother, it will soon be over; there is nothing wanting now but +the last link to make this last invention perfect, and then--" + +And then he goes into his printing-room; but to this day the missing +link has never been found. Elsè and our mother, however, always believe +it will turn up some day. Our grandmother has doubts. And I have +scarcely any hope at all, although, for all the world, I would not +breathe this to any one at home. To me that laboratory of my father's, +with its furnace, its models, its strange machines, is the most +melancholy place in the world. It is like a haunted chamber,--haunted +with the helpless, nameless ghosts of infants that have died at their +birth,--the ghosts of vain and fruitless projects; like the ruins of a +city that some earthquake had destroyed before it was finished, ruined +palaces that were never roofed, ruined houses that were never inhabited, +ruined churches that were never worshipped in. The saints forbid that my +life should be like that! and yet what it is which has made him so +unsuccessful, I can never exactly make out. He is no dreamer. He is no +idler. He does not sit lazily down with folded arms and imagine his +projects. He makes his calculations with the most laborious accuracy; he +consults all the learned men and books he has access to. He weighs, and +measures, and constructs the neatest models possible. His room is a +museum of exquisite models, which seem as if they must answer, and yet +never do. The professors, and even the Elector's secretary, who has come +more than once to consult him, have told me he is a man of remarkable +genius. + +What can it be, then, that makes his life such a failure? I cannot +think; unless it is that other great inventors and discoverers seem to +have made their discoveries and inventions as it were _by the way_, in +the course of their every-day life. As a seaman sails on his appointed +voyage to some definite port, he notices drift-wood or weeds which must +have come from unknown lands beyond the seas. As he sails in his calling +from port to port, the thought is always in his mind; everything he +hears groups itself naturally around this thought; he observes the winds +and currents; he collects information from mariners who have been driven +out of their course, in the direction where he believes this unknown +land to lie. And at length he persuades some prince that his belief is +no mere dream, and like the great admiral Christopher Columbus, he +ventures across the trackless unknown Atlantic and discovers the Western +Indies. But before he was a discoverer, he was a mariner. + +Or some engraver of woodcuts thinks of applying his carved blocks to +letters, and the printing-press is invented. But it is in his calling. +He has not gone out of his way to hunt for inventions. He has found them +in his path, the path of his daily calling. It seems to me people do not +become great, do not become discoverers and inventors by trying to be +so, but by determining to do in the very best way what they have to do. +Thus improvements suggest themselves, one by one, step by step; each +improvement is tested as it is made by practical use, until at length +the happy thought comes, not like an elf from the wild forest, but like +an angel on the daily path; and the little improvements become the great +invention. There is another great advantage, moreover, in this method +over our father's. If the invention never comes, at all events we have +the improvements, which are worth something. Every one cannot invent the +printing-press or discover the New Indies; but every engraver may make +his engravings a little better, and every mariner may explore a little +further than his predecessors. + +Yet it seems almost like treason to write thus of our father. What would +Elsè or our mother think, who believe there is nothing but accident or +the blindness of mankind between us and greatness? Not that they have +learned to think thus from our father. Never in my life did I hear him +say a grudging or depreciating word of any of those who have most +succeeded where he has failed. He seems to look on all such men as part +of a great brotherhood, and to rejoice in another man hitting the point +which he missed, just as he would rejoice in himself succeeding in +something to-day which he failed in yesterday. It is this nobleness of +character which makes me reverence him more than any mere successes +could. It is because I fear, that in a life of such disappointments my +character would not prove so generous, but that failure would sour my +temper and penury degrade my spirit as they never have his, that I have +ventured to search for the rocks on which he made shipwreck, in order to +avoid them. All men cannot return wrecked, and tattered, and destitute +from an unsuccessful voyage, with a heart as hopeful, a temper as +generous, a spirit as free from envy and detraction, as if they brought +the golden fleece with them. Our father does this again and again; and +therefore I trust his argosies are laid up for him as for those who +follow the rules of evangelical perfection, where neither moth nor rust +can corrupt. I could not. I would never return until I could bring what +I had sought, or I should return a miserable man, shipwrecked in heart +as well as in fortune. And therefore I must examine my charts, and +choose my port and my vessel carefully, before I sail. + +All these thoughts came into my mind as I stood on the last height of +the forest, from which I could look back on Eisenach, nestling in the +valley under the shadow of the Wartburg. May the dear mother of God, St. +Elizabeth, and all the saints, defend it evermore! + +But there was not much time to linger for a last view of Eisenach. The +winter days were short; some snow had fallen in the previous night. The +roofs of the houses in Eisenach were white with it, and the carvings of +spire and tower seemed inlaid with alabaster. A thin covering lay on the +meadows and hill-sides, and light feather-work frosted the pines. I had +nearly thirty miles to walk through forest and plain before I reached +Erfurt. The day was as bright and the air as light as my heart. The +shadows of the pines lay across the frozen snow, over which my feet +crunched cheerily. In the clearings, the outline of the black twigs were +pencilled dark and clear against the light blue of the winter sky. Every +outline was clear, and crisp, and definite, as I resolved my own aims in +life should be. I knew my purposes were pure and high, and I felt as if +Heaven must prosper me. + +But as the day wore on, I began to wonder when the forest would end, +until, as the sun sank lower and lower, I feared I must have missed my +way; and at last as I climbed a height to make a survey, to my dismay it +was too evident I had taken the wrong turning in the snow. Wide reaches +of the forest lay all around me, one pine-covered hill folding over +another; and only in one distant opening could I get a glimpse of the +level land beyond, where I knew Erfurt must lie. The daylight was fast +departing; my wallet was empty. I knew there were villages hidden in the +valleys here and there; but not a wreath of smoke could I see, nor any +sign of man, except here and there faggots piled in some recent +clearing. Towards one of these clearings I directed my steps, intending +to follow the wood-cutters' track, which I thought would probably lead +me to the hut of some charcoal burner, where I might find fire and +shelter. Before I reached this spot, however, night had set in. The snow +began to fall again, and it seemed too great a risk to leave the broader +path to follow any unknown track. I resolved, therefore, to make the +best of my circumstances. They were not unendurable. I had a flint and +tinder, and gathering some dry wood and twigs, I contrived with some +difficulty to light a fire. Cold and hungry I certainly was, but for +this I cared little. It was only an extra fast, and it seemed to me +quite natural that my journey of life should commence with difficulty +and danger. It was always so in legend of the saints, romance, or elfin +tale, or when anything great was to be done. + +But in the night, as the wind howled through the countless stems of the +pines, not with the soft varieties of sound it makes amidst the summer +oak-woods, but with a long monotonous wail like a dirge, a tumult awoke +in my heart such as I had never known before. I knew these forests were +infested by robber-bands, and I could hear in the distance the baying +and howling of the wolves; but it was not fear which tossed my thoughts +so wildly to and fro, at least not fear of bodily harm. I thought of all +the stories of wild huntsmen, of wretched guilty men, hunted by packs of +fiends; and the stories which had excited a wild delight in Elsè and me, +as our grandmother told them by the fire at home, now seemed to freeze +my soul with horror. For was not I a guilty creature, and were not the +devils indeed too really around me?--and what was to prevent their +possessing me? Who in all the universe was on my side? Could I look up +with confidence to God? He loves only the holy. Or to Christ? He is the +judge; and more terrible than any cries of legions of devils will it be +to the sinner to hear his voice from the awful snow-white throne of +judgment. Then, my sins rose before me--my neglected prayers, penances +imperfectly performed, incomplete confessions. Even that morning, had I +not been full of proud and ambitious thoughts--even perhaps vainly +comparing myself with my good father, and picturing myself as conquering +and enjoying all kinds of worldly delights? It was true, it could hardly +be a sin to wish to save my family from penury and care; but it was +certainly a sin to be ambitious of worldly distinction, as Father +Christopher had so often told me. Then, how difficult to separate the +two? Where did duty end, and ambition and pride begin? I determined to +find a confessor as soon as I reached Erfurt, if ever I reached it. And +yet, what could even the wisest confessor do for me in such +difficulties? How could I ever be sure that I had not deceived myself in +examining my motives, and then deceived him, and thus obtained an +absolution on false pretences, which could avail me nothing? And if this +might be so with future confessions, why not with all past ones? + +The thought was horror to me, and seemed to open a fathomless abyss of +misery yawning under my feet. I could no more discover a track out of my +miserable perplexities than out of the forest. + +For if these apprehensions had any ground, not only the sins I had +failed to confess were unpardoned, but the sins I had confessed and +obtained absolution for on false grounds. Thus it might be that at that +moment my soul stood utterly unsheltered, as my body from the snows, +exposed to the wrath of God, the judgment of Christ, and the exulting +cruelty of devils. + +It seemed as if only one thing could save me, and that could never be +had. If I could find an infallible confessor, who could see down into +the depth of my heart, and back into every recess of my life, who could +unveil me to myself, penetrate all my motives, and assign me the +penances I really deserved, I would travel to the end of the world to +find him. The severest penances he could assign, after searching the +lives of all the holy Eremites and Martyrs, for examples of +mortification, it seemed to me would be light indeed, if I could only be +sure they were the right penances and would be followed by a true +absolution. + +But this it was, indeed, impossible I could ever find. + +What sure hope then could I ever have of pardon or remission of sins? +What voice of priest or monk, the holiest on earth, could ever assure me +I had been honest with myself? What absolution could ever give me a +right to believe that the baptismal robes, soiled as they told me +"before I had left off my infant socks," could once more be made white +and clean? + +Then, for the first time in my life the thought flashed on me, of the +monastic vows, the cloister and the cowl. I knew there was a virtue in +the monastic profession which many said was equal to a second baptism. +Could it be possible that the end of all my aspirations might after all +be the monk's frock? What then would become of father and mother, dear +Elsè, and the little ones? The thought of their dear faces seemed for an +instant to drive away these gloomy fears, as they say a hearth-fire +keeps off the wolves. But then a hollow voice seemed to whisper, "If God +is against you, and the saints, and your conscience, what help can you +render your family or any one else?" The conflict seemed more than I +could bear. It was so impossible to me to make out which suggestions +were from the devil and which from God, and which from my own sinful +heart; and yet it might be the unpardonable sin to confound them. +Wherefore for the rest of the night I tried not to think at all, but +paced up and down reciting the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the +Paternoster, the Ave Maria, the Litanies of the Saints, and all the +collects and holy ejaculations I could think of. By degrees this seemed +to calm me, especially the Creeds and the Paternoster, whether because +these are spells the fiends especially dread, or because there is +something so comforting in the mere words, "Our Father," and "the +remission of sins," I do not know. Probably for both reasons. + +And so the morning dawned, and the low sunbeams slanted up through the +red stems of the pines; and I said the Ave Maria, and thought of the +sweet mother of God, and was a little cheered. + +But all the next day I could not recover from the terrors of that +solitary night. A shadow seemed to have fallen on my hopes and projects. +How could I tell that all which had seemed most holy to me as an object +in life might not be temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; +and that with all my labouring for my dear ones at home, my sins might +not bring on them more troubles than all my successes could avert? + +As I left the shadow of the forest, however, my heart seemed to grow +lighter. I shall always henceforth feel sure that the wildest legends of +the forests may be true, and that the fiends have especial haunts among +the solitary woods at night. + +It was pleasant to see the towers of Erfurt rising before me on the +plain. + +I had only one friend at the University; but that is Martin Luther, and +he is a host in himself to me. He is already distinguished among the +students here; and the professors expect great things of him. + +He is especially studying jurisprudence, because his father wishes him +to be a great lawyer. This also is to be my profession, and his counsel, +always so heartily given, is of the greatest use to me. + +His life is, indeed, changed since we first knew him at Eisenach, when +Aunt Ursula took compassion on him, a destitute scholar, singing at the +doors of the houses in St. George Street for a piece of bread. His +father's hard struggles to maintain and raise his family have succeeded +at last; he is now the owner of a foundry and some smelting-furnaces, +and supports Martin liberally at the university. The icy morning of +Martin's struggles seems over, and all is bright before him. + +Erfurt is the first University in Germany. Compared with it, as Martin +Luther says, the other universities are mere private academies. At +present we have from a thousand to thirteen hundred students. Some of +our professors have studied the classics in Italy, under the descendents +of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The Elector Frederic has, indeed, +lately founded a new University at Wittemberg, but we at Erfurt have +little fear of Wittemberg outstripping our ancient institution. + +The Humanists, or disciples of the ancient heathen learning, are in +great force here, with Mutianus Rufus at their head. They meet often, +especially at his house, and he gives them subjects for Latin +versification, such as the praises of poverty. Martin Luther's friend +Spalatin joined these assemblies; but he himself does not, at least not +as a member. Indeed, strange things are reported of their converse, +which make the names of poet and philosopher in which they delight very +much suspected in orthodox circles. These ideas Mutianus and his friends +are said to have imported with the classical literature from Italy. He +has even declared and written in a letter to a friend, that "there is +but one God, and one goddess, although under various forms and various +names, as Jupiter, Sol, Apollo, Moses, Christ; Luna, Ceres, Proserpine, +Tellus, Mary." But these things he warns his disciples not to speak of +in public. "They must be veiled in silence," he says, "like the +Eleusinian mysteries. In the affairs of religion we must make use of the +mask of fables and enigmas. Let us by the grace of Jupiter, that is of +the best and highest God, despise the lesser gods. When I say Jupiter, I +mean Christ and the true God." + +Mutianus and his friends also in their intimate circles speak most +slightingly of the Church ceremonies, calling the Mass a comedy, and the +holy relics ravens' bones;[2] speaking of the service of the altar as so +much lost time: and stigmatizing the prayers at the canonical hours as a +mere baying of hounds, or the humming, not of busy bees, but of lazy +drones. + +If you reproached them with such irreverent sayings, they would probably +reply that they had only uttered them in an esoteric sense, and meant +nothing by them. But when people deem it right thus to mask their +truths, and explain away their errors, it is difficult to distinguish +which is the mask and which the reality in their estimation. It seems to +me also that they make mere intellectual games or exercises out of the +most profound and awful questions. + +[Footnote 2: That is, skeletons left on the gallows for the ravens to +peck at.] + +This probably, more than the daring character of their speculations, +deters Martin Luther from numbering himself among them. His nature is so +reverent in spite of all the courage of his character. I think he would +dare or suffer anything for what he believed true; but he cannot bear to +have the poorest fragment of what he holds sacred trifled with or played +with as a mere feat of intellectual gymnastics. + +His chief attention is at present directed, by his father's especial +desire, to Roman literature and law, and to the study of the allegories +and philosophy of Aristotle. He likes to have to do with what is true +and solid; poetry and music are his delight and recreation. But it is in +debate he most excels. A few evenings since, he introduced me to a +society of students, where questions new and old are debated and it was +glorious to see how our Martin carried off the palm; sometimes swooping +down on his opponents like an eagle among a flock of small birds, or +setting down his great lion's paw and quietly crushing a host of +objections, apparently unaware of the mischief he had done, until some +feeble wail of the prostrate foe made him sensible of it, and he +withdrew with a good-humored apology for having hurt any one's feelings. +At other times he withers an unfair argument or a confused statement to +a cinder by some lightning-flash of humor or satire. I do not think he +is often perplexed by seeing too much of the other side of a disputed +question. He holds the one truth he is contending for, and he sees the +one point he is aiming at, and at that he charges with a force +compounded of the ponderous weight of his will, and the electric +velocity of his thoughts, crushing whatever comes in his way, scattering +whatever escapes right and left, and never heeding how the scattered +forces may reunite and form in his rear. He knows that if he only turns +on them, in a moment they will disperse again. + +I cannot quite tell how this style of warfare would answer for an +advocate, who had to make the best of any cause he is engaged to plead. +I cannot fancy Martin Luther quietly collecting the arguments from the +worst side, to the end that even the worst side may have fair play; +which is, I suppose, often the office of an advocate. + +No doubt, however, he will find or make his calling in the world. The +professors and learned men have the most brilliant expectations as to +his career. And what is rare (they say), he seems as much the favorite +of the students as of the professors. His nature is so social; his +musical abilities and his wonderful powers of conversation make him +popular with all. + +And yet, underneath it all, we who know him well can detect at times +that tide of thoughtful melancholy, which seems to lie at the bottom of +all hearts which have looked deeply into themselves or into life. + +He is as attentive as ever to religion, never missing the daily mass. +But in our private conversations, I see that his conscience is anything +but at ease. Has he passed through conflicts such as mine in the forest +on that terrible night? Perhaps through conflicts as much fiercer and +more terrible, as his character is stronger and his mind deeper than +mine. But who can tell? What is the use of unfolding perplexities to +each other, which it seems no intellect on earth can solve? The inmost +recesses of the heart must always, I suppose, be a solitude, like that +dark and awful sanctuary within the veil of the old Jewish temple, +entered only once a year, and faintly illumined by the light without, +through the thick folds of the sacred veil. + +If only that solitude were indeed a holy of holies--or, being what it +is, if we only need enter it once a year, and not carry about the +consciousness of its dark secrets with us everywhere. But, alas! once +entered we can never forget it. It is like the chill, dark crypts +underneath our churches, where the masses for the dead are celebrated, +and where in some monastic churches the embalmed corpses lie shrivelled +to mummies, and visible through gratings. Through all the joyous +festivals of the holidays above, the consciousness of those dark +chambers of death below seems to creep up; like the damps of the vaults +through the incense, like the muffled wail of the dirges through the +songs of praise. + + + ERFURT, _April_, 1503. + +We are just returned from an expedition which might have proved fatal to +Martin Luther. Early in the morning, three days since, we started to +walk to Mansfeld on a visit to his family, our hearts as full of hope as +the woods were full of song. We were armed with swords; our wallets were +full; and spirits light as the air. Our way was to lie through field and +forest, and then along the banks of the river Holme, through the Golden +Meadow where are so many noble cloisters and imperial palaces. + +But we had scarcely been on our way an hour when Martin, by some +accident, ran his sword into his foot. To my dismay the blood gushed out +in a stream. He had cut into a main artery. I left him under the care of +some peasants, and ran back to Erfurt for a physician. When he arrived, +however, there was great difficulty in closing the wound with bandages. +I longed for Elsè or our mother's skillful fingers. We contrived to +carry him back to the city. I sat up to watch with him. But in the +middle of the night his wound burst out bleeding afresh. The danger was +very great, and Martin himself giving up hope, and believing death was +close at hand, committed his soul to the blessed Mother of God. Merciful +and pitiful, knowing sorrow, yet raised glorious above all sorrow, with +a mother's heart for all, and a mother's claim on Him who is the judge +of all, where indeed can we so safely flee for refuge as to Mary? It was +edifying to see Martin's devotion to her, and no doubt it was greatly +owing to this that at length the remedies succeeded, the bandages closed +the wound again, and the blood was stanched. + +Many an Ave will I say for this to the sweet Mother of Mercy. Perchance +she may also have pity on me. O sweetest Lady, "eternal daughter of the +eternal Father, heart of the indivisible Trinity," thou seest my desire +to help my own careworn mother; aid me, and have mercy on me, thy sinful +child. + + + ERFURT, _June_, 1503. + +Martin Luther has taken his first degree. He is a fervent student, +earnest in this as in everything. Cicero and Virgil are his great +companions among the Latins. He is now raised quite above the pressing +cares of penury, and will probably never taste them more. His father is +now a prosperous burgher of Mansfeld, and on the way to become +burgomaster. I wish the prospects at my home were as cheering. A few +years less of pinching poverty for myself seems to matter little, but +the cares of our mother and Elsè weigh on me often heavily. It must be +long yet before I can help them effectually, and meantime the bright +youth of my little Elsè, and the very life of our toilworn patient +mother, will be wearing away. + +For myself I can fully enter into what Martin says, "The young should +learn especially to endure suffering and want; for such suffering doth +them no harm. It doth more harm for one to prosper without toil than it +doth to endure suffering." He says also, "It is God's way, of beggars to +make men of power, just as he made the world out of nothing. Look upon +the courts of kings and princes, upon cities and parishes. You will +there find jurists, doctors, councillors, secretaries, and preachers who +were commonly poor, and always such as have been students, and have +risen and flown so high through the quill that they are become lords." + +But the way to wealth through the quill seems long; and lives so +precious to me are being worn out meantime, while I climb to the point +where I could help them! Sometimes I wish I had chosen the calling of a +merchant, men seem to prosper so much more rapidly through trade than +through study; and nothing on earth seems to me so well worth working +for as to lift the load from their hearts at home. But it is too late. +Rolling stones gather no moss. I must go on now in the track I have +chosen. Only sometimes again the fear which came over me on that night +in the forest. It seems as if heaven were against me, and that it is +vain presumption for such as I even to hope to benefit any one. + +Partly, no doubt, it is the depression, caused by poor living, which +brings these thoughts. Martin Luther said so to me one day when he found +me desponding. He said he knew so well what it was. He had suffered so +much from penury at Magdeburg, and at Eisenach had even seriously +thought of giving up study altogether and returning to his father's +calling. He is kind to me and to all who need, but his means do not yet +allow him to do more than maintain himself. Or rather, they are not his +but his father's, and he feels he has no right to be generous at the +expense of his father's self-denial and toil. + +I find life looks different, I must say, after a good meal. But then I +cannot get rid of the thought of the few such meals they have at home. +Not that Elsè writes gloomily. She never mentions a thing to sadden me. +And this week she sent me a gulden, which she said belonged to her +alone, and she had vowed never to use unless I would take it. But a +student who saw them lately said our mother looked wan and ill. And to +increase their difficulties, a month since the father received into the +house a little orphan girl, a cousin of our mother's, called Eva von +Schönberg. Heaven forbid that I should grudge the orphan her crust, but +when it makes a crust less for the mother and the little ones, it is +difficult to rejoice in such an act of charity. + + + ERFURT, _July_, 1503. + +I have just obtained a nomination on a foundation, which will, I hope, +for the present at least, prevent my being any burden on my family for +my own maintenance. The rules are very strict, and they are enforced +with many awful vows and oaths which trouble my conscience not a little, +because, if the least detail of these rules to which I have sworn is +even inadvertently omitted, I involve myself in the guilt of perjury. +However, it is a step onward in the way to independence; and a far +heavier yoke might well be borne with such an object. + +We (the beneficiaries on this foundation) have solemnly vowed to observe +the seven canonical hours, never omitting the prayers belonging to each. +This insures early rising, which is a good thing for a student. The most +difficult to keep is the midnight hour, after a day of hard study; but +it is no more than soldiers on duty have continually to go through. We +have also to chant the _Miserere_ at funerals, and frequently to hear +the eulogy of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This last can certainly not be +called a hardship, least of all to me who desire ever henceforth to have +an especial devotion to Our Lady, to recite daily the Rosary, +commemorating the joys of Mary, the Salutation, the journey across the +mountains, the birth without pain, the finding of Jesus in the Temple, +and the Ascension. It is only the vows which make it rather a bondage. +But, indeed, in spite of all, it is a great boon. I can conscientiously +write to Elsè now, that I shall not need another penny of their scanty +store, and can even, by the next opportunity, return what she sent, +which, happily, I have not yet touched. + + + _August_, 1503. + +Martin Luther is very dangerously ill; many of the professors and +students are in great anxiety about him. He has so many friends; and no +wonder! He is no cold friend himself, and all expect great honour to the +University from his abilities. I scarcely dare to think what his loss +would be to me. But this morning an aged priest who visited him inspired +us with some hope. As Martin lay, apparently in the last extremity, and +himself expecting death, this old priest came to his bed-side, and said +gently, but in a firm tone of conviction,-- + +"Be of good comfort, my brother, you will not die at this time; God will +yet make a great man of you, who shall comfort many others. Whom God +loveth and proposeth to make a blessing, upon him he early layeth the +cross, and in that school, who patiently endure learn much." + +The words came with a strange kind of power, and I cannot help thinking +that there is a little improvement in the patient since they were +uttered. Truly, good words are like food and medicine to body and soul. + + + ERFURT, _August_, 1503. + +Martin Luther is recovered! The Almighty, the Blessed Mother, and all +the saints be praised. + +The good old priest's words have also brought some especial comfort to +me. If it could only be possible that those troubles and cares which +have weighed so heavily on Elsè's early life and mine, are not the rod +of anger, but the cross laid on those God loveth! But who can tell? For +Elsè, at least, I will try to believe this. + +The world is wide in these days, with the great New World opened by the +Spanish mariners beyond the Atlantic, and the noble Old World opened to +students through the sacred fountains of the ancient classics, once more +unsealed by the revived study of the ancient languages; and this new +discovery of printing, which will, my father thinks, diffuse the newly +unsealed fountains of ancient wisdom in countless channels among high +and low. + +These are glorious times to live in. So much already unfolded to us! And +who knows what beyond? For it seems as if the hearts of men everywhere +were beating high with expectation; as if, in these days, nothing were +too great to anticipate, or too good to believe. + +It is well to encounter our dragons at the threshold of life; instead of +at the end of the race--at the threshold of death; therefore, I may well +be content. In this wide and ever widening world, there must be some +career for me and mine. What will it be? + +And what will Martin Luther's be? Much is expected from him. Famous +every one at the University says he must be. On what field will he win +his laurels? Will they be laurels or palms? + +When I hear him in the debates of the students, all waiting for his +opinions, and applauding his eloquent words, I see the laurel already +among his black hair, wreathing his massive, homely forehead. But when I +remember the debate which I know there is within him, the anxious +fervency of his devotions, his struggle of conscience, his distress at +any omission of duty, and watch the deep melancholy look which there is +sometimes in his dark eyes, I think not of the tales of the heroes, but +of the legends of the saints, and wonder in what victory over the old +dragon he will win his palm. + +But the bells are sounding for compline, and I must not miss the sacred +hour. + + + + +III. + +Elsè's Chronicle. + + + EISENACH, 1504. + +I cannot say that things have prospered much with us since Fritz left. +The lumber-room itself is changed. The piles of old books are much +reduced, because we have been obliged to pawn many of them for food. +Some even of the father's beautiful models have had to be sold. It went +terribly to his heart. But it paid our debts. + +Our grandmother has grown a little querulous at times lately. And I am +so tempted to be cross sometimes. The boys eat so much and wear out +their clothes so fast. Indeed, I cannot see that poverty makes any of us +better, except it be my mother, who needed improvement least of all. + + + _September_, 1504. + +The father has actually brought a new inmate into the house, a little +girl, called Eva von Schönberg, a distant cousin of our mother. + +Last week he told us she was coming, very abruptly. I think he was +rather afraid of what our grandmother would say, for we all know it is +not of the least use to come round her with soft speeches. She always +sees what you are aiming at, and with her keen eyes cuts straight +through all your circumlocutions, and obliges you to descend direct on +your point, with more rapidity than grace. + +Accordingly, he said, quite suddenly, one day at dinner,-- + +"I forgot to tell you, little mother, I have just had a letter from your +relations in Bohemia. Your great-uncle is dead. His son, you know, died +before him. A little orphan girl is left with no one to take care of +her. I have desired them to send her to us. I could do no less. It was +an act, not of charity, but of the plainest duty. And besides," he +added, apologetically, "in the end it may make our fortunes. There is +property somewhere in the family, if we could get it; and this little +Eva is the descendant of the eldest branch. Indeed, I do not know but +that she may bring many valuable family heirlooms with her." + +These last observations he addressed especially to my grandmother, +hoping thereby to make it clear to her that the act was one of the +deepest worldly wisdom. Then turning to the mother, he concluded,-- + +"Little mother, thou wilt find a place for the orphan in thy heart, and +Heaven will no doubt bless us for it." + +"No doubt about the room in my daughter's heart!" murmured our +grandmother; "the question, as I read it, is not about hearts, but about +larders and wardrobes. And, certainly," she added, not very pleasantly, +"there is room enough there for any family jewels the young heiress may +bring." + +As usual, the mother came to the rescue. + +"Dear grandmother," she said, "Heaven, no doubt, will repay us; and +besides, you know, we may now venture on a little more expense, since we +are out of debt." + +"There is no doubt, I suppose," retorted our grandmother, "about Heaven +repaying you; but there seems to me a good deal of doubt whether it will +be in current coin." + +Then, I suppose fearing the effect of so doubtful a sentiment on the +children, she added rather querulously, but in a gentler tone,-- + +"Let the little creature come. Room may be made for her soon in one way +or another. The old creep out at the church-yard gate, while the young +bound in at the front door." + +And in a few days little Eva came; but, unfortunately without the family +jewels. But the saints forbid I should grow mercenary or miserly, and +grudge the orphan her crust! + +And who could help welcoming little Eva? As she lies on my bed asleep, +with her golden hair on the pillow, and the long lashes shading her +cheek, flushed with sleep and resting on her dimpled white hand, who +could wish her away? And when I put out the lamp (as I must very soon) +and lie down beside her, she will half awake, just to nestle into my +heart, and murmur in her sleep, "Sweet cousin Elsè!" And I shall no more +be able to wish her gone than my guardian angel. Indeed I think she is +something like one. + +She is not quite ten years old; but being an only child, and always +brought up with older people, she has a quiet, considerate way, and a +quaint, thoughtful gravity, which sits with a strange charm on her +bright, innocent, child-like face. + +At first she seemed a little afraid of our children, especially the +boys, and crept about everywhere by the side of my mother, to whom she +gave her confidence from the beginning. She did not so immediately take +to our grandmother, who was not very warm in her reception; but the +second evening after her arrival, she deliberately took her little stool +up to our grandmother's side, and seating herself at her feet, laid her +two little, soft hands on the dear, thin, old hands, and said,-- + +"You must love me, for I shall love you very much. You are like my +great-aunt who died." + +And, strange to say, our grandmother seemed quite flattered; and ever +since they have been close friends. Indeed she commands us all, and +there is not one in the house who does not seem to think her notice a +favour. I wonder if Fritz would feel the same! + +Our father lets her sit in his printing-room when he is making +experiments, which none of us ever dared to do. She perches herself on +the window-sill, and watches him as if she understood it all, and he +talks to her as if he thought she did. + +Then she has a wonderful way of telling the legends of the saints to the +children. When our grandmother tells them, I think of the saints as +heroes and warriors. When I try to relate the sacred stories to the +little ones, I am afraid I make them too much like fairy tales. But when +little Eva is speaking about St. Agnes or St. Catherine, her voice +becomes soft and deep, like church music; and her face grave and +beautiful, like one of the child-angels in the pictures; and her eyes as +if they saw into heaven. I wish Fritz could hear her. I think she must +be just what the saints were when they were little children, except for +that strange, quiet way she has of making every one do what she likes. +If our St. Elizabeth had resembled our little Eva in that, I scarcely +think the Landgravine-mother would have ventured to have been so cruel +to her. Perhaps it is little Eva who is to be the saint among us; and by +helping her we may best please God, and be admitted at last to some +humble place in heaven. + + + EISENACH, _December_. + +It is a great comfort that Fritz writes in such good spirits. He seems +full of hope as to his prospects, and already he has obtained a place in +some excellent institution, where, he says, he lives like a cardinal, +and is quite above wanting assistance from any one. This is very +encouraging. Martin Luther, also, is on the way to be quite a great man, +Fritz says. It is difficult to imagine this; he looked so much like any +one else, and we are all so completely at home with him, and he talks in +such a simple, familiar way to us all--not in learned words, or about +difficult, abstruse subjects, like the other wise men I know. Certainly +it always interests us all to hear him, but one can understand all he +says--even I can; so that it is not easy to think of him as a +philosopher and a great man. I suppose wise men must be like the saints: +one can only see what they are when they are at some distance from us. + +What kind of great man will Martin Luther be, I wonder? As great as our +burgomaster, or as Master Trebonius? Perhaps even greater than these; as +great, even, as the Elector's secretary, who came to see our father +about his inventions. But it is a great comfort to think of it, +especially on Fritz's account; for I am sure Martin will never forget +old friends. + +I cannot quite comprehend Eva's religion. It seems to make her happy. I +do not think she is afraid of God, or even of confession. She seems to +enjoy going to church as if it were a holiday in the woods; and the name +of Jesus seems not terrible, but dear to her, as the name of the sweet +Mother of God is to me. This is very difficult to understand. I think +she is not even very much afraid of the judgment-day; and this is the +reason why I think so:--The other night, when we were both awakened by +an awful thunder-storm, I hid my face under the clothes, in order not to +see the flashes, until I heard the children crying in the next room, and +rose of course, to soothe them, because our mother had been very tired +that day, and was, I trusted, asleep. When I had sung and talked to the +little ones, and sat by them till they were asleep, I returned to our +room, trembling in every limb; but I found Eva kneeling by the bed-side, +with her crucifix pressed to her bosom, looking as calm and happy as if +the lightning flashes had been morning sunbeams. + +She rose from her knees when I entered; and when I was once more safely +in bed, with my arm around her, and the storm had lulled a little, I +said,-- + +"Eva, are you not afraid of the lightning?" + +"I think it might hurt us, Cousin Elsè," she said; "and that was the +reason I was praying to God." + +"But, Eva," I said, "supposing the thunder should be the archangel's +voice! I always think every thunder-storm may be the beginning of the +day of wrath--the dreadful judgment-day. What should you do then?" + +She was silent a little, and then she said,-- + +"I think I should take my crucifix and pray, and try to ask the Lord +Christ to remember that he died on the cross for us once. I think he +would take pity on us if we did. Besides, Cousin Elsè," she added, after +a pause, "I have a sentence which always comforts me. My father taught +it me when I was a very little girl, in the prison, before he died. I +could not remember it all, but this part I have never forgotten: '_God +so loved the world, that he gave his only Son._' There was more, which I +forgot; but that bit I always remembered, because I was my father's only +child, and he loved me so dearly. I do not quite know all it means; but +I know they are God's words, but I feel sure that it means that God +loves us very much, and that he is in some way like my father." + +"I know," I replied, "the Creed says, 'God, the Father Almighty;' but I +never thought that the Almighty Father meant anything like our own +father. I thought it meant only that he is very great, and that we all +belong to him, and that we ought to love him. Are you sure, Eva, it +means _he loves us_?" + +"I believe so, Cousin Elsè," said Eva. + +"Perhaps it does mean that he loves _you_, Eva," I answered. "But you +are a good child, and always have been, I should think; and we all know +that God loves people who are good. That sentence says nothing, you see, +about God loving people who are not good. It is because I am never sure +that I am doing the things that please him, that I am afraid of God and +of the judgment-day." + +Eva was silent a minute, and then she said,-- + +"I wish I could remember the rest of the sentence. Perhaps it might +tell." + +"Where does that sentence come from, Eva?" I asked. "Perhaps we might +find it. Do you think God said it to your father from heaven, in a +vision or a dream, as he speaks to the saints?" + +"I think not, Cousin Elsè," she replied thoughtfully; "because my father +said it was in a book, which he told me where to find, when he was gone. +But when I found the book, a priest took it from me, and said it was not +a good book for little girls; and I never had it again. So I have only +my sentence, Cousin Elsè. I wish it made you happy, as it does me." + +I kissed the darling child and wished her good night; but I could not +sleep. I wish I could see the book. But perhaps, after all, it is not a +right book; because (although Eva does not know it) I heard my +grandmother say her father was a Hussite, and died on the scaffold for +believing something wrong. + +In the morning Eva was awake before me. Her large dark eyes were +watching me, and the moment I woke she said,-- + +"Cousin Elsè, I think the end of that sentence has something to do with +the crucifix; because I always think of them together. You know the Lord +Jesus Christ is God's only Son, and he died on the cross for us." + +And she rose and dressed, and said she would go to matins and say +prayers for me, that I might not be afraid in the next thunder-storm. + +It must be true, I am sure, that the cross and the blessed Passion were +meant to do us some good; but then they can only do good to those who +please God, and that is precisely what it is so exceedingly difficult to +find out how to do. + +I cannot think, however, that Eva can in any way be believing wrong, +because she is so religious and so good. She attends most regularly at +the confessional, and is always at church at the early mass, and many +times besides. Often, also, I find her at her devotions before the +crucifix and the picture of the Holy Virgin and Child in our room. She +seems really to enjoy being religious, as they say St. Elizabeth did. + +As for me, there is so very much to do between the printing, and the +house, and our dear mother's ill health, and the baby, and the boys, who +tear their clothes in such incomprehensible ways, that I feel more and +more how utterly hopeless it is for me ever to be like any of the +saints--unless, indeed, it is St. Christopher, whose legend is often a +comfort to me, as our grandmother used to tell it to us, which was in +this way:-- + +Offerus was a soldier, a heathen, who lived in the land of Canaan. He +had a body twelve ells long. He did not like to obey, but to command. He +did not care what harm he did to others, but lived a wild life, +attacking and plundering all who came in his way. He only wished for one +thing--to sell his services to the Mightiest; and as he heard that the +emperor was in those days the head of Christendom, he said, "Lord +Emperor, will you have me? To none less will I sell my heart's blood." + +The emperor looked at his Samson strength, his giant chest, and his +mighty fists, and he said, "If thou wilt serve me for ever, Offerus, I +will accept thee." + +Immediately the giant answered, "To serve you _for ever_ is not so +easily promised; but as long as I am your soldier, none in east or west +shall trouble you." + +Thereupon he went with the emperor through all the land, and the emperor +was delighted with him. All the soldiers, in the combat as at the +wine-cup, were miserable, helpless creatures compared with Offerus. + +Now the emperor had a harper who sang from morning till bed-time; and +whenever the emperor was weary with the march this minstrel had to touch +his harp-strings. Once, at eventide, they pitched the tents near a +forest. The emperor ate and drank lustily; the minstrel sang a merry +song. But as, in his song, he spoke of the evil one, the emperor signed +the cross on his forehead. Said Offerus aloud to his comrades, "What is +this? What jest is the Prince making now?" Then the emperor said, +"Offerus, listen: I did it on account of the wicked fiend, who is said +often to haunt this forest with great rage and fury." That seemed +marvellous to Offerus, and he said, scornfully, to the emperor, "I have +a fancy for wild boars and deer. Let us hunt in this forest." The +emperor said softly, "Offerus, no! Let alone the chase in this forest, +for in filling thy larder thou mightst harm thy soul." Then Offerus made +a wry face, and said, "The grapes are sour; if your highness is afraid +of the devil, I will enter the service of this lord, who is mightier +than you." Thereupon he coolly demanded his pay, took his departure, +with no very ceremonious leave-taking, and strode off cheerily into the +thickest depths of the forest. + +In a wild clearing of the forest he found the devil's altar, built of +black cinders: and on it, in the moonlight gleamed the white skeletons +of men and horses. Offerus was in no way terrified, but quietly +inspected the skulls and bones; then he called three times in a loud +voice on the evil one, and seating himself fell asleep, and soon began +to snore. When it was midnight, the earth seemed to crack, and on a +coal-black horse he saw a pitch-black rider, who rode at him furiously, +and sought to bind him with solemn promises. But Offerus said, "We shall +see." Then they went together through the kingdoms of the world, and +Offerus found him a better master than the emperor; needed seldom to +polish his armour, but had plenty of feasting and fun. However, one day +as they went along the high-road, three tall crosses stood before them. +Then the Black Prince suddenly had a cold, and said, "Let us creep round +by the bye-road." Said Offerus, "Methinks you are afraid of those +gallows trees," and, drawing his bow, he shot an arrow into the middle +cross. "What bad manners!" said Satan, softly; "do you not know that he +who in his form as a servant is the son of Mary, now exercises great +power?" "If that is the case," said Offerus, "I came to you fettered by +no promise; now I will seek further for the mightiest, whom only I will +serve." Then Satan went off with a mocking laugh, and Offerus went on +his way asking every traveller he met for the Son of Mary. But, alas! +few bear Him in their hearts; and no one could tell the giant where the +Lord dwelt, until one evening Offerus found an old pious hermit, who +gave him a night's lodging in his cell, and sent him next morning to the +Carthusian cloister. There the lord prior listened to Offerus, showed +him plainly the path of faith, and told him he must fast and pray, as +John the Baptist did of old in the wilderness. But he replied, "Locusts +and wild honey, my lord, are quite contrary to my nature, and I do not +know any prayers. I should lose my strength altogether, and had rather +not go to heaven at all in that way." "Reckless man!" said the prior. +"However, you may try another way: give yourself up heartily to achieve +some good work." "Ah! let me hear," said Offerus; "I have strength for +that." "See, there flows a mighty river, which hinders pilgrims on their +way to Rome. It has neither ford nor bridge. Carry the faithful over on +thy back." "If I can please the Saviour in that way, willingly will I +carry the travellers to and fro," replied the giant. And thereupon he +built a hut of reeds, and dwelt thenceforth among the water-rats and +beavers on the borders of the river, carrying pilgrims over the river +cheerfully, like a camel or an elephant. But if any one offered him +ferry-money, he said, "I labour for eternal life." And when now, after +many years, Offerus's hair had grown white, one stormy night a plaintive +little voice called to him, "Dear, good, tall Offerus, carry me across." +Offerus was tired and sleepy, but he thought faithfully of Jesus Christ, +and with weary arms seizing the pine trunk which was his staff when the +floods swelled high, he waded through the water and nearly reached the +opposite bank; but he saw no pilgrim there, so he thought, "I was +dreaming," and went back and lay down to sleep again. But scarcely had +he fallen asleep when again came the little voice, this time very +plaintive and touching, "Offerus, good, dear, great, tall Offerus, carry +me across." Patiently the old giant crossed the river again, but neither +man nor mouse was to be seen, and he went back and lay down again, and +was soon fast asleep; when once more came the little voice, clear and +plaintive, and imploring, "Good, dear giant Offerus, carry me across." +The third time he seized his pine-stem and went through the cold river. +This time he found a tender, fair little boy, with golden hair. In his +left hand was the standard of the Lamb; in his right, the globe. He +looked at the giant with eyes full of love and trust, and Offerus lifted +him up with two fingers; but, when he entered the river, the little +child weighed on him like a ton. Heavier and heavier grew the weight, +until the water almost reached his chin; great drops of sweat stood on +his brow, and he had nearly sunk in the stream with the little one. +However, he struggled through, and tottering to the other side, set the +child gently down on the bank, and said, "My little lord, prithee, come +not this way again, for scarcely have I escaped this time with life." +But the fair child baptized Offerus on the spot, and said to him, "Know +all thy sins are forgiven; and although thy limbs tottered, fear not, +nor marvel, but rejoice; thou hast carried the Saviour of the world! For +a token, plant thy pine-trunk, so long dead and leafless, in the earth; +to-morrow it shall shoot out green twigs. And henceforth thou shalt be +called not Offerus, but Christopher." Then Christopher folded his hands +and prayed and said, "I feel my end draws nigh. My limbs tremble; my +strength fails; and God has forgiven me all my sins." Thereupon the +child vanished in light; and Christopher set his staff into the earth. +And so on the morrow, it shot out green leaves and red blossoms like an +almond. And three days afterwards the angels carried Christopher to +Paradise. + +This is the legend which gives me more hope than any other. How sweet it +would be, if, when I had tried in some humble way to help one and +another on the way to the holy city, when the last burden was borne, and +the strength was failing, the holy child should appear to me and say, +"Little Elsè, you have done the work I meant you to do--your sins are +forgiven;" and then the angels were to come and take me up in their +arms, and carry me across the dark river, and my life were to grow young +and bloom again in Paradise like St. Christopher's withered staff! + +But to watch all the long days of life by the river, and carry the +burdens, and not know if we are doing the right thing after all--that is +what is so hard! + +Sweet, when the river was crossed, to find that in fulfilling some +little, humble, every-day duty, one had actually been serving and +pleasing the mightiest, the Saviour of the world! But if one could only +know it _whilst one was_ struggling through the flood, how delightful +that would be! How little one would mind the icy water, or the aching +shoulders, or the tottering, failing limbs! + + + EISENACH, _January_, 1505. + +Fritz is at home with us again. He looks as much a man now as our +father, with his moustache and his sword. How cheerful the sound of his +firm step and his deep voice makes the house! When I look at him +sometimes, as he tosses the children and catches them in his arms, or as +he flings the balls with Christopher and Pollux, or shoots with bow and +arrows in the evenings at the city games, my old wish recurs that he had +lived in the days when our ancestors dwelt in the castles in Bohemia, +and that Fritz had been a knight, to ride at the head of his retainers +to battle for some good cause,--against the Turks, for instance, who are +now, they say, threatening the empire, and all Christendom. My little +world at home is wide indeed, and full enough for me, but this burgher +life seems narrow and poor for him. I should like him to have to do with +men instead of books. Women can read, and learn, and think, if they have +time (although, of course, not as well as men can); I have even heard of +women writing books. St. Barbara and St. Catherine understood astronomy, +and astrology, and philosophy, and could speak I do not know how many +languages. But they could not have gone forth armed with shield and +spear like St. George of Cappadocia, to deliver the fettered princess +and slay the great African dragon. And I should like Fritz to do what +women can_not_ do. There is such strength in his light, agile frame, and +such power in his dark eyes; although, certainly after all he had +written to us about his princely fare at the House at Erfurt, where he +is a beneficiary, our mother and I did not expect to have seen his face +looking so hollow and thin. + +He has brought me back my godmother's gulden. He says he is an +independent man, earning his own livelihood, and quite above receiving +any such gratuities. However, as I devoted it to Fritz I feel I have a +right to spend it on him, which is a great comfort, because I can +provide a better table than we can usually afford, during the few days +he will stay with us, so that he may never guess how pinched we often +are. + +I am ashamed of myself, but there is something in this return of Fritz +which disappoints me. I have looked forward to it day and night through +all these two years with such longing. I thought we should begin again +exactly where we left off. I pictured to myself the old daily life with +him going on again as of old. I thought of our sitting in the +lumber-room, and chatting over all our perplexities, our own and the +family's, and pouring our hearts into each other's without reserve or +fear, so that it was scarcely like talking at all, but like thinking +aloud. + +And, now, instead of our being acquainted with every detail of each +other's daily life, so that we are aware what we are feeling without +speaking about it, there is a whole history of new experience to be +narrated step by step, and we do not seem to know where to begin. None +of the others can feel this as I do. He is all to the children and our +parents that he ever was, and why should I expect more? Indeed, I +scarcely know what I did expect, or what I do want. Why should Fritz be +more to me than to any one else? It is selfish to wish it, and it is +childish to imagine that two years could bring no change. Could I have +wished it? Do I not glory in his strength, and in his free and manly +bearing! And could I wish a student at the great University of Erfurt, +who is soon to be a Bachelor of Arts, to come and sit on the piles of +old books in our lumber-room, and to spend his time in gossiping with +me? Besides, what have I to say? And yet, this evening, when the +twilight-hour came round for the third time since he returned, and he +seemed to forget all about it, I could not help feeling troubled, and so +took refuge here by myself. + +Fritz has been sitting in the family-room for the last hour, with all +the children round him, telling them histories of what the students do +at Erfurt; of their poetical club, where they meet and recite their own +verses, or translations of the ancient books which have been unburied +lately, and yet are fresher, he says, than any new ones, and set every +one thinking; of the debating meeting, and the great singing parties +where hundreds of voices join, making music fuller than any organ,--in +both of which Martin Luther seems a leader and a prince; and then of the +fights among the students, in which I do not think Martin Luther has +joined, but which, certainly, interest Christopher and Pollux more than +anything else. The boys were standing on each side of Fritz, listening +with wide open eyes; Chriemhild and Atlantis had crept close behind him +with their sewing; little Thekla was on his knee, playing with his +sword-girdle; and little Eva was perched in her favourite place on the +window-sill, in front of him. At first she kept at a distance from him, +and said nothing; not, I think, from shyness, for I do not believe that +child is afraid of any one or any thing, but from a quaint way she has +of observing people, as if she were learning them through like a new +language, or, like a sovereign making sure of the character of a new +subject before she admits him into her service. The idea of the little +creature treating our Fritz in that grand style! But it is of no use +resisting it. He has passed through his probation like the rest of us, +and is as much flattered as the grandmother, or any of us, at being +admitted into her confidence. When I left, Eva, who had been listening +for some time with great attention to his student-stories, had herself +become the chief speaker, and the whole party were attending with +riveted interest while she related to them her favourite Legend of St. +Catherine. They had all heard it before, but in some way when Eva tells +these histories they always seem new. I suppose it is because she +believes them so fervently; it is not as if she were repeating something +she had heard, but quietly narrating something she has seen, much as one +would imagine an angel might who had been watching unseen while it all +happened. And, meantime, her eyes, when she raises them, with their +fringe of long lashes, seem to look at once into your heart and into +heaven. + +No wonder Fritz forgets the twilight-hour. But it is strange he has +never once asked about our chronicle. Of that, however, I am glad, +because I would not for the world show him the narrative of our +struggles. + +Can it be possible I am envious of little Eva--dear, little, loving, +orphan Eva? I do rejoice that all the world should love him. Yet, it was +so happy to be Fritz's only friend; and why should a little stranger +child steal my precious twilight-hour from me? + +Well, I suppose Aunt Agnes was right, and I made an idol of Fritz, and +God was angry, and I am being punished. But the saints seemed to find a +kind of sacred pleasure in their punishments, and I do not; nor do I +feel at all the better for them, but the worse--which is another proof +how hopeless it is for me to try to be a saint. + + + EISENACH, _February_. + +As I wrote those last words in the deepening twilight, two strong hands +were laid very gently on my shoulders, and a voice said-- + +"Sister Elsè, _why_ can you not show me your chronicle?" + +I could make no reply. + +"You are convicted," rejoined the same voice. + +"Do you think I do not know where that gulden came from? Let me see your +godmother's purse." + +I began to feel the tears choking me; but Fritz did not seem to notice +them. + +"Elsè," he said, "you may practise your little deceptive arts on all the +rest of the family, but they will not do with me. Do you think you will +ever persuade me you have grown thin by eating sausages and cakes and +wonderful holiday puddings every day of your life? Do you think the +hungry delight in the eyes of those boys was occasioned by their +every-day, ordinary fare? Do you think," he added, taking my hands in +one of his, "I did not see how blue and cold, and covered with +chilblains, these little hands were, which piled up the great logs on +the hearth when I came in this morning?" + +Of course I could do nothing but put my head on his shoulder and cry +quietly. It was of no use denying anything. Then he added rapidly, in a +low deep voice-- + +"Do you think I could help seeing our mother at her old devices, +pretending she had no appetite, and liked nothing so much as bones and +sinews?" + +"O Fritz," I sobbed, "I cannot help it. What am I to do?" + +"At least," he said, more cheerfully, "promise me, little woman, you +will never make a distinguished stranger of your brother again, and +endeavour by all kinds of vain and deceitful devices to draw the whole +weight of the family cares on your own shoulders." + +"Do you think it is a sin I ought to confess, Fritz?" I said; "I did not +mean it deceitfully; but I am always making such blunders about right +and wrong. What can I do?" + +"Does Aunt Ursula know?" he asked rather fiercely. + +"No; the mother will not let me tell any one. She thinks they would +reflect on our father; and he told her only last week, he has a plan +about a new way of smelting lead, which is, I think, to turn it all into +silver. That would certainly be a wonderful discovery; and he thinks the +Elector would take it up at once, and we should probably have to leave +Eisenach and live near the Electoral Court. Perhaps even the Emperor +would require us to communicate the secret to him, and then we should +have to leave the country altogether; for you know there are great +lead-mines in Spain; and if once people could make silver out of lead, +it would be much easier and safer than going across the great ocean to +procure the native silver from the Indian savages." + +Fritz drew a long breath. + +"And meantime?" he said. + +"Well, meantime," I said, "it is of course, sometimes a little difficult +to get on." + +He mused a little while, and then he said-- + +"Little Elsè, I have thought of a plan which may, I think, bring us a +few guldens--until the process of transmuting lead into silver is +completed." + +"Of course," I said, "after that we shall want nothing, but be able to +give to those who do want. And oh, Fritz! how well we shall understand +how to help people who are poor. Do you think that is why God lets us be +so poor ourselves so long, and never seems to hear our prayers?" + +"It would be pleasant to think so, Elsè," said Fritz, gravely; "but it +is very difficult to understand how to please God, or how to make our +prayers reach him at all--at least when we are so often feeling and +doing wrong." + +It cheered me to see that Fritz does not despair of the great invention +succeeding one day. He did not tell me what his own plan is. + +Does Fritz, then, also feel so sinful and so perplexed how to please +God? Perhaps a great many people feel the same. It is very strange. If +it had only pleased God to make it a little plainer. I wonder if that +book Eva lost would tell us anything! + +After that evening the barrier between me and Fritz was of course quite +gone, and we seemed closer than ever. We had delightful twilight talks +in our lumber-room, and I love him more than ever. So that Aunt Agnes +would, I suppose, think me more of an idolater than before. But it is +very strange that idolatry should seem to do me so much good. I seem to +love all the world better for loving Fritz, and to find everything +easier to bear, by having him to unburden everything on, so that I had +never fewer little sins to confess than during the two weeks Fritz was +at home. If God had only made loving brothers and sisters and the people +at home the way to please him, instead of not loving them too much, or +leaving them all to bury one's self in a cold convent, like Aunt Agnes! + +Little Eva actually persuaded Fritz to begin teaching her the Latin +grammar! I suppose she wishes to be like her beloved St. Catherine, who +was so learned. And she says all the holy books, the prayers and the +hymns, are in Latin, so that she thinks it must be a language God +particularly loves. She asked me a few days since if they speak Latin in +heaven. + +Of course I could not tell. I told her I believed the Bible was +originally written in two other languages, the languages of the Greeks +and the Jews, and that I had heard some one say Adam and Eve spoke the +Jews' language in paradise, which I suppose God taught them. + +But I have been thinking over it since, and I should not wonder if Eva +is right. + +Because, unless Latin is the language of the saints and holy angels in +heaven, why should God wish the priests to speak it everywhere, and the +people to say the Ave and Paternoster in it? We should understand it all +so much better in German; but of course if Latin is the language of the +blessed saints and angels, that is a reason for it. If we do not always +understand, THEY do, which is a great comfort. Only I think it is a very +good plan of little Eva's to try and learn Latin; and when I have more +time to be religious, perhaps I may try also. + + + + +IV. + +Extracts from Friedrich's Chronicle. + + + ERFURT, 1505. + +The university seems rather a cold world after the dear old home at +Eisenach. But it went to my heart to see how our mother and Elsè +struggle, and how worn and thin they look. Happily for them, they have +still hope in the great invention, and I would not take it away for the +world. But meantime, I must at once do something to help. I can +sometimes save some viands from my meals, which are portioned out to us +liberally on this foundation, and sell them; and I can occasionally earn +a little by copying themes for the richer students, or sermons and +postils for the monks. The printing-press has certainly made that means +of maintenance more precarious; but printed books are still very dear, +and also very large, and the priests are often glad of small copies of +fragments of the postils, or orations of the fathers, written off in a +small, clear hand, to take with them on their circuits around the +villages. There is also writing to be done for the lawyers, so that I do +not despair of earning something: and if my studies are retarded a +little, it does not so much matter. It is not for me to aspire to great +things, unless, indeed, they can be reached by small and patient steps. +I have a work to do for the family. My youth must be given to supporting +them by the first means I can find. If I succeed, perhaps Christopher or +Pollux will have leisure to aim higher than I can; or, perhaps, in +middle and later life I myself shall have leisure to pursue the studies +of these great old classics, which seem to make the horizon of our +thoughts so wide, and the world so glorious and large, and life so deep. +It would certainly be a great delight to devote one's self, as Martin +Luther is now able to do, to literature and philosophy. His career is +opening nobly. This spring he has taken his degree as Master of Arts, +and he has been lecturing on Aristotle's physics and logic. He has great +power of making dim things clear, and old things fresh. His lectures are +crowded. He is also studying law, in order to qualify himself for some +office in the State. His parents (judging from his father's letters) +seem to centre all their hopes in him; and it is almost the same here at +the university. Great things are expected of him; indeed there scarcely +seems any career that is not open to him. And he is a man of such heart, +as well as intellect, that he seems to make all the university, the +professors as well as the students, look on him as a kind of possession +of their own. All seem to feel a property in his success. Just as it was +with our little circle at Eisenach, so it is with the great circle at +the university. He is _our_ Master Martin; and in every step of his +ascent we ourselves feel a little higher. I wonder, if his fame should +indeed spread as we anticipate, if it will be the same one day with all +Germany? if the whole land will say exultingly by-and-by--_our_ Martin +Luther? + +Not that he is without enemies; his temper is too hot and his heart too +warm for that negative distinction of phlegmatic negative natures. + + + _June_, 1505. + +Martin Luther came to me a few days since, looking terribly agitated. +His friend Alexius has been assassinated, and he takes it exceedingly to +heart; not only, I think, because of the loss of one he loved, but +because it brings death so terribly near, and awakens again those +questionings which I know are in the depths of his heart, as well as of +mine, about God, and judgment, and the dark, dread future before us, +which we cannot solve, yet cannot escape nor forget. + +To-day we met again, and he was full of a book he had discovered in the +university library, where he spends most of his leisure hours. It was a +Latin Bible, which he had never seen before in his life. He marvelled +greatly to see so much more in it than in the Evangelia read in the +churches, or in the Collections of Homilies. He was called away to +lecture, or, he said, he could have read on for hours. Especially one +history seems to have impressed him deeply. It was in the Old Testament. +It was the story of the child Samuel and his mother Hannah. "He read it +quickly through," he said, "with hearty delight and joy; and because +this was all new to him, he began to wish from the bottom of his heart +that God would one day bestow on him such a book for his own." + +I suppose it is the thought of his own pious mother which makes this +history interest him so peculiarly. It is indeed a beautiful history, as +he told it me, and makes one almost wish one had been born in the times +of the old Hebrew monarchy. It seems as if God listened so graciously +and readily then to that poor sorrowful woman's prayers. And if we could +only, each of us, hear that voice from heaven, how joyful it would be to +reply, like that blessed child, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth;" +and then to learn, without possibility of mistake, what God really +requires of each of us. I suppose, however, the monks do feel as sure of +their vocation as the holy child of old, when they leave home and the +world for the service of the Church. It would be a great help if other +people had vocations to their various works in life, like the prophet +Samuel and (I suppose) the monks, that we might all go on fearlessly, +with a firm step, each in his appointed path, and feel sure that we are +doing the right thing, instead of perhaps drawing down judgments on +those we would die to serve, by our mistakes and sins. It can hardly be +intended that all men should be monks and nuns. Would to heaven, +therefore, that laymen had also their vocation, instead of this terrible +uncertainty and doubt that will shadow the heart at times, that we may +have missed our path (as I did that night in the snow-covered forest), +and, like Cain, be flying from the presence of God, and gathering on us +and ours his curse. + + + _July_ 12, 1505. + +There is a great gloom over the university. The plague is among us. Many +are lying dead who, only last week, were full of youth and hope. Numbers +of the professors, masters, and students have fled to their homes, or to +various villages in the nearest reaches of the Thuringian forest. The +churches are thronged at all the services. The priests and monks (those +who remain in the infected city) take advantage of the terror the +presence of the pestilence excites, to remind people of the more awful +terrors of that dreadful day of judgment and wrath which no one will be +able to flee. Women, and sometimes men, are borne fainting from the +churches, and often fall at once under the infection, and never are seen +again. Martin Luther seems much troubled in mind. This epidemic, +following so close on the assassination of his friend, seems to +overwhelm him. But he does not talk of leaving the city. Perhaps the +terrors which weigh most on him are those the preachers recall so +vividly to us just now, from which there is no flight by change of +place, but only by change of life. During this last week, especially +since he was exposed to a violent thunder-storm on the high road near +Erfurt, he has seemed strangely altered. A deep gloom is on his face, +and he seems to avoid his old friends. I have scarcely spoken to him. + + + _July_ 14. + +To-day, to my great surprise, Martin has invited me and several other of +his friends to meet at his rooms on the day after to-morrow, to pass a +social evening in singing and feasting. The plague has abated; yet I +rather wonder at any one thinking of merry-making yet. They say, +however, that a merry heart is the best safe-guard. + + + _July_ 17. + +The secret of Martin Luther's feast is opened now. The whole university +is in consternation. He has decided on becoming a monk. Many think it is +a sudden impulse, which may yet pass away. I do not. I believe it is the +result of the conflict of years, and that he has only yielded, in this +act, to convictions which have been recurring to him continually during +all his brilliant university career. + +Never did he seem more animated than yesterday evening. The hours flew +by in eager, cheerful conversation. A weight seemed removed from us. The +pestilence was departing; the professors and students were returning. We +felt life resuming its old course, and ventured once more to look +forward with hope. Many of us had completed our academical course, and +were already entering the larger world beyond--the university of life. +Some of us had appointments already promised, and most of us had hopes +of great things in the future; the less definite the prospects, perhaps +the more brilliant. Martin Luther did not hazard any speculations as to +his future career; but that surprised none of us. His fortune, we said, +was insured already; and many a jesting claim was put in for his future +patronage, when he should be a great man. + +We had excellent music also, as always at any social gathering where +Martin Luther is. His clear, true voice was listened to with applause in +many a well-known song, and echoed in joyous choruses afterward by the +whole party. So the evening passed, until the university hour for repose +had nearly arrived; when suddenly, in the silence after the last note of +the last chorus had died away, he bid us all farewell; for on the +morrow, he said, he purposed to enter the Augustinian monastery as a +novice! At first, some treated this as a jest; but his look and bearing +soon banished that idea. Then all earnestly endeavoured to dissuade him +from his purpose. Some spoke of the expectations the university had +formed of him--others, of the career in the world open to him; but at +all this he only smiled. When, however, one of us reminded him of his +father, and the disappointment it might cause in his home, I noticed +that a change came over his face, and I thought there was a slight +quiver on his lip. But all,--friendly remark, calm remonstrance, +fervent, affectionate entreaties,--all were unavailing. + +"To-day," he said, "you see me; after this you will see me no more." + +Thus we separated. But this morning, when some of his nearest friends +went to his rooms early, with the faint hope of yet inducing him to +listen, while we pressed on him the thousand unanswerable arguments +which had occurred to us since we parted from him, his rooms were empty, +and he was nowhere to be found. To all our inquiries we received no +reply but that Master Martin had gone that morning, before it was light, +to the Augustinian cloister. + +Thither we followed him, and knocked loudly at the heavy convent gates. +After some minutes they were slightly opened, and a sleepy porter +appeared. + +"Is Martin Luther here?" we asked. + +"He is here!" was the reply; not, we thought, without a little triumph +in the tone. + +"We wish to speak with him," demanded one of us. + +"No one is to speak with him," was the grim rejoinder. + +"Until when?" we asked. + +There was a little whispering inside, and then came the decisive answer, +"Not for a month at least." + +We would have lingered to parley further, but the heavy nailed doors +were closed against us, we heard the massive bolts rattle as they were +drawn, and all our assaults with fists or iron staffs on the convent +gates, from that moment did not awaken another sound within. + +"Dead to the world, indeed!" murmured one at length; "the grave could +not be more silent." + +Baffled, and hoarse with shouting, we wandered back again to Martin +Luther's rooms. The old familiar rooms, where we had so lately spent +hours with him in social converse; where I and many of us had spent so +many an hour in intimate, affectionate intercourse,--his presence would +be there no more; and the unaltered aspect of the mute, inanimate things +only made the emptiness and change more painful by the contrast. + +And yet, when we began to examine more closely, the aspect of many +things was changed. His flute and lute, indeed, lay on the table, just +as he had left them on the previous evening. But the books--scholastic, +legal, and classical--were piled up carefully in one corner, and +directed to the booksellers. In looking over the well-known volumes, I +only missed two, Virgil and Plautus; I suppose he took these with him. +Whilst we were looking at a parcel neatly rolled up in another place, +the old man who kept his rooms in order came in, and said, "That is +Master Martin's master's robe, his holiday attire, and his master's +ring. They are to be sent to his parents at Mansfeld." + +A choking sensation came over me as I thought of the father who had +struggled so hard to maintain his son, and had hoped so much from him, +receiving that packet. Not from the dead. Worse than from the dead, it +seemed to me. Deliberately self-entombed; deliberately with his own +hands building up a barrier between him and all who love him best. With +the dead, if they are happy, we may hold communion--at least the Creed +speaks of the communion of saints; we may pray to them; or, at the +worst, we may pray for them. But between the son in the convent and the +father at Mansfeld the barrier is not merely one of stone and earth. It +is of the impenetrable iron of will and conscience. It would be a +_temptation_ now for Martin Luther to pour out his heart in affectionate +words to father, mother, or friend. + +And yet, if he is right,--if the flesh is only to be subdued, if God is +only to be pleased, if heaven is only to be won in this way,--it is of +little moment indeed what the suffering may be to us or any belonging to +us in this fleeting life, down which the grim gates of death which close +it, ever cast their long shadow. + +May not Martin serve his family better in the cloister than at the +emperor's court, for is not the cloister the court of a palace more +imperial?--we may say, the very audience-chamber of the King of kings. +Besides, if he had a vocation, what curse might not follow despising it? +Happy for those whose vocation is so clear that they dare not disobey +it; or whose hearts are so pure that they would not if they dared! + + + _July_ 19. + +These two days the university has been in a ferment at the disappearance +of Martin Luther. Many are indignant with him, and more with the monks, +who, they say, have taken advantage of a fervent impulse, and drawn him +into their net. Some, however, especially those of the school of +Mutianus--the Humanists--laugh, and say there are ways through the +cloister to the court,--and even to the tiara. But those misunderstand +Martin. We who know him are only too sure that he will be a true monk, +and that for him there is no gate from the cloister back into the world. + +It appears now that he had been meditating this step more than a +fortnight. + +On the first of this month (July) he was walking on the road between +Erfurt and Stotterheim, when a thunder-storm which had been gathering +over the Thuringian forest, and weighing with heavy silence on the +plague-laden air, suddenly burst over his head. He was alone, and far +from shelter. Peal followed peal, succeeded by terrible silences; the +forked lightning danced wildly around him, until at length one terrific +flash tore up the ground at his feet, and nearly stunned him. He was +alone, and far from shelter; he felt his soul equally alone and +unsheltered. The thunder seemed to him the angry voice of an +irresistible, offended God. The next flash might wither his body to +ashes, and smite his soul into the flames it so terribly recalled; and +the next thunder-peal which followed might echo like the trumpet of doom +over him lying unconscious, deaf, and mute in death. Unconscious and +mute as to his body! but who could imagine to what terrible intensity of +conscious, everlasting anguish his soul might have awakened; what +wailings might echo around his lost spirit, what cries of unavailing +entreaty he might be pouring forth? Unavailing then! not, perhaps wholly +unavailing now! He fell on his knees,--he prostrated himself on the +earth, and cried in his anguish and terror, "Help, beloved St. Anne, and +I will straightway become a monk." + +The storm rolled slowly away; but the irrevocable words had been spoken, +and the peals of thunder, as they rumbled more and more faintly in the +distance, echoed on his heart like the dirge of all his worldly life. + +He reached Erfurt in safety, and, distrustful of his own steadfastness, +breathed nothing of his purpose except to those who would, he thought, +sustain him in it. This was no doubt the cause of his absent and +estranged looks, and of his avoiding us during that fortnight. + +He confided his intention first to Andrew Staffelstein, the rector of +the university, who applauded and encouraged him, and took him at once +to the new Franciscan cloister. The monks received him with delight, and +urged his immediately joining their order. He told them he must first +acquaint his father of his purpose, as an act of confidence only due to +a parent who had denied himself so much and toiled so hard to maintain +his son liberally at the university. But the rector and the monks +rejoined that he must not consult with flesh and blood; he must "forsake +father and mother, and steal away to the cross of Christ." "Whoso +putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back," said they, "is not +worthy of the kingdom of God." To remain in the world was peril. To +return to it was perdition. + +A few religious women to whom the rector mentioned Martin's intentions, +confirmed him in them with fervent words of admiration and +encouragement. + +Did not one of them relent, and take pity on his mother and his father? +And yet, I doubt if Martin's mother would have interposed one word of +remonstrance between him and the cloister. She is a very religious +woman. To offer her son, her pride, to God, would have been offering the +dearest part of herself; and women have a strength in self-sacrifice, +and a mysterious joy, which I feel no doubt would have carried her +through. + +With Martin's father it would no doubt have been different. He has not a +good opinion of the monks, and he has a very strong sense of paternal +and filial duty. He, the shrewd, hard-working, successful peasant, looks +on the monks as a company of drones, who, in imagining they are giving +up the delights of the world, are often only giving up its duties. He +was content to go through any self-denial and toil that Martin, the +pride of the whole family, might have scope to develop his abilities. +But to have the fruit of all his counsel, and care, and work buried in a +convent, will be very bitter to him. It was terrible advice for the +rector to give his son. And yet, no doubt, God has the first claim; and +to expose Martin to any influence which might have induced him to give +up his vocation, would have been perilous indeed. No doubt the conflict +in Martin's heart was severe enough as it was. His nature is so +affectionate, his sense of filial duty so strong, and his honour and +love for his parents so deep. Since the step is taken, Holy Mary aid him +not to draw back! + + + _December_, 1505. + +This morning I saw a sight I never thought to have seen. A monk, in the +grey frock and cowl of the Augustinians, was pacing slowly through the +streets with a heavy sack on his shoulders. The ground was covered with +snow, his feet were bare; but it was no unfrequent sight, and I was idly +and half-unconsciously watching him pause at door after door, and humbly +receiving any contributions that were offered, stow them away in the +convent-sack, when at length he stopped at the door of the house I was +in, and then, as his face turned up towards the window where I stood, I +caught the eye of Martin Luther! + +I hurried to the door with a loaf in my hand, and, before offering it to +him, would have embraced him as of old; but he bowed low as he received +the bread, until his forehead nearly touched the ground, and, murmuring +a Latin "Gratias," would have passed on. + +"Martin," I said, "do you not know me?" + +"I am on the service of the convent," he said. "It is against the rules +to converse or to linger." + +It was hard to let him go without another word. + +"God and the saints help thee, Brother Martin!" I said. + +He half turned, crossed himself, bowed low once more, as a maid-servant +threw him some broken meat, said meekly, "God be praised for every gift +he bestoweth," and went on his toilsome quest for alms with stooping +form and downcast eyes. But how changed his face was! The flush of youth +and health quite faded from the thin, hollow cheeks; the fire of wit and +fancy all dimmed in the red, sunken eyes! Fire there is indeed in them +still, but it seemed to me of the kind that consumes--not that warms and +cheers. + +They are surely harsh to him at the convent. To send him who was the +pride and ornament of the university not six months ago, begging from +door to door, at the houses of friends and pupils, with whom he may not +even exchange a greeting! Is there no pleasure to the obscure and +ignorant monks in thus humbling one who was so lately so far above them? +The hands which wield such rods need to be guided by hearts that are +very noble or very tender. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that Brother +Martin inflicts severer discipline on himself than any that can be laid +on him from without. It is no external conflict that has thus worn and +bowed him down in less than half a year. + +I fear he will impose some severe mortification or himself for having +spoken those few words to which I tempted him. + +But if it is his vocation, and if it is for heaven, and if he is thereby +earning merits to bestow on others, any conflict could no doubt be +endured! + + + _July_, 1506. + +Brother Martin's novitiate has expired, and he has taken the name of +Augustine, but we shall scarcely learn to call him by it. Several of us +were present a few days since at his taking the final vows in the +Augustinian Church. Once more we heard the clear, pleasant voice which +most of us had heard, in song and animated conversation, on that +farewell evening. It sounded weak and thin, no doubt with fasting. The +garb of the novice was laid aside, the monk's frock was put on, and +kneeling below the altar steps, with the prior's hands on his bowed +head, he took the vow in Latin:-- + +"I, Brother Martin, do make profession and promise obedience unto +Almighty God, unto Mary, ever virgin, and unto thee, my brother, prior +of this cloister, in the name and in the stead of the general prior of +the order of the Eremites of St. Augustine, the bishop and his regular +successors, to live in poverty and chastity after the rule of the said +St. Augustine until death." + +Then the burning taper, symbol of the lighted and ever-vigilant heart, +was placed in his hand. The prior murmured a prayer over him, and +instantly from the whole of the monks burst the hymn, "Veni Sancte +Spiritus." + +He knelt while they were singing; and then the monks led him up the +steps into the choir, and welcomed him with the kiss of brotherhood. + +Within the screen, within the choir, among the holy brotherhood inside, +who minister before the altar! And we, his old friends, left outside in +the nave, separated from him for ever by the screen of that irrevocable +vow! + +For ever! Is it for ever? Will there indeed be such a veil, an +impenetrable barrier, between us and him at the judgment-day? And we +outside? A barrier impassable for ever then, but not now, not yet. + + + _January_, 1507. + +I have just returned from another Christmas at home. Things look a +little brighter there. This last year, since I took my master's degree, +I have been able to help them a little more effectually with the money I +receive from my pupils. It was a delight to take our dear, self-denying, +loving Elsè a new dress for holidays, although she protested her old +crimson petticoat and black jacket were as good as ever. The child Eva +has still that deep, calm, earnest look in her eyes, as if she saw into +the world of things unseen and eternal, and saw there what filled her +heart with joy. I suppose it is that angelic depth of her eyes, in +contrast with the guileless, rosy smile of the child-like lips, which +gives the strange charm to her face, and makes one think of the pictures +of the child-angels. + +She can read the Church Latin now easily, and delights especially in the +old hymns. When she repeats them in that soft, reverent, childish voice, +they seem to me deeper and more sacred than when sung by the fullest +choir. Her great favourite is St. Bernard's "Jesu Dulcis Memoria," and +his "Salve Caput Cruentatum;" but some verses of the "Dies Iræ" also are +very often on her lips. I used to hear her warbling softly about the +house, or at her work, with a voice like a happy dove hidden in the +depths of some quiet wood,-- + + "Querens me sedisti lassus," + + Jesu mi dulcissime, Domine coelorum, + Conditor omnipotens, Rex universorum; + Quis jam actus sufficit mirari gestorum, + Quæ te ferie compulit salus miserorum. + + Te de coelo caritas traxit animarum, + Pro quibus palatium deserens præclarum; + Miseram ingrediens vallum lacrymarum, + Opus durum suscipis, et iter amarum.[3] + +[Footnote 3: + + "Jesu, Sovereign Lord of heaven, sweetest Friend to me. + King of all the universe, all was made by thee; + Who can know or comprehend the wonders thou has wrought, + Since the saving of the lost thee so low hath brought? + + Thee the love of souls drew down from beyond the sky,-- + Drew thee from thy glorious home, thy palace bright and high! + To this narrow vale of tears thou thy footsteps bendest: + Hard the work thou tak'st on thee, rough the way thou wendest."] + +The sonorous words of the ancient imperial language sound so sweet and +strange, and yet so familiar from the fresh childish voice. Latin seems +from her lips no more a dead language. It is as if she had learned it +naturally in infancy from listening to the songs of the angels, who +watched her in her sleep, or from the lips of a sainted mother bending +over her pillow from heaven. + +One thing, however, seems to disappoint little Eva. She has a sentence +taken from a book her father left her before he died, but which she was +never allowed to see afterwards. She is always hoping to find the book +in which this sentence was, and has not yet succeeded. + +I have little doubt myself that the book was some heretical volume +belonging to her father, who was executed for being a Hussite. It is to +be hoped, therefore, she will never find it. She did not tell me this +herself, probably because Elsè, to whom she mentioned it, discouraged +her in such a search. We all feel it is a great blessing to have rescued +that innocent heart from the snares of those pernicious heretics, +against whom our Saxon nation made such a noble struggle. There are not +very many of the Hussites left now in Bohemia. As a national party they +are indeed destroyed, since the Calixtines separated from them. There +are, however, still a few dragging out a miserable existence among the +forests and mountains; and it is reported that these opinions have not +yet even been quite crushed in the cities, in spite of the vigorous +measures used against them, but that not a few secretly cling to their +tenets, although outwardly conforming to the Church. So inveterate is +the poison of heresy, and so great the danger from which little Eva has +been rescued. + + + ERFURT, _May 2_, 1507. + +To-day once more the seclusion and silence which have enveloped Martin +Luther since he entered the cloister have been broken. This day he has +been consecrated priest, and has celebrated his first mass. There was a +great feast at the Augustinian convent; offerings poured in abundance +into the convent treasury, and Martin's father, John Luther, came from +Mansfeld to be present at the ceremony. He is reconciled at last to his +son (whom for a long time he refused to see); although not, I believe, +to his monastic profession. It is certainly no willing sacrifice on the +father's part. And no wonder. After toiling for years to place his +favourite son in a position where his great abilities might have scope, +it must have been hard to see everything thrown away just as success was +attained, for what seemed to him a willful, superstitious fancy. And +without a word of dutiful consultation to prepare him for the blow! + +Having, however, at last made up his mind to forgive his son, he forgave +him like a father, and came in pomp with precious gifts to do him +honour. He rode to the convent gate with an escort of twenty horsemen, +and gave his son a present of twenty florins. + +Brother Martin was so cheered by the reconciliation, that at the +ordination feast he ventured to try to obtain from his father not only +pardon, but sanction and approval. It was of the deepest interest to me +to hear his familiar eloquent voice again, pleading for his father's +approval. But he failed. In vain he stated in his own fervent words the +motives that had led to his vow; in vain did the monks around support +and applaud all he said. The old man was not to be moved. + +"Dear father," said Martin, "what was the reason of thy objecting to my +choice to become a monk? Why wert thou then so displeased, and perhaps +art not reconciled yet? It is such a peaceful and godly life to live." + +I cannot say that Brother Martin's worn and furrowed face spoke much for +the peacefulness of his life; but Master John Luther boldly replied in a +voice that all at the table might hear,-- + +"Didst thou never hear that a son must be obedient to his parents? And, +you learned men, did you never read the Scriptures, 'Thou shalt honour +thy father and thy mother?' God grant that those signs you speak of may +not prove to be lying wonders of Satan." + +Brother Martin attempted no defence. A look of sharp pain came over his +face, as if an arrow had pierced his heart; but he remained quite +silent. + +Yet he is a priest; he is endued with a power never committed even to +the holy angels--to transubstantiate bread into God--to sacrifice for +the living and the dead. + +He is admitted into the inner circle of the court of heaven. + +He is on board that sacred ark which once he saw portrayed at Magdeburg, +where priests and monks sail safely amidst a drowning world. And what is +more, he himself may, from his safe and sacred vessel, stoop down and +rescue perishing men; perhaps confer unspeakable blessings on the soul +of that very father whose words so wounded him. + +For such ends well may he bear that the arrow should pierce his heart. + +Did not a sword pierce thine, O mournful mother of consolations? + +And he is certain of his vocation. He does not think as we in the world +so often must, "Is God leading me, or the devil? Am I resisting His +higher calling in only obeying the humbler call of every-day duty? Am I +bringing down blessings on those I love, or curses?" + +Brother Martin, without question, has none of these distracting doubts. +He may well bear any other anguish which may meet him _in_ the ways of +God, and _because_ he has chosen them. At least he has not to listen to +such tales as I have heard lately from a young knight, Ulrich von +Hutton, who is studying here at present, and has things to relate of the +monks, priests, and bishops in Rome itself which tempt one to think all +invisible things a delusion, and all religion a pretence. + + + + +V. + +Elsè's Chronicle. + + + EISENACH, _January_, 1510. + +We have passed through a terrible time; if, indeed, we are through it! + +The plague has been at Eisenach; and, alas! is here still. + +Fritz came home to us as usual at Christmas. Just before he left Erfurt +the plague had broken out in the University. But he did not know it. +When first he came to us he seemed quite well, and was full of spirits; +but on the second day he complained of cold and shivering, with pain in +the head, which increased towards the evening. His eyes then began to +have a fixed, dim look, and he seemed unable to speak or think long +connectedly. + +I noticed that the mother watched him anxiously that evening; and at its +close, feeling his hands feverish, she said very quietly that she should +sit up in his room that night. At first he made some resistance, but he +seemed too faint to insist on anything; and as he rose to go to bed, he +tottered a little, and said he felt giddy, so that my mother drew his +arm within hers and supported him to his room. + +Still I did not feel anxious; but when Eva and I reached our room, she +said, in that quiet, convincing manner which she had even as a child, +fixing her large eyes on mine,-- + +"Cousin Elsè, Fritz is very ill." + +"I think not, Eva," I said; "and no one would feel anxious about him as +soon as I should. He caught a chill on his way from Erfurt. You know it +was late when he arrived, and snowing fast, and he was so pleased to see +us, and so eager in conversation that he would not change his things. It +is only a slight feverish cold. Besides, our mother's manner was so calm +when she wished us good night. I do not think she is anxious. She is +only sitting up with him for an hour or two to see that he sleeps." + +"Cousin Elsè," replied Eva, "did you not see the mother's lip quiver +when she turned to wish us good night?" + +"No, Eva," said I; "I was looking at Fritz." + +And so we went to bed. But I thought it strange that Eva, a girl of +sixteen, should be more anxious than I was, and I his sister. Hope is +generally so strong, and fear so weak, before one has seen many fears +realized, and many hopes disappointed. Eva, however, had always a way of +seeing into the truth of things. I was very tired with the day's work +(for I always rise earlier than usual when Fritz is here, to get +everything done before he is about), and I must very soon have fallen +asleep. It was not midnight when I was roused by the mother's touch upon +my arm. + +The light of the lamp she held showed me a paleness in her face and an +alarm in her eyes which awoke me thoroughly in an instant. + +"Elsè," she said, "go into the boys' room and send Christopher for a +physician. I cannot leave Fritz. But do not alarm your father!" she +added, as she crept again out of the room after lighting our lamp. + +I called Christopher, and in five minutes he was dressed and out of the +house. When I returned to our room Eva was sitting dressed on the bed. +She had not been asleep, I saw. I think she had been praying, for she +held the crucifix in her clasped hands, and there were traces of tears +on her cheek, although when she raised her eyes to me, they were clear +and tearless. + +"What is it, Cousin Elsè?" she said. "When I went for a moment to the +door of his room he was talking. It was his voice, but with such a +strange, wild tone in it. I think he heard my step, although I thought +no one would, I stepped so softly, for he called 'Eva, Eva!' but the +mother came to the door and silently motioned me away. But _you_ may go, +Elsè," she added, with a passionate rapidity very unusual with her. "Go +and see him." + +I went instantly. He was talking very rapidly and vehemently, and in an +incoherent way it was difficult to understand. My mother sat quite +still, holding his hand. His eyes were not bright as in fever, but dim +and fixed. Yet he was in a raging fever. His hand, when I touched it, +burned like fire, and his face was flushed crimson. I stood there quite +silently beside my mother until the physician came. At first Fritz's +eyes followed me; then they seemed watching the door for some one else; +but in a few minutes the dull vacancy came over them again, and he +seemed conscious of nothing. + +At last the physician came. He paused a moment at the door, and held a +bag of myrrh before him; then advancing to the bed, he drew aside the +clothes and looked at Fritz's arm. + +"Too plain!" he exclaimed, starting back as he perceived a black +swelling there. "It is the plague!" + +My mother followed him to the door. + +"Excuse me, madam," he said; "life is precious, and I might carry the +infection into the city." + +"Can nothing be done?" she said. + +"Not much!" he said bluntly; and then, after a moment's hesitation, +touched by the distress in her face, he returned to the bed-side. "I +have touched him," he murmured, as if apologizing to himself for +incurring the risk; "the mischief is done, doubtless, already." And +taking out his lancet he bled my brother's arm. + +Then, after binding up the arm, he turned to me and said,-- + +"Get cypress and juniper wood, and burn them in a brazier in this room, +with rosin and myrrh. Keep your brother as warm as possible--do not let +in a breath of air!" And, he added, as I followed him to the door, "on no +account suffer him to sleep for a moment,[4] and let no one come near +him but you and your mother." + +[Footnote 4: An approved method of treatment of the plague in those +times.] + +When I returned to the bed-side, after obeying these directions, Fritz's +mind was wandering; and although we could understand little that he +said, he was evidently in great distress. He seemed to have comprehended +the physician's words, for he frequently repeated, "The plague! the +plague! I have brought a curse upon my house!" and then he would wander, +strangely calling on Martin Luther and Eva to intercede and obtain +pardon for him, as if he were invoking saints in heaven; and +occasionally he would repeat fragments of Latin hymns. + +It was dreadful to have to keep him awake; to have to rouse him, +whenever he showed the least symptom of slumber, to thoughts which so +perplexed and troubled his poor brain. But on the second night the +mother fainted away, and I had to carry her to her room. Her dear thin +frame was no heavy weight to bear. I laid her on the bed in our room, +which was the nearest. Eva appeared at the door as I stood beside our +mother. Her face was as pale as death. Before I could prevent it, she +came up to me, and taking my hands said,-- + +"Cousin Elsè, only promise me one thing;--if he is to die, let me see +him once more." + +"I dare not promise anything, Eva," I said; "consider the infection!" + +"What will the infection matter to me if he dies?" she said; "I am not +afraid to die." + +"Think of the father and the children, Eva," I said; "If our mother and +I should be seized next, what would they do?" + +"Chriemhild will soon be old enough to take care of them," she said very +calmly; "promise me, promise me, Elsè, or I will see him at once." + +And I promised her, and she threw her arms around me, and kissed me. +Then I went back to Fritz, leaving Eva chafing my mother's hands. It was +of no avail, I thought, to try to keep her from contagion, now that she +had held my hands in hers. + +When I came again to Fritz's bed-side he was asleep! Bitterly I +reproached myself; but what could I have done? He was asleep--sleeping +quietly, with soft, even breathing. I had not courage to awake him; but +I knelt down and implored the blessed Virgin and all the saints to have +mercy on me and spare him. And they must have heard me; for, in spite of +my failure in keeping the physician's orders, Fritz began to recover +from that very sleep. + +Our grandmother says it was a miracle; "unless," she added, "the doctor +was wrong!" + +He awoke from that sleep refreshed and calm, but weak as an infant. + +It was delightful to meet his eyes when first he awoke, with the look of +quiet recognition in them, instead of that wild, fixed stare, or that +restless wandering; to look once more into his heart through his eyes. +He looked at me a long time with a quiet content, without speaking, and +then he said, holding out his hand to me,-- + +"Elsè, you have been watching long here. You look tired; go and rest." + +"It rests me best to look at you," I said, "and see you better." + +He seemed too weak to persist, and after taking some food and cooling +drinks, he fell asleep again, and so did I; for the next thing I was +conscious of was our mother gently placing a pillow underneath my head, +which had sunk on the bed where I had been kneeling, watching Fritz. I +was ashamed of being such a bad nurse; but our mother insisted on my +going to our room to seek rest and refreshment. And for the next few +days we took it in turns to sit beside him, until he began to regain +strength. Then we thought he might like to see Eva; but when she came to +the door, he eagerly motioned her away, and said,-- + +"Do not let her venture near me. Think if I were to bring this judgment +of God on her!" + +Eva turned away, and was out of sight in an instant; but the troubled, +perplexed expression came back into my brother's eyes, and the feverish +flush into his face, and it was long before he seemed calm again. + +I followed Eva. She was sitting with clasped hands in our room. + +"Oh, Elsè," she said, "how altered he is! Are you sure he will live, +even now?" + +I tried to comfort her with the hope which was naturally so much +stronger in me, because I had seen him in the depths from which he was +now slowly rising again to life. But something in that glimpse of him +seemed to weigh on her very life; and as Fritz recovered, Eva seemed to +grow paler and weaker, until the same feverish symptoms came over her +which he had learned so to dread, and then the terrible tokens, the +plague-spots, which could not be doubted, appeared on the fair, soft +arms, and Eva was lying with those dim, fixed, pestilence-veiled eyes, +and the wandering brain. + +For a day we were able to conceal it from Fritz, but no longer. + +On the second evening after Eva was stricken, I found him standing by +the window of his room, looking into the street. I shall never forget +the expression of horror in his eyes as he turned from the window to me. + +"Elsè," he said, "how long have those fires been burning in the streets?" + +"For a week," I said. "They are fires of cypress-wood and juniper, and +myrrh and pine gums. The physicians say they purify the air." + +"I know too well what they are," he said. "And, Elsè," he said, "why is +Master Bürer's house opposite closed?" + +"He has lost two children," I said. + +"And why are those other windows closed all down the street?" he +rejoined. + +"The people have left, brother," I said; "but the doctors hope the worst +is over now." + +"O just God!" he exclaimed, sinking on a chair and covering his face; "I +was flying from thee, and I have brought the curse on my people!" + +Then, after a minute's pause, before I could think of any words to +comfort him, he looked up, and suddenly demanded,-- + +"Who are dead in _this_ house, Elsè?" + +"None, none," I said. + +"Who are stricken?" he asked. + +"All the children and the father are well," I said, "and the mother." + +"Then Eva is stricken!" he exclaimed--"the innocent for the guilty! She +will die and be a saint in heaven, and I, who have murdered her, shall +live, and shall see her no more, for ever and for ever." + +I could not comfort him. The strength of his agony utterly stunned me. I +could only burst into tears, so that he had to try to comfort me. But he +did not speak; he only took my hands in his kindly, as of old, without +saying another word. At length I said-- + +"It is not you who brought the plague, dear Fritz; it is God who sent +it!" + +"I know it is God!" he replied, with such an intense bitterness in his +tone that I did not attempt another sentence. + +That night Eva wandered much as I watched beside her; but her delirium +was quite different from that of Fritz. Her spirit seemed floating away +on a quiet stream into some happy land we could not see. She spoke of a +palace, of a home, of fields of fragrant lilies, of white-robed saints +walking among them with harps and songs, and of One who welcomed her. +Occasionally, too, she murmured snatches of the same Latin hymns that +Fritz had repeated in his delirium, but in a tone so different, so +child-like and happy! If ever she appeared troubled, it was when she +seemed to miss some one, and be searching here and there for them; but +then she often ended with, "Yes, I know they will come; I must wait till +they come." And so at last she fell asleep, as if the thought had +quieted her. + +I could not hinder her sleeping, whatever the physician said; she looked +so placid, and had such a happy smile on her lips. Only once, when she +had lain thus an hour quite still, while her chest seemed scarcely to +heave with her soft, tranquil breathing, I grew alarmed lest she should +glide thus from us into the arms of the holy angels; and I whispered +softly, "Eva, dear Eva!" + +Her lips parted slightly, and she murmured-- + +"Not yet; wait till _they_ can come." + +And then she turned her head again on the pillow, and slept on. + +She awoke quite collected and calm, and then she said quietly-- + +"Where is the mother?" + +"She is resting, darling Eva." + +She gave a little contented smile, and then, in broken words at +intervals, she said-- + +"Now, I should like to see Fritz. You promised I should see him again; +and now if I die, I think he would like to see me once more." + +I went to fetch my brother. He was pacing up and down his room, with the +crucifix clasped to his breast. At first, to my surprise, he seemed very +reluctant to come; but when I said how much she wished it, he followed +me quite meekly into her room. Eva was resuming her old command over us +all. She held out her hand, with a look of such peace and rest on her +face. + +"Cousin Fritz," she said at intervals, as she had strength, "you have +taught me so many things; you have done so much for me! Now I wish you +to learn my sentence, that if I go, it may make you happy, as it does +me." Then very slowly and distinctly she repeated the words--"'_God so +loved the world, that he gave his only Son._' Cousin Fritz," she added, +"I do not know the end of the sentence. I have not been able to find it; +but you must find it. I am sure it comes from a good book, it makes me +love God so much to think of it. Promise me you will find it, if I +should die." + +He promised, and she was quite satisfied. Her strength seemed exhausted, +and in a few moments, with my arms round her as I sat beside her, and +with her hand in Fritz's, she fell into a deep, quiet sleep. + +I felt from that time she would not die, and I whispered very softly to +Fritz-- + +"She will not die; she will recover, and you will not have killed her; +you will have saved her!" + +But when I looked into his face, expecting to meet a thankful, happy +response, I was appalled by the expression there. + +He stood immovable, not venturing to withdraw his hand, but with a +rigid, hopeless look in his worn, pale face, which contrasted terribly +with the smile of deep repose on the sleeping face on which his eyes +were fixed. + +And so he remained until she awoke, when his whole countenance changed +for an instant to return her smile. + +Then he said softly, "God bless you, Eva!" and pressing her hand to his +lips, he left the room. + +When I saw him again that day, I said-- + +"Fritz, you have saved Eva's life! She rallied from the time she saw +you." + +"Yes," he replied, very gently, but with a strange impassiveness in his +face; "I think that may be true. I have saved her." + +But he did not go in her room again; and the next day, to our surprise +and disappointment, he said suddenly that he must leave us. + +He said few words of farewell to any of us, and would not see Eva to +take leave of her. He said it might disturb her. + +But when he kissed me before he went, his hands and his lips were as +cold as death. Yet as I watched him go down the street, he did not once +turn to wave a last good-bye, as he always used to do; but slowly and +steadily he went on till he was out of sight. + +I turned back into the house with a very heavy heart; but when I went to +tell Eva Fritz was gone, and tried to account for his not coming to take +leave of her, because I thought it would give her pain (and it does seem +to me rather strange of Fritz), she looked up with her quiet, trustful, +contented smile, and said,-- + +"I am not at all pained, Cousin Elsè. I know Fritz had good reasons for +it--some good, kind reasons--because he always has; and we shall see him +again as soon as he feels it right to come." + + + + +VI. + +Friedrich's Story. + + + ST. SEBASTIAN, ERFURT, _January_ 20, 1510. + +The irrevocable step is taken. I have entered the Augustinian cloister. +I write in Martin Luther's cell. Truly I have forsaken father and +mother, and all that was dearest to me, to take refuge at the foot of +the cross. I have sacrificed everything on earth to my vocation, and yet +the conflict is not over. I seem scarcely more certain of my vocation +now than while I remained in the world. Doubts buzz around me like +wasps, and sting me on every side. The devil, transforming himself into +an angel of light, perplexes me with the very words of Scripture. The +words of Martin Luther's father recur to me, as if spoken by a divine +voice, "Honour thy father and thy mother!" echoes back to me from the +chants of the choir, and seems written everywhere on the white walls of +my cell. + +And, besides the thunder of these words of God, tender voices seem to +call me back by every plea of duty, not to abandon them to fight the +battle of life alone. Elsè calls me from the old lumber-room, "Fritz' +brother! who is to tell me now what to do?" My mother does not call me +back; but I seem ever to see her tearful eyes, full of reproach and +wonder which she tries to repress, lifted up to heaven for strength; and +her worn, pale face, growing more wan every day. In one voice and one +face only I seem never to hear or see reproach or recall; and yet, +Heaven forgive me, those pure and saintly eyes which seem only to say, +"Go on, Cousin Fritz, God will help thee, and I will pray!"--those +sweet, trustful, heavenly eyes, draw me back to the world with more +power than anything else. + +Is it, then, too late? Have I lingered in the world so long that my +heart can never more be torn from it? Is this the punishment of my +guilty hesitation, that, though I have given my body to the cloister, +God will not have my soul, which evermore must hover like a lost spirit +about the scenes it was too reluctant to leave? Shall I evermore, when I +lift my eyes to heaven, see all that is pure and saintly there embodied +for me in a face which it is deadly sin for me to remember? + +Yet I have saved her life! If I brought the curse on my people by my +sin, was not my obedience accepted? From the hour when, in my room +alone, after hearing that Eva was stricken, I prostrated myself before +God, and not daring to take His insulted name on my lips, approached him +through His martyred saint, and said, "Holy Sebastian, by the arrows +which pierced thy heart, ward off the arrows of pestilence from my home, +and I will become a monk, and change my own guilty name for +thine,"--from that moment did not Eva begin to recover, and from that +time were not all my kindred unscathed? "Cadent a latere tuo mille, et +decem millia a dextris tuis; ad te autem non approprinquabit." Were not +the words literally fulfilled; and while many still fell around us, was +one afterwards stricken in my home? + +Holy Sebastian, infallible protector against pestilence, by thy firmness +when accused, confirm my wavering will; by thy double death, save me +from the second death; by the arrows which could not slay thee, thou +hast saved us from the arrow that flieth by day; by the cruel blows +which sent thy spirit from the circus to paradise, strengthen me against +the blows of Satan; by thy body rescued from ignominious sepulture and +laid in the catacombs among the martyrs, raise me from the filth of sin; +by thy generous pleading for thy fellow sufferers amidst thine own +agonies, help me to plead for those who suffer with me; and by all thy +sorrows, and merits, and joys, plead--oh plead for me, who henceforth +bear thy name! + + ST. SCHOLASTICA, _February_ 10. + +I have been a month in the monastery. Yesterday my first probation was +over, and I was invested with the white garments of the novitiate. + +The whole of the brotherhood were assembled in the church, when, +kneeling before the prior, he asked me solemnly whether I thought my +strength sufficient for the burden I purposed to take on myself. + +In a low, grave voice, he reminded me what those burdens are--the rough +plain clothing; the abstemious living; the broken rest and long vigils; +the toils in the service of the order; the reproach and poverty; the +humiliations of the mendicant; and, above all, the renunciation of +self-will and individual glory, to be a member of the order, bound to do +whatever the superiors command, and to go whithersoever they direct. + +"With God for my help," I could venture to say, "of this will I make +trial." + +Then the prior replied,-- + +"We receive thee, therefore, on probation for one year; and may God, who +has begun a good work in thee, carry it on unto perfection." + +The whole brotherhood responded in a deep amen, and then all the voices +joined in the hymn,-- + + + "Magna Pater Augustine, preces nostras suscipe, + Et per eas conditori nos placare satage. + Atque rege gregem tuum, summum decus præsulum. + + Amatorem paupertatis, te collaudant pauperes; + Assertorem veritatis amant veri judices; + Frangis nobis favos mellis de Scripturis disserens. + + Quæ obscura prius erant nobis plana faciens, + Tu de verbis Salvatoris dulcem panem conficis, + Et propinas potum vitæ de psalmorum nectare. + + Tu de vita clericorum sanctam scribis regulam, + Quam qui amant et sequunter viam tenent regiam, + Atque tuo sancto ductu redeunt ad patriam. + + Regi regum salis, vita, decus et emperium; + Trinitati laus et honor sit per omne sæculum, + Qui concives nos ascribat supernorum civium."[5] + +[Footnote 5: + + "Great Father Augustine, receive our prayers, + And through them effectually reconcile the Creator; + And rule thy flock, the highest glory of rulers. + + The poor praise thee, lover of poverty; + True judges love thee, defender of truth; + Breaking the honeycomb of the honey of Scripture, thou distributest + it to us. + + Making smooth to us what before was obscure; + Thou, from the words of the Saviour, furnishest us with wholesome + bread, + And givest to drink draughts of life from the nectar of the psalms. + + Thou writest the holy rule for the life of priests, + Which, whosoever love and follow, keep the royal road, + And by thy holy leading return to their fatherland. + + Salvation to the King of kings, life, glory, and dominion; + Honour and praise be to the Trinity throughout all ages, + To Him who declareth us to be fellow-citizens with the citizens of + heaven."] + +As the sacred words were chanted, they mingled strangely in my mind with +the ceremonies of the investiture. My hair was shorn with the clerical +tonsure; my secular dress was laid aside; the garments of the novice +were thrown on; and I was girded with the girdle of rope, whilst the +prior murmured softly to me, that with the new robes I must put on the +new man. + +Then, as the last notes of the hymn died away, I knelt and bowed low to +receive the prior's blessing, invoked in these words:-- + +"May God who hath converted this young man from the world, and given him +a mansion in heaven, grant that his daily walk may be as becometh his +calling; and that he may have cause to be thankful for what has this day +been done." + +Versicles were then chanted responsively by the monks, who, forming in +procession, moved towards the choir, where we all prostrated ourselves +in silent prayer. + +After this they conducted me to the great hall of the cloister, where +all the brotherhood bestowed on me the kiss of peace. + +Once more I knelt before the prior, who reminded me that he who +persevereth to the end shall be saved; and gave me over to the direction +of the preceptor, whom the new Vicar-General Staupitz has ordered to be +appointed to each novice. + +Thus the first great ceremony of my monastic life is over, and it has +left me with a feeling of blank and disappointment. It has made no +change that I can feel in my heart. It has not removed the world further +off from me. It has only raised another impassable barrier between me +and all that was dearest to me;--impassable as an ocean without ships, +infrangible as the strongest iron, I am determined my _will_ shall make +it; but to my _heart_, alas! thin as gossamer, since every faintest, +wistful tone of love, which echoes from the past, can penetrate it and +pierce me with sorrow. + +My preceptor is very strict in enforcing the rules order. Trespasses +against the rules are divided into four classes,--small, great, greater, +and greatest, to each of which is assigned a different degree of +penance. Among the smaller are, failing to go to church as soon as the +sign is given, forgetting to touch the ground instantly with the hand +and to smite the breast if in reading in the choir or in singing the +least error is committed; looking about during the service; omitting +prostration at the Annunciation or at Christmas; neglecting the +benediction in coming in or going out; failing to return books or +garments to their proper places; dropping food; spilling drink; +forgetting to say grace before eating. Among the great trespasses are: +contending, breaking the prescribed silence at fasts, and looking at +women, or speaking to them, except in brief replies. + +The minute rules are countless. It is difficult at first to learn the +various genuflexions, inclinations, and prostrations. The novices are +never allowed to converse except in presence of the prior, are forbidden +to take any notice of visitors, are enjoined to walk with downcast eyes, +to read the Scriptures diligently, to bow low in receiving every gift, +and say, "The Lord be praised in his gifts." + +How Brother Martin, with his free, bold, daring nature, bore those +minute restrictions, I know not. To me there is a kind of dull, +deadening relief in them, they distract my thoughts, or prevent my +thinking. + +Yet it must be true, my obedience will aid my kindred more than all my +toil could ever have done whilst disobediently remaining in the world. +It is not a selfish seeking of my own salvation and ease which has +brought me here, whatever some may think and say, as they did of Martin +Luther. I think of that ship in the picture at Magdeburg he so often +told me of. Am I not in it,--actually _in_ it _now_? and shall I not +hereafter, when my strength is recovered from the fatigue of reaching +it, hope to lean over and stretch out my arms to them, still struggling +in the waves of this bitter world? and save them! + +Save them; yes, save their souls! Did not my vow save precious lives? +And shall not my fastings, vigils, disciplines, prayers be as effectual +for their souls? And, then, hereafter, in heaven, where those dwell who, +in virgin purity, have followed the Lamb, shall I not lean over the +jasper-battlements and help them from Purgatory up the steep sides of +Paradise, and be first at the gate to welcome them in! And then, in +Paradise, where love will no longer be in danger of becoming sin, may we +not be together for ever and for ever? And then, shall I regret that I +abandoned the brief polluted joys of earth for the pure joys of +eternity? Shall I lament _then_ that I chose, according to my vocation, +to suffer apart from them that their souls might be saved, rather than +to toil with them for the perishing body? + +Then! _then!_ I, a saint in the City of God! I, a hesitating, sinful +novice in the Augustinian monastery at Erfurt, who, after resisting for +years, have at last yielded up my body to the cloister, but have no more +power than ever to yield up my heart to God! + +Yet I am _in_ the sacred vessel; the rest will surely follow. Do all +monks have such a conflict? No doubt the Devil fights hard for every +fresh victim he loses. It is, it must be, the Devil who beckons me +through those dear faces, who calls me through those familiar voices; +for _they_ would never call me back. They would hide their pain, and +say, "Go to God, if he calls thee; leave us and go to God." Elsè, my +mother, all would say that; if their hearts broke in trying to say it! + +Had Martin Luther such thoughts in this very cell? If they are from the +Evil One, I think he had, for his assaults are strongest against the +noblest; and yet I scarcely think he can have had such weak doubts as +these which haunt me. He was not one of those who draw back to +perdition; nor even of those who, having put their hand to the plough, +_look_ back, as I, alas! am so continually doing. And what does the +Scripture say of such?--"They are not fit for the kingdom of God." No +exception, no reserve--monk, priest, saint; if a man _look_ back, he is +not fit for the kingdom of God. Then what becomes of my hopes of +Paradise, or of acquiring merits which may aid others? _Turn back_, draw +back, I will _never_, although all the devils were to drive me, or all +the world entice me, but _look_ back, who can help that? If a look can +kill, what can save? Mortification, crucifixion, not for a day, but +daily;--I must die daily; I must be _dead_--dead to the world. This cell +must to me be as a tomb, where all that was most living in my heart must +die and be buried. Was it so to Martin Luther? Is the cloister that to +those bands of rosy, comfortable monks, who drink beer from great cans, +and feast on the best of the land, and fast on the choicest fish? The +Tempter! the Tempter again! Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. + + + ST. EULALIA, ERFURT, _February_ 12, 1510. + +To-day one of the older monks came to me, seeing me, I suppose, look +downcast and sad, and said, "Fear not, Brother Sebastian, the strife is +often hard at first; but remember the words of St. Jerome: 'Though thy +father should lie before thy door weeping and lamenting, though thy +mother should show thee the body that bore thee, and the breasts that +nursed thee, see that thou trample them under foot, and go on +straightway to Christ.'" + +I bowed my head, according to rule, in acknowledgment of his +exhortation, and I suppose he thought his words comforted and +strengthened me; but Heaven knows the conflict they awakened in my heart +when I sat alone to-night in my cell. "Cruel, bitter, wicked words!" my +earthly heart would say; my sinful heart, that vigils, scourging, +scarcely death itself, I fear, can kill. Surely, at least, the holy +father Jerome spoke of heathen fathers and mothers. My mother would not +show her anguish to win me back; she would say, "My son, my first-born, +God bless thee; I give thee freely up to God." Does she not say so in +this letter which I have in her handwriting,--which I have and dare not +look at, because of the storm of memories it brings rushing on my heart? + +Is there a word of reproach or remonstrance in her letter? If there +were, I would read it; it would strengthen me. The saints had that to +bear. It is because those holy, tender words echo in my heart, from a +voice weak with feeble health, that day by day and hour by hour, my +heart goes back to the home at Eisenach, and sees them toiling unaided +in the daily struggle for bread, to which I have abandoned them, +unsheltered and alone. + +Then at times the thought comes, Am I, after all, a dreamer, as I have +sometimes ventured to think my father,--neglecting my plain, daily task +for some Atlantis? and if my Atlantis is in Paradise instead of beyond +the ocean, does that make so much difference? + +If Brother Martin were only here, he might understand and help me; but +he has now been nearly two years at Wittemberg, where he is, they say, +to lecture on theology at the Elector's new university, and to be +preacher. The monks seem nearly as proud of him as the University of +Erfurt was. + +Yet, perhaps, after all, he might _not_ understand my perplexities. His +nature was so firm and straightforward and strong. He would probably +have little sympathy with wavering hearts and troubled consciences like +mine. + + + _March_ 7.--SS. PERPETUA AND FELICITAS.-- + ERFURT, AUGUSTINIAN CLOISTER. + +To-day I have been out on my first quest for alms. It seemed very +strange at first to be begging at familiar doors, with the frock and the +convent sack on my shoulders; but although I tottered a little at times +under the weight as it grew heavy (for the plague and fasting have left +me weak), I returned to the cloister feeling better and easier in mind, +and more hopeful as to my vocation, than I had done for some days. +Perhaps, however, the fresh air had something to do with it, and, after +all, it was only a little bodily exultation. But certainly such bodily +loads and outward mortifications are not the burdens which weigh the +spirit down. There seemed a luxury in the half-scornful looks of some of +my former fellow-students, and in the contemptuous tossing to me of +scraps of meat by some grudging hands; just as a tight pressure, which, +in itself would be pain were we at ease, is relief to severe pain. + +Perhaps, also, O holy Perpetua and Felicitas, whose day it is, and +especially thou, O holy Perpetua, who, after encouraging thy sons to die +for Christ, was martyred thyself, hast pleaded for my forsaken mother +and for me, and sendest me this day some ray of hope. + + + ST. JOSEPH.--_March_ 19.-- + AUGUSTINIAN CLOISTER, ERFURT. + +St. Joseph, whom I have chosen to be one of the twenty-one patrons whom +I especially honour, hear and aid me to-day. Thou whose glory it was to +have no glory, but meekly to aid others to win their higher crowns, give +me also some humble place on high; and not to me alone, but to those +also whom I have left still struggling in the stormy seas of this +perilous world. + +Here, in the sacred calm of the cloister, surely at length the heart +must grow calm, and cease to beat except with the life of the universal +Church,--the feasts in the calendar becoming its events. But when will +that be to me? + + + _March_ 20. + +Has Brother Martin attained this repose yet? An aged monk sat with me in +my cell yesterday, who told me strange tidings of him, which have given +me some kind of bitter comfort. + +It seems that the monastic life did not at once bring repose into his +heart. + +This aged monk was Brother Martin's confessor, and he has also been +given to me for mine. In his countenance there is such a peace as I long +for;--not a still, death-like peace, as if he had fallen into it after +the conflict; but a living, kindly peace, as if he had won it through +the conflict, and enjoyed it even while the conflict lasted. + +It does not seem to me that Brother Martin's scruples and doubts were +exactly like mine. Indeed, my confessor says that in all the years he +has exercised his office, he has never found two troubled hearts +troubled exactly alike. + +I do not know that Brother Martin doubted his vocation, or looked back +to the world; but he seems to have suffered agonies of inward torture. +His conscience was so quick and tender, that the least sin wounded him +as if it had been the grossest crime. He invoked the saints most +devoutly--choosing, as I have done from his example, twenty-one saints, +and invoking three every day, so as to honour each every week. He read +mass every day, and had an especial devotion for the blessed Virgin. He +wasted his body with fastings and watching. He never intentionally +violated the minutest rule of the order; and yet the more he strove, the +more wretched he seemed to be. Like a musician whose ear is cultivated +to the highest degree, the slightest discord was torture to him. Can it +then be God's intention that the growth of our spiritual life is only +growing sensitiveness to pain? Is this true growth?--or is it that +monstrous development of one faculty at the expense of others, which is +deformity or disease? + +The confessor said thoughtfully, when I suggested this-- + +"The world is out of tune, my son, and the heart is out of tune. The +more our souls vibrate truly to the music of heaven, the more, perhaps, +they must feel the discords of earth. At least it was so with Brother +Martin; until at last, omitting a prostration or a genuflexion would +weigh on his conscience like a crime. Once, after missing him for some +time, we went to the door of his cell, and knocked. It was barred, and +all our knocking drew no response. We broke open the door at last, and +found him stretched senseless on the floor. We only succeeded in +reviving him by strains of sacred music, chanted by the choristers, whom +we brought to his cell. He always dearly loved music, and believed it to +have a strange potency against the wiles of the devil." + +"He must have suffered grievously," I said. "I suppose it is by such +sufferings merit is acquired to aid others." + +"He did suffer agonies of mind," replied the old monk. "Often he would +walk up and down the cold corridors for nights together." + +"Did nothing comfort him?" I asked. + +"Yes, my son; some words I once said to him comforted him greatly. Once, +when I found him in an agony of despondency in his cell, I said, +'Brother Martin, dost thou believe in "the forgiveness of sins," as +saith the Creed?' His face lighted up at once." + +"The forgiveness of sins!" I repeated slowly. "Father, I also believe in +that. But forgiveness only follows on contrition, confession, and +penance. How can I ever be sure that I have been sufficiently contrite, +that I have made an honest and complete confession, or that I have +performed my penance aright?" + +"Ah, my son," said the old man, "these were exactly Brother Martin's +perplexities, and I could only point him to the crucified Lord, and +remind him again of the forgiveness of sins. All we do is incomplete, +and when the blessed Lord says He forgiveth sins, I suppose He means the +sins of _sinners_, who sin in their confession as in everything else. My +son, He is more compassionate than you think, perhaps than any of us +think. At least this is my comfort; and if, when I stand before Him at +last, I find I have made a mistake, and thought Him more compassionate +than He is, I trust He will pardon me. It can scarcely, I think, grieve +Him so much as declaring Him to be a hard master would." + +I did not say anything more to the old man. His words so evidently were +strength and joy to him, that I could not venture to question them +further. To me, also, they have given a gleam of hope. And yet, if the +way is not rough and difficult, and if it is not a hard thing to please +Almighty God, why all those severe rules and renunciations--those heavy +penances for trifling offences? + +Merciful we know He is. But the emperor may be merciful; and yet, if a +peasant were to attempt to enter the imperial presence without the +prescribed forms, would he not be driven from the palace with curses, at +the point of the sword? And what are those rules at the court of heaven? + +If perfect purity of heart and life, who can lay claim to that? + +If a minute attention to the rules of an order such as this of St. +Augustine, who can be sure of having never failed in this? The +inattention which caused the neglect would probably let it glide from +the memory. And then, what is the worth of confession? + +Christ is the Saviour, but only of those who follow him. There _is_ +forgiveness of sins, but only for those who make adequate confession. I, +alas! have not followed him fully. What priest on earth can assure me I +have ever confessed fully? + +Therefore I see Him merciful, gracious, holy--a Saviour, but seated on a +high throne, where I can never be sure petitions of mine will reach him; +and, alas! one day to be seated on a great white throne, whence it is +too sure his summoning voice will reach me. + +Mary, mother of God, Virgin of virgins, mother of divine grace--holy +Sebastian and all martyrs--great father Augustine and all holy doctors, +intercede for me, that my penances may be accepted as a satisfaction for +my sins, and may pacify my Judge. + + + _March_ 25.--ANNUNCIATION OF THE HOLY VIRGIN. + +My preceptor has put into my hands the Bible bound in red morocco which +Brother Martin, he says, used to read so much. I am to study it in all +the intervals which the study of the fathers, expeditions for begging, +the services of the Church, and the menial offices in the house which +fall to the share of novices, allow. These are not many. I have never +had a Bible in my hands before, and the hours pass quickly indeed in my +cell which I can spend in reading it. The preceptor, when he comes to +call me for the midnight service, often finds me still reading. + +It is very different from what I expected. There is nothing oratorical +in it, there are no laboured disquisitions, and no minute rules, at +least in the New Testament. + +I wish sometimes I had lived in the Old Jewish times, when there was one +temple wherein to worship, certain definite feasts to celebrate, certain +definite ceremonial rules to keep. + +If I could have stood in the Temple courts on that great day of +atonement, and seen the victim slain, and watched till the high priest +came out from the holy place with his hands lifted up in benediction, I +should have known absolutely that God was satisfied, and returned to my +home in peace. Yes, to my _home_! there were no monasteries, apparently, +in those Jewish times. Family life was God's appointment then, and +family affections had his most solemn sanctions. + +In the New Testament, on the contrary, I cannot find any of those +definite rules. It is all addressed to the heart; and who can make the +heart right? I suppose it is the conviction of this which has made the +Church since then restore many minute rules and discipline, in imitation +of the Jewish ceremonial; for in the Gospels and Epistles I can find no +ritual, ceremonial, or definite external rules of any kind. + +What advantage, then, has the New Testament over the old? Christ has +come. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." This +_ought_ surely to make a great difference between us and the Jews. But +how? + + + _April_ 9.--ST. GREGORY OF NYSSA. + +I have found, in my reading to-day, the end of Eva's sentence--"God so +loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, _that whosoever +believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life_." + +How simple the words are!--"Believeth;" that would mean, in any other +book, "trusteth," "has reliance" in Christ;--simply to confide in him, +and then receive his promise not to perish. + +But _here_--in this book, in theology--it is necessarily impossible that +believing can mean anything so simple as that; because, at that rate, +any one who merely came to the Lord Jesus Christ in confiding trust +would have everlasting life, without any further conditions; and this is +obviously out of the question. + +For what can be more simple than to confide in one worthy of confidence? +and what can be greater than everlasting life? + +And yet we know, from all the teaching of the doctors and fathers of the +Church, that nothing is more difficult than obtaining everlasting life; +and that, for this reason, monastic orders, pilgrimages, penances, have +been multiplied from century to century; for this reason saints have +forsaken every earthly joy, and inflicted on themselves every possible +torment;--all to obtain everlasting life, which, if this word +"believeth" meant here what it would mean anywhere but in theology, +would be offered freely to every petitioner. + +Wherefore it is clear that "believeth," in the Scriptures, means +something entirely different from what it does in any secular book, and +must include contrition, confession, penance, satisfaction, +mortification of the flesh, and all else necessary to salvation. + +Shall I venture to send this end of Eva's sentence to her? + +It might mislead her. Dare I for her sake?--dare I still more for my +own? + +One hour I have sat before this question; and whither has my heart +wandered? What confession can retrace the flood of bitter thoughts which +have rushed over me in this one hour? + +I had watched her grow from childhood into early womanhood; and until +these last months, until that week of anguish, I had thought of her as a +creature between a child and an angel. I had loved her as a sister who +had yet a mystery and a charm about her different from a sister. Only +when it seemed that death might separate us did it burst upon me that +there was something in my affection for her which made her not one among +others, but in some strange sacred sense the only one on earth to me. + +And as I recovered came the hopes I must never more recall, which made +all life like the woods in spring, and my heart like a full river set +free from its ice-fetters, and flowing through the world in a tide of +blessing. + +I thought of a home which might be, I thought of a sacrament which +should transubstantiate all life into a symbol of heaven, a home which +was to be peaceful and sacred as a church, because of the meek and pure, +and heavenly creature who should minister and reign there. + +An then came to me that terrible vision of a city smitten by the +pestilence which I had brought, with the recollection of the impulse I +had had in the forest at midnight, and more than once since then, to +take the monastic vows. I felt I was like Jonah flying from God; yet +still I hesitated until she was stricken. And then I yielded. I vowed if +she were saved I would become a monk. + +Not till she was stricken, whose loss would have made the whole world a +blank to me: not till the sacrifice was worthless,--did I make it! And +will God accept such a sacrifice as this? + +At least Brother Martin had not this to reproach himself with. He did +not delay his conversion until his whole being had become possessed by +an image no prayers can erase; nay, which prayer and holy meditations on +heaven itself, only rivet on the heart, as the purest reflection of +heaven memory can recall. + +Brother Martin, at least did not trifle with his vocation until too +late. + + + + +VII. + +Elsè's Story. + + + _January_ 23. + +It is too plain now why Fritz would not look back as he went down the +street. He thought it would be looking back from the kingdom of God. + +The kingdom of God, then, is the cloister, and the world, _we_ are +that!--father, mother, brothers, sisters, friends, home, that is the +world! I shall never understand it. For if all my younger brothers say +is true, either all the priests and monks are not in the kingdom of God, +or the kingdom of God is strangely governed here on earth. + +Fritz was helping us all so much. He would have been the stay of our +parents' old age. He was the example and admiration of the boys, and the +pride and delight of us all; and to _me_! My heart grows so bitter when +I write about it, I seem to hate and reproach every one. Every one but +Fritz; I cannot, of course, hate him. But why was all that was gentlest +and noblest in him made to work towards this last dreadful step? + +If our father had only been more successful, Fritz need not have entered +on that monastic foundation at Erfurt, which made his conscience so +sensitive; if my mother had only not been so religious, and taught us to +reverence Aunt Agnes as so much better than herself, he might never have +thought of the monastic life; if I had been more religious he might have +confided more in me, and I might have induced him to pause, at least, a +few years before taking this unalterable step. If Eva had not been so +wilful, and insisted on braving the contagion from me, she might never +have been stricken, and that vow might not yet, might never have been +taken. If God had not caused him so innocently to bring the pestilence +among us! But I must not dare to say another word of complaint, or it +will become blasphemy. Doubtless it is God who has willed to bring all +this misery on us; and to rebel against God is a deadly sin. As Aunt +Agnes said, "The Lord is a jealous God," he will not suffer us to make +idols. We must love him best, first, alone. We must make a great void in +our heart by renouncing all earthly affections, that he may fill it. We +must mortify the flesh, that we may live. What, then, is the flesh? I +suppose all our natural affections, which the monks call our fleshly +lusts. These Fritz has renounced. Then if all our natural affections are +to die in us, what is to live in us? The "spiritual life," they say in +some of the sermons, and "the love of God." But are not my natural +affections my _heart_; and if I am not to love God with my heart, with +the heart with which I love my father and mother, what am I to love him +with? + +It seems to me, the love of God to us is something quite different from +any human being's love to us. + +When human beings love us they like to have us with them; they delight +to make us happy; they delight in our being happy, whether they make us +so or not, if it is a right happiness, a happiness that does us good. + +But with God's love it must be quite different. He warns us not on any +account to come too near Him. We have to place priests, and saints, and +penances between us and Him, and then approach Him with the greatest +caution, lest, after all, it should be in the wrong way, and He should +be angry. And, instead of delighting in our happiness, He is never so +much pleased as when we renounce all the happiness of our life, and make +other people wretched in doing so, as Fritz, our own Fritz, has just +done. + +Therefore, also, no doubt, the love God requires we should feel for Him +is something entirely different from the love we give each other. It +must, I suppose, be a serious, severe, calm adoration, too sublime to +give either joy or sorrow, such as had left its stamp on Aunt Agnes's +grave impassive face. I can never, never even attempt to attain to it. +Certainly at present I have no time to think of it. + +Thank Heaven, thou livest still, mother of mercy! In _thy_ face there +have been tears, real, bitter, human tears; in _thine_ eyes there have +been smiles of joy, real, simple, human joy. Thou wilt understand and +have pity. Yet oh, couldst not thou, even thou, sweet mother, have +reminded him of the mother he has left to battle on alone? thou who art +a mother, and didst bend over a cradle, and hadst a little lowly home at +Nazareth once? + +But I know my own mother would not even herself have uttered a word to +keep Fritz back. When first we heard of it, and I entreated her to write +and remonstrate, although the tears were streaming from her eyes, she +said, "Not a word, Elsè, not a syllable. Shall not I give my son up +freely to Him who gave him to me. God might have called him away from +earth altogether when he lay smitten with the plague, and shall I grudge +him to the cloister? I shall see him again," she added, "once or twice +at least. When he is consecrated priest, shall I not have joy then, and +see him in his white robes at the altar, and, perhaps, even receive my +Creator from his hands!" + +"Once or twice!--O mother!" I sobbed, "and in church, amongst hundreds +of others! What pleasure will there be in that?" + +"Elsè," she said softly, but with a firmness unusual with her, "my +child, do not say another word. Once I myself had some faint inclination +to the cloister, which, if I had nourished it, might have grown into a +vocation. But I saw your father, and I neglected it. And see what +troubles my children have to bear! Has there not also been a kind of +fatal spell on all your father's inventions? Perhaps God will at last +accept from me in my son what I withheld in myself, and will be pacified +towards us, and send us better days; and then your father's great +invention will be completed yet. But do not say anything of what I told +you to him!" + +I have never seen our father so troubled about anything. + +"Just as he was able to understand my projects!" he said, "and I would +have bequeathed them all to him!" + +For some days he never touched a model! but now he has crept back to his +old follies and his instruments, and tells us there was something in +Fritz's horoscope which might have prepared us for this, had he only +understood it a little before. However, this discovery, although too +late to warn us of the blow, consoles our father, and he has resumed his +usual occupations. + +Eva looks very pale and fragile, partly, no doubt, from the effects of +the pestilence; but when first the rumour reached us, I sought some +sympathy from her, and said, "O Eva, how strange it seems, when Fritz +always thought of us before himself, to abandon us all thus without one +word of warning." + +"Cousin Elsè," she said, "Fritz has done now as he always does. He _has_ +thought of us first, I am as sure of it as if I could hear him say so. +He thought he would serve us best by leaving us thus, or he would never +have left us." + +She understood him best of all, as she so often does. When his letter +came to our mother, it gave just the reasons she had often told me she +was sure had moved him. + +It is difficult to tell what Eva feels, because of that strange inward +peace in her which seems always to flow under all her other feelings. + +I have not seen her shed any tears at all; and whilst I can scarcely +bear to enter our dear old lumber-room, or to do anything I did with +him, her great delight seems to be to read every book he liked, and to +learn and repeat every hymn she learned with him. + +Eva and the mother cling very closely together. She will scarcely let my +mother do any household work, but insists on sharing every laborious +task which hitherto we have kept her from, because of her slight and +delicate frame. + +It is true I rise early to save them all the work I can, because they +have neither of them half the strength I have, and I enjoy stirring +about. Thoughts come so much more bitterly on me when I am sitting +still. + +But when I am kneading the dough, or pounding the clothes with stones in +the stream on washing-days, I feel as I were pounding at all my +perplexities; and that makes my hands stronger and my perplexities more +shadowy, until even now I find myself often singing as I am wringing the +clothes by the stream. It is so pleasant in the winter sunshine, with +the brook babbling among the rushes and cresses, and little Thekla +prattling by my side, and pretending to help. + +But when I have finished my day's work, and come into the house, I find +the mother and Eva sitting close side by side; and perhaps Eva is silent +and my mother brushes tears away as they fall on her knitting; but when +they look up, their faces are calm and peaceful, and then I know they +have been talking about Fritz. + + + EISENACH, _February_ 2. + +Yesterday afternoon I found Eva translating a Latin hymn he loved, to +our mother, and then she sang it through in her sweet clear voice. It +was about the dear, dear country in heaven, and Jerusalem the Golden. + +In the evening I said to her-- + +"O Eva, how can you bear to sing the hymns Fritz loved so dearly? I +could not sing a line steadily of any song he had cared to hear me sing! +And he delighted always so much to listen to you. His voice would echo +'never, never more' to every note I sung, and the songs would all end in +sobs." + +"But I do not feel separated from Fritz, Cousin Elsè," she said, "and I +never shall. Instead of hearing that melancholy chant you think of, +'never, never more' echo from all the hymns he loved, I always seem to +hear his voice responding, 'For ever and for evermore.' And I think of +the time when we shall sing them together again." + +"Do you mean in heaven, Eva?" I said, "that is so very far off, if we +ever reach it--" + +"Not so very far off, Cousin Elsè," she said. "I often think it is very +near. If it were not so, how could the angels be so much with us and yet +with God?" + +"But life seems so long, now Fritz is gone." + +"Not so very long, Cousin Elsè," she said. "I often think it may be very +short, and often I pray it may." + +"Eva!" I exclaimed, "you surely do not pray that you may die?" + +"Why not?" she said, very quietly. "I think if God took us to himself, +we might help those we love better there than at Eisenach, or perhaps +even in the convent. And it is there we shall meet again, and there are +never any partings. My father told me so," she added, "before he died." + +Then I understood how Eva mourns for Fritz, and why she does not weep; +but I could only say-- + +"O Eva, do not pray to die. There are all the saints in heaven: and you +help us so much more here!" + + + _February_ 8. + +I cannot feel at all reconciled to losing Fritz, nor do I think I ever +shall. Like all the other troubles, it was no doubt meant to do me good; +but it does me none, I am sure, although of course, that is my fault. +What did me good was being happy, as I was when Fritz came back; and +that is passed for ever. + +My great comfort is our grandmother. The mother and Eva look on +everything from such sublime heights; but my grandmother feels more as I +do. Often, indeed, she speaks very severely of Fritz, which always does +me good, because, of course, I defend him, and then she becomes angry, +and says we are an incomprehensible family, and have the strangest ideas +of right and wrong, from my father downward, she ever heard of; and then +I grow angry, and say my father is the best and wisest man in the +Electoral States. Then our grandmother begins to lament over her poor, +dear daughter, and the life she has led, and rejoices, in a plaintive +voice, that she herself has nearly done with the world altogether; and +then I try to comfort her, and say that I am sure there is not much in +the world to make any one wish to stay in it; and, having reached this +point of despondency, we both cry and embrace each other, and she says I +am a poor, good child, and Fritz was always the delight of her heart, +which I know very well;--and thus we comfort each other. We have, +moreover, solemnly resolved, our grandmother and I, that, whatever comes +of it, we will never call Fritz anything but Fritz. + +"Brother Sebastian, indeed!" she said, "your mother might as well take a +new husband as your brother a new name! Was not she married, and was not +he christened in church? Is not Friedrich a good, honest name, which +hundreds of your ancestors have borne? And shall we call him instead a +heathen foreign name, that none of your kindred were ever known by?" + +"Not heathen, grandmother," I ventured to suggest. "You remember telling +us of the martyrdom of St. Sebastian by the heathen emperor?" + +"Do you contradict me, child?" she exclaimed. + +"Did I not know the whole martyrology before your mother was born? I say +it is a heathen name. No blame to the saint if his parents were poor +benighted Pagans, and knew no better name to give him; but that our +Fritz should adopt it instead of his own is a disgrace. My lips at least +are too old to learn such new fashioned nonsense. I shall call him the +name I called him at the font and in his cradle, and no other." + +Yes, Fritz! Fritz! he is to us, and shall be always. Fritz in our hearts +till death! + + + _February_ 15. + +We have just heard that Fritz has finished his first month of probation, +and has been invested with the frock of the novice. I hate to think of +his thick, dark, waving hair clipped in the circle of the tonsure. But +the worst part of it is the effect of his becoming a monk has had on the +other boys, Christopher and Pollux. + +They, who before this thought Fritz the model of everything good and +great, seem repelled from all religion now. I have difficulty even in +getting them to church. + +Christopher said to me the other day-- + +"Elsè, why is a man who suddenly deserts his family to become a soldier +called a villain, while the man who deserts those who depend on him to +become a monk is called a saint?" + +It is very unfortunate the boys should come to me with their religious +perplexities, because I am so perplexed myself, I have no idea how to +answer them. I generally advise them to ask Eva. + +This time I could only say, as our grandmother had so often said to +me,-- + +"You must wait till you are older, and then you will understand." But I +added, "Of course it is quite different: one leaves his home for God, +and the other for the world." + +But Christopher is the worst, and he continued,-- + +"Sister Elsè, I do not like the monks at all. You and Eva and our mother +have no idea how wicked many of them are. Reinhardt says he has seen +them drunk often, and heard them swear, and that some of them make a +jest even of the mass, and that the priests' houses are not fit for any +honest maiden to visit, and,-- + +"Reinhardt is a bad boy," I said, colouring; "and I have often told you +I do not want to hear anything he says." + +"But I, at all events, shall never become a monk or a priest," retorted +Christopher; "I think the merchants are better. Woman cannot understand +about these things," he added, loftily, "and it is better they should +not; but I know; and I intend to be a merchant or a soldier." + +Christopher and Pollux are fifteen, and Fritz is two-and-twenty; but +_he_ never talked in that lofty way to me about women not understanding! + +It did make me indignant to hear Christopher, who is always tearing his +clothes, and getting into scrapes, and perplexing us to get him out of +them, comparing himself with Fritz, and looking down on his sisters; and +I said, "It is only _boys_ who talk scornfully of women. Men, true men, +honour women." + +"The monks do not!" retorted Christopher. "I have heard them say things +myself worse than I have ever said about any woman. Only last Sunday, +did not Father Boniface say half the mischief in the world had been done +by women, from Eve to Helen and Cleopatra?" + +"Do not mention our mother Eve with those heathens, Christopher," said +our grandmother, coming to my rescue, from her corner by the stove. "Eve +is in the Holy Scriptures, and many of these pagans are not fit for +people to speak of. Half the saints are women, you know very well. +Peasants and traders," she added sublimely, "may talk slightingly of +women; but no man can be a true knight who does." + +"The monks do!" muttered Christopher doggedly. + +"I have nothing to say about the monks," rejoined our grandmother +tartly. And accepting this imprudent concession of our grandmother's +Christopher retired from the contest. + + + _March_ 25. + +I have just been looking at two letters addressed to Father Johann +Braun, one of our Eisenach priests, by Martin Luther. They were +addressed to him as "the holy and venerable priest of Christ and of +Mary." So much I could understand, and also that he calls himself +Brother Martin Luther, not Brother Augustine, a name he assumed on first +entering the cloister. Therefore certainly, I may call our Fritz, +Brother Friedrich Cotta. + + + _March_ 29, 1510. + +A young man was at Aunt Ursula Cotta's this evening, who told us strange +things about the doings at Annaberg. + +Dr. Tetzel has been there two years, selling the papal indulgences to +the people; and lately, out of regard, he says, to the great piety of +the German people, he has reduced their price. + +There was a great deal of discussion about it, which I rather regretted +the boys were present to hear. My father said indulgences did not mean +forgiveness of sins, but only remission of certain penances which the +Church had imposed. But the young man from Annaberg told us that Dr. +John Tetzel solemnly assured the people, that since it was impossible +for them, on account of their sins, to make satisfaction to God by their +works, our Holy Father the Pope, who has the control of all the treasury +of merits accumulated by the Church throughout the ages, now graciously +sells those merits to any who will buy, and thereby bestows on them +forgiveness of sins (even of sins which no other priest can absolve), +and a certain entrance into eternal life. + +The young man said, also, that the great red cross has been erected in +the nave of the principal church, with the crown of thorns, the nails, +and spear suspended from it, and that at times it has been granted to +the people even to see the blood of the Crucified flow from the cross. +Beneath this cross are the banners of the Church, and the papal +standard, with the triple crown. Before it is the large, strong iron +money chest. On one side stands the pulpit, where Dr. Tetzel preaches +daily, and exhorts the people to purchase this inestimable favour while +yet there is time, for themselves and their relations in purgatory,--and +translates the long parchment mandate of the Lord Pope, with the papal +seals hanging from it. On the other side is a table, where sit several +priests, with pen, ink, and writing desk, selling the indulgence +tickets, and counting the money into boxes. Lately he told us, not only +have the prices been reduced, but at the end of the letter affixed to +the churches, it is added, "_Pauperibus dentur gratis_." + +"Freely to the poor!" That certainly would suit us! And if I had only +time to make a pilgrimage to Annaberg, if this is the kind of religion +that pleases God, it certainly might be attainable even for me. + +If Fritz had only known it before, he need not have made that miserable +vow. A journey to Annaberg would have more than answered the purpose. + +Only, if the Pope has such inestimable treasures at his disposal, why +could he not always give them "freely to the poor," always and +everywhere? + +But I know it is a sin to question what the Lord Pope does. I might +almost as well question what the Lord God Almighty does. For He also, +who gave those treasures to the Pope, is He not everywhere, and could He +not give them freely to us direct? It is plain these are questions too +high for me. + +I am not the only one perplexed by those indulgences, however. My mother +says it is not the way she was taught, and she had rather keep to the +old paths. Eva said, "If I were the Lord Pope, and had such a treasure, +I think I could not help instantly leaving my palace and my beautiful +Rome, and going over the mountains and over the seas, into every city +and every village; every hut in the forests, and every room in the +lowest streets, that none might miss the blessing, although I had to +walk barefoot, and never saw holy Rome again." + +"But then," said our father, "the great church at St. Peter's would +never be built. It is on that, you know, the indulgence money is to be +spent." + +"But Jerusalem the Golden would be built, Uncle Cotta!" said Eva; "and +would not that be better?" + +"We had better not talk about it, Eva," said the mother. "The holy +Jerusalem _is_ being built; and I suppose there are many different ways +to the same end. Only I like the way I know best." + +The boys, I regret to say, had made many irreverent gestures during this +conversation about the indulgences, and afterwards I had to speak to +them. + +"Sister Elsè," said Christopher, "it is quite useless talking to me. I +hate the monks, and all belonging to them. And I do not believe a word +they say--at least, not because they say it. The boys at school say this +Dr. Tetzel is a very bad man and a great liar. Last week Reinhardt told +us something he did, which will show you what he is. One day he promised +to show the people a feather which the devil plucked out the wing of the +archangel Michael. Reinhardt says he supposes the devil gave it to Dr. +Tetzel. However that may be, during the night some students in jest +found their way to his relic-box, stole the feather, and replaced it by +some coals. The next day, when Dr. Tetzel had been preaching fervently +for a long time on the wonders of this feather, when he opened the box +there was nothing in it but charcoal. But he was not to be disconcerted. +He merely said, 'I have taken the wrong box of relics, I perceive; these +are some most sacred cinders--the relics of the holy body of St. +Laurence, who was roasted on a gridiron.'" + +"Schoolboys' stories," said I. + +"They are as good as monks' stories, at all events," rejoined +Christopher. + +I resolved to see if Pollux was as deeply possessed with this irreverent +spirit as Christopher, and therefore this morning, when I found him +alone, I said, "Pollux, you used to love Fritz so dearly, you would not +surely take up thoughts which would pain him so deeply if he knew of +it." + +"I do love Fritz," Pollux replied, "but I can never think he was right +in leaving us all; and I like the religion of the Creeds and the Ten +Commandments better than that of the monks." + +Daily, hourly I feel the loss of Fritz. It is not half as much the money +he earned; although, of course, that helped us; we can do and struggle +on without that. It is the influence he had over the boys. They felt he +was before them in the same race and when he remonstrated with them +about anything, they listened. But if I blame them, they think it is +only a woman's ignorance, or a woman's superstition.--and boys, they +say, cannot be like women. And now it is the same with Fritz. He is +removed into another sphere, which is not theirs; and if I remind them +of what he did or said, they say, "Yes, Fritz thought so; but you know +he has become a monk; but we do not intend ever to be monks, and the +religion of monks and laymen are different things." + + + _April_ 2. + +The spring is come again. I wonder if it sends the thrill of joy into +Fritz's cell at Erfurt that it does into all the forests around us here, +and into my heart! + +I suppose there are trees near him, and birds--little happy +birds--making their nests among them, as they do in our yard, and +singing as they work. + +But the birds are not monks. Their nests are little homes, and they +wander freely whither they will, only brought back by love. Perhaps +Fritz does not like to listen to the birds now, because they remind him +of home, and of our long spring days in the forest. Perhaps, too, they +are part of the world he has renounced; and he must be dead to the +world! + + + _April_ 3. + +We have had a long day in the forest, gathering sticks and dry twigs. +Every creature seemed so happy there! It was such a holiday to watch the +ants roofing their nests with fir twigs, and the birds flying hither and +thither with food for their nestlings; and to hear the wood-pigeons, +which Fritz always said were like Eva, cooing softly in the depths of +the forest. + +At mid-day we sat down in a clearing of the forest, to enjoy the meal we +had brought with us. A little quiet brook prattled near us, of which we +drank, and the delicate young twigs on the topmost boughs of the dark, +majestic pines trembled softly, as if for joy, in the breeze. + +As we rested, we told each other stories. Pollux began with wild tales +of demon hunts, which flew with the baying of demon dogs through these +very forests at midnight. Then, as the children began to look fearfully +around, and shiver, even at mid-day, while they listened, Christopher +delighted them with quaint stories of wolves in sheeps' clothing +politely offering themselves to the farmer as shepherds, which, I +suspect, were from some dangerous satirical book, but, without the +application, were very amusing. + +Chriemhild and Atlantis had their stories of Kobolds, who played strange +tricks in the cow-stall; and of Rübezahl and the misshapen dwarf gnomes, +who guarded the treasures of gold and silver in the glittering caves +under the mountains; and of the elves, who danced beside the brooks at +twilight. + +"And I," said loving little Thekla, "always want to see poor Nix, the +water-sprite, who cries by the streams at moonlight, and lets his tears +mix with the waters, because he has no soul, and he wants to live for +ever. I should like to give him half mine." + +We should all of us have been afraid to speak of these creatures, in +their own haunts among the pines, if the sun had not been high in the +heavens. Even as it was, I began to feel a little uneasy, and I wished +to turn the conversation from these elves and sprites, who, many think, +are the spirits of the old heathen gods, who linger about their haunts. +One reason why people think so is, that they dare not venture within the +sound of the church bells; which makes some, again, think they are worse +than poor, shadowy, dethroned heathen gods, and had, indeed, better be +never mentioned at all. I thought I could not do better than tell the +legend of my beloved giant Offerus, who became Christopher and a saint +by carrying the holy child across the river. + +Thekla wondered if her favourite Nix could be saved in the same way. She +longed to see him and tell him about it. + +But Eva had still her story to tell, and she related to us her legend of +St. Catharine. + +"St. Catharine," she said, "was a lady of royal birth, the only child of +the king and queen of Egypt. Her parents were heathens, but they died +and left her an orphan when she was only fourteen. She was more +beautiful than any of the ladies of her court, and richer than any +princess in the world; but she did not care for pomp, or dress, or all +her precious things. God's golden stars seemed to her more magnificent +than all the splendour of her kingdom, and she shut herself up in her +palace, and studied philosophy and the stars until she grew wiser than +all the wise men of the East. + +"But one day the Diet of Egypt met, and resolved that their young queen +must be persuaded to marry. They sent a deputation to her in her palace, +who asked her, if they could find a prince beautiful beyond any, +surpassing all philosophers in wisdom, of noblest mind and richest +inheritance, would she marry him? The queen replied, 'He must be so +noble that all men shall worship him, so great that I shall never think +I have made him king, so rich that none shall ever say I enriched him, +so beautiful that the angels of God shall desire to behold him. If ye +can find such a prince, he shall be my husband and the lord of my +heart.' Now, near the queen's palace there lived a poor old hermit in a +cave, and that very night the holy Mother of God appeared to him, and +told him the King who should be lord of the queen's heart was none other +than her Son. Then the hermit went to the palace and presented the queen +with a picture of the Virgin and Child; and when St. Catharine saw it +her heart was so filled with its holy beauty that she forgot her books, +her spheres, and the stars; Plato and Socrates became tedious to her as +a twice-told tale, and she kept the sacred picture always before her. +Then one night she had a dream:--She met on the top of a high mountain a +glorious company of angels, clothed in white, with chaplets of white +lilies. She fell on her face before them, but they said, 'Stand up, dear +sister Catharine, and be right welcome.' Then they led her by the hand +to another company of angels more glorious still, clothed in purple with +chaplets of red roses. Before these, again, she fell on her face, +dazzled with their glory; but they said, 'Stand up, dear sister +Catharine; thee hath the King delighted to honour.' Then they led her by +the hand to an inner chamber of the palace of heaven, where sat a queen +in state; and the angels said to her, 'Our most gracious sovereign Lady, +Empress of heaven, and Mother of the King of Blessedness, be pleased +that we present unto you this our sister, whose name is in the Book of +Life, beseeching you to accept her as your daughter and handmaid.' Then +our blessed Lady rose and smiled graciously, and led St. Catharine to +her blessed Son; but he turned from her, and said sadly, 'She is not +fair enough for Me.' Then St. Catharine awoke, and in her heart all day +echoed the words, '_She is not fair enough for Me_;' and she rested not +until she became a Christian and was baptized. And then, after some +years, the tyrant Maximin put her to cruel tortures, and beheaded her +because she was a Christian. But the angels took her body, and laid it +in a white marble tomb on the top of Mount Sinai, and the Lord Jesus +Christ received her soul, and welcomed her to heaven as his pure and +spotless bride; for at last he had made her '_fair enough for him_.' And +so she has lived ever since in heaven, and is the sister of the angels." + +After Eva's legend we began our work again; and in the evening, as we +returned with our faggots, it was pleasant to see the goats creeping on +before the long shadows which evening began to throw from the forests +across the green valleys. + +The hymns which Eva sang as we went, seemed quite in tune with +everything else. I did not want to understand the words; everything +seemed singing in words I could not help feeling,-- + +"God is good to us all. He gives twigs to the ants, and grain to the +birds, and makes the trees their palaces, and teaches them to sing; and +will He not care for you?" + +Then the boys were so good! They never gave me a moment's anxiety, not +even Christopher, but collected faggots twice as large as ours in half +the time, and then finished ours, and then performed all kinds of feats +in climbing trees and leaping brooks, and brought home countless +treasures for Thekla. + +These are the days that always make me feel so much better; even a +little religious, and as if I could almost love God! It is only when I +come back again into the streets, under the shadow of the nine +monasteries, and see the monks and priests in dark robes flitting +silently about with downcast eyes, that I remember we are not like the +birds or even the ants, for they have never sinned, and that, therefore, +God cannot care for us and love us as he seems to do the least of his +other creatures, until we have become holy, and worked our way through +that great wall of sin which keeps us from him and shadows all our life. + +Eva does not feel thus. As we returned she laid her basket down on the +threshold of St. George's Church, and crossing herself with holy water, +went softly up to the high altar, and there she knelt while the lamp +burned before the Holy Sacrament. And when I looked at her face as she +rose, it was beaming with joy. + +"You are happy, Eva, in the church and in the forest," I said to her as +we went home; "you seem at home everywhere." + +"Is not God everywhere?" she said; "and has He not loved the world?" + +"But our _sins_!" I said. + +"Have we not the Saviour?" she said, bowing her head. + +"But think how hard people find it to please him," I said. "Think of the +pilgrimages, the penances, the indulgences!" + +"I do not quite understand all that," she said; "I only quite understand +my sentence and the crucifix which tells us the Son of God died for man. +That _must_ have been for love, and I love him; and all the rest I am +content to leave." + +"But to-night as I look at her dear child-like face asleep on the +pillow, and see how thin the cheek is which those long lashes shade, and +how transparent the little hand on which she rests, a cold fear comes +over me lest God should even now be making her spirit "fair enough for +him," and so too fair for earth and for us." + + + _April_ 4. + +This afternoon I was quite cheered by seeing Christopher and Pollux +bending together eagerly over a book, which they had placed before them +on the window sill. It reminded me of Fritz, and I went to see what they +were reading. + +I found, however, to my dismay, it was no church-book or learned Latin +school-book; but, on the contrary, a German book full of woodcuts, which +shocked me very much. It was called Reinecke Fuchs, and as far as I +could understand made a jest of everything. There were foxes with monk's +frocks, and even in cardinal's hats, and wolves in cassocks with shaven +crowns. Altogether it seemed to me a very profane and perilous book; but +when I took it to our father, to my amazement he seemed as much amused +with it as the boys, and said there were evils in the world which were +better attacked by jests than by sermons. + + + _April, St Mark's Day._ + +I have just heard a sermon about despising the world, from a great +preacher, one of the Dominican friars, who is going through the land to +awaken people to religion. + +He spoke especially against money, which he called "delusion, and dross, +and worthless dust, and a soul-destroying canker." To monks no doubt it +may be so; for what could they do with it? But it is not so to me. +Yesterday money filled my heart with one of the purest joys I have ever +known, and made me thank God as I hardly ever thanked him before. + +The time had come round to pay for some of the printing materials, and +we did not know where to turn for the sum we needed. Lately I have been +employing my leisure hours in embroidering some fine Venetian silk Aunt +Ursula gave me; and not having any copies, I had brought in some fresh +leaves and flowers from the forest and tried to imitate them, hoping to +sell them. + +When I had finished, it was thought pretty, and I carried it to the +merchant, who took the father's precious models, long ago. + +He has always been kind to us since, and has procured us ink and paper +at a cheaper rate than others can buy it. + +When I showed him my work he seemed surprised, and instead of showing it +to his wife, as I had expected, he said smiling,-- + +"These things are not for poor honest burghers like me. You know my wife +might be fined by the sumptuary laws if she aped the nobility by wearing +anything so fine as this. I am going to the Wartburg to speak about a +commission I have executed for the Elector-Frederick, and if you like I +will take you and your embroidery with me." + +I felt dismayed at first at such an idea, but I had on the new dress +Fritz gave me a year ago, and I resolved to venture. + +It was so many years since I had passed through that massive gateway +into the great court-yard; and I thought of St. Elizabeth distributing +loaves, perhaps, at that very gate, and inwardly entreated her to make +the elector or the ladies of his court propitious to me. + +I was left standing what seemed to me a long time in an ante-room. Some +very gaily-dressed gentlemen and ladies passed me and looked at me +rather scornfully. I thought the courtiers were not much improved since +the days when they were so rude to St. Elizabeth. + +But at last I was summoned into the Elector's presence. I trembled very +much, for I thought--If the servants are so haughty, what will the +master be? But he smiled on me quite kindly, and said, "My good child, I +like this work of thine; and this merchant tells me thou art a dutiful +daughter. I will purchase this at once for one of my sisters, and pay +thee at once." + +I was so surprised and delighted with his kindness that I cannot +remember the exact words of what he said afterwards, but the substance +of them was that the elector is building a new church at his new +university town of Wittemberg which is to have choicer relics than any +church in Germany. And I am engaged to embroider altar-cloths and +coverings for the reliquaries. And the sum already paid me nearly covers +our present debt. + +No! whatever that Dominican preacher might say nothing would ever +persuade me that these precious guldens, which I took home yesterday +evening with a heart brimming over with joy and thankfulness, which made +our father clasp his hands in thanksgiving, and our mother's eyes +overflow with happy tears, are mere delusion, or dross, or dust. + +Is not money what _we_ make it? Dust in the miser's chests; canker in +the proud man's heart; but golden sunbeams, streams of blessing earned +by a child's labour and comforting a parent's heart, or lovingly poured +from rich men's hands into poor men's homes. + + + _April_ 20. + +Better days seem dawning at last. Dr. Martin, who preaches now at the +elector's new university of Wittemberg, must, we think, have spoken to +the elector for us, and our father is appointed to superintend the +printing-press especially for Latin books, which is to be set up there. + +And sweeter even than this, it must be from Fritz that this boon comes +to us. Fritz, dear, unselfish Fritz, is the benefactor of the family +after all. It must have been he who asked Dr. Martin Luther to speak for +us. There, in his lonely cell at Erfurt, he thinks then of us! And he +prays for us. He will never forget us. His new name will not alter his +heart. And, perhaps, one day, when the novitiate is over, we may see him +again. But to see him as no more our Fritz, but Brother Sebastian!--his +home, the Augustinian cloister!--his mother, the church!--his sisters, +all holy women!--would it not be almost worse than not seeing him at +all? + +We are all to move to Wittemberg in a month, except Pollux, who is to +remain with Cousin Conrad Cotta, to learn to be a merchant. + +Christopher begins to help about the printing. + +There was another thing also in my visit to the Wartburg, which gives me +many a gleam of joy when I think of it. If the elector whose presence I +so trembled to enter, proved so much more condescending and accessible +than his courtiers,--oh, if it could only be possible that we are making +some mistake about God, and that He after all may be more gracious and +ready to listen to us than His priests, or even than the saints who wait +on Him in His palace in heaven! + + + + +VIII. + +Fritz's Story. + + + ERFURT, AUGUSTINIAN CONVENT, _April_ 1. + +I suppose conflict of mind working on a constitution weakened by the +plague, brought on the illness from which I am just recovering. It is +good to feel strength returning as I do. There is a kind of natural +irresistible delight in life, however little we have to live for, +especially to one so little prepared to die as I am. As I write, the +rooks are cawing in the church-yard elms, disputing and chattering like +a set of busy prosaic burghers. But retired from all this noisy public +life, two thrushes have built their nest in a thorn just under the +window of my cell. And early in the morning they wake me with song. He +flies hither and thither as busy as a bee, with food for his mate, as +she broods secure among the thick leaves, and then he perches on a twig, +and sings as if he had nothing to do but to be happy. All is pleasure to +him, no doubt--the work as well as the singing. Happy the creatures for +whom it is God's will that they should live according to their nature, +and not contrary to it. + +Probably in the recovering from illness, when the body is still weak, +yet thrilling with reviving strength, the heart is especially tender, +and yearns more towards home and former life than it will when strength +returns and brings duties. Or, perhaps, this illness recalls the +last,--and the loving faces and soft hushed voices that were around me +then. + +Yet I have nothing to complain of. My aged confessor has scarcely left +my bed-side. From the first he brought his bed into my cell, and watched +over me like a father. + +And his words minister to my heart as much as his hands to my bodily +wants. + +If my spirit would only take the comfort he offers, as easily as I +receive food and medicine from his hands! + +He does not attempt to combat my difficulties one by one. He says-- + +"I am little of a physician. I cannot lay my hand on the seat of +disease. But there is One who can." And to Him I know the simple-hearted +old man prays for me. + +Often he recurs to the declaration in the creed, "I believe in the +forgiveness of sins." "It is the command of God," he said to me one day, +"that we should believe in the forgiveness of sins; not of David's or +Peter's sins, but of _ours_, our own, the very sins that distress our +consciences." He also quoted a sermon of St. Bernard's on the +annunciation. + +"The testimony of the Holy Ghost given in thy heart is this, 'Thy sins +are forgiven thee.'" + +Yes, forgiven to all _penitents_! But who can assure me I am a true +penitent? + +These words, he told me, comforted Brother Martin, and he wonders they +do not comfort me. I suppose Brother Martin had "the testimony of the +Holy Ghost in his heart;" but who shall give that to me? to me who +resisted the vocation of the Holy Ghost so long; who in my deepest heart +obey it so imperfectly still! + +Brother Martin was faithful, honest, thorough, single-hearted,--all that +God accepts; all that I am not! + +The affection and compassion of my aged confessor often, however, +comfort me, even when his words have little power. They make me feel a +dim hope now and then that the Lord he serves may have something of the +same pity in his heart. + + + ERFURT, _April_ 15. + +The Vicar-General, Staupitz, has visited our convent. I have confessed +to him. He was very gentle with me, and to my surprise proscribed me +scarcely any penance, although I endeavored to unveil all to him. + +Once he murmured, as if to himself, looking at me with a penetrating +compassion, "Yes, there is no drawing back. But I wish I had known this +before." And then he added to me, "Brother, we must not confuse +suffering with sin. It is sin to _turn_ back. It may be anguish to +_look_ back and see what we have renounced, but it is not necessarily +sin, if we resolutely press forward still. And if sin mingles with the +regret, remember we have to do not with a painted, but a real Saviour; +and he died not for painted, but for real sins. Sin is never overcome by +looking at it, but by looking away from it to Him who bore our sins, +yours and mine, on the cross. The heart is never won back to God by +thinking we ought to love him, but by learning what he is, all worthy of +our love. True repentance begins with the love of God. The Holy Spirit +teaches us to know, and, therefore, to love God. Fear not, but read the +Scriptures, and pray. He will employ thee in his service yet, and in his +favour is life, and in his service is freedom." + +This confession gave me great comfort for the time. I felt myself +understood, and yet not despaired of. And that evening, after repeating +the Hours, I ventured in my own words to pray to God, and found it +solemn and sweet. + +But since then my old fear has recurred. Did I indeed confess completely +even to the Vicar-General? If I had, would not his verdict have been +different? Does not the very mildness of his judgment prove that I have +once more deceived myself--made a false confession, and, therefore, +failed of the absolution! But it is a relief to have his positive +command as my superior to study the Holy Scriptures, instead of the +scholastic theologians, to whose writings my preceptor had lately been +exclusively directing my studies. + + + _April_ 25. + +I have this day, to my surprise, received a command, issuing from the +Vicar-General, to prepare to set off on a mission to Rome. + +The monk under whose direction I am to journey I do not yet know. + +The thought of the new scenes we shall pass through, and the wonderful +new world we shall enter on,--new and old,--fills me with an almost +childish delight. Since I heard it, my heart and conscience seem to have +become strangely lightened, which proves, I fear, how little real +earnestness there is in me. + +Another thing, however, has comforted me greatly. In the course of my +confession I spoke to the Vicar-General about my family, and he has +procured for my father an appointment as superintendent of the Latin +printing press, at the Elector's new University of Wittemberg. + +I trust now that the heavy pressure of pecuniary care which has weighed +so long on my mother and Elsè will be relieved. It would have been +sweeter to me to have earned this relief for them by my own exertions. +But we must not choose the shape or the time in which divine messengers +shall appear. + +The Vicar-General has, moreover, presented me with a little volume of +sermons by a pious Dominican friar, named Tauler. These are wonderfully +deep and heart-searching. I find it difficult to reconcile the sublime +and enrapt devotion to God which inspires them, with the minute rules of +our order, the details of scholastic casuistry, and the precise +directions as to the measure of worship and honour, Dulia, Hyperdulia, +and Latria to be paid to the various orders of heavenly beings, which +make prayer often seem as perplexing to me as the ceremonial of the +imperial court would to a peasant of the Thuringian forest. + +This Dominican speaks as if we might soar above all these lower things, +and lose ourselves in the One Ineffable Source, Ground, Beginning, and +End of all Being; the One who is all. + +Dearer to me, however, than this, is an old manuscript in our convent +library, containing the confessions of the patron of our order himself, +the great father Augustine. + +Straight from his heart it penetrates into mine, as if spoken to me +to-day. Passionate, fervent, struggling, wandering, trembling, adoring +heart, I feel its pulses through every line! + +And was this the experience of one who is now a saint on the most +glorious heights of heaven? + +Then the mother! Patient, lowly, noble, saintly Monica; mother, and more +than martyr. She rises before me in the likeness of a beloved form I may +remember, without sin, even here, even now. St. Monica speaks to me with +my mother's voice; and in the narrative of her prayers I seem to gain a +deeper insight into what my mother's have been for me. + +St. Augustine was happy, to breathe the last words of comfort to herself +as he did, to be with her dwelling in one house to the last. This can +scarcely be given to me. "That sweet habit of living together" is broken +for ever between us; broken by my deliberate act. "For the glory of +God!" may God accept it; if not, may he forgive! + +That old manuscript is worn with reading. It has lain in the convent +library for certainly more than a hundred years. Generation after +generation of those who now lie sleeping in the field of God below our +windows have turned over those pages. Heart after heart has doubtless +come, as I came, to consult the oracle of that deep heart of old times, +so nearly shipwrecked, so gloriously saved. + +As I read the old thumbed volume, a company of spirits seems to breathe +in fellowship around me, and I think how many, strengthened by these +words, are perhaps, even now, like him who penned them, amongst the +spirits of the just made perfect. + +In the convent library, the dead seem to live again around me. In the +cemetery are the relics of the corruptible body. Among these worn +volumes I feel the breath of the living spirits of generations passed +away. + +I must say, however, there is more opportunity for solitary communion +with the departed in that library than I could wish. The books are not +so much read, certainly, in these days, as the Vicar-General would +desire, although the Augustinian has the reputation of being among the +more learned orders. + +I often question what brought many of these easy comfortable monks here. +But many of the faces give no reply to my search. No history seems +written on them. The wrinkles seem mere ruts of the wheels of Time, not +furrows sown with the seeds of thought,--happy at least if they are not +as fissures rent by the convulsions of inward fires. + +I suppose many of the brethren became monks just as other men become +tailors or shoemakers, and with no further spiritual aim, because their +parents planned it so. But I may wrong even the meanest in saying so. +The shallowest human heart has depths somewhere, let them be crusted +over by ice ever so thick, or veiled by flowers ever so fair. + +And I--I and this unknown brother are actually about to journey to +Italy, the glorious land of sunshine, and vines, and olives, and ancient +cities--the land of Rome, imperial, saintly Rome, where countless +martyrs sleep, where St. Augustine and Monica sojourned, where St. Paul +and St. Peter preached and suffered,--where the vicar of Christ lives +and reigns? + + + _May_ 1. + +The brother with whom I am to make the pilgrimage to Rome, arrived last +night. To my inexpressible delight it is none other than Brother +Martin--Martin Luther! Professor of Theology in the Elector's new +University of Wittemberg. He is much changed again since I saw him last, +toiling through the streets of Erfurt with the sack on his shoulder. The +hollow, worn look, has disappeared from his face, and the fire has come +back to his eyes. Their expression varies, indeed, often from the +sparkle of merriment to a grave earnestness, when all their light seems +withdrawn inward; but underneath there is that kind of repose I have +noticed in the countenance of my aged confessor. + +Brother Martin's face has, indeed, a history written on it, and a +history, I deem, not yet finished. + + + HEIDELBERG, _May_ 25. + +I wondered at the lightness of heart with which I set out on our journey +from Erfurt. + +The Vicar-General himself accompanied us hither. We travelled partly on +horseback, and partly in wheeled carriages. + +The conversation turned much on the prospects of the new university, and +the importance of finding good professors of the ancient languages for +it. Brother Martin himself proposed to make use of his sojourn at Rome, +to improve himself in Greek and Hebrew, by studying under the learned +Greeks and rabbis there. They counsel me also to do the same. + +The business which calls us to Rome is an appeal to the Holy Father, +concerning a dispute between some convents of our Order and the +Vicar-General. + +But they say business is slowly conducted at Rome, and will leave us +much time for other occupations besides those which are most on our +hearts, namely, paying homage at the tombs of the holy apostles and +martyrs. + +They speak most respectfully and cordially of the Elector Frederick, who +must indeed be a very devout prince. Not many years since, he +accomplished a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and took with him the painter +Lucas Cranach, to make drawings of the various holy places. + +About ten years since, he built a church dedicated to St. Ursula, on the +site of the small chapel erected in 1353, over the Holy Thorn from the +Crown of Thorns, presented to a former elector by the king of France. + +This church is already, they say, through the Elector Frederick's +diligence, richer in relics than any church in Europe, except that of +Assisi, the birth-place of St. Francis. And the collection is still +continually being increased. + +They showed me a book printed at Wittemberg a year or two since, +entitled "A Description of the Venerable Relics," adorned with one +hundred and nineteen woodcuts. + +The town itself seems to be still poor and mean compared with Eisenach +and Erfurt; and the students, of whom there are now nearly five hundred, +are at times very turbulent. There is much beer-drinking among them. In +1507, three years since, the Bishop of Brandenburg laid the whole city +under interdict for some insult offered by the students to his suite, +and now they are forbidden to wear guns, swords, or knives. + +Brother Martin, however, is full of hope as to the good to be done among +them. He himself received the degree of Biblicus (Bible teacher) on the +9th of March last year; and every day he lectures between twelve and one +o'clock. + +Last summer, for the first time, he was persuaded by the Vicar-General +to preach publicly. I heard some conversation between them in reference +to this, which afterwards Brother Martin explained to me. + +Dr. Staupitz and Brother Martin were sitting last summer in the convent +garden at Wittemberg together, under the shade of a pear tree, whilst +the Vicar-General endeavoured to prevail on him to preach. He was +exceedingly unwilling to make the attempt. "It is no little matter," +said he to Dr. Staupitz, "to appear before the people in the place of +God." "I had fifteen arguments," he continued in relating it to me, +"wherewith I purposed to resist my vocation; but they availed nothing." +At the last I said, "Dr. Staupitz, you will be the death of me, for I +cannot live under it three months." "Very well," replied Dr. Staupitz, +"still go on. Our Lord God hath many great things to accomplish, and he +has need of wise men in heaven as well as in earth." + +Brother Martin could not further resist, and after making a trial before +the brethren in the refectory, at last, with a trembling heart, he +mounted the pulpit of the little chapel of the Augustinian cloister. + +"When a preacher for the first time enters the pulpit," he concluded, +"no one would believe how fearful he is; he sees so many heads before +him. When I go into the pulpit, I do not look on any one. I think them +only to be so many blocks before me, and I speak out the words of my +God." + +And yet Dr. Staupitz says his words are like thunder-peals. _Yet!_ do I +say? Is it not _because_? He feels himself nothing; he feels his message +everything; he feels God present. What more could be needed to make a +man of his power a great preacher? + +With such discourse the journey seemed accomplished quickly indeed. And +yet, almost the happiest hours to me were those when we were all silent, +and the new scenes passed rapidly before me. It was a great rest to live +for a time on what I saw, and cease from thought, and remembrance, and +inward questionings altogether. For have I not been commanded this +journey by my superiors, so that in accordance with my vow of obedience, +my one duty at present is to travel; and therefore what pleasure it +chances to bring I must not refuse. + +We spent some hours in Nüremberg. The quaint rich carvings of many of +the houses were beautiful. There also we saw Albrecht Dürer's paintings, +and heard Hans Sachs, the shoemaker and poet, sing his godly German +hymns. And as we crossed the Bavarian plains, the friendliness of the +simple peasantry made up to us for the sameness of the country. + +Near Heidelberg again I fancied myself once more in the Thuringian +forest, especially as we rested in the convent of Erbach in the +Odenwald. Again the familiar forests and green valleys with their +streams were around me. I fear Elsè and the others will miss the beauty +of the forest-covered hills around Eisenach, when they remove to +Wittemberg, which is situated on a barren, monotonous flat. About this +time they will be moving! + +Brother Martin has held many disputations on theological and +philosophical questions in the University of Heidelberg; but I, being +only a novice, have been free to wander whither I would. + +This evening it was delightful to stand in the woods of the Elector +Palatine's castle, and from among the oaks and delicate birches rustling +about me, to look down on the hills of the Odenwald folding over each +other. Far up among them I traced the narrow, quiet Neckar, issuing from +the silent depths of the forest; while on the other side, below the +city, it wound on through the plain to the Rhine, gleaming here and +there with the gold of sunset or the cold grey light of the evening. +Beyond, far off, I could see the masts of ships on the Rhine. + +I scarcely know why, the river made me think of life, of mine and +Brother Martin's. Already he has left the shadow of the forests. Who can +say what people his life will bless, what sea it will reach, and through +what perils? Of this I feel sure, it will matter much to many what its +course shall be. For me it is otherwise. My life, as far as earth is +concerned, seems closed,--ended; and it can matter little to any, +henceforth, through what regions it passes, if only it reaches the ocean +at last, and ends, as they say, in the bosom of God. If only we could be +sure that God guides the course of our lives as he does that of rivers! +And yet, do they not say that some rivers lose themselves in sandwastes, +and others trickle meanly to the sea through lands they have desolated +into untenantable marshes? + + + BLACK FOREST, _May_ 14, 1510. + +Brother Martin and I are now fairly on our pilgrimage alone, walking all +day, begging our provisions and our lodgings, which he sometimes repays +by performing a mass in the parish church, or by a promise of reciting +certain prayers or celebrating masses on the behalf of our benefactors, +at Rome. + +These are, indeed, precious days. My whole frame seems braced and +revived by the early rising, the constant movement in the pure air, the +pressing forward to a definite point. + +But more, infinitely more than this, my heart seems reviving. I begin to +have a hope and see a light which, until now, I scarcely deemed +possible. + +To encourage me in my perplexities and conflicts, Brother Martin +unfolded to me what his own had been. To the storm of doubt, and fear, +and anguish in that great heart of his my troubles seem like a passing +spring shower. Yet to me they were tempests which laid my heart waste. +And God, Brother Martin believes, does not measure his pity by what our +sorrows are in themselves, but what they are to us. Are we not all +children, little children, in his sight? + +"I did not learn my divinity at once," he said, "but was constrained by +my temptations to search deeper and deeper; for no man without trials +and temptations can attain a true understanding of the Holy Scriptures. +St. Paul had a devil that beat him with fists, and with temptations +drove him diligently to study the Holy Scriptures. Temptations hunted me +into the Bible, wherein I sedulously read; and thereby, God be praised, +at length attained a true understanding of it." + +He then related to me what some of these temptations were;--the bitter +disappointment it was to him to find that the cowl, and even the vows +and the priestly consecration, made no change in his heart; that Satan +was as near him in the cloister as outside, and he no stronger to cope +with him. He told me of his endeavours to keep every minute rule of the +order, and how the slightest deviation weighed on his conscience. It +seems to have been like trying to restrain a fire by a fence of willows, +or to guide a mountain torrent in artificial windings through a +flower-garden, to bind his fervent nature by these vexatious rules. + +He was continually becoming absorbed in some thought or study, and +forgetting all the rules, and then painfully he would turn back and +retrace his steps; sometimes spending weeks in absorbing study, and then +remembering he had neglected his canonical hours, and depriving himself +of sleep for nights to make up the missing prayers. + +He fasted, disciplined himself, humbled himself to perform the meanest +offices for the meanest brother; forcibly kept sleep from his eyes +wearied with study, and his mind worn out with conflict, until every now +and then Nature avenged herself by laying him unconscious on the floor +of his cell, or disabling him by a fit of illness. + +But all in vain; his temptations seemed to grow stronger, his strength +less. Love to God he could not feel at all; but in his secret soul the +bitterest questioning of God, who seemed to torment him at once by the +law and the gospel. He thought of Christ as the severest judge, because +the most righteous; and the very phrase, "the righteousness of God," was +torture to him. + +Not that this state of distress was continual with him. At times he +gloried in his obedience, and felt that he earned rewards from God by +performing the sacrifice of the mass, not only for himself, but for +others. At times, also, in his circuits, after his consecration, to say +mass in the villages around Erfurt, he would feel his spirits lightened +by the variety of the scenes he witnessed, and would be greatly amused +at the ridiculous mistakes of the village choirs; for instance, their +chanting the "Kyrie" to the music of the "Gloria." + +Then, at other times, his limbs would totter with terror when he offered +the holy sacrifice, at the thought that he, the sacrificing priest, yet +the poor, sinful Brother Martin, actually stood before God "without a +Mediator." + +At his first mass he had difficulty in restraining himself from flying +from the altar--so great was his awe and the sense of his unworthiness. +Had he done so, he would have been excommunicated. + +Again, there were days when he performed the services with some +satisfaction, and would conclude with saying, "O Lord Jesus, I come to +thee and entreat thee to be pleased with whatsoever I do and suffer in +my order; and I pray thee that these burdens and this straitness of my +rule and religion may be a full satisfaction for all my sins." + +Yet then again, the dread would come that perhaps he had inadvertently +omitted some word in the service, such as "enim" or "æternum," or +neglected some prescribed genuflexion, or even a signing of the cross; +and that thus, instead of offering to God an acceptable sacrifice in the +mass, he had committed a grievous sin. + +From such terrors of conscience he fled for refuge to some of his +twenty-one patron saints, or oftener to Mary, seeking to touch her +womanly heart, that she might appease her Son. He hoped that by invoking +three saints daily, and by letting his body waste away with fastings and +watchings, he should satisfy the law, and shield his conscience against +the goad of the driver. But it all availed him nothing. The further he +went on in this way, the more he was terrified. + +And then he related to me how the light broke upon his heart; slowly, +intermittently, indeed; yet it has dawned on him. His day may often be +dark and tempestuous; but it is day, and not night. + +Dr. Staupitz was the first who brought him any comfort. The +Vicar-General received his confession not long after he entered the +cloister, and from that time won his confidence, and took the warmest +interest in him. Brother Martin frequently wrote to him; and once he +used the words, in reference to some neglect of the rules which troubled +his conscience, "Oh, my sins, my sins!" Dr. Staupitz replied, "You would +be without sin, and yet you have no proper sins. Christ forgives true +sins, such as parricide, blasphemy, contempt of God, adultery, and sins +like these. These are sins indeed. You must have a register in which +stand veritable sins, if Christ is to help you. You would be a painted +sinner, and have a painted Christ as a Saviour. You must make up your +mind that Christ is a real Saviour, and you a real sinner." + +These words brought some light to Brother Martin, but the darkness came +back again and again; and tenderly did Dr. Staupitz sympathize with him +and rouse him--Dr. Staupitz, and that dear aged confessor, who +ministered also so lovingly to me. Brother Martin's great terror was the +thought of the righteousness of God, by which he had been taught to +understand his inflexible severity in executing judgment on sinners. + +Dr. Staupitz and the confessor explained to him that the righteousness +of God is not _against_ the sinner who believes in the Lord Jesus +Christ, but _for_ him--not against us to condemn, but for us to justify. + +He began to study the Bible with a new zest. He had had the greatest +longing to understand rightly the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, but +was always stopped by the word "righteousness" in the first chapter and +seventeenth verse, where Paul says the righteousness of God is revealed +by the gospel. "I felt very angry," he said, "at the term, +'righteousness of God;' for, after the manner of all the teachers, I was +taught to understand it in a philosophic sense, of that righteousness by +which God is just and punisheth the guilty. Though I had lived without +reproach, I felt myself to be a great sinner before God, and was of a +very quick conscience, and had not confidence in a reconciliation with +God to be produced by any work or satisfaction or merit of my own. For +this cause I had in me no love of a righteous and angry God, but +secretly hated him, and thought within myself, Is it not enough that God +has condemned us to everlasting death by Adam's sin, and that we must +suffer so much trouble and misery in this life? Over and above the +terror and threatening of the law, must he needs increase by the gospel +our misery and anguish, and, by the preaching of the same, thunder +against us his justice and fierce wrath? My confused conscience ofttimes +did cast me into fits of anger, and I sought day and night to make out +the meaning of Paul; and at last I came to apprehend it thus: Through +the gospel is revealed the righteousness which availeth with God--a +righteousness by which God, in his mercy and compassion, justifieth us; +as is it written, '_The just shall live by faith._' Straightway I felt +as if I were born anew; it was as if I had found the door of Paradise +thrown wide open. Now I saw the Scriptures altogether in a new +light--ran through their whole contents as far as my memory would serve, +and compared them--and found that this righteousness was the more surely +that by which he makes us righteous, because everything agreed thereunto +so well. The expression, 'the righteousness of God,' which I so much +hated before, became now dear and precious--my darling and most +comforting word. That passage of Paul was to me the true door of +Paradise." + +Brother Martin also told me of the peace the words, "I believe in the +forgiveness of sins," brought to him, as the aged confessor had +previously narrated to me; for, he said, the devil often plucked him +back, and, taking the very form of Christ, sought to terrify him again +with his sins. + +As I listened to him, the conviction came on me that he had indeed drunk +of the well-spring of everlasting life, and it seemed almost within my +own reach; but I said-- + +"Brother Martin, your sins were mere transgressions of human rules, but +mine are different." And I told him how I had resisted my vocation. He +replied-- + +"The devil gives heaven to people before they sin; but after they sin, +brings their consciences into despair. Christ deals quite in the +contrary way, for he gives heaven after sins committed, and makes +troubled consciences joyful." + +Then we fell into a long silence, and from time to time, as I looked at +the calm which reigned on his rugged and massive brow, and felt the deep +light in his dark eyes, the conviction gathered strength-- + +"This solid rock on which that tempest-tossed spirit rests is Truth!" + +His lips moved now and then, as if in prayer, and his eyes were lifted +up from time to time to heaven, as if his thoughts found a home there. + +After this silence, he spoke again and said-- + +"The gospel speaks nothing of our works or of the works of the law, but +of the inestimable mercy and love of God towards most wretched and +miserable sinners. Our most merciful Father, seeing us overwhelmed and +oppressed with the curse of the law, and so to be holden under the same, +that we could never be delivered from it by our own power, sent his only +Son into the world, and laid upon him the sins of all men, saying, 'Be +thou Peter, that denier; Paul, that persecutor, blasphemer, and cruel +oppressor; David, that adulterer; that sinner that did eat the apple in +Paradise; that thief that hanged upon the cross; and briefly, be thou +the person that hath committed the sins of all men, and pay and satisfy +for them.' For God trifleth not with us, but speaketh earnestly and of +great love, that Christ is the Lamb of God who beareth the sins of us +all. He is just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." + +I could answer nothing to this, but walked along pondering these words. +Neither did he say any more at that time. + +The sun was sinking low, and the long shadows of the pine trunks were +thrown athwart our green forest-path, so that we were glad to find a +charcoal-burner's hut, and to take shelter for the night beside his +fires. + +But that night I could not sleep; and when all were sleeping around me, +I rose and went out into the forest. + +Brother Martin is not a man to parade his inmost conflicts before the +eyes of others, to call forth their sympathy or their idle wonder. He +has suffered too deeply and too recently for that. It is not lightly +that he has unlocked the dungeons and torture-chambers of his past life +for me. It is as a fellow-sufferer and a fellow-soldier, to show me how +I also may escape and overcome. + +It is surely because he is to be a hero and a leader of men that God has +caused him to tread these bitter ways alone. + +A new meaning dawns on old words for me. There is nothing new in what he +says, but it seems new to me, as if God had spoken it first to-day; and +all things seem made new in its light. + +God, then, is more earnest for me to be saved than I am to be saved! + +"He so loved the world, that he gave his Son." + +He loved not saints, not penitents, not the religious, not those who +love him; but "the _world_," secular men, profane men, hardened rebels, +hopeless wanderers and sinners! + +He gave not a mere promise, not an angel to teach us, not a world to +ransom us, but his Son--his Only-begotten! + +So much did God love the world, sinners, me! I believe this; I must +believe it; I believe in him who says it. How can I then do otherwise +than rejoice? + +Two glorious visions rise before me and begin to fill the world and all +my heart with joy. + +I see the Holiest, the Perfect, the Son made the victim, the lamb, the +curse, willingly yielding himself up to death on the cross for me. + +I see the Father--inflexible in justice yet delighting in +mercy--accepting him, the spotless Lamb whom he had given; raising him +from the dead; setting him on his right hand. Just, beyond all my +terrified conscience could picture him, he justifies me the sinner. + +Hating sin as love must abhor selfishness, and life death, and purity +corruption, he loves me--the selfish, the corrupt, the dead in sins. He +gives his Son, the Only-begotten, for me; he accepts his Son, the +spotless Lamb, for me; he forgives me; he acquits me; he will make me +pure. + +The thought overpowered me. I knelt among the pines and spoke to Him who +hears when we have no words, for words failed me altogether then. + + + MUNICH, _May_ 18. + +All the next day and the next that joy lasted. Every twig, and bird, and +dew-drop spoke in parables to me; sang to me the parable of the son who +had returned from the far country, and as he went towards his father's +house prepared his confession; but never finished the journey, for the +father met him when he was yet a great way off; and never finished the +confession, for the father stopped his self-reproaches with embraces. + +And on the father's heart what child could say, "Make me as one of thy +hired servants?" + +I saw His love shining in every dew-drop on the grassy forest glades; I +heard it in the song of every bird; I felt it in every pulse. + +I do not know that we spoke much during those days, Brother Martin and +I. + +I have known something of love; but I have never felt a love that so +fills, overwhelms, satisfies, as this love of God. And when first it is +"thou and I" between God and the soul, for a time, at least, the heart +has little room for other fellowship. + +But then came doubts and questionings. Whence came they! Brother Martin +said from Satan. + +"The devil is a wretched, unhappy spirit," said he, "and he loves to +make us wretched." + +One thing that began to trouble me was, whether I had the right kind of +faith. Old definitions of faith recurred to me, by which faith is said +to be nothing unless it is informed with charity and developed into good +works, so that when it saith we are justified by faith, the part is +taken for the whole--and it means by faith, also hope, charity, all the +graces, and all good works. + +But Brother Martin declared it meaneth simply believing. He said,-- + +"Faith is an almighty thing, for it giveth glory to God, which is the +highest service that can be given to him. Now, to give glory to God, is +to believe in him; to count him true, wise, righteous, merciful, +almighty. The chiefest thing God requireth of man is, that he giveth +unto him his glory and divinity; that is to say, that he taketh him not +for an idol, but for God; who regardeth him, heareth him, showeth mercy +unto him, and helpeth him. For faith saith thus, 'I believe thee, O God, +when thou speakest.'" + +But our great wisdom, he says, is to look away from all these +questionings,--from our sins, our works, ourselves, to Christ, who is +our righteousness, our Saviour, our all. + +Then at times other things perplex me. If faith is so simple, and +salvation so free, why all those orders, rules, pilgrimages, penances? + +And to these perplexities we can neither of us find any answer. But we +must be obedient to the Church. What we cannot understand we must +receive and obey. This is a monk's duty, at least. + +Then at times another temptation comes on me. "If thou hadst known of +this before," a voice says deep in my heart, "thou couldst have served +God joyfully in thy home, instead of painfully in the cloister; couldst +have helped thy parents and Elsè, and spoken with Eva on these things, +which her devout and simple heart has doubtless received already." But, +alas! I know too well what tempter ventures to suggest that name to me, +and I say, "Whatever might have been, malicious spirit, _now_ I am a +religious, a devoted man, to whom it is perdition to draw back!" + +Yet, in a sense, I seem less separated from my beloved ones during these +past days. + +There is a brotherhood, there is a family, more permanent than the home +at Eisenach, or even the Order of St. Augustine, in which we may be +united still. There is a home in which, perhaps, we may yet be one +household again. + +And meantime, God may have some little useful work for me to do here, +which in his presence may make life pass as quickly as this my +pilgrimage to Rome in Brother Martin's company. + + + BENEDICTINE MONASTERY IN LOMBARDY. + +God has given us during these last days to see, as I verily believe, +some glimpses into Eden. The mountains with snowy summits, like the +white steps of His throne; the rivers which flow from them and enrich +the land; the crystal seas, like glass mingled with fire, when the +reflected snow-peaks burn in the lakes at dawn or sunset; and then this +Lombard plain, watered with rivers which make its harvests gleam like +gold; this garner of God, where the elms or chestnuts grow among the +golden maize, and the vines festoon the trees, so that all the land +seems garlanded for a perpetual holy day. We came through the Tyrol by +Füssen, and then struck across by the mountains and the lakes to Milan. + +Now we are entertained like princes in this rich Benedictine abbey. Its +annual income is 36,000 florins. "Of eating and feasting," as brother +Martin says, "there is no lack;" for 12,000 florins are consumed on +guests, and as large a sum on building. The residue goeth to the convent +and the brethren. + +They have received us poor German monks with much honour, as a +deputation from the great Augustinian Order to the Pope. + +The manners of these southern people are very gentle and courteous; but +they are lighter in their treatment of sacred things than we could wish. + +The splendour of the furniture and dress amazes us; it is difficult to +reconcile it with the vows of poverty and renunciation of the world. But +I suppose they regard the vow of poverty as binding not on the +community, but only on the individual monk. It must, however, at the +best, be hard to live a severe and ascetic life amidst such luxuries. +Many, no doubt, do not try. + +The tables are supplied with the most costly and delicate viands; the +walls are tapestried; the dresses are of fine silk; the floors are +inlaid with rich marbles. + +Poor, poor splendours, as substitutes for the humblest _home_! + + + BOLOGNA, _June_. + +We did not remain long in the Benedictine monastery, for this reason: +Brother Martin, I could see, had been much perplexed by their luxurious +living; but as a guest, had, I suppose, scarcely felt at liberty to +remonstrate, until Friday came, when, to our amazement, the table was +covered with meats and fruits, and all kinds of viands, as on any other +day, regardless not only of the rules of the Order, but of the common +laws of the whole Church. + +He would touch none of these dainties; but not content with this silent +protest, he boldly said before the whole company, "The Church and the +Pope forbid such things!" + +We had then an opportunity of seeing into what the smoothness of these +Italian manners can change when ruffled. + +The whole brotherhood burst into a storm of indignation. Their dark eyes +flashed, their white teeth gleamed with scornful and angry laughter, and +their voices rose in a tempest of vehement words, many of which were +unintelligible to us. + +"Intruders," "barbarians," "coarse and ignorant Germans," and other +biting epithets, however, we could too well understand. + +Brother Martin stood like a rock amidst the torrent, and threatened to +make their luxury and disorder known at Rome. + +When the assembly broke up, we noticed the brethren gather apart in +small groups, and cast scowling glances at us when we chanced to pass +near. + +That evening the porter of the monastery came to us privately, and +warned us that this convent was no longer a safe resting-place for us. + +Whether this was a friendly warning, or merely a device of the brethren +to get rid of troublesome guests, I know not; but we had no wish to +linger, and before the next day dawned we crept in the darkness out of a +side gate into a boat, which we found on the river which flows beneath +the walls, and escaped. + +It was delightful to-day winding along the side of a hill, near Bologna, +for miles, under the flickering shade of trellises covered with vines. +But Brother Martin, I thought, looked ill and weary. + + + BOLOGNA. + +Thank God, Brother Martin is reviving again. He has been on the very +borders of the grave. + +Whether it was the scorching heat through which we have been travelling, +or the malaria, which affected us with catarrh one night when we slept +with our windows open, or whether the angry monks in the Benedictine +Abbey mixed some poison with our food, I know not; but we had scarcely +reached this place when he became seriously ill. + +As I watched beside him I learned something of the anguish he passed +through at our convent at Erfurt. The remembrance of his sins and the +terrors of God's judgment rushed on his mind, weakened by suffering. At +times he recognized that it was the hand of the evil one which was +keeping him down. "The devil," he would say, "is the accuser of the +brethren, not Christ. Thou, Lord Jesus, art my forgiving Saviour!" And +then he would rise above the floods. Again his mind would bewilder +itself with the unfathomable--the origin of evil, the relation of our +free will to God's almighty will. + +Then I ventured to recall to him the words of Dr. Staupitz he had +repeated to me: "Behold the wounds of Jesus Christ, and then thou shall +see the counsel of God clearly shining forth. We cannot comprehend God +out of Jesus Christ. In Christ you will find what God is, and what he +requires. You will find him nowhere else, whether in heaven or on +earth." + +It was strange to find myself, untried recruit that I am, thus +attempting to give refreshment to such a veteran and victor as Brother +Martin; but when the strongest are brought into single combats such as +these, which must be single, a feeble hand may bring a draught of cold +water to revive the hero between the pauses of the fight. + +The victory, however, can only be won by the combatant himself; and at +length Brother Martin fought his way through once more, and as so often +happens, just when the fight seemed hottest. It was with an old weapon +he overcame--"_The just shall live by faith._" + +Once more the words which have helped him so often, which so frequently +he has repeated on this journey, came with power to his mind. Again he +looked to the crucified Saviour; again he believed in him triumphant and +ready to forgive on the throne of grace; and again his spirit was in the +light. + +His strength also soon began to return; and in a few days we are to be +in Rome. + + + ROME. + +The pilgrimage is over. The holy city is at length reached. + +Across burning plains, under trellised vine-walks on the hill-sides, +over wild, craggy mountains, through valleys green with chestnuts, and +olives, and thickets of myrtle, and fragrant with lavender and cistus, +we walked, until at last the sacred towers and domes burst on our sight, +across a reach of the Campagna--the city where St. Paul and St. Peter +were martyred--the metropolis of the kingdom of God. + +The moment we came in sight of the city Brother Martin prostrated +himself on the earth, and, lifting up his hands to heaven, exclaimed-- + +"Hail, sacred Rome! thrice sacred for the blood of the martyrs here +shed." + +And now we are within the sacred walls, lodged in the Augustinian +monastery, near to the northern gate, through which we entered, called +by the Romans the "Porta del Popolo." + +Already Brother Martin has celebrated a mass in the convent church. + +And to-morrow we may kneel where apostles and martyrs stood! + +We may perhaps even see the holy father himself! + +Are we indeed nearer heaven here? + +It seems to me as I felt God nearer that night in the Black Forest. + +There is so much tumult, and movement, and pomp around us in the great +city. + +When, however, I feel it more familiar and home-like, perhaps it will +seem more heaven-like. + + + + +IX. + +Elsè's Story. + + + EISENACH, _April_. + +The last words I shall write in our dear old lumber-room, Fritz's and +mine! I have little to regret in it now, however, that our twilight +talks are over for ever. We leave early to-morrow morning for +Wittemberg. It is strange to look out into the old street, and think how +all will look exactly the same there to-morrow evening,--the monks +slowly pacing along in pairs, the boys rushing out of school, as they +are now, the maid-servants standing at the doors with the baby in their +arms, or wringing their mops,--and we gone. How small a blank people +seem to make when they are gone, however large the space they seemed to +fill when they were present--except, indeed, to two or three hearts! I +see this with Fritz. It seemed to me our little world must fall when he, +its chief pillar, was withdrawn. Yet now everything seems to go on the +same as before he became a monk,--except, indeed, with the mother and +Eva and me. + +The mother seems more and more like a shadow gliding in and out among +us. Tenderly, indeed, she takes on her all she can of our family cares; +but to family joys she seems spiritless and dead. Since she told me of +the inclination she thinks she neglected in her youth towards the +cloister, I understand her better,--the trembling fear with which she +receives any good thing, and the hopeless submission with which she bows +to every trouble, as to the blows of a rod always suspended over her, +and only occasionally mercifully withheld from striking. + +In the loss of Fritz the blow has fallen exactly where she would feel it +most keenly. She had, I feel sure, planned another life for him. I see +it in the peculiar tenderness of the tie which binds her to Eva. She +said to me to-day, as we were packing up some of Fritz's books, "The +sacrifice I was too selfish to make myself my son has made for me. O +Elsè, my child, give at once, _at once_, whatever God demands of you. +What he demands must be given at last; and if only wrung out from us at +last, God only knows with what fearful interest the debt may have to be +paid." + +The words weigh on me like a curse. I cannot help feeling sometimes, as +I know she feels always, that the family is under some fatal spell. + +But oh, how terrible the thought is that this is the way God exacts +retribution!--a creditor, exacting to the last farthing for the most +trifling transgression; and if payment is delayed, taking life or limb, +or what is dearer, in exchange. I cannot bear to think of it. For if my +mother is thus visited for a mistake, for neglecting a doubtful +vocation, my pious, sweet mother, what hope is there for me, who +scarcely pass a day without having to repent of saying some sharp word +to those boys (who certainly are often very provoking), or doing what I +ought not, or omitting some religious duty, or at least without envying +some one who is richer, or inwardly murmuring at our lot,--even +sometimes thinking bitter thoughts of our father and his discoveries! + +Our dear father has at last arranged and fitted in all his treasures, +and is the only one, except the children, who seems thoroughly pleased +at the thought of our emigration. All day he has been packing, and +unpacking, and repacking his machines into some specially safe corners +of the great wagon which cousin Conrad Cotta has lent us for our +journey. + +Eva, on the other hand, seems to belong to this world as little as the +mother. Not that she looks depressed or hopeless. Her face often +perfectly beams with peace; but it seems entirely independent of +everything here, and is neither ruffled by the difficulties we +encounter, nor enhanced when anything goes a little better. I must +confess it rather provokes me, almost as much as the boys do. I have +serious fears that one day she will leave us, like Fritz, and take +refuge in a convent. And yet I am sure I have not a fault to find with +her. I suppose that is exactly what our grandmother and I feel so +provoking. Lately she has abandoned all her Latin books for a German +book entitled "Theologia Teutsch," or "Theologia Germanica," which Fritz +sent us before he left the Erfurt convent on his pilgrimage to Rome. +This book seems to make Eva very happy; but as to me, it appears to me +more unintelligible than Latin. Although it is quite different from all +the other religious books I ever read, it does not suit me any better. +Indeed, it seems as if I never should find the kind of religion that +would suit me. It all seems so sublime and vague, and so far out of my +reach;--only fit for people who have time to climb the heights; whilst +my path seems to lie in the valleys, and among the streets, and amidst +all kinds of little every-day secular duties and cares, which religion +is too lofty to notice. + +I can only hope that some day at the end of my life God will graciously +give me a little leisure to be religious and to prepare to meet him, or +that Eva's and Fritz's prayers and merits will avail for me. + + + WITTEMBERG, _May_, 1510. + +We are beginning to get settled into our new home, which is in the +street near the University buildings. Martin Luther, or Brother Martin, +has a great name here. They say his lectures are more popular than any +one's. And he also frequently preaches in the city church. Our +grandmother is not pleased with the change. She calls the town a +wretched mud village, and wonders what can have induced the Electors of +Saxony to fix their residence and found a university in such a sandy +desert as this. She supposes it is very much like the deserts of Arabia. + +But Christopher and I think differently. There are several very fine +buildings here, beautiful churches, and the University, and the Castle, +and the Augustinian Monastery; and we have no doubt that in time the +rest of the town will grow up to them. I have heard our grandmother say +that babies with features too large for their faces often prove the +handsomest people when they grow up to their features. And so, no doubt, +it will be with Wittemberg, which is at present certainly rather like an +infant with the eyes and nose of a full-grown man. The mud walls and low +cottages with thatched roofs look strangely out of keeping with the new +buildings, the Elector's palace and church at the western end, the city +church in the centre, and the Augustinian cloister and university at the +eastern extremity, near the Elster gate, close to which we live. + +It is true that there are no forests of pines, and wild hills, and +lovely green valleys here, as around Eisenach. But our grandmother need +not call it a wilderness. The white sand-hills on the north are broken +with little dells and copses; and on the south, not two hundred rods +from the town, across a heath, flows the broad, rapid Elbe. + +The great river is a delight to me. It leads one's thoughts back to its +quiet sources among the mountains, and onwards to its home in the great +sea. We had no great river at Eisenach, which is an advantage on the +side of Wittemberg. And then the banks are fringed with low oaks and +willows, which bend affectionately over the water, and are delightful to +sit amongst on summer evenings. + +If I were not a little afraid of the people! The father does not like +Eva and me to go out alone. The students are rather wild. This year, +however, they have been forbidden by the rector to carry arms, which is +some comfort. But the town's people also are warlike and turbulent, and +drink a great deal of beer. There are one hundred and seventy breweries +in the place, although there are not more than three hundred and fifty +houses. Few of the inhabitants send their children to school, although +there are five hundred students from all parts of Germany at the +university. + +Some of the poorer people, who come from the country around to the +markets, talk a language I cannot understand. Our grandmother says they +are Wends, and that this town is the last place on the borders of the +civilized world. Beyond it, she declares, there are nothing but +barbarians and Tartars. Indeed, she is not sure whether our neighbors +themselves are Christians. + +St. Boniface, the great apostle of the Saxons, did not extend his +labours further than Saxony; and she says the Teutonic knights who +conquered Prussia and the regions beyond us, were only Christian +colonists living in the midst of half-heathen savages. To me it is +rather a gloomy idea, to think that between Wittemberg and the Turks and +Tartars, or even the savages in the Indies beyond, which Christopher +Columbus has discovered, there are only a few half-civilized Wends, +living in those wretched hamlets which dot the sandy heaths around the +town. + +But the father says it is a glorious idea, and that, if he were only a +little younger, he would organize a land expedition, and traverse the +country until he reached the Spaniards and the Portuguese, who sailed to +the same point by sea. + +"Only to think," he says, "that in a few weeks, or months at the utmost, +we might reach Cathay, El Dorado, and even Atlantis itself, where the +houses are roofed and paved with gold, and return laden with treasures!" +It seems to make him feel even his experiments with the retorts and +crucibles in which he is always on the point of transmuting lead into +silver, to be tame and slow processes. Since we have been here, he has +for the time abandoned his alchemical experiments, and sits for hours +with a great map spread before him, calculating in the most accurate and +elaborate manner how long it would take to reach the new Spanish +discoveries by way of Wendish Prussia. "For," he remarks, "if I am never +able to carry out the scheme myself, it may one day immortalize one of +my sons, and enrich and ennoble the whole of our family!" + +Our journey from Eisenach was one continual fête to the children. For my +mother and the baby--now two years old--we made a couch in the wagon, of +the family bedding. My grandmother sat erect in a nook among the +furniture. Little Thekla was enthroned like a queen on a pile of +pillows, where she sat hugging her own especial treasures,--her broken +doll, the wooden horse Christopher made for her, a precious store of +cones and pebbles from the forest, and a very shaggy disreputable +foundling dog which she has adopted, and can by no means be persuaded to +part with. She calls the dog Nix, and is sure that he is always asking +her with his wistful eyes to teach him to speak, and give him a soul. +With these, her household gods, preserved to her, she showed little +feeling at parting from the rest of our Eisenach world. + +The father was equally absorbed with his treasures, his folios, and +models, and instruments, which he jealously guarded. + +Eva had but one inseparable treasure, the volume of the "Theologia +Germanica," which she has appropriated. + +The mother's especial thought was the baby. Chriemhild was overwhelmed +with the parting with Pollux, who was left behind with Cousin Conrad +Cotta, and Atlantis was so wild with delight at the thought of the new +world and the new life, from which she was persuaded all the cares of +the old were to be extracted for ever, that, had it not been for +Christopher and me, I must say the general interest of the family would +have been rather in the background. + +For the time there was a truce between Christopher and me concerning +"Reinecke Fuchs," and our various differences. All his faculties--which +have been so prolific for mischief--seemed suddenly turned into useful +channels, like the mischievous elves of the farm and hearth, when they +are capriciously bent on doing some poor human being a good turn. He +scarcely tried my temper once during the whole journey. Since we reached +Wittemberg, however, I cannot say as much. I feel anxious about the +companions he has found among the students, and often, often I long that +Fritz's religion had led him to remain among us, at least until the boys +had grown up. + +I had nerved myself beforehand for the leave-taking with the old friends +and the old home, but when the moving actually began, there was no time +to think of anything but packing in the last things which had been +nearly forgotten, and arranging every one in their places. I had not +even a moment for a last look at the old house, for at the instant we +turned the corner, Thekla and her treasures nearly came to an untimely +end by the downfall of one of the father's machines; which so +discouraged Thekla, and excited our grandmother, Nix and the baby, that +it required considerable soothing to restore every one to equanimity; +and, in the meantime, the corner of the street had been turned, and the +dear old house was out of sight. I felt a pang, as if I had wronged it, +the old home which had sheltered us so many years, and been the silent +witness of so many joys, and cares, and sorrows! + +We had few adventures during the first day, except that Thekla's peace +was often broken by the difficulties in which Nix's self-confident but +not very courageous disposition frequently involved him with the cats +and dogs in the villages, and their proprietors. + +The first evening in the forest was delightful. We encamped in a +clearing. Sticks were gathered for a fire, round which we arranged such +bedding and furniture as we could unpack, and the children were wild +with delight at thus combining serious household work with play, whilst +Christopher foddered and tethered the horses. + +After our meal we began to tell stories, but our grandmother positively +forbade our mentioning the name of any of the forest sprites, or of any +evil or questionable creature whatever. + +In the night I could not sleep. All was so strange and grand around us, +and it did seem to me that there were wailings and sighings and distant +moanings among the pines, not quite to be accounted for by the wind. I +grew rather uneasy, and at length lifted my head to see if any one else +was awake. + +Opposite me sat Eva, her face lifted to the stars, her hands clasped, +and her lips moving as if in prayer. I felt her like a guardian angel, +and instinctively drew nearer to her. + +"Eva," I whispered at last, "do you not think there are rather strange +and unaccountable noises around us? I wonder if it can be true that +strange creatures haunt the forests?" + +"I think there are always spirits around us, Cousin Elsè," she replied, +"good and evil spirits prowling around us, or ministering to us. I +suppose in the solitude we feel them nearer, and perhaps they are." + +I was not at all reassured. + +"Eva," I said, "I wish you would say some prayers; I feel afraid I may +not think of the right ones. But are you really not at all afraid?" + +"Why should I be?" she said softly; "God is nearer us always than all +the spirits, good or evil,--nearer and greater than all. And he is the +Supreme Goodness. I like the solitude, Cousin Elsè, because it seems to +lift me above all the creatures to the One who is all and in all. And I +like the wild forests," she continued, as if to herself, "because God is +the only owner there, and I can feel more unreservedly, that we, and the +creatures, and all we most call our own, are His, and only His. In the +cities, the houses are called after the names of men, and each street +and house is divided into little plots, of each of which some one says, +'It is mine.' But here all is visibly only God's, undivided, common to +all. There is but one table, and that is His; the creatures live as free +pensioners on His bounty." + +"Is it then sin to call anything our own?" I asked. + +"My book says it was this selfishness that was the cause of Adam's +fall," she replied. "Some say it was because Adam ate the apple that he +was lost, or fell; but my book says it was 'because of his claiming +something for his own; and because of his saying, I, mine, me, and the +like.'" + +"That is very difficult to understand." I said, "Am I not to say, _My_ +mother, _my_ father, _my_ Fritz? Ought I to love every one the same +because all are equally God's? If property is sin, then why is stealing +sin? Eva, this religion is quite above and beyond me. It seems to me in +this way it would be almost as wrong to give thanks for what we have, as +to covet what we have not, because we ought not to think we have +anything. It perplexes me extremely." + +I lay down again, resolved not to think any more about it. Fritz and I +proved once, a long time ago, how useless it is for me, at least, to +attempt to get beyond the Ten Commandments. But trying to comprehend +what Eva said so bewildered me, that my thoughts soon wandered beyond my +control altogether. I heard no more of Eva or the winds, but fell into a +sound slumber, and dreamt that Eva and an angel were talking beside me +all night in Latin, which I felt I ought to understand, but of course +could not. + +The next day we had not been long on our journey when, at a narrow part +of the road, in a deep valley, a company of horsemen suddenly dashed +down from a castle which towered on our right, and barred our further +progress with serried lances. + +"Do you belong to Erfurt?" asked the leader, turning our horses' heads, +and pushing Christopher aside with the butt end of his gun. + +"No," said Christopher, "to Eisenach." + +"Give way, men," shouted the knight to his followers; "we have no +quarrel with Eisenach. This is not what we are waiting for." + +The cavaliers made a passage for us, but a young knight who seemed to +lead them rode on beside us for a time. + +"Did you pass any merchandise on your road?" he asked of Christopher, +using the form of address he would have to a peasant. + +"We are not likely to pass anything," replied Christopher, not very +courteously, "laden as we are." + +"What is your lading?" asked the knight. + +"All our worldly goods," replied Christopher, curtly. + +"What is your name, friend, and where are you bound?" + +"Cotta," answered Christopher. "My father is the director of the +Elector's printing press at the new University of Wittemberg." + +"Cotta!" rejoined the knight more respectfully, "a good burgher name;" +and saying this he rode back to the wagon, and saluting our father, +surveyed us all with a cool freedom, as if his notice honoured us, until +his eye lighted on Eva, who was sitting with her arm round Thekla, +soothing the frightened child, and helping her to arrange some violets +Christopher had gathered a few minutes before. His voice lowered when he +saw her, and he said,-- + +"This is no burgher maiden, surely? May I ask your name, fair Fraülein?" +he said, doffing his hat and addressing Eva. + +She made no reply, but continued arranging her flowers, without changing +feature or colour, except her lip curled and quivered slightly. + +"The Fraülein is absorbed with her bouquet; would that we were nearer +our Schloss, that I might offer her flowers more worthy of her +handling." + +"Are you addressing me?" said Eva at length, raising her large eyes, and +fixing them on him with her gravest expression; "I am no Fraülein, I am +a burgher maiden; but if I were a queen, any of God's flowers would be +fair enough for me. And to a true knight," she added, "a peasant maiden +is as sacred as a queen." + +No one ever could trifle with that earnest expression of Eva's face. It +was his turn to be abashed. His effrontery failed him altogether, and he +murmured, "I have merited the rebuke. These flowers are too fair, at +least for me. If you would bestow one on me, I would keep it sacredly as +a gift of my mother's or as the relics of a saint." + +"You can gather them anywhere in the forest," said Eva; but little +Thekla filled both her little hands with violets, and gave them to him. + +"You may have them all if you like," she said; "Christopher can gather +us plenty more." + +He took them carefully from the child's hand, and, bowing low, rejoined +his men who were in front. He then returned, said a few words to +Christopher, and with his troop retired to some distance behind us, and +followed us till we were close to Erfurt, when he spurred on to my +father's side, and saying rapidly, "You will be safe now, and need no +further convoy," once more bowed respectfully to us, and rejoining his +men, we soon lost the echo of their horse-hoofs, as they galloped back +through the forest. + +"What did the knight say to you, Christopher?" I asked, when we +dismounted at Erfurt that evening. + +"He said that part of the forest was dangerous at present, because of a +feud between the knights and the burghers, and if we would allow him, he +would be our escort until we came in sight of Erfurt." + +"That, at least, was courteous of him," I said. + +"Such courtesy as a burgher may expect of a knight," rejoined +Christopher, uncompromisingly; "to insult us without provocation, and +then, as a favour, exempt us from their own illegal oppressions! But +women are always fascinated with what men on horseback do." + +"No one is fascinated with any one," I replied. For it always provokes +me exceedingly when that boy talks in that way about women. And our +grandmother interposed,--"Don't dispute, children; if your grandfather +had not been unfortunate, you would have been of the knights' order +yourselves, therefore it is not for you to run down the nobles." + +"I should never have been a knight," persisted Christopher, "or a priest +or a robber." But it was consolatory to my grandmother and me to +consider how exalted our position would have been, had it not been for +certain little unfortunate hindrances. Our grandmother never admitted my +father into the pedigree. + +At Leipsic we left the children, while our grandmother, our mother, Eva, +and I went on foot to see Aunt Agnes at the convent of Nimptschen, +whither she had been transferred, some years before, from Eisenach. + +We only saw her through the convent grating. But it seemed to me as if +the voice, and manner, and face were entirely unchanged since that last +interview when she terrified me as a child by asking me to become a +sister, and abandon Fritz. + +Only the voice sounded to me even more like a muffled bell used only for +funerals, especially when she said, in reference to Fritz's entering the +cloister, "Praise to God, and the blessed Virgin, and all the saints. At +last, then, He has heard my unworthy prayers; one at least is saved!" + +A cold shudder passed over me at her words. Had she then, indeed, all +these years been praying that our happiness should be ruined and our +home desolated? And had God heard her? Was the fatal spell, which my +mother feared was binding us, after all nothing else than Aunt Agnes's +terrible prayers? + +Her face looked as lifeless as ever, in the folds of white linen which +bound it into a regular oval. Her voice was metallic and lifeless; the +touch of her hand was impassive and cold as marble when we took leave of +her. My mother wept, and said, "Dear Agnes, perhaps we may never meet +again on earth." + +"Perhaps not," was the reply. + +"You will not forget us, sister?" said the mother. + +"I never forget you," was the reply, in the same deep, low, firm, +irresponsive voice, which seemed as if it had never vibrated to anything +more human than an organ playing Gregorian chants. + +And the words echo in my heart to this instant, like a knell. + +She never forgets us. + +Nightly in her vigils, daily in church and cell, she watches over us, +and prays God not to let us be too happy. + +And God hears her, and grants her prayers. It is too clear He does! Had +she not been asking Him to make Fritz a monk? and is not Fritz separated +from us for ever? + +"How did you like the convent, Eva?" I said to her that night when we +were alone. + +"It seemed very still and peaceful," she said. "I think one could be +very happy there. There would be so much time for prayer. One could +perhaps more easily lose self there, and become nearer to God." + +"But what do you think of Aunt Agnes?" + +"I felt drawn to her. I think she has suffered." + +"She seems to be dead alike to joy or suffering," I said. + +"But people do not thus die without pain," said Eva very gravely. + +Our house at Wittemberg is small. From the upper windows we look over +the city walls, across the heath, to the Elbe, which gleams and sparkles +between its willows and dwarf oaks. Behind the house is a plot of +neglected ground, which Christopher is busy at his leisure hours +trenching and spading into an herb-garden. We are to have a few flowers +on the borders of the straight walk which intersects it,--daffodils, +pansies, roses, and sweet violets and gilliflowers, and wallflowers. At +the end of the garden are two apple trees and a pear tree, which had +shed their blossoms just before we arrived, in a carpet of pink and +white petals. Under the shade of these I carry my embroidery frame, when +the house work is finished; and sometimes little Thekla comes and +prattles to me, and sometimes Eva reads and sings to me. I cannot help +regretting that lately Eva is so absorbed with that "Theologia +Germanica." I cannot understand it as well as I do the Latin hymns when +once she has translated them to me; for these speak of Jesus the +Saviour, who left the heavenly home and sat weary by the way seeking for +us; or of Mary his dear mother; and although sometimes they tell of +wrath and judgment, at all events I know what it means. But this other +book is all to me one dazzling haze, without sun, or moon, or stars, or +heaven, or earth, or seas, or anything distinct,--but all a blaze of +indistinguishable glory, which is God; the One who is all--a kind of +ocean of goodness, in which, in some mysterious way, we ought to be +absorbed. But I am not an ocean, or any part of one; and I cannot love +an ocean, because it is infinite, or unfathomable, or all-sufficient, or +anything else. + +My mother's thought of God, as watching lest we should be too happy and +love any one more than himself, remembering the mistakes and sins of +youth, and delaying to punish them until just the moment when the +punishment would be most keenly felt, is dreadful enough. But even that +is not to me so bewildering and dreary as this all-absorbing Being in +Eva's book. The God my mother dreads has indeed eyes of severest +justice, and a frown of wrath against the sinner; but if once one could +learn how to please him, the eyes might smile, the frown might pass. It +is a countenance; and a heart which might meet ours! But when Eva reads +her book to me, I seem to look up into heaven and see nothing but +heaven--light, space, infinity, and still on and on, infinity and light; +a moral light, indeed--perfection, purity, goodness; but no eyes I can +look into, no heart to meet mine--none whom I could speak to, or touch, +or see! + +This evening we opened our window and looked out across the heath to the +Elbe. + +The town was quite hushed. The space of sky above us over the plain +looked so large and deep. We seemed to see range after range of stars +beyond each other in the clear air. The only sound was the distant, +steady rush of the broad river, which gleamed here and there in the +starlight. + +Eva was looking up with her calm, bright look. "Thine!" she murmured, +"all this is Thine; and we are Thine, and Thou art here! How much +happier it is to be able to look up and feel there is no barrier of our +own poor ownership between us and Him, the Possessor of heaven and +earth! How much poorer we should be if we were lords of this land, like +the Elector, and if we said, 'All this is mine!' and so saw only I and +mine in it all, instead of God and God's!" + +"Yes," I said, "if we _ended_ in saying I and mine; but I should be very +thankful if God gave us a little more out of his abundance, to use for +our wants. And yet, how much better things are with us then they +were!--the appointment of my father as director of the Elector's +printing establishment, instead of a precarious struggle for ourselves; +and this embroidery of mine! It seems to me, Eva, sometimes, we might be +a happy family yet." + +"My book," she replied thoughtfully, "says we shall never be truly +satisfied in God, or truly free, unless all things are one to us, and +One is all, and something and nothing are alike. I suppose I am not +quite truly free, Cousin Elsè, for I cannot like this place quite as +much as the old Eisenach home." + +I began to feel quite impatient, and I said,--"Nor can I or any of us +ever feel any home quite the same again, since Fritz is gone. But as to +feeling something and nothing are alike, I never can, and I will never +try. One might as well be dead at once." + +"Yes," said Eva gravely; "I suppose we shall never comprehend it quite, +or be quite satisfied and free, until we die." + +We talked no more that night; but I heard her singing one of her +favourite hymns:[6]-- + + + In the fount of life perennial the parched heart its thirst would + slake, + And the soul, in flesh imprisoned, longs her prison-walls to break,-- + Exile, seeking, sighing, yearning in her Fatherland to wake. + + When with cares oppressed and sorrows, only groans her grief can tell, + Then she contemplates the glory which she lost when first she fell: + Memory of the vanished good the present evil can but swell. + + Who can utter what the pleasures and the peace unbroken are + Where arise the pearly mansions, shedding silvery light afar-- + Festive seats and golden roofs, which glitter like the evening star? + + Wholly of fair stones most precious are those radiant structures + made; + With pure gold, like glass transparent, are those shining streets + inlaid; + Nothing that defiles can enter, nothing that can soil or fade. + + Stormy winter, burning summer, rage within those regions never; + But perpetual bloom of roses, and unfading spring for ever: + Lilies gleam, the crocus glows, and dropping balms their scents + deliver; + + Honey pure, and greenest pastures,--this the land of promise is + Liquid odours soft distilling, perfumes breathing on the breeze; + Fruits immortal cluster always on the leafy, fadeless trees. + + There no moon shines chill and changing, there no stars with + twinkling ray-- + For the Lamb of that blest city is at once the sun and day; + Night and time are known no longer,--day shall never fade away. + + There the saints, like suns, are radiant,--like the sun at dawn they + glow; + Crownèd victors after conflict, all their joys together flow; + And, secure, they count the battles where they fought the prostrate + foe. + + Every stain of flesh is cleansèd, every strife is left behind; + Spiritual are their bodies,--perfect unity of mind; + Dwelling in deep peace for ever, no offense or grief they find. + + Putting off their mortal vesture, in their Source their souls they + steep,-- + Truth by actual vision learning, on its form their gaze they keep,-- + Drinking from the living Fountain draughts of living waters deep. + + Time, with all its alternations, enters not those hosts among,-- + Glorious, wakeful, blest, no shade of chance or change o'er them is + flung; + Sickness cannot touch the deathless, nor old age the ever young. + + There their being is eternal,--things that cease have ceased to be. + All corruption there has perished,--there they flourish strong and + free; + Thus mortality is swallowed up of life eternally. + + Nought from them is hidden,--knowing Him to whom all things are known + All the spirit's deep recesses, sinless, to each other shown,-- + Unity of will and purpose, heart and mind for ever one. + + Diverse as their varied labours the rewards to each that fall; + But Love, what she loves in others evermore her own doth call: + Thus the several joy of each becomes the common joy of all. + + Where the body is, there ever are the eagles gathered; + For the saints and for the angels one most blessed feast is spread,-- + Citizens of either country living on the self-same bread. + + Ever filled and ever seeking, what they have they still desire; + Hunger there shall fret them never, nor satiety shall tire,-- + Still enjoying whilst aspiring, in their joy they still aspire. + + There the new song, new forever, those melodious voices sing,-- + Ceaseless streams of fullest music through those blessed regions + ring! + Crownèd victors ever bringing praises worthy of the King! + + Blessed who the King of Heaven in his beauty thus behold, + And, beneath his throne rejoicing, see the universe unfold,-- + Sun and moon, and stars and planets, radiant in his light unrolled. + + Christ, the Palm of faithful victors! of that city make me free; + When my warfare shall be ended, to its mansions lead thou me; + Grant me, with its happy inmates, sharer of thy gifts to be! + + Let thy soldier, still contending, still be with thy strength + supplied; + Thou wilt not deny the quiet when the arms are laid aside; + Make me meet with thee for ever in that country to abide! + +[Footnote 6: + + Ad perennis vitæ fontem mens sitivit arida, + Claustra carnis præstò frangi clausa quærit anima, + Gliscit, ambit, electatur, exul frui patriâ. + &c. &c. &c. + +(The translation only is given above.)] + + + _Passion Week._ + +Wittemberg has been very full this week. There have been great +mystery-plays in the City Church; and in the Electoral Church (_Schloss +Kirche_) all the relics have been solemnly exhibited. Crowds of pilgrims +have come from all the neighbouring villages, Wendish and Saxon. It has +been very unpleasant to go about the streets, so much beer has been +consumed; and the students and peasants have had frequent encounters. It +is certainly a comfort that there are large indulgences to be obtained +by visiting the relics, for the pilgrims seem to need a great deal of +indulgence. + +The sacred mystery-plays were very magnificent. The Judas was +wonderfully hateful,--hunchbacked, and dressed like a rich Jewish miser; +and the devils were dreadful enough to terrify the children for a year. + +Little Thekla was dressed in white, with gauze wings, and made a lovely +angel--and enjoyed it very much. They wanted Eva to represent one of the +holy women at the cross, but she would not. Indeed she nearly wept at +the thought, and did not seem to like the whole ceremony at all. "It all +really happened!" she said; "they really crucified Him! And He is risen, +and living in heaven; and I cannot bear to see it performed, like a +fable." + +The second day there was certainly more jesting and satire than I liked. +Christopher said it reminded him of "Reinecke Fuchs." + +In the middle of the second day we missed Eva, and when in a few hours I +came back to the house to seek her, I found her kneeling by our +bed-side, sobbing as if her heart would break. I drew her towards me, +but I could not discover that anything at all was the matter, except +that the young knight who had stopped us in the forest had bowed very +respectfully to her, and had shown her a few dried violets, which he +said he should always keep in remembrance of her and her words. + +It did not seem to me so unpardonable an offence, and I said so. + +"He had no right to keep anything for my sake!" she sobbed. "No one will +ever have any right to keep anything for my sake; and if Fritz had been +here, he would never have allowed it." + +"Little Eva," I said, "what has become of your 'Theologia Teutsch?' Your +book says you are to take all things meekly, and be indifferent, I +suppose, alike to admiration and reproach." + +"Cousin Elsè," said Eva very gravely, rising and standing erect before +me with clasped hands, "I have not learned the 'Theologia' through well +yet, but I mean to try. The world seems to me very evil, and very sad. +And there seems no place in it for an orphan girl like me. There is no +rest except in being a wife or a nun. A wife I shall never be, and +therefore, dear, dear Elsè," she continued, kneeling down again, and +throwing her arms around me, "I have just decided--I will go to the +convent where Aunt Agnes is, and be a nun." + +I did not attempt to remonstrate; but the next day I told the mother, +who said gravely, "She will be happier there, poor child! We must let +her go." + +But she became pale as death, her lip quivered, and she added,--"Yes, +God must have the choicest of all. It is in vain indeed to fight against +Him!" Then, fearing she might have wounded me, she kissed me and +said,--"Since Fritz left, she has grown so very dear! But how can I +murmur when my loving Elsè is spared to us?" + +"Mother," I said, "do you think Aunt Agnes has been praying again for +this?" + +"Probably!" she replied, with a startled look. "She did look very +earnestly at Eva." + +"Then, mother," I replied, "I shall write to Aunt Agnes at once, to tell +her that she is not to make any such prayers for you or for me. For, as +to me, it is entirely useless. And if you were to imitate St. Elizabeth, +and leave us, it would break all our hearts, and the family would go to +ruin altogether." + +"What are you thinking of, Elsè?" replied my mother meekly. "It is too +late indeed for me to think of being a saint. I can never hope for +anything beyond this, that God in his great mercy may one day pardon me +my sins, and receive me as the lowest of his creatures, for the sake of +his dear Son who died upon the cross. What could you mean by my +imitating St. Elizabeth?" + +I felt reassured, and did not pursue the subject, fearing it might +suggest what I dreaded to my mother. + + + WITTEMBERG, _June_ 14. + +And so Eva and Fritz are gone, the two religious ones of the family. +They are gone into their separate convents, to be made saints, and have +left us all to struggle in the world without them,--with all that helped +us to be less earthly taken from us. It seems to me as if a lovely +picture of the Holy Mother had been removed from the dwelling-room since +Eva has gone, and instead we had nothing left but family portraits, and +paintings of common earthly things; or as if a window opening towards +the stars had been covered by a low ceiling. She was always like a +little bit of heaven among us. + +I miss her in our little room at night. Her prayers seemed to hallow it. +I miss her sweet, holy songs at my embroidery; and now I have nothing to +turn my thoughts from the arrangements for to-morrow, and the troubles +of yesterday, and the perplexities of to-day. I had no idea how I must +have been leaning on her. She always seemed so child-like, and so above +my petty cares--and in practical things I certainly understood much +more; and yet, in some way, whenever I talked anything over with her, it +always seemed to take the burden away,--to change cares into duties, and +clear my thoughts wonderfully,--just by lightening my heart. It was not +that she suggested what to do; but she made me feel things were working +for good, not for harm--that God in some way ordered them--and then the +right thoughts seemed to come to me naturally. + +Our mother, I am afraid, grieves as much as she did for Fritz; but she +tries to hide it, lest we should feel her ungrateful for the love of her +children. + +I have a terrible dread sometimes that Aunt Agnes will get her prayers +answered about our precious mother also,--if not in one way, in another. +She looks so pale and spiritless. + +Christopher has just returned from taking Eva to the convent. He says +she shed many tears when he left her; which is a comfort. I could not +bear to think that something and nothing were alike to her yet! He told +me also one thing, which has made me rather anxious. On the journey, Eva +begged him to take care of our father's sight, which, she said, she +thought had been failing a little lately. And just before they separated +she brought him a little jar of distilled eye-water, which the nuns were +skillful in making, and sent it to our father with Sister Ave's love. + +Certainly my father has read less lately; and now I think of it, he has +asked me once or twice to find things for him, and to help him about his +models, in a way he never used to do. + +It is strange that Eva, with those deep, earnest, quiet eyes, which +seemed to look about so little, always saw before any of us what every +one wanted. Darling child! she will remember us, then, and our little +cares. And she will have some eye-water to make, which will be much +better for her than reading all day in that melancholy "Theologia +Teutsch." + +But are we to call our Eva, Ave? She gave these lines of the hymn in her +own writing to Christopher, to bring to me. She often used to sing it, +and has explained the words to me:-- + + "Ave, maris stella + Dei mater alma + Atque semper virgo + Felix coeli porta. + + _Sumens illud Ave_ + Gabrielis ore + Funda nos in pace + _Mutans nomen Evoe_." + +It is not an uncommon name, I know, with nuns. + +Well, dearly as I loved the old name, I cannot complain of the change. +Sister Ave will be as dear to me as Cousin Eva, only a little bit +further off, and nearer heaven. + +Her living so near heaven, while she was with us, never seemed to make +her further off, but nearer to us all. + +Now, however, it cannot, of course, be the same. + +Our grandmother remains steadfast to the baptismal name. + +"Receiving that Ave from the lips of Gabriel, the blessed Mother +transformed the name of our mother Eva! And now our child Eva is on her +way to become Saint Ave,--God's angel Ave in heaven!" + + + _June_ 30. + +The young knight we met in the forest has called at our house to-day. + +I could scarcely command my voice at first to tell him where our Eva is, +because I cannot help partly blaming him for her leaving us at last. + +"At Nimptschen!" he said; "then she was noble, after all. None but +maidens of noble houses are admitted there." + +"Yes," I said, "our mother's family is noble." + +"She was too heavenly for this world!" he murmured. "Her face, and +something in her words and tones, have haunted me like a holy vision, or +a church hymn, ever since I saw her." + +I could not feel as indignant with the young knight as Eva did. And he +seemed so interested in our father's models, that we could not refuse +him permission to come and see us again. + +Yes, our Eva was, I suppose, as he says, too religious and too heavenly +for this world. + +Only, as so many of us have, after all, to live in the world, unless the +world is to come to an end altogether, it would be a great blessing if +God had made a religion for us poor, secular people, as well as one for +the monks and nuns. + + + + +X. + +Fritz's Story. + + + ROME, AUGUSTINIAN CONVENT. + +Holy as this city necessarily must be, consecrated by relics of the +church's most holy dead, consecrated by the presence of her living Head, +I scarcely think religion is as deep in the hearts of these Italians as +of our poor Germans in the cold north. + +But I may mistake; feeling of all kinds manifests itself in such +different ways with different characters. + +Certainly the churches are thronged on all great occasions, and the +festas are brilliant. But the people seem rather to regard them as +holidays and dramatic entertainments, than as the solemn and sacred +festivals we consider them in Saxony. This morning, for instance, I +heard two women criticizing a procession in words such as these, as far +as the little Italian I have picked up, enabled me to understand them:-- + +"Ah, Nina mia, the angels are nothing to-day; you should have seen our +Lucia last year! Every one said she was heavenly. If the priests do not +arrange it better, people will scarcely care to attend. Besides, the +music was execrable." + +"Ah, the nuns of the Cistercian convent understand how to manage a +ceremony. They have ideas! Did you see their Bambino last Christmas? +Such lace! and the cradle of tortoise-shell, fit for an emperor, as it +should be! And then their robes for the Madonna on her fêtes! Cloth of +gold embroidered with pearls and brilliants worth a treasury!" + +"Yes," replied the other, lowering her voice, "I have been told the +history of those robes. A certain lady who was powerful at the late Holy +Father's court, is said to have presented the dress in which she +appeared on some state occasion to the nuns, just as she wore it." + +"Did she become a penitent, then?" + +"A penitent? I do not know; such an act of penitence would purchase +indulgences and masses to last at least for some time." + +Brother Martin and I do not so much affect these gorgeous processions. +These Italians, with their glorious skies and the rich colouring of +their beautiful land require more splendour in their religion than our +German eyes can easily gaze on undazzled. + +It rather perplexed us to see the magnificent caparisons of the horses +of the cardinals; and more especially to behold the Holy Father sitting +on a fair palfrey, bearing the sacred Host. In Germany, the loftiest +earthly dignity prostrates itself low before that Ineffable Presence. + +But my mind becomes confused. Heaven forbid that I should call the Vicar +of Christ an _earthly_ dignitary! Is he not the representative and +oracle of God on earth? + +For this reason,--no doubt in painful contradiction to the reverent awe +natural to every Christian before the Holy Sacrament,--the Holy Father +submits to sitting enthroned in the church, and receiving the body of +our Creator through a golden tube presented to him by a kneeling +cardinal. + +It must be very difficult for him to separate between the office and the +person. It is difficult enough for us. But for the human spirit not yet +made perfect to receive these religious honours must be overwhelming. + +Doubtless, at night, when the holy father humbles himself in solitude +before God, his self-abasement is as much deeper than that of ordinary +Christians as his exaltation is greater. + +I must confess that it is an inexpressible relief to me to retire to the +solitude of my cell at night, and pray to Him of whom Brother Martin and +I spoke in the Black Forest; to whom the homage of the universe is no +burden, because it is not mere prostration before an office, but +adoration of a person. "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty: heaven and +earth are full of thy glory." + +Holiness--to which almightiness is but an attribute, Holy One, who hast +loved and given thine Holy One for a sinful world, _miserere nobis_! + + + ROME, _July_. + +We have diligently visited all the holy relics, and offered prayers at +every altar at which especial indulgences are procured, for ourselves +and others. + +Brother Martin once said he could almost wish his father and mother +(whom he dearly loves) were dead, that he might avail himself of the +privileges of this holy city to deliver their souls from purgatory. + +He says masses whenever he can. But the Italian priests are often +impatient with him because he recites the office so slowly. I heard one +of them say, contemptuously, he had accomplished thirty masses while +Brother Martin only finished one. And more than once they hurry him +forward, saying "Passa! passa!" + +There is a strange disappointment in these ceremonies to me, and, I +think, often to him. I seem to expect so much more,--not more pomp, of +that there is abundance; but when the ceremony itself begins, to which +all the pomp of music, and processions of cavaliers, and richly-robed +priests, and costly shrines, are mere preliminary accessories, it seems +often so poor! The kernel inside all this gorgeous shell seems to the +eye of sense like a little poor withered dust. + +To the eye of _sense_! Yes, I forget. These are the splendours of +_faith_, which faith only can behold. + +To-day we gazed on the Veronica,--the holy impression left by our +Saviour's face on the cloth St. Veronica presented to him to wipe his +brow, bowed under the weight of the cross. We had looked forward to this +sight for days; for seven thousand years of indulgence from penance are +attached to it. + +But when the moment came Brother Martin and I could see nothing but a +black board hung with a cloth, before which another white cloth was +held. In a few minutes this was withdrawn, and the great moment was +over, the glimpse of the sacred thing on which hung the fate of seven +thousand years! For some time Brother Martin and I did not speak of it. +I feared there had been some imperfection in my looking, which might +affect the seven thousand years; but observing his countenance rather +downcast, I told my difficulty, and found that he also had seen nothing +but a white cloth. + +The skulls of St. Peter and St. Paul perplexed us still more, because +they had so much the appearance of being carved in wood. But in the +crowd we could not approach very close; and doubtless Satan uses devices +to blind the eyes even of the faithful. + +One relic excited my amazement much--the halter with which Judas hanged +himself! It could scarcely be termed a _holy_ relic. I wonder who +preserved it, when so many other precious things are lost. Scarcely the +Apostles; perhaps the scribes, out of malice. + +The Romans, I observe, seem to care little for what to us is the kernel +and marrow of these ceremonies--the exhibition of the holy relics. They +seem more occupied in comparing the pomp of one year, or of one church, +with another. + +We must not, I suppose, measure the good things done us by our own +thoughts and feelings, but simply accept it on the testimony of the +Church. + +Otherwise I might be tempted to imagine that the relics of pagan Rome do +my spirit more good than gazing on the sacred ashes or bones of martyrs +or apostles. When I walk over the heaps of shapeless ruin, so many feet +beneath which lies buried the grandeur of the old imperial city; or when +I wander among the broken arches of the gigantic Coliseum, where the +martyrs fought with wild beasts,--great thoughts seem to grow naturally +in my mind, and I feel how great truth is, and how little empires are. + +I see an empire solid as this Coliseum crumble into ruins as +undistinguishable as the dust of those streets, before the word of that +once despised Jew of Tarsus, "in bodily presence weak," who was beheaded +here. Or, again, in the ancient Pantheon, when the music of Christian +chants rises among the shadowy forms of the old vanquished gods painted +on the walls, and the light streams down, not from painted windows in +the walls, but from the glowing heavens above, every note of the service +echoes like a peal of triumph, and fills my heart with thankfulness. + +But my happiest hours here are spent in the church of my patron, St. +Sebastian, without the walls, built over the ancient catacombs. + +Countless martyrs, they say, rest in peace in these ancient sepulchres. +They have not been opened for centuries; but they are believed to wind +in subterranean passages far beneath the ancient city. In those dark +depths the ancient Church took refuge from persecution: there she laid +her martyrs; and there, over their tombs, she chanted hymns of triumph, +and held communion with Him for whom they died. In that church I spend +hours. I have no wish to descend into those sacred sepulchres, and pry +among the graves the resurrection trump will open soon enough. I like to +think of the holy dead, lying undisturbed and quiet there; of their +spirits in Paradise; of their faith triumphant in the city which +massacred them. + +No doubt they also had their perplexities, and wondered why the wicked +triumph, and sighed to God, "How long, O Lord, how long?" + +And yet I cannot help wishing I had lived and died among them, and had +not been born in times when we see Satan appear, not in his genuine +hideousness, but as an angel of light. + +For of the wickedness that prevails in this Christian Rome, alas, who +can speak! of the shameless sin, the violence, the pride, the mockery of +sacred things! + +In the Coliseum, in the Pantheon, in the Church of St. Sebastian, I feel +an atom--but an atom in a solid, God-governed world, where truth is +mightiest;--insignificant in myself as the little mosses which flutter +on these ancient stones; but yet a little moss on a great rock which +cannot be shaken--the rock of God's providence and love. In the busy +city, I feel tossed hither and thither on a sea which seems to rage and +heave at its own wild will, without aim or meaning--a sea of human +passion. Among the ruins, I commune with the spirits of our great and +holy dead, who live unto God. At the exhibition of the sacred relics, my +heart is drawn down to the mere perishable dust, decorated with the +miserable pomps of the little men of the day. + +And then I return to the convent and reproach myself for censoriousness, +and unbelief, and pride, and try to remember that the benefits of these +ceremonies and exhibitions are only to be understood by faith, and are +not to be judged by inward feeling, or even by their moral results. + +The Church, the Holy Father, solemnly declare that pardons and blessings +incalculable, to ourselves and others, flow from so many Paternosters +and Aves recited at certain altars, or from seeing the Veronica or the +other relics. I have performed the acts, and I must at my peril believe +in their efficacy. + +But Brother Martin and I are often sorely discouraged at the wickedness +we see and hear around us. A few days since he was at a feast with +several prelates and great men of the Church, and the fashion among them +seemed to be to jest at all that is most sacred. Some avowed their +disbelief in one portion of the faith, and some in others; but all in a +light and laughing way, as if it mattered little to any of them. One +present related how they sometimes substituted the words _panis es, et +panis manebis_ in the mass, instead of the words of consecration, and +then amused themselves with watching the people adore what was, after +all, no consecrated Host, but a mere piece of bread. + +The Romans themselves we have heard declare, that if there be a hell, +Rome is built over it. They have a couplet,-- + + "Vivere qui sancte vultis, discedite Roma: + Omnia hic esse licent, non licet esse probum."[7] + +[Footnote 7: "Ye who would live holily, depart from Rome: all things are +allowed here, except to be upright."] + +O Rome! in sacredness as Jerusalem, in wickedness as Babylon, how bitter +is the conflict that breaks forth in the heart at seeing holy places and +holy character thus disjoined! How overwhelming the doubts that rush +back on the spirit again and again, as to the very existence of holiness +or truth in the universe, when we behold the deeds of Satan prevailing +in the very metropolis of the kingdom of God! + + + ROME, _August_. + +Mechanically, we continue to go through every detail of the prescribed +round of devotions, believing against experience, and hoping against +hope. + +To-day Brother Martin went to accomplish the ascent of the Santa +Scala--the Holy Staircase--which once, they say, formed part of Pilate's +house. I had crept up the sacred steps before, and stood watching him +as, on his knees, he slowly mounted step after step of the hard stone, +worn into hollows, by the knees of penitents and pilgrims. An indulgence +for a thousand years--indulgence from penance--is attached to this act +of devotion. Patiently he crept half way up the staircase, when, to my +amazement, he suddenly stood erect, lifted his face heavenward, and, in +another moment, turned and walked slowly down again. + +He seemed absorbed in thought, when he rejoined me; and it was not until +some time afterwards that he told the meaning of this sudden abandonment +of his purpose. + +He said that, as he was toiling up, a voice, as if from heaven, seemed +to whisper to him the old, well-known words, which had been his +battle-cry in so many a victorious combat,--"_The just shall live by +faith._" + +He seemed awakened, as if from a nightmare, and restored to himself. He +dared not creep up another step; but, rising from his knees, he stood +upright, like a man suddenly loosed from bonds and fetters, and, with +the firm step of a freeman, he descended the Staircase and walked from +the place. + + + _August_, 1511. + +To-night there has been an assassination. A corpse was found near our +convent gates, pierced with many wounds. But no one seems to think much +of it. Such things are constantly occurring, they say; and the only +interest seems to be as to the nature of the quarrel which led to it. + +"A prelate is mixed up with it," the monks whisper: "one of the late +Pope's family. It will not be investigated." + +But these crimes of passion seem to me comprehensible and excusable, +compared with the spirit of levity and mockery which pervades all +classes. In such acts of revenge you see human nature in ruins; yet in +the ruins you can trace something of the ancient dignity. But in this +jesting, scornful spirit, which mocks at sacredness in the service of +God, at virtue in woman, and at truth and honour in men, all traces of +God's image seem crushed and trodden into shapeless, incoherent dust. + +From such thoughts I often take refuge in the Campagna, and feel a +refreshment in its desolate spaces, its solitary wastes, its traces of +material ruin. + +The ruins of empires and of imperial edifices do not depress me. The +immortality of the race and of the soul rises grandly in contrast. In +the Campagna we see the ruins of Imperial Rome; but in Rome we see the +ruin of our race and nature. And what shall console us for that, when +the presence of all that Christians most venerate is powerless to arrest +it? + +Were it not for some memories of a home at Eisenach, on which I dare not +dwell too much, it seems at times as if the very thought of purity and +truth would fade from my heart. + + + ROME, _August_. + +Brother Martin, during the intervals of the business of his Order, which +is slowly winding its way among the intricacies of the Roman courts, is +turning his attention to the study of Hebrew, under the Rabbi Elias +Levita. + +I study also with the Rabbi, and have had the great benefit, moreover, +of hearing lectures from the Byzantine Greek professor, Argyropylos. + +Two altogether new worlds seem to open to me through these men,--one in +the far distances of time, and the other in those of space. + +The Rabbi, one of the race which is a by-word and a scorn among us from +boyhood, to my surprise seems to glory in his nation and his pedigree, +with a pride which looks down on the antiquity of our noblest lineages +as mushrooms of a day. I had no conception that underneath the misery +and the obsequious demeanour of the Jews such lofty feelings existed. +And, yet, what wonder is it! Before Rome was built, Jerusalem was a +sacred and royal city; and now that the empire and the people of Rome +have passed for centuries, this nation, fallen before their prime, still +exists to witness their fall. + +I went once to the door of their synagogue, in the Ghetto. There were no +shrines in it, no altars, no visible symbols of sacred things, except +the roll of the Law, which was reverently taken out of a sacred treasury +and read aloud. Yet there seemed something sublime in this symbolizing +of the presence of God only by a voice reading the words which, ages +ago, He spoke to their prophets in the Holy Land. + +"Why have you no altar?" I asked once of one of the Rabbis. + +"Our altar can only be raised when our temple is built," was the reply. +"Our temple can only rise in the city and on the hill of our God. But," +he continued, in a low, bitter tone, "when our altar and temple are +restored, it will not be to offer incense to the painted image of a +Hebrew maiden." + +I have thought of the words often since. But were they not blasphemy? I +must not dare recall them. + +But those Greeks! they are Christians, and yet not of our communion. As +Argyropylos speaks, I understand for the first time that a Church exists +in the East, as ancient as the Church of Western Europe, and as +extensive, which acknowledges the Holy Trinity and the Creeds, but owns +no allegiance to the Holy Father the Pope. + +The world is much larger and older than Elsè or I thought at Eisenach. +May not God's kingdom be much larger than some think at Rome? + +In the presence of monuments which date back to days before +Christianity, and of men who speak the language of Moses, and, with +slight variations, the language of Homer, our Germany seems in its +infancy indeed. Would to God it were in its infancy, and that a glorious +youth and prime may succeed, when these old, decrepit nations are worn +out and gone! + +Yet Heaven forbid that I should call Rome decrepit--Rome on whose brow +rests, not the perishable crown of earthly dominion, but the tiara of +the kingdom of God. + + + _September._ + +The mission which brought Brother Martin hither is nearly accomplished. +We shall soon--we may at a day's notice--leave Rome and return to +Germany. + +And what have we gained by our pilgrimage? + +A store of indulgences beyond calculation. And knowledge; eyes opened to +see good and evil. Ennobling knowledge! glimpses into rich worlds of +human life and thought, which humble the heart in expanding the mind. +Bitter knowledge! illusions dispelled, aspirations crushed. We have +learned that the heart of Christendom is a moral plague-spot; that +spiritual privileges and moral goodness have no kind of connection, +because where the former are at the highest perfection, the latter is at +the lowest point of degradation. + +We have learned that on earth there is no place to which the heart can +turn as a sanctuary, if by a sanctuary we mean not merely a refuge from +the punishment of sin, but a place in which to grow holy. + +In one sense, Rome may, indeed, be called the sanctuary of the world! It +seems as if half the criminals in the world had found a refuge here. + +When I think of Rome in future as a city of the living, I shall think of +assassination, treachery, avarice, a spirit of universal mockery, which +seems only the foam over an abyss of universal despair; mockery of all +virtue, based on disbelief in all truth. + +It is only as a city of the dead that my heart will revert to Rome as a +holy place. She has indeed built, and built beautifully, the sepulchres +of the prophets. + +Those hidden catacombs, where the holy dead rest, far under the streets +of the city,--too far for traffickers in sacred bones to disturb +them,--among these the imagination can rest, like those beatified ones, +in peace. + +The spiritual life of Rome seems to be among her dead. Among the living +all seems spiritual corruption and death. + +May God and the saints have mercy on me if I say what is sinful. Does +not the scum necessarily rise to the surface? Do not acts of violence +and words of mockery necessarily make more noise in the world than +prayers? How do I know how many humble hearts there are in those +countless convents there, that secretly offer acceptable incense to God, +and keep the perpetual lamp of devotion burning in the sight of God? + +How do I know what deeper and better thoughts lie hidden under that veil +of levity? Only I often feel that if God had not made me a believer +through his word, by the voice of Brother Martin in the Black Forest, +Rome might too easily have made me an infidel. And it is certainly true, +that to be a Christian at Rome as well as elsewhere, (indeed, more than +elsewhere) one must breast the tide, and must walk by faith, and not by +sight. + +But we have performed the pilgrimage. We have conscientiously visited +all the shrines; we have recited as many as possible of the privileged +acts of devotion, Paters and Aves, at the privileged shrines. + +Great benefits _must_ result to us from these things. + +But benefits of what kind? Moral? How can that be? When shall I efface +from my memory the polluting words and works I have seen and heard at +Rome? Spiritual? Scarcely; if by spiritual we are to understand a devout +mind, joy in God, and nearness to him. When, since that night in the +Black Forest, have I found prayer so difficult, doubts so overwhelming, +the thoughts of God and heaven so dim, as at Rome? + +The benefits, then, that we have received, must be ecclesiastical--those +that the Church promises and dispenses. And what are these +ecclesiastical benefits? Pardon? But is it not written that God gives +this freely to those who believe on his Son? Peace? But is not that the +legacy of the Saviour to all who love him? + +What then? Indulgences. Indulgences from what? From the temporal +consequences of sin? Too obviously not these. Do the ecclesiastical +indulgences save men from disease, and sorrow, and death? Is it, then, +from the eternal consequences of sin? Did not the Lamb of God, dying for +us on the cross, bear our sins there, and blot them out? What then +remains, which the indulgences can deliver from? Penance and purgatory. +What then are penance and purgatory? Has penance in itself no curative +effect, that we can be healed of our sins by escaping as well as by +performing it? Have purgatorial fires no purifying powers, that we can +be purified as much by repeating a few words of devotion at certain +altars as by centuries of agony in the flames? + +All these questions rise before me from time to time, and I find no +reply. If I mention them to my confessor, he says,-- + +"These are temptations of the Devil. You must not listen to them. They +are vain and presumptuous questions. There are no keys on earth to open +these doors." + +Are there any keys on earth to _lock_ them again, when once they have +been opened? + +"You Germans," others of the Italian priests say, "take everything with +such desperate seriousness. It is probably owing to your long winters +and the heaviness of your northern climate, which must, no doubt, be +very depressing to the spirits." + +Holy Mary! and these Italians, if life is so light a matter to them, +will not they also have one day to take death "with desperate +seriousness," and judgment and eternity, although there will be no long +winters, I suppose, and no heavy northern climate, to depress the +spirits in that other world. + +We are going back to Germany at last. Strangely has the world enlarged +to me since we came here. We are accredited pilgrims; we have performed +every prescribed duty, and availed ourselves of every proffered +privilege. And yet it is not because of the regret of quitting the Holy +City that our hearts are full of the gravest melancholy as we turn away +from Rome. + +When I compare the recollections of this Rome with those of a home at +Eisenach, I am tempted in my heart to feel as if Germany, and not Rome, +were the Holy Place, and our pilgrimage were beginning, instead of +ending, as we turn our faces northward! + + + + +XI. + +Eva's Story. + + + CISTERCIAN CONVENT, NIMPTSCHEN, 1511. + +Life cannot, at the utmost, last very long, although at seventeen we may +be tempted to think the way between us and heaven interminable. + +For the convent is certainly not heaven; I never expected it would be. +It is not nearly so much like heaven, I think, as Aunt Cotta's home; +because love seems to me to be the essential joy of heaven, and there is +more love in that home than here. + +I am not at all disappointed. I did not expect a haven of rest, but only +a sphere where I might serve God better, and, at all events, not be a +burden on dear Aunt Cotta. For I feel sure Uncle Cotta will become +blind; and they have so much difficulty to struggle on, as it is. + +And the world is full of dangers for a young orphan girl like me; and I +am afraid they might want me to marry some one, which I never could. + +I have no doubt God will give me some work to do for him here, and that +is all the happiness I look for. Not that I think there are not other +kinds of happiness in the world which are not wrong; but they are not +for me. + +I shall never think it was wrong to love them all at Eisenach as much as +I did, and do, whatever the confessor may say. I shall be better all my +life, and all the life beyond, I believe, for the love God gave them for +me, and me for them, and for having known Cousin Fritz. I wish very much +he would write to me; and sometimes I think I will write to him. I feel +sure it would do us both good. He always said it did him good to talk +and read the dear old Latin hymns with me; and I know they never seemed +more real and true than when I sang them to him. But the father +confessor says it would be exceedingly perilous for our souls to hold +such a correspondence; and he asked me if I did not think more of my +cousin than of the hymns when I sang them to him, which, he says, would +have been a great sin. I am sure I cannot tell exactly how the thoughts +were balanced, or from what source each drop or pleasure flowed. It was +all blended together. It was joy to sing the hymns, and it was joy for +Fritz to like to hear them; and where one joy overflowed into the other +I cannot tell. I believe God gave me both; and I do not see that I need +care to divide one from the other. Who cares, when the Elbe is flowing +past its willows and oaks at Wittemberg, which part of its waters was +dissolved by the sun from the pure snows on the mountains, and which +came trickling from some little humble spring on the sandy plains? Both +springs and snows came originally from the clouds above; and both, as +they flow blended on together, make the grass spring and the leaf-buds +swell, and all the world rejoice. + +The heart with which we love each other and with which we love God, is +it not the same? Only God is all good, and we are all His, therefore we +should love Him best. I think I do, or I should be more desolate here +than I am, away from all but him. + +That is what I understand by my "Theologia Germanica," which Elsè does +not like. I begin with my father's legacy--"God so loved the world, that +he gave his Son;" and then I think of the crucifix, and of the love of +Him who died for us; and, in the light of these, I love to read in my +book of Him who is the Supreme Goodness, whose will is our rest, and who +is himself the joy of all our joys, and our joy when we have no other +joy. The things I do not comprehend in the book, I leave, like so many +other things. I am but a poor girl of seventeen, and how can I expect to +understand everything? Only I never let the things I do not understand +perplex me about those I do. + +Therefore, when my confessor told me to examine my heart, and see if +there were not wrong and idolatrous thoughts mixed up with my love for +them all at Eisenach, I said at once, looking up at him-- + +"Yes, father, I did not love them half enough, for all their love to +me." + +I think he must have been satisfied; for although he looked perplexed, +he did not ask me any more questions. + +I feel very sorry for many of the nuns, especially for the old nuns. +They seem to me like children, and yet not child-like. The merest +trifles appear to excite or trouble them. They speak of the convent as +if it were the world, and of the world as if it were hell. It is a +childhood with no hope, no youth and womanhood before it. It reminds me +of the stunted oaks we passed on Düben Heath, between Wittemberg and +Leipsic, which will never be full-grown, and yet are not saplings. + +Then there is one, Sister Beatrice, whom the nuns seem to think very +inferior to themselves, because they say she was forced into the convent +by her relatives, to prevent her marrying some one they did not like, +and could never be induced to take the vows until her lover +died,--which, they say, is hardly worthy of the name of a vocation at +all. + +She does not seem to think so either, but moves about in a subdued, +broken-spirited way, as if she felt herself a creature belonging neither +to the Church nor to the world. + +The other evening she had been on an errand for the prioress through the +snow, and returned blue with cold. She had made some mistake in the +message, and was ordered at once, with contemptuous words, to her cell, +to finish a penance by reciting certain prayers. + +I could not help following her. When I found her, she was sitting on a +pallet shivering, with the prayer-book before her. I crept into the +cell, and, sitting down beside her, began to chafe her poor icy hands. + +At first she tried to withdraw them, murmuring that she had a penance to +perform; and then her eyes wandered from the book to mine. She gazed +wonderingly at me for some moments, and then she burst into tears, and +said,-- + +"Oh, do not do that! It makes me think of the old nursery at home. And +my mother is dead; all are dead, and I cannot die." + +She let me put my arms round her, however; and, in faint, broken words, +the whole history came out. + +"I am not here from choice," she said. "I should never have been here if +my mother had not died; and I should never have taken the vows if _he_ +had not died, whatever they had done to me; for we were betrothed, and +we had vowed before God we would be true to each other till death. And +why is not one vow as good as another? When they told me he was dead, I +took the vows,--or, at least, I let them put the veil on me, and said +the words as I was told, after the priest; for I did not care what I +did. And so I am a nun. I have no wish now to be anything else. But it +will do me no good to be a nun, for I loved Eberhard first, and I loved +him best; and now that he is dead, I love no one, and have no hope in +heaven or earth. I try, indeed, not to think of him, because they say +that is sin; but I cannot think of happiness without him, if I try for +ever." + +I said, "I do not think it is wrong for you to think of him." + +Her face brightened for an instant, and then she shook her head, and +said,-- + +"Ah, you are a child; you are an angel. You do not know." And then she +began to weep again, but more quietly. "I wish you had seen him; then +you would understand better. It was not wrong for me to love him once; +and he was so different from every one else--so true and gentle, and so +brave." + +I listened while she continued to speak of him, and, at last, looking +wistfully at me, she said, in a low, timid voice, "I cannot help +trusting you." And she drew from inside a fold of her robe a little +piece of yellow paper, with a few words written on it, in pale, faded +ink, and a lock of brown hair. + +"Do you think it is very wrong?" she asked. "I have never told the +confessor, because I am not quite sure if it is a sin to keep it; and I +am quite sure the sisters would take it from me if they knew. Do you +think it is wrong?" + +The words were very simple--expressions of unchangeable affection, and a +prayer that God would bless her and keep them for each other until +better times. + +I could not speak, I felt so sorry; and she murmured, nervously taking +her poor treasures from my hands, "You do not think it right. But you +will not tell? Perhaps one day I shall be better, and be able to give +them up; but not yet. I have nothing else." + +Then I tried to tell her that she _had_ something else;--that God loved +her and had pity on her, and that perhaps He was only answering the +prayer of her betrothed, and guarding them in His blessed keeping until +they should meet in better times. At length she seemed to take comfort; +and I knelt down with her, and we said together the prayers she had been +commanded to recite. + +When I rose, she said thoughtfully, "You seem to pray as if some one in +heaven really listened and cared." + +"Yes," I said; "God does listen and care." + +"Even to me?" she asked; "Even for me? Will he not despise me, like the +holy sisterhood?" + +"He scorns no one; and they say the lowest are nearest Him, the +Highest." + +"I can certainly never be anything but the lowest," she said. "It is fit +no one here should think much of me, for I have only given the refuse of +my life to God. And besides, I had never much power to think; and the +little I had seems gone since Eberhard died. I had only a little power +to love; and I thought that was dead. But since you came, I begin to +think I might yet love a little." + +As I left the cell she called me back. + +"What shall I do when my thoughts wander, as they always do in the long +prayers?" she asked. + +"Make shorter prayers, I think, oftener," I said. "I think that would +please God as much." + + + _August_, 1511. + +The months pass on very much the same here; but I do not find them +monotonous. I am permitted by the prioress to wait on the sick, and also +often to teach the younger novices. This little world grows larger to me +every week. It is a world of human hearts,--and what a world there is in +every heart! + +For instance, Aunt Agnes! I begin now to know her. All the sisterhood +look up to her as almost a saint already. But I do not believe she +thinks so herself. For many months after I entered the cloister she +scarcely seemed to notice me; but last week she brought herself into a +low fever by the additional fasts and severities she has been imposing +on herself lately. + +It was my night to watch in the infirmary when she became ill. + +At first she seemed to shrink from receiving anything at my hands. + +"Can they not send any one else?" she asked sternly. + +"It is appointed to me," I said, "in the order of the sisterhood." + +She bowed her head, and made no further opposition to my nursing her. +And it was very sweet to me, because in spite of all the settled, grave +impassiveness of her countenance, I could not help seeing something +there which recalled dear Aunt Cotta. + +She spoke to me very little; but I felt her large deep eyes following me +as I stirred little concoctions of herbs on the fire, or crept softly +about the room. Towards morning she said, "Child, you are tired--come +and lie down;" and she pointed to a little bed beside her own. + +Peremptory as were the words, there was a tone in them different from +the usual metallic firmness in her voice--which froze Elsè's heart--a +tremulousness which was almost tender. I could not resist the command, +especially as she said she felt much better; and in a few minutes, bad +nurse that I was, I fell asleep. + +How long I slept I know not, but I was awakened by a slight movement in +the room, and looking up, I saw Aunt Agnes's bed empty. In my first +moment of bewildered terror I thought of arousing the sisterhood, when I +noticed that the door of the infirmary which opened on the gallery of +the chapel was slightly ajar. Softly I stole towards it, and there, in +the front of the gallery, wrapped in a sheet, knelt Aunt Agnes, looking +more than ever like the picture of death which she always recalled to +Elsè. Her lips, which were as bloodless as her face, moved with +passionate rapidity; her thin hands feebly counted the black beads of +her rosary; and her eyes were fixed on a picture of the _Mater Dolorosa_ +with the seven swords in her heart, over one of the altars. There was no +impassiveness in the poor sharp features and trembling lips then. Her +whole soul seemed going forth in an agonized appeal to that pierced +heart; and I heard her murmur, "In vain! Holy Virgin, plead for me! it +has been all in vain. The flesh is no more dead in me than the first +day. That child's face and voice stir my heart more than all thy +sorrows. This feeble tie of nature has more power in me than all the +relationships of the heavenly city. It has been in vain--all, all in +vain. I cannot quench the fires of earth in my heart." + +I scarcely ventured to interrupt her, but as she bowed her head on her +hands, and fell almost prostrate on the floor of the chapel, while her +whole frame heaved with repressed sobs, I went forward and gently lifted +her, saying, "Sister Agnes, I am responsible for the sick to-night. You +must come back." + +She did not resist. A shudder passed through her; then the old stony +look came back to her face, more rigid then ever, and she suffered me to +wrap her up in the bed, and give her a warm drink. + +I do not know whether she suspects that I heard her. She is more +reserved with me than ever; but to me those resolute, fixed features, +and that hard, firm voice, will never more be what they were before. + +No wonder that the admiration of the sisterhood has no power to elate +Aunt Agnes, and that their wish to elect her sub-prioress had no +seduction for her. She is striving in her inmost soul after an ideal, +which, could she reach it, what would she be? + +As regards all human feeling and earthly life, _dead_! + +And just as she hoped this was attained, a voice--a poor, friendly +child's voice--falls on her ear, and she finds that what she deemed +death was only a dream in an undisturbed slumber, and that the whole +work has to begin again. + +It is a fearful combat, this concentrating all the powers of life on +producing death in life. + +Can this be what God means? + +Thank God, at least, that my vocation is lower. The humbling work in the +infirmary, and the trials of temper in the school of the novices, seem +to teach me more, and to make me feel that I _am_ nothing and have +nothing in myself, more than all my efforts to _feel_ nothing. + +My "Theologia" says, indeed, that true self-abnegation is freedom; and +freedom cannot be attained until we are above the fear of punishment or +the hope of reward. Elsè cannot bear this; and when I spoke of it the +other day to poor Sister Beatrice, she said it bewildered her poor brain +altogether to think of it. But I do not take it in that sense. I think +it must mean that love is its own reward; and grieving Him we love, who +has so loved us, our worst punishment. And that seems to me quite true. + + + + +XII. + +Elsè's Story. + + + WITTEMBERG, _June_, 1512. + +Our Eva seems happy at the convent. She has taken the vows, and is now +finally Sister Ave. She has also sent us some eye-water for the father. +But in spite of all we can do his sight seems failing. + +In some way or other I think my father's loss of sight has brought +blessing to the family. + +Our grandmother, who is very feeble now, and seldom leaves her chair by +the stove, has become much more tolerant of his schemes since there is +no chance of their being carried out, and listens with remarkable +patience to his statements of the wonders he would have achieved had his +sight only been continued a few years. + +Nor does the father himself seem as much dejected as one would have +expected. + +When I was comforting him to-day by saying how much less anxious our +mother looks, he replied,-- + +"Yes, my child, the præter pluperfect subjunctive is a more comfortable +tense to live in than the future subjunctive, for any length of time." + +I looked perplexed, and he explained, "It is easier, when once one has +made up one's mind to it, to say, 'Had I had this I might have done +that,' than, 'If I can have this I shall do that,'--at least it is +easier to the anxious and excitable feminine mind." + +"But to you, father?" + +"To me it is a consolation at last to be appreciated. Even your +grandmother understands at length how great the results would have been +if I could only have had eye-sight to perfect that last invention for +using steam to draw water." + +Our grandmother must certainly have put great restraint on her usually +frank expression of opinion, if she has led our father to believe she +had any confidence in that last scheme; for, I must confess, that of all +our father's inventions and discoveries, the whole family consider this +idea about the steam the wildest and most impracticable of all. The +secret of perpetual motion might, no doubt, be discovered, and a clock +be constructed which would never need winding up,--I see no great +difficulty in that. It might be quite possible to transmute lead into +gold, or iron into silver, if one could find exactly the right +proportions. My father has explained all that to me quite clearly. The +elixir which would prolong life indefinitely seems to me a little more +difficult; but this notion of pumping up water by means of the steam +which issues from boiling water and disperses in an instant, we all +agree in thinking quite visionary, and out of the question; so that it +is, perhaps, as well our poor father should not have thrown away any +more expense or time on it. Besides, we had already had two or three +explosions from his experiments; and some of the neighbours were +beginning to say very unpleasant things about the black art, and +witchcraft; so that on the whole, no doubt, it is all for the best. + +I would not, however, for the world, have hinted this to him; therefore +I only replied, evasively,-- + +"Our grandmother has indeed been much gentler and more placid lately." + +"It is not only that," he rejoined; "she has an intelligence far +superior to that of most women,--she comprehends. And then," he +continued, "I am not without hopes that that young nobleman, Ulrich von +Gersdorf, who comes here so frequently and asks about Eva, may one day +carry out my schemes. He and Chriemhild begin to enter into the idea +quite intelligently. Besides, there is Master Reichenbach, the rich +merchant to whom your Aunt Cotta introduced us; he has money enough to +carry things out in the best style. He certainly does not promise much, +but he is an intelligent listener, and that is a great step. Gottfried +Reichenbach is an enlightened man for a merchant, although he is, +perhaps, rather slow in comprehension, and a little over-cautious." + +"He is not over-cautious in his alms, father," I said; "at least Dr. +Martin Luther says so." + +"Perhaps not," he said. "On the whole, certainly, the citizens of +Wittemberg are very superior to those of Eisenach, who were incredulous +and dull to the last degree. It will be a great thing if Reichenbach and +Von Gersdorf take up this invention. Reichenbach can introduce it at +once among the patrician families of the great cities with whom he is +connected, and Von Gersdorf would promote it among his kindred knights. +It would not, indeed, be such an advantage to our family as if Pollux +and Christopher, or our poor Fritz, had carried it out. But never mind, +Elsè, my child, we were children of Adam before we were Cottas. We must +think not only of the family, but of the world." + +Master Reichenbach, indeed, may take a genuine interest in my father's +plans, but I have suspicions of Ulrich von Gersdorf. He seems to me far +more interested in Chriemhild's embroidery than in our father's +steam-pump; and although he continues to talk of Eva as if he thought +her an angel, he certainly sometimes looks at Chriemhild as if he +thought her a creature as interesting. + +I do not like such transitions; and, besides, his conversation is so +very different, in my opinion, from Master Reichenbach's. Ulrich von +Gersdorf has no experience of life beyond a boar-hunt, a combat with +some rival knights, or a foray on some defenceless merchants. His life +has been passed in the castle of an uncle of his in the Thuringian +forest; yet I cannot wonder that Chriemhild listens, with a glow of +interest on her face, as she sits with her eyes bent on her embroidery, +to his stories of ambushes and daring surprises. But to me this life +seems rude and lawless. Ulrich's uncle was unmarried; and they had no +ladies in the castle except a widowed aunt of Ulrich's, who seems to be +as proud as Lucifer, and especially to pride herself on being able to +wear pearls and velvet, which no burgher's wife may appear in. + +Ulrich's mother died early. I fancy she was gentler and of a truer +nobleness. He says the only book they have in the castle is an old +illuminated Missal which belonged to her. He has another aunt, Beatrice, +who is in the convent at Nimptschen with our Eva. They sent her there to +prevent her marrying the son of a family with whom they had a hereditary +feud. I begin to feel, as Fritz used to say, that the life of these +petty nobles is not nearly so noble as that of the burghers. They seem +to know nothing of the world beyond the little district they rule by +terror. They have no honest way of maintaining themselves, but live by +the hard toil of their poor oppressed peasants, and by the plunder of +their enemies. + +Herr Reichenbach, on the other hand, is connected with the patrician +families in the great city of Nürnberg; and although he does not talk +much, he has histories to tell of painters and poets, and great events +in the broad field of the world. Ah, I wish he had known Fritz! He likes +to hear me talk of him. + +And then, moreover, Herr Reichenbach has much to tell me about Brother +Martin Luther, who is at the head of the Eremite or Augustine Convent +here, and seems to me to be the great man of Wittemberg; at least people +appear to like him or dislike him more than any one else here. + + + _October_ 19, 1512. + +This has been a great day at Wittemberg. Friar Martin Luther has been +created Doctor of Divinity. Master Reichenbach procured us excellent +places, and we saw the degree conferred on him by Dr. Andrew Bodenstein +of Carlstadt. + +The great bell of the city churches, which only sounds on great +occasions, pealed as if for a Church festival; all the university +authorities marched in procession through the streets; and after taking +the vow, Friar Martin was solemnly invested with the doctor's robes, +hat, and ring--a massive gold ring presented to him by the Elector. + +But the part which impressed me most was the oath, which Dr. Luther +pronounced most solemnly, so that the words, in his fine clear voice, +rang through the silence. He repeated it after Dr. Bodenstein, who is +commonly called Carlstadt. The words in Latin, Herr Reichenbach says, +were these (he wrote them for me to send to Eva),-- + +"Juro me veritatem evangelicam viriliter defensurum;" which Herr +Reichenbach translated, "_I swear vigorously to defend evangelical +truth._" + +This oath is only required at one other university beside +Wittemberg--that of Tübingen. Dr. Luther swore it as if he were a knight +of olden times, vowing to risk life and limb in some sacred cause. To +me, who not could understand the words, his manner was more that of a +warrior swearing on his sword, than of a doctor of divinity. + +And Master Reichenbach says, "What he has promised he will do!" + +Chriemhild laughs at Master Reichenbach, because he has entered his name +on the list of university students, in order to attend Dr. Luther's +lectures. + +"With his grave old face, and his grey hair," she says, "to sit among +those noisy student boys!" + +But I can see nothing laughable in it. I think it is a sign of something +noble, for a man in the prime of life to be content to learn as a little +child. And besides, whatever Chriemhild may say, if Herr Reichenbach is +a little bald, and has a few grey hairs, it is not on account of age. +Grown men, who think and feel, in these stormy times, cannot be expected +to have smooth faces and full curly locks, like Ulrich von Gersdorf. + +I am sure if I were a man twice as old as he is, there is nothing I +should like better than to attend Dr. Luther's lectures. I have heard +him preach once in the City Church, and it was quite different from any +other sermon I ever heard. He spoke of God and Christ, and heaven and +hell, with as much conviction and simplicity as if he had been pleading +some cause of human wrong, or relating some great events which happened +on earth yesterday, instead of reciting it like a piece of Latin +grammar, as so many of the monks do. + +I began almost to feel as if I might at last find a religion that would +do for me. Even Christopher was attentive. He said Dr. Luther called +everything by such plain names, one could not help understanding. + +We have seen him once at our house. He was so respectful to our +grandmother, and so patient with my father, and he spoke so kindly of +Fritz. + +Fritz has written to us, and has recommended us to take Dr. Martin +Luther for our family confessor. He says he can never repay the good Dr. +Luther has done to him. And certainly he writes more brightly and +hopefully than he ever has since he left us, although he has, alas! +finally taken those dreadful, irrevocable vows. + + + _March_, 1513. + +Dr. Luther has consented to be our confessor; and thank God I do believe +at last I have found the religion which may make me, even me, love God. +Dr. Luther says I have entirely misunderstood God and the Lord Jesus +Christ. He seemed to understand all I have been longing for and +perplexing myself about all my life, with a glance. When I began to +falter out my confessions and difficulties to him, he seemed to see them +all spread before him, and explained them all to me. He says I have been +thinking of God as a severe judge, an exactor, a harsh creditor, when he +is a rich Giver, a forgiving Saviour, yea, the very fountain of +inexpressible love. + +"God's love," he said, "gives in such a way that it flows from a +Father's heart, the well-spring of all good. The heart of the giver +makes the gift dear and precious; as among ourselves we say of even a +trifling gift, 'It comes from a hand we love,' and look not so much at +the gift as at the heart." + +"If we will only consider him in his works, we shall learn that God is +nothing else but pure, unutterable love, greater and more than any one +can think. The shameful thing is, that the world does not regard this, +nor thank him for it, although every day it sees before it such +countless benefits from him; and it deserves for its ingratitude that +the sun should not shine another moment longer, nor the grass grow; yet +He ceases not, without a moment's interval, to love us, and to do us +good. Language must fail me to speak of his spiritual gifts. Here he +pours forth for us, not sun and moon, nor heaven and earth, but his own +heart, his beloved Son, so that He suffered His blood to be shed, and +the most shameful death to be inflicted on Him, for us wretched, wicked, +thankless creatures. How, then, can we say anything but that God is an +abyss of endless, unfathomable love?" + +"The whole Bible," he says, "is full of this,--that we should not doubt, +but be absolutely certain, that God is merciful, gracious, patient, +faithful, and true; who not only will keep his promises, but already has +kept and done abundantly beyond what he promised, since he has given his +own Son for our sins on the cross, that all who believe on Him should +not perish, but have everlasting life." + +"Whoever believes and embraces this," he added, "that God has given his +only Son to die for us poor sinners, to him it is no longer any doubt, +but the most certain truth, that God reconciles us to himself, and is +favourable and heartily gracious to us." + +"Since the gospel shows us Christ the Son of God, who, according to the +will of the Father, has offered himself up for us, and has satisfied for +sin, the heart can no more doubt God's goodness and grace,--is no more +affrighted, nor flies from God, but sets all its hope in his goodness +and mercy." + +"The apostles are always exhorting us," he says, "to continue in the +love of God,--that is, that each one should entirely conclude in his +heart that he is loved by God; and they set before our eyes a certain +proof of it, in that God has not spared his Son, but given him for the +world, that through His death the world might again have life. + +"It is God's honour and glory to give liberally. His nature is all pure +love; so that if any one would describe or picture God, he must describe +One who is pure love, the divine nature being nothing else than a +furnace and glow of such love that it fills heaven and earth. + +"Love is an image of God, and not a dead image, nor one painted on +paper, but the living essence of the divine nature, which burns full of +all goodness. + +"He is not harsh, as we are to those who have injured us. We withdraw +our hand and close our purse, but he is kind to the unthankful and the +evil. + +"He sees thee in thy poverty and wretchedness, and knows thou hast +nothing to pay. Therefore he freely forgives, and gives thee all." + +"It is not to be borne," he said, "that Christian people should say, We +cannot know whether God is favourable to us or not. On the contrary, we +should learn to say, I know that I believe in Christ, and therefore that +God is my gracious Father." + +"What is the reason that God gives?" he said, one day. "What moves him +to it? Nothing but unutterable love, because he delights to give and to +bless. What does he give? Not empires merely, not a world full of silver +and gold, not heaven and earth only, but his Son, who is as great as +himself,--that is, eternal and incomprehensible; a gift as infinite as +the Giver, the very spring and fountain of all grace; yea, the +possession and property of all the riches and treasures of God." + +Dr. Luther said also, that the best name by which we can think of God is +Father. "It is a loving, sweet, deep, heart-touching name; for the name +of father is in its nature full of inborn sweetness and comfort. +Therefore, also, we must confess ourselves children of God; for by this +name we deeply touch our God, since there is not a sweeter sound to the +father, than the voice of the child." + +All this is wonderful to me. I scarcely dare to open my hand, and take +this belief home to my heart. + +Is it then, indeed, thus we must think of God? Is he, indeed, as Dr. +Luther says, ready to listen to our feeblest cry, ready to forgive us, +and to help us? + +And if he is indeed like this, and cares what we think of him, how I +must have grieved him all these years! + +Not a moment longer! I will not distrust Thee a moment longer. See, +heavenly Father, I have come back! + +Can it, indeed, be possible that God is pleased when we trust +him,--pleased when we pray, simply because he loves us? + +Can it indeed be true, as Dr. Luther says, that love is our greatest +virtue; and that we please God best by being kind to each other, just +because that is what is most like him? + +I am sure it is true. It is so good, it must be true. + +Then it is possible for me, even for me, to love God. How is it possible +for me _not_ to love him? And it is possible for me, even for me, to be +religious, if to be religious is to love God, and to do whatever we can +to make those around us happy. + +But if this is indeed religion, it is happiness, it is freedom,--it is +life! + +Why, then, are so many of the religious people I know of a sad +countenance, as if they were bond-servants toiling for a hard master? + +I must ask Dr. Luther. + + + _April_, 1513. + +I have asked Dr. Luther, and he says it is because the devil makes a +great deal of the religion we see; that he pretends to be Christ, and +comes and terrifies people, and scourges them with the remembrance of +their sins, and tells them they must not dare to lift up their eyes to +heaven, because God is so holy, and they are so sinful. But it is all +because he knows that if they _would_ lift their eyes to heaven, their +terrors would vanish, and they would see Christ there, not as the Judge, +and the hard, exacting Creditor, but as the pitiful, loving Saviour. + +I find it a great comfort to believe in this way in the devil. Has he +not been trying to teach me his religion all my life? And now I have +found him out! He has been telling me lies, not about myself (Dr. Luther +says he cannot paint us more sinful than we are), but lies about God. It +helps me almost as much to hear Dr. Luther speak about the devil as +about God--"the malignant, sad spirit," he says, "who loves to make +every one sad." + +With God's help, I will never believe him again. But Dr. Luther said I +shall, often; that he will come again and malign God, and assail my +peace in so many ways, that it will be long before I learn to know him. + +I shuddered when he told me this; but then he reassured me, by telling +me a beautiful story, which, he said, was from the Bible. It was about a +Good Shepherd and silly, wandering sheep, and a wolf who sought to +devour them. "All the care of the Shepherd," he said, "is in the +tenderest way to attract the sheep to keep close to him; and when they +wander, he goes and seeks them, takes them on his shoulder, and carries +them safe home. All our wisdom," he says, "is to keep always near this +Good Shepherd, who is Christ, and to listen to his voice." + +I know the Lord Jesus Christ is called the Good Shepherd. I have seen +the picture of him carrying the lamb on his shoulder. But until Dr. +Luther explained it to me, I thought it meant that he was the Lord and +Owner of all the world, who are his flock. But I never thought that he +cared for _me_ as his sheep, sought me, called me, watched me, even me, +day by day. + +Other people, no doubt, have understood all this before. And yet, if so, +why do not the monks preach of it? Why should Aunt Agnes serve Him in +the convent by penances and self-tormentings, instead of serving Him in +the world by being kind and helping all around? Why should our dear, +gentle mother, have such sad, self-reproachful thoughts, and feel as if +she and our family were under a curse? + +Dr. Luther said that Christ was "made a curse for us;" that he, the +unspotted and undefiled Lamb of God, bore the curse for us on the cross; +and that we, believing in him, are not under the curse, but under the +blessing--that we are blessed. + +This, then, is what the crucifix and the _Agnus Dei_ mean. + +Doubtless many around me have understood all this long ago. I am sure, +at least, that our Eva understood it. + +But what inexpressible joy for me, as I sit at my embroidery in the +garden, to look up through the apple-blossoms and the fluttering leaves, +and to see God's love there;--to listen to the thrush that has built his +nest among them, and feel God's love, who cares for the birds, in every +note that swells his little throat;--to look beyond to the bright blue +depths of the sky, and feel they are a canopy of blessing--the roof of +the house of my Father; that if clouds pass over, it is the unchangeable +light they veil; that, even when the day itself passes, I shall see that +the night itself only unveils new worlds of light; and to know that if I +could unwrap fold after fold of God's universe, I should only unfold +more and more blessing, and see deeper and deeper into the love which is +at the heart of all! + +And then what joy again to turn to my embroidery, and, as my fingers +busily ply the needle, to think-- + +"This is to help my father and mother; this, even this, is a little work +of love. And as I sit and stitch, God is pleased with me, and with what +I am doing. He gives me this to do, as much as he gives the priests to +pray, and Dr. Luther to preach. I am serving Him, and he is near me in +my little corner of the world, and is pleased with me--even with me!" + +Oh, Fritz and Eva! if you had both known this, need you have left us to +go and serve God so far away? + +Have I indeed, like St. Christopher, found my bank of the river, where I +can serve my Saviour by helping all the pilgrims I can? + +Better, better than St. Christopher; for do I not _know the voice_ that +calls to me-- + +"Elsè! Elsè! do this for me?" + +And now I do not feel at all afraid to grow old, which is a great +relief, as I am already six-and-twenty, and the children think me nearly +as old as our mother. For what is growing old, if Dr. Martin Luther is +indeed right (and I am sure he is), but growing daily nearer God, and +His holy, happy home! Dr. Luther says our Saviour called heaven his +Father's house. + +Not that I wish to leave this world. While God wills we should stay +here, and is with us, is it not home-like enough for us? + + + _May_, 1513. + +This morning I was busy making a favourite pudding of the father's, when +I heard Herr Reichenbach's voice at the door. He went into the dwelling +room, and soon afterwards Chriemhild, Atlantis, and Thekla, invaded the +kitchen. + +"Herr Reichenbach wishes to have a consultation," said Chriemhild, "and +we are sent away." + +I felt anxious for a moment. It seemed like the old Eisenach days; but +since we have been at Wittemberg we have never gone into debt; so that, +after thinking a little, I was reassured. The children were full of +speculations what it would be about. Chriemhild thought it was some +affair of state, because she had seen him in close confabulation with +Ulrich von Gersdorf as he came up the street, and they had probably been +discussing some question about the privileges of the nobles and +burghers. + +Atlantis believed it had something to do with Dr. Martin Luther, because +Herr Reichenbach had presented the mother with a new pamphlet of the +Doctor's on entering the room. + +Thekla was sure it was at last the opportunity to make use of one of the +father's discoveries,--whether the perpetual clock, or the transmutation +of metals, or the steam-pump, she could not tell; but she was persuaded +that it was something which was to make our fortunes at last, because +Herr Reichenbach looked so very much in earnest, and was so very +respectful to our father. + +They had not much time to discuss their various theories when we heard +Herr Reichenbach's step pass hurriedly through the passage, and the door +closed hastily after him. + +"Do you call that a consultation?" said Chriemhild, scornfully; "he has +not been here ten minutes." + +The next instant our mother appeared, looking very pale, and with her +voice trembling as she said,-- + +"Elsè, my child, we want you." + +"You are to know first, Elsè," said the children. "Well, it is only +fair; you are a dear good eldest sister, and will be sure to tell us." + +I scarcely knew why, but my fingers did not seem as much under control +as usual, and it was some moments before I could put the finishing +stroke to my pudding, wash my hands, pull down the white sleeves to my +wrists, and join them in the dwelling room, so that my mother reappeared +with an impatience very unusual for her, and led me in herself. + +"Elsè, darling, come here," said my father. And when he felt my hands in +his, he added, "Herr Reichenbach left a message for thee. Other parents +often decide these matters for their children, but thy mother and I wish +to leave the matter to thee.--Couldst thou be his wife?" + +The question took me by surprise, and I could only say,-- + +"Can it be possible he thinks of me?" + +"I see nothing impossible in that, my Elsè," said my father; "but at all +events Herr Reichenbach has placed that beyond a doubt. The question now +is whether our Elsè can think of him." + +I could not say anything. + +"Think well before you reject him," said my father; "he is a good and +generous man, he desires no portion with thee; he says thou wouldst be a +portion for a king; and I must say he is very intelligent and +well-informed, and can appreciate scientific inventions as few men in +these days can." + +"I do not wish him to be dismissed," I faltered. + +But my tender-hearted mother said, laying my head on her shoulder,-- + +"Yet think well, darling, before you accept him. We are not poor now, +and we need no stranger's wealth to make us happy. Heaven forbid that +our child should sacrifice herself for us. Herr Reichenbach, is, no +doubt, a good and wise man, but I know well a young maiden's fancy. He +is little, I know--not tall and stalwart, like our Fritz and +Christopher; and he is a little bald, and he is not very young, and +rather grave and silent, and young girls--" + +"But, mother," I said, "I am not a young girl, I am six-and-twenty; and +I do not think Herr Reichenbach old, and I never noticed that he was +bald, and I am sure to me he is not silent." + +"That will do, Elsè," said the grandmother, laughing from her corner by +the stove. "Son and daughter, let these two settle it together. They +will arrange matters better than we shall for them." + +And in the evening Herr Reichenbach came again, and everything was +arranged. + +"And that is what the consultation was about!" said the children, not +without some disappointment. "It seems such an ordinary thing," said +Atlantis, "we are so used to seeing Herr Reichenbach. He comes almost +every day." + +"I do not see that that is any objection," said Chriemhild; "but it seems +hardly like being married, only just to cross the street. His house is +just opposite." + +"But it is a great deal prettier than ours," said Thekla. "I like Herr +Reichenbach; no one ever took such an interest in my drawings as he +does. He tells me where they are wrong, and shows me how to make them +right, as if he really felt it of some consequence; which it is, you +know, Elsè, because one day I mean to embroider and help the family, +like you. And no one was ever so kind to Nix as he is. He took the dog +on his knee the other day, and drew out a splinter which had lamed him, +which Nix would not let any one else do but me. Nix is very fond of Herr +Reichenbach, and so am I. He is much wiser, I think, than Ulrich, who +teases Nix, and pretends never to know my cats from my cows; and I do +not see that he is much older; besides, I could not bear our Elsè to +live a step further off." + +And Thekla climbed up on my lap and kissed me, while Nix stood on his +hind legs and barked, evidently thinking it was a great occasion. So +that two of the family at least have given their consent. + +But none of the family know yet what Herr Reichenbach said to me when we +stood for a few minutes by the window, before he left this evening. He +said-- + +"Elsè, it is God who gives me this joy. Ever since the evening when you +all arrived at Wittemberg, and I saw you tenderly helping the aged and +directing the young ones, and never flurried in all the bustle, but +always at leisure to thank any one for any little kindness, or to help +any one out of any little difficulty, I thought you were the light of +this home, and I prayed God one day to make you the light of mine." + +Ah! that shows how love veils people's faults; but he did not know +Fritz, and not much of Eva. They were the true sunshine of our home. +However, at all events, with God's help, I will do my very best to make +Herr Reichenbach's home bright. + +But the best of all is, I am not afraid to accept this blessing. I +believe it is God, out of his inexpressible love, as Dr. Luther says, +who has given it me, and I am not afraid He will think me too happy. + +Before I had Dr. Luther for my confessor, I should never have known if +it was to be a blessing or a curse; but now I am not afraid. A chain +seems to have dropped from my heart, and a veil from my eyes, and I can +call God Father, and take everything fearlessly from him. + +And I know Gottfried feels the same. Since I never had a vocation for +the higher religious life, it is an especial mercy for me to have found +a religion which enables a very poor every-day maiden in the world to +love God and to seek his blessing. + + + _June._ + +Our mother has been full of little tender apologies to me this week, for +having called Gottfried (Herr Reichenbach says I am to call him so) old, +and bald, and little, and grave. + +"You know, darling, I only meant I did not want you to accept him for +our sakes. And after all, as you say, he is scarcely bald; and they say +all men who think much lose their hair early; and I am sure it is no +advantage to be always talking; and every one cannot be as tall as our +Fritz and Christopher." + +"And after all, dear mother," said the grandmother, "Elsè did _not_ +choose Herr Reichenbach for your sakes; but are you quite sure he did +not choose Elsè for her father's sake? He was always so interested in +the steam-pump!" + +My mother and I are much cheered by seeing the quiet influence Herr +Reichenbach seems to have over Christopher, whose companions and late +hours have often caused us anxiety lately. Christopher is not +distrustful of him, because he is no priest, and no great favourer of +monks and convents; and he is not so much afraid about Christopher as we +timid, anxious women were beginning to be. He thinks there is good metal +in him; and he says the best ore cannot look like gold until it is +fused. It is so difficult for us women, who have to watch from our quiet +homes afar, to distinguish the glow of the smelting furnace from the +glare of a conflagration. + + + WITTEMBERG, _September_, 1513. + +This morning, Herr Reichenbach, Christopher, and Ulrich von Gersdorf +(who is studying here for a time) came in full of excitement, from a +discussion they had been hearing between Dr. Luther and some of the +doctors and professors of Erfurt. + +I do not know that I quite clearly understand what it was about; but +they seemed to think it of great importance. + +Our house has become rather a gathering place of late; partly, I think, +on account of my father's blindness, which always insures that there +will be some one at home. + +It seems that Dr. Luther attacks the old methods of teaching in the +universities, which makes the older professors look on him as a +dangerous innovator, while the young delight in him as a hero fighting +their battles. And yet the authorities Dr. Luther wishes to re-instate +are older than those he attacks. He demands that nothing shall be +received as the standard of theological truth except the Holy +Scriptures. I cannot understand why there should be so much conflict +about this, because I thought all we believed was founded on the Holy +Scriptures. I suppose it is not; but if not, on whose authority? I must +ask Gottfried this one day when we are alone. + +The discussion to-day was between Dr. Andrew Bodenstein, Archdeacon of +Wittemberg, Dr. Luther, and Dr. Jodocus of Eisenach, called Trutvetter, +his old teacher. Dr. Carlstadt himself, they said, seemed quite +convinced; and Dr. Jodocus is silenced and is going back to Erfurt. + +The enthusiasm of the students is great. The great point of Dr. Luther's +attack seems to be Aristotle, who was a heathen Greek. I cannot think +why these Church doctors should be so eager to defend him; but Herr +Reichenbach says all the teaching of the schools and all the doctrine of +indulgences are in some way founded on this Aristotle, and that Dr. +Luther wants to clear away everything which stands as a screen between +the students and the Bible. + +Ulrich von Gersdorf said that our doctor debates like his uncle, Franz +von Sickingen, fights. He stands like a rock on some point he feels firm +on; and then, when his opponents are weary of trying to move him, he +rushes suddenly down on them, and sweeps them away like a torrent. + +"But his great secret seems to be," remarked Christopher, "that he +believes every word he says. He speaks, like other men work, as if every +stroke were to tell." + +And Gottfried said, quietly, "He is fighting the battle of God with the +scribes and Pharisees of our days; and whether he triumph or perish, the +battle will be won. It is a battle, not merely against falsehood, but +for truth, to keep a position he has won." + +"When I hear him," said Ulrich, "I wish my student days over, and long +to be in the old castle in the Thuringian Forest, to give everything +good there a new impulse. He makes me feel the way to fight the world's +great battles is for each to conquer the enemies of God in his own heart +and home. He speaks of Aristotle and Augustine; but he makes me think of +the sloth and tyranny in the castle, and the misery and oppression in +the peasant's hut, which are to me what Aristotle and the schoolmen are +to him." + +"And I," said Christopher, "when he speaks, think of our printing press, +until my daily toil there seems the highest work I could do; and to be a +printer, and wing such words as his through the world, the noblest thing +on earth." + +"But his lectures fight the good fight even more than his disputations," +remarked Gottfried. "In these debates he clears the world of the foe; +but in his explanations of the Psalms and the Romans, he carries the +battle within, and clears the heart of the lies which kept it back from +God. In his attacks on Aristotle, he leads you to the Bible as the one +source of truth; in his discourses on justification by faith he leads +you to God as the one source of holiness and joy." + +"They say poor Dr. Jodocus is quite ill with vexation at his defeat," +said Christopher; "and that there are many bitter things said against +Dr. Luther at Erfurt." + +"What does that matter," rejoined Ulrich, "since Wittemberg is becoming +every month more thronged with students from all parts of Germany, and +the Augustinian cloister is already full of young monks, sent hither +from various convents, to study under Dr. Luther? The youth and vigour +of the nation are with us. Let the dead bury their dead." + +"Ah, children," murmured the grandmother, looking up from her knitting, +"that is a funeral procession that lasts long. The young always speak of +the old as if they had been born old. Do you think our hearts never +throbbed high with hope, and that we never fought with dragons? Yet the +old serpent is not killed yet. Nor will he be dead when we are dead, and +you are old, and your grandchildren take their place in the old fight, +and think they are fighting the first battle the world has seen, and +vanquishing the last enemy." + +"Perhaps not," said Gottfried; "but the last enemy will be overcome at +last, and who knows how soon?" + + + WITTEMBERG, _October_, 1513. + +It is a strong bond of union between Herr Reichenbach and me, our +reverence and love for Dr. Luther. + +He is lecturing now on the Romans and the Psalms, and as I sit at my +spinning-wheel, or sew, Gottfried often reads to me notes from these +lectures, or tells me what they have been about. This is a comfort to me +also, because he has many thoughts and doubts which, were it not for his +friendship with Dr. Luther, would make me tremble for him. They are so +new and strange to me; and as it is I never venture to speak of them to +my mother. + +He thinks there is great need of reformations and changes in the Church. +He even thinks Christopher not far from right in his dislike of many of +the priests and monks, who, he says, lead lives which are a disgrace to +Christendom. + +But his chief detestation is the sale of indulgences, now preached in +many of the towns of Saxony by Dr. Tetzel. He says it is a shameless +traffic in lies, and that most men of intelligence and standing in the +great cities think so. And he tells me that a very good man, a professor +of theology--Dr. John Wesel,--preached openly against them about fifty +years ago at the University of Erfurt, and afterwards at Worms and +Mainz; and that John of Goch and other holy men were most earnest in +denouncing them. + +And when I asked if the Pope did not sanction them, he said that to +understand what the Pope is one needs to go to Rome. He went there in +his youth, not on pilgrimage, but on mercantile business, and he told me +that the wickedness he saw there, especially in the family of the +reigning Pope, the Borgia, for many years made him hate the very name of +religion. Indeed, he said it was principally through Dr. Luther that he +had begun again to feel there could be a religion, which, instead of +being a cloak for sin, should be an incentive to holiness. + +He says also that I have been quite mistaken about "Reineke Fuchs;" that +it is no vulgar jest-book, mocking at really sacred things, but a +bitter, earnest satire against the hypocrisy which practices all kinds +of sin in the name of sacred things. + +He doubts even if the Calixtines and Hussites are as bad as they have +been represented to be. It alarms me sometimes to hear him say these +things. His world is so much larger than mine, it is difficult for my +thoughts to follow him into it. If the world is so bad, and there is so +much hypocrisy in the holiest places, perhaps I have been hard on poor +Christopher after all. + +But if Fritz has found it so, how unhappy it must make him! + +Can really religious people like Fritz and Eva do nothing better for the +world, but leave it to grow more and more corrupt and unbelieving, while +they sit apart to weave their robes of sanctity in convents. It does +seem time for something to be done. I wonder who will do it? + +I thought it might be the Pope; but Gottfried shakes his head, and says, +"No good thing can begin at Rome." + +"Or the prelates?" I asked one day. + +"They are too intent," he said, "on making their courts as magnificent +as those of the princes, to be able to interfere with the abuses by +which their revenues are maintained." + +"Or the princes?" + +"The friendship of the prelates is too important to them, for them to +interfere in spiritual matters." + +"Or the emperor?" + +"The emperor," he said, "has enough to do to hold his own against the +princes, the prelates, and the pope." + +"Or the knights?" + +"The knights are at war with the all world," he replied; "to say nothing +of their ceaseless private feuds with each other. With the peasants +rising on one side in wild insurrection, the great nobles contending +against their privileges on the other, and the great burgher families +throwing their barbarous splendour into the shade as much as the city +palaces do their bare robber castles, the knights and petty nobles have +little but bitter words to spare for the abuses of the clergy. Besides, +most of them have relations whom they hope to provide for with some good +abbey." + +"Then the peasants!" I suggested. "Did not the gospel first take root +among peasants?" + +"_Inspired_ peasants and fishermen!" he replied, thoughtfully. "Peasants +who had walked up and down the land three years in the presence of the +Master. But who is to teach our peasants now? They cannot read!" + +"Then it must be the burghers," I said. + +"Each may be prejudiced in favour of his order," he replied, with a +smile; "but I do think if better days dawn, it will be through the +cities. There the new learning takes root; there the rich have society +and cultivation, and the poor have teachers; and men's minds are +brightened by contact and debate, and there is leisure to think and +freedom to speak. If a reformation of abuses were to begin, I think the +burghers would promote it most of all." + +"But who is to begin it?" I asked. "Has no one ever tried?" + +"Many have tried," he replied sadly; "and many have perished in trying. +While they were assailing one abuse, others were increasing. Or while +they endeavoured to heal some open wound, some one arose and declared +that it was impossible to separate the disease from the whole frame, and +that they were attempting the life of our Holy Mother the Church." + +"Who, then, will venture to begin?" I said. "Can it be Dr. Luther? He is +bold enough to venture anything; and since he has done so much good to +Fritz, and to you, and to me, why not to the whole Church?" + +"Dr. Luther is faithful enough, and bold enough for anything his +conscience calls him to," said Gottfried, "but he is occupied with +saving men's souls, not with reforming ecclesiastical abuses." + +"But if the ecclesiastical abuses came to interfere with the salvation +of men's souls," I suggested, "what would Dr. Luther do then?" + +"We should see, Elsè," said Gottfried. "If the wolves attacked one of +Dr. Luther's sheep, I do not think he would care with what weapon he +rescued it, or at what risk." + + + + +XIII. + +Eva's Story. + + + NIMPTSCHEN, 1517. + +Great changes have taken place during these last three years in Aunt +Cotta's home. Elsè has been married more than two years, and sends me +wonderful narratives of the beauty and wisdom of her little Margarethe, +who begins now to lisp the names of mother, and father, and aunts. Elsè +has also taught the little creature to kiss her hand to a picture they +have of me, and call it Cousin Eva. They will not adopt my convent name. + +Chriemhild also is betrothed to the young knight, Ulrich von Gersdorf, +who has a castle in the Thuringian Forest; and she writes that they +often speak of Sister Ave, and that he keeps the dried violets still, +with a lock of his mother's hair and a relic of his patron saint. +Chriemhild says I should scarcely know him again, he is become so +earnest and so wise, and so full of good purposes. + +And little Thekla writes that she also understands something of Latin. +Elsè's husband has taught her; and there is nothing Elsè and Gottfried +Reichenbach like so much as to hear her sing the hymns Cousin Eva used +to sing. + +They seem to think of me as a kind of angel sister, who was early taken +to God, and will never grow old. It is very sweet to be remembered thus; +but sometimes it seems as if it were hardly me they were remembering or +loving, but what I was or might have been. + +Would they recognize Cousin Eva in the grave, quiet woman of twenty-two +I have become? For whilst in the old home Time seems to mark his course +like a stream by growth and life, here in the convent he seems to mark +it only by the slow falling of the shadow on the silent dial--the shadow +of death. In the convent there is no growth but growing old. + +In Aunt Cotta's home the year expanded from winter into spring, and +summer, and autumn--seed-time and harvest--the season of flowers and the +season of fruits. The seasons grew into each other, we knew not how or +when. In the convent the year is sharply divided into December, January, +February, March, and April, with nothing to distinguish one month from +another but their names and dates. + +In our old home the day brightened from dawn to noon, and then mellowed +into sunset, and softly faded into night. Here in the convent the day is +separated into hours by the clock. + +Sister Beatrice's poor faded face is slowly becoming a little more +faded; Aunt Agnes's a little more worn and sharp; and I, like the rest, +am six years older than I was six years ago, when I came here; and that +is all. + +It is true, fresh novices have arrived, and have taken the irrevocable +vows, and fair young faces are around me; but my heart aches sometimes +when I look at them, and think that they, like the rest of us, have +closed the door on life, with all its changes, and have entered on that +monotonous pathway to the grave whose stages are simply growing old. + +Some of these novices come full of high aspirations for a religious +life. They have been told about the heavenly Spouse, who will fill their +consecrated hearts with pure, unutterable joys, the world can never +know. + +Many come as sacrifices to family poverty or family pride, because their +noble parents are too poor to maintain them suitably, or in order that +their fortunes may swell the dower of some married sister. + +I know what disappointment is before them when they learn that the +convent is but a poor, childish mimicry of the world, with its petty +ambitions and rivalries, but without the life and the love. I know the +noblest will suffer most, and may, perhaps, fall the lowest. + +To narrow, apathetic natures, the icy routine of habit will more easily +replace the varied flow of life. They will fit into their harness +sooner, and become as much interested in the gossip of the house or the +order, the election of superiors, or the scandal of some neighbouring +nunnery, as they would have become in the gossip of the town or village +they would have lived in, in the world. + +But warm hearts and high spirits--these will chafe and struggle, and +dream they have reached depths of self-abasement, or soared to heights +of mystical devotion, and then awake, with bitter self-reproaches, to +find themselves too weak to cope with some small temptation, like Aunt +Agnes. + +These I will help all I can. But I have learned, since I came to +Nimptschen, that it is a terrible and perilous thing to take the work of +the training of our souls out of God's hands into our own. The +pruning-knife in his hands must sometimes wound and seem to impoverish; +but in ours it cuts, and wounds, and impoverishes, and does _not_ prune. +We can, indeed, inflict pain on ourselves; but God alone can make pain +healing, or suffering discipline. + +I can only pray that, however mistaken many may be in immuring +themselves here, Thou who art the Good Physician wilt take us, with all +our useless self-inflicted wounds, and all our wasted, self-stunted +faculties, and as we are and as thou art, still train us for thyself. + +The infirmary is what interests me most. Having secluded ourselves from +all the joys and sorrows and vicissitudes of common life, we seem +scarcely to have left anything in God's hands, wherewith to try our +faith and subdue our wills to his, except sickness. Bereavements we +cannot know who have bereaved ourselves of all companionship with our +beloved for evermore on earth. Nor can we know the trials either of +poverty or of prosperity, since we can never experience either; but, +having taken the vow of voluntary poverty on ourselves, whilst we can +never call anything individually our own, we are freed from all +anxieties by becoming members of a richly-endowed order. + +Sickness only remains beyond our control; and, therefore, when I see any +of the sisterhood laid on the bed of suffering, I think-- + +"_God has laid thee there!_" and I feel more sure that it is the right +thing. + +I still instruct the novices; but sometimes the dreary question comes to +me-- + +"For _what_ am I instructing them?" + +Life has no future for them--only a monotonous prolonging of the +monotonous present. + +I try to feel, "I am training them for eternity." But who can do that +but God, who inhabiteth eternity, and sees the links which connect every +moment of the little circles of time with the vast circumference of the +everlasting future? + +But I do my best. Catharine von Bora, a young girl of sixteen, who has +lately entered the convent, interests me deeply. There is such strength +in her character and such warmth in her heart. But alas! what scope is +there for these here? + +Aunt Agnes has not opened her heart in any way to me. True, when I was +ill, she watched over me as tenderly as Aunt Cotta could; but when I +recovered, she seemed to repel all demonstrations of gratitude and +affection, and went on with that round of penances and disciplines, +which make the nuns reverence her as so especially saintly. + +Sometimes I look with longing to the smoke and lights in the village we +can see among the trees from the upper windows of the convent. I know +that each little wreath of smoke comes from the hearth of a home where +there are father and mother and little children; and the smoke wreaths +seem to me to rise like holy clouds of incense to God our Father in +heaven. + +But the alms given so liberally by the sisterhood are given at the +convent-gate, so that we never form any closer connection with the poor +around us than that of beggars and almoners; and I long to be their +_friend_. + +Sometimes I am afraid I acted in impatient self-will in leaving Aunt +Cotta's home, and that I should have served God better by remaining +there, and that, after all, my departure may have left some little blank +it would not have been useless to fill. As the girls marry, Aunt Cotta +might have found me a comfort, and, as "Cousin Eva," I might perhaps +have been more of a help to Elsè's children than I can be to the nuns +here as Sister Ave. But whatever might have been, it is impatience and +rebellion to think of that now; and nothing can separate me from God and +his love. + +Somehow or other, however, even the "Theologia Germanica," and the high, +disinterested communion with God it teaches, seemed sweeter to me, in +the intervals of an interrupted and busy life, than as the business of +this uninterrupted leisure. The hours of contemplation were more blessed +for the very trials and occupations which seemed to hinder them. + +Sometimes I feel as if my heart also were freezing, and becoming set and +hard. I am afraid, indeed, it would, were it not for poor Sister +Beatrice, who has had a paralytic stroke, and is now a constant inmate +of the infirmary. She speaks at times very incoherently, and cannot +think at any time connectedly. But I have found a book which interests +her; it is the Latin Gospel of St. Luke, which I am allowed to take from +the convent library and translate to her. The narratives are so brief +and simple, she can comprehend them, and she never wearies of hearing +them. The very familiarity endears them, and to me they are always new. + +But it is very strange that there is nothing about penance or vows in +it, or the adoration of the blessed Virgin. I suppose I shall find that +in the other Gospels, or in the Epistles, which were written after our +Lady's assumption into heaven. Sister Beatrice likes much to hear me +sing the hymn by Bernard of Clugni, on the perpetuity of joy in +heaven:[8]-- + + Here brief is the sighing, + And brief is the crying, + For brief is the life! + The life there is endless, + The joy there is endless, + And ended the strife. + + What joys are in heaven? + To whom are they given? + Ah! what? and to whom? + The stars to the earth-born, + "Best robes" to the sin-worn, + The crown for the doom! + + O country the fairest! + Our country the dearest, + We press towards thee! + O Sion the golden! + Our eyes are now holden, + Thy light till we see: + + Thy crystalline ocean, + Unvexed by commotion, + Thy fountain of life; + Thy deep peace unspoken, + Pure, sinless, unbroken,-- + Thy peace beyond strife: + + Thy meek saints all glorious, + Thy martyrs victorious, + Who suffer no more; + Thy halls full of singing, + Thy hymns ever ringing + Along thy safe shore. + + Like the lily for whiteness, + Like the jewel for brightness, + Thy vestments, O Bride! + The Lamb ever with thee, + The Bridegroom is with thee,-- + With thee to abide! + + We know not, we know not, + All human words show not, + The joys we may reach; + The mansions preparing, + The joys for our sharing, + The welcome for each. + + O Sion the golden! + My eyes are still holden, + Thy light till I see; + And deep in thy glory, + Unveiled then before me, + My King, look on thee! + +[Footnote 8: + + Hic breve vivitur, hic breve plangitur, hic breve fletur, + Non breve vivere, non breve plangere, retribuetur. + O retributio! stat brevis actio, vita perennis, + O retributio! coelica mansio stat lue plenis, + etc. etc., etc.] + + + _April_, 1517. + +The whole of the Augustinian Order in Saxony has been greatly moved by +the visitation of Dr. Martin Luther. He has been appointed Deputy +Vicar-General in the place of Dr. Staupitz, who has gone on a mission to +the Netherlands, to collect relics for the Elector Frederic's new church +at Wittemberg. + +Last April Dr. Luther visited the Monastery of Grimma, not far from us; +and through our Prioress, who is connected with the Prior of Grimma, we +hear much about it. + +He strongly recommends the study of the Scriptures and of St. Augustine, +in preference to every other book, by the brethren and sisters of his +Order. We have begun to follow his advice in our convent, and a new +impulse seems given to everything. I have also seen two beautiful +letters of Dr. Martin Luther's, written to two brethren of the +Augustinian Order. Both were written in April last, and they have been +read by many amongst us. The first was to Brother George Spenlein, a +monk at Memmingen. It begins, "In the name of Jesus Christ." After +speaking of some private pecuniary matters, he writes:-- + + "As to the rest, I desire to know how it goes with thy soul; + whether, weary of its own righteousness, it learns to breathe + and to trust in the righteousness of Christ. For in our age the + temptation to presumption burns in many, and chiefly in those + who are trying with all their might to be just and good. + Ignorant of the righteousness of God, which in Christ is given + to us richly and without price, they seek in themselves to do + good works, so that at last they may have confidence to stand + before God, adorned with merits and virtues,--which is + impossible. Thou, when with us, wert of this opinion, and so + was I; but now I contend against this error, although I have + not yet conquered it. + + "Therefore, my dear brother, learn Christ and him crucified; + learn to sing to him, and, despairing of thyself, to say to + him, 'Lord Jesus, thou art my righteousness, but I am thy sin. + Thou hast taken me upon thyself, and given to me what is thine; + thou hast taken on thee what thou was not, and has given to me + what I was not.' Take care not to aspire to such a purity that + thou shalt no longer seem to thyself a sinner; for Christ does + not dwell except in sinners. For this he descended from heaven, + where he abode with the just, that he might abide with sinners. + Meditate on this love of his, and thou shalt drink in his sweet + consolations. For if, by our labours and afflictions, we could + attain quiet of conscience, why did he die? Therefore, only in + Him, by a believing self-despair, both of thyself and of thy + works, wilt thou find peace. For he has made thy sins his, and + his righteousness he has made thine." + +Aunt Agnes seemed to drink in these words like a patient in a raging +fever. She made me read them over to her again and again, and then +translate and copy them; and now she carries them about with her +everywhere. + +To me the words that follow are as precious. Dr. Luther says, that as +Christ hath borne patiently with us wanderers, we should also bear with +others. "Prostrate thyself before the Lord Jesus," he writes, "seek all +that thou lackest. He himself will teach thee all, even to do for others +as he has done for thee." + +The second letter was to Brother George Leiffer of Erfurt. It speaks of +affliction thus:-- + + "The cross of Christ is divided throughout the whole world. To + each his portion comes in time, and does not fail. Thou, + therefore, do not seek to cast thy portion from thee, but + rather receive it as a holy relic, to be enshrined, not in a + gold or silver reliquary, but in the sanctuary of a golden, + that is, a loving and submissive heart. For if the wood of the + cross was so consecrated by contact with the flesh and blood of + Christ that it is considered as the noblest of relics, how much + more are injuries, persecutions, sufferings, and the hatred of + men, sacred relics, consecrated not by the touch of his body, + but by contact with his most loving heart and Godlike will! + These we should embrace, and bless, and cherish, since through + him the curse is transmuted into blessing, suffering into + glory, the cross into joy." + +Sister Beatrice delights in these words, and murmurs them over to +herself as I have explained them to her. "Yes, I understand; this +sickness, helplessness,--all I have lost and suffered,--are sacred +relics from my Saviour; not because he forgets, but because he remembers +me--he remembers me. Sister Ave, I am content." + +And then she likes me to sing her favourite hymn _Jesu dulcis +memoria_:-- + + O Jesus, thy sweet memory + Can fill the heart with ecstasy; + But passing all things sweet that be, + Thy presence, Lord, to me. + + What hope, O Jesus, thou canst render + To those who other hopes surrender! + To those who seek thee, O how tender! + But what to those who find! + + With Mary, ere the morning break, + Him at the sepulchre I seek,-- + Would hear him to my spirit speak, + And see him with my heart. + + Wherever I may chance to be, + Thee first my heart desires to see; + How glad when I discover thee; + How blest when I retain! + + Beyond all treasures is thy grace;-- + Oh, when wilt thou thy steps retrace + And satisfy me with thy face, + And make me wholly glad? + + Then come, Oh, come, thou perfect King, + Of boundless glory, boundless spring; + Arise, and fullest daylight bring, + Jesus, expected long! + + + _May_, 1517. + +Aunt Agnes has spoken to me at last. Abruptly and sternly, as if more +angry with herself than repenting or rejoicing, she said to me this +morning, "Child, those words of Dr. Luther's have reached my heart. I +have been trying all my life to be a saint, and so to reach God. And I +have failed utterly. And now I learn that I am a sinner, and yet that +God's love reaches me. The cross, the cross of Christ, is my pathway +from hell to heaven. I am not a saint. I shall never be a saint. Christ +is the only Saint, the Holy One of God; and he has borne my sins, and he +is my righteousness. He has done it all; and I have nothing left but to +give him all the glory, and to love, to love, to love him to all +eternity. And I will do it," she added fervently, "poor, proud, +destitute, and sinful creature that I am. I cannot help it; I must." + +But strong and stern as the words were, how changed Aunt Agnes's +manner!--humble and simple as a child's. And as she left me for some +duty in the house, she kissed my forehead, and said, "Ah, child, love me +a little, if you can,--not as a saint, but as a poor, sinful old woman, +who among her worst sins has counted loving thee too much, which was +perhaps, after all, among the least; love me a little, Eva, for my +sister's sake, whom you love so much." + + + + +XIV. + +Elsè's Story. + + + _August_, 1517. + +Yes, our little Gretchen is certainly a remarkable child. Although she +is not yet two years old, she knows all of us by name. She tyranizes +over us all, except me. I deny her many things which she cries for; +except when Gottfried is present, who, unfortunately, cannot bear to see +her unhappy for a moment, and having (he says) had his temper spoilt in +infancy by a cross nurse, has no notion of infant education, except to +avoid contradiction. Christopher, who always professed a supreme +contempt for babies, gives her rides on his shoulder in the most +submissive manner. But best of all, I love to see her sitting on my +blind father's knee, and stroking his face with a kind of tender, +pitiful reverence, as if she felt there was something missing there. + +I have taught her, too, to say Fritz's name, when I show her the little +lock I wear of his hair; and to kiss Eva's picture. I cannot bear that +they should be as lost or dead to her. But I am afraid she is perplexed +between Eva's portrait and the picture of the Holy Virgin, which I teach +her to bow and cross her forehead before; because sometimes she tries to +kiss the picture of Our Lady, and to twist her little fingers into the +sacred sign before Eva's likeness. However, by-and-by she will +distinguish better. And are not Eva and Fritz indeed our family saints +and patrons? I do believe their prayers bring down blessings on us all. + +For our family has bean so much blessed lately! The dear mother's face +looks so bright, and has regained something of its old sweet likeness to +the Mother of Mercy. And I am so happy, so brimful of happiness. And it +certainly does make me feel more religious than I did. + +Not the home-happiness only, I mean, but that best blessing of all, that +came first, before I knew that Gottfried cared for me,--the knowledge of +the love of God to me,--that best riches of all, without which all our +riches would be mere cares--the riches of the treasury of God freely +opened to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. + +Gottfried is better than I ever thought he was. Perhaps he really grows +better every year; certainly he seems better and dearer to me. + +Chriemhild and Ulrich are to be married very soon. He has gone now to +see Franz von Sickingen, and his other relations in the Rhineland, and +to make arrangements connected with his marriage. Last year Chriemhild +and Atlantis stayed some weeks at the old castle in the Thuringian +Forest, near Eisenach. A wild life it seemed to be, from their +description, deep in the heart of the forest, in a lonely fortress on a +rock, with only a few peasants' huts in sight; and with all kinds of +strange legends of demon huntsmen, and elves, and sprites haunting the +neighborhood. To me it seems almost as desolate as the wilderness where +John the Baptist lived on locusts and wild honey; but Chriemhild thought +it delightful. She made acquaintance with some of the poor peasants, and +they seemed to think her an angel,--an opinion (Atlantis says) shared by +Ulrich's old uncle and aunt, to say nothing of Ulrich himself. At first +the aged Aunt Hermentrude was rather distant; but on the Schönberg +pedigree having been duly tested and approved, the old lady at length +considered herself free to give vent to her feelings, whilst the old +knight courteously protested that he had always seen Chriemhild's +pedigree in her face. + +And Ulrich says there is one great advantage in the solitude and +strength of his castle,--he could offer an asylum at any time to Dr. +Luther, who has of late become an object of bitter hatred to some of the +priests. + +Dr. Luther is most kind to our little Gretchen, whom he baptized. He +says little children often understand God better than the wisest doctors +of divinity. + +Thekla has experienced her first sorrow. Her poor little foundling, Nix, +is dead. For some days the poor creature had been ailing, and at last he +lay for some hours quivering, as if with inward convulsions; yet at +Thekla's voice the dull, glassy eyes would brighten, and he would wag +his tail feebly as he lay on his side. At last he died; and Thekla was +not to be comforted, but sat apart and shed bitter tears. The only thing +which cheered her was Christopher's making a grave in the garden for +Nix, under the pear tree where I used to sit at embroidery in summer, as +now she does. It was of no use to try to laugh her out of her distress. +Her lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears if any one attempted it. +Atlantis spoke seriously to her on the duty of a little girl of twelve +beginning to put away childish things; and even the gentle mother +tenderly remonstrated, and said one day, when Dr. Luther had asked her +for her favourite, and had been answered by a burst of tears, "My child, +if you mourn so for a dog, what will you do when real sorrows come?" + +But Dr. Luther seemed to understand Thekla better than any of us, and to +take her part. He said she was a child, and her childish sorrows were no +more trifles to her than our sorrows are to us; that from heaven we +might probably look on the fall of an empire as of less moment than we +now thought the death of Thekla's dog; yet that the angels who look down +on us from heaven do not despise our little joys and sorrows, nor should +we those of the little ones; or words to this effect. He has a strange +sympathy with the hearts of children. Thekla was so encouraged by his +compassion, that she crept close to him and laid her hand in his, and +said, with a look of wistful earnestness, "Will Nix rise again at the +last day? Will there be dogs in the other world?" + +Many of us were appalled at such an irreverent idea; but Dr. Luther did +not seem to think it irreverent. He said, "We know less of what that +other world will be than this little one, or than that babe," he added, +pointing to my little Gretchen, "knows of the empires or powers of this +world. But of this we are sure, the world to come will be no empty, +lifeless waste. See how full and beautiful the Lord God has made all +things in this passing, perishing world of heaven and earth! How much +more beautiful, then, will he make that eternal, incorruptible world! +God will make new heavens and a new earth. All poisonous, and malicious, +and hurtful creatures will be banished thence,--all that our sin has +ruined. All creatures will not only be harmless, but lovely, and +pleasant, and joyful, so that we might play with them. 'The sucking +child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put +his hand on the cockatrice's den.' Why, then, should there not be little +dogs in the new earth, whose skin might be fair as gold, and their hair +as bright as precious stones?" + +Certainly, in Thekla's eyes, from that moment there has been no doctor +of divinity like Dr. Luther. + + + TORGAU, _November_ 10, 1516. + +The plague is at Wittemberg. We have all taken refuge here. The +university is scattered, and many, also, of the Augustinian monks. + +Dr. Luther remains in the convent at Wittemberg. We have seen a copy of +a letter of his, dated the 26th October, and addressed to the Venerable +Father John Lange, Prior of Erfurt Monastery. + + "Health. I have need of two secretaries or chancellors, since + all day long I do nothing but write letters; and I know not + whether, always writing, I may not sometimes repeat the same + things. Thou wilt see. + + "I am convent lecturer; reader at meals; I am desired to be + daily parish preacher; I am director of studies, vicar (_i. + e._, prior eleven times over), inspector of the fish-ponds at + Litzkau, advocate of the cause of the people of Herzberg at + Torgau, lecturer on Paul and on the Psalms; besides what I have + said already of my constant correspondence. I have rarely time + to recite my Canonical Hours, to say nothing of my own + particular temptations from the world, the flesh, and the + devil. See what a man of leisure I am! + + "Concerning Brother John Metzel I believe you have already + received my opinion. I will see, however, what I can do. How + can you think I can find room for your Sardanapaluses and + Sybarites? If you have educated them ill, you must bear with + those you have educated ill. I have enough useless + brethren;--if, indeed, any are useless to a patient heart. I am + persuaded that the useless may become more useful than those + who are the most useful now. Therefore bear with them for the + time. + + "I think I have already written to you about the brethren you + sent me. Some I have sent to Magister Spangenburg, as they + requested, to save their breathing this pestilential air. With + two from Cologne I felt such sympathy, and thought so much of + their abilities, that I have retained them, although at much + expense. Twenty-two priests, forty-two youths, and in the + university altogether forty-two persons are supported out of + our poverty. But the Lord will provide. + + "You say that yesterday you began to lecture on the Sentences. + To-morrow I begin the Epistle to the Galatians; although I fear + that, with the plague among us as it is, I shall not be able to + continue. The plague has taken away already two or three among + us, but not all in one day; and the son of our neighbour Faber, + yesterday in health, to-day is dead; and another is infected. + What shall I say? It is indeed here, and begins to rage with + great cruelty and suddenness, especially among the young. You + would persuade me and Master Bartholomew to take refuge with + you. Why should I flee? I hope the world would not collapse if + Brother Martin fell. If the pestilence spreads, I will indeed + disperse the monks throughout the land. As for me, I have been + placed here. My obedience as a monk does not suffer me to fly; + since what obedience required once, it demands still. Not that + I do not fear death--(I am not the Apostle Paul, but only the + reader of the Apostle Paul)--but I hope the Lord will deliver + me from my fear. + + "Farewell; and be mindful of us in this day of the visitation + of the Lord, to whom be glory." + +This letter has strengthened me and many. Yes, if it had been our duty, +I trust, like Dr. Luther, we should have had courage to remain. The +courage of his act strengthens us; and also the confession of fear in +his words. It does not seem a fear which hath torment, or which fetters +his spirit. It does not even crush his cheerfulness. It is a natural +fear of dying, which I also cannot overcome. From me, then, as surely +from him, when God sees it time to die, He will doubtless remove the +dread of death. + +This season of the pestilence recalls so much to me of what happened +when the plague last visited us at Eisenach! + +We have lost some since then,--if I ought to call Eva and Fritz lost. +But how my life has been enriched! My husband, our little Gretchen; and +then so much outward prosperity! All that pressure of poverty and daily +care entirely gone, and so much wherewith to help others! And yet, am I +so entirely free from care as I ought to be? Am I not even at times more +burdened with it? + +When first I married, and had Gottfried on whom to unburden every +perplexity, and riches which seemed to me inexhaustible, instead of +poverty, I thought I should never know care again. + +But is it so? Have not the very things themselves, in their possession, +become cares? When I hear of these dreadful wars with the Turks, and of +the insurrections and disquiets in various parts, and look round on our +pleasant home, and gardens, and fields, I think how terrible it would be +again to be plunged into poverty, or that Gretchen ever should be; so +that riches themselves become cares. It makes me think of what a good +man once told me: that the word in the Bible which is translated "rich," +in speaking of Abraham, in other places is translated "heavy;" so that +instead of reading, "Abraham left Egypt _rich_ in cattle and silver and +gold," we might read "_heavy_ in cattle, silver, and gold." + +Yes, we are on a pilgrimage to the Holy City; we are in flight from an +evil world; and too often riches are weights which hinder our progress. + +I find it good, therefore, to be here in the small, humble house we have +taken refuge in--Gottfried, Gretchen, and I. The servants are dispersed +elsewhere; and it lightens my heart to feel how well we can do without +luxuries which were beginning to seem like necessaries. Dr. Luther's +words come to my mind; "The covetous enjoy what they have as little as +what they have not. They cannot even rejoice in the sunshine. They think +not what a noble gift the light is--what an inexpressibly great treasure +the sun is, which shines freely on all the world." + +Yes, God's common gifts are his most precious; and his most precious +gifts--even life itself--have no root in _themselves_. Not that they are +_without_ root; they are _better_ rooted in the depths of His +unchangeable love. + +It is well to be taught, by such a visitation even as this pestilence, +the utter insecurity of everything here. "If the ship itself," as +Gottfried says, "is exposed to shipwreck, who, then, can secure the +cargo?" Henceforth let me be content with the only security Dr. Luther +says God will give us,--the security of his presence and cure: "_I will +never leave thee._" + + + WITTEMBERG, _June_, 1517. + +We are at home once more; and, thank God, our two households are +undiminished, save by one death--that of our youngest sister, the baby +when we left Eisenach. The professors and students also have returned. +Dr. Luther, who remained here all the time, is preaching with more force +and clearness. + +The town is greatly divided in opinion about him. Dr. Tetzel, the great +Papal Commissioner for the sale of indulgences, has established his red +cross, announcing the sale of pardons, for some months, at Jüterbok and +Zerbst, not far from Wittemberg. + +Numbers of the townspeople, alarmed, I suppose, by the pestilence, into +anxiety about their souls, have repaired to Dr. Tetzel, and returned +with the purchased tickets of indulgence. + +I have always been perplexed as to what the indulgences really give. +Christopher has terrible stories about the money paid for them being +spent by Dr. Tetzel and others on taverns and feasts; and Gottfried +says, "It is a bargain between the priests, who love money, and the +people, who love sin." + +Yesterday morning I saw one of the letters of indulgence for the first +time. A neighbour of ours, the wife of a miller, whose weights have been +a little suspected in the town, was in a state of great indignation when +I went to purchase some flour of her. + +"See!" she said; "this Dr. Luther will be wiser than the Pope himself. +He has refused to admit my husband to the Holy Sacrament unless he +repents and confesses to him, although he took his certificate in his +hand." + +She gave it to me, and I read it. Certainly, if the doctors of divinity +disagree about the value of these indulgences, Dr. Tetzel has no +ambiguity nor uncertainty in his language. + + "I," says the letter, "absolve thee from all the excesses, + sins, and crimes which thou hast committed, however great and + enormous they may be. I remit for thee the pains thou mightest + have had to endure in purgatory. I restore thee to + participation in the sacraments. I incorporate thee afresh into + the communion of the Church. I re-establish thee in the + innocence and purity in which thou wast at the time of thy + baptism. So that, at the moment of thy death, the gate by which + souls pass into the place of torments will be shut upon thee; + while, on the contrary, that which leads to the paradise of joy + will be open unto thee. And if thou art not called on to die + soon, this grace will remain unaltered for the time of thy + latter end. + + "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy + Ghost, + + "Friar JOHN TETZEl, Commissary, has signed it with his own + hand." + +"To think," said my neighbour, "of the pope promising my Franz +admittance into paradise; and Dr. Luther will not even admit him to the +altar of the parish church? And after spending such a sum on it! for the +friar must surely have thought my husband better off than he is, or he +would not have demanded gold of poor struggling people like us." + +"But if the angels at the gate of paradise should be of the same mind as +Dr. Luther?" I suggested, "would it not be better to find that out here +than there?" + +"It is impossible," she replied; "have we not the Holy Father's own +word? and did we not pay a whole golden florin? It is impossible it can +be in vain." + +"Put the next florin in your scales instead of in Dr. Tetzel's chest, +neighbour," said a student, laughing, as he heard her loud and angry +words; "it may weigh heavier with your flour than against your sins." + +I left them to finish the discussion. + +Gottfried says it is quite true that Dr. Luther in the confessional in +the city churches has earnestly protested to many of his penitents +against their trusting to these certificates, and has positively refused +to suffer any to communicate, except on their confessing their sins, and +promising to forsake them, whether provided with indulgences or not. + +In his sermon to the people last year on the Ten Commandments, he told +them forgiveness was freely given to the penitent by God, and was not to +be purchased at any price, least of all with money. + + + WITTEMBERG, _July_ 18. + +The whole town is in a ferment to-day, on account of Dr. Luther's sermon +yesterday, preached before the Elector in the Castle church. + +The congregation was very large, composed of the court, students, and +townspeople. + +Not a child or ignorant peasant there but could understand the +preacher's words. The Elector had procured especial indulgences from the +pope in aid of his church, but Dr. Luther made no exception to +conciliate him. He said the Holy Scriptures nowhere demand of us any +penalty or satisfaction for our sins. God gives and forgives freely +without price, out of his unutterable grace; and lays on the forgiven no +other duty than true repentance and sincere conversion of the heart, +resolution to bear the cross of Christ, and do all the good we can. He +declared also that it would be better to give money freely towards the +building of St. Peter's Church at Rome, than to bargain with alms for +indulgences; that it was more pleasing to God to give to the poor, than +to buy these letters, which, he said, would at the utmost do nothing +more for any man than remit mere ecclesiastical penances. + +As we returned from the church together, Gottfried said,-- + +"The battle-cry is sounded then at last! The wolf has assailed Dr. +Luther's own flock, and the shepherd is roused. The battle-cry is +sounded, Elsè, but the battle is scarcely begun." + +And when we described the sermon to our grandmother, she murmured,-- + +"It sounds to me, children, like an old story of my childhood. Have I +not heard such words half a century since in Bohemia? and have I not +seen the lips which spoke them silenced in flames and blood? Neither Dr. +Luther nor any of you know whither you are going. Thank God, I am soon +going to him who died for speaking just such words! Thank God I hear +them again before I die! I have doubted long about them and about +everything; how could I dare to think a few proscribed men right against +the whole Church? But since these old words cannot be hushed, but rise +from the dead again, I think there must be life in them; eternal life. +Children," she concluded, "tell me when Dr. Luther preaches again; I +will hear him before I die, that I may tell your grandfather, when I +meet him, the old truth is not dead. I think it would give him another +joy, even before the throne of God." + + + WITTEMBERG, _August_. + +Christopher has returned from Jüterbok. He saw there a great pile of +burning faggots, which Dr. Tetzel had caused to be kindled in the +market-place, "to burn the heretics," he said. + +We laughed as he related this, and also at the furious threats and +curses that had been launched at Dr. Luther from the pulpit in front of +the iron money-chest. But our grandmother said, "It is no jest, +children; they have done it, and they will do it again yet!" + + + WITTEMBERG, _November_ 1, 1517; + ALL SAINTS' DAY. + +Yesterday evening, as I sat at the window with Gottfried in the late +twilight, hushing Gretchen to sleep, we noticed Dr. Luther walking +rapidly along the street towards the Castle church. His step was firm +and quick, and he seemed too full of thought to observe anything as he +passed. There was something unusual in his bearing, which made my +husband call my attention to him. His head was erect and slightly thrown +back, as when he preaches. He had a large packet of papers in his hand, +and although he was evidently absorbed with some purpose, he had more +the air of a general moving to a battle-field than of a theologian +buried in meditation. + +This morning, as we went to the early mass of the festival, we saw a +great crowd gathered around the doors of the Castle church; not a mob, +however, but an eager throng of well-dressed men, professors, citizens, +and students; those within the circle reading some writing which was +posted on the door, whilst around, the crowd was broken into little +knots, in eager but not loud debate. + +Gottfried asked what had happened. + +"It is only some Latin theses against the indulgences, by Dr. Luther," +replied one of the students, "inviting a disputation on the subject." + +I was relieved to hear that nothing was the matter, and Gottfried and I +quietly proceeded to the service. + +"It is only an affair of the university," I said. "I was afraid it was +some national disaster, an invasion of the Turks, or some event in the +Elector's family." + +As we returned, however, the crowd had increased, and the debate seemed +to be becoming warm among some of them. One of the students was +translating the Latin into German for the benefit of the unlearned, and +we paused to listen. + +What he read seemed to me very true, but not at all remarkable. We had +often heard Dr. Luther say and even preach similar things. At the moment +we came up the words the student was reading were,-- + +"It is a great error for one to think to make satisfaction for his sins, +in that God always forgives gratuitously and from his boundless grace, +requiring nothing in return but holy living." + +This sentence I remember distinctly, because it was so much like what we +had heard him preach. Other propositions followed, such as that it was +very doubtful if the indulgences could deliver souls from purgatory, and +that it was better to give alms than to buy indulgences. But why these +statements should collect such a crowd, and excite such intense +interest, I could not quite understand, unless it was because they were +in Latin. + +One sentence, I observed, aroused very mingled feelings in the crowd. It +was the declaration that the Holy Scriptures alone could settle any +controversy, and that all the scholastic teachers together could not +give authority to one doctrine. + +The students and many of the citizens received this announcement with +enthusiastic applause, and some of the professors testified a quiet +approval of it; but others of the doctors shook their heads, and a few +retired at once, murmuring angrily as they went. + +At the close came a declaration by Dr. Luther, that "whatever some +unenlightened and morbid people might say, he was no heretic." + +"Why should Dr. Luther think it necessary to conclude with a declaration +that he is no heretic?" I said to Gottfried as we walked home. "Can +anything be more full of respect for the Pope and the Church than many +of these theses are? And why should they excite so much attention? Dr. +Luther says no more than so many of us think!" + +"True, Elsè," replied Gottfried, gravely; "but to know how to say what +other people only think, is what makes men poets and sages; and to dare +to say what others only dare to think, makes men martyrs or reformers, +or both." + + + _November_ 20. + +It is wonderful the stir these theses make. Christopher cannot get them +printed fast enough. Both the Latin and German printing-presses are +engaged, for they have been translated, and demands come for them from +every part of Germany. + +Dr. Tetzel, they say, is furious, and many of the prelates are uneasy as +to the result; the new bishop has dissuaded Dr. Luther from publishing +an explanation of them. It is reported that the Elector Frederick it not +quite pleased, fearing the effect on the new university, still in its +infancy. + +Students, however, are crowding to the town, and to Dr. Luther's +lectures, more than ever. He is the hero of the youth of Germany. + +But none are more enthusiastic about him than our grandmother. She +insisted on being taken to church on All Saints' Day, and tottering up +the aisle, took her place immediately under Dr. Luther's pulpit, facing +the congregation. + +She had eyes or ears for none but him. When he came down the pulpit +stairs she grasped his hand, and faltered out a broken blessing. And +after she came home she sat a long time in silence, occasionally +brushing away tears. + +When Gottfried and I took leave for the night, she held one of our hands +in each of hers, and said,-- + +"Children! be braver than I have been; that man preaches the truth for +which my husband died. God sends him to you. Be faithful to him. Take +heed that you forsake him not. It is not given to every one as to me to +have the light they forsook in youth restored to them in old age. To me +his words are like voices from the dead. They are worth dying for." + +My mother is not so satisfied. She likes what Dr. Luther says, but she +is afraid what Aunt Agnes might think of it. She thinks he speaks too +violently sometimes. She does not like any one to be pained. She cannot +herself much like the way they sell the indulgences, but she hopes Dr. +Tetzel means well, and she has no doubt that the Pope knows best; and +she is convinced that in their hearts all good people mean the same, +only she is afraid, in the heat of discussion, every one will go further +than any one intends, and so there will be a great deal of bad feeling. +She thought it was quite right of Dr. Luther quietly to admonish any of +his penitents who were imagining they could be saved without repentance; +but why he should excite all the town in this way by these theses she +could not understand; especially on All Saints' Day, when so many +strangers came from the country, and the holy relics were exhibited, and +every one ought to be absorbed with their devotions. + +"Ah, little mother," said my father, "women are too tender-hearted for +ploughmen's work. You could never bear to break up the clods, and tear +up all the pretty wild flowers. But when the harvest comes we will set +you to bind up the sheaves, or to glean beside the reapers. No rough +hands of men will do that so well as yours." + +And Gottfried said his vow as doctor of divinity makes it as much Dr. +Luther's plain duty to teach true divinity, as his priestly vows oblige +him to guard his flock from error and sin. Gottfried says we have fallen +on stormy times. For him that may be best, and by his side all is well +for me. Besides, I am accustomed to rough paths. But when I look on our +little tender Gretchen, as her dimpled cheek rests flushed with sleep on +her pillow, I cannot help wishing the battle might not begin in her +time. + +Dr. Luther counted the cost before he fixed these theses to the church +door. It was this which made him do it so secretly, without consulting +any of his friends. He knew there was risk in it, and he nobly resolved +not to involve any one else--Elector, professor, or pastor--in the +danger he incurred without hesitation for himself. + + + _December_, 1517. + +In one thing we all agreed, and that is in our delight in Dr. Luther's +lectures on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. Gottfried heard them +and took notes, and reported them to us in my father's house. We gather +around him, all of us, in the winter evenings, while he reads those +inspiring words to us. Never, I think, were words like them. Yesterday +he was reading to us, for the twentieth time, what Dr. Luther said on +the words, "Who loved me, and gave himself for me." + +"Read with vehemency," he says, "those words 'me,' and 'for me.' Print +this 'me' in thy heart, not doubting that thou art of the number to whom +this 'me' belongeth; also, that Christ hath not only loved Peter and +Paul, and given himself for them, but that the same grace also which is +comprehended in this 'me,' as well pertaineth and cometh unto us as unto +them. For as we cannot deny that we are all sinners, all lost; so we +cannot deny that Christ died for our sins. Therefore, when I feel and +confess myself to be a sinner, why should I not say that I am made +righteous through the righteousness of Christ, especially when I hear He +loved me and gave himself for me?" + +And then my mother asked for the passages she most delights in: "O +Christ, I am thy sin, thy curse, thy wrath of God, thy hell; and +contrariwise, thou art my righteousness, my blessing, my life, my grace +of God, my heaven." + +And again, when he speaks of Christ being "made a curse for us, the +unspotted and undefiled Lamb of God wrapped in our sins, God not laying +our sins upon us, but upon his Son, that he, bearing the punishment +thereof, might be our peace, that by his stripes, we might be healed." + +And again:-- + +"Sin is a mighty conqueror, which devoureth all mankind, learned and +unlearned, holy, wise, and mighty men. This tyrant flieth upon Christ, +and will needs swallow him up as he doth all other. But he seeth not +that Christ is a person of invincible and everlasting righteousness. +Therefore in this combat sin must needs be vanquished and killed; and +righteousness must overcome, live, and reign. So in Christ all sin is +vanquished, killed, and buried; and righteousness remaineth a conqueror, +and reigneth for ever. + +"In like manner Death, which is an omnipotent queen and empress of the +whole world, killing kings, princes, and all men, doth mightily +encounter with Life, thinking utterly to overcome it and to swallow it +up. But because the Life was immortal, therefore when it was overcome, +it nevertheless overcame, vanquishing and killing Death. Death, +therefore, through Christ, is vanquished and abolished, so that now it +is but a painted death, which, robbed of its sting, can no more hurt +those that believe in Christ, who is become the death of death. + +"So the curse hath the like conflict with the blessing, and would +condemn and bring it to nought; but it cannot. For the blessing is +divine and everlasting, therefore the curse must needs give place. For +if the blessing in Christ could be overcome, then would God himself be +overcome. But this is impossible; therefore Christ, the power of God, +righteousness, blessing, grace, and life, overcometh and destroyeth +those monsters, sin, death, and the curse, without war and weapons, in +this our body, so that they can no more hurt those that believe." + +Such truths are indeed worth battling for; but who, save the devil, +would war against them? I wonder what Fritz would think of it all. + + + WITTEMBERG, _February_, 1518. + +Christopher returned yesterday evening from the market-place, where the +students have been burning Tetzel's theses, which he wrote in answer to +Dr. Luther's. Tetzel hides behind the papal authority, and accuses Dr. +Luther of assailing the Holy Father himself. + +But Dr. Luther says nothing shall ever make him a heretic; that he will +recognise the voice of the Pope as the voice of Christ himself. The +students kindled this conflagration in the market-place entirely on +their own responsibility. They are full of enthusiasm for Dr. Martin, +and of indignation against Tetzel and the Dominicans. + +"Who can doubt," said Christopher, "how the conflict will end, between +all learning and honesty and truth on the one side, and a few +contemptible avaricious monks on the other?" And he proceeded to +describe to us the conflagration and the sayings of the students with as +much exultation as if it had been a victory over Tetzel and the +indulgence-mongers themselves. + +"But it seems to me," I said, "that Dr. Luther is not so much at ease +about it as you are. I have noticed lately that he looks grave, and at +times very sad. He does not seem to think the victory won." + +"Young soldiers," said Gottfried, "on the eve of their first battle may +be as blithe as on the eve of a tourney. Veterans are grave before the +battle. Their courage comes _with_ the conflict. It will be thus, I +believe, with Dr. Luther. For surely the battle is coming. Already some +of his old friends fall off. They say the censor at Rome, Prierias, has +condemned and written against his theses." + +"But," rejoined Christopher, "they say also that Pope Leo praised Dr. +Luther's genius, and said it was only the envy of the monks which found +fault with him. Dr. Luther believes the Pope only needs to learn the +truth about these indulgence-mongers to disown them at once." + +"Honest men believe all men honest until they are proved dishonest," +said Gottfried drily; "but the Roman court is expensive and the +indulgences are profitable." + +This morning our grandmother asked nervously what was the meaning of the +shouting she had heard yesterday in the market-place, and the glare of +fire she had seen, and the crackling? + +"Only Tetzel's lying theses," said Christopher. She seemed relieved. + +"In my early days," she said, "I learned to listen too eagerly to sounds +like that. But in those times they burned other things than books or +papers in the market-places." + +"Tetzel threatens to do so again," said Christopher. + +"No doubt they will, if they can," she replied, and relapsed into +silence. + + + + +XV. + +Fritz's Story. + + + AUGUSTINIAN CONVENt, MAINZ, _November_, 1517. + +Seven years have passed since I have written anything in this old +chronicle of mine, and as in the quiet of this convent once more I open +it, the ink on the first pages is already brown with time; yet a strange +familiar fragrance breathes from them, as of early spring flowers. My +childhood comes back to me, with all its devout simplicity; my youth, +with all its rich prospects and its buoyant, ardent, hopes. My childhood +seems like one of those green quiet valleys in my native forests, like +the valley of my native Eisenach itself, when that one reach of the +forest, and that one quiet town with its spires and church bells, and +that one lowly home with its love, its cares, and its twilight talks in +the lumber room, were all the world I could see. + +Youth rises before me like that first journey through the forest to the +University of Erfurt, when the world opened to me like the plains from +the breezy heights, a battle-field for glorious achievement, an +unbounded ocean for adventure and discovery, a vast field for noble +work. + +Then came another brief interval, when once again the lowly home at +Eisenach became to me dearer and more than all the wide world beside, +and all earth and all life seemed to grow sacred and to expand before me +in the light of one pure, holy, loving maiden's heart. I have seen +nothing so heaven-like since as she was. But then came the great crash +which wrenched my life in twain, and made home and the world alike +forbidden ground to me. + +At first, after that, for years I dared not think of Eva. But since my +pilgrimage to Rome, I venture to cherish her memory again. I thank God +every day that nothing can erase that image of purity and love from my +heart. Had it not been for that, and for the recollection of Dr. +Luther's manly, honest piety, there are times when the very existence of +truth and holiness on earth would have seemed inconceivable, such a +chaos of corruption has the world appeared to me. + +How often has the little lowly hearth-fire, glowing from the windows of +the old home, saved me from shipwreck, when "for many days neither sun +nor stars appeared, and no small tempest lay on me." + +For I have lived during these years behind the veil of outward shows, a +poor insignificant monk, before whom none thought it worth while to +inconvenience themselves with masks or disguises. I have spent hour +after hour, moreover, in the confessional. I have been in the sacristy +before the mass, and at the convent feast after it. And I have spent +months once and again at the heart of Christendom, in Rome itself, where +the indulgences which are now stirring up all Germany are manufactured, +and where the money gained by the indulgences is spent; _not_ entirely +on the building of St. Peter's or in holy wars against the Turks! + +Thank God that a voice is raised at last against this crying, monstrous +lie, the honest voice of Dr. Luther. It is ringing through all the land. +I have just returned from a mission through Germany, and I had +opportunities of observing the effect of the theses. + +The first time I heard of them was from a sermon in a church of the +Dominicans in Bavaria. + +The preacher spoke of Dr. Luther by name, and reviled the theses as +directly inspired by the devil, declaring that their wretched author +would have a place in hell lower than all the heretics, from Simon Magus +downward. + +The congregation were roused and spoke of it as they dispersed. Some +piously wondered who this new heretic could be who was worse even than +Huss. Others speculated what this new poisonous doctrine could be; and a +great many bought a copy of the theses to see. + +In the Augustinian convent that evening they formed the subject of warm +debate. Not a few of the monks triumphed in them as an effective blow +against Tetzel and the Dominicans. A few rejoiced and said these were +the words they had been longing to hear for years. Many expressed wonder +that people should make so much stir about them, since they said nothing +more than all honest men in the land had always thought. + +A few nights afterwards I lodged at the house of Ruprecht Haller, a +priest in a Franconian village. A woman of quiet and modest appearance, +young in form but worn and old in expression, with a subdued, +broken-spirited bearing, was preparing our supper, and whilst she was +serving the table I began to speak to the priest about the theses of Dr. +Luther. + +He motioned to me to keep silence, and hastily turned the conversation. + +When we were left alone he explained his reasons. "I gave her the money +for an indulgence letter last week, and she purchased one from one of +Dr. Tetzel's company," he said; "and when she returned her heart seemed +lighter than I have seen it for years, since God smote us for our sins, +and little Dietrich died. I would not have had her robbed of that little +bit of comfort for the world, be it true or false." + +Theirs was a sad story, common enough in every town and village as +regarded the sin, and only uncommon as to the longing for better things +which yet lingered in the hearts of the guilty. + +I suggested her returning to her kindred or entering a convent. + +"She has no kindred left that would receive her," he said; "and to send +her to be scorned and disciplined by a community of nuns--never!" + +"But her soul!" I said, "and yours?" + +"The blessed Lord received such," he answered almost fiercely, "before +the Pharisees." + +"Such received Him!" I said quietly, "but receiving Him they went and +sinned no more." + +"And when did God ever say it was sin for a priest to marry?" he asked; +"not in the Old Testament, for the son of Elkanah the priest and Hannah +ministered before the Lord in the temple, as perhaps our little +Dietrich," he added in a low tone, "ministers before Him in his temple +now. And where in the New Testament do you find it forbidden?" + +"The Church forbids it," I said. + +"Since when?" he asked. "The subject is too near my heart for me not to +have searched to see. And five hundred years ago, I have read, before +the days of Hildebrand the pope, many a village pastor had his lawful +wife, whom he loved as I love Bertha; for God knows neither she nor I +ever loved another." + +"Does this satisfy her conscience?" I asked. + +"Sometimes," he replied bitterly, "but only sometimes. Oftener she lives +as one under a curse, afraid to receive any good thing, and bowing to +every sorrow as her bitter desert, and the foretaste of the terrible +retribution to come." + +"Whatever is not of faith is sin," I murmured. + +"But what will be the portion of those who call what God sanctions sin," +he said, "and bring trouble and pollution into hearts as pure as hers?" + +The woman entered the room as he was speaking, and must have caught his +words, for a deep crimson flushed her pale face. As she turned away, her +whole frame quivered with a suppressed sob. But afterwards, when the +priest left the room, she came up to me and said, looking with her sad, +dark, lustreless eyes at me, "You were saying that some doubt the +efficacy of these indulgences? But do _you_? I cannot trust _him_," she +added softly, "he would be afraid to tell me if he thought so." + +I hesitated what to say. I could not tell an untruth; and before those +searching, earnest eyes, any attempt at evasion would have been vain. + +"You do _not_ believe this letter can do anything for me," she said; +"_nor do I_." And moving quietly to the hearth, she tore the indulgence +into shreds, and threw it on the flames. + +"Do not tell him this," she said; "he thinks it comforts me." + +I tried to say some words about repentance and forgiveness being free to +all. + +"Repentance for me," she said, "would be to leave him, would it not?" + +I could not deny it. + +"I will _never_ leave him," she replied, with a calmness which was more +like principle than passion. "He has sacrificed life for me; but for me +he might have been a great and honoured man. And do you think I would +leave him to bear his blighted life alone?" + +Ah! it was no dread of scorn or discipline which kept her from the +convent. + +For some time I was silenced. I dared neither to reproach nor to +comfort. At length I said, "Life, whether joyful or sorrowful, is very +short. Holiness is infinitely better than happiness here, and holiness +makes happiness in the life beyond. If you felt it would be for _his_ +good, you would do anything, at any cost to yourself, would you not?" + +Her eyes filled with tears. "You believe, then, that there is some good +left, even in me!" she said. "For this may God bless you!" and silently +she left the room. + +Five hundred years ago these two lives might have been holy, honourable, +and happy; and now!-- + +I left that house with a heavy heart, and a mind more bewildered than +before. + +But that pale, worn face; those deep, sad, truthful eyes; and that brow, +that might have been as pure as the brow of a St. Agnes, have haunted me +often since. And whenever I think of it, I say,-- + +"God be merciful to them and to me, sinners!" + +For had not my own good, pure, pious mother doubts and scruples almost +as bitter? Did not she also live too often as if under a curse? Who or +what has thrown this shadow on so many homes? Who that knows the +interior of many convents dares to say they are holier than homes? Who +that has lived with, or confessed many monks or nuns, can dare to say +their hearts are more heavenly than those of husband or wife, father or +mother? Alas! the questions of that priest are nothing new to me. But I +dare not entertain them. For if monastic life is a delusion, to what +have I sacrificed hopes which were so absorbing, and might have been so +pure? + +Regrets are burdens a brave man must cast off. For my little life what +does it matter? But to see vice shamefully reigning in the most sacred +places, and scruples, perhaps false, staining the purest hearts, who can +behold these things and not mourn? Crimes a pagan would have abhorred +atoned for by a few florins; sins which the Holy Scriptures scarcely +seem to condemn, weighing on tender consciences like crimes! What will +be the end of this chaos? + + * * * * * + +The next night I spent in the castle of an old knight in the Thuringian +Forest, Otto von Gersdorf. He welcomed me very hospitably to his table, +at which a stately old lady presided, his widowed sister. + +"What is all this talk about Dr. Luther and his theses?" he asked; +"only, I suppose, some petty quarrel between the monks! And yet my +nephew Ulrich thinks there is no one on earth like this little Brother +Martin. You good Augustinians do not like the Black Friars to have all +the profit; is that it?" he asked laughing. + +"That is not Dr. Luther's motive, at all events," I said; "I do not +believe money is more to him than it is to the birds of the air." + +"No, brother," said the lady; "think of the beautiful words our +Chriemhild read us from his book on the Lord's Prayer." + +"Yes; you, and Ulrich, and Chriemhild, and Atlantis," rejoined the old +knight, "you are all alike; the little friar has bewitched you all." + +The names of my sisters made my heart beat. + +"Does the lady know Chriemhild and Atlantis Cotta?" I asked. + +"Come, nephew Ulrich," said the knight to a young man who just then +entered the hall from the chase; "tell this good brother all you know of +Fraülein Chriemhild Cotta." + +We were soon the best friends and long after the old knight and his +sister had retired, Ulrich von Gersdorf and I sat up discoursing about +Dr. Luther and his noble words and deeds, and of names dearer to us both +even than his. + +"Then you are Fritz!" he said musingly after a a pause; "the Fritz they +all delight to talk of, and think no one can ever be equal to. You are +the Fritz that Chriemhild says her mother always hoped would have wedded +that angel maiden Eva von Schönberg, who is now a nun at Nimptschen; +whose hymn-book "Theologia Teutsch" she carried with her to the convent. +I wonder you could have left her to become a monk," he continued; "your +vocation must have been very strong." + +At that moment it certainly felt very weak. But I would not for the +world have let him see this, and I said, with as steady a voice as I +could command, "I believe it was God's will." + +"Well," he continued, "it is good for any one to have seen her, and to +carry that image of purity and piety with him into cloister or home. It +is better than any painting of the saints, to have that angelic, +child-like countenance, and that voice sweet as church music, in one's +heart." + +"It is," I said, and I could not have said a word more. Happily for me, +he turned to another subject and expatiated for a long time on the +beauty and goodness of his little Chriemhild, who was to be his wife, he +said, next year; whilst through my heart only two thoughts remained +distinct, namely, what my mother had wished about Eva and me, and that +Eva had taken my "Theologia Teutsch" into the convent with her. + +It took some days before I could remove that sweet, guileless, familiar +face, to the saintly, unearthly height in my heart, where only it is +safe for me to gaze on it. + +But I believe Ulrich thought me a very sympathizing listener, for in +about an hour he said,-- + +"You are a patient and good-natured monk, to listen thus to my romances. +However, she is your sister, and I wish you would be at our wedding. +But, at all events, it will be delightful to have news for Chriemhild +and all of them about Fritz." + +I had intended to go on to Wittemberg for a few days, but after that +conversation I did not dare to do so at once. I returned to the +university of Tübingen, to quiet my mind a little with Greek and Hebrew, +under the direction of the excellent Reuchlin, it being the will of our +Vicar-General that I should study the languages. + +At Tübingen I found Dr. Luther's theses the great topic of debate. Men +of learning rejoiced in the theses as an assault on barbarism and +ignorance; men of straightforward integrity hailed them as a protest +against a system of lies and imposture; men of piety gave thanks for +them as a defence of holiness and truth. The students enthusiastically +greeted Dr. Luther as the prince of the new age; the aged Reuchlin and +many of the professors recognized him as an assailant of old foes from a +new point of attack. + +Here I attended for some weeks the lectures of the young doctor, Philip +Melancthon (then only twenty one, yet already a doctor for four years), +until he was summoned to Wittemberg, which he reached on the 25th of +August, 1518. + +On business of the order, I was deputed about the same time on a mission +to the Augustinian convent at Wittemberg, so that I saw him arrive. The +disappointment at his first appearance was great. Could this little +unpretending-looking youth be the great scholar Reuchlin had recommended +so warmly, and from whose abilities the Elector Frederick expected such +great results for his new university? + +Dr. Luther was among the first to discover the treasure hidden in this +insignificant frame. But his first Latin harangue, four days after his +arrival, won the admiration of all; and very soon his lecture-room was +crowded. + +This was the event which absorbed Wittemberg when first I saw it. + +The return to my old home was very strange to me. Such a broad barrier +of time and circumstance had grown up between me and those most familiar +to me! + +Elsè, matronly as she was, with her keys, her stores, her large +household, and her two children, the baby Fritz and Gretchen, was in +heart the very same to me as when we parted for my first term at Erfurt, +her honest, kind blue eyes, had the very same look. But around her was a +whole new world of strangers, strange to me as her own new life, with +whom I had no links whatever. + +With Chriemhild and the younger children, the recollection of me as the +elder brother seemed struggling with their reverence for the priest. +Christopher appeared to look on me with a mixture of pity, and respect, +and perplexity, which prevented my having any intimate intercourse with +him at all. + +Only my mother seemed unchanged with regard to me, although much more +aged and feeble. But in her affection there was a clinging tenderness +which pierced my heart more than the bitterest reproaches. I felt by the +silent watching of her eyes how she had missed me. + +My father was little altered, except that his schemes appeared to give +him a new and placid satisfaction, in the very impossibility of their +fulfilment, and that the relations between him and my grandmother were +much more friendly. + +There was at first a little severity in our grandmother's manner to me, +which wore off when we understood how much Dr. Luther's teaching had +done for us both; and she never wearied of hearing what he had said and +done at Rome. + +The one who, I felt, would have been entirely the same, was gone for +ever; and I could scarcely regret the absence which left that one image +undimmed by the touch of time, and surrounded by no barriers of change. + +But of Eva no one spoke to me, except little Thekla, who sang to me over +and over the Latin hymns Eva had taught her, and asked if she sang them +at all in the same way. + +I told her yes. They were the same words, the same melodies, much of the +same soft, reverent, innocent manner. But little Thekla's voice was deep +and powerful, and clear like a thrush's; and Eva's used to be like the +soft murmuring of a dove in the depth of some quiet wood--hardly a voice +at all--an embodied prayer, as if you stood at the threshold of her +heart, and heard the music of her happy, holy, child-like thoughts +within. + +No, nothing could ever break the echo of that voice to me. + +But Thekla and I became great friends. She had scarcely known me of old. +We became friends as we were. There was nothing to recall, nothing to +efface. And Cousin Eva had been to her as a star or angel in heaven, or +as if she had been another child sent by God out of some beautiful old +legend to be her friend. + +Altogether, there was some pain in this visit to my old home. I had +prayed so earnestly that the blank my departure had made might be filled +up; yet now that I saw it filled, and the life of my beloved running its +busy course, with no place in it for me, it left a dreary feeling of +exile on my heart. If the dead could thus return, would they feel +anything of this? Not the holy dead, surely. They would rejoice that the +sorrow, having wrought its work, should cease to be so bitter--that the +blank should, not, indeed, be filled (no true love can replace another), +but veiled and made fruitful, as time and nature veil all ruins. + +But the holy dead would revisit earth from a home, a father's house; and +that the cloister is not, nor can ever be. + +Yet I would gladly have remained at Wittemberg. Compared with +Wittemberg, all the world seemed asleep. There it was morning, and an +atmosphere of hope and activity was around my heart. Dr. Luther was +there; and, whether consciously or not, all who look for better days +seem to fix their eyes on him. + +But I was sent to Mainz. On my journey thither I went out of my way to +take a new book of Dr. Luther's to my poor priest Ruprecht in Franconia. +His village lay in the depths of a pine forest. The book was the +Exposition of the Lord's Prayer in German, for lay and unlearned people. +The priest's house was empty; but I laid the book on a wooden seat in +the porch, with my name written in it, and a few words of gratitude for +his hospitality. And as I wound my way through the forest, I saw from a +height on the opposite side of the valley a woman enter the porch, and +stoop to pick up the book, and then stand reading it in the door-way. As +I turned away, her figure still stood motionless in the arch of the +porch, with the white leaves of the open book relieved against the +shadow of the interior. + +I prayed that the words might be written on her heart. Wonderful words +of holy love and grace I knew were there, which would restore hope and +purity to any heart on which they were written. + +And now I am placed in this Augustinian monastery at Mainz in the +Rhineland. + +This convent has its own peculiar traditions. Here is a dungeon in +which, not forty years ago (in 1481), died John of Wesel--the old man +who had dared to protest against indulgences, and to utter such truths +as Dr. Luther is upholding now. + +An aged monk of this monastery, who was young when John of Wesel died, +remembers him, and has often spoken to me about him. The inquisitors +instituted a process against him, which was earned on, like so many +others, in the secret of the cloister. + +It was said that he made a general recantation, but that two accusations +which were brought against him he did not attempt in his defence to +deny. They were these: "That it is not his monastic life which saves any +monk, but the grace of God;" and "That the same Holy Spirit who inspired +the Holy Scriptures alone can interpret them with power to the heart." + +The inquisitors burned his books; at which, my informant said, the old +man wept. + +"Why," he said, "should men be so inflamed against him? There was so +much in his books that was good, and must they be all burned for the +little evil that was mixed with the good? Surely this was man's +judgment, not God's--not His who would have spared Sodom at Abraham's +prayer, for but ten righteous, had they been found there. O God," he +sighed, "must the good perish with the evil?" + +But the inquisitors were not to be moved. The books were condemned and +ignominiously burned in public; the old man's name was branded with +heresy; and he himself was silenced, and left in the convent prison to +die. + +I asked the monk who told me of this, what were the especial heresies +for which John of Wesel was condemned. + +"Heresies against the Church, I believe," he replied. "I have heard him +in his sermons declare that the Church was becoming like what the Jewish +nation was in the days of our Lord. He protested against the secular +splendours of the priests and prelates--against the cold ceremonial into +which he said the services had sunk, and the empty superstitions which +were substituted for true piety of heart and life. He said that the salt +had lost its savour; that many of the priests were thieves and robbers, +and not shepherds; that the religion in fashion was little better than +that of the Pharisees who put our Lord to death--a cloak for spiritual +pride, and narrow, selfish bitterness. He declared that divine and +ecclesiastical authority were of very different weight; that the outward +professing Church was to be distinguished from the true living Church of +Christ; that the power of absolution given to the priest was +sacramental, and not judicial. In a sermon at Worms, I once heard him +say he thought little of the Pope, the Church, or the Councils, as a +foundation to build our faith upon. 'Christ alone,' he declared, 'I +praise. May the word of Christ dwell in us richly!'" + +"They were bold words," I remarked. + +"More than that," replied the aged monk; "John of Wesel protested that +what the Bible did not hold as sin, neither could he; and he is even +reported to have said, 'Eat on fast days, if thou art hungry.'" + +"That is a concession many of the monks scarcely need," I observed. "His +life, then, was not condemned, but only his doctrine." + +"I was sorry," the old monk resumed, "that it was necessary to condemn +him; for from that time to this, I never have heard preaching that +stirred the heart like his. When he ascended the pulpit, the church was +thronged. The laity understood and listened to him as eagerly as the +religious. It was a pity he was a heretic, for I do not ever expect to +hear his like again." + +"You have never heard Dr. Luther preach?" I said. + +"Doctor Luther who wrote those theses they are talking so much of?" he +asked. "Do the people throng to hear his sermons, and hang on his words +as if they were words of life?" + +"They do," I replied. + +"Then," rejoined the old monk softly, "let Dr. Luther take care. That +was the way with so many of the heretical preachers. With John of Goch +at Mechlin, and John Wesel whom they expelled from Paris, I have heard +it was just the same. But," he continued, "if Dr. Luther comes to Mainz, +I will certainly try to hear him. I should like to have my cold, dry, +old heart moved like that again. Often when I read the holy Gospels John +of Wesel's words come back. Brother, it was like the breath of life." + +The last man that ventured to say in the face of Germany that man's word +is not to be placed on an equality with God's, and that the Bible is the +only standard of truth, and the one rule of right and wrong--this is how +he died! + +How will it be with the next--with the man that is proclaiming this in +the face of the world now? + +The old monk turned back to me, after we had separated, and said, in a +low voice-- + +"Tell Dr. Luther to take warning by John of Wesel. Holy men and great +preachers may so easily become heretics without knowing it. And yet," he +added, "to preach such sermons as John of Wesel, I am not sure it is not +worth while to die in prison. I think I could be content to die, if I +could _hear_ one such again! Tell Dr. Luther to take care; but +nevertheless, if he comes to Mainz I will hear him." + +The good, then, in John of Wesel's words, has not perished, in spite of +the flames. + + + + +XVI. + +Elsè's Story. + + + WITTEMBERG, _July_ 13, 1520. + +Many events have happened since last I wrote, both in this little world +and in the large world outside. + +Our Gretchen has two little brothers, who are as ingenious in +destruction, and seem to have as many designs against their own welfare, +as their uncles had at their age, and seem likely to perplex Gretchen, +dearly as she loves them, much as Christopher and Pollux did me. +Chriemhild is married, and has gone to her home in the Thuringian +Forest. Atlantis is betrothed to Conrad Winkelried, a Swiss student. +Pollux is gone to Spain, on some mercantile affairs of the Eisenach +house of Cotta, in which he is a partner; and Fritz has been among us +once more. That is now about two years since. He was certainly much +graver than of old. Indeed he often looked more than grave, as if some +weight of sorrow rested on him. But with our mother and the children he +was always cheerful. + +Gretchen and Uncle Fritz formed the strongest mutual attachment, and to +this day she often asks me when he will come back; and nothing delights +her more than to sit on my knee before his picture, and hear me tell +over and over again the stories of our old talks in the lumber-room at +Eisenach, or of the long days we used to spend in the pine forests, +gathering wood for the winter fires. She thinks no festival could be so +delightful as that; and her favourite amusement is to gather little +bundles of willow or oak twigs, by the river Elbe, or on the Düben +Heath, and bring them home for household use. All the splendid puppets +and toys her father brings her from Nüremberg, or has sent from Venice, +do not give her half the pleasure that she finds in the heath, when he +takes her there, and she returns with her little apron full of dry +sticks, and her hands as brown and dirty as a little wood-cutter's, +fancying she is doing what Uncle Fritz and I did when we were children, +and being useful. + +Last summer she was endowed with a special apple and pear tree of her +own, and the fruit of these she stores with her little fagots to give at +Christmas to a poor old woman we know. + +Gottfried and I want the children to learn early that pure joy of +giving, and of doing kindnesses, which transmutes wealth from dust into +true gold, and prevents these possessions which are such good servants +from becoming our masters, and reducing us, as they seem to do so many +wealthy people, into the mere slaves and hired guardians of _things_. + +I pray God often that the experience of poverty which I had for so many +years may never be lost. It seems to me a gift God has given me, just as +a course at the university is a gift. I have graduated in the school of +poverty, and God grant I may never forget the secrets poverty taught me +about the struggles and wants of the poor. + +The room in which I write now, with its carpets, pictures, and carved +furniture, is very different from the dear bare old lumber-room where I +began my Chronicle; and the inlaid ebony and ivory cabinet on which my +paper lies is a different desk from the piles of old books where I used +to trace the first pages slowly in a childish hand. But the poor man's +luxuries will always be the most precious to me. The warm sunbeams, +shining through the translucent vine-leaves at the open window, are +fairer than all the jewel-like Venetian glass of the closed casements +which are now dying crimson the pages of Dr. Luther's Commentary, left +open on the window-seat an hour since by Gottfried. + +But how can I be writing so much about my own tiny world, when all the +world around me is agitated by such great fears and hopes? + +At this moment, through the open window, I see Dr. Luther and Dr. Philip +Melancthon walking slowly up the street in close conversation. The hum +of their voices reaches me here, although they are talking low. How +different they look, and are; and yet what friends they have become! +Probably, in a great degree, because of the difference. The one looks +like a veteran soldier, with his rock-like brow, his dark eyes, his +vigorous form, and his firm step; the other, with his high, expanded +forehead, his thin worn face, and his slight youthful frame, like a +combination of a young student and an old philosopher. + +Gottfried says God has given them to each other and to Germany, blessing +the Church as he does the world by the union of opposites, rain and +sunshine, heat and cold, sea and land, husband and wife. + +How those two great men (for Gottfried says Dr. Melancthon is great, and +I know that Dr. Luther is) love and reverence each other! Dr. Luther +says he is but the forerunner, and Melancthon the true prophet; that he +is but the wood-cutter clearing the forest with rough blows, that Dr. +Philip may sow the precious seed; and when he went to encounter the +legate at Augsburg, he wrote, that if Philip lived it mattered little +what became of him. + +But _we_ do not think so, nor does Dr. Melancthon. "No one," he says, +"comes near Dr. Luther, and indeed the heart of the whole nation hangs +on him. Who stirs the heart of Germany--of nobles, peasants, princes, +women, children--as he does with his noble, faithful words?" + +Twice during these last years we have been in the greatest anxiety about +his safety,--once when he was summoned before the legate at Augsburg, +and once when he went to the great disputation with Dr. Eck at Leipsic. + +But how great the difference between his purpose when he went to +Augsburg, and when he returned from Leipsic! + +At Augsburg he would have conceded anything, but the truth about the +free justification of every sinner who believes in Christ. He reverenced +the Pope; he would not for the world become a heretic! No name of +opprobrium was so terrible to him as that. + +At Leipsic he had learned to disbelieve that the Pope had any authority +to determine doctrine, and he boldly confessed that the Hussites (men +till now abhorred in Saxony as natural enemies as well as deadly +heretics) ought to be honoured for confessing sound truth. And from that +time both Dr. Luther and Melancthon have stood forth openly as the +champions of the Word of God against the Papacy. + +Now, however, a worse danger threatens him, even the bull of +excommunication which they say is now being forged at Rome, and which +has never yet failed to crush where it has fallen. Dr. Luther has, +indeed, taught us not to dread it as a spiritual weapon, but we fear its +temporal effects, especially if followed by the ban of the empire. + +Often, indeed, he talks of taking refuge in some other land; the good +Elector, even himself, has at times advised it, fearing no longer to be +able to protect him. But God preserve him to Germany! + + + _June_ 23, 1520. + +This evening, as we were sitting in my father's house, Christopher +brought us, damp from the press, a copy of Dr. Luther's Appeal to His +Imperial Majesty, and to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, on +the Reformation of Christendom. Presenting it to our grandmother, he +said,-- + +"Here, madam, is a weapon worthy of the bravest days of the Schönbergs, +mighty to the pulling down of strongholds." + +"Ah," sighed our mother, "always wars and fightings! It is a pity the +good work cannot be done more quietly." + +"Ah, grandmother," said my father, "only see how her burgher life has +destroyed the heroic spirit of her crusading ancestors. She thinks that +the Holy Places are to be won back from the infidels without a blow, +only by begging their pardon and kissing the hem of their garments." + +"You should hear Catherine Krapp, Dr. Melancthon's wife!" rejoined our +mother; "she agrees with me that these are terrible times. She says she +never sees the doctor go away without thinking he may be immured in some +dreadful dungeon before they meet again." + +"But remember, dear mother," I said, "your fears when first Dr. Luther +assailed Tetzel and his indulgences three years ago! And who has gained +the victory there? Dr. Martin is the admiration of all good men +throughout Germany; and poor Tetzel, despised by his own party, rebuked +by the legate, died, they say, of a broken heart just after the great +Leipsic disputation." + +"Poor Tetzel!" said my father, "his indulgences could not bind up a +broken heart. I shall always love Dr. Luther for writing him a letter of +comfort when he was dying, despised and forsaken even by his own party. +I trust that He who can pardon has had mercy on his soul." + +"Read to us, Christopher," said our grandmother; "your mother would not +shrink from any battle-field if there were wounds there which her hands +could bind." + +"No," said Gottfried, "the end of war is peace,--God's peace, based on +His truth. Blessed are those who in the struggle never lose sight of the +end." + +Christopher read, not without interruption. Many things in the book were +new and startling to most of us:-- + +"It is not rashly," Dr. Luther began, "that I, a man of the people, +undertake to address your lord-ships. The wretchedness and oppression +that now overwhelm all the states of Christendom, and Germany in +particular, force from me a cry of distress. I am constrained to call +for help; I must see whether God will not bestow his Spirit on some man +belonging to our country, and stretch forth his hand to our unhappy +nation." + +Dr. Luther never seems to think _he_ is to do the great work. He speaks +as if he were only fulfilling some plain humble duty, and calling other +men to undertake the great achievement; and all the while that humble +duty _is_ the great achievement, and he is doing it. + +Dr. Luther spoke of the wretchedness of Italy, the unhappy land where +the Pope's throne is set, her ruined monasteries, her decayed cities, +her corrupted people; and then he showed how Roman avarice and pride +were seeking to reduce Germany to a state as enslaved. He appealed to +the young emperor, Charles, soon about to be crowned. He reminded all +the rulers of their responsibilities. He declared that the papal +territory, called the patrimony of St. Peter, was the fruit of robbery. +Generously holding out his hand to the very outcasts his enemies had +sought to insult him most grievously by comparing him with, he said,-- + +"It is time that we were considering the cause of the Bohemians, and +re-uniting ourselves to them." + +At these words my grandmother dropped her work, and fervently clasping +her hands, leant forward, and fixing her eyes on Christopher, drank in +every word with intense eagerness. + +When he came to the denunciation of the begging friars, and the +recommendation that the parish priests should marry, Christopher +interrupted himself by an enthusiastic "vivat." + +When, however, after a vivid picture of the oppressions and avarice of +the legates, came the solemn abjuration:-- + +"Hearest thou this, O Pope, not most holy, but most sinful? May God from +the heights of his heaven soon hurl thy throne into the abyss!" my +mother turned pale, and crossed herself. + +What impressed me most was the plain declaration:-- + +"It has been alleged that the Pope, the bishops, the priests, and the +monks and nuns form the estate spiritual or ecclesiastical; while the +princes, nobles, burgesses, and peasantry form the secular estate or +laity. Let no man, however, be alarmed at this. _All Christians +constitute the spiritual estate: and the only difference among them is +that of the functions which they discharge._ We have all one baptism, +one faith, and it is this which constitutes the spiritual man." + +If this is indeed true, how many of my old difficulties it removes with +a stroke! All callings, then, may be religious callings; all men and +women of a religious order. Then my mother is truly and undoubtedly as +much treading the way appointed her as Aunt Agnes; and the monastic life +is only one among callings equally sacred. + +When I said this to my mother, she said, "I as religious a woman as Aunt +Agnes! No, Elsè! whatever Dr. Luther ventures to declare, he would not +say that. I do sometimes have a hope that for His dear Son's sake God +hears even my poor feeble prayers; but to pray night and day, and +abandon all for God, like my sister Agnes, that is another thing +altogether." + +But when, as we crossed the street to our home, I told Gottfried how +much those words of Dr. Luther had touched me, and asked if he really +thought we in our secular calling were not only doing our work by a kind +of indirect permission, but by a direct vocation from God, he replied,-- + +"My doubt, Elsè, is whether the vocation which leads men to abandon home +is from God at all; whether it has either his command or even his +permission." + +But if Gottfried is right, Fritz has sacrificed his life to a delusion. +How can I believe that? And yet if he could perceive it, how life might +change for him! Might he not even yet be restored to us? But I am +dreaming. + + + _October_ 25, 1520. + +More and more burning words from Dr. Luther. To-day we have been reading +his new book on the Babylonish Captivity. "God has said," he writes in +this, "'Whosoever shall believe and be baptized shall be saved.' On this +promise, if we receive it with faith, hangs our whole salvation. If we +believe, our heart is fortified by the divine promise; and although all +should forsake the believer, this promise which he believes will never +forsake him. With it he will resist the adversary who rushes upon his +soul, and will have wherewithal to answer pitiless death, and even the +judgment of God." And he says in another place, "The vow made at our +baptism is sufficient of itself, and comprehends more than we can ever +accomplish. Hence all other vows may be abolished. Whoever enters the +priesthood or any religious order, let him well understand that the +works of a monk or of a priest, however difficult they may be, differ in +no respect in the sight of God from those of a countryman who tills the +ground, or of a woman who conducts a household. God values all things by +the standard of faith. And it often happens that the simple labour of a +male or female servant is more agreeable to God than the fasts and the +works of a monk, because in these faith is wanting." + +What a consecration this thought gives to my commonest duties! Yes, when +I am directing the maids in their work, or sharing Gottfried's cares, or +simply trying to brighten his home at the end of the busy day, or +lulling my children to sleep, can I indeed be serving God as much as Dr. +Luther at the altar or in his lecture-room? I also, then, have indeed my +vocation direct from God. + +How could I ever have thought the mere publication of a book would have +been an event to stir our hearts like the arrival of a friend! Yet it is +even thus with every one of those pamphlets of Dr. Luther's. They move +the whole of our two households, from our grandmother to Thekla, and +even the little maid, to whom I read portions. She says, with tears, "If +the mother and father could hear this in the forest!" Students and +burghers have not patience to wait till they reach home, but read the +heart-stirring pages as they walk through the streets. And often an +audience collects around some communicative reader, who cannot be +content with keeping the free, liberating truths to himself. + +Already, Christopher says, four thousand copies of the "Appeal to the +Nobility" are circulating through Germany. + +I always thought before of books as the peculiar property of the +learned. But Dr. Luther's books are a living voice,--a heart God has +awakened and taught, speaking to countless hearts as a man talketh with +his friend. I can indeed see now, with my father and Christopher, that +the printing press is a nobler weapon than even the spears and +broadswords of our knightly Bohemian ancestors. + + + WITTEMBERG, _December_ 10, 1520. + +Dr. Luther has taken a great step to-day. He has publicly burned the +Decretals, with other ancient writings, on which the claims of the court +of Rome are founded, but which are now declared to be forgeries; and +more than this, he has burnt the Pope's bull of excommunication against +himself. + +Gottfried says that for centuries such a bonfire as this has not been +seen. He thinks it means nothing less than an open and deliberate +renunciation of the papal tyranny which for so many hundred years has +held the whole of western Christendom in bondage. He took our two boys +to see it, that we may remind them of it in after years as the first +great public act of freedom. + +Early in the morning the town was astir. Many of the burghers, +professors, and students knew what was about to be done; for this was no +deed of impetuous haste or angry vehemence. + +I dressed the children early, and we went to my father's house. + +Wittemberg is as full now of people of various languages as the tower of +Babel must have been after the confusion of tongues. But never was this +more manifest than to-day. + +Flemish monks from the Augustine cloisters at Antwerp; Dutch students +from Finland; Swiss youths, with their erect forms and free mountain +gait; knights from Prussia and Lithuania; strangers even from quite +foreign lands,--all attracted hither by Dr. Luther's living words of +truth, passed under our windows about nine o'clock this morning, in the +direction of the Elster gate, eagerly gesticulating and talking as they +went. Then Thekla, Atlantis, and I mounted to an upper room, and watched +the smoke rising from the pile, until the glare of the conflagration +burst through it, and stained with a faint red the pure daylight. + +Soon afterwards the crowds began to return: but there seemed to me to be +a gravity and solemnity in the manner of most, different from the eager +haste with which they had gone forth. + +"They seem like men returning from some great Church festival," I said. + +"Or from lighting a signal-fire on the mountains, which shall awaken the +whole land to freedom," said Christopher, as they rejoined us. + +"Or from binding themselves with a solemn oath to liberate their homes, +like the Three Men at Grütly," said Conrad Winkelried, the young Swiss +to whom Atlantis is betrothed. + +"Yes," said Gottfried, "fires which may be the beacons of a world's +deliverance, and may kindle the death-piles of those who dared to light +them, are no mere students' bravado." + +"Who did the deed, and what was burned?" I asked. + +"One of the masters of arts lighted the pile," my husband replied, "and +then threw on it the Decretals, the false Epistles of St. Clement, and +other forgeries, which have propped up the edifice of lies for +centuries. And when the flames which consumed them had done their work +and died away, Dr. Luther himself, stepping forward, solemnly laid the +Pope's bull of excommunication on the fire, saying amidst the breathless +silence, 'As thou hast troubled the Lord's saints, may the eternal fire +destroy thee.' Not a word broke the silence until the last crackle and +gleam of those symbolical flames had ceased, and then gravely but +joyfully we all returned to our homes." + +"Children," said our grandmother, "you have done well; yet you are not +the first that have defied Rome." + +"Nor perhaps the last she will silence," said my husband. "But the last +enemy will be destroyed at last; and meantime every martyr is a victor." + + + + +XVII. + +Eva's Story. + + +I have read the whole of the New Testament through to Sister Beatrice +and Aunt Agnes. Strangely different auditors they were in powers of mind +and in experience of life; yet both met, like so many in His days on +earth, at the feet of Jesus. + +"He would not have despised me, even me," Sister Beatrice would say. +"Poor, fond creature, half-witted or half-crazed they call me; but He +would have welcomed me." + +"_Does_ He not welcome you?" I said. + +"You think so? Yes, I think--I am sure he does. My poor broken bits and +remnants of sense and love, He will not despise them. He will take me as +I am." + +One day when I had been reading to them the chapter in St. Luke with the +parables of the lost money, the lost sheep, and the prodigal, Aunt +Agnes, resting her cheek on her thin hand, and fixing her large dark +eyes on me, listened with intense expectation to the end; and then she +said,-- + +"Is that all, my child? Begin the next chapter." + +I began about the rich man and the unjust steward; but before I had read +many words,-- + +"That will do," she said in a disappointed tone. + +"It is another subject. Then not one of the Pharisees came after all! If +I had been there among the hard, proud Pharisees--as I might have been +when he began, wondering, no doubt, that he could so forget himself as +to eat with publicans and sinners--if I had been there, and had heard +him speak thus, Eva, I must have fallen at his feet and said, 'Lord, I +am a Pharisee no more--I am the lost sheep, not one of the ninety and +nine--the wandering child, not the elder brother. Place me low, low +among the publicans and sinners--lower than any; but only say thou +camest also to seek me, even _me_.' And, child, he would not have sent +me away! But, Eva," she added, after a pause, wiping away the tears +which ran slowly over her withered cheeks, "is it not said anywhere that +one Pharisee came to him." + +I looked, and could find it nowhere stated positively that one Pharisee +had abandoned his pride, and self-righteousness, and treasures of good +works, for Jesus. It seemed all on the side of the publicans. Aunt Agnes +was at times distressed. + +"And yet," she said, "I _have_ come. I am no longer among those who +think themselves righteous, and despise others. But I must come in +behind all. It is I, not the woman who was a sinner, who am the miracle +of his grace; for since no sin so keeps men from him as spiritual pride, +there can be no sin so degrading in the sight of the pure and humble +angels, or of the Lord. But look again, Eva! Is there not one instance +of such as I being saved?" + +I found the history of Nicodemus, and we traced it through the Gospel +from the secret visit to the popular teacher at night, to the open +confession of the rejected Saviour before his enemies. + +Aunt Agnes thought this might be the example she sought, but she wished +to be quite sure. + +"Nicodemus came in humility, to learn," she said. "We never read that he +despised others, or thought he could make himself a saint." + +At length we came to the Acts of the Apostles, and there, indeed, we +found the history of one, "of the straitest sect a Pharisee," who verily +thought himself doing God service by persecuting the despised Nazarenes +to death. And from that time Aunt Agnes sought out and cherished every +fragment of St. Paul's history, and every sentence of his sermons and +writings. She had found the example she sought of the "Pharisee who was +saved"--in him who obtained mercy, "that in him first God might show +forth the riches of his long-suffering to those who thereafter, through +his word, should believe." + +She determined to learn Latin, that she might read these divine words +for herself. It was affecting to see her sitting among the novices whom +I taught, carefully spelling out the words, and repeating the +declensions and conjugations. I had no such patient pupil; for although +many were eager at first, not a few relaxed after a few weeks' toil, not +finding the results very apparent, and said it would never sound so +natural and true as when Sister Ave translated it for them in German. + +I wish some learned man would translate the Bible into German. Why does +not some one think of it? There is one German translation from the +Latin, the prioress says, made about thirty or forty years ago; but it +is very large and costly, and not in language that attracts simple +people. I wish the Pope would spend some of the money from the +indulgences on a new translation of the New Testament. I think it would +please God much more than building St. Peter's. + +Perhaps, however, if people had the German New Testament they would not +buy the indulgences; for in all the Gospels and Epistles I cannot find +one word about buying pardons; and, what is more strange, not a word +about adoring the Blessed Virgin, or about nunneries or monasteries. I +cannot see that the holy apostles founded one such community, or +recommended any one to do so. + +Indeed there is so much in the New Testament, and in what I have read of +the Old, about not worshipping any one but God, that I have quite given +up saying any prayers to the Blessed mother, for many reasons. + +In the first place, I am much more sure that our Lord can hear us always +than his mother, because he so often says so. And I am much more sure he +can help, because I know all power is given to him in heaven and in +earth. + +And in the next place, if I were quite sure that the Blessed Virgin and +the saints could hear me always, and could help or would intercede, I am +sure also that no one among them--not the Holy Mother herself--is half +so compassionate and full of love, or could understand us so well, as He +who died for us. In the Gospels, he was always more accessible than the +disciples. St. Peter might be impatient in the impetuosity of his zeal. +Loving indignation might overbalance the forbearance of St. John the +beloved, and he might wish for fire from heaven on those who refused to +receive his Master. All the holy apostles rebuked the poor mothers who +brought their children, and would have sent away the woman of Canaan; +but he tenderly took the little ones into his arms from the arms of the +mothers the disciples had rebuked. His patience was never wearied; He +never misunderstood or discouraged any one. Therefore I pray to Him and +our Father in heaven alone, and _through_ Him alone. Because if he is +more pitiful to sinners than all the saints, which of all the saints can +be beloved of God as he is, the well-beloved Son? He seems everything, +in every circumstance, we can ever want. Higher mediation we cannot +find, tenderer love we cannot crave. + +And very sure I am that the meek Mother of the Lord, the disciple whom +Jesus loved, the apostle who determined to know nothing among his +converts save Jesus Christ, and him crucified, will not regret any +homage transferred from them to Him. + +Nay, rather, if the blessed Virgin, and the holy apostles have heard +how, through all these years, such grievous and unjust things have been +said of their Lord; how his love has been misunderstood, and he has been +represented as hard to be entreated,--He who entreats sinners to come +and be forgiven;--has not this been enough to shadow their happiness, +even in heaven? + +A nun has lately been transferred to our convent, who came originally +from Bohemia, where all her relatives had been slain for adhering to the +party of John Huss, the heretic. She is much older than I am, and she +says she remembers well the name of my family, and that my great-uncle, +Aunt Agnes' father, died a _heretic_! She cannot tell what the heresy +was, but she believes it was something about the blessed sacrament and +the authority of the Pope. She had heard that otherwise he was a +charitable and holy man. + +Was my father, then, a Hussite? + +I have found the end of the sentence he gave me as his dying +legacy:--"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, +_that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting +life_." And instead of being in a book not fit for Christian children to +read, as the priest who took it from me said, it is in the Holy +Scriptures! + +Can it be possible that the world has come round again to the state it +was in when the rulers and priests put the Saviour to death, and St. +Paul persecuted the disciples as heretics? + + + NIMPTSCHEN, 1520. + +A wonderful book of Dr. Luther's appeared among us a few weeks since, on +the Babylonish Captivity; and although it was taken from us by the +authorities, as dangerous reading for nuns, this was not before many +among us had become acquainted with its contents. And it has created a +great ferment in the convent. Some say they are words of impious +blasphemy; some say they are words of living truth. He speaks of the +forgiveness of sins being free; of the Pope and many of the priests +being the enemies of the truth of God; and of the life and calling of a +monk or nun as in no way holier than that of any humble believing +secular man or woman,--a nun no holier than a wife or a household +servant! + +This many of the older nuns think plain blasphemy. Aunt Agnes says it is +true, and more than true; for, from what I tell her, there can be no +doubt that Aunt Cotta has been a lowlier and holier woman all her life +than she can ever hope to be. + +And as to the Bible precepts, they certainly seem far more adapted to +people living in homes than to those secluded in convents. Often when I +am teaching the young novices the precepts in the Epistles, they say,-- + +"But sister Ave, find some precepts for us. These sayings are for +children, and wives, and mothers, and brothers, and sisters; not for +those who have neither home nor kindred on earth." + +Then if I try to speak of loving God and the blessed Saviour, some of +them say,-- + +"But we cannot bathe his feet with tears, or anoint them with ointment, +or bring him food, or stand by his cross, as the good women did of old. +Shut up here, away from every one, how can we show him that we love +him?" + +And I can only say, "Dear sisters, you are here now; therefore surely +God will find some way for you to serve him here." + +But my heart aches for them, and I doubt no longer, I feel sure God can +never have meant these young, joyous hearts to be cramped and imprisoned +thus. + +Sometimes I talk about it with Aunt Agnes; and we consider whether, if +these vows are indeed irrevocable, and these children must never see +their homes again, the convent could not one day be removed to some city +where sick and suffering men and women toil and die; so that we might, +at least, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit and minister to +the sick and sorrowful. That would be life once more, instead of this +monotonous routine, which is not so much death as mechanism--an +inanimate existence which has never been life. + + + _October_, 1520. + +Sister Beatrice is very ill. Aunt Agnes has requested as an especial +favour to be allowed to share the attending on her with me. Never was +gentler nurse or more grateful patient. + +It goes to my heart to see Aunt Agnes meekly learning from me how to +render the little services required at the sick-bed. She smiles, and +says her feeble blundering fingers had grown into mere machines for +turning over the leaves of prayer-books, just as her heart was hardening +into a machine for repeating prayers. Nine of the young nuns, Aunt +Agnes, Sister Beatrice, and I, have been drawn very closely together of +late. Among the noblest of these is Catherine von Bora, a young nun, +about twenty years of age. There is such truth in her full dark eyes, +which look so kindly and frankly into mine, and such character in the +firmly-closed mouth. She declines learning Latin, and has not much taste +for learned books; but she has much clear practical good sense, and she, +with many others, delights greatly in Dr. Luther's writings. They say +they are not books; they are a living voice. Every fragment of +information I can give them about the doctor is eagerly received, and +many rumours reach us of his influence in the world. When he was near +Nimptschen, two years ago, at the great Leipsic disputation, we heard +that the students were enthusiastic about him, and that the common +people seemed to drink in his words almost as they did our Lord's when +he spoke upon earth; and what is more, that the lives of some men and +women at the court have been entirely changed since they heard him. We +were told he had been the means of wonderful conversions; but what was +strange in these conversions was, that those so changed did not abandon +their position in life, but only their sins, remaining where they were +when God called them, and distinguished from others, not by veil or +cowl, but by the light of holy works. + +On the other hand, many, especially among the older nuns, have received +quite contrary impressions, and regard Dr. Luther as a heretic, worse +than any who ever rent the Church. These look very suspiciously on us, +and subject us to many annoyances, hindering our conversing and reading +together as much as possible. + +We do, indeed, many of us wonder that Dr. Luther should use such fierce +and harsh words against the Pope's servants. Yet St. Paul even "could +have wished that those were cut off" that troubled his flock; and the +very lips of divine love launched woes against hypocrites and false +shepherds severer than any that the Baptist or Elijah ever uttered in +their denunciations from the wilderness. It seems to me that the hearts +which are tenderest towards the wandering sheep will ever be severest +against the seducing shepherds who lead them astray. Only we need always +to remember that these very false shepherds themselves are, after all, +but wretched lost sheep, driven hither and thither by the great robber +of the fold! + + + 1521. + +Just now the hearts of the little band among us who owe so much to Dr. +Luther are lifted up night and day in prayer to God for him. He is soon +to be on his way to the Imperial Diet at Worms. He has the Emperor's +safe-conduct, but it is said this did not save John Huss from the +flames. In our prayers we are much aided by his own Commentary on the +Book of Psalms, which I have just received from Uncle Cotta'a +printing-press. + +This is now Sister Beatrice's great treasure, as I sit by her bed-side +and read it to her. + +He says that "the mere frigid use of the Psalms in the canonical hours, +though little understood, brought some sweetness of the breath of life +to humble hearts of old, like the faint fragrance in the air not far +from a bed of roses." + +He says, "All other books give us the words and deeds of the saints, but +this gives us their inmost souls." He calls the Psalter "the little +Bible." "There," he says, "you may look into the hearts of the saints as +into Paradise, or into the opened heavens, and see the fair flowers or +the shining stars, as it were, of their affections springing or beaming +up to God, in response to his benefits and blessings." + + + _March_, 1521. + +News had reached me to-day from Wittemberg which makes me feel indeed +that the days when people deem they do God service by persecuting those +who love him, are too truly come back. Thekla writes me that they have +thrown Fritz into the convent prison at Mainz, for spreading Dr. +Luther's doctrine among the monks. A few lines sent through a friendly +monk have told them of this. She sent them on to me. + +"My beloved ones," he writes, "I am in the prison where, forty years +ago, John of Wesel died for the truth. I am ready to die if God wills it +so. His truth is worth dying for, and his love will strengthen me. But +if I can I will escape, for the truth is worth living for. If, however, +you do not hear of me again, know that the truth I died for is Christ's, +and that the love which sustained me is Christ himself. And likewise +that to the last I pray for you all, and for Eva; and tell her that the +thought of her has helped me often to believe in goodness and truth, and +that I look assuredly to meet her and all of you again.--FRIEDRICH +SCHÖNBERG COTTA." + +In prison and in peril of life! Death itself cannot, I know, more +completely separate Fritz and me than we are separated already. Indeed, +of the death even of one of us, I have often thought as bringing us a +step nearer, rending one veil between us. Yet, now that it seems so +possible,--that perhaps it has already come,--I feel there was a kind of +indefinable sweetness in being only on the same earth together, in +treading the same pilgrim way. At least we could help each other by +prayer; and now, if he is indeed treading the streets of the heavenly +city, so high above, the world does seem darker. + +But, alas! he may _not_ be in the heavenly city, but in some cold +earthly dungeon, suffering I know not what! + +I have read the words over and over, until I have almost lost their +meaning. He has no morbid desire to die. He will escape if he can, and +he is daring enough to accomplish much. And yet, if the danger were not +great, he would not alarm Aunt Cotta with even the possibility of death. +He always considered others so tenderly. + +He says I have helped him, _him_ who taught and helped me, a poor +ignorant child, so much! Yet I suppose it may be so. It teaches us so +much to teach others. And we always understood each other so perfectly +with so few words. I feel as if blindness had fallen on me, when I think +of him now. My heart gropes about in the dark and cannot find him. + +But then I look up, my Saviour, to thee. "To thee the night and the day +are both alike." I dare not think he is suffering; it breaks my heart. I +cannot rejoice as I would in thinking he may be in heaven. I know not +what to ask, but thou art with him as with me. _Keep him close under the +shadow of thy wing._ There we are _safe_, and there we are _together_. +And oh, comfort Aunt Cotta! She must need it sorely. + +Fritz, then, like our little company at Nimptschen, loves the words of +Dr. Luther. When I think of this I rejoice almost more than I weep for +him. These truths believed in our hearts seem to unite us more than +prison or death can divide. When I think of this I can sing once more +St. Bernard's hymn:-- + + SALVE CAPUT CRUENTATUM. + + Hail! thou Head, so bruised and wounded, + With the crown of thorns surrounded, + Smitten with the mocking reed, + Wounds which may not cease to bleed + Trickling faint and slow. + Hail! from whose most blessed brow + None can wipe the blood-drops now; + All the bloom of life has fled, + Mortal paleness there instead + Thou before whose presence dread + Angels trembling bow. + + All thy vigor and thy life + Fading in this bitter strife; + Death his stamp on thee has set, + Hollow and emaciate, + Faint and drooping there. + Thou this agony and scorn + Hast for me a sinner borne! + Me, unworthy, all for me! + With those wounds of love on thee, + Glorious Face, appear! + + Yet in this thine agony, + Faithful Shepherd, think of me + From whose lips of love divine + Sweetest draughts of life are mine; + Purest honey flows; + All unworthy of thy thought, + Guilty, yet reject me not; + Unto me thy head incline,-- + Let that dying head of thine + In mine arms repose. + + Let me true communion know + With thee in thy sacred woe, + Counting all beside but dross, + Dying with thee on thy cross;-- + 'Neath it will I die! + Thanks to thee with every breath + Jesus, for thy bitter death; + Grant thy guilty one this prayer: + When my dying hour is near, + Gracious God, be nigh! + + When my dying hour must be, + Be not absent then from me; + In that dreadful hour, I pray, + Jesus come without delay; + See, and set me free. + When thou biddest me depart, + Whom I cleave to with my heart. + Lover of my soul, be near, + With thy saving cross appear,-- + Show thyself to me! + + + + +XVIII. + +Thekla's Story. + + + WITTEMBERG, _April_ 2, 1521. + +Dr. Luther is gone. We all feel like a family bereaved of our father. + +The professors and chief burghers, with numbers of the students, +gathered around the door of the Augustinian Convent this morning to bid +him farewell. Gottfried Reichenbach was near as he entered the carriage, +and heard him say, as he turned to Melacthon, in a faltering voice, +"Should I not return, and should my enemies put me to death, O my +brother, cease not to teach and to abide steadfastly in the truth. +Labour in my place, for I shall not be able to labour myself. If you be +spared it matters little that I perish." + +And so he drove off. And a few minutes after, we, who were waiting at +the door, saw him pass. He did not forget to smile at Elsè and her +little ones, or to give a word of farewell to our dear blind father as +he passed us. But there was a grave steadfastness in his countenance +that made our hearts full of anxiety. As the usher with the imperial +standard who preceded him, and then Dr. Luther's carriage, disappeared +round a corner of the street, our grandmother, whose chair had been +placed at the door that she might see him pass, murmured, as if to +herself,-- + +"Yes, it was with just such a look they went to the scaffold and the +stake when I was young." + +I could see little, my eyes were so blinded with tears; and when our +grandmother said this, I could bear it no longer, but ran up to my room, +and here I have been ever since. My mother and Elsè and all of them say +I have no control over my feelings; and I am afraid I have not. But it +seems to me as if every one I lean my heart on were always taken away. +First, there was Eva. She always understood me, helped me to understand +myself; did not laugh at my perplexities as childish, did not think my +over-eagerness was always heat of temper, but met my blundering efforts +to do right. Different as she was from me (different as an angel from +poor bewildered blundering Giant Christopher in Elsè's old legend), she +always seemed come down to my level and see my difficulties from where I +stood, and so helped me over them; whilst every one else sees them from +above, and wonders any one can think such trifles troubles at all. Not, +indeed, that my dear mother and Elsè are proud, or mean to look down on +any one; but Elsè is so unselfish, her whole life is so bound up in +others, that she does not know what more wilful natures have to contend +with. Besides, she is now out of the immediate circle of our every-day +life at home. Then our mother is so gentle; she is frightened to think +what sorrows life may bring me with the changes that must come, if +little things give me such joy or grief now. I know she feels for me +often more than she dares let me see; but she is always thinking of +arming me for the trials she believes must come, by teaching me to be +less vehement and passionate about trifles now. But I am afraid it is +useless. I think every creature must suffer according to its nature; and +if God has made our capacity for joy or sorrow deep, we cannot fill up +the channel and say, "Hitherto I will feel; so far, and no further." The +_waters are there_,--soon they will recover for themselves the old +choked-up courses; and meantime they will overflow. Eva also used to +say, "that our armour must grow with our growth, and our strength with +the strength of our conflicts; and that there is only one shield which +does this, the shield of faith,--a living, daily trust in a living, +ever-present God." + +But Eva went away. And then Nix died. I suppose if I saw any child now +mourning over a dog as I did over Nix, I should wonder much as they all +did at me then. But Nix was not only a dog to me. He was Eisenach and my +childhood; and a whole world of love and dreams seemed to die for me +with Nix. + +To all the rest of the world I was a little vehement girl of fourteen; +to Nix I was mistress, protector, everything. It was weeks before I +could bear to come in at the front door, where he used to watch for me +with his wistful eyes, and bound with cries of joy to meet me. I used to +creep in at the garden gate. + +And then Nix's death was the first approach of Death to me, and the +dreadful power was no less a power because its shadow fell first for me +on a faithful dog. I began dimly to feel that life, which before that +seemed to be a mountain-path always mounting and mounting through golden +mists to I know not what heights of beauty and joy, did not end on the +heights, but in a dark unfathomed abyss, and that however dim its course +might be, it has, alas, no mists, or uncertainty around the nature of +its close, but ends certainly, obviously, and universally in death. + +I could not tell any one what I felt. I did not know myself. How can we +understand a labyrinth until we are through it? I did not even know it +was a labyrinth. I only knew that a light had passed away from +everything, and a shadow had fallen in its place. + +Then it was that Dr. Luther spoke to me of the other world, beyond +death, which God would certainly make more full and beautiful than +this;--the world on which the shadow of death can never come, because it +lies in the eternal sunshine, on the other side of death, and all the +shadows fall on this side. That was about the time of my first +communion, and I saw much of Dr. Luther, and heard him preach. I did not +say much to him, but he let down a light into my heart which, amidst all +its wanderings and mistakes, will, I believe, never go out. + +He made me understand something of what our dear heavenly Father is, and +that willing but unequalled Sufferer--that gracious Saviour who gave +himself for our sins, even for mine. And he made me feel that God would +understand me better than any one, because love always understands, and +the greatest love understands best, and God is love. + +Elsè and I spoke a little about it sometimes, but not much. I am still a +child to Elsè and to all of them, being the youngest, and so much less +self-controlled than I ought to be. Fritz understood it best; at least, +I could speak to him more freely,--I do not know why. Perhaps some +hearts are made to answer naturally to each other, just as some of the +furniture always vibrates when I touch a particular string of the lute, +while nothing else in the room seems to feel it. Perhaps, too, sorrow +deepens the heart wonderfully, and opens a channel into the depths of +all other hearts. And I am sure Fritz has known very deep sorrow. What, +I do not exactly know; and I would not for the world try to find out. If +there is a secret chamber in his heart, which he cannot bear to open to +any one, when I think his thoughts are there, would I not turn aside my +eyes and creep softly away, that he might never know I had found it out? + +The innermost sanctuary of his heart is, however, I know, not a chamber +of darkness and death, but a holy place of daylight, for God is there. + +Hours and hours Fritz and I spoke of Dr. Luther, and what he had done +for us both; more, perhaps, for Fritz than even for me, because he had +suffered more. It seems to me as if we and thousands besides in the +world had been worshipping before an altar-picture of our Saviour, which +we had been told was painted by a great master after a heavenly pattern. +But all we could see was a grim, hard, stern countenance of one sitting +on a judgment throne; in his hands lightnings, and worse lightnings +buried in the cloud of his severe and threatening brow. And then, +suddenly we heard Dr. Luther's voice behind us saying, in his ringing, +inspiring tones, "Friends, what are you doing? That is not the right +painting. These are only the boards which hide the master's picture." + +And so saying, he drew aside the terrible image on which we had been +hopelessly gazing, vainly trying to read some traces of tenderness and +beauty there. And all at once the real picture was revealed to us, the +picture of the real Christ, with the look on his glorious face which he +had on the cross, when he said of his murderers, "Father, forgive them; +they know not what they do;" and to his mother, "Woman, behold thy son?" +or to the sinful woman who washed his feet, "Go in peace." + +Fritz and I also spoke very often of Eva. At least, he liked me to speak +of her while he listened. And I never weary of speaking of our Eva. + +But then Fritz went away. And now it is many weeks since we have heard +from him; and the last tidings we had were that little note from the +convent-prison of Mainz! + +And now Dr. Luther is gone--gone to the stronghold of his enemies--gone, +perhaps, as our grandmother says, to martyrdom! + +And who will keep that glorious revelation of the true, loving, +pardoning God open for us,--with a steady hand keep open those false +shutters, now that he is withdrawn? Dr. Melancthon may do as well for +the learned, for the theologians; but who will replace Dr. Luther to +_us_, to the people, to working men and eager youths, and to women and +to children? Who will make us feel as he does that religion is not a +study, or a profession, or a system of doctrines, but life in God; that +prayer is not, as he said, an ascension of the heart as a spiritual +exercise into some vague airy heights, but the lifting of the heart _to +God_, to a heart which meets us, cares for us, loves us inexpressibly? +Who will ever keep before us as he does the "Our Father," which makes +all the rest of the Lord's Prayer and all prayer possible and helpful? +No wonder that mothers held out their children to receive his blessing +as he left us, and then went home weeping, whilst even strong men +brushed away tears from their eyes. + +It is true, Dr. Bugenhagen, who has escaped from persecution in +Pomerania, preaches fervently in his pulpit; and Archdeacon Carlstadt is +full of fire, and Dr. Melancthon full of light; and many good, wise men +are left. But Dr. Luther seemed the heart and soul of all. Others might +say wiser things, and he might say many things others would be too wise +to say, but it is through Dr. Luther's heart that God has revealed His +heart and His word to thousands in our country, and no one can ever be +to us what he is. + +Day and night we pray for his safety. + + + _April_ 15. + +Christopher has returned from Erfurt, where he heard Dr. Luther preach. + +He told us that in many places his progress was like that of a beloved +prince through his dominions, of a prince who was going out to some +great battle for his land. + +Peasants blessed him; poor men and women thronged around him and +entreated him not to trust his precious life among his enemies. One aged +priest at Nüremberg brought out to him a portrait of Savonarola, the +good priest whom the Pope burned at Florence not forty years ago. One +aged widow came to him and said her parents had told her God would send +a deliverer to break the yoke of Rome, and she thanked God she saw him +before she died. At Erfurt sixty burghers and professors rode out some +miles to escort him into the city. There, where he had relinquished all +earthly prospects to beg bread as a monk through the streets, the +streets were thronged with grateful men and women, who welcomed him as +their liberator from falsehood and spiritual tyranny. + +Christopher heard him preach in the church of the Augustinian Convent, +where he had (as Fritz told me) suffered such agonies of conflict. He +stood there now an excommunicated man, threatened with death; but he +stood there as victor, through Christ, over the tyranny and lies of +Satan. He seemed entirely to forget his own danger in the joy of the +eternal salvation he came to proclaim. Not a word, Christopher said, +about himself, or the Diet, or the Pope's bull, or the Emperor, but all +about the way a sinner may be saved, and a believer may be joyful. +"There are two kinds of works," he said; "external works, our own works. +These are worth little. One man builds a church; another makes a +pilgrimage to St. Peter's; a third fasts, puts on the hood, goes +barefoot. All these works are nothing, and will perish. Now, I will tell +you what is the true good work. _God hath raised again a man, the Lord +Jesus Christ, in order that he may crush death, destroy sin, shut the +gates of hell. This is the work of salvation._ The devil believed he had +the Lord in his power when he beheld him between two thieves, suffering +the most shameful martyrdom, accursed both of Heaven and man. But God +put forth his might, and annihilated death, sin, and hell. Christ hath +won the victory. This is the great news! And we are saved by his work, +not by our works. The Pope says something very different. I tell you the +holy Mother of God herself has been saved, not by her virginity, nor by +her maternity, nor by her purity, nor by her works, but solely by means +of faith, and by the work of God." + +As he spoke the gallery in which Christopher stood listening cracked. +Many were greatly terrified, and even attempted to rush out. Dr. Luther +stopped a moment, and then stretching out his hand said, in his clear, +firm voice, "Fear not, there is no danger. The devil would thus hinder +the preaching of the gospel, but he will not succeed." Then returning to +his text, he said, "Perhaps you will say to me, 'You speak to us much +about faith, teach us how we may obtain it.' Yes, indeed, that is what I +desire to teach you. Our Lord Jesus Christ has said, '_Peace be unto +you. Behold my hands._' And this is as if he said, 'O man, it is I alone +who have taken away thy sins, and who have redeemed thee, and now _thou +hast peace_, saith the Lord.'" + +And he concluded,-- + +"Since God has saved us, let us so order our works that he may take +pleasure therein. Art thou rich? Let thy goods be serviceable to the +poor. Art thou poor? Let thy services be of use to the rich. If thy +labours are useless to all but thyself, the services thou pretendest to +render to God are a mere lie." + +Christopher left Dr. Luther at Erfurt. He said many tried to persuade +the doctor not to venture to Worms; others reminded him of John Huss, +burned in spite of the safe-conduct. And as he went, in some places the +papal excommunication was affixed on the walls before his eyes; but he +said, "If I perish, the truth will not." + +And nothing moved him from his purpose. Christopher was most deeply +touched with that sermon. He said the text, "_Peace be unto you; and +when he had so said Jesus showed unto them his hands and his side_," +rang through his heart all the way home to Wittemberg, through the +forests and the plain. The pathos of the clear true voice we may never +hear again writes them on his heart; and more than that. I trust the +deeper pathos of the voice which uttered the cry of agony once on the +cross for us,--the agony which won the peace. + +Yes; when Dr. Luther speaks he makes us feel we have to do with persons, +not with things,--with the devil who hates us, with God who loves us, +with the Saviour who died for us. It is not holiness only and +justification, or sin and condemnation. It is we sinning and condemned, +Christ suffering for us, and God justifying and loving us. It is all I +and thou. He brings us face to face with God, not merely sitting serene +on a distant imperial throne, frowning in terrible majesty, or even +smiling in gracious pity, but coming down to us close, seeking us, and +caring, caring unutterably much, that we, even we, should be saved. + +I never knew, until Dr. Luther drove out of Wittemberg, and the car with +the cloth curtains to protect him from the weather, which the town had +provided, passed out of sight, and I saw the tears gently flowing down +my mother's face, how much she loved and honoured him. + +She seems almost as anxious about him as about Fritz; and she did not +reprove me that night when she came in and found me weeping by my bed. +She only drew me to her and smoothed down my hair, and said, "Poor +little Thekla! God will teach us both how to have none other gods but +himself. He will do it very tenderly; but neither thy mother nor thy +Saviour can teach thee this lesson without many a bitter tear." + + + + +XIX. + +Fritz's Story. + + + EBERNBURG, _April_ 2, 1526. + +A chasm has opened between me and my monastic life. I have been in the +prison, and in the prison have I received at last, in full, my +emancipation. The ties I dreaded impatiently to break have been broken +for me, and I am a monk no longer. + +I could not but speak to my brethren in the convent of the glad tidings +which had brought me such joy. It is as impossible for Christian life +not to diffuse itself as that living water should not flow, or that +flames should not rise. Gradually a little band of Christ's freedmen +gathered around me. At first I did not speak to them much of Dr. +Luther's writings. My purpose was to show them that Dr. Luther's +doctrine was _not_ his own, but God's. + +But the time came when Dr. Luther's name was on every lip. The bull of +excommunication went forth against him from the Vatican. His name was +branded as that of the vilest of heretics by every adherent of the Pope. +In many churches, especially those of the Dominicans, the people were +summoned by the great bells to a solemn service of anathema, where the +whole of the priests, gathered at the altar in the darkened building, +pronounced the terrible words of doom and then, flinging down their +blazing torches extinguished them on the stone pavement, as hope, they +said, was extinguished by the anathema for the soul of the accursed. + +At one of these services I was accidentally present. And mine was not +the only heart which glowed with burning indignation to hear that worthy +name linked with those of apostates and heretics, and held up to +universal execration. But, perhaps, in no heart there did it enkindle +such a fire as in mine. Because I knew the source from which those +curses came, how lightly, how carelessly those firebrands were flung; +not fiercely, by the fanaticism of blinded consciences, but daintily and +deliberately, by cruel, reckless hands, as a matter of diplomacy and +policy, by those who cared themselves neither for God's curse nor his +blessing. And I knew also the heart which they were meant to wound; how +loyal, how tender, how true; how slowly, and with what pain Dr. Luther +had learned to believe the idols of his youth a lie; with what a wrench, +when the choice at last had to be made between the word of God and the +voice of the Church, he had clung to the Bible, and let the hopes, and +trust, and friendships of earlier days be torn from him; what anguish +that separation still cost him; how willingly, as a humble little child, +at the sacrifice of anything but truth and human souls, he would have +flung himself again on the bosom of that Church to which, in his fervent +youth, he had offered up all that makes life dear. + +"_They curse, but bless Thou._" + +The words came, unbidden into my heart, and almost unconsciously from my +lips. Around me I heard more than one "Amen;" but at the same time I +became aware that I was watched by malignant eyes. + +After the publication of the excommunication, they publicly burned the +writings of Dr. Luther in the great square. Mainz was the first city in +Germany where this indignity was offered him. + +Mournfully I returned to my convent. In the cloisters of our Order the +opinions concerning Luther are much divided. The writings of St. +Augustine have kept the truth alive in many hearts amongst us; and +besides this, there is the natural bias to one of our own order, and the +party opposition to the Dominicans, Tetzel and Eck, Dr. Luther's +enemies. Probably there are few Augustinian convents in which there are +not two opposite parties in reference to Dr. Luther. + +In speaking of the great truths, of God freely justifying the sinner +because Christ died, (the Judge acquitting because the Judge himself had +suffered for the guilty), I had endeavoured to trace them, as I have +said, beyond all human words to their divine authority. But now to +confess Luther seemed to me to have become identical with confessing +Christ. It is the truth which is assailed in any age which tests our +fidelity. It is to _confess_ we are called, not merely to _profess_. If +I profess, with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition, every +portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the +world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing +Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christianity. Where the +battle rages the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on +all the battle-fields besides is mere flight and disgrace to him if he +flinches at that one point. + +It seems to me also that, practically, the contest in every age of +conflict ranges usually round the person of one Faithful, Godsent man, +whom to follow loyally is fidelity to God. In the days of the first +Judaizing assault on the early Church, that man was St. Paul. In the +great Arian battle, this man was Athanasius--"_Athanasius contra +mundum_." In our days, in our land, I believe it is Luther; and to deny +Luther would be for me who learned the truth from his lips, to deny +Christ. Luther, I believe, is the man whom God has given to his Church +in Germany in this age. Luther, therefore, I will follow--not as a +perfect example, but as a God-appointed leader. Men can never be neutral +in great religious contests; and if, because of the little wrong in the +right cause, or the little evil in the good man, we refuse to take the +side of right, we are, by that very act, silently taking the side of +wrong. + +When I came back to the convent I found the storm gathering. I was asked +if I possessed any of Dr. Luther's writings. I confessed that I did. It +was demanded that they should be given up. I said they could be taken +from me, but I would not willingly give them up to destruction, because +I believed they contained the truth of God. Thus the matter ended until +we had each retired to our cells for the night, when one of the older +monks came to me and accused me of secretly spreading Lutheran heresy +among the brethren. + +I acknowledged I had diligently, but not secretly, done all I could to +spread among the brethren the truths contained in Dr. Luther's books, +although not in his words, but in St. Paul's. A warm debate ensued, +which ended in the monk angrily leaving the cell, saying that means +would be found to prevent the further diffusion of this poison. + +The next day I was taken into the prison where John of Wesel died; the +heavy bolts were drawn upon me, and I was left in solitude. + +As they left me alone, the monk with whom I had the discussion of the +previous night said. "In this chamber, not forty years since, a heretic +such as Martin Luther died." + +The words were intended to produce wholesome fear: they acted as a +bracing tonic. The spirit of the conqueror who had seemed to be defeated +there, but now stood with the victorious palm before the Lamb, seemed +near me. The Spirit of the truth for which he suffered was with me; and +in the solitude of that prison I learned lessons years might not have +taught me elsewhere. + +No one except those who have borne them knows how strong are the fetters +which bind us to a false faith, learned at our mother's knee, and +riveted on us by the sacrifices of years. Perhaps I should never have +been able to break them. For me, as for thousands of others, they were +rudely broken by hostile hands. But the blows which broke them were the +accolade which smote me from a monk into a knight and soldier of my +Lord. + +Yes; there I learned that these vows which have bound me for so many +years are bonds, not to God, but to a lying tyranny. The only true vows, +as Dr. Luther says, are the vows of our baptism--to renounce the world, +the flesh, and the devil, as soldiers of Christ. The only divine Order +is the common order of Christianity. All other orders are disorder; not +confederations within the Church, but conspiracies against it. If, in an +army, the troops choose to abandon the commander's arrangement, and +range themselves, by arbitrary rules, in peculiar uniforms, around +self-elected leaders, they would not be soldiers--they would be +mutineers. + +God's order is, I think, the State to embrace all men, the Church to +embrace all Christian men; and the kernel of the State and the type of +the Church is the family. + +He creates us to be infants, children--sons, daughters--husband, +wife--father, mother. He says, Obey your parents, love your wife, +reverence your husband, love your children. As children, let the Lord at +Nazareth be your model; as married, let the Lord, who loved the Church +better than life, be your type; as parents, let the heavenly Father be +your guide. And if we, abandoning every holy name of family love he has +sanctioned, and every lowly duty he has enjoined, choose to band +ourselves anew into isolated conglomerations of men or women, connected +only by a common name and dress, we are not only amiable enthusiasts--we +are rebels against the Divine order of humanity. + +God, indeed, may call some especially to forsake father and mother, and +wife and children, and all things for his dearer love. But when he calls +to such destinies, it is by the plain voice of Providence, or by the +bitter call of persecution; and then the martyr's or the apostle's +solitary path is as much the lowly, simple path of obedience as the +mother's or the child's. The crown of the martyr is consecrated by the +same holy oil which anoints the head of the bride, the mother, or the +child,--the consecration of love and of obedience. There is none other. +All that is not duty is sin; all that is not obedience is disobedience; +all that is not of love is of self; and self crowned with thorns in a +cloister is as selfish as self crowned with ivy at a revel. + +Therefore I abandon cowl and cloister for ever. I am no more Brother +Sebastian, of the order of the Eremites of St. Augustine. I am Friedrich +Cotta, Margaret Cotta's son, Elsè and Thekla's brother Fritz. I am no +more a monk. I am a Christian--I am no more a vowed Augustinian. I am a +baptized Christian, dedicated to Christ from the arms of my mother, +united to Him by the faith of my manhood. Henceforth I will order my +life by no routine of ordinances imposed by the will of a dead man +hundreds of years since. But day by day I will seek to yield myself, +body, soul, and spirit to the living will of my almighty, loving God, +saying to him morning by morning, "Give me this day my daily bread. +Appoint to me this day my daily task." And He will never fail to hear, +however often I may fail to ask. + +I had abundance of time for those thoughts in my prison; for during the +three weeks I lay there I had, with the exception of the bread and water +which were silently laid inside the door every morning, but two visits. +And these were from my friend the aged monk who had first told me about +John of Wesel. + +The first time he came (he said) to persuade me to recant. But whatever +he intended, he said little about recantation--much more about his own +weakness, which hindered him from confessing the same truth. + +The second time he brought me a disguise, and told me he had provided +the means for my escape that very night. When, therefore, I heard the +echoes of the heavy bolts of the great doors die away through the long +stone corridors, and listened till the last tramp of feet ceased, and +door after door of the various cells was closed, and every sound was +still throughout the building, I laid aside my monk's cowl and frock, +and put on the burgher dress provided for me. + +To me it was a glad and solemn ceremony, and, alone in my prison, I +prostrated myself on the stone floor, and thanked Him who, by his +redeeming death and the emancipating word of his free spirit, had made +me a free man, nay, infinitely better, _his freedman_. + +The bodily freedom to which I looked forward was to me a light boon +indeed, in comparison with the liberty of heart already mine. The +putting on this common garb of secular life was to me like a solemn +investiture with the freedom of the city and the empire of God. +Henceforth I was not to be a member of a narrow, separated class, but of +the common family; no more to freeze alone on a height, but to tread the +lowly path of common duty; to help my brethren, not as men at a +sumptuous table throw crumbs to beggars and dogs, but to live amongst +them--to share my bread of life with them; no longer as the forerunner +in the wilderness, but, like the Master, in the streets, and highways, +and homes of men; assuming no nobler name than man created in the image +of God, born in the image of Adam; aiming at no loftier title than +Christian, redeemed by the blood of Christ, and created anew, to be +conformed to his glorious image. Yes, as the symbol of a freedman, as +the uniform of a soldier, as the armour of a sworn knight, at once +freeman and servant, was that lowly burgher's dress to me; and with a +joyful heart, when the aged monk came to me again, I stepped after him, +leaving my monk's frock lying in the corner of the cell, like the husk +of that old lifeless life. + +In vain did I endeavour to persuade my liberator to accompany me in my +flight. "The world would be a prison to me, brother," he said with a sad +smile. "All I loved in it are dead, and what could I do there, with the +body of an old man and the helpless inexperience of a child? Fear not +for me," he added; "I also shall, I trust, one day dwell in a home; but +not on earth!" + +And so we parted, he returning to the convent, and I taking my way, by +river and forest, to this castle of the noble knight Franz von +Sickingen, on a steep height at the angle formed by the junction of two +rivers. + +My silent weeks of imprisonment had been weeks of busy life in the world +outside. When I reached this castle of Ebernburg, I found the whole of +its inhabitants in a ferment about the summoning of Dr. Luther to Worms. +His name, and my recent imprisonment for his faith, were a sufficient +passport to the hospitality of the castle, and I was welcomed most +cordially. + +It was a great contrast to the monotonous routine of the convent and the +stillness of the prison. All was life and stir; eager debates as to what +it would be best to do for Dr. Luther; incessant coming and going of +messengers on horse and foot between Ebernburg and Worms, where the Diet +is already sitting, and where the good knight Franz spends much of his +time in attendance on the Emperor. + +Ulrich von Hutton is also here, from time to time, vehement in his +condemnation of the fanaticism of monks and the lukewarmness of princes; +and Dr. Bucer, a disciple of Dr. Luther's, set free from the bondage of +Rome by his healthful words at the great conference of the Augustinians +at Heidelberg. + + + _April_ 30, 1521. + +The events of an age seem to have been crowded into the last month. A +few days after I wrote last, it was decided to send a deputation to Dr. +Luther, who was then rapidly approaching Worms, entreating him not to +venture into the city, but to turn aside to Ebernburg. The Emperor's +confessor, Glapio, had persuaded the knight von Sickingen and the +chaplain Bucer, that all might easily be arranged, if Dr. Luther only +avoided the fatal step of appearing at the Diet. + +A deputation of horsemen was therefore sent to intercept the doctor on +his way, and to conduct him, if he would consent, to Ebernburg, the +"refuge and hostelry of righteousness," as it has been termed. + +I accompanied the little band, of which Bucer was to be chief spokesman. +I did not think Dr. Luther would come. Unlike the rest of the party, I +had known him not only when he stepped on the great stage of the world +as the antagonist of falsehood, but as the simple, straightforward, +obscure monk. And I knew that the step which to others seemed so great, +leading him from safe obscurity into perilous pre-eminence before the +eyes of all Christendom, was to him no great momentary effort, but +simply one little step in the path of obedience and lowly duty which he +had been endeavouring to tread so many years. But I feared. I distrusted +Glapio, and believed that all this earnestness on the part of the papal +party to turn the doctor aside was not for his sake, but for their own. + +I needed not, at least, have distrusted Dr. Luther. Bucer entreated him +with the eloquence of affectionate solicitude; his faithful friends and +fellow-travellers, Jonas, Amsdorf, and Schurff, wavered, but Dr. Luther +did not hesitate an instant. He was in the path of obedience. The next +step was as unquestionable and essential as all the rest, although, as +he had once said, "it led through flames which extended from Worms to +Wittemberg, and raged up to heaven." He did not, however, use any of +these forcible illustrations now, natural as they were to him. He simply +said,-- + +"I continue my journey. If the Emperor's confessor has anything to say +to me, he can say it at Worms. _I will go to the place to which I have +been summoned._" + +And he went on, leaving the friendly deputation to return to Ebernburg. + +I did not leave him. As we went on the way, some of those who had +accompanied him told me through what fervent greetings and against what +vain entreaties of fearful affection he had pursued his way thus far; +how many had warned him that he was going to the stake, and had wept +that they should see his face no more; how, through much bodily weakness +and suffering, through acclamations and tears, he had passed on simply +and steadfastly, blessing little children in the schools he visited, and +telling them to search the Scriptures; comforting the timid and aged, +stirring up the hearts of all to faith and prayer, and by his courage +and trust more than once turning enemies into friends. + +"Are you the man who is to overturn the popedom?" said a soldier, +accosting him rather contemptuously at a halting-place; "how will you +accomplish that?" + +"I rely on Almighty God," he replied, "whose orders I have." + +And the soldier replied reverently,-- + +"I serve the Emperor Charles; your Master is greater than mine." + +One more assault awaited Dr. Luther before he reached his destination. +It came through friendly lips. When he arrived near Worms, a messenger +came riding towards us from his faithful friend Spalatin, the Elector's +chaplain, and implored him on no account to think of entering the city. + +The doctor's old fervour of expression returned at such a temptation +meeting him so near the goal. + +"Go tell your master," he said, "that if there were at Worms as many +devils as there are tiles on the roofs, yet would I go in." + +And he went in. A hundred cavaliers met him near the gates, and escorted +him within the city. Two thousand people were eagerly awaiting him, and +pressed to see him as he passed through the streets. Not all friends. +Fanatical Spaniards were among them, who had torn his books in pieces +from the book-stalls, and crossed themselves when they looked at him, as +if he had been the devil; baffled partisans of the Pope: and on the +other hand, timid Christians who hoped all from his courage; men who had +waited long for this deliverence, had received life from his words, and +had kept his portrait in their homes and hearts encircled like that of a +canonized saint with a glory. And through the crowd he passed, the only +man, perhaps, in it who did not see Dr. Luther through a mist of hatred +or of glory, but felt himself a solitary, feeble, helpless man, leaning +only, yet resting securely, on the arm of Almighty strength. + +Those who knew him best perhaps wondered at him most during those days +which followed. Not at his courage--that we had expected--but at his +calmness and moderation. It was this which seemed to me most surely the +seal of God on that fervent impetuous nature, stamping the work and the +man as of God. + +We none of us know how he would have answered before that august +assembly. At his first appearance some of us feared he might have been +too vehement. The Elector Frederick could not have been more moderate +and calm. When asked whether he would retract his books, I think there +were few among us who were not surprised at the noble self-restraint of +his reply. He asked for time. + +"Most gracious Emperor, gracious princes and lords," he said, "with +regard to the first accusation, I acknowledge the books enumerated to +have been from me. I cannot disown them. As regards the second, seeing +that is a question of the faith and the salvation of souls, and of God's +word, the most precious treasure in heaven or earth, I should act rashly +were I to reply hastily. I might affirm less than the case requires, or +more than truth demands, and thus offend against that word of Christ, +'Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my +Father who is in heaven.' Wherefore I beseech your imperial majesty, +with all submission, to allow me time that I may reply without doing +prejudice to the word of God." + +He could afford to be thought for the time what many of his enemies +tauntingly declared him, a coward, brave in the cell, but appalled when +he came to face the world. + +During the rest of that day he was full of joy; "like a child," said +some, "who knows not what is before him;" "like a veteran," said others, +"who has prepared everything for the battle;" like both, I thought, +since the strength of the veteran in the battles of God is the strength +of the child following his Father's eye, and trusting on his Father's +arm. + +A conflict awaited him afterwards in the course of the night, which one +of us witnessed, and which made him who witnessed it feel no wonder that +the imperial presence had no terrors for Luther on the morrow. + +Alone that night our leader fought the fight to which all other combats +were but as a holiday tournament. Prostrate on the ground, with sobs and +bitter tears, he prayed,-- + +"Almighty, everlasting God, how terrible this world is! How it would +open its jaws to devour me, and how weak is my trust in thee! The flesh +is weak, and the devil is strong! O thou my God, help me against all the +wisdom of this world. Do thou the work. It is for thee alone to do it; +for the work is thine, not mine. I have nothing to bring me here. I have +no controversy to maintain, not I, with the great ones of the earth. I +too would that my days should glide along, happy and calm. But the cause +is thine. It is righteous, it is eternal. O Lord, help me; thou that art +faithful, thou that art unchangeable. It is not in any man I trust. That +were vain indeed. All that is in man gives way; all that comes from man +faileth. O God, my God, dost thou not hear me? Art thou dead? No; thou +canst not die! Thou art but hiding thyself. Thou hast chosen me for this +work. I know it. Oh, then, arise and work. Be thou on my side, for the +sake of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, who is my defence, my shield and +my fortress. + +"O Lord, my God, where art thou? Come, come; I am ready--ready to +forsake life for thy truth, patient as a lamb. For it is a righteous +cause, and it is thine own. I will not depart from thee, now nor through +eternity. And although the world should be full of demons; although my +body, which, nevertheless, is the work of thine hands, should be doomed +to bite the dust, to be stretched upon the rack, cut into pieces, +consumed to ashes, the soul is thine. Yes; for this I have the assurance +of thy word. My soul is thine. It will abide near thee throughout the +endless ages. Amen. O God, help thou me! Amen!" + +Ah, how little those who follow know the agony it costs to take the +first step, to venture on the perilous ground no human soul around has +tried! + +Insignificant indeed the terrors of the empire to one who had seen the +terrors of the Almighty. Petty indeed are the assaults of flesh and +blood to him who has withstood principalities and powers, and the hosts +of the prince of darkness. + +At four o'clock the Marshal of the Empire came to lead him to his trial. +But his real hour of trial was over, and calm and joyful Dr. Luther +passed through the crowded streets to the imperial presence. + +As he drew near the door, the veteran General Freundsberg, touching his +shoulder, said-- + +"Little monk, you have before you an encounter such as neither I nor any +other captains have seen the like of even in our bloodiest campaigns. +But if your cause be just, and if you know it to be so, go forward in +the name of God, and fear nothing. God will not forsake you." + + +Friendly heart! he knew not that our Martin Luther was coming _from_ his +battle-field, and was simply going as a conqueror to declare before men +the victory he had won from mightier foes. + +And so at last he stood, the monk, the peasant's son, before all the +princes of the empire, the kingliest heart among them all, crowned with +a majesty which was incorruptible, because invisible to worldly eyes; +one against thousands who were bent on his destruction; one in front of +thousands who leant on his fidelity; erect because he rested on that +unseen arm above. + +The words he spoke that day are ringing through all Germany. The closing +sentence will never be forgotten-- + +"_Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen._" + +To him these deeds of heroism are acts of simple obedience; every step +inevitable, because every step is duty. In this path he leans on God's +help absolutely and only. And all faithful hearts throughout the land +respond to his Amen. + +On the other hand, many of the polished courtiers and subtle Roman +diplomatists saw no eloquence in his words, words which stirred every +true heart to its depths. "That man," said they, "will never convince +us." How should he? His arguments were not in their language, nor +addressed to them, but to true and honest hearts; and to such they +spoke. + +To men with whom eloquence means elaborate fancies, decorating +corruption or veiling emptiness, what could St. Paul seem but a +"babbler?" + +All men of earnest purpose acknowledged their force;--enemies, by +indignant clamour that he should be silenced: friends, by wondering +gratitude to God who had stood by him. + +It was nearly dark when the Diet broke up. As Dr. Luther came out, +escorted by the imperial officers, a panic spread through the crowd +collected in the street, and from every lip to lip was heard the cry,-- + +"They are taking him to prison." + +"They are leading me to my hotel," said the calm voice of him whom this +day has made the great man of Germany. And the tumult subsided. + + + EBERNBURG, _June_, 1521. + +Dr. Luther has disappeared! Not one that I have seen knows at this +moment where they have taken him, whether he is in the hands of friend +or foe, whether even he is still on earth! + +We ought to have heard of his arrival at Wittemberg many days since. But +no inquiries can trace him beyond the village of Mora in the Thuringian +Forest. There he went from Eisenach on his way back to Wittemberg, to +visit his aged grandmother and some of his father's relations, peasant +farmers who live on the clearings of the forest. In his grandmother's +lowly home he passed the night, and took leave of her the next morning; +and no one has heard of him since. + +We are not without hope that he is in the hands of friends; yet fears +will mingle with these hopes. His enemies are so many and so bitter; and +no means would seem, to many of them, unworthy, to rid the world of such +a heretic. + +While he yet remained at Worms the Romans strenuously insisted that his +obstinacy had made the safe-conduct invalid; some even of the German +princes urged that he should be seized; and it was only by the urgent +remonstrances of others, who protested that they would never suffer such +a blot on German honour, that he was saved. + +At the same time the most insidious efforts were made to persuade him to +retreat, or to resign his safe-conduct in order to show his willingness +to abide by the issue of a fair discussion. This last effort, appealing +to Dr. Luther's confidence in the truth for which he was ready to die, +had all but prevailed with him. But a knight who was present when it was +made, seeing through the treachery, fiercely ejected the priest who +proposed it from the house. + +Yet through all assaults, insidious or open, Dr. Luther remained calm +and unmoved, moved by no threats, ready to listen to any fair +proposition. + +Among all the polished courtiers and proud princes and prelates, he +seemed to me to stand like an ambassador from an imperial court among +the petty dignitaries of some petty province. His manners had the +dignity of one who has been accustomed to a higher presence than any +around him, giving to every one the honour due to him, indifferent to +all personal slights, but inflexible on every point that concerned the +honour of his sovereign. + +Those of us who had known him in earlier days saw in him all the +simplicity, the deep earnestness, the child-like delight in simple +pleasures we had known in him of old. It was our old friend Martin +Luther, but it seemed as if our Luther had come back to us from a +residence in heaven, such a peace and majesty dwelt in all he said. One +incident especially struck me. When the glass he was about to drink of +at the feast given by the Archbishop of Treves, one of the papal party, +shivered in his hand as he signed the cross over it, and his friends +exclaimed "poison!" he (so ready usually to see spiritual agency in all +things) quietly observed that "the glass had doubtless broken on account +of its having been plunged too soon into cold water when it was washed." + +His courage was no effort of a strong nature. He simply trusted in God, +and really was afraid of nothing. + +And now he is gone. + +Whether among friends or foes, in a hospital refuge such as this, or in +a hopeless secret dungeon, to us for the time at least he is dead. No +word of sympathy or counsel passes between us. The voice which all +Germany hushed its breath to hear is silenced. + +Under the excommunication of the Pope, under the ban of the empire, +branded as a heretic, sentenced as a traitor, reviled by the Emperor's +own edict as "a fool, a blasphemer, a devil clothed in a monk's cowl," +it is made treason to give him food or shelter, and a virtue to deliver +him to death. And to all this, if he is living, he can utter no word of +reply. + +Meantime, on the other hand, every word of his is treasured up and +clothed with the sacred pathos of the dying words of a father. The noble +letter which he wrote to the nobles describing his appearance before the +Diet is treasured in every home. + +Yet some among us derive not a little hope from the last letter he +wrote, which was to Lucas Cranach, from Frankfort. In it he says,-- + + "The Jews may sing once more their 'Io! Io!' but to us also the + Easter-day will come, and then will we sing Alleluia. A little + while we must be silent and suffer. 'A little while,' said + Christ, 'and ye shall not see me; and again a little while and + ye shall see me.' I hope it may be so now. But the will of God, + the best in all things, be done in this as in heaven and earth. + Amen." + +Many of us think it is a dim hint to those who love him that he knew +what was before him, and that after a brief concealment for safety, +"till this tyranny be overpast," he will be amongst us once more. + +I, at least, think so, and pray that to him this time of silence may be +a time of close intercourse with God, from which he may come forth +refreshed and strengthened to guide and help us all. + +And meantime, a work, not without peril, but full of sacred joy, opens +before me. I have been supplied by the friends of Dr. Luther's doctrine +with copies of his books and pamphlets, both in Latin and German, which +I am to sell as a hawker through the length and breadth of Germany, and +in any other lands I can penetrate. + +I am to start to-morrow, and to me my pack and strap are burdens more +glorious than the armour of a prince of the empire; my humble pedlar's +coat and staff are vestments more sacred than the robes of a cardinal or +the weeds of a pilgrim. + +For am I not a pilgrim to the city which hath foundations! Is not my +yoke the yoke of Christ? and am I not distributing, among thirsty and +enslaved men, the water of life and the truth which sets the heart free? + + + BLACK FOREST, _May_ 1521. + +The first week of my wandering life is over. To-day my way lay through +the solitary paths of the Black Forest, which, eleven years ago, I trod +with Dr. Martin Luther, on our pilgrimage to Rome. Both of us then wore +the monk's frock and cowl. Both were devoted subjects of the Pope, and +would have deprecated, as the lowest depth of degradation, his anathema. +Yet at that very time Martin Luther bore in his heart the living germ of +all that is now agitating men's hearts from Pomerania to Spain. He was +already a freedman of Christ, and he knew it. The Holy Scriptures were +already to him the one living fountain of truth. Believing simply on Him +who died, the just for the unjust, he had received the free pardon of +his sins. Prayer was to him the confiding petition of a forgiven child +received to the heart of the Father, and walking humbly by his side. +Christ he knew already as the Confessor and Priest; the Holy Spirit as +the personal teacher through His own Word. + +The fetters of the old ceremonial were indeed still around him, but only +as the brown casings still swathe many of the swelling buds of the young +leaves; which others, this May morning, cracked and burst as I passed +along in the silence through the green forest paths. The moment of +liberation, to the passer-by always seems a great, sudden effort; but +those who have watched the slow swelling of the imprisoned bud, know +that the last expansion of life which bursts the scaly cerements is but +one moment of the imperceptible but incessant growth, of which even the +apparent death of winter was a stage. + +But it is good to live in the spring time; and as I went on, my heart +sang with the birds and the leaf-buds, "For me also the cerements of +winter are burst,--for me and for all the land!" + +And as I walked, I sang aloud the old Easter hymn which Eva used to +love:-- + + Fone luctum, Magdalena, + Et serena lacrymas; + Non es jam cermonis coena, + Non cur fletum exprimas; + + Causae mille sunt lætandi, + Causae mille exultandi, + Alleluia resonet! + + Suma risum, Magdalena, + Frons nitescat lucida; + Denigravit omnis poena, + Lux coruscat fulgida; + Christus nondum liberavit, + Et de morte triumphavit: + Alleluia resonet! + + Gaude, plaude Magdalena, + Tumbâ Christus exiit; + Tristis est per acta scena, + Victor mortis rediit; + Quem deflebis morientem, + Nunc arride resurgentem: + Alleluia resonet! + + Tolle vultum, Magdalena, + Redivivum obstupe: + Vide frons quam sit amoena, + Quinque plagas adspice; + Fulgem sicut margaritæ, + Ornamenta rovæ vitæ: + Alleluia resonet! + + Vive, vive, Magdalena! + Tua lux reversa est; + Guadiis turgesit vena, + Mortis vis obstersa est; + Maesti procul sunt dolores, + Læti redeant amores: + Alleluia resonet! + +Yes, even in the old dark times, heart after heart, in quiet homes and +secret convent cells, has doubtless learned this hidden joy. But now the +world seems learning it. The winter has its robins, with their solitary +warblings; but now the spring is here, the songs come in choruses,--and +thank God I am awake to listen! + +But the voice which awoke this music first in my heart, among these very +forests--and since then, through the grace of God, in countless hearts +throughout this and all lands--what silence hushes it now? The silence +of the grave, or only of some friendly refuge? In either case, +doubtless, it is not silent to God. + +I had scarcely finished my hymn, when the trees became more scattered +and smaller, as if they had been cleared not long since; and I found +myself on the edge of a valley, on the slopes of which nestled a small +village, with its spire and belfry rising among the wooden cottages, and +flocks of sheep and goats grazing in the pastures beside the little +stream which watered it. + +I lifted up my heart to God, that some hearts in that peaceful place +might welcome the message of eternal peace through the books I carried. + +As I entered the village, the priest came out of the parsonage--an aged +man, with a gentle, kindly countenance--and courteously saluted me. + +I offered to show him my wares. + +"It is not likely there will be anything there for me," he said, +smiling. "My days are over for ballads and stories, such as I suppose +your merchandise consists of." + +But when he saw the name of Luther on the title-page of a volume which I +showed him, his face changed, and he said in a grave voice, "Do you know +what you carry?" + +"I trust I do," I replied. "I carry most of these books in my heart as +well as on my shoulders." + +"But do you know the danger?" the old man continued. "We have heard that +Dr. Luther has been excommunicated by the Pope, and laid under the ban +of the empire; and only last week, a travelling merchant, such as +yourself, told us that his body had been seen pierced through with a +hundred wounds." + +"That was not true three days since," I said. "At least, his best +friends at Worms knew nothing of it." + +"Thank God!" he said; "for in this village we owe that good man much. +And if," he added timidly, "he has indeed fallen into heresy, it would +be well he had time to repent." + +In that village I sold many of my books, and left others with the good +priest, who entertained me most hospitably, and sent me on my way with a +tearful farewell, compounded of blessings, warnings, and prayers. + + + PARIS, _July_, 1521. + +I have crossed the French frontier, and have been staying some days in +this great, gay, learned city. + +In Germany, my books procured me more of welcome than of opposition. In +some cases, even where the local authorities deemed it their duty +publicly to protest against them, they themselves secretly assisted in +their distribution. In others, the eagerness to purchase, and to glean +any fragment of information about Luther, drew a crowd around me, who, +after satisfying themselves that I had no news to give them of his +present state, lingered as long as I would speak, to listen to my +narrative of his appearance before the Emperor at Worms, while murmurs +of enthusiastic approval, and often sobs and tears, testified the +sympathy of the people with him. In the towns, many more copies of his +"Letter to the German Nobles" were demanded than I could supply. + +But what touched me most was to see the love and almost idolatrous +reverence which had gathered around his name in remote districts, among +the oppressed and toiling peasantry. + +I remember especially, in one village, a fine-looking old peasant farmer +taking me to an inner room where hung a portrait of Luther, encircled +with a glory, with a curtain before it. + +"See!" he said. "The lord of that castle," and he pointed to a fortress +on an opposite height, "has wrought me and mine many a wrong. Two of my +sons have perished in his selfish feuds, and his huntsmen lay waste my +fields as they choose in the chase; yet, if I shoot a deer, I may be +thrown into the castle dungeon, as mine have been before. But their +reign is nearly over now. I saw _that man_ at Worms. I heard him speak, +bold as a lion, for the truth, before emperor, princes, and prelates. +God has sent us the deliverer; and the reign of righteousness will come +at last, when every man shall have his due." + +"Friend," I said, with an aching heart, "the Deliverer came fifteen +hundred years ago, but the reign of justice has not come to the world +yet. The Deliverer was crucified, and his followers since then have +suffered, not reigned." + +"God is patient," he said, "and _we_ have been patient long, God knows; +but I trust the time is come at last." + +"But the redemption Dr. Luther proclaims," I said, gently, "is liberty +from a worse bondage than that of the nobles, and it is a liberty no +tyrant, no dungeon, can deprive us of--the liberty of the sons of +God;"--and he listened earnestly while I spoke to him of justification, +and of the suffering, redeeming Lord. But at the end he said-- + +"Yes, that is good news. But I trust Dr. Luther will avenge many a wrong +among us yet. They say he was a peasant's son like me." + +If I were Dr. Luther, and knew that the wistful eyes of the oppressed +and sorrowful throughout the land were turned to me, I should be tempted +to say-- + +"Lord, let me die before these oppressed and burdened hearts learn how +little I can help them!" + +For verily there is much evil done under the sun. Yet as truly there is +healing for every disease, remedy for every wrong, and rest from every +burden, in the tidings Dr. Luther brings. But remedy of a different +kind, I fear, from what too many fondly expect! + +It is strange, also, to see how, in these few weeks, the wildest tales +have sprung up and spread in all directions about Dr. Luther's +disappearance. Some say he has been secretly murdered, and that his +wounded corpse has been seen; others, that he was borne away bleeding +through the forest to some dreadful doom; while others boldly assert +that he will re-appear at the head of a band of liberators, who will go +through the length and breadth of the land, redressing every wrong, and +punishing every wrong-doer. + +Truly, if a few weeks can throw such a haze around facts, what would a +century without a written record have done for Christianity; or what +would that record itself have been without inspiration? + +The country was in some parts very disturbed. In Alsace I came on a +secret meeting of the peasants, who have bound themselves with the most +terrible oaths to wage war to the death against the nobles. + +More than once I was stopped by a troop of horsemen near a castle, and +my wares searched, to see if they belonged to the merchants of some city +with whom the knight of the castle was at feud; and on one of these +occasions it might have fared ill with me if a troop of Landsknechts in +the service of the empire had not appeared in time to rescue me and my +companions. + +Yet everywhere the name of Luther was of equal interest. The peasants +believed he would rescue them from the tyranny of the nobles; and many +of the knights spoke of him as the assertor of German liberties against +a foreign yoke. More than one poor parish priest welcomed him as the +deliverer from the avarice of the great abbeys or the prelates. Thus, in +farm-house and hut, in castle and parsonage, I and my books found many a +cordial welcome. And all I could do was to sell the books, and tell all +who would listen, that the yoke Luther's words were powerful to break +was the yoke of the devil the prince of all oppressors, and that the +freedom he came to republish was freedom from the tyranny of sin and +self. + +My true welcome, however, the one which rejoiced my heart, was when any +said, as many did, on sick-beds, in lowly and noble homes, and in +monasteries-- + +"Thank God, these words are in our hearts already. They have taught us +the way to God; they _have_ brought us peace and freedom." + +Or when others said-- + +"I must have that book. This one and that one that I know is another man +since he read Dr. Luther's words." + +But if I was scarcely prepared for the interest felt in Dr. Luther in +our own land, true German that he is, still less did I expect that his +fame would have reached to Paris, and even further. + +The night before I reached this city I was weary with a long day's walk +in the dust and heat, and had fallen asleep on a bench in the garden +outside a village inn, under the shade of a trellised vine, leaving my +pack partly open beside me. When I awoke, a grave and dignified-looking +man, who, from the richness of his dress and arms, seemed to be a +nobleman, and, from the cut of his slashed doubtlet and mantle, a +Spaniard, sat beside me, deeply engaged in reading one of my books. I +did not stir at first, but watched him in silence. The book he held was +a copy of Luther's Commentary on the Galatians, in Latin. + +In a few minutes I moved, and respectfully saluted him. + +"Is this book for sale?" he asked + +I said it was and named the price. + +He immediately laid down twice the sum, saying, "Give a copy to some one +who cannot buy." + +I ventured to ask if he had seen it before. + +"I have," he said. "Several copies were sent by a Swiss printer, +Frobenius, to Castile. And I saw it before at Venice. It is prohibited +in both Castile and Venice now. But I have always wished to possess a +copy that I might judge for myself. Do you know Dr. Luther?" he asked, +as he moved away. + +"I have known and reverenced him for many years," I said. + +"They say his life is blameless, do they not?" he asked. + +"Even his bitterest enemies confess it to be so," I replied. + +"He spoke like a brave man before the Diet," he resumed; "gravely and +quietly, as true men speak who are prepared to abide by their words. A +noble of Castile could not have spoken with more dignity than that +peasant's son. The Italian priests thought otherwise; but the oratory +which melts girls into tears from pulpits is not the eloquence for the +councils of men. That monk had learned his oratory in a higher school. +If you ever see Dr. Luther again," he added, "tell him that some +Spaniards, even in the Emperor's court, wished him well." + +And here in Paris I find a little band of devout and learned men, +Lefevre, Farel, and Briconnet, bishop of Meaux, actively employed in +translating and circulating the writings of Luther and Melancthon. The +truth in them, they say, they had learned before from the book of God +itself, namely, justification through faith in a crucified Saviour +leading to a life devoted to him. But jealous as the French are of +admitting the superiority of anything foreign, and contemptuously as +they look on us unpolished Germans, the French priests welcome Luther as +a teacher and a brother, and are as eager to hear all particulars of his +life as his countrymen in every town and quiet village throughout +Germany. + +They tell me also that the king's own sister, the beautiful and learned +Duchess Margaret of Valois, reads Dr. Luther's writings, and values them +greatly. + +Indeed, I sometimes think if he had carried out the intention he formed +some years since, of leaving Wittemberg for Paris, he would have found a +noble sphere of action here. The people are so frank in speech, so quick +in feeling and perception; and their bright keen wit cuts so much more +quickly to the heart of a fallacy than our sober, plodding, Northern +intellect. + + + BASEL. + +Before I left Ebernburg, the knight Ulrich von Hutten had taken a warm +interest in my expedition; had especially recommended me to seek out +Erasmus, if ever I reached Switzerland; and had himself placed some +copies of Erasmus' sermons, "Praise of folly," among my books. + +Personally I feel a strong attachment to that brave knight. I can never +forget the generous letter he wrote to Luther before his appearance at +the Diet:--"_The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble: the name of the +God of Jacob defend thee._ O my beloved Luther, my reverend father, fear +not; be strong. Fight valiantly for Christ. As for me, I also will fight +bravely. Would to God I might see how they knit their brows.... May +Christ preserve you." + +Yes, to see the baffled enemies knit their brows as they did then, would +have been a triumph to the impetuous soldier, but at the time he was +prohibited from approaching the Court. Luther's courageous and noble +defence filled him with enthusiastic admiration. He declared the doctor +to be a greater soldier than any of the knights. When he heard of Dr. +Luther's disappearance he would have collected a band of daring spirits +like himself, and scoured the country in search of him. Hutten's objects +were high and unselfish. He had no mean and petty ambitions. With sword +and pen he had contended against oppression and hypocrisy. To him the +Roman Court was detestable, chiefly as a foreign yoke; the corrupt +priesthood, as a domestic usurpation. He had a high ideal of knighthood, +and believed that his order, enlightened by learning, and inspired by a +free and lofty faith, might emancipate Germany and Christendom. Personal +danger he despised, and personal aims. + +Yet with all his fearlessness and high aspirations, I scarcely think he +hoped himself to be the hero of his ideal chivalry. The self-control of +the pure true knight was too little his. In his visions of a Christendom +from which falsehood and avarice were to be banished, and where +authority was to reside in an order of ideal knights, Franz von +Sickingen, the brave good lord of Ebernburg, with his devout wife +Hedwiga, was to raise the standard, around which Ulrich and all the true +men in the land were to rally. Luther, Erasmus, and Sickingen, he +thought--the types of the three orders, learning, knighthood, and +priesthood,--might regenerate the world. + +Erasmus had begun the work with unveiling the light in the sanctuaries +of learning. Luther had carried it on by diffusing the light among the +people. The knights must complete it by forcibly scattering the powers +of darkness. Conflict is Erasmus' detestation. It is Luther's necessity. +It is Hutten's delight. + +I did not, however, expect much sympathy in my work from Erasmus. It +seemed to me that Hutten, admiring his clear, luminous genius, +attributed to him the fire of his own warm and courageous heart. +However, I intended to seek him out at Basel. + +Circumstances saved me the trouble. + +As I was entering the city, with my pack nearly empty, hoping to +replenish it from the presses of Frobenius, an elderly man, with a stoop +in his shoulders, giving him the air of a student, ambled slowly past +me, clad in a doctor's gown and hat, edged with a broad border of fur. +The keen small dark eyes surveyed me and my pack for a minute, and then +reining in his horse he joined me, and said, in a soft voice and courtly +accent, "We are of the same profession, friend. We manufacture, and you +sell. What have you in your pack?" + +I took out three of my remaining volumes. One was Luther's "Commentary +on the Galatians;" the others, his "Treatise on the Lord's Prayer," and +his "Letter to the German Nobles." + +The rider's brow darkened slightly, and he eyed me suspiciously. + +"Men who supply ammunition to the people in times of insurrection seldom +do it at their own risk," he said. "Young man, you are on a perilous +mission, and would do well to count the cost." + +"I have counted the cost, sir," I said, "and I willingly brave the +peril." + +"Well, well," he replied, "some are born for battle-fields, and some for +martyrdom; others for neither. Let each keep to his calling,-- + + 'Nequissimam pacem justissimo bello antifero' + +But 'those who let in the sea on the marshes little know where it will +spread.'" + +This illustration from the Dutch dykes awakened my suspicions as to who +the rider was, and looking at the thin, sensitive, yet satirical lips, +the delicate, sharply-cut features, the pallid complexion, and the dark +keen eyes I had seen represented in so many portraits, I could not doubt +with whom I was speaking. But I did not betray my discovery. + +"Dr. Luther has written some good things, nevertheless," he said. "If he +had kept to such devotional works as this," returning to me "The Lord's +prayer," "he might have served his generation quietly and well; but to +expose such mysteries as are treated of here to the vulgar gaze, it is +madness!" and he hastily closed the "Galatians." Then glancing at the +"Letter to the Nobles," he almost threw it into my hand, saying +petulently,-- + +"That pamphlet is an insurrection in itself." + +"What other books have you?" he asked after a pause. + +I drew out my last copy of the "Encomium of Folly." + +"Have you sold many of these?" he asked coolly. + +"All but this copy," I replied. + +"And what did people say of it?" + +"That depended on the purchasers," I replied. "Some say the author is +the wisest and wittiest man of the age, and if all knew where to stop as +he does, the world would slowly grow into Paradise, instead of being +turned upside down as it is now. Others, on the contrary, say that the +writer is a coward, who has no courage to confess the truth he knows. +And others, again, declare the book is worse than any of Luther's and +that Erasmus is the source of all the mischief in the world, since if he +had not broken the lock, Luther would never have entered the door." + +"And _you_ think?" he asked. + +"I am but a poor pedlar, sir," I said; "but I think there is a long way +between Pilate's delivering up the glorious King he knew was +innocent--perhaps began to see might be divine, and St. Peter's denying +the Master he loved. And the Lord who forgave Peter knows which is +which; which the timid disciple, and which the cowardly friend of His +foes. But the eye of man, it seems to me, may find it impossible to +distinguish. I would rather be Luther at the Diet of Worms, and under +anathema and ban, than either." + +"Bold words!" he said, "to prefer an excommunicated heretic to the +prince of the apostles!" + +But a shade passed over his face, and courteously bidding me farewell, +he rode on. + +The conversation seemed to have thrown a shadow and chill over my heart. + +After a time, however, the rider slackened his pace again, and beckoned +to me to rejoin him. + +"Have you friends in Basel?" he asked kindly. + +"None," I replied; "but I have letters to the printer Frobenius, and I +was recommended to seek out Erasmus." + +"Who recommended you to do that?" he asked. + +"The good knight Ulrich von Hutten," I replied. + +"The prince of all turbulent spirits!" he murmured gravely. "Little +indeed is there in common between Erasmus of Rotterdam and that +firebrand." + +"Ritter Ulrich has the greatest admiration for the genius of Erasmus," I +said, "and thinks that his learning, with the swords of a few good +knights, and the preaching of Luther, might set Christendom right." + +"Ulrich von Hutten should set his own life right first," was the reply. +"But let us leave discoursing of Christendom and these great projects, +which are altogether beyond our sphere. Let the knights set chivalry +right, and the cardinals the papacy, and the emperor the empire. Let the +hawker attend to his pack, and Erasmus to his studies. Perhaps hereafter +it will be found that his satires on the follies of the monasteries, and +above all his earlier translation of the New Testament, had their share +in the good work. His motto is, 'Kindle the light and the darkness will +disperse of itself.'" + +"If Erasmus," I said, "would only consent to share in the result he has +indeed contributed so nobly to bring about!" + +"Share in what?" he replied quickly; "in the excommunication of Luther? +or in the wild projects of Hutten? Have it supposed that he approves of +the coarse and violent invectives of the Saxon monk, or the daring +schemes of the adventurous knight? No; St. Paul wrote courteously, and +never returned railing for railing. Erasmus should wait till he find a +reformer like the apostle ere he join the Reformation. But, friend," he +added, "I do not deny that Luther is a good man, and means well. If you +like to abandon your perilous pack, and take to study, you may come to +my house, and I will help you as far as I can with money and counsel. +For I know what it is to be poor, and I think you ought to be better +than a hawker. And," he added, bringing his horse to a stand, "if you +hear Erasmus maligned again as a coward or a traitor, you may say that +God has more room in his kingdom than any men have in their schools; and +that it is not always so easy for men who see things on many sides to +embrace one. Believe also that the loneliness of those who see too much +or dare too little to be partisans, often has anguish bitterer than the +scaffolds of martyrs. But," he concluded in a low voice, as he left me, +"be careful never again to link the names of Erasmus and Hutten. I +assure you nothing can be more unlike. And Ulrich von Hutten is a most +rash and dangerous man." + +"I will be careful never to forget Erasmus," I said, bowing low, as I +took the hand he offered. And the doctor rode on. + +Yes, the sorrows of the undecided are doubtless bitterer than those of +the courageous; bitterer as poison is bitterer than medicine, as an +enemy's wound is bitterer than a physician's. Yet it is true that the +clearer the insight into difficulty and danger, the greater need be the +courage to meet them. The path of the rude simple man who sees nothing +but right on one side, and nothing but wrong on the other, is +necessarily plainer than his who, seeing much evil in the good cause, +and some truth at the foundation of all error, chooses to suffer for the +right, mixed as it is, and to suffer side by side with men whose manners +distress him, just because he believes the cause is on the whole that of +truth and God. Luther's school may not indeed have room for Erasmus, nor +Erasmus's school for Luther; but God may have compassion and room for +both. + +At Basel I replenished my pack from the stores of Frobenius, and +received very inspiriting tidings from him of the spread of the truth of +the gospel (especially by means of the writings of Luther) into Italy +and Spain. I did not apply further to Erasmus. + + + NEAR ZURICH, _July_. + +My heart is full of resurrection hymns. Everywhere in the world it seems +Easter-tide. This morning, as I left Zurich, and, climbing one of the +heights on this side, looked down on the lake, rippled with silver, +through the ranges of green and forest-covered hills, to the glorious +barrier of far-off mountains, purple, and golden, and snow-crowned, +which encircles Switzerland, and thought of the many hearts which, +during these years, have been awakened here to the liberty of the sons +of God, the old chant of Easter and Spring burst from my lips:-- + + Plandite coeli, + Rideat æther + Summus et imus + Gaudeat orbis! + Transivit atræ + Turba procellæ! + Subuit almæ + Gloria palmæ! + + Surgite verni, + Surgite flores, + Germina pictis + Surgite campis! + Teneris mistæ + Violis rosæ; + Candida sparsis + Lilla calthis! + + Currite plenis + Carmina venis, + Fundite lætum + Barbita metrum; + Namque revixit + Sicuti dixit + Pius illæsus + Funere Jesus. + + Plaudite montes, + Ludite fontes, + Resonent valles, + Repetant colles! + Io revixit. + Sicuti dixit + Pius illæsus + Funere Jesus[9] + +[Footnote 9: + + Smile praises, O sky! + Soft breathe them, O air, + Below and on high, + And everywhere! + Awake thee, O spring! + Ye flowers, come forth, + With thousand hues tinting + The soft green earth! + Ye violets tender, + And sweet roses bright, + Gay Lent-lilies blended + With pure lilies white. + + Sweep tides of rich music + The new world along, + And pour in full measure, + Sweet lyres, your song! + The black troop of storms + Has yielded to calm; + Tufted blossoms are peeping, + And early palm. + Sing, sing, for He liveth! + He lives, as He said;-- + The Lord has arisen, + Unharmed, from the dead! + Clap, clap your hands, mountains! + Ye valleys, resound! + Leap, leap for joy, fountains! + Ye hills, catch the sound! + All triumph; He liveth! + He lives, as He said:-- + The Lord has arisen, + Unharmed, from the dead!] + +And when I ceased, the mountain stream which dashed over the rocks +beside me, the whispering grasses, the trembling wild-flowers, the +rustling forests, the lake with its ripples, the green hills and solemn +snow-mountains beyond--all seemed to take up the chorus. + +There is a wonderful, invigorating influence about Ulrich Zwingle, with +whom I have spent many days lately. It seems as if the fresh air of the +mountains among which he passed his youth were always around him. In his +presence it is impossible to despond. While Luther remains immovably +holding every step of ground he has taken, Zwingle presses on, and +surprises the enemy asleep in his strongholds. Luther carries on the war +like the Landsknechts, our own firm and impenetrable infantry; Zwingle, +like his own impetuous mountaineers, sweeps down from the heights upon +the foe. + +In Switzerland I and my books have met with more sudden and violent +varieties of reception than anywhere else; the people are so free and +unrestrained. In some villages, the chief men, or the priest himself, +summoned all the inhabitants by the church bell, to hear all I had to +tell about Dr. Luther and his work, and to buy his books; my stay was +one constant _fête_, and the warm-hearted peasants accompanied me miles +on my way, discoursing of Zwingle and Luther, the broken yoke of Rome, +and the glorious days of freedom that were coming. The names of Luther +and Zwingle were on every lip, like those of Tell and Winkelried and the +heroes of the old struggle of Swiss liberation. + +In other villages, on the contrary, the peasants gathered angrily around +me, reviled me as a spy and an intruding foreigner, and drove me with +stones and rough jests from among them, threatening that I should not +escape so easily another time. + +In some places they have advanced much further than among us in Germany. +The images have been removed from the churches, and the service is read +in the language of the people. + +But the great joy is to see that the light has not been spread only from +torch to torch, as human illumination spread, but has burst at once on +Germany, France, and Switzerland, as heavenly light dawns from above. It +is this which makes it not an illumination merely, but morning and +spring! Lefevre in France and Zwingle in Switzerland both passed through +their period of storms and darkness, and both, awakened by the heavenly +light to the new world, found that it was no solitude--that others also +were awake, and that the day's work had begun, as it should, with matin +songs. + +Now I am tending northwards once more. I intend to renew my stores at my +father's press at Wittemberg. My heart yearns also for news of all dear +to me there. Perhaps, too, I may yet see Dr. Luther, and find scope for +preaching the evangelical doctrine among my own people. + +For better reports have come to us from Germany and we believe Dr. +Luther is in friendly keeping, though where, is still a mystery. + + + THE PRISON OF A DOMINICAN CONVENT, + FRANCONIA, _August_. + +All is changed for me. Once more prison walls are around me, and through +prison bars I look out on the world I may not re-enter. I counted this +among the costs when I resolved to give myself up to spreading far and +wide the glad tidings of redemption. It was worth the cost; it is worth +whatever man can inflict--for I trust that those days have not been +spent in vain. + +Yesterday evening, as the day was sinking, I found my way once more to +the parsonage of Priest Ruprecht in the Franconian village. The door was +open, but I heard no voices. There was a neglected look about the little +garden. The vine was hanging untwined around the porch. The little +dwelling, which had been so neat, had a dreary, neglected air. Dust lay +thick on the chairs, and the remains of the last meal were left on the +table. And yet it was evidently not unoccupied. A book lay upon the +window-sill, evidently lately read. It was the copy of Luther's German +Commentary on the Lord's Prayer which I had left that evening many +months ago in the porch. + +I sat down on a window seat, and in a little while I saw the priest +coming slowly up the garden. His form was much bent since I saw him +last. He did not look up as he approached the house. It seemed as if he +expected no welcome. But when I went out to meet him, he grasped my hand +cordially, and his face brightened. When, however, he glanced at the +book in my hand, a deeper shade passed over his brow; and, motioning me +to a chair, he sat down opposite me without speaking. + +After a few minutes he looked up, and said in a husky voice, "That book +did what all the denunciations and terrors of the old doctrines could +not do. It separated us. She has left me." + +He paused for some minutes, and then continued,--"The evening that she +found that book in the porch, when I returned I found her reading it. +'See!' she said, 'at last some one has written a religious book for me! +It was left here open, in the porch, at these words: "If thou dost feel +that in the sight of God and all creatures thou art a fool, a sinner, +impure, and condemned, ... there remaineth no solace for thee, and no +salvation, unless in Jesus Christ. To know him is to understand what the +apostle says,--'Christ has of God been made unto us wisdom, and +righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.' He is the bread of +God--our bread, given to us as children of the heavenly Father. To +believe is nothing else than to eat this bread from heaven." And look +again. The book says, "It touches God's heart when we call him +Father,"--and again, "_Which art in heaven._" "He that acknowledges he +has a Father who is in heaven, owns that he is like an orphan on the +earth. Hence his heart feels an ardent longing, like a child living away +from its father's country, amongst strangers, wretched and forlorn. It +is as if he said, "Alas! my Father, thou art in heaven, and I, thy +miserable child, am on earth, far from thee amid danger, necessity, and +sorrow." 'Ah, Ruprecht,' she said, her eyes streaming with tears, 'that +is so like what I feel,--so lost, and orphaned, and far away from home.' +And then, fearing she had grieved me, she added, 'Not that I am +neglected. Thou knowest I could never feel that. But oh, can it be +possible that God would take me back, not after long years of penance, +but _now_, and _here_, to his very heart?" + +"I could say little to teach her, but from that time this book was her +constant companion. She begged me to find out all the passages in my +Latin Gospels which speak of Jesus suffering for sinners, and of God as +the Father. I was amazed to see how many there were. The book seemed +full of them. And so we went on for some days, until one evening she +came to me, and said, 'Ruprecht, if God is indeed so infinitely kind and +good, and has so loved us, we must obey him, must we not?' I could not +for the world say No, and I had not the courage to say Yes, for I knew +what she meant." + +Again he paused. + +"I knew too well what she meant, when, on the next morning, I found the +breakfast laid, and everything swept and prepared as usual, and on the +table, in printed letters on a scrap of paper, which she must have +copied from the book, for she could not write, 'Farewell. We shall be +able to pray for each other now. And God will be with us, and will give +us to meet hereafter, without fear of grieving him, in our Father's +house." + +"Do you know where she is?" I asked. + +"She has taken service in a farm-house several miles away in the +forest," he replied. "I have seen her once. She looked very thin and +worn. But she did not see me." + +The thought which had so often suggested itself to me before, came with +irresistible force into my mind then,--"If those vows of celibacy are +contrary to the will of God, can they be binding?" But I did not venture +to suggest them to my host. I only said, "Let us pray that God will lead +you both. The heart can bear many a heavy burden if the conscience is +free!" + +"True," he said. And together we knelt down, whilst I spoke to God. And +the burden of our prayer was neither more nor less than this, "Our +Father which art in heaven, not our will, but thine be done." + +On the morrow I bade him farewell, leaving him several other works of +Luther's. And I determined not to lose an hour in seeking Melancthon and +the doctors of Wittemberg, and placing this case before them. + +And now, perhaps, I shall never see Wittemberg again! + +It is not often that I have ventured into the monasteries, but to-day a +young monk, who was walking in the meadows of this abbey, seemed so +interested in my books, that I followed him to the convent, where he +thought I should dispose of many copies. Instead of this, however, +whilst I was waiting in the porch for him to return, I heard the sound +of angry voices in discussion inside, and before I could perceive what +it meant, three or four monks came to me, seized my pack, bound my +hands, and dragged me to the convent prison, where I now am. + +"It is time that this pestilence should be checked," said one of them. +"Be thankful if your fate is not the same as that of your poisonous +books, which are this evening to make a bonfire in the court." + +And with these words I was left alone in this low, damp, dark cell, with +its one little slit high in the wall, which, until my eyes grew +accustomed to it, seemed only to admit just light enough to show the +iron fetters hanging from the walls. But what power can make me a +captive while I can sing:-- + + Mortis portis practis, fortis + Fortior vim sustulit; + Et per crucem regem trucem, + Infernorum perculit. + + Lumen clarum tenebrarum + Sedibus resplenduit; + Dum salvare, recreare + Quod creavit, voluit. + + Hinc creator, ne peccator, + Moreretur, moritur; + Cujus morte, nova sorte, + Vita nobis oritur.[10] + +[Footnote 10: + + Lo, the gates of death are broken, + And the strong man armed is spoiled, + Of his armour, which he trusted, + By the stronger Arm despoiled. + Vanquished is the Prince of Hell; + Smitten by the cross, he fell. + + That the sinner might not perish, + For him the Creator dies; + By whose death, our dark lot changing, + Life again for us doth rise,] + +Are not countless hearts now singing this resurrection hymn, to some of +whom my hands brought the joyful tidings? In the lonely parsonage, in +the forest and farm, hearts set free by love from the fetters of sin--in +village and city, in mountain and plain! + +And at Wittemberg, in happy homes, and in the convent, are not my +beloved singing it too? + + + _September_. + +Yet the time seems long to lie in inaction here. With these tidings, +"The Lord is risen," echoing through her heart, would it not have been +hard for the Magdalene to be arrested on her way to the bereaved +disciples before she could tell it? + + + _October_. + +I have a hope of escape. In a corner of my prison I discovered, some +days since, the top of an arch, which I believe must belong to a +blocked-up door. By slow degrees--working by night, and covering over my +work by day--I have dug out a flight of steps which led to it. This +morning I succeeded in dislodging one of the stones with which the +door-way had been roughly filled up, and through the space surveyed the +ground outside. It was a portion of a meadow, sloping to the stream +which turned the abbey mills. This morning two of the monks came to +summon me to an examination before the Prior, as to my heresies; but +to-night I hope to dislodge the few more stones, and this very night, +before morning dawn, to be treading with free step the forest covered +hills beyond the valley. + +My limbs feel feeble with insufficient food, and the damp, close air of +the cell; and the blood flows with feverish, uncertain rapidity through +my veins; but, doubtless, a few hours on the fresh, breezy hills will +set all this right. + +And yet once more I shall see my mother, and Elsè, and Thekla, and +little Gretchen, and all--all but one, who, I fear, is still imprisoned +in convent walls. Yet once more I trust to go throughout the land +spreading the joyful tidings.--"The Lord is risen indeed;" the work of +redemption is accomplished, and He who once lived and suffered on earth, +compassionate to heal, now lives and reigns in heaven, mighty to save. + + + + +XX. + +Thekla's Story. + + + TUNNENBERG, _May_, 1521 + +Is the world really the same? Was there really ever a spring like this, +when the tide of life seems overflowing and bubbling up in leaf-buds, +flowers, and song, and streams? + +It cannot be _only_ that God has given me the great blessing of Bertrand +de Crèqui's love, and that life opens in such bright fields of hope and +work before us two; or that this is the first spring I ever spent in the +country. It seems to me that God is really pouring a tide of fresh life +throughout the world. + +Fritz has escaped from the prison at Maintz, and he writes as if he felt +this an Easter-tide for all men. In all places, he says, the hearts of +men are opening to the glad tidings of the redeeming love of God. + +Can it be, however, that every May is such a festival among the woods, +and that this solemn old forest holds such fairy holiday every year, +garlanding its bare branches and strewing every brown nook which a +sunbeam can reach, with showers of flowers, such as we strew on a +bride's path? And then, who could have imagined that those grave old +firs and stately birches could become the cradles of all these +delicate-tufted blossoms and tenderly-folded leaflets, bursting on all +sides from their gummy casings? And--joy of all joys!--it is not +unconscious vegetable life only which thus expands around us. It is God +touching every branch and hidden root, and waking them to beauty! It is +not sunshine merely, and soft breezes; it is our Father smiling on his +works, and making the world fresh and fair for his children,--it is the +healing touch and the gracious Voice we have learned to know. "We are in +the world, and the world was made by Thee;" "_Te Deum laudamus_: we +acknowledge thee, O Saviour, to be the Lord." + +Our Chriemhild certainly has a beautiful home. Bertrand's home, also, is +a castle in the country, in Flanders. But he says their country is not +like this forest-land. It has long been cleared by industrious hands. +There are long stately avenues leading to his father's chateau; but all +around, the land is level, and waving with grass and green or golden +corn-fields. That, also, must be beautiful. But probably the home he has +gone to prepare for me may not be there. Some of his family are very +bitter against what they call his Lutheran heresy, and although he is +the heir, it is very possible that the branch of the family which +adheres to the old religion may wrest the inheritance from him. That, we +think, matters little. God will find the right place for us, and lead us +to it, if we ask him. And if it be in the town, after all, the tide of +life in human hearts is nobler than that in trees and flowers. In a few +months we shall know. Perhaps he may return here, and become a professor +at Wittemberg, whither Dr. Luther's name brought him a year since to +study. + + + _June_, 1521. + +A rumour has reached us, that Dr. Luther has disappeared on his way back +from Worms. + +This spring, in the world as well as in the forest, will doubtless have +its storms. Last night, the thunder echoed from hill to hill, and the +wind wailed wildly among the pines. Looking out of my narrow window in +the tower on the edge of the rock, where I sleep, it was awful to see +the foaming torrent below gleaming in the lightning-flashes, which +opened out sudden glimpses into the depths of the forest, leaving it +doubly mysterious. + +I thought of Fritz's lonely night, when he lost himself in the forest; +and thanked God that I had learned to know the thunder as His voice, and +His voice as speaking peace and pardon. Only, at such times I should +like to gather all dear to me around me; and those dearest to me are +scattered far and wide. + +The old knight Ulrich is rather impetuous and hot-tempered; and his +sister, Ulrich's aunt, Dame Hermentrud, is grave and stately. +Fortunately, they both look on Chriemhild as a wonder of beauty and +goodness; but I have to be rather careful. Dame Hermentrud is apt to +attribute any over-vehemence of mine in debate to the burgher +Cotta-blood; and although they both listen with interest to Ulrich or +Chriemhild's version of Dr. Luther's doctrines, Dame Hermentrud +frequently warns me against unfeminine exaggeration or eagerness in +these matters, and reminds me that the ancestors of the Gersdorf family +were devout and excellent people long before a son was born to Hans +Luther the miner. + +The state of the peasants distresses Chriemhild and me extremely. She +and Ulrich were full of plans for their good when they came here to +live; but she is at present almost exclusively occupied with the +education of a little knightly creature, who came into the world two +months since, and is believed to concentrate in his single little person +all the ancestral virtues of all the Gersdorfs, to say nothing of the +Schönbergs. He has not, Dame Hermantrud asserts, the slightest feature +of resemblance to the Cottas. I cannot, certainly, deny that he bears +unmistakable traces of that aristocratic temper and that lofty taste for +ruling which at times distinguished my grandmother, and, doubtless, all +the Gersdorfs from the days of Adam downward, or at least from the time +of Babel. Beyond that, I believe, few pedigrees are traced, except in a +general way to the sons of Noah. But it is a great honour for me to be +connected, even in the humblest manner, with such a distinguished little +being. In time, I am not without hopes that it will introduce a little +reflex nobility even into my burgher nature: and meantime Chriemhild and +I secretly trace remarkable resemblances in the dear baby features to +our grandmother, and even to our beloved, sanguine, blind father. It is +certainly a great consolation that our father chose our names from the +poems and the stars and the calendar of aristocratic saints, instead of +from the lowly Cotta pedigree. + +Ulrich has not indeed by any means abandoned his scheme of usefulness +among the peasantry who live on his uncle's estates. But he finds more +opposition than he expected. The old knight, although ready enough to +listen to any denunciations of the self-indulgent priests and lazy monks +(especially those of the abbey whose hunting-grounds adjoin his own), is +very averse to making the smallest change in anything. He says the boors +are difficult enough to keep in order as it is; that if they are taught +to think for themselves, there will be no safety for the game, or for +anything else. They will be quoting the Bible in all kinds of wrong +senses against their rightful lords, and will perhaps even take to +debating the justice of the hereditary feuds, and refuse to follow their +knight's banner to the field. + +As to religion, he is quite sure that the Ave and the Pater are as much +as will be expected of them; whilst Dame Hermentrud has most serious +doubts of this new plan of writing books and reading prayers in the +language of the common people. They will be thinking themselves as wise +as the priests, and perhaps wiser than their masters. + +But Ulrich's chief disappointment is with the peasants themselves. They +seem as little anxious for improvement as the lords are for them, and +are certainly suspicious to a most irritating degree of any schemes for +their welfare issuing from the castle. As to their children being taught +to read, they consider it an invasion of their rights, and murmur that +if they follow the nobles in hunt and foray, and till their fields, and +go to mass on Sunday, the rest of their time is their own, and it is an +usurpation in priest or knight to demand more. + +It will, I fear, be long before the dry, barren crust of their dull hard +life is broken; and yet the words of life are for them as much as for +us! And one great difficulty seems to me, that if they were taught to +read, there are so few German religious books. Except a few tracts of +Dr. Luther's, what is there that they could understand? If some one +would only translate the record of the words and acts of our Lord and +his apostles, it would be worth while then teaching every one to read. + +And if we could only get them to confide in us! There must be thought, +and we know there is affection underneath all this reserve. It is a +heavy heritage for the long ancestry of the Gersdorfs to have bequeathed +to this generation, these recollections of tyranny and this mutual +distrust. Yet Ulrich says it is too common throughout the land. Many of +the old privileges of the nobles were so terribly oppressive in hard or +careless hands. + +The most promising field at present seems to be among the household +retainers. Among these there is strong personal attachment; and the +memory of Ulrich's pious mother seems to have left behind it that faith +in goodness which is one of the most precious legacies of holy lives. + +Even the peasants in the village speak lovingly of her; of the medicine +she used to distil from the forest-herbs, and distribute with her own +hands to the sick. There is a tradition also in the castle of a bright +maiden called Beatrice who used to visit the cottage homes, and bring +sunshine whenever she came. But she disappeared years ago, they say; and +the old family nurse shakes her head as she tells me how the Lady +Beatrice's heart was broken, when she was separated by family feuds from +her betrothed, and after that she went to the convent at Nimptschen, and +has been dead to the world ever since. + +Nimptschen! that is the living grave where our precious Eva is buried. +And yet where she is I am sure it can be no grave of death. She will +bring life and blessings with her. I will write to her, especially about +this poor blighted Beatrice. + +Altogether the peasants seem much less suspicious of the women of the +Gersdorf family than of the men. They will often listen attentively even +to me. And when Chriemhild can go among them a little more, I hope +better days will dawn. + + + _August_, 1521. + +This morning we had a strange encounter. Some days since we received a +mysterious intimation from Wittemberg, that Dr. Luther is alive and in +friendly keeping, not far from us. To-day Ulrich and I were riding +through the forest to visit an outlying farm of the Gersdorfs in the +direction of Eisenach, when we heard across a valley the huntsman's +horn, with the cry of the dogs in full chase. In a few moments an +opening among the trees brought us in sight of the hunt sweeping towards +us up the opposite slopes of the valley. Apart from the hunt, and nearer +us, at a narrow part of the valley, we observed a figure in the cap and +plumes of a knight, apparently watching the chase as we were. As we were +looking at him, a poor bewildered leveret flew towards him, and cowered +close to his feet. He stooped, and gently taking it up, folded it in the +long sleeve of his tunic, and stepped quickly aside. In another minute, +however, the hunt swept up towards him, and the dogs scenting the +leveret, seized on it in its refuge, dragged it down, and killed it. + +This unusual little incident, this human being putting himself on the +side of the pursued, instead of among the pursuers, excited our +attention. There was also something is the firm figure and sturdy gait +that perplexingly reminded us of some one we knew. Our road lay across +the valley, and Ulrich rode aside to greet the strange knight. In a +moment he returned to me, and whispered,-- + +"It is Martin Luther!" + +We could not resist the impulse to look once more on the kind honest +face, and riding close to him we bowed to him. + +He gave us a smile of recognition, and laying his hand on Ulrich's +saddle said, softly, "The chase is a mystery of higher things. See how, +as these ferocious dogs seized my poor leveret from its refuge, Satan +rages against souls, and seeks to tear from their hiding-place even +those already saved. But the Arm which holds them is stronger than mine. +I have had enough of this kind of chase," he added; "sweeter to me the +chase of the bears, wolves, boars, and foxes which lay waste the Church, +than that of these harmless creatures. And of such rapacious beasts +there are enough in the world." + +My heart was full of the poor peasants I had been seeing lately. I never +could feel afraid of Dr. Luther, and this opportunity was too precious +to be thrown away. It always seemed the most natural thing in the world +to open one's heart to him. He understood so quickly and so fully. As he +was wishing us good-bye, therefore, I said (I am afraid, in that abrupt +blundering way of mine),-- + +"Dear Dr. Luther, the poor peasants here are so ignorant! and I have +scarcely anything to read to them which they can understand. Tell some +one, I entreat you, to translate the Gospels into German for them; such +German as your 'Discourse on the Magnificat,' or 'The Lord's Prayer,' +for they all understand that." + +He smiled, and said, kindly,-- + +"It is being done, my child. I am trying in my Patmos tower once more to +unveil the Revelation to the common people; and, doubtless, they will +hear it gladly. That book alone is the sun from which all true teachers +draw their light. Would that it were in the language of every man, held +in every hand, read by every eye, listened to by every ear, treasured up +in every heart. And it will be yet, I trust." + +He began to move away, but as we looked reverently after him he turned +to us again, and said, "Remember the wilderness was the scene of the +temptation. Pray for me, that in the solitude of my wilderness I may be +delivered from the tempter." And waving his hand, in a few minutes he +was out of sight. + +We thought it would be an intrusion to follow him, or to inquire where +he was concealed. But as the hunt passed away, Ulrich recognized one of +the huntsmen as a retainer of the Elector Frederick at his castle of the +Wartburg. + +And now when every night and morning in my prayers I add, as usual, the +name of Dr. Luther to those of my mother and father and all dear to me, +I think of him passing long days and nights alone in that grim castle, +looking down on the dear old Eisenach valley, and I say, "Lord, make the +wilderness to him the school for his ministry to all our land." + +For was not our Saviour himself led first into the wilderness, to +overcome the tempter in solitude, before he came forth to teach, and +heal, and cast out devils? + + + _October_. + +Ulrich has seen Dr. Luther again. He was walking in the forest near the +Wartburg, and looked very ill and sad. His heart was heavy on account of +the disorders in the Church, the falsehood and bitterness of the enemies +of the gospel, and the impetuosity or lukewarmness of too many of its +friends. He said it would almost have been better if they had left him +to die by the hands of his enemies. His blood might have cried to God +for deliverance. He was ready to yield himself to them as an ox to the +yoke. He would rather be burned on live coals, than sleep away the +precious years thus, half alive, in sloth and ease. And yet, from what +Ulrich gathered further from him of his daily life, his "sloth and ease" +would seem arduous toil to most men. He saw the room where Dr. Luther +lives and labours day and night, writing letters of consolation to his +friends, and masterly replies, they say, to the assailants of the truth, +and (better than all) translating the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into +German. + +The room has a large window commanding many reaches of the forest; and +he showed Ulrich the rookery in the tops of the trees below, whence he +learned lessons in politics from the grave consultations of the rooks +who hold their Diet there; he also spoke to him of the various creatures +in rock and forest which soothed his solitude, the birds singing among +the branches, the berries, wild flowers, and the clouds and stars. But +he alluded also to fearful conflicts, visible and audible appearances of +the Evil One; and his health seemed much shattered. + +We fear that noble loving heart is wearing itself out in the lonely +fortress. He seems chafing like a war-horse at the echo of the distant +battle; or a hunter at the sound of the chase; or, rather, as a captive +general who sees his troops, assailed by force and stratagem, broken and +scattered, and cannot break his chains to rally and to lead them on. + +Yet he spoke most gratefully of his hospitable treatment in the castle; +said he was living like a prince or a cardinal; and deprecated the +thought that the good cause would not prosper without his presence. + +"I cannot be with them in death," he said, "nor they with me! Each must +fight that last fight, go through that passion alone. And only those +will overcome who have learned how to win the victory before, and +grounded deep in the heart that word, which is the great power against +sin and the devil, that Christ has died for each one of us, and has +overcome Satan for ever." + +He said also that if Melancthon lived it mattered little to the Church +what happened to him. The Spirit of Elijah came in double power on +Elisha. + +And he gave Ulrich two or three precious fragments of his translation of +the Gospels, for me to read to the peasants. + + + _November_. + +I have gone with my precious bits of the German Bible that is to be into +many a cottage during this month,--simple narratives of poor, leprous, +and palsied people, who came to the Lord, and he touched them and healed +their diseases; and of sinners whom he forgave. + +It is wonderful how the simple people seem to drink them in; that is, +those who care at all for such things. "Is this indeed what the Lord +Christ is like?" they say; "then, surely, we may speak to him in our own +words, and ask just what we want, as those poor men and women did of +old. Is it true, indeed, that peasants, women, and sick people could +come straight to the Lord himself? Was he not always kept off from +common people by a band of priests and saints? Was he indeed to be +spoken to by all, and He such a great Lord?" + +I said that I thought it was the necessity of human princes, and not +their glory, to be obliged to employ deputies, and not let each one +plead his own case. They look greatest afar off, surrounded by the pomp +of a throne, because in themselves they are weak and sinful, like other +men. But he needed no pomp, nor the dignity of distance, because he is +not like other men, but sinless and divine, and the glory is in Himself, +not in the things around him. + +Then I had a narrative of the crucifixion to read; and many a tear have +I seen stream over rough cheeks, and many a smile beam in dim aged eyes +as I read this. + +"We seem to understand it all at once," an old woman said; "and yet +there always seems something more in it each time." + + + _December_. + +This morning I had a letter from Bertrand,--the first for many weeks. He +is full of hope; not, indeed, of recovering his inheritance, but of +being at Wittemberg again in a few weeks. + +I suppose my face looked very bright when I received it and ran with the +precious letter to my own room; for Dame Hermentrud said much this +evening about receiving everything with moderation, and about the +propriety of young maidens having a very still and collected demeanour, +and about the uncertainty of all things below. My heavenly Father knows +I do not forget that all things are uncertain; although, often, I dare +not dwell on it. But He has given me this good gift--He himself--and I +will thank him with an overflowing heart for it! + +I cannot understand Dame Hermentrud's religion. She seems to think it +prudent, and a duty, to take everything God gives coolly, as if we did +not care very much about it, lest He should think he had given us +something too good for us, and grudge it to us, and take it away again. + +No; if God does take away, He takes away as He gave, in infinite love; +and I would not for the world add darkness to the dark days, if they +must come, by the bitter regret that I did not enjoy the sunshine whilst +He gave it. For, indeed, I cannot help fearing sometimes, when I think +of the martyrs of old, and the bitterness of the enemies of the good +tidings now. But then I try to look up, and try to say, "Safer, O +Father, in thy hands than in mine." And all the comfort of the prayer +depends on how I can comprehend and feel that name, "Father!" + + + + +XXI. + +Eva's Story. + + + CISTERCIAN CONVENT, NIMPTSCHEN, + _September_ 2, 1521. + +They have sent me several sheets of Dr. Luther's translation of the New +Testament, from Uncle Cotta's press at Wittemberg. + +Of all the works he ever did for God, this seems to me the mightiest and +the best. None has ever so deeply stirred our convent. Many of the +sisters positively refuse to join in any invocation of the saints. They +declare that it must be Satan himself who has kept this glorious book +locked up in a dead language out of reach of women and children and the +common people. And the young nuns say it is so interesting, it is not in +the least like a book of sermons, or a religious treatise. + +"It is like every-day life," said one of them to me, "with what every +one wants brought into it; a perfect Friend, so infinitely good, so +near, and so completely understanding our inmost hearts. Ah, Sister +Eva," she added, "if they could only hear of this at home!" + + + _October_. + +To-day we have received a copy of Dr. Luther's thesis against the +monastic life. + +"There is but one only spiritual estate," he writes, "which is holy and +makes holy, and that is Christianity,--the faith which is the common +right of all." + +"Monastic institutions," he continues, "to be of any use ought to be +schools, in which children may be brought up until they are adults. But +as it is, they are houses in which men and women become children, and +ever continue childish." + +Too well, alas! I know the truth of these last words; the hopeless, +childish occupation with trifles, into which the majority of the nuns +sink when the freshness of youth and the bitter conflict of separation +from all dear to the heart has subsided, and the great incidents of life +have become the decorating the church for a festival, or the pomp +attending the visit of an Inspector or Bishop. + +It is against this I have striven. It is this I dread for the young +sisters; to see them sink into contented trifling with religious +playthings. And I have been able to see no way of escape, unless, +indeed, we could be transferred to some city and devote ourselves to the +case of the sick and poor. + +Dr. Luther, however, admits of another solution. We hear that he has +counselled the Prior of the Monastery at Erfurt to suffer any monks who +wish it freely to depart. And many, we have been told, in various +monasteries, have already left, and returned to serve God in the world. + +Monks can, indeed, do this. The world is open before them, and in some +way they are sure to find occupation. But with us it is different. Torn +away from our natural homes, the whole world around us is a trackless +desert. + +Yet how can I dare to say this? Since the whole world is the work of our +heavenly father's hands, and may be the way to our Father's house, will +not He surely find a place for each of us in it, and a path for us +through it? + + + _November_ 10. + +Nine of the younger nuns have come to the determination, if possible, to +give up the conventual life, with its round of superstitious +observances. This evening we held a consultation in Sister Beatrice's +cell. Aunt Agnes joined us. + +It was decided that each should write to her relatives, simply +confessing that she believed the monastic vows and life to be contrary +to the Holy Scriptures, and praying to be received back into her family. + +Sister Beatrice and Aunt Agnes decided to remain patiently where they +were. + +"My old home would be no more a home to me now than the convent," Sister +Beatrice said. "There is liberty for me to die here, and an open way for +my spirit to return to God." + +And Aunt Agnes said,-- + +"Who knows but that there may be some lowly work left for me to do here +yet! In the world I should be as helpless as a child, and why should I +return to be a burden on my kindred." + +They both urged me to write to Elsè or Aunt Cotta to receive me. But I +can scarcely think it my duty. Aunt Cotta has her children around her. +Elsè's home is strange to me. Besides, kind as every one has been to me, +I am as a stray waif on the current of this world, and have no home in +it. I think God has enabled me to cheer and help some few here, and +while Aunt Agnes and Sister Beatrice remain, I cannot bear the thought +of leaving. At all events I will wait. + + + _November_ 22. + +Fritz is in prison again. For many weeks they had heard nothing from +him, and were wondering where he was, when a letter came from a priest +called Ruprect Haller, in Franconia. He says Fritz came to his house one +evening in July, remained the night, left next morning with his pack of +Lutheran books, intending to proceed direct to Wittemberg, and gave him +the address of Aunt Cotta there. But a few weeks afterwards a young monk +met him near the Dominican Convent, and asked if he were the priest at +whose house a pedlar had spent a night a few weeks before. The priest +admitted it; whereon the young monk said to him, in a low, hurried +accent,-- + +"Write to his friends, if you know them, and say he is in the prison of +the convent, under strong suspicion of heresy. I am the young monk to +whom he gave a book on the evening he came. Tell them I did not intend +to betray him, although I led him into the net; and if ever they should +procure his escape, and you see him again, tell him I have kept his +book." The good priest says something also about Fritz having been his +salvation. And he urges that the most strenuous exertions should be made +to liberate him, and any powerful friends we have should be entreated to +intercede, because the Prior of the Dominican Convent where he is +imprisoned is a man of the severest temper, and a mighty hater of +heretics. + +Powerful friends! I know none whom we can entreat but God. + +It was in July, then, that he was captured, two months since. I wonder +if it is only my impatient spirit! but I feel as if I _must_ go to Aunt +Cotta. I have a feeling she will want me now. I think I might comfort +her; for who can tell what two months in a Dominican prison may have +done for him? + +In our convent have we not a prison, low, dark, and damp enough to weigh +the life out of any one in six weeks! From one of the massive low +pillars hang heavy iron fetters, happily rusted now from disuse; and in +a corner are a rack and other terrible instruments, now thrown aside +there, on which some of the older nuns say they have seen stains of +blood. + +When he was in prison before at Mainz, I did not seem so desponding +about his deliverance as I feel now. + +Are these fears God's merciful preparations for some dreadful tidings +about to reach us? or are they the mere natural enfeebling of the power +to hope as one grows older? + + + _December_, 1521. + +Many disappointments have fallen on us during the last fortnight. Answer +after answer has come to those touching entreaties of the nine sisters +to their kindred, in various tones of feeling, but all positively +refusing to receive them back to their homes. + +Some of the relatives use the bitterest reproaches and the severest +menaces. Others write tenderly and compassionately, but all agree that +no noble family can possibly bring on itself the disgrace of aiding a +professed nun to break her vows. Poor children! my heart aches for them, +some of them are so young, and were so confident of being welcomed back +with open arms, remembering the tears with which they were given up. + +Now indeed they are thrown on God. He will not fail them; but who can +say what thorny paths their feet may have to tread? + +It has also been discovered here that some of them have written thus to +their relations, which renders their position far more difficult and +painful. + +Many of the older nuns are most indignant at what they consider an act +of the basest treachery and sacrilege. I also am forbidden to have any +more intercourse with the suspected sisters. Search has been made in +every cell, and all the Lutheran books have been seized, whilst the +strictest attendance is required at all the services. + + + _February_ 10, 1522. + +Sister Beatrice is dead, after a brief illness. The gentle, patient +spirit is at rest. + +It seems difficult to think of joy associated with that subdued and +timid heart, even in heaven. I can only think of her as _at rest_. + +One night after she died I had a dream, in which I seemed to see her +entering into heaven. Robed and veiled in white, I saw her slowly +ascending the way to the gates of the City. Her head and her eyes were +cast on the ground, and she did not seem to dare to look up at the +pearly gates, even to see if they were open or closed. But two angels, +the gentlest spirits in heaven, came out and met her, and each taking +one of her hands, led her silently inside, like a penitent child. And as +she entered, the harps and songs within seemed to be hushed to music +soft as the dreamy murmur of a summer noon. Still she did not look up, +but passed through the golden streets with her hands trustingly folded +in the hands of the angels, until she stood before the throne. Then from +the throne came a Voice, which said, "Beatrice, it is I; be not afraid." +And when she heard that voice, a quiet smile beamed over her face like a +glory, and for the first time she raised her eyes; and sinking at His +feet, murmured, "Home!" And it seemed to me as if that one word from the +low, trembling voice vibrated through every harp in heaven; and from +countless voices, ringing as happy children's, and tender as a mother's, +came back, in a tide of love and music, the word, "Welcome home." + +This was only a dream; but it is no dream that she is there! + +She said little in her illness. She did not suffer much. The feeble +frame made little resistance to the low fever which attacked her. The +words she spoke were mostly expressions of thankfulness for little +services, or entreaties for forgiveness for any little pain she fancied +she might have given. + +Aunt Agnes and I chiefly waited on her. She was uneasy if we were long +away from her. Her thoughts often recurred to her girlhood in the old +castle in the Thuringian Forest; and she liked to hear me speak of +Chriemhild and Ulrich, and their infant boy. One evening she called me +to her, and said, "Tell my sister Hermentrud, and my brother, I am sure +they all meant kindly in sending me here; and it has been a good place +for me, especially since you came. But tell Chriemhild and Ulrich," she +added, "if they have daughters, to remember plighted troth is a sacred +thing, and let it not be lightly severed. Not that the sorrow has been +evil for me; only I would not have another suffer. All, all has been +good for me, and I so unworthy of all!" + +Then passing her thin hands over my head as I knelt beside her, she +said, "Eva, you have been like a mother, a sister, a child,--everything +to me. Go back to your old home when I am gone. I like to think you will +be there." + +Then, as if fearing she might have been ungrateful to Aunt Agnes, she +asked for her, and said, "I can never thank you enough for all you have +done for me. The blessed Lord will remember it; for did he not say, 'In +that ye have done it unto the _least_.'" + +And in the night, as I sat by her alone, she said, "Eva, I have dreaded +very much to die. I am so very weak in spirit, and dread everything. But +I think God must make it easier for the feeble such as me. For although +I do not feel any stronger I am not afraid now. It must be because He is +holding me up." + +She then asked me to sing; and with a faltering voice I sung, as well as +I could, the hymn, _Astant angelorum chori:_-- + + High the angel-choirs are raising + Heart and voice in harmony: + The Creator King still praising, + Whom in beauty there they see! + Sweetest strains from soft harps stealing, + Trumpet notes of triumph pealing; + Radiant wings and white robes gleaming, + Up the steps of glory streaming, + Where the heavenly bells are ringing, + Holy, holy, holy, singing + To the mighty Trinity! + For all earthly care and sighing + In that city cease to be! + +And two days after, in the grey of the autumn morning, she died. She +fell asleep with the name of Jesus on her lips. + +It is strange how silent and empty the convent seems, only because that +feeble voice is hushed and that poor shadowy form has passed away! + + + _February_, 1522. + +Sister Beatrice has been laid in the convent church-yard with solemn +mournful dirges and masses, and stately ceremonies, which seemed to me +little in harmony with her timid, shrinking nature, or with the peace +her spirit rests in now. + +The lowly mound in the church-yard, marked by no memorial but a wooden +cross, accords better with her memory. The wind will rustle gently there +next summer, through the grass; and this winter the robin will warble +quietly in the old elm above. + +But I shall never see the grass clothe that earthly mound. It is decided +that I am to leave the convent this week. Aunt Agnes and two of the +young sisters have just left my cell, and all is planned. + +The persecutions against those they call the Lutheran Sisters increase +continually, whilst severer and more open proceedings are threatened. It +is therefore decided that I am to make my escape at the first favourable +opportunity, find my way to Wittemberg, and then lay the case of the +nine nuns before the Lutheran doctors, and endeavour to provide for +their rescue. + + + _February_ 20, 1522. + +At last the peasant's dress in which I am to escape is in my cell, and +this very night, when all is quiet, I am to creep out of the window of +Katherine von Bora's cell, into the convent garden. Aunt Agnes has been +nervously eager about my going, and has been busy secretly storing a +little basket with provisions. But to-night, when I went into her cell +to wish her good-bye, she quite broke down, and held me tight in her +arms, as if she could never let me go, while her lips quivered, and +tears rolled slowly over her thin furrowed cheeks. "Eva, child," she +said, "who first taught me to love in spite of myself, and then taught +me that God is love, and that he could make me, believing in Jesus, a +happy, loving child again! how can I part with thee?" + +"Thou wilt join me again," I said, "and your sister who loves thee so +dearly!" + +She shook her head and smiled through her tears, as she said,-- + +"Poor helpless old woman that I am, what would you all do with me in the +busy life outside?" + +But her worst fear was for me, in my journey alone to Wittemberg, which +seemed to her, who for forty years had never passed the convent walls, +so long and perilous. Aunt Agnes always thinks of me as a young girl, +and imagines every one must think me beautiful, because love makes me so +to her. She is sure they will take me for some princess in disguise. + +She forgets I am a quiet, sober-looking woman of seven-and-twenty, whom +no one will wonder to see gravely plodding along the highway. + +But I almost made her promise to come to us at Wittemberg; and at last +she reproached herself with distrusting God, and said she ought never to +have feared that his angels would watch over me. + +Once more, then, the world opens before me; but I do not hope (and why +should I wish?) that it should be more to me than this convent has +been,--a place where God will be with me and give me some little loving +services to do for him. + +But my heart does yearn to embrace dear Aunt Cotta and Elsè once more, +and little Thekla. And when Thekla marries, and Aunt and Uncle Cotta are +left alone, I think they may want me, and Cousin Eva may grow old among +Elsè's children, and all the grandchildren, helping one and another a +little, and missed a little when God takes me. + +But chiefly I long to be near Aunt Cotta, now that Fritz is in that +terrible prison. She always said I comforted her more than any one, and +I think I may again. + + + + +XXII. + +Elsè's Story. + + + _October_, 1521. + +Christopher has just returned from a journey to Halle. They have dared +once more to establish the sale of indulgences there, under the +patronage of the young and self-indulgent Archbishop Albert of Mainz. +Many of the students and the more thoughtful burghers are full of +indignation at seeing the great red cross once more set up, and the +heavenly pardons hawked through the streets for sale. This would not +have been attempted, Gottfried feels sure, had not the enemy believed +that Dr. Luther's voice is silenced for ever. Letters from him are, +however, privately handed about among us here, and more than one of us +know that he is in safe keeping not very far from us. + + _November_. + +Gottfried has just brought me the letter from Luther to the Archbishop +of Mainz; which will at least convince the indulgence-mongers that they +have roused the sleeping lion. + +He reminds the Archbishop-Elector that a conflagration has already been +raised by the protest of one poor insignificant monk against Tetzel; he +warns him that the God who gave strength to that feeble human voice +because its spoke his truth, "is living still, and will bring down the +lofty cedars and the haughty Pharoahs, and can easily humble an Elector +of Mainz although there were four Emperors supporting him." He solemnly +requires him to put down that avaricious sale of lying pardons at Mainz, +or he will speedily publish a denunciation (which he has already +written) against "The New School at Halle." "For Luther," he says, "is +not dead yet." + +We are in great doubt how the Archbishop will bear such a bold +remonstrance. + + + _November_ 20. + +The remonstrance has done its work. The Prince Archbishop has written a +humble and apologetic letter to Dr. Luther, and the indulgences are once +more banished from Halle. + +At Wittemberg, however, Dr. Luther's letters do not at all compensate +for his absence. There is great confusion here, and not seldom there are +encounters between the opposite parties in the streets. + +Almost all the monks in the Augustinian Convent refused some weeks since +to celebrate private masses or to adore the host. The gentle Dr. +Melancthon and the other doctors at first remonstrated, but were at +length themselves convinced, and appealed to the Elector of Saxony +himself to abolish these idolatrous ceremonies. We do not yet know how +he will act. No public alterations have yet been made in the Church +services. + +But the great event which is agitating Wittemberg now is the abandonment +of the cloister and the monastic life by thirteen of the Augustinian +monks. The Pastor Feldkirchen declared against priestly vows, and +married some months since. But he was only a secular priest; and the +opinions of all good men about the marriage of the priests of the +parochial churches have long been undivided amongst us. + +Concerning the monks, however, it is different. For the priests to marry +is merely a change of state; for the monks to abandon their vows is the +destruction of their order, and of the monastic life altogether. + +Gottfried and I are fully persuaded they are right; and we honour +greatly these men, who, disclaiming maintenance at other people's +expense, are content to place themselves among the students at the +university. More especially, however, I honour the older or less +educated brethren, who, relinquishing the consideration and idle plenty +of the cloister, set themselves to learn some humble trade. One of these +has apprenticed himself to a carpenter; and as we passed his bench the +other day, and watched him perseveringly trying to train his +unaccustomed fingers to handle the tools, Gottfried took off his cap and +respectfully saluted him, saying,-- + +"Yes, that is right. Christianity must begin again with the carpenter's +home at Nazareth." + +In our family, however, opinions are divided. Our dear, anxious mother +perplexes herself much as to what it will all lead to. It is true that +Fritz's second imprisonment has greatly shaken her faith in the monks; +but she is distressed at the unsettling tendencies of the age. To her it +seems all destructive; and the only solution she can imagine for the +difficulties of the times is, that these must be the latter days, and +that when everything is pulled down, our Lord himself will come speedily +to build up his kingdom in the right way. + +Deprived of the counsel of Fritz and her beloved Eva, and of Dr. +Luther--in whom lately she had grown more to confide, although she +always deprecates his impetuosity of language--she cannot make up her +mind what to think about anything. She has an especial dread of the +vehemence of the Archdeacon Carlstadt; and the mild Melancthon is too +much like herself in disposition for her to lean on his judgment. + +Nevertheless, this morning, when I went to see them, I found her busily +preparing some nourishing soup; which, when I asked her, she confessed +was destined for the recusant monk who had become a carpenter. + +"Poor creatures," she said apologetically, "they were accustomed to live +well in the cloister, and I should not like them to feel the difference +too suddenly." + +Our grandmother is more than eighty now. Her form is still erect, +although she seldom moves from her arm-chair; and her faculties seem +little dimmed, except that she cannot attend to anything for any length +of time. Sometimes I think old age to her is more like the tender days +of early spring, than hard and frosty winter. Thekla says it seems as if +this life were dawning softly for her into a better; or as if God were +keeping her, like Moses, with undimmed eyes and strength unabated, till +she may have the glimpse of the Promised Land, and see the deliverance +she has so long waited for close at hand. + +With our children she is as great a favourite as she was with us; she +seems to have forgotten her old ways of finding fault; either because +she feels less responsibility about the third generation, or because she +sees all their little faults through a mellowed light. I notice, too, +that she has fallen on quite a different vein of stories from those +which used to rivet us. She seems to pass over the legendary lore of her +early womanhood, back to the experiences of her own stirring youth and +childhood. The mysteries of our grandfather's history, which we vainly +sought to penetrate, are all opened to Gretchen and the boys. The saints +and hermits, whose adventures were our delight, are succeeded by stories +of secret Hussite meetings to read the Scriptures among the forests and +mountains of Bohemia; of wild retreats in caves, where whole families +lived for months in concealment; of heart-rending captures or marvellous +escapes. + +The heroes of my boys will be, not St. Christopher and St. George, but +Hussite heretics! My dear mother often throws in a warning word to the +boys, that those were evil times, and that people do not need to lead +such wild lives now. But the text makes far more impression on the +children than the commentary. + +Our grandmother's own chief delight is still in Dr. Luther's writings. I +have lately read over to her and my father, I know not how many times, +his letter from the Wartburg, "to the little band of Christ at +Wittemberg," with his commentary accompanying it on the 37th +Psalm--"Fret not thyself because of evildoers." + +Our dear father is full of the brightest visions. He is persuaded that +the whole world is being rapidly set right, and that it matters little, +indeed, that his inventions could not be completed, since we are +advancing at full speed into the Golden Age of humanity. + +Thus, from very opposite points and through very different paths, he and +my mother arrive at the same conclusion. + +We have heard from Thekla that Ulrich has visited Dr. Luther at the +Wartburg, where he is residing. I am so glad to know where he is. It is +always so difficult to me to think of people without knowing the scene +around them. The figure itself seems to become shadowy in the vague, +shadowy, unknown world around it. It is this which adds to my distress +about Fritz. Now I can think of Dr. Luther sitting in that large room in +which I waited for the Elector with my embroidery, so many years +ago--looking down the steep over the folded hills, reaching one behind +another till the black pines and the green waving branches fade into +lovely blue beneath the golden horizon. And at sunset I seem to see how +the shadows creep over the green valleys where we used to play, and the +low sun lights up the red stems of the pines. + +Or in the summer noon I see him sitting with his books--great folios, +Greek, and Hebrew, and Latin--toiling at that translation of the Book of +God, which is to be the blessing of all our people; while the warm +sunbeams draw out the aromatic scent of the fir-woods, and the breezes +bring it in at the open window. + +Or at early morning I fancy him standing by the castle walls, looking +down on the towers and distant roofs of Eisenach, while the bell of the +great convent booms up to him the hour; and he thinks of the busy life +beginning in the streets, where once he begged for bread at Aunt Ursula +Cotta's door. Dear Aunt Ursula, I wish she could have lived till now, to +see the rich harvest an act of loving-kindness will sometimes bring +forth. + +Or at night, again, when all sounds are hushed except the murmur of the +unseen stream in the valley below, and the sighing of the wind through +the forest, and that great battle begins which he has to fight so often +with the powers of darkness, and he tries to pray, and cannot lift his +heart to God, I picture him opening his casement, and looking down on +forest, rook, and meadow, lying dim and lifeless beneath him, glance +from these up to God, and re-assure himself with the truth he delights +to utter-- + +"_God lives still!_" feeling, as he gazes, that night is only hiding the +sun, not quenching him, and watching till the grey of morning slowly +steals up the sky and down into the forest. + +Yes, Dr. Melancthon has told us how he toils and how he suffers at the + +Wartburg, and how once he wrote, "Are my friends forgetting to pray for +me, that the conflict is so terrible?" No; Gottfried remembers him +always among our dearest names of kith and kindred. + +"But," he said to-day, "we must leave the training of our chief to God." + +Poor, tried, perplexed Saint Elizabeth! another royal heart is suffering +at the Wartburg now, another saint is earning his crown through the +cross at the old castle home; but not to be canonized in the Papal +Calendar! + + + _December_ 21. + +The chapter of the Augustinian Order in Thuringia and Misnia has met +here within this last month, to consider the question of the irrevocable +nature of monastic vows. They have come to the decision that in Christ +there is neither layman nor monk; that each is free to follow his +conscience. + + + _Christmas Day_, 1521. + +This has been a great day with us. + +Archdeacon Carlstadt announced, some little time since, that he +intended, on the approaching Feast of the Circumcision, to administer +the holy sacrament to the laity under the two species of bread and wine. +His right to do this having been disputed, he hastened the +accomplishment of his purpose, lest it should be stopped by any +prohibition from the court. + +To-day, after his sermon in the City Church, in which he spoke of the +necessity of replacing the idolatrous sacrifice of the mass by the holy +supper, he went to the altar, and, after pronouncing the consecration of +the elements in German, he turned towards the people, and said +solemnly,-- + +"Whosoever feels heavy laden with the burden of his sins, and hungers +and thirsts for the grace of God, let him come and receive the body and +blood of the Lord." + +A brief silence followed his words, and then, to my amazement, before +any one else stirred, I saw my timid, retiring mother slowly moving up +the aisle, leading my father by the hand. Others followed; some with +reverent, solemn demeanour, others perhaps with a little haste and +over-eagerness. And as the last had retired from the altar, the +archdeacon, pronouncing the general absolution, added solemnly,-- + +"Go, and sin no more." + +A few moments' pause succeeded, and then, from many voices here and +there, gradually swelling to a full chorus, arose the Agnus Dei,-- + +"Lamb of God, who takest away the sin of the world, have mercy on us. +Give us peace." + +We spent the Christmas, as usual, in my father's house. Wondering, as I +did, at my mother's boldness, I did not like to speak to her on the +subject; but, as we sat alone in the afternoon, while our dear father, +Gottfried, Christopher and the children had gone to see the skating on +the Elbe, she said to me,-- + +"Elsè, I could not help going. It seemed like the voice of our Lord +himself saying to me, '_Thou_ art heavy laden-come!' I never understood +it all as I do now. It seemed as if I _saw_ the gospel with my +eyes,--saw that the redemption is finished, and that now the feast is +spread. I forgot to question whether I repented, or believed, or loved +enough. I saw through the ages the body broken and the blood shed for me +on Calvary; and now I saw the table spread, and heard the welcome, and I +could not help taking your father's hand and going up at once." + +"Yes, dear mother, you set the whole congregation the best example!" I +said. + +"I!" she exclaimed. "Do you mean that I went up before any one else? +What! before all the holy men, and doctors, and the people in authority? +Elsè, my child, what have I done? But I did not think of myself, or of +any one else. I only seemed to hear His voice calling me; and what could +I do but go? And, indeed, I cannot care now how it looked! Oh, Elsè," +she continued, "it is worth while to have the world thus agitated to +restore this feast again to the Church; worth while," she added with a +trembling voice, "even to have Fritz in prison for this. The blessed +Lord has sacrificed himself for us, and we are living in the festival. +He died for sinners. He spread the feast for the hungry and thirsty. +Then those who feel their sins most must be not the last but the first +to come. I see it all now. That holy sacrament is the gospel for me." + + + _February_ 10, 1522. + +The whole town is in commotion. + +Men have appeared among us who say that they are directly inspired from +heaven; that study is quite unnecessary--indeed, an idolatrous +concession to the flesh and the letter; that it is wasting time and +strength to translate the Holy Scriptures, since, without their +understanding a word of Greek or Hebrew, God has revealed its meaning to +their hearts. + +These men come from Zwickau. Two of them are cloth-weavers; and one is +Münzer, who was a priest. They also declare themselves to be prophets. +Nicholas Storck, a weaver, their leader, has chosen twelve apostles and +seventy-two disciples, in imitation of our Lord. And one of them cried +in awful tones, to-day through the streets,-- + +"Woe, woe to the impious governers of Christendom! Within less then +seven years the world shall be made desolate. The Turk will overrun the +land. No sinner shall remain alive. God will purify the earth by blood, +and all the priests will be put to death. The saints will reign. The day +of the Lord is at hand. Woe! woe!" + +Opinions are divided throughout the university and the town about them. +The Elector himself says he would rather yield up his crown and go +through the world a beggar than resist the voice of the Lord. Dr. +Melancthon hesitated, and says we must try the spirits whether they be +of God. The Archdeacon Carlstadt is much impressed with them, and from +his professorial chair even exhorts the students to abandon the vain +pursuits of carnal wisdom, and to return to earn their bread, according +to God's ordinance, in the sweat of their brow. The master of the boys' +school called, from the open window of the school-room, to the citizens +to take back their children. Not a few of the students are dispersing, +and others are in an excitable state, ready for any tumult. The images +have been violently torn from one of the churches and burnt. The monks +of the Convent of the Cordeliers have called the soldiers to their aid +against a threatened attack. + +Gottfried and others are persuaded that these men of Zwickau are deluded +enthusiasts. He says, "The spirit which undervalues the word of God +cannot be the Spirit of God." + +But among the firmest opponents of these new doctrines is, to our +surprise, our charitable mother. Her gentle, lowly spirit seems to +shrink from them as with a heavenly instinct. She says, "The Spirit of +God humbles--does not puff up." + +When it was reported to us the other day that Nicholas Storck had seen +the angel Gabriel in the night, who flew towards him and said to him, +"As for thee, thou shalt be seated on my throne!" the mother said,-- + +"It is new language to the angel Gabriel, to speak of _his_ throne. The +angels in old times used to speak of the throne of God." + +And when another said that it was time to sift the chaff from the wheat, +and to form a Church of none but saints, she said,-- + +"That would never suit me then. I must stay outside, in the Church of +redeemed sinners. And did not St. Paul himself say, as Dr. Luther told +us, 'Sinners, of whom I am chief?'" + +"But are you not afraid," some one asked her, "of dishonouring God by +denying his messengers, if, after all, these prophets should be sent +from him?" + +"I think not," she replied quietly. "Until the doctors are sure, I think +I cannot displease my Saviour by keeping to the old message." + +My father, however, is much excited about it; he sees no reason why +there should not be prophets at Wittemberg as well as at Jerusalem; and +in these wonderful days, he argues, what wonders can be too great to +believe? + +I and many others long exceedingly for Dr. Luther. I believe, indeed, +Gottfried is right, but it would be terrible to make a mistake; and Dr. +Luther always seems to see straight to the heart of a thing at once, and +storms the citadel, while Dr. Melancthon is going round and round, +studying each point of the fortifications. + +Dr. Luther never wavers in opinion in his letters, but warns us most +forcibly against these delusions of Satan. But then people say he has +not seen or heard the "prophets." One letter can be discussed and +answered long before another comes, and the living eye and voice are +much in such a conflict as this. + +What chief could lead an army on to battle by letters? + + + _February_ 26, 1522. + +Our dove of peace has come back to our home; our Eva! This evening, when +I went over with a message to my mother, to my amazement I saw her +sitting with her hand in my father's, quietly reading to him the +twenty-third psalm, while my grandmother sat listening, and my mother +was contentedly knitting beside them. + +It seemed as if she had scarcely been absent a day, so quietly had she +glided into her old place. It seemed so natural, and yet so like a +dream, that the sense of wonder passed from me as it does in dreams, and +I went up to her and kissed her forehead. + +"Dear Cousin Elsè, is it you!" she said. "I intended to have come to you +the first thing to-morrow." + +The dear, peaceful, musical voice, what a calm it shed over the home +again! + +"You see you have all left Aunt Cotta," she said, with a slight +tremulousness in her tone, "so I am come back to be with her always, if +she will let me." + +There were never any protestations of affection between my mother and +Eva, they understand each other so completely. + + + _February_ 28. + +Yes, it is no dream. Eva has left the convent, and is one of us once +more. Now that she has resumed all her old ways, I wonder more than ever +how we could have got on without her. She speaks as quietly of her +escape from the convent, and her lonely journey across the country, as +if it were the easiest and most every-day occurrence. She says every one +seemed anxious to help her and take care of her. + +She is very little changed. Hers was not a face to change. The old +guileless expression is on her lips--the same trustful, truthful light +in her dark soft eyes; the calm, peaceful brow, that always reminded one +of a sunny, cloudless sky, is calm and bright still; and around it the +golden hair, not yet grown from its conventual cutting, clusters in +little curls which remind me of her first days with us at Eisenach. Only +all the character of the face seems deepened, I cannot say shadowed, but +penetrated with that kind of look which I fancy must always distinguish +the face of the saints above from those of the angels,--those who have +suffered from those who have only sympathized; that deep, tender, +patient, trusting, human look, which is stamped on those who have passed +to the heavenly rapturous "_Thy will be done_," through the agony of +"_Not my will, but Thine_." + +At first Gretchen met her with the kind of reverent face she has at +church; and she asked me afterwards, "Is that really the Cousin Eva in +the picture?" But now there is the most familiar intimacy between them, +and Gretchen confidingly and elaborately expounds to Cousin Eva all her +most secret plans and delights. The boys, also, have a most unusual +value for her good opinion, and appear to think her judgment beyond that +of ordinary women; for yesterday little Fritz was eagerly explaining to +her the virtues of a new bow that had been given him, formed in the +English fashion. + +She is very anxious to set nine young nuns, who have embraced the +Lutheran doctrine, free from Nimptschen. Gottfried thinks it very +difficult, but by no means impracticable in time. + +Meanwhile, what a stormy world our dove has returned to!--the university +well-nigh disorganized; the town in commotion; and no German Bible yet +in any one's hands, by which, as Gottfried says, the claims of these new +prophets might be tested. + +Yet it does not seem to depress Eva. She says it seems to her like +coming out of the ark into a new world; and, no doubt, Noah did not find +everything laid out in order for him. She is quite on my mother's side +about the prophets. She says, the apostles preached not themselves, but +Christ Jesus the Lord. If the Zwickau prophets preach him, they preach +nothing new; and if they preach themselves, neither God nor the angel +Gabriel gave them that message. + +Our great sorrow is Fritz's continued imprisonment. At first we felt +sure he would escape, but every month lessens our hopes, until we +scarcely dare speak of him except in our prayers. Yet daily, together +with his deliverance, Gottfried and I pray for the return of Dr. Luther, +and for the prosperous completion of his translation of the German +Bible, which Gottfried believes will be the greatest boon Dr. Luther has +given, or can ever give, to the German people, and through them to them +Christendom. + + + _Saturday_, _March_ 8, 1522. + +The great warm heart is beating amongst us once more! + +Dr. Luther is once more dwelling quietly in the Augustinian cloister, +which he left for Worms a year ago. What changes since then! He left us +amid our tears and vain entreaties not to trust his precious life to the +treacherous safe-conduct which had entrapped John Huss to the stake. + +He returns unscathed and triumphant--the defender of the good cause +before emperor, prelates, and princes--the hero of our German people. + +He left citizens and students for the most part trembling at the daring +of his words and deeds. + +He returns to find students and burghers impetuously and blindly rushing +on the track he opened, beyond his judgment and convictions. + +He left, the foremost in the attack, timidly followed as he hurried +forward, braving death alone. + +He returns to recall the scattered forces, dispersed and divided in wild +and impetuous pursuit. + +Will, then, his voice be as powerful to recall and reorganize as it was +to urge forward? + +He wrote to the Elector, on his way from the Wartburg, disclaiming his +protection--declaring that he returned to the flock God had committed to +him at Wittemberg, called and constrained by God himself, and under +mightier protection than that of an elector! "The sword," he said, +"could not defend the truth. The mightiest are those whose faith is +mightiest. Relying on his master, Christ, and on him alone, he came." + +Gottfried says it is fancy, but already it seems to me I see a +difference in the town--less bold, loud talking, than the day before +yesterday; as in a family of eager, noisy boys, whose father is amongst +them again. But after to-morrow, we shall be able to judge better. He is +to preach in the city pulpit. + + + _Monday_, _March_ 10, 1522. + +We have heard him preach once more. Thank God, those days in the +wilderness, as he called it, have surely not been lost days for Dr. +Luther. + +As he stood again in the pulpit, many among the crowded congregation +could not refrain from shedding tears of joy. In that familiar form and +truthful, earnest face, we saw the man who had stood unmoved before the +emperor and all the great ones of the empire--alone, upholding the truth +of God. + +Many of us saw, moreover, with even deeper emotion, the sufferer who, +during those last ten months, had stood before an enemy more terrible +than pope or emperor, in the solitude of the Wartburg; and while his own +heart and flesh were often well-nigh failing in the conflict, had never +failed to carry on the struggle bravely and triumphantly for us his +flock; sending masterly replies to the University of Paris; smiting the +lying traffic with indulgences, by one noble remonstrance, from the +trembling hands of the Archbishop of Mainz; writing letter after letter +of consolation or fatherly counsel to the little flock of Christ at +Wittemberg; and, through all, toiling at that translation of the Word of +God, which is the great hope of our country. + +But older, tenderer, more familiar associations, mastered all the others +when we heard his voice again--the faithful voice that had warned and +comforted us so long in public and in private. To others, Dr. Luther +might be the hero of Worms, the teacher of Germany, the St. George who +had smitten the dragon of falsehood: to us he was the true, affectionate +pastor; and many of us, I believe, heard little of the first words of +his sermon, for the mere joy of hearing his voice again, as the clear, +deep tones, vibrated through the silent church. + +He began with commending our faith. He said we had made much progress +during his absence. But he went on to say, "We must have more than +faith--we must have love. If a man with a sword in his hand happens to +be alone, it matters little whether he keep it in the scabbard or not; +but if he is in the midst of a crowd, he must take care to hold it so as +not to hurt any one. + +"A mother begins with giving her infant milk. Would it live if she gave +it first meat and wine? + +"But, thou, my friend, hast, perhaps had enough of milk! It way be well +for thee. Yet let thy weaker, younger brother take it. The time was when +thou also couldst have taken nothing else. + +"See the sun! It brings us two things--light and heat. The rays of light +beam directly on us. No king is powerful enough to intercept those keen, +direct, swift rays. But heat is radiated back to us from every side. +Thus, like the light, faith should ever be direct and inflexible; but +love, like the heat, should radiate on all sides, and meekly adapt +itself to the wants of all. + +"The abolition of the mass, you say," he continued, "is according to +Scripture. I agree with you. But in abolishing it, what regard had you +for order and decency? You should have offered fervent prayers to God, +public authority should have been applied to, and every one would have +seen then that the thing came from God. + +"The mass is a bad thing; God is its enemy: it ought to be abolished; +and I would that throughout the whole world it were superceded by the +supper of the gospel. But let none tear any one away from it with +violence. The matter ought to be committed to God. It is His Word that +must act, and not we. And wherefore? do you say? Because I do not hold +the hearts of men in my hand as the potter holds the clay in his. Our +work is to speak; God will act. Let us preach. The rest belongs to him. +If I employ force, what do I gain? Changes in demeanour, outward shows, +grimaces, shams, hypocrisies. But what becomes of sincerity of heart, of +faith, of Christian love? All is wanting where these are wanting; and +for the rest I would not give the stalk of a pear. + +"What we want is the heart; and to win that, we must preach the gospel. +Then the word will drop to-day into one heart, to-morrow into another, +and will so work that each will forsake the mass. God effects more than +you and I and the whole world combined could attempt. He secures the +heart; and when that is won, all is won. + +"I say not this in order to re-establish the mass. Since it has been put +down, in God's name let it remain so. But ought it to have been put down +in the way it has been? St. Paul, on arriving at the great city of +Athens, found altars there erected to false gods. He passed from one to +another, made his own reflections on all, but touched none. But he +returned peaceably to the Forum, and declared to the people that all +those gods were mere idols. This declaration laid hold on the hearts of +some, and the idols fell without Paul's touching them. I would preach, I +would speak, I would write, but I would lay constraint on no one; for +faith is a voluntary thing. See what I have done! I rose in opposition +to the pope, to indulgences, and the Papists; but I did so without +tumult or violence. I pressed before all things the word of God; I +preached, I wrote; I did nothing else. And while I was asleep, or seated +at table in conversation with Amsdorf and Melancthon, over our +Wittemberg beer, that Word which I had been preaching was working, and +subverted the popedom as never before it was damaged by assault of +prince or emperor. I did nothing; all was done by the Word. Had I sought +to appeal to force, Germany might by this time have been steeped in +blood. And what would have been the result? Ruin and desolation of soul +and body. I therefore kept myself quiet, and left the Word to force its +own way through the world. Know you what, the devil thinks when he sees +people employ violence in disseminating the gospel among men? Seated +with his arms crossed behind hell fire, Satan says, with a malignant +look and hideous leer, 'Ah, but these fools are wise men, indeed, to do +my work for me!' But when he sees the Word go forth and engage alone on +the field of battle, then he feels ill at ease; his knees smite against +each other, he shudders and swoons away with terror." + +Quietly and reverently, not with loud debatings and noisy protestations +of what they would do next, the congregation dispersed. + +The words of forbearance came with such weight from that daring, +fearless heart, which has braved the wrath of popedom and empire above +for God, and still braves excommunication and ban! + + + _Wednesday_, _March_ 11. + +Yesterday again Dr. Luther preached. He earnestly warned us against the +irreverent participation in the holy sacrament. "It is not the external +eating, which makes the Christian," he said; "it is the internal and +spiritual eating, which is the work of faith, and without which all +external things are mere empty shows and vain grimaces. Now this faith +consists in firmly believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; that +having charged himself with our sins and our iniquities, and having +borne them on the cross, he is himself the sole, the all-sufficient +expiation; that he ever appears before God; that he reconciles us to the +Father, and that he has given us the sacrament of his body in order to +strengthen our faith in that unutterable mercy. If I believe these +things, God is my defender: with him on my side, I brave sin, death, +hell, and demons; they can do me no harm, nor even touch a hair of my +head. This spiritual bread is the consolation of the afflicted, the cure +of the sick, the life of the dying, food to the hungry, the treasure of +the poor. He who is not grieved by his sins, ought not, then, to +approach this altar. What would he do there? Ah, did our conscience +accuse us, did our heart feel crushed at the thought of our +shortcomings, we could not then lightly approach the holy sacrament." + +There were more among us than the monk Gabriel Didymus (a few days since +one of the most vehement of the violent faction, now sobered and brought +to his right mind), that could say as we listened, "Verily it is as the +voice of an angel." + +But, thank God, it is not the voice of an angel, but a human voice +vibrating to every feeling of our hearts--the voice of our own true, +outspoken Martin Luther, who will, we trust, now remain with us to build +up with the same word which has already cleared away so much. + +And yet I cannot help feeling as if his absence had done its work for us +as well as his return. If the hands of violence can be arrested now, I +cannot but rejoice they have done just as much as they have. + +Now, let Dr. Luther's principle stand. Abolish nothing that is not +directly prohibited by the Holy Scriptures. + + + _March_ 30. + +Dr. Luther's eight discourses are finished, and quiet is restored to +Wittemberg. The students resume their studies, the boys return to +school; each begins with a lowly heart once more the work of his +calling. + +No one has been punished. Luther would not have force employed either +against the superstitious or the unbelieving innovators. "Liberty," he +says, "is of the essence of faith." + +With his tender regard for the sufferings of others we do not wonder so +much at this. + +But we all wonder far more at the gentleness of his words. They say the +bravest soldiers make the best nurses of their wounded comrades. +Luther's hand seems to have laid aside the battle-axe, and coming among +his sick and wounded and perplexed people here, he ministers to them +gently as the kindest woman--as our own mother could, who is herself won +over to love and revere him with all her heart. + +Not a bitter word has escaped him, although the cause these disorders +are risking is the cause for which he has risked his life. + +And there are no more tumults in the streets. The frightened Cordelier +monks may carry on their ceremonies without terror, or the aid of +soldiery. All the warlike spirits are turned once more from raging +against small external things, to the great battle beginning everywhere +against bondage and superstition. + +Dr. Luther himself has engaged Dr. Melancthon's assistance in correcting +and perfecting the translation of the New Testament, which he made in +the solitude of the Wartburg. Their friendship seems closer than ever. + +Christopher's press is in the fullest activity, and all seem full of +happy, orderly occupation again. + +Sometimes I tremble when I think how much we seem to depend on Dr. +Luther, lest we should make an idol of him; but Thekla, who is amongst +us again, said to me when I expressed this fear,-- + +"Ah, dear Elsè, that is the old superstition. When God gives us a +glorious summer and good harvest, are we to receive it coldly and enjoy +it tremblingly, lest he should send us a bad season next year to prevent +our being too happy? If he sends the dark days, will he not also give us +a lamp for our feet through them?" + +And even our gentle mother said,-- + +"I think if God gives us a staff, Elsè, he _intends_ us to lean on it." + +"And when he takes it away," said Eva, "I think He is sure to give us +his own hand instead! I think what grieves God is, when we use his gifts +for what he did _not_ intend them to be; as if, for instance, we were to +_plant_ our staff, instead of _leaning_ on it; or to set it up as an +image and adore it, instead of resting on it and adoring God. _Then_, I +suppose, we might have to learn that our idol was not in itself a +support, or a living thing at all, but only a piece of lifeless wood." + +"Yes," said Thekla decidedly, "when God gives us friends, I believe he +means us to love them as much as we can. And when he gives us happiness, +I am sure he means us to enjoy it as much as we can. And when he gives +soldiers a good general, he means them to trust and follow him. And when +he gives us back Dr. Luther and Cousin Eva," she added, drawing Eva's +hand from her work and covering it with kisses, "I am quite sure he +means us to welcome them with all our hearts, and feel that we can never +make enough of them. O Elsè," she added, smiling, "you will never, I am +afraid, be set quite free from the old fetters. Every now and then we +shall hear them clanking about you, like the chains of the family ghost +of the Gersdorfs. You will never quite believe, dear good sister, that +God is not better pleased with you when you are sad than when you are +happy." + +"He is often nearest," said Eva softly, "when we are sad." And Thekla's +lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears as she replied in a +different tone,-- + +"I think I know that too, Cousin Eva." + +Poor child, she has often had to prove it. Her heart must often ache +when she thinks of the perilous position of Bertrand de Crèqui among his +hostile kindred in Flanders. And it is therefore she cannot bear a +shadow of a doubt to be thrown on the certainty of their re-union. + +The evangelical doctrine is enthusiastically welcomed at Antwerp and +other cities of the Low Countries. But, on the other hand, the civil and +ecclesiastical authorities oppose it vehemently, and threaten +persecution. + + + _May_, 1522. + +Dr. Luther has had an interview with Mark Stübner, the schoolmaster +Cellarius, and others of the Zwickau prophets and their disciples. He +told them plainly that he believed their violent, self-willed, fanatical +proceedings were suggested, not by the Holy Spirit of love and truth, +but by the spirit of lies and malice. Yet he is said to have listened to +them with quietness. Cellarius, they say, foamed and gnashed his teeth +with rage, but Stübner showed more self-restraint. + +However, the prophets have all left Wittemberg, and quiet is restored. + +A calm has come down on the place, and on every home in it--the calm of +order and subjection instead of the restlessness of self-will. And all +has been accomplished through the presence and the words of the man whom +God has sent to be our leader, and whom we acknowledge. Not one act of +violence has been done since he came. He would suffer no constraint +either on the consciences of the disciples of the "prophets," or on +those of the old superstition. He relies, as we all do, on the effect of +the translation of the Bible into German, which is now quietly and +rapidly advancing. + +Every week the doctors meet in the Augustinian Convent, now all but +empty, to examine the work done, and to consult about the difficult +passages. When once this is accomplished, they believe God will speak +through those divine pages direct to all men's hearts, and preachers and +doctors may retire to their lowly subordinate places. + + + + +XXIII. + +Atlantis' Story. + + +Chriemhild and I have always been the least clever of the family, and +with much less that is distinctive about us. Indeed, I do not think +there is anything particularly characteristic about us, except our being +twins. Thekla says we are pure Saxons, and have neither of us anything +of the impetuous Czech or Bohemian blood; which may so far be good for +me, because Conrad has not a little of the vehement Swiss character in +him. Every one always spoke of Chriemhild and me, and thought of us +together; and when they called us the beauties of the family, I think +they chiefly meant that we looked pleasant together by contrast. Thekla +says God sends the flowers into the world as twins; contrasting with +each other just as we did,--the dark-eyed violets with the fair +primroses; golden gorse, and purple heather. Chriemhild she used +sometimes to call sister Primrose, and me sister Violet. Chriemhild, +however, is beautiful by herself without me,--so tall, and fair, and +placid, and commanding-looking, with her large grey eyes, her calm broad +brow, and her erect full figure, which always made her gentle manner +seem condescending like a queen's. But I am nothing without Chriemhild; +only people used to like to see my small slight figure, and my black +eyes and hair, beside hers. + +I wonder what Conrad Winkelried's people will think of me in that +far-off mountainous Switzerland whither he is to take me! He is sure +they will all love me; but how can I tell? Sometimes my heart flutters a +great deal to think of leaving home, and Elsè and the dear mother, and +all. It is true Chriemhild seemed to find it quite natural when the time +came, but she is so different. Every one was sure to be pleased with +Chriemhild. + +And I am so accustomed to love and kindness. They all know me so well +here, and how much less clever I am than the rest, that they all bear +with me tenderly. Even Thekla, who is often a little vehement, is always +gentle with me, although she may laugh a little sometimes when I say +anything more foolish than usual. I am so often making discoveries of +things that every one else knew long since. I do not think I am so much +afraid on my own account, because I have so little right to expect +anything, and always get so much more than I deserve from our dear +heavenly Father and from every one. Only on Conrad's account I should +like to be a little wiser, because he knows so many languages, and is so +very clever. When I spoke to Elsè about it once, she smiled and said she +had the same kind of fears once, but if we ask him, God will always give +us just the wisdom we want day by day. It is part of the "daily bread," +she said. And certainly Elsè is not learned, and yet every one loves +her, and she does so much good in a quiet way. But then, although she is +not learned, she seems to me wise in little things. And she used to +write a Chronicle when she was younger than I am. She told me so, +although I have never seen it. I have been thinking that perhaps it is +writing the Chronicle that has made her wise, and therefore I intend to +try to write one. But as at present I can think of nothing to say of my +own, I will begin by copying a narrative Conrad lent me to read a few +days since, written by a young Swiss student, a friend of his, who has +just come to Wittemberg from St. Gall, where his family live. His name +is Johann Kessler, and Conrad thinks him very good and diligent. + + "_Copy of Johann Kessler's Narrative._ + +"As we were journeying towards Wittemberg to study the Holy Scriptures, +at Jena we encountered a fearful tempest, and after many inquiries in +the town for an inn where we might pass the night, we could find none, +either by seeking or asking; no one would give us a night's lodging. For +it was carnival time, when people have little care for pilgrims and +strangers. So we went forth again from the town, to try if we could find +a village where we might rest for the night. + +"At the gate, however, a respectable-looking man met us, and spoke +kindly to us, and asked whither we journeyed so late at night, since in +no direction could we reach house or inn where we could find shelter +before dark night set in. It was, moreover, a road easy to lose; he +counselled us, therefore, to remain all night where we were. + +"We answered,-- + +"'Dear father, we have been at all the inns, and they sent us from one +to another; everywhere they refused us lodging; we have, therefore, no +choice but to journey further.' + +"Then he asked if we had also inquired at the sign of the Black Bear. + +"Then we said,-- + +"'We have not seen it. Friend, where is it?' + +"Then he led us a little out of the town. And when we saw the Black +Bear, lo, whereas all the other landlords had refused us shelter, the +landlord there came himself out at the gate to receive us, bade us +welcome, and led us into the room. + +"There we found a man sitting alone at the table, and before him lay a +little book. He greeted us kindly, asked us to draw near, and to place +ourselves by him at the table. For our shoes (may we be excused for +writing it) were so covered with mud and dirt, that we were ashamed to +enter boldly into the chamber, and had seated ourselves on a little +bench in a corner near the door. + +"Then he asked us to drink, which we could not refuse. When we saw how +cordial and friendly he was, we seated ourselves near him at his table +as he had asked us, and ordered wine that we might ask him to drink in +return. We thought nothing else but that he was a trooper, as he sat +there, according to the custom of the country, in hosen and tunic, +without armour, a sword by his side, his right hand on the pommel of his +sword, his left grasping its hilt. His eyes were black and deep, +flashing and beaming like a star, so that they could not well be looked +at. + +"Soon he began to ask what was our native country. But he himself +replied,-- + +"'You are Switzers. From what part of Switzerland?" + +"We answered,-- + +"'From St Gall.' + +"Then he said,-- + +"If you are going hence to Wittemberg, as I hear, you will find good +fellow-countrymen there, namely, Doctor Hieronymus Schurf, and his +brother, Doctor Augustin.' + +"We said,-- + +"'We have letters to them.' And then we inquired, + +"'Sir, can you inform us if Martin Luther is now at Wittemberg, or if +not, where he is?' + +"He said,-- + +"'I have reliable information that Luther is not now at Wittemberg. He +will, however, soon be there. Philip Melancthon is there now; he teaches +Greek, and others teach Hebrew. I counsel you earnestly to study both; +for both are necessary in order to understand the Holy Scriptures.' + +"We said,-- + +"'God be praised! For if God spare our lives we will not depart till we +see and hear that man; since on his account we have undertaken this +journey, because we understood that he purposes to abolish the +priesthood, together with the mass, as an unfounded worship. For as we +have from our youth been destined by our parents to be priests, we would +know what kind of instruction he will give us, and on what authority he +seeks to effect such an object.' + +"After these words, he asked,-- + +"'Where have you studied hitherto?' + +"Answer, 'At Basel.' + +"Then he said, 'How goes it at Basel? Is Erasmus of Rotterdam still +there, and what is he doing?" + +"'Sir,' said we, 'we know not that things are going on there otherwise +than well. Also, Erasmus is there, but what he is occupied with is +unknown to any one, for he keeps himself very quiet, and in great +seclusion.' + +"This discourse seemed to us very strange in the trooper; that he should +know how to speak of both the Schurfs, of Philip, and Erasmus, and also +of the study of Hebrew and Greek. + +"Moreover, he now and then used Latin words, so that we deemed he must +be more than a common trooper. + +"'Friend,' he asked, 'what do they think in Switzerland of Luther.' + +"'Sir, there, as elsewhere, there are various opinions. Many cannot +enough exalt him, and praise God that He has made His truth plain +through him, and laid error bare; many, on the other hand, and among +these more especially the clergy, condemn him as a reprobate heretic.' + +"Then he said, 'I can easily believe it is the clergy that speak thus.' + +"With such conversation we grew quite confidential, so that my companion +took up the little book that lay before him, and looked at it. It was a +Hebrew Psalter. Then he laid it quickly down again, and the trooper drew +it to himself. And my companion said, 'I would give a finger from my +hand to understand that language.' + +"He answered, 'You will soon comprehend it, if you are diligent; I also +desire to understand it better, and practise myself daily in it.' + +"Meantime the day declined, and it became quite dark, when the host came +to the table. + +"When he understood our fervent desire and longing to see Martin Luther, +he said,-- + +"'Good friends, if you had been here two days ago, you would have had +your wish, for he sat here at table, and' (pointing with his finger) 'in +that place.' + +"It vexed and fretted us much that we should have lingered on the way; +and we vented our anger on the muddy and wretched roads that had delayed +us. + +"But we added,-- + +"'It rejoices us, however, to sit in the house and at the table where he +sat.' + +"Thereat the host laughed, and went out at the door. + +"After a little while, he called me to come to him at the door of the +chamber. I was alarmed, fearing I had done something unsuitable, or that +I had unwittingly given some offence. But the host said to me,-- + +"Since I perceive that you so much wish to see and hear Luther,--that is +he who is sitting with you.' + +"I thought he was jesting, and said,-- + +"'Ah, Sir Host, you would befool me and my wishes with a false image of +Luther!' + +"He answered,-- + +"'It is certainly he. But do not seem as if you knew this.' + +"I could not believe it; but I went back into the room, and longed to +tell my companion what the host had disclosed to me. At last I turned to +him, and whispered softly,-- + +"'The host has told me that is Luther.' + +"He, like me, could not at once believe it, and said,-- + +"'He said, perhaps, it was Hutten, and thou hast misunderstood him.' + +"And because the stranger's bearing and military dress suited Hutten +better than Luther, I suffered myself to be persuaded he had said, 'It +is Hutten,' since the two names had a somewhat similar sound. What I +said further, therefore, was on the supposition that I was conversing +with Huldrich ab Hutten, the knight. + +"While this was going on, two merchants arrived, who intended also to +remain the night; and after they had taken off their outer coats and +their spurs, one laid down beside him an unbound book. + +"Then he the host had (as I thought) called Martin Luther, asked what +the book was. + +"'It is Dr. Martin Luther's Exposition of certain Gospels and Epistles, +just published. Have you not yet seen it?' + +"Said Martin, 'It will soon be sent to me.' + +"Then said the host,-- + +"'Place yourselves at table; we will eat.' + +"But we besought him to excuse us, and give us a place apart. But he +said,-- + +"'Good friends, seat yourselves at the table. I will see that you are +welcome.' + +"When Martin heard that he said,-- + +"'Come, come, I will settle the score with the host by-and-by.' + +"During the meal, Martin said many pious and friendly words, so that the +merchants and we were dumb before him, and heeded his discourse far more +than our food. Among other things, he complained, with a sigh, how the +princes and nobles were gathered at the Diet at Nürnberg on account of +God's word, many difficult matters, and the oppression of the German +nation, and yet seemed to have no purpose but to bring about better +times by means of tourneys, sleigh-rides, and all kinds of vain, courtly +pleasures; whereas the fear of God and Christian prayer would accomplish +so much more. + +"'Yet these,' said he sadly, 'are our Christian princes!' + +"'Further, he said, 'We must hope that the evangelical truth will bring +forth better fruit in our children and successors--who will never have +been poisoned by papal error, but will be planted in the pure truth and +word of God--than in their parents, in whom these errors are so deeply +rooted that they are hard to eradicate.' + +"After this, the merchants gave their opinion, and the elder of them +said,-- + +"'I am a simple, unlearned layman, and have no special understanding of +these matters; but as I look at the thing, I say, Luther must either be +an angel from heaven or a devil from hell. I would gladly give ten +florins to be confessed by him, for I believe he could and would +enlighten my conscience.' + +"Meantime the host came secretly to us and said,-- + +"'Martin has paid for your supper.' + +"This pleased us much, not on account of the gold or the meal, but +because that man had made us his guests. + +"After supper, the merchants rose and went into the stable to look after +their horses. Meanwhile Martin remained in the room with us, and we +thanked him for his kindness and generosity, and ventured to say we took +him to be Huldrich ab Hutten. But he said,-- + +"'I am not he.' + +"Thereon the host came, and Martin said,-- + +"'I have to-night become a nobleman, for these Switzers take me for +Huldrich ab Hutten.' + +"And then he laughed at the jest, and said,-- + +"'They take me for Hutten, and you take me for Luther. Soon I shall +become Markolfus the clown.' + +"And after this he took a tall beer-glass, and said, according to the +custom of the country,-- + +"'Switzers, drink after me a friendly draught to each other's welfare.' + +"But as I was about to take the glass from him, he changed it, and +ordered, instead, a glass of wine, and said,-- + +"'Beer is a strange and unwonted beverage to you. Drink the wine.' + +"Thereupon he stood up, threw his mantle over his shoulder, and took +leave. He offered us his hand, and said,-- + +"'When you come to Wittemberg, greet Dr. Hieronymus Schurf from me.' + +"We said,-- + +"'Gladly would we do that, but what shall we call you, that he may +understand the greeting?' + +"He said,-- + +"'Say nothing more than, _He who is coming_ sends you greeting. He will +at once understand the words.' + +"Thus he took leave of us, and retired to rest. + +"Afterwards the merchants returned into the room, and desired the host +to bring them more to drink, whilst they had much talk with him as to +who this guest really was. + +"The host confessed he took him to be Luther; whereupon they were soon +persuaded, and regretted that they had spoken so unbecomingly before +him, and said they would rise early on the following morning, before he +rode off, and beg him not to be angry with them, or to think evil of +them, since they had not known who he was. + +"This happened as they wished, and they found him the next morning in +the stable. + +"But Martin said, 'You said last night at supper you would gladly give +ten florins to confess to Luther. When you confess yourselves to him you +will know whether I am Martin Luther or not.' + +"Further than this he did not declare who he was, but soon afterwards +mounted and rode off to Wittemberg. + +"On the same day we came to Naumburg, and as we entered a village (it +lies under a mountain, and I think the mountain is called Orlamunde, and +the village Nasshausen), a stream was flowing through it which was +swollen by the rain of the previous day, and had carried away part of +the bridge, so that no one could ride over it. In the same village we +lodged for the night, and it happened that we again found in the inn the +two merchants; so they, for Luther's sake, insisted on making us their +guests at this inn. + +"On the Saturday after, the day before the first Sunday in Lent, we went +to Dr. Hieronymus Schurf, to deliver our letters of introduction. When +we were called into the room, lo and behold! there we found the trooper +Martin, as before at Jena; and with him were Philip Melancthon, Justus +Jonas, Nicolaus Amsdorf, and Dr. Augustin Schurf, who were relating to +him what had happened at Wittemberg during his absence. He greeted us, +and, laughing, pointed with his finger and said, 'This is Philip +Melancthon, of whom I spoke to you.'" + + * * * * * + +I have copied this to begin to improve myself, that I may be a better +companion for Conrad, and also because in after years I think we shall +prize anything which shows how our Martin Luther won the hearts of +strangers, and how, when returning to Wittemberg an excommunicated and +outlawed man, with all the care of the evangelical doctrine on him, he +had a heart at leisure for little acts of kindness and words of faithful +counsel. + +What a blessing it is for me, who can understand nothing of the +"Theologia Teutsch," even in German, and never could have learned Latin +like Eva, that Dr. Luther's sermons are so plain to me, great and +learned as he is. Chriemhild and I always understood them; and although +we could never talk much to others, at night in our bed-room we used to +speak to each other about them, and say how very simple religion seemed +when he spoke of it,--just to believe in our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, +who died for our sins, and to love him, and to do all we can to make +every one around us happier and better. What a blessing for people who +are not clever, like Chriemhild and me, to have been born in days when +we are taught that religion is faith and love, instead of all of those +complicated rules and lofty supernatural virtues which people used to +call religion. + +And yet they say faith and love and humility are more really hard than +all the old penances and good works. + +But that must be, I think, to people who have never heard, as we have +from Dr. Luther, so much about God to make us love him; or to people who +have more to be proud of than Chriemhild and I and so find it more +difficult to think little of themselves. + + + + +XXIV. + +Eva's Story. + + + WITTEMBERG, _October_, 1522. + +How strange it seemed at first to be moving freely about in the world +once more, and to come back to the old home at Wittemberg! Very strange +to find the places so little changed, and the people so much. The little +room where Elsè and I used to sleep, with scarcely an article of +furniture altered, except that Thekla's books are there instead of +Elsè's wooden crucifix; and the same view over the little garden, with +its pear-tree full of white blossoms, to the Elbe with bordering oaks +and willows, all then in their freshest delicate early green; while the +undulations of the level land faded in soft blues to the horizon. + +But, unlike the convent, all the changes in the people seemed to have +been wrought by the touch of life rather than by that of death. + +In Elsè's own home across the street, the ringing of those sweet +childish voices, so new to me, and yet familiar with echoes of old tones +and looks of our own well-remembered early days! And on Elsè herself the +change seemed only such as that which develops the soft tints of spring +into the green of shadowing leaves. + +Christopher has grown from the self-assertion of boyhood into the +strength and protecting kindness of manhood. Uncle Cotta's blindness +seems to dignify him and make him the central object of every one's +tender, reverent care, while his visions grow brighter in the darkness, +and more placid on account of his having no responsibility as to +fulfilling them. He seems to me a kind of hallowing presence in the +family, calling out every one's sympathy and kindness, and pathetically +reminding us by his loss of the preciousness of our common mercies. + +On the grandmother's heart the light is more like dawn than sunset--so +fresh, and soft, and full of hope her old age seems. The marks of +fretting, daily anxiety, and care have been smoothed from dear Aunt +Cotta's face; and although a deep shadow rests there often when she +thinks of Fritz, I feel sure sorrow is not now to her the shadow of a +mountain of divine wrath, but the shadow of a cloud which brings +blessing and hides light, which the Sun of love drew forth, and the +Rainbow of promise consecrates. + +Yet he has the place of the first-born in her heart. With the others, +though not forgotten, I think his place is partly filled--but never with +her. Elsè's life is very full. Atlantis never knew him as the elder ones +did; and Thekla, dearly as she learned to love him during his little +sojourn at Wittemberg, has her heart filled with the hopes of her +future, or at times overwhelmed with its fears. With all it almost seems +he would have in some measure to make a place again, if he were to +return. But with Aunt Cotta the blank is as utterly a blank, and a +sacred place kept free from all intrusion, as if it were a chamber of +her dead, kept jealously locked and untouched since the last day he +stood living there. Yet surely he is not dead; I say so to myself and to +her when she speaks of it, a thousand times. Why, then, does this +hopeless feeling creep over me when I think of him? It seems so +impossible to believe he ever can be amongst us any more. If it would +please God only to send us some little word! But since that letter from +Priest Ruprecht Haller, not a syllable has reached us. Two months since, +Christopher went to this priest's village in Franconia, and lingered +some days in the neighbourhood, making inquiries in every direction +around the monastery where he is. But he could hear nothing, save that +in the autumn of last year, the little son of a neighbouring knight, who +was watching his mother's geese on the outskirts of the forest near the +convent, used to hear the sounds of a man's voice singing from the +window of her tower where the convent prison is. The child used to +linger near the spot to listen to the songs, which, he said, were so +rich and deep--sacred, like church hymns, but more joyful than anything +he ever heard at church. He thought they were Easter hymns; but since +one evening in last October he has never heard them, although he has +often listened. Nearly a year since now! + +Yet nothing can silence those resurrection hymns in his heart! + +Aunt Cotta's great comfort is the holy sacrament. Nothing, she says, +lifts up her heart like that. Other symbols, or writings, or sermons +bring before her, she says, some part of truth; but the Holy Supper +brings the Lord Himself before her. Not one truth about him, or another, +but _himself_; not one act of his holy life alone, nor even his atoning +death, but his very person, human and divine,--_himself_ living, dying, +conquering death, freely bestowing life. She has learned that to attend +that holy sacrament is not, as she once thought, to perform a good work, +which always left her more depressed than before with the feeling how +unworthy and coldly she had done it; but to look off from self to Him +who finished _the good work_ of redemption for us. As Dr. Melancthon +says,-- + +"Just as looking at the cross is not the doing of a good work, but +simply contemplating a sign which recalls to us the death of Christ; + +"Just as looking at the sun is not the doing of a good work, but simply +contemplating a sign which recalls to us Christ and his gospel; + +"So participating at the Lord's table is not the doing of a good work, +but simply the making use of a sign which brings to mind the grace that +has been bestowed on us by Christ." + +"But here lies the difference; symbols discovered by man simply recall +what they signify, whereas the signs given by God not only recall the +things, but further assure the heart with respect to the will of God." + +"As the sight of a cross does not justify, so the mass does not justify. +As the sight of a cross is not a sacrifice, either for our sins or for +the sins of others, so the mass is not a sacrifice." + +"There is but one sacrifice, there is but one satisfaction--Jesus +Christ. Beyond him there is nothing of the kind." + +I have been trying constantly to find a refuge for the nine evangelical +nuns I left at Nimptschen, but hitherto in vain. I do not, however, by +any means despair. I have advised them now to write themselves to Dr. +Luther. + + + _October_, 1522. + +The German New Testament is published at last. + +On September the 21st it appeared; and that day, happening to be Aunt +Cotta's birthday, when she came down among us in the morning, Gottfried +Reichenbach met her, and presented her with two large folio volumes in +which it is printed, in the name of the whole family. + +Since then one volume always lies on a table in the general +sitting-room, and one in the window of Aunt Cotta's bed-room. + +Often now she comes down in the morning with a beaming face, and tells +us of some verse she has discovered. Uncle Cotta calls it her +diamond-mine, and says, "The little mother has found the El Dorado after +all!" + +One morning it was,-- + +"Cast all your care on him, for he careth for you;' and that lasted her +many days." + +To-day it was,-- + +"Tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, +hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed +abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us." "Eva," +she said, "that seems to me so simple. It seems to me to mean, that when +sorrow comes, then the great thing we have to do is, to see we do not +lose hold of _patience_; she seems linked to all the other graces, and +to lead them naturally into the heart, hand in hand, one by one. Eva, +dear child," she added, "is that what is meant?" + +I said how often those words had cheered me, and how happy it is to +think that all the while these graces are illumining the darkness of the +heart, the dark hours are passing away, until all at once Hope steals to +the casement and withdraws the shutters; and the light which has slowly +been dawning all the time streams into the heart, "the love of God shed +abroad by the Holy Ghost." + +"But," rejoined Aunt Cotta, "we cannot ourselves bring in Experience, or +reach the hand of Hope, or open the window to let in the light of love; +we can only look up to God, keep firm hold of Patience, and _she will +bring all the rest_." + +"And yet," I said, "_peace_ comes before _patience_, peace with God +through faith in Him who was delivered for our offences. All these +graces do not lead us up to God. We have access to him first, and in his +presence we learn the rest." + +Yes, indeed, the changes in the Wittemberg world since I left it, have +been wrought by the hand of life, and not by that of death, or time, +which is his shadow. For have not the brightest been wrought by the +touch of the Life himself? + +It is God, not time, that has mellowed our grandmother's character; it +is God and not time that has smoothed the careworn wrinkles from Aunt +Cotta's brow. + +It is life and not death that has all but emptied the Augustinian +convent, sending the monks back to their places in the world, to serve +God and proclaim his gospel. + +It is the water of life that is flowing through home after home in the +channel of Dr. Luther's German Testament and bringing forth fruits of +love, and joy, and peace. + +And we know it is life and not death which is reigning in that lonely +prison, wherein the child heard the resurrection hymns, and that is +triumphing now in the heart of him who sang them, wherever he may be! + + + + +XXV. + +Thekla's Story. + + + _October_, 1522. + +Once more the letters come regularly from Flanders; and in most ways +their tidings are joyful. Nowhere throughout the world, Bertrand writes, +does the evangelical doctrine find such an eager reception as there. The +people in the great free cities have been so long accustomed to judge +for themselves, and to speak their minds freely. The Augustinian monks +who studied at Wittemberg, took back the gospel with them to Antwerp, +and preached it openly in their church, which became so thronged with +eager hearers, that numbers had to listen outside the doors. It is true, +Bertrand says, that the Prior and one or two of the monks have been +arrested, tried at Brussels, and silenced; but the rest continue +undauntedly to preach as before, and the effect of the persecution has +been only to deepen the interest of the citizens. + +The great new event which is occupying us all now, however, is the +publication of Dr. Luther's New Testament. Chriemhild writes that is the +greatest boon to her, because being afraid to trust herself to say much, +she simply reads, and the peasants seem to understand that book better +than anything she can say about it; or even, if at any time they come to +anything which perplexes them, they generally find that by simply +reading on it grows quite clear. Also, she writes, Ulrich reads it every +evening to all the servants, and it seems to bind the household together +wonderfully. They feel that at last they have found something +inestimably precious, which is yet no "privilege" of man or class, but +the common property of all. + +In many families at Wittemberg the book is daily read, for there are few +of those who can read at all who cannot afford a copy, since the price +is but a florin and a half. + +New hymns also are beginning to spring up among us. We are no more +living on the echo of old songs. A few days since a stranger from the +north sang before Dr. Luther's windows, at the Augustinian convent, a +hymn beginning,-- + + "Es ist das Heil uns kommen her." + +Dr. Luther desired that it might be sung again. It was a response from +Prussia to the glad tidings which have gone forth far and wide through +his words! He said "he thanked God with a full heart." + +The delight of having Eva among us once more is so great! Her presence +seems to bring peace with it. It is not what she says or does, but what +she is. It is more like the effect of music than anything else I know. A +quiet seems to come over one's heart from merely being with her. No one +seems to fill so little space, or make so little noise in the world as +Eva, when she is there; and yet when she is gone, it is as if the music +and the light had passed from the place. Everything about her always +seems so in tune. Her soft, quiet voice, her gentle, noiseless +movements, her delicate features, the soft curve of her cheek, those +deep loving eyes, of which one never seems able to remember anything but +that Eva herself looks through them into your heart. + +All so different from me, who can scarcely ever come into a room without +upsetting something, or disarranging some person, and can seldom enter +on a conversation without upsetting some one's prejudices, or grating on +some one's feelings! + +It seems to me sometimes as if God did indeed lead Eva, as the Psalm +says, "by His eye;" as if he had trained her to what she is by the +direct teaching of his gracious voice, instead of by the rough training +of circumstances. And nevertheless, she never makes me feel her +hopelessly above me. The light is not like a star, which makes one feel +"how peaceful it must be there, in these heights," but brings little +light upon our path. It is like a lowly sunbeam coming down among us, +and making us warm and bright. + +She always makes me think of the verse about the saint who was +translated silently to heaven, because he had "_walked with God_." Yes, +I am sure that is her secret. + +Only I have a malicious feeling that I should like to see her for once +thoroughly tossed out of her calm, just to be quite sure it is God's +peace, and not some natural or fairy gift, or a stoical impassiveness +from the "Theologia Teutsch." Sometimes, I fancy for an instant whether +it is not a little too much with Eva, as if she were "translated" +already; as if she had passed to _the other side_ of the deepest earthly +joy and sorrow, at least as regards herself. Certainly she has not as +regards others. Her sympathy is indeed no condescending alms, flung from +the other side of the flood, no pitying glance cast down on grief she +feels, but could never share. Have I not seen her lip quiver, when I +spoke of the dangers around Bertrand, even when my voice was firm, and +felt her tears on my face when she drew me to her heart. + + + _December_, 1522. + +That question at last is answered! I _have_ seen Cousin Eva moved out of +her calm, and feel at last quite sure she is not "translated" yet. +Yesterday evening we were all sitting in the family room. Our +grandmother was dozing by the stove. Eva and my mother were busy at the +table, helping Atlantis in preparing the dresses for her wedding, which +is to be early in next year. I was reading to my father from Dr. +Melancthon's new book, "The Common Places," (which all learned people +say is so much more elegant and beautifully written than Dr. Luther's +works, but which is to me only just a composed book, and not like all +Dr. Luther's writings, a voice from the depths of a heart.) I was +feeling like my grandmother, a little sleepy, and, indeed, the whole +atmosphere around us seemed drowsy and still, when our little maid, +Lottchen, opened the door with a frightened expression, and before she +could say anything, a pale tall man stood there. Only Eva and I were +looking towards the door. I could not think who it was, until a low +startled voice exclaimed "Fritz!" and looking around at Eva, I saw she +had fainted. + +In another instant he was kneeling beside her, lavishing every tender +name on her, while my mother stood on the other side, holding the +unconscious form in her arms, and sobbing out Fritz's name. + +Our dear father stood up, asking bewildered questions--our grandmother +awoke, and rubbing her eyes, surveyed the whole group with a puzzled +expression, murmuring,-- + +"Is it a dream? Or are the Zwickau prophets right after all, and is it +the resurrection?" + +But no one seemed to remember that tears and endearing words and +bewildered exclamations were not likely to restore any one from a +fainting fit, until to my great satisfaction our good motherly Elsè +appeared at the door, saying, "What is it? Lottchen ran over to tell me +she thought there were thieves." + +Then comprehending everything at a glance, she dipped a handkerchief in +water, and bathed Eva's brow, and fanned her with it, until in a few +minutes she awoke with a short sobbing breath, and in a little while her +eyes opened, and as they rested on Fritz, a look of the most perfect +rest came over her face, she placed her other hand on the one he held +already, and closed her eyes again. I saw great tears falling under the +closed eyelids. Then looking up again and seeing my mother bending over +her, she drew down her hand and laid it on Fritz's, and we left those +three alone together. + +When we were all safely in the next room, we all by one impulse began to +weep. I sobbed,-- + +"He looks so dreadfully ill. I think they have all but murdered him." + +And Elsè said,-- + +"She has exactly the same look on her face that came over it when she +was recovering from the plague, and he stood motionless beside her, with +that rigid hopeless tranquility on his face, just before he left to be a +monk. What will happen next?" + +And my grandmother said in a feeble broken voice, + +"He looks just as your grandfather did when he took leave of me in +prison. Indeed, sometimes I am quite confused in mind. It seems as if +things were coming over again. I can hardly make out whether it is a +dream, or a ghost, or a resurrection." + +Our father only did not join in our tears. He said what was very much +wiser. + +"Children, the greatest joy our house has known since Fritz left has +came to it to-day. Let us give God thanks." And we all stood around him +while he took the little velvet cap from his bald head and thanked God, +while we all wept out our Amen. After that we grew calmer; the +overwhelming tumult of feeling, in which we could scarcely tell joy from +sorrow, passed, and we began to understand it was indeed a great joy +which had been given to us. + +Then we heard a little stir in the house, and my mother summoned us +back; but we found her alone with Fritz, and would insist on his +submitting to an unlimited amount of family caresses and welcomes. + +"Come, Fritz, and assure our grandmother that you are alive, and that +you have never been dead," said Elsè. And then her eyes filling with +tears, she added, "What you must have suffered! If I had not remembered +you before you received the tonsure, I should scarcely have known you +now with your dark, long beard, and your white thin face." + +"Yes," observed Atlantis in the deliberate way in which she usually +announces her discoveries, "no doubt that is the reason why Eva +recognized Fritz before Thekla did, although they were both facing the +door, and must have seen him at the same time. She remembered him before +he received the tonsure." + +We all smiled a little at Atlantis' discovery, whereupon she looked up +with a bewildered expression, and said, "Do you think, then, she did +_not_ recognize him? I did not think of that. Probably, then, she took +him for a thief, like Lottchen!" + +Fritz was deep in conversation with our mother, and was not heeding us, +but Elsè laughed softly as she patted Atlantis' hand, and said,-- + +"Conrad Winkelried must have expressed himself very plainly, sister, +before you understood him." + +"He did, sister Elsè," replied Atlantis gravely. "But what has that to +do with Eva?" + +When I went up to our room, Eva's and mine, I found her kneeling by her +bed. In a few minutes she rose, and clasping me in her arms, she said,-- + +"God is very good, Thekla. I have believed that so long, but never half +enough until to-night." + +I saw that she had been weeping, but the old calm had come back to her +face, only with a little more sunshine on it. + +Then, as if she feared to be forgetting others in her own happiness, she +took my hand and said-- + +"Dear Thekla, God is leading us all through all the dark days to the +morning. We must never distrust Him any more!" + +And without saying another word we retired to rest. In the morning when +I woke Eva was sitting beside me with a lamp on the table, and the large +Latin Bible open before her. I watched her face for some time. It looked +so pure, and good, and happy, with that expression on it which always +helped me to understand the meaning of the words, "child of God," +"little children," as Dr. Melancthon says our Lord called his disciples +just before he left them. There was so much of the unclouded +trustfulness of the "_child_" in it, and yet so much of the peace and +depth which are of _God_. + +After I had been looking at her a while she closed the Bible and began +to alter a dress of mine which she had promised to prepare for +Christmas. As she was sewing, she hummed softly, as she was accustomed, +some strains of old church music. At length I said-- + +"Eva, how old were you when Fritz became a monk?" + +"Sixteen," she said softly; "he went away just after the plague." + +"Then you have been separated twelve long years," I said. "God, then, +sometimes exercises patience a long while." + +"It does not seem long now," she said; "we both believed we were +separated by God, and separated for ever on earth." + +"Poor Eva," I said; "and this was the sorrow which helped to make you so +good." + +"I did not know it had been so great a sorrow, Thekla," she said with a +quivering voice, "until last night." + +"Then you had loved each other all that time," I said, half to myself. + +"I suppose so," she said in a low voice. "But I never knew till +yesterday how much." + +After a short silence, she began again with a smile,-- + +"Thekla, he thinks me unchanged during all those years; me, the matron +of the novices! But oh, how he is changed! What a life-time of suffering +on his face! How they must have made him suffer!" + +"God gives it to you as your life-work to restore and help him," I said. +"O Eva, it must be the best woman's lot in the world to bind up for the +dearest on earth the wounds which men have inflicted. It must be joy +unutterable to receive back from God's own hands a love you have both so +dearly proved you were ready to sacrifice for him." + +"Your mother thinks so too," she said. "She said last night the vows +which would bind us together would be holier than any ever uttered by +saint or hermit." + +"Did our mother say that?" I asked. + +"Yes," replied Eva. "And she said she was sure Dr. Luther would think so +also." + + + + +XXVI. + +Fritz's Story. + + + _December_ 31, 1522. + +We are betrothed. Solemnly in the presence of our family and friends Eva +has promised to be my wife; and in a few weeks we are to be married. Our +home (at all events, at first) is to be in the Thuringian forest, in the +parsonage belonging to Ulrich von Gersdorf's castle. The old priest is +too aged to do anything. Chriemhild has set her heart on having us to +reform the peasantry, and they all believe the quiet and the pure air of +the forest will restore my health, which has been rather shattered by +all I have gone through during these last months, although not as much +as they think. I feel strong enough for anything already. What I have +lost during all those years in being separated from her! How poor and +one-sided my life has been! How strong the rest her presence gives me, +makes me to do whatever work God may give me! + +Amazing blasphemy on God to assert that the order in which he has +founded human life is disorder, that the love which the Son of God +compares to the relation between himself and his Church sullies or +lowers the heart. + +Have these years then been lost? Have I wandered away wilful and deluded +from the lot of blessing God had appointed me, since that terrible time +of the plague, at Eisenach? Have all these been wasted years? Has all +the suffering been fruitless, unnecessary pain? And, after all, do I +return with precious time lost and strength diminished just to the point +I might have reached so long ago! + +For Eva I am certain this is not so; every step of her way, the loving +Hand has led her. Did not the convent through her become a home or a way +to the Eternal Home to many? But for me? No, for me also the years have +brought more than they have taken away! Those who are to help the +perplexed and toiling men of their time, must first go down into the +conflicts of their time. Is it not this which makes even Martin Luther +the teacher of our nation? Is it not this which qualifies weak and +sinful men to be preachers of the gospel instead of angels from heaven? + +The holy angels sang on their heavenly heights the glad tidings of great +joy, but the shepherds, the fishermen, and the publican spoke it in the +homes of men! The angel who liberated the apostles from prison said, as +if spontaneously, from the fulness of his heart, "Go speak to the people +the words _of this life_." But the trembling lips of Peter who had +denied, and Thomas who had doubted, and John who had misunderstood, were +to speak the life-giving words to men, denying, doubting, misconceiving +men, to tell what they knew, and how the Saviour could forgive. + +The voice that had been arrested in cowardly curses by the look of +divine pardoning love, had a tone in it the Archangel Michael's could +never have! + +And when the Pharisees, hardest of all, were to be reached, God took a +Pharisee of the Pharisees, a blasphemer, a persecutor, one who could +say, "I might also have confidence in the flesh," "I persecuted the +Church of God." + +Was David's secret contest in vain, when slaying the lion and the bear, +to defend those few sheep in the wilderness, he proved the weapons with +which he slew Goliath and rescued the host of Israel? Were Martin +Luther's years in the convent of Erfurt lost? Or have they not been the +school-days of his life, the armoury where his weapons were forged, the +gymnasium in which his eye and hand were trained for the battle-field? + +He has seen the monasteries from within; he has felt the monastic life +from within. He can say of all these internal rules, "I have proved +them, and found them powerless to sanctify the heart." It is this which +gives the irresistible power to his speaking and writing. It is this +which by God's grace enables him to translate the Epistles of Paul the +Pharisee and the Apostle as he has done. The truths had been translated +by the Holy Spirit into the language of his experience, and graven on +his heart long before; so that in rendering the Greek into German he +also testified of things he had seen, and the Bible from his pen reads +as if it had been originally written in German, for the German people. + +To me also in my measure these years have not been time lost. There are +many truths that one only learns in their fulness by proving the bitter +bondage of the errors they contradict. + +Perhaps also we shall help each other and others around us better for +having been thus trained apart. I used to dream of the joy of leading +her into life. But now God gives her back to me enriched with all those +years of separate experience, not as the Eva of childhood, when I saw +her last, but ripened to perfect womanhood; not merely to reflect my +thoughts, but to blend the fulness of her life with mine. + + + + +XXVII. + +Eva's Story. + + + WITTEMBERG, _January_, 1525. + +How little idea I had how the thought of Fritz was interwoven with all +my life! He says he knew only too well how the thoughts of me was bound +up with every hope and affection of his! + +But he contended against it long. He said that conflict was far more +agonizing than all he suffered in the prison since. For many years he +thought it sin to think of me. I never thought it sin to think of him. I +was sure it was not, whatever my confessor might say. Because I had +always thanked God more than for anything else in the world, for all he +had been to me, and had taught me, and I felt so sure what I could thank +God for could not be wrong. + +But now it is _duty_ to love him best. Of that I am quite sure. And +certainly it is not difficult. My only fear is that he will be +disappointed in me when he learns just what I am, day by day, with all +the halo of distance gone. And yet I am not really afraid. Love weaves +better glories than the mists of distance. And we do not expect miracles +from each other, or that life is to be a Paradise. Only the unutterable +comfort of being side by side in every conflict, trial, joy, and +supporting each other! If I can say "only" of that! For I do believe our +help will be mutual. Far weaker and less wise as I am than he is, with a +range of thought and experience so much narrower, and a force of purpose +so much feebler, I feel I have a kind of strength which may in some way, +at some times even help Fritz. And it is this which makes me see the +good of these separated years, in which otherwise I might have lost so +much. With him the whole world seems so much larger and higher to me, +and yet during these years, I do feel God has taught me something, and +it is a happiness to have a little more to bring him than I could have +had in my early girlhood. + +It was for my sake, then, he made that vow of leaving us for ever! + +And Aunt Cotta is so happy. On that evening when he returned, and we +three were left alone, she said, after a few minutes' silence-- + +"Children, let us all kneel down, and thank God that he has given me the +desire of my heart." + +And afterwards she told us what she had always wished and planned for +Fritz and me, and how she had thought his abandoning of the world a +judgment for her sins; but how she was persuaded now that the curse +borne for us was something infinitely more than anything she could have +endured, and that it had been all borne, and nailed to the bitter cross, +and rent and blotted out for ever. And now, she said, she felt as if the +last shred of evil were gone, and her life were beginning again in +us--to be blessed and a blessing beyond her utmost dreams. + +Fritz does not like to speak much of what he suffered in the prison of +that Dominican convent, and least of all to me; because, although I +repeat to myself, "It is over--over for ever!"--whenever I think of his +having been on the dreadful rack, it all seems present again. + +He was on the point of escaping the very night they came and led him in +for examination in the torture-chamber. And after that, they carried him +back to prison, and seemed to have left him to die there. For two days +they sent him no food; but then the young monk who had first spoken to +him, and induced him to come to the convent, managed to steal to him +almost every day with food and water, and loving words of sympathy, +until his strength revived a little, and they escaped together through +the opening he had dug in the wall before the examination. But their +escape was soon discovered, and they had to hide in the caves and +recesses of the forest for many weeks before they could strike across +the country and find their way to Wittemberg at last. + +But it is over now. And yet not over. He who suffered will never forget +the suffering faithfully borne for him. And the prison at the Dominican +convent will be a fountain of strength for his preaching among the +peasants in the Thuringian Forest. He will be able to say, "God can +sustain in all trials. He will not suffer you to be tempted above that +you are able to bear. _I know it, for I have proved it._" And I think +that will help him better to translate the Bible to the hearts of the +poor, than even the Greek and Hebrew he learned at Rome and Tübingen. + + + + +XXVIII. + +Elsè's Story. + + +All our little world is in such a tumult of thankfulness and joy at +present, that I think I am the only sober person left in it. + +The dear mother hovers around her two lost ones with quiet murmurs of +content, like a dove around her nest, and is as absorbed as if she were +marrying her first daughter, or were a bride herself, instead of being +the established and honoured grandmother that she is. Chriemhild and I +might find it difficult not to be envious, if we had not our own private +consolations at home. + +Eva and Fritz are certainly far more reasonable, and instead of +regarding the whole world as centering in them, like our dear mother, +appear to consider themselves made to serve the whole world, which is +more Christian-like, but must also have its limits. I cannot but feel it +a great blessing for them that they have Chriemhild and Ulrich, and more +especially Gottfried and me, to look after their temporal affairs. + +For instance, house linen. Eva, of course, has not a piece; and as to +her bridal attire, I believe she would be content to be married in a +nun's robe, or in the peasant's dress she escaped from Nimptschen in. +However, I have stores which, as Gretchen is not likely to require them +just yet, will, no doubt, answer the purpose. Gretchen is not more than +eight, but I always think it well to be beforehand; and my maidens had +already a stock of linen enough to stock several chests for her, which, +under the circumstances, seems quite a special providence. + +Gottfried insists upon choosing her wedding dress. And my mother +believes her own ancestral jewelled head-dress with the pearls (which +once in our poverty we nearly sold to a merchant at Eisenach) has been +especially preserved for Eva. + +It is well that Atlantis, who is to be married on the same day, is the +meekest and most unselfish of brides, and that her marriage outfit is +already all but arranged. + +Chriemhild and Ulrich have persuaded the old knight to rebuild the +parsonage; and she writes what a delight it is to watch it rising among +the cottages in the village, and think of the fountain of blessing that +house will be to all. + +Our grandmother insists on working with her dear, feeble hands, on Eva's +wedding stores, and has ransacked her scanty remnants of former +splendour, and brought out many a quaint old jewel from the ancient +Schönberg treasures. + +Christopher is secretly preparing them a library of all Dr. Luther's and +Dr. Melancthon's books, beautifully bound, and I do not know how many +learned works besides. + +And the melancholy has all passed from Fritz's face, or only remains as +the depth of a river to bring out the sparkle of its ripples. + +The strain seems gone from Eva's heart and his. They both seem for the +first time all they were meant to be. + +Just now, however, another event is almost equally filling our +grandmother's heart. + +A few days since, Christopher brought in two foreigners to introduce to +us. When she saw them, her work dropped from her hands, and half rising +to meet them, she said some words in a language strange to all of us. + +The countenances of the strangers brightened as she spoke, and they +replied in the same language. + +After a few minutes' conversation, our grandmother turned to us, and +said,-- + +"They are Bohemians,--they are Hussites. They know my husband's name. +The truth he died for is still living in my country." + +The rush of old associations was too much for her. Her lips quivered, +the tears fell slowly over her cheeks, and she could not say another +word. + +The strangers consented to remain under my father's roof for the night, +and told us the errand which brought them to Wittemberg. + +From generation to generation, since John Huss was martyred, they said, +the truth he taught had been preserved in Bohemia, always at the risk, +and often at the cost of life. Sometimes it had perplexed them much that +nowhere in the world beside could they hear of those who believed the +same truth. Could it be possible that the truth of God was banished to +the mountain fastnesses? Like Elijah of old, they felt disposed to cry +in their wilderness, "I, only I, am left." + +"But they could not have been right to think thus," said my mother, who +never liked the old religion to be too much reproached. "God has always +had his own who have loved him, in the darkest days. From how many +convent cells have pious hearts looked up to him. It requires great +teaching of the Holy Spirit and many battles to make a Luther; but, I +think, it requires only to touch the hem of Christ's garment to make a +Christian. + +"Yes," said Gottfried, opening our beloved commentary on the Galatians, +"what Dr. Luther said is true indeed, 'Some there were in the olden time +whom God called by the text of the gospel and by baptism. These walked +in simplicity and humbleness of heart, thinking the monks and friars, +and such only as were annointed by the bishops, to be religious and +holy, and themselves to be profane and secular, and not worthy to be +compared to them. Wherefore, they, feeling in themselves no good works +to set against the wrath and judgment of God, did fly to the death and +passion of Christ, and were saved in this simplicity.'" + +"No doubt it was so," said the Bohemian deputies. "But all this was +hidden from the eye of man. Twice our fathers sent secret messengers +through the length and breadth of Christendom to see if they could find +any that did understand, that did seek after God, and everywhere they +found carelessness, superstition, darkness, but no response." + +"Ah," said my mother, "that is a search only the eye of God can make. +Yet, doubtless, the days were dark." + +"They came back without having met with any response," continued the +strangers, "and again our fathers had to toil and suffer on alone. And +now the sounds of life have reached us in our mountain solitudes from +all parts of the world; and we have come to Wittemberg to hear the voice +which awoke them first, and to claim brotherhood with the evangelical +Christians here. Dr. Luther has welcomed us, and we return to our +mountains to tell our people that the morning has dawned on the world at +last." + +The evening passed in happy intercourse, and before we separated, +Christopher brought his lute, and we all sang together the hymn of John +Huss, which Dr. Luther has published among his own:-- + + "Jesus Christus nostra salus," + +and afterwards Luther's own glorious hymn in German, "_Nun freut euch +lieben Christen gemein_:" + + Dear Christian people, all rejoice; + Each soul with joy upspringing: + Pour forth one song with heart and voice, + With love and gladness singing. + Give thanks to God, our Lord above-- + Thanks for his miracles of love: + Dearly he hath redeemed us! + + The devil's captive bound I lay, + Lay in death's chains forlorn; + My sins distressed me night and day-- + The sin within me born; + I could not do the thing I would, + In all my life was nothing good, + Sin had possessed me wholly. + + My good works could no comfort shed, + Worthless must they be rated; + My free will to all good was dead, + And God's just judgments hated. + Me of all hope my sins bereft: + Nothing but death to me was left, + And death was hell's dark portal. + + Then God saw with deep pity moved + My grief that knew no measure; + Pitying he saw, and freely loved,-- + To save me was his pleasure. + The Father's heart to me was stirred, + He saved me with no sovereign word, + His very best it cost him. + + He spoke to his beloved Son + With infinite compassion, + "Go hence, my heart's most precious crown. + Be to the lost salvation; + Death, his relentless tyrant slay, + And bear him from his sins away, + With thee to live forever." + + Willing the Son took that behest, + Born of a maiden mother, + To his own earth he came a guest, + And made himself my brother. + All secretly he went his way, + Veiled in my mortal flesh he lay, + And thus the foe he vanquished. + + He said to me, "Cling close to me, + Thy sorrows now are ending! + Freely I gave myself for thee, + Thy life with mine defending; + For I am thine, and thou art mine, + And where I am there thou shalt shine, + The foe shall never reach us. + + True, he will shed my heart's life blood, + And torture me to death: + All this I suffer for thy good, + This hold with earnest faith. + Death dieth through my life divine; + I sinless bear those sins of thine, + And so shalt thou be rescued. + + I rise again to heaven from hence, + High to my Father soaring, + Thy Master there to be, and thence, + My spirit on thee pouring; + In every grief to comfort thee, + And teach thee more and more of me, + Into all truth still guiding. + + What I have done and taught on earth, + Do thou, and teach, none dreading; + That so God's kingdom may go forth, + And His high praise be spreading; + And guard thee from the words of men, + Lest the great joy be lost again; + Thus my last charge I leave thee." + +Afterwards, at our mother's especial desire, Eva and Fritz sang a Latin +resurrection hymn from the olden time.[11] + +[Footnote 11: + + Mundi renovatio + Nova parit gaudia, + Resurgente Domino + Conresurgunt omnia; + Elementa serviunt, + Et auctoris sentiunt, + Quanta sint solemnia. + &c. &c. &c. + +(The translation only is given above.)] + + The renewal of the world + Countless new joys bringeth forth: + Christ arising, all things rise-- + Rise with him from earth. + All the creatures feel their Lord-- + Feel his festal light outpoured. + + Fire springs up with motion free, + Breezes wake up soft and warm; + Water flows abundantly, + Earth remaineth firm. + All things light now skyward soar, + Solid things are rooted more; + All things are made new. + + Ocean waves, grown tranquil, lie + Smiling 'neath the heavens serene; + All the air breathes light and fresh; + Our valley groweth green. + Verdure clothes the arid plain, + Frozen waters gush again + At the touch of spring. + + For the frost of death is melted + The prince of this world lieth low; + And his empire strong among us, + All is broken now. + Grasping Him in whom alone + He could nothing claim or own, + His domain he lost. + + Paradise is now regained, + Life has vanquished death; + And the joys he long had lost, + Man recovereth. + The cherubim at God's own word + Turn aside the flaming sword; + The long-lost blessing is restored. + The closed way opened free.[12] + +[Footnote 12: Adam of St. Victor, twelfth century.] + +The next morning the strangers left us; but all the day our grandmother +sat silent and tranquil, with her hands clasped, in an inactivity very +unusual with her. In the evening, when we had assembled again--as we all +do now every day in the old house--she said quietly, "Children, sing to +me the 'Nunc Dimittis.' God has fulfilled every desire of my heart; and, +if he willed it, I should like now to depart in peace to my dead. For I +know they live unto him." + +Afterwards, we fell into conversation about the past. It was the eve of +the wedding-day of Eva and Fritz, and Atlantis and Conrad. And we, a +family united in one faith, naturally spoke together of the various ways +in which God had led us to the one end. + +The old days rose up before me, when the ideal of holiness had towered +above my life, grim and stony, like the fortress of the Wartburg (in +which my patroness had lived), above the streets of Eisenach, and when +even Christ the Lord seemed to me, as Dr. Luther says, "a law-maker +giving more strait and heavy commands than Moses himself"--an +irrevocable, unapproachable Judge, enthroned far up in the cold spaces +of the sky; and heaven, like a convent, with very high walls, peopled by +nuns rigid as Aunt Agnes. And then the change which came over all my +heart when I learned, through Dr. Luther's teaching, that God is +love--is our Father; that Christ is the Saviour, who gave himself for +our sins, and loved us better than life; that heaven is our Father's +house; that holiness is simply loving God--who is so good, and who has +so loved us, and, loving one another, that the service we have to render +is simply to give thanks and to do good;--when, as Dr. Luther said, that +word "our" was written deeply in my heart--that for _our_ sins He +died--for mine,--that for all, for us, for _me_, He gave himself. + +And then Fritz told us how he had toiled and tormented himself to +reconcile God to him, until he found, through Dr. Luther's teaching, +that our sins have been borne away by the Lamb of God--the sacrifice not +of man's gift, but of God's; "that in that one person, Jesus Christ, we +had forgiveness of sins and eternal life;" that God is to us as the +father to the prodigal son--entreating _us_ to be reconciled to Him. And +he told us also, how he had longed for a priest, who could know +infallibly all his heart, and secure him from the deceitfulness and +imperfectness of his own confessions, and assure him that, knowing all +his sin to its depths, with all its aggravations, he yet pronounced him +absolved. And at last he had found that Priest, penetrating to the +depths of his heart, tracing every act to its motive, every motive to +its source, and yet pronouncing him absolved, freely, fully, at +once--imposing no penance, but simply desiring a life of thanksgiving in +return. "And this Priest," he added, "is with me always; I make my +confession to him every evening, or oftener, if I need it; and as often +as I confess, He absolves, and bids me be of good courage--go in peace, +and sin no more. But He is not on earth. He dwells in the holy of +holies, which never more is empty, like the solitary sanctuary of the +old temple on all days in the year but one. He ever liveth to make +intercession for us!" + +Then we spoke together of the two great facts Dr. Luther had unveiled to +us from the Holy Scriptures, that there is one sacrifice of atonement, +the spotless Lamb of God, who gave himself once for our sins; and that +there is but one priestly Mediator, the Son of Man and Son of God; that, +in consequence of this, all Christians are a holy priesthood to offer up +spiritual sacrifices; and the feeblest has his offering, which, through +Jesus Christ, God delights to accept, having first accepted the sinner +himself in the Beloved. + +Our mother spoke to us, in a few words, of the dreadful thoughts she had +of God--picturing him rather as the lightning than the light; of the +curse which she feared was lowering like a thunder-cloud over her life, +until Dr. Luther began to show her that the curse has been borne for us +by Him who was made a curse for us, and removed for ever from all who +trust in him. "And then," she said, "the Holy Supper taught me the rest. +He bore for us the cross; he spreads for us the feast. We have, indeed, +the cross to bear, but never more the curse; the cross from man, +temptation from the devil, but from God nothing but blessing." + +But Eva said she could not remember the time when she did not think God +good and kind beyond all. There were many other things in religion which +perplexed her; but this had always seemed clear, that God so loved the +world, he gave his Son. And she had always hoped that all the rest would +be clear one day in the light of that love. The joy which Dr. Luther's +writings had brought her was, she thought, like seeing the stains +cleared away from some beautiful painting, whose beauty she had known +but not fully seen--or like having a misunderstanding explained about a +dear friend. She had always wondered about the hard penances to appease +One who loved so much, and the many mediators to approach Him; and it +had been an inexpressible delight to find that these were all a mistake, +and that access to God was indeed open--that the love and the sin,--life +and death,--had met on the cross, and the sin had been blotted out, and +death swallowed up of life. + +In such discourse we passed the eve of the wedding day. + +And now the day has vanished like a bright vision; our little gentle +loving Atlantis has gone with her husband to their distant home, the +bridal crowns are laid aside, and Eva and Fritz in their sober every-day +dress, but with the crown of unfading joy in their hearts, have gone +together to their lowly work in the forest, to make one more of those +hallowed pastor's homes which are springing up now in the villages of +our land. + +But Gretchen's linen-chest is likely to be long before it can be stored +again. We have just received tidings of the escape of Eva's friends, the +nine nuns of Nimptschen, from the convent, at last! They wrote to Dr. +Luther, who interested himself much in seeking asylums for them. And now +Master Leonard Koppe of Torgan has brought them safely to Wittemberg +concealed in his beer waggon. They say one of the nuns in their haste +left her slipper behind. They are all to be received into various homes, +and Gottfried and I are to have the care of Catherine von Bora, the most +determined and courageous, it is said, of all, from whose cell they +effected their escape. + +I have been busy preparing the guest-chamber for her, strewing lavender +on the linen, and trying to make it home-like for the young maiden who +is banished for Christ's sake from her old home. + +I think it must bring blessings to any home to have such guests. + + + _June_, 1523. + +Our guest, the noble maiden Catherine von Bora, has arrived. Grave and +reserved she seems to be, although Eva spoke of her as very cheerful, +and light as well as firm of heart. I feel a little afraid of her. Her +carriage has a kind of majesty about it which makes me offer her more +deference than sympathy. Her eyes are dark and flashing, and her +forehead is high and calm. + +This is not so remarkable in me, I having been always easily appalled by +dignified persons; but even Dr. Luther, it seems to me, is somewhat awed +by this young maiden. He thinks her rather haughty and reserved. I am +not sure whether it is pride or a certain maidenly dignity. + +I am afraid I have too much of the homely burgher Cotta nature to be +quite at ease with her. + +Our grandmother would doubtless have understood her better than either +our gentle mother or I, but the dear feeble form seems to have been +gradually failing since that meeting with the emissaries of the Bohemian +Church. Since the wedding she has not once left her bed. She seems to +live more than ever in the past, and calls people by the names she knew +them in her early days, speaking of our grandfather as "Franz," and +calling our mother "Greta" instead of "the mother." In the past she +seems to live, and in that glorious present, veiled from her view by so +thin a veil. Towards heaven the heart, whose earthly vision is closing, +is as open as ever. I sit beside her and read the Bible and Dr. Luther's +books, and Gretchen says to her some of the new German hymns, Dr. +Luther's, and his translation of John Huss's hymns. To-day she made me +read again and again this passage,--"Christian faith is not, as some +say, an empty husk in the heart until love shall quicken it; but if it +be true faith, it is a sure trust and confidence in the heart whereby +Christ is apprehended, so that Christ is the object of faith; _yea, +rather even, in faith Christ himself is present_. Faith therefore +justifieth because it apprehendeth and possesseth this treasure, Christ +present. Wherefore Christ apprehended by faith, and dwelling in the +heart, is the true Christian righteousness." + +It is strange to sit in the old house, now so quiet, with our dear blind +father downstairs, and only Thekla at home of all the sisters, and the +light in that brave, strong heart of our grandmother growing slowly dim; +or to hear the ringing sweet childish voice of Gretchen repeating the +hymns of this glorious new time to the failing heart of the olden time. + +Last night, while I watched beside that sick bed, I thought much of Dr. +Luther alone in the Augustinian monastery, patiently abiding in the +dwelling his teaching has emptied, sending forth thence workers and +teachers throughout the world; and as I pondered what he has been to us, +to Fritz and Eva in their lowly hallowed home, to our mother, to our +grandmother, to the Bohemian people, to little Gretchen singing her +hymns to me, to the nine rescued nuns, to Aunt Agnes in the convent, and +Christopher at his busy printing-press, to young and old, religious and +secular; I wonder what the new time will bring to that brave, tender, +warm heart which has set so many hearts which were in bondage free, and +made life rich to so many who were poor, yet has left his own life so +solitary still. + + + + +XXIX. + +Eva's Story. + + + THURINGIAN FOREST, _July_, 1523. + +It is certainly very much happier for Fritz and me to live in the +pastor's house than in the castle; down among the homes of men, and the +beautiful mysteries of this wonderful forest land, instead of towering +high above all on a fortified height. Not of course that I mean the +heart may not be as lowly in the castle as in the cottage; but it seems +to me a richer and more fruitful life to dwell among the people than to +be raised above them. The character of the dwelling seems to symbolize +the nature of the life. And what lot can be so blessed as ours? + +Linked to all classes that we may serve our Master who came to minister +among all. In education equal to the nobles, or rather to the patrician +families of the great cities, who so far surpass the country proprietors +in culture,--in circumstances the pastor is nearer the peasant, knowing +by experience what are the homely trials of straitened means. Little +offices of kindness can be interchanged between us. Muhme Trüdchen finds +a pure pleasure in bringing me a basket of her new-laid eggs as an +acknowledgment of Fritz's visits to her sick boy; and it makes it all +the sweeter to carry food to the family of the old charcoal-burner in +the forest-clearing that our meals for a day or two have to be a little +plainer in consequence. I think gifts which come from loving contrivance +and a little self-denial, must be more wholesome to receive than the +mere overflowings of a full store. And I am sure they are far sweeter to +give. Our lowly home seems in some sense the father's house of the +village; and it is such homes, such hallowed centres of love and +ministry, which God through our Luther is giving back to village after +village in our land. + +But, as Fritz says, I must be careful not to build our parsonage into a +pinnacle higher than any castle, just to make a pedestal for him, which +I certainly sometimes detect myself doing. His gifts seem to me so rich, +and his character is, I am sure, so noble, that it is natural I should +picture to myself his vocation as the highest in the world. That it is +the highest, however, I am secretly convinced; the highest as long as it +is the lowliest. + +The people begin to be quite at home with us now. There are no great +gates, no moat, no heavy draw-bridge between us and the peasants. Our +doors stand open; and timid hands which could never knock to demand +admittance at castle or convent gate can venture gently to lift our +latch. Mothers creep to the kitchen with their sick children to ask for +herbs, lotions, or drinks, which I learned to distil in the convent. And +then I can ask them to sit down, and we often naturally begin to speak +of Him who healed the sick people with a word, and took the little +children from the mothers' arms to His to bless them. Sometimes, too, +stories of wrong and sorrow come out to me which no earthly balm can +cure, and I can point to Him who only can heal because He only can +forgive. + +Then Fritz says he can preach so differently from knowing the +heart-cares and burdens of his flock; and the people seem to so feel +differently when they meet again from the pulpit with sacred words and +histories which they have grown familiar with in the home. + +A few of the girls come to me also to learn sewing or knitting, and to +listen or learn to read Bible stories. Fritz meanwhile instructs the +boys in the Scriptures and in sacred music, because the schoolmaster is +growing old and can teach the children little but a few Latin prayers by +rote, and to spell out the German alphabet. + +I could not have imagined such ignorance as we have found here. It +seems, Fritz says, as if the first preachers of Christianity to the +Germans had done very much for the heart of the nation what the first +settlers did for its forests, made a clearing here and there, built a +church, and left the rest to its original state. + +The bears and wolves which prowl about the forest, and sometimes in +winter venture close to the thresholds of our houses, are no wilder than +the wild legends which haunt the hearts of the peasants. On Sundays they +attire themselves in their holiday clothes, come to hear mass, bow +before the sacred host, and the crucifix, and image of the Virgin, and +return to continue during the week their every-day terror-worship of the +spirits of the forest. They seem practically to think our Lord is the +God of the church and the village, while the old pagan sprites retain +possession of the forest. They appear scarcely even quite to have +decided St. Christopher's question, "Which is the _strongest_, that I +may worship him?" + +But, alas, whether at church or in the forest, the worship they have +been taught seems to have been chiefly one of fear. The Cobolds and +various sprites they believe will bewitch their cows, set fire to their +hay-stacks, lead them astray through the forest, steal their infants +from the cradle to replace them by fairy changelings. Their malignity +and wrath they deprecate, therefore, by leaving them gleanings of corn +or nuts, by speaking of them with feigned respect, or by Christian words +and prayer, which they use as spells. + +From the Almighty God they fear severer evil. He, they think, is to sit +on the dreadful day of wrath on the judgment throne to demand strict +account of all their misdeeds. Against His wrath also they have been +taught to use various remedies which seem to us little better than a +kind of spiritual spells; paters, aves, penances, confessions, +indulgences. + +To protect them against the forest sprites they have secret recourse to +certain gifted persons, mostly shrivelled, solitary, weird old women +(successors, Fritz says, of the old pagan prophetesses), who for money +perform certain rites of white magic for them; or give them written +charms to wear, or teach them magic rhymes to say. + +To protect them against God, they used to have recourse to the priest, +who performed masses for them, laid ghosts, absolved sins, promised to +turn aside the vengeance of offended heaven. + +But in both cases they seem to have the melancholy persuasion that the +ruling power is hostile to them. In both cases, religion is not so much +a _worship_ as a _spell_; not an approach to God, but an interposing of +something to keep off the weight of his dreaded presence. + +When first we began to understand this, it used to cost me many tears. + +"How can it be," I said one day to Fritz, "that all the world seems so +utterly to misunderstand God?" + +"There is an enemy in the world," he said, solemnly, "sowing lies about +God in every heart." + +"Yet God is mightier than Satan," I said; "how is it then that no ray +penetrates through the darkness from fruitful seasons, from the beauty +of the spring-time, from the abundance of the harvest, from the joys of +home, to show the people that God is love?" + +"Ah, Eva," he said sadly, "have you forgotten that not only is the devil +in the world, but sin in the heart? He lies, indeed, about God, when he +persuades us that God grudges us blessings; but he tells the truth about +ourselves when he reminds us that we are sinners, under the curse of the +good and loving law. The lie would not stand for an instant if it were +not founded on the truth. It is only by confessing the truth, on which +his falsehood is based, that we can destroy it. We must say to the +peasants, 'Your fear is well founded. See _on that cross_ what your sin +cost!'" + +"But the old religion displayed the crucifix," I said. + +"Thank God, it did--it does!" he said. "But instead of the crucifix, we +have to tell of a cross from which the Crucified is gone; of an empty +tomb and a risen Saviour; of the curse removed; of God, who gave the +Sacrifice, welcoming back the Sufferer to the throne." + +We have not made much change in the outward ceremonies. Only, instead of +the sacrifice of the mass, we have the Feast of the Holy Supper; no +elevation of the host, no saying of private masses for the dead; and all +the prayers, thanksgivings, and hymns, in German. + +Dr. Luther still retains the Latin in some of the services of +Wittemberg, on account of its being an university town, that the youth +may be trained in the ancient languages. He said he would gladly have +some of the services in Greek and Hebrew, in order thereby to make the +study of those languages as common as that of Latin. But here in the +forest, among the ignorant peasants, and the knights, who, for the most +part, forget before old age what little learning they acquired in +boyhood, Fritz sees no reason whatever for retaining the ancient +language; and delightful it is to watch the faces of the people when he +reads the Bible or Luther's hymns, now that some of them begin to +understand that the divine service is something in which their hearts +and minds are to join, instead of a kind of magic external rite to be +performed for them. + +It is a great delight also to us to visit Chriemhild and Ulrich von +Gersdorf at the castle. The old knight and Dame Hermentrud were very +reserved with us at first; but the knight has always been most courteous +to me, and Dame Hermentrud, now that she is convinced that we have no +intention of trenching on her state, receives us very kindly. + +Between us, moreover, there is another tender bond since she has allowed +herself to speak of her sister Beatrice, to me known only as the subdued +and faded aged nun; to Dame Hermentrud, and the aged retainers and +villagers, remembered in her bright, but early blighted, girlhood. + +Again and again I have to tell her sister the story of her gradual +awakening from uncomplaining hopelessness to a lowly and heavenly rest +in Christ; and of her meek and peaceful death. + +"Great sacrifices," she said once, "have to be made to the honour of a +noble lineage, Frau Pastorin. I also have had my sorrows;" and she +opened a drawer of a cabinet, and showed me the miniature portraits of a +nobleman and his young boy, her husband and son, both in armour. "These +both were slain in a feud with the family to which Beatrice's betrothed +belonged," she said bitterly. "And should our lines ever be mingled in +one?" + +"But are these feuds never to die out?" I said. + +"Yes," she replied sternly, leading me to a window, from which we looked +on a ruined castle in the distance. "_That_ feud has died out. The +family is extinct!" + +"The Lord Christ tells us to forgive our enemies," I said quietly. + +"Undoubtedly," she replied; "but the von Bernsteins were usurpers of our +rights, robbers and murderers. Such wrongs must be avenged, or society +would fall to pieces." + +Towards the peasants Dame Hermentrud has very condescending and kindly +feelings, and frequently gives us food and clothing for them, although +she still doubts the wisdom of teaching them to read. + +"Every one should be kept in his place," she says. + +And as yet I do not think she can form any idea of heaven, except as of +a well organized community, in which the spirits of the nobles preside +loftily on the heights, while the spirits of the peasants keep meekly to +the valleys; the primary distinction between earth and heaven being, +that in heaven all will know how to keep in their places. + +And no doubt in one sense she is right. But how would she like the order +in which places in heaven are assigned? + +"_The first shall be last, and the last first._" + +"_He that is chief among you, let him be as he that doth serve._" + +Among the peasants sometimes, on the other hand, Fritz is startled by +the bitterness of feeling which betrays itself against the lords; how +the wrongs of generations are treasured up, and the name of Luther is +chiefly revered from a vague idea that he, the peasant's son, will set +the peasants free. + +Ah, when will God's order be established in the world, when each, +instead of struggling upwards in selfish ambition, and pressing others +down in mean pride--looking up to envy, and looking down to scorn--shall +look up to honour and look down to help! when all shall "by love serve +one another?" + + + _September_, 1523. + +We have now a guest of whom I do not dare to speak to Dame Hermentrud. +Indeed, the whole history Fritz and I will never tell to any here. + +A few days since a worn, grey-haired old man came to our house, whom +Fritz welcomed as an old friend. It was Priest Ruprecht Haller, from +Franconia. Fritz had told me something of his history, so that I knew +what he meant, when in a quivering voice he said, abruptly, taking Fritz +aside,-- + +"Bertha is very ill--perhaps dying. I must never see her any more. She +will not suffer it, I know. Can you go and speak a few words of comfort +to her?" + +Fritz expressed his readiness to do anything in his power, and it was +agreed that Priest Ruprecht was to stay with us that night, and that +they were to start together on the morrow for the farm where Bertha was +at service, which lay not many miles off through the forest. + +But in the night I had a plan, which I determined to set going before I +mentioned it to Fritz, because he will often consent to a thing which is +once _begun_, which he would think quite impracticable if it is only +_proposed_; that is, especially as regards anything in which I am +involved. Accordingly, the next morning I rose very early and went to +our neighbour, Farmer Herder, to ask him to lend us his old grey pony +for the day, to bring home an invalid. He consented, and before we had +finished breakfast the pony was at the door. + +"What is this?" said Fritz. + +"It is Farmer Herder's pony to take me to the farm where Bertha lives, +and to bring her back," I said. + +"Impossible, my love!" said Fritz. + +"But you see it is already all arranged, and begun to be done," I said; +"I am dressed, and the room is all ready to receive her." + +Priest Ruprecht rose from the table, and moved towards me, exclaiming +fervently,-- + +"God bless you!" Then seeming to fear that he had said what he had no +right to say, he added, "God bless you for the thought. But it is too +much!" and he left the room. + +"What would you do, Eva?" Fritz said, looking in much perplexity at me. + +"Welcome Bertha as a sister," I said, "and nurse her until she is well." + +"But how can I suffer you to be under one roof?" he said. + +I could not help my eyes filling with tears. + +"The Lord Jesus suffered such to anoint his feet," I said, "and she, you +told me, loves Him, has given up all dearest to her to keep his words. +Let us blot out the past as he does, and let her begin life again from +our home, if God wills it so." + +Fritz made no further objection. And through the dewy forest paths we +went, we three; and with us, I think we all felt, went Another, +invisible, the Good Shepherd of the wandering sheep. + +Never did the green glades and forest flowers and solemn pines seem to +me more fresh and beautiful, and more like a holy cathedral than that +morning. + +After a little meek resistance Bertha came back with Fritz and me. Her +sickness seemed to me to be more the decline of one for whom life's +hopes and work are over, than any positive disease. And with care, the +grey pony brought her safely home. + +Never did our dear home seem to welcome us so brightly as when we led +her back to it, for whom it was to be a sanctuary of rest, and refuge +from bitter tongues. + +There was a little room over the porch which we had set apart as the +guest-chamber; and very sweet it was to me that Bertha should be its +first inmate; very sweet to Fritz and me that our home should be what +our Lord's heart is, a refuge for the outcast, the penitent, the +solitary, and the sorrowful. + +Such a look of rest came over her poor, worn face, when at last she was +laid on her little bed! + +"I think I shall get well soon," she said the next morning, "and then +you will let me stay and be your servant; when I am strong I can work +really hard and there is something in you both which makes me feel this +like home." + +"We will try," I said, "to find out what God would have us do." + +She does improve daily. Yesterday she asked for some spinning, or other +work to do, and it seems to cheer her wonderfully. To-day she has been +sitting in our dwelling-room with her spinning-wheel. I introduced her +to the villagers who come in as a friend who has been ill. They do not +know her history. + + + _January_, 1524. + +It is all accomplished now. The little guest-chamber over the porch is +empty again, and Bertha is gone. + +As she was recovering Fritz received a letter from Priest Ruprecht, +which he read in silence, and then laid aside until we were alone on one +of our expeditions to the old charcoal-burner's in the forest. + +"Haller wants to see Bertha once more," he said, dubiously. + +"And why not Fritz?" I said; "why should not the old wrong as far as +possible be repaired, and those who have given each other up at God's +commandment, be given back to each other by his commandment?" + +"I have thought so often, my love," he said, "but I did not know what +you would think." + +So after some little difficulty and delay, Bertha and + +Priest Ruprecht Haller were married very quietly in our village church, +and went forth to a distant village in Pomerania, by the Baltic Sea, +from which Dr. Luther had received a request to send them a minister of +the gospel. + +It went to my heart to see the two go forth together down the village +street, those two whose youth inhuman laws and human weakness had so +blighted. There was a reverence about his tenderness to her, and a +wistful lowliness in hers for him, which said, "All that thou hast lost +for me, as far as may be I will make up to thee in the years that +remain!" + +But as we watched her pale face and feeble steps, and his bent, though +still vigorous form, Fritz took my hands as we turned back into the +house, and said,-- + +"It is well. But it can hardly be for long!" + +And I could not answer him for tears. + + + + +XXX. + +Elsè's Story. + + + WITTEMBERG, _August_, 1524. + +The slow lingering months of decline are over. Yesterday our grandmother +died. As I looked for the last time on the face that had smiled on me +from childhood, the hands which rendered so many little loving services +to me, none of which can evermore be returned to her, what a sacred +tenderness is thrown over all recollection of her, how each little act +of thoughtful consideration and self-denial rushes back on the heart, +what love I can see glowing through the anxious care which sometimes +made her a little querulous, especially with my father, although never +lately. + +Can life ever be quite the same again? Can we ever forget to bear +tenderly with little infirmities such as those of hers which seem so +blameless now, or to prize with a thankfulness which would flood with +sunshine our little cares, the love which must one day be silent to us +as she is now? + +Her death seems to age us all into another generation! She lived from +the middle of the old world into the full morning of the new; and a +whole age of the past seems to die with her. But after seeing those +Bohemian deputies and knowing that Fritz and Eva were married, she +ceased to wish to live. She had lived, she said, through two mornings of +time on earth, and now she longed for the daybreak of heaven. + +But yesterday morning, one of us! and now one of the heavenly host! +Yesterday we knew every thought of her heart, every detail of her life, +and now she is removed into a sphere of which we know less than of the +daily life of the most ancient of the patriarchs. As Dr. Luther says, an +infant on its mother's breast has as much understanding of the life +before it, as we of the life before us after death. "Yet," he saith +also, "since God hath made his world of earth and sky so fair, how much +fairer that imperishable world beyond!" + +All seems to me clear and bright after the resurrection; but _now_? +where is that spirit now, so familiar to us and so dear, and now so +utterly separated? + +Dr. Luther said, "A Christian should say, I know that it is thus I shall +journey hence; when my soul goes forth, charge is given to God's kings +and high princes, who are the dear angels, to receive me and convoy me +safely home. The Holy Scriptures, he writes, teach nothing of purgatory, +but tell us that the spirits of the just enjoy the sweetest and most +delightful peace and rest. How they live there, indeed, we know not, or +what the place is where they dwell. But this we know assuredly, they are +in no grief or pain, but rest in the grace of God. As in this life they +were wont to fall softly asleep in the guard and keeping of God and the +dear angels, without fear of harm, although the devils might prowl +around them; so after this life do they repose in the hand of God." + +"_To depart and be with Christ is far better._" + +"_To-day in Paradise with me._" + +"_Absent from the body, at home with the Lord._" + +Everything for our peace and comfort concerning those who are gone +depends on what those words "_with me_" were to them and are to us. +Where and how they live, indeed, we know not; with Whom we know. The +more then, O our Saviour and theirs! we know of Thee, the more we know +of them. With Thee, indeed, the waiting-time before the resurrection can +be no cold drear ante-chamber of the palace. Where Thou art, must be +light, love, and home. + +Precious as Dr. Luther's own words are, what are they at a time like +this, compared with the word of God he has unveiled to us? + +My mother, however, is greatly cheered by these words of his, "Our lord +and Saviour grant us joyfully to see each other again hereafter. For our +faith is sure, and we doubt not that we shall see each other again with +Christ in a little while; since the departure from this life to be with +Christ is less in God's sight, than if I go from you to Mansfeld, or you +took leave of me to go from Wittemberg to Mansfeld. This is assuredly +true. A brief hour of sleep and all will be changed." + + + WITTEMBERG, _September_, 1524. + +During this month we have been able often to give thanks that the +beloved feeble form is at rest. The times seem very troublous. Dr. +Luther thinks most seriously of them. Rumours have reached us for some +time of an uneasy feeling among the peasantry. Fritz wrote about it from +the Thuringian Forest. The peasants, as our good Elector said lately, +have suffered many wrongs from their lords; and Fritz says they had +formed the wildest hopes of better days from Dr. Luther and his words. +They thought the days of freedom had come. And bitter and hard it is for +them to learn that the gospel brings freedom now as of old by giving +strength to suffer, instead of by suddenly redressing wrong. The +fanatics, moreover, have been among them. The Zwickau prophets and +Thomas Münzer (silenced last year at Wittemberg by Luther's return from +the Wartburg), have promised them all they actually expected from +Luther. Once more, they say, God is sending inspired men on earth, to +introduce a new order of things, no more to teach the saints how to bow, +suffer, and be patient; but how to fight and avenge themselves of their +adversaries, and to reign. + + + _October_, 1524. + +Now, alas, the peasants are in open revolt, rushing through the land by +tens of thousands. The insurrection began in the Black Forest, and now +it sweeps throughout the land, gathering strength as it advances, and +bearing everything before it by the mere force of numbers and movements. +City after city yields and admits them, and swears to their Twelve +Articles, which in themselves they say are not so bad, if only they were +enforced by better means. Castle after castle is assailed and falls. +Ulrich writes in burning indignation at the cruel deaths they have +inflicted on noble men and women, and on their pillaging the convents. +Fritz, on the other hand, writes entreating us not to forget the long +catalogue of legalized wrongs which had lead to this moment of fierce +and lawless vengeance. + +Dr. Luther, although sympathizing with the peasants by birth, and by +virtue of his own quick and generous indignation at injustice, whilst +with a prophet's plainness he blames the nobles for their exactions and +tyranny, yet sternly demands the suppression of the revolt with the +sword. He says this is essential, if it were only to free the honest and +well-meaning peasantry from the tyranny of the ambitious and turbulent +men who compel them to join their banner on pain of death. With a heart +that bleeds at every severity, he counsels the severest measures as the +most merciful. More than once he and others of the Wittemberg doctors +have succeeded in quieting and dispersing riotous bands of the peasants +assembled by tens of thousands, with a few calm and earnest words. But +bitter, indeed, are these times to him. The peasants whom he pities, and +because he pities condemns, call out that he has betrayed them, and +threaten his life. The prelates and princes of the old religion declare +all this disorder and pillage are only the natural consequences of his +false doctrine. But between them both he goes steadfastly forward, +speaking faithful words to all. More and more, however, as terrible +rumours reach us of torture, and murder, and wild pillage, he seems to +become convinced that mercy and vigour are on the same side. And now he, +whose journey through Germany not three years since was a triumphal +procession, has to ride secretly from place to place on his errands of +peace-making, in danger of being put to death by the people if he were +discovered! + +My heart aches for these peasants. These are not the Pharisees who were +"_not blind_," but understood only too well what they rejected. They are +the "multitudes," the common people, who as of old heard the voice of +love and truth gladly; for whom dying he pleaded, "They know not what +they do." + + + _April_, 1525. + +The tide has turned. The army of the empire, under Truchsess, is out. +Phillip of Hesse, after quieting his own dominions, is come to Saxony to +suppress the revolt here. Our own gentle and merciful Elector, who so +reluctantly drew the sword, is, they say, dying. The world is full of +change! + +Meantime, in our little Wittemberg world, changes are in prospect. It +seems probable that Dr. Luther, after settling the other eight nuns, and +endeavouring also to find a home for Catherine von Bora, will espouse +her himself. A few months since he tried to persuade her to marry Glatz, +pastor of Orlamund, but she refused. And now it seems certain that the +solitary Augustinian convent will become a home, and that she will make +it so. + +Gottfried and I cannot but rejoice. In this world of tumult and unrest, +it seems so needful that that warm, earnest heart should have one place +where it can rest, one heart that will understand and be true to him if +all else should become estranged, as so many have. And this, we trust, +Catherine von Bora will be to him. + +Reserved, and with an innate dignity, which will befit the wife of him +whom God has called in so many ways to be the leader of the hearts of +men, she has a spirit which will prevent her sinking into the mere +reflection of that resolute character, and a cheerfulness and womanly +tact which will, we hope, sustain him through many a depressing hour, +such as those who wear earth's crowns of any kind must know. + + + _December_, 1525. + +This year has, indeed, been a year of changes. The peasant revolt is +crushed. At Frankenhausen, the last great victory was gained. Thomas +Münzer was slain, and his undisciplined hosts fled in hopeless +confusion. The revolt is crushed, alas! Gottfried says, as men too +generally crush their enemies when once in their power, exceeding the +crime in the punishment, and laying up a store of future revolt and +vengeance for future generations. + +The good and wise Elector Friedrich died just before the victory. It is +well, perhaps, that he did not live to see the terrible vengeance that +has been inflicted, the roadsteads lined with gibbets, torture returned +by torture, insult by cruel mocking. The poor deluded people, especially +the peasantry, wept for the good Elector, and said, "Ah, God, have mercy +on us! We have lost our father!" He used to speak kindly to their +children in the fields, and was always ready to listen to a tale of +wrong. He died humbly as a Christian; he was buried royally as a prince. + +Shortly before his death, his chaplain, Spalatin, came to see him. The +Elector gave him his hand, and said, "You do well to come to me. We are +commanded to visit the sick." + +Neither brother nor any near relative was with him when he died. The +services of all brave men were needed in those stormy days. But he was +not forsaken. To the childless, solitary sufferer, his faithful servants +were like a family. + +"Oh, dear children," he said, "I suffer greatly!" + +Then Joachim Sack, one of his household, a Silesian, said,-- + +"Most gracious master, if God will, you will soon be better." + +Shortly after the dying prince said,-- + +"Dear children, I am ill indeed." + +And Sack answered,-- + +"Gracious lord, the Almighty God sends you all this with a Father's +love, and with the best will to you." + +Then the prince repeated softly, in Latin, the words of Job, "The Lord +gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." + +And once more he said,-- + +"Dear children, I am very ill." + +And the faithful Joachim comforted him again,--"My gracious Master, the +Almighty God, sends it all to your electoral highness from the greatest +love." + +The prince clasped his hands, and said,-- + +"_For that I can trust my good God!_" and added, "Help me, help me, O my +God." + +And after receiving the holy communion in both kinds, he called his +servants around him, and said,-- + +"Dear children, I entreat you, that in whatever I have done you wrong, +by word or deed, you will forgive me for God's sake, and pray others to +do the same. For we princes do much wrong often to poor people that +should not be." + +As he spoke thus, all that were in the room could not restrain their +tears, and seeing that, he said,-- + +"Dear children, weep not for me. It will not be long with me now. But +think of me, and pray to God for me." + +Spalatin had copied some verses of the Bible for him, which he put on +his spectacles to read for himself. He thought much of Luther, whom, +much as he had befriended him, he had never spoken to, and sent for him. +But it was in vain. Luther was on the Hartz mountains, endeavouring to +quell the peasants' revolt. That interview is deferred to the world +where all earthly distinctions are forgotten, but where the least +Christian services are remembered. + +So, "a child of peace," as one said, he departed, and rests in peace, +through the high and only merits of the only Son of God, in whom, in his +last testament, he confessed was "all his hope." + +It was a solemn day for Wittemberg when they laid him in his grave in +the Electoral Church, which he had once so richly provided with relics. +His body lying beneath it is the most sacred relic it enshrines for us +now. + +Knights and burghers met the coffin at the city gate; eight noblemen +carried it, and a long train of mourners passed through the silent +streets. Many chanted around the tomb the old Latin hymns, "In media +vitæ," and "Si bona suscipimur," and also the German, "From deepest need +I cry to Thee," and-- + + "In Fried und Freud fahr ich dahin." + "I journey hence in peace and joy." + +The money which would in former times have purchased masses for his +soul, was given to the poor. And Dr. Luther preached a sermon on that +promise, "Those who sleep in Jesus, God will bring with him," which +makes it needless, indeed, to pray for the repose of those who thus +sleep. + +Gretchen asked me in the evening what the hymn meant,-- + + "I journey hence in peace and joy." + +I told her it was the soul of the prince that thus journeyed hence. + +"The procession was so dark and sad," she said, "the words did not seem +to suit." + +"That procession was going to the grave," said Thekla, who was with us. +"There was another procession, which we could not see, going to heaven. +The holy angels, clothed in radiant white, were carrying the happy +spirit to heaven, and singing, as they went, anthems such as that, while +we were weeping here." + +"I should like to see that procession of the dear angels, Aunt Thekla," +said Gretchen. "Mother says the good Elector had no little children to +love him, and no one to call him any tenderer name than 'Your electoral +highness' when he died. But on the other side of the grave he will not +be lonely, will he? The holy angels will have tender names for him +there, will they not?" + +"The Lord Jesus will, at all events," I said. "He calleth his own sheep +by name." + +And Gretchen was comforted for the Elector. + + * * * * * + +Not long after that day of mourning came a day of rejoicing to our +household, and to all the friendly circle at Wittemberg. + +Quietly, in our house, on June the 23d, Dr. Luther and Catherine von +Bora were married. + +A few days afterwards the wedding feast was held on the home-bringing of +the bride to the Augustinian cloister, which, together with "twelve +brewings of beer yearly," the good Elector John Frederic has given +Luther as a wedding present. Brave old John Luther and his wife, and +Luther's pious mother came to the feast from Mansfeld, and a day of much +festivity it was to all. + +And now for six months, what Luther calls "that great thing, the union +and communion between husband and wife," hath hallowed the old convent +into a home, whilst the prayer of faith and the presence of Him whom +faith sees, have consecrated the home into a sanctuary of love and +peace. + +Many precious things hath Dr. Luther said of marriage. God, he says, has +set the type of marriage before us throughout all creation. Each +creature seeks its perfection through being blent with another. The very +heaven and earth picture it to us, for does not the sky embrace the +green earth as its bride? "Precious, excellent, glorious," he says, "is +that word of the Holy Ghost, 'the heart of the husband doth safely trust +in her.'" + +He says also, that so does he honour the married state, that before he +thought of marrying his Catherine, he had resolved, if he should be laid +suddenly on his dying bed, to be espoused before he died, and to give +two silver goblets to the maiden as his wedding and dying gift. And +lately he counselled one who was to be married, "Dear friend, do thou as +I did, when I would take my Käthe. I prayed to our Lord God with all my +heart. A good wife is a companion of life, and her husband's solace and +joy, and when a pious man and wife love each other truly, the devil has +little power to hurt them. + +"All men," he said, "believe and understand that marriage is marriage, a +hand a hand, riches are riches; but to believe that marriage is of God, +and ordered and appointed by God; that the hand is made by God, that +wealth and all we have and are is given by God, and is to be used as his +work to his praise, that is not so commonly believed. And a good wife," +he said, "should be loved and honoured, firstly, because she is God's +gift and present: secondly, because God has endowed women with noble and +great virtues, which, when they are modest, faithful, and believing, far +overbalance their little failings and infirmities." + + + WITTEMBERG, _December_, 1525. + +Another year all but closed--a year of mingled storm and sunshine? The +sorrow we dreaded for our poor Thekla is come at last too surely. +Bertrand de Créquy is dead! He died in a prison alone, for conscience' +sake, but at peace in God. A stranger from Flanders brought her a few +words of farewell in his handwriting, and afterwards saw him dead, so +that she cannot doubt. She seems to move about like one walking in a +dream, performing every common act of life as before, but with the soul +asleep. We are afraid what will be the end of it. Gold help her! She is +now gone for the Christmas to Eva and Fritz. + +Sad divisions have sprung up among the evangelical Christians. Dr. +Luther is very angry at some doctrines of Karlstadt and the Swiss +brethren concerning the holy sacraments, and says they will be wise +above what is written. We grieve at these things, especially as our +Atlantis has married a Swiss, and Dr. Luther will not acknowledge them +as brethren. Our poor Atlantis is much perplexed, and writes that she is +sure her husband meaneth not to undervalue the Holy Supper, and that in +very truth they find their Saviour present there as we do. But Dr. +Luther is very stern about it. He fears disorders and wild opinions will +be brought in again, such as led to the slaughter of the peasants' war. +Yet he himself is sorely distressed about it, and saith often that the +times are so evil the end of the world is surely drawing nigh. + +In the midst of all this perplexity, we who love him rejoice that he has +that quiet home in the Augustei, where "Lord Käthe," as he calls her, +and her little son Hänschen reign, and where the dear, holy angels, as +Luther says, watch over the cradle of the child. + +It was a festival to all Wittemberg when little Hans Luther was born. + +Luther's house is like the sacred hearth of Wittemberg and of all the +land. There in the winter evenings he welcomes his friends to the +cheerful room with the large window, and sometimes they sing good songs +or holy hymns in parts, accompanied by the lute and harp, music at which +Dr. Luther is sure King David would be amazed and delighted, could he +rise from his grave, "since there can have been none so fine in his +days." "The devil," he says, "always flies from music, especially from +sacred music, because he is a despairing spirit, and cannot bear joy and +gladness." + +And in the summer days he sits under the pear tree in his garden, while +Käthe works beside him; or he plants seeds and makes a fountain; or he +talks to her and his friends about the wonders of beauty God has set in +the humblest flowers, and the picture of the resurrection he gives us in +every delicate twig that in spring bursts from the dry brown stems of +winter. + +More and more we see what a good wife God has given him in Catherine von +Bora, with her cheerful, firm, and active spirit, and her devoted +affection for him. Already she has the management of all the finance of +the household, a very necessary arrangement, if the house of Luther is +not to go to ruin, for Dr. Luther would give everything, even to his +clothes and furniture, to any one in distress, and he will not receive +any payment either for his books or for teaching the students. + +She is a companion for him, moreover, and not a mere listener, which he +likes, however much he may laugh at her eloquence, "in her own +department surpassing Cicero's," and sarcastically relate how when first +they were married, not knowing what to say, but wishing to "make +conversation," she used to say, as she sat at her work beside him, "Herr +Doctor, is not the lord high chamberlain in Prussia the brother of the +margrave?" hoping that such high discourse would not be too trifling for +him! He says, indeed, that if he were to seek an obedient wife, he would +carve one for himself out of stone. But the belief among us is, that +there are few happier homes than Dr. Luther's; and if at any time +Catherine finds him oppressed with a sadness too deep for her ministry +to reach, she quietly creeps out and calls Justus Jones, or some other +friend, to come and cheer the doctor. Often, also, she reminds him of +the letters he has to write; and he likes to have her sitting by him +while he writes, which is a proof sufficient that she can be silent when +necessary, whatever jests the Doctor may make about her "long sermons, +which she certainly never would have made, if, like other preachers, she +had taken the precaution of beginning with the Lord's Prayer!" + +The Christian married life, as he says, "is a humble and a holy life," +and well, indeed, is it for our German Reformation that its earthly +centre is neither a throne, nor a hermitage, but a lowly Christian home. + + + PARSONAGE OF GERSDORF, _June_, 1527. + +I am staying with Eva while Fritz is absent making a journey of +inspection of the schools throughout Saxony at Dr. Luther's desire, with +Dr. Philip Melancthon, and many other learned men. + +Dr. Luther has set his heart on improving the education of the children, +and is anxious to have some of the revenues of the suppressed convents +appropriated to this purpose before all are quietly absorbed by the +nobles and princes for their own uses. + +It is a renewal of youth to me, in my sober middle age, to be here along +with Eva, and yet not alone. For the terror of my youth is actually +under our roof with me. _Aunt Agnes_ is an inmate of Fritz's home! +During the pillaging of the convents and dispersing of the nuns, which +took place in the dreadful peasants' war, she was driven from +Nimptschen, and after spending a few weeks with our mother at +Wittemberg, has finally taken refuge with Eva and Fritz. + +But Eva's little twin children, Heinz and Agnes, will associate a very +different picture with the name of Aunt Agnes from the rigid lifeless +face and voice which used to haunt my dreams of a religious life, and +make me dread the heaven, of whose inhabitants, I was told, Aunt Agnes +was a type. + +Perhaps the white hair softens the high but furrowed brow; yet surely +there was not that kindly gleam in the grave eyes I remember, or that +tender tone in the voice. Is it an echo of the voices of the little ones +she so dearly loves, and a reflection of the sunshine in their eyes? No; +better than that even, I know, because Eva told me. It is the smile and +the music of a heart made as that of a little child through believing in +the Saviour. It is the peace of the Pharisee, who has won the publican's +blessing by meekly taking the publican's place. + +I confess, however, I do not think Aunt Agnes's presence improves the +discipline of Eva's household. She is exceedingly slow to detect any +traces of original sin in Eva's children, while to me, on the contrary, +the wonder is that any creature so good and exemplary as Eva should have +children so much like other people's--even mine. One would have thought +that her infants would have been a kind of half angels, taking naturally +to all good things, and never doing wrong except by mistake in a gentle +and moderate way. Whereas, I must say, I hear frequent little wails of +rebellion from Eva's nursery, especially at seasons of ablution, much as +from mine; and I do not think even our Fritz ever showed more decided +pleasure in mischief, or more determined self-will, than Eva's little +rosy Heinz. + +One morning after a rather prolonged little battle between Heinz and his +mother about some case of oppression of little Agnes, I suggested to +Aunt Agnes-- + +"Only to think that Eva, if she had kept to her vocation, might have +attained to the full ideal of the Theologia Teutsch, have become a St. +Elizabeth, or indeed far better?" + +Aunt Agnes looked up quickly-- + +"And you mean to say she is not better now! You imagine that spinning +meditations all day long is more Christian work for a woman than +training these little ones for God, and helping them to fight their +first battles with the devil!" + +"Perhaps not, Aunt Agnes," I said, "but then, you see, I know nothing of +the inside of a convent." + +"_I do_," said Aunt Agnes emphatically, "and also the inside of a nun's +heart. And I know what wretched work we make of it when we try to take +our education out of our Heavenly Father's hands into our own. Do you +think," she continued, "Eva did not learn more in the long nights when +she watched over her sick child than she could have learned in a +thousand self-imposed vigils before any shrine? And to-night, when she +kneels with Heinz, as she will, and says with him, 'Pray God forgive +little Heinz for being a naughty boy to-day,' and lays him on his +pillow, and as she watches him fall asleep, asks God to bless and train +the wilful little one, and then asks for pardon herself, do you not +think she learns more of what 'forgiveness' means and 'Our Father' than +from a year's study of the Theologia Teutsch?" + +I smiled and said, "Dear Aunt Agnes, if Fritz wants to hear Eva's +praises well sung, I will tell him to suggest to you whether it might +not have been a higher vocation for her to remain a nun!" + +"Ah! child," said Aunt Agnes, with a little mingling of the old +sternness, and the new tenderness in her voice, "if you had learned what +I have from those lips, and in this house, you could not, even in jest, +bear to hear a syllable of reflection on either." + +Indeed, even Aunt Agnes cannot honour this dear home more than I do. +Open to every peasant who has a sorrow or a wrong to tell, it is also +linked with the castle; and linked to both, not by any class privileges, +but because here peasants and nobles alike are welcomed as men and +women, and as Christian brothers and sisters. + +Now and then we pay a visit to the castle, where our noble sister +Chriemhild is enthroned. But my tastes have always been burgher like, +and the parsonage suits me much better than the castle. Besides, I +cannot help feeling some little awe of Dame Hermentrud, especially when +my two boys are with me, they being apt to indulge in a burgher freedom +in their demeanour. The furniture and arrangements of the castle are a +generation behind our own at Wittemberg, and I cannot at all make the +boys comprehend the majesty of the Gersdorf ancestry, nor the necessary +inferiority of people who live in streets to those who live in isolated +rock fortresses. So that I am reduced to the Bible law of "honour to +grey hairs" to enforce due respect to Dame Hermentrud. + +Little Fritz wants to know what the Gersdorf ancestry are renowned for. +"Was it for learning?" he asked. + +I thought not, as it is only this generation who have learned to read, +and the old knight even is suspected of having strong reasons for +preferring listening to Ulrich's reading to using a book for himself. + +"Was it then for courage?" + +"Certainly, the Gersdorfs had always been brave." + +"With whom, then, had they fought?" + +"At the time of the Crusades, I believed, against the infidels." + +"And since then?" + +I did not feel sure, but looking at the ruined castle of Bernstein and +the neighbouring height, I was afraid it was against their neighbours. + +And so, after much cross questioning, the distinctions of the Gersdorf +family seemed to be chiefly reduced to their having been Gersdorfs, and +having lived at Gersdorf for a great many hundred years. + +Then Fritz desired to know in what way his cousins, the Gersdorfs of +this generation, are to distinguish themselves? This question also was a +perplexity to me, as I know it often is to Chriemhild. They must not on +any account be merchants; and now that in the Evangelical Church the +great abbeys are suppressed, and some of the bishoprics are to be +secularized, it is hardly deemed consistent with Gersdorf dignity that +they should become clergymen. The eldest will have the castle. One of +them may study civil law. For the others nothing seems open but the +idling dependent life of pages and military attendants in the castles of +some of the greater nobles. + +If the past is the inheritance of the knights, it seems to me the future +is far more likely to be the possession of the active burgher families. +I cannot but feel thankful for the lot which opens to our boys +honourable spheres of action in the great cities of the empire. There +seems no room for expansion in the life of those petty nobles. While the +patrician families of the cities are sailing on the broad current of the +times, encouraging art, advancing learning, themselves sharing all the +thought and progress of the time, these knightly families in the country +remain isolated in their grim castles ruling over a few peasants, and +fettered to a narrow local circle, while the great current of the age +sweeps by them. + +Gottfried says, narrow and ill-used privileges always end in ruining +those who bigotedly cling to them. The exclusiveness which begins by +shutting others out, commonly ends in shutting the exclusive in. The +lordly fortress becomes the narrow prison. + +All these thoughts passed through my mind as I left the rush-strewn +floor of the hall where Dame Hermentrud had received me and my boys, +with a lofty condescension, while, in the course of the interview, I had +heard her secretly remarking to Chriemhild how unlike the cousins were; +"It was quite singular how entirely the Gersdorf children were unlike +the Cottas!" + +But it was not until I entered Eva's lowly home, that I detected the +bitter root of wounded pride from which my deep social speculations +sprang. I had been avenging myself on the Schönberg-Gersdorf past by +means of the Cotta-Reichenbach future. Yes; Fritz and Eva's lowly home +is nobler than Chriemhild's, and richer than ours; richer and nobler +just in as far as it is more lowly and more Christian! + +And I learned my lesson after this manner. + +"Dame Hermentrud is very proud," I said to Eva, as I returned from the +castle and sat down beside her in the porch, where she was sewing; "and +I really cannot see on what ground." + +Eva made no reply, but a little amused smile played about her mouth, +which for the moment rather aggravated me. + +"Do you mean to say she is _not_ proud, Eva?" I continued +controversially. + +"I did not mean to say that any one was not proud," said Eva. + +"Did you mean then to imply that she has anything to be proud of?" + +"There are all the ghosts of all the Gersdorfs," said Eva; "and there is +the high ancestral privilege of wearing velvet and pearls, which you and +I dare not assume." + +"Surely," said I, "the privilege of possessing Lucas Cranach's pictures, +and Albrecht Dürer's carvings, is better than that." + +"Perhaps it is," said Eva demurely; "perhaps wealth is as firm ground +for pride to build on as ancestral rank. Those who have neither, like +Fritz and I, may be the most candid judges." + +I laughed, and felt a cloud pass from my heart. Eva had dared to call +the sprite which vexed me by his right name, and like any other gnome or +cobold, he vanished instantly. + +Thank God our Eva is Cousin Eva again, instead of Sister Ave; that her +single heart is here among us to flash the light on our consciences just +by shining, instead of being hidden under a saintly canopy in the shrine +of some distant convent. + + + _July_, 1527. + +Fritz is at home. It was delightful to see what a festival his return +was, not only in the home, but in the village--the children running to +the doors to receive a smile, the mothers stopping in their work to +welcome him. The day after his return was Sunday. As usual, the children +of the village were assembled at five o'clock in the morning to church. +Among them were our boys, and Chriemhild's, and Eva's twins, Heinz and +Agnes--rosy, merry children of the forest as they are. All, however, +looked as good and sweet as if they had been children of Eden, as they +tripped that morning after each other over the village green, their +bright little forms passing in and out of the shadow of the great +beech-tree which stands opposite the church. + +The little company all stood together in the church before the altar, +while Fritz stood on the step and taught them. At first they sang a +hymn, the elder boys in Latin, and then all together in German; and then +Fritz heard them say Luther's Catechism. How sweetly the lisping, +childish voices answered his deep, manly voice; like the rustling of the +countless summer leaves outside, or the fall of the countless tiny +cascades of the village stream in the still summer morning. + +"My dear child, what art thou?" he said. + +Answer from the score of little hushed, yet ringing voices-- + +"I am a Christian." + +"How dost thou know that?" + +"Because I am baptized, and believe on my dear Lord Jesus Christ." + +"What is it needful that a Christian should know for his salvation?" + +Answer--"The Catechism." + +And afterwards, in the part concerning the Christian faith, the sweet +voices repeated the Creed in German. + +"I believe in God the Father Almighty." + +And Fritz's voice asked gently-- + +"What does that mean?" + +Answer--"I believe that God has created me and all creatures; has given +me body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my limbs, reason, and all my +senses, and still preserves them to me; and that he has also given me my +clothes and my shoes, and whatsoever I eat or drink; that richly and +daily he provides me with all needful nourishment for body and life, and +guards me from all danger and evil; and all this out of pure fatherly +divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or deserving of mine. And +for all this I am bound to thank and praise him, and also to serve and +obey him. This is certainly true." + +Again-- + +"I believe in Jesus Christ," &c. + +"What does that mean?" + +"I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from +eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who +has redeemed me, a lost and condemned human creature, has purchased and +won me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil, not +with silver and gold, but with his own holy precious blood, and with his +innocent suffering and dying, that I may be his own, and I live in his +kingdom under him, and serve him in endless righteousness, innocence, +and blessedness, even as he is risen from the dead, and lives and reigns +forever. This is certainly true." + +And again, + +"I believe in the Holy Ghost." + +"What does that mean?" + +"I believe that not by my own reason or power can I believe on Jesus +Christ my Lord, or come to him; but the Holy Ghost has called me through +the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the +right faith, as he calls all Christian people on earth, gathers, +enlightens, sanctifies them, and through Jesus keeps them in the right +and only faith, among which Christian people he daily richly forgives +all sins, to me and all believers, and at the last day will awaken me +and all the dead, and to me and all believers in Christ will give +eternal life. This is certainly true." + +And again, on the Lord's Prayer, the children's voices began,-- + +"Our Father who art in heaven." + +"What does that mean?" + +"God will in this way sweetly persuade us to believe that he is our true +Father, and that we are his true children; that cheerfully and with all +confidence we may ask of him as dear children ask of their dear +fathers." + +And at the end, + +"What does Amen mean?" + +"That I should be sure such prayers are acceptable to the Father in +heaven, and granted by him, for he himself has taught us thus to pray, +and promised that he will hear us. Amen, amen--that means, _yes, yes, +that shall be done_." + +And when it was asked,-- + +"Who receives the holy sacrament worthily?" + +Softly came the answer,-- + +"He is truly and rightly prepared who has faith in these words, 'Given +and shed for you, for the forgiveness of sins.' But he who doubts or +disbelieves these words, is unworthy and unprepared; for the words, +'_for you_,' need simple believing hearts." + +As I listened to the simple living words, I could not wonder that Dr. +Luther often repeats them to himself, or rather, as he says, '_to God_,' +as an antidote to the fiery darts of the wicked one. + +And so the childish voices died away in the morning stillness of the +church, and the shadow of the bell-tower fell silently across the grassy +mounds or wooden crosses beneath which rest the village dead; and as we +went home, the long shadow of the beech-tree fell on the dewy village +green. + +Then, before eleven o'clock, the church bell began to ring, and the +peasants came trooping from the different clearings of the forest. One +by one we watched the various groups in their bright holiday dresses, +issuing out of the depths of dark green shade, among them, doubtless, +many a branch of the Luther family who live in this neighbourhood. +Afterwards each door in the village poured out its contributions, and +soon the little church was full, the men and women seated on the +opposite sides of the church, and the aged gathered around the pulpit. +Fritz's text was Eva's motto, "_God so loved the world._" Simply, with +illustrations such as they could understand, he spoke to them of God's +infinite love, and the infinite cost at which he had redeemed us, and of +the love and trust and obedience we owe him, and, according to Dr. +Luther's advice he did not speak too long, but "called black black, and +white white, keeping to one simple subject, so that the people may go +away and say, '_The sermon was about this._'" For, as I heard Dr. Luther +say, "We must not speak to the common people of high difficult things, +or with mysterious words. To the church come little children, +maid-servants, old men and women, to whom high doctrine teaches nothing. +For, if they say about it, 'Ah, he said excellent things, he has made a +fine sermon!' And one asks, 'What about, then?' they reply, 'I know +not.' Let us remember what pains our Lord Christ took to preach simply. +From the vineyard, from the sheepfold, from trees, he drew his +illustrations, all that the people might feel and understand." + +That sermon of Fritz's left a deep rest in my heart. He spoke not of +justification, and redemption merely, but of the living God redeeming +and justifying us. Greater service can no one render us than to recall +to us what God has done for us, and how he really and tenderly cares for +us. + +In the afternoon, the children were gathered for a little while in the +school-room, and questioned about the sermon. At sunset again we all met +for a short service in the church, and sang evening hymns in German, +after which the pastor pronounced the benediction, and the little +community scattered once more to their various homes. + +With the quiet sunshine, and the light shed on the home by Fritz's +return, to-day seemed to me almost like a day in Paradise. + +Thank God again and again for Dr. Luther, and especially for these two +great benefits given back to us through him--first, that he has unsealed +the fountain of God's word from the icy fetters of the dead language, +and sent it flowing through the land, everywhere wakening winter into +spring; and secondly, that he has vindicated the sanctity of marriage +and the home life it constitutes; unsealing the grave-stones of the +convent gates, and sending forth the religion entranced and buried there +to bless the world in a thousand lowly, holy, Christian homes such as +this. + + + + +XXXI. + +Thekla's Story. + + + WITTEMBERG, _September_, 1527. + +I have said it from my heart at last! yes, I am sure I say it from my +heart, and if with a broken heart, God will not despise that. + +"_Our Father_ which art in heaven, _thy will, not mine be done_." + +I thought I could bear anything better than suspense; but I had no idea +what a blank of despair the certainty would bring. + +Then came dreadful rebellious thoughts, that God should let him die +alone; and then recurred to my heart all they had said to me about not +making idols, and I began to fear I had never really loved or worshipped +God at all, but only Bertrand; and then came a long time of blank and +darkness into which no light of human or divine love or voices of +comfort seemed in the least to penetrate. I thought God would never +receive me until I could say, "Thy will be done," and this I could not +say. + +The first words I remember that seemed to convey any meaning at all to +me were some of Dr. Luther's in a sermon. He said it was easy to believe +in God's pardoning love in times of peace, but in times of temptation +when the devil assailed the soul with all his fiery darts, he himself +found it hard, indeed, to hold to the truth he knew so well, that Christ +was not a severe judge, or a hard exactor, but a forgiving Saviour, +indeed love itself, pure unalterable love. + +Then I began to understand it was _the devil_, the malignant exacting +evil spirit that I had been listening to in the darkness of my heart, +that it was he who had been persuading me I must not dare to go to my +Father, before I could bring him a perectly submissive heart. + +And then I remembered the words, "Come unto me, ye that are weary and +heavy laden;" and, alone in my room, I fell on my knees, and cried, "O +blessed Saviour, O heavenly Father, I am not submissive; but I am weary, +weary and heavy-laden; and I come to thee. Wilt thou take me as I am, +and teach me in time to say, 'Thy will be done!'" And he received me, +and in time he has taught me. At least I can say so to-night. To-morrow, +perhaps, the old rebellion will come back. But if it does, I will go +again to our heavenly Father and say again, "Not submissive yet, only +heavy-laden! Father, take my hand, and say, begin again!" + +Because amidst all these happy homes I felt so unnecessary to any one, +and so unutterably lonely. I longed for the old convents to bury myself +in, away from all joyous sounds. But, thank God, they were closed for +me; and I do not wish for them now. + +Dr. Luther began to help me by showing me how the devil had been keeping +me from God. + +And now God has helped me by sending through my heart again a glow of +thankfulness and love. + +The plague has been at Wittemberg again. Dr. Luther's house has been +turned into an hospital; for dear as are his Käthe and his little Hans +to him, he would not flee from the danger, any more than years ago, when +he was a monk in the convent which is now his home. + +And what a blessing his strong and faithful words have been among us, +from the pulpit, by the dying bed, or in the house of mourning. + +But it is through my precious mother chiefly that God has spoken to my +heart, and made me feel he does indeed sustain, and care, and listen. +She was so nearly gone. And now she is recovering. They say the danger +is over. And never more will I say in my heart, "To me only God gives no +home," or fear to let my heart entwine too closely round those God has +left me to love, because of the anguish when that clasp is severed. I +will take the joy and the love with all its possibilities of sorrow, and +trust in God for both. + +Perhaps, also, God may have some little work of love for me to do, some +especial service even for me, to make me needed in the world as long as +I am here. For to-day Justus Jonas, who has lost his little son in the +plague, came to me and said,-- + +"Thekla, come and see my wife. She says you can comfort her, for you can +comprehend sorrow." + +Of course I went. I do not think I said anything to comfort her. I could +do little else but weep with her, as I looked on the little, innocent, +placid, lifeless face. But when I left her she said I had done her good, +and begged me to come again. + +So, perhaps, God has some blessed services for me to render him, which I +could only have learned as he has taught me; and when we meet hereafter, +Bertrand and I, and hear that dear divine and human voice that has led +us through the world, we _together_ shall be glad of all this bitter +pain that we endured and felt, and give thanks for it for ever and for +ever! + + + + +XXXII. + +Elsè's Story. + + + WITTEMBERG, _May_, 1530. + +Of all the happy homes God has given to Germany through Dr. Luther, I +think none are happier than his own. + +The walls of the Augustine convent echo now with the pattering feet and +ringing voices of little children, and every night the angels watch over +the sanctuary of a home. The birthdays of Dr. Luther's children are +festivals to us all, and more especially the birthday of little Hans the +first-born was so. + +Yet death also has been in that bright home. Their second child, a babe, +Elizabeth, was early taken from her parents. Dr. Luther grieved over her +much. A little while after her death he wrote to his friend Hausmann: + +"Grace and peace. My Johannulus thanks thee, best Nicholas, for the +rattle, in which he glories and rejoices wondrously. + +"I have begun to write something about the Turkish war, which will not, +I hope, be useless. + +"My little daughter is dead; my darling little Elizabeth. It is strange +how sick and wounded she has left my heart, almost as tender as a +woman's, such pity moves me for that little one. I never could have +believed before what is the tenderness of a father's heart for his +children. Do thou pray to the Lord for me, in Whom fare-thee-well." + +Catherine von Bora is honoured and beloved by all. Some indeed complain +of her being too economical; but what would become of Dr. Luther and his +family if she were as reckless in giving as he is? He has been known +even to take advantage of her illness to bestow his plate on some needy +student. He never will receive a kreuzer from the students he teaches, +and he refuses to sell his writings, which provokes both Gottfried and +me, noble as it is of him, because the great profits they bring would +surely be better spent by Dr. Luther than by the printers who get them +now. Our belief is, that were it not for Mistress Luther, the whole +household would have long since been reduced to beggary, and Dr. Luther, +who does not scruple to beg of the Elector or of any wealthy person for +the needs of others (although never for his own), knows well how +precarious such a livelihood is. + +His wife does not, however, always succeed in restraining his +propensities to give everything away. Not long ago, in defiance of her +remonstrating looks, in her presence he bestowed on a student who came +to him asking money to help him home from the university, a silver +goblet which had been presented to him, saying that he had no need to +drink out of silver. + +We all feel the tender care with which she watches over his health, a +gift to the whole land. His strength has never quite recovered the +strain on it during those years of conflict and penance in the monastery +at Erfurt. And it is often strained to the utmost now. All the monks and +nuns who have renounced their idle maintenance in convents for +conscience' sake; all congregations that desire an evangelical pastor; +all people of all kinds in trouble of mind, body, or estate, turn to Dr. +Luther for aid or counsel, as to the warmest heart and the clearest head +in the land. His correspondence is incessant, embracing and answering +every variety of perplexity, from counselling evangelical princes how +best to reform their states, to directions to some humble Christian +woman how to find peace for her conscience in Christ. And besides the +countless applications to him for advice, his large heart seems always +at leisure to listen to the appeal of the persecuted far and near, or to +the cry of the bereaved and sorrowful. + +Where shall we find the spring of all this activity but in the _Bible_, +of which he says, "There are few trees in that garden which I have not +shaken for fruit;" and in _prayer_, of which he, the busiest man in +Christendom, (as if he were a contemplative hermit) says, "Prayer is the +Christian's business (Das Gebet ist des Christen Handwerk)." + +Yes, it is the leisure he makes for prayer which gives leisure for all +besides. It is the hours passed with the life-giving word which make +sermons, and correspondence, and teaching of all kinds to him simply the +out-pouring of a full heart. + +Yet such a life wears out too quickly. More than once has Mistress +Luther been in sore anxiety about him during the four years they have +been married. + +Once, in 1527, when little Hans was the baby, and he believed he should +soon have to leave her a widow with the fatherless little one, he said +rather sadly he had nothing to leave her but the silver tankards which +had been presented to him. + +"Dear doctor," she replied, "if it be God's will, then I also choose +that you be with him rather than me. It is not so much I and my child +even that need you as the multitude of pious Christians. Trouble +yourself not about me." + +What her courageous hopefulness and her tender watchfulness have been to +him, he showed when he said,-- + +"I am too apt to expect more from my Käthe, and from Melancthon, than I +do from Christ, my Lord. And yet I well know that neither they nor any +one on earth has suffered, or can suffer, what he hath suffered for me." + +But although incessant work may weigh upon his body, there are severer +trials which weigh upon his spirit. The heart so quick to every touch of +affection or pleasure cannot but be sensitive to injustice or +disappointment. It cannot therefore be easy for him to bear that at one +time it should be perilous for him to travel on account of the +indignation of the nobles, whose relatives he has rescued from +nunneries; and at another time equally unsafe because of the indignation +of the peasants, for whom, though he boldly and openly denounced their +made insurrection, he pleads fervently with nobles and princes. + +But bitterer than all other things to him, are the divisions among +evangelical Christians. Every truth he believes flashes on his mind with +such overwhelming conviction that it seems to him nothing but +incomprehensible wilfulness for any one else not to see it. Every +conviction he holds, he holds with the grasp of one ready to die for +it--not only with the tenacity of possession, but of a soldier to whom +its defence has been intrusted. He would not, indeed, have any put to +death or imprisoned for their misbelief. But hold out the hand of +fellowship to those who betray any part of his Lords trust, he +thinks,--how dare he? Are a few peaceable days to be purchased at the +sacrifice of eternal truth? + +And so the division has taken place between us and the Swiss. + +My Gretchen perplexed me the other day, when we were coming from the +city church, where Dr. Luther had been preaching against the Anabaptists +and the Swiss, (whom he will persist in classing together,) by saying,-- + +"Mother, is not Uncle Winkelried a Swiss, and is he not a good man?" + +"Of course Uncle Conrad is a good man, Gretchen," rejoined our Fritz, +who had just returned from a visit to Atlantis and Conrad. "How can you +ask such questions?" + +"But he is a Swiss, and Dr. Luther said we must take care not to be like +the Swiss, because they say wicked things about the holy sacraments." + +"I am sure Uncle Conrad does not say wicked things," retorted Fritz, +vehemently. "I think he is almost the best man I ever saw. Mother," he +continued, "why does Dr. Luther speak so of the Swiss?" + +"You see, Fritz," I said, "Dr. Luther never stayed six months among them +as you did; and so he has never seen how good they are at home." + +"Then," rejoined Fritz, sturdily, "if Dr. Luther has not seen them, I do +not think he should speak so of them." + +I was driven to have recourse to maternal authority to close the +discussion, reminding Fritz that he was a little boy, and could not +pretend to judge of good and great men, like Dr. Luther. But, indeed, I +could not help half agreeing with the child. It was impossible to make +him understand how Dr. Luther has fought his way inch by inch to the +freedom in which we now stand at ease; how he detests the Zwinglian +doctrines, not so much for themselves, as for what he thinks they imply. +How will it be possible to make our children, who enter on the peaceful +inheritance so dearly won, understand the rough, soldierly vehemence, of +the warrior race, who re-conquered that inheritance for them? + +As Dr. Luther says, "It is not a little thing to change the whole +religion and doctrine of the Papacy. How hard it has been to me, they +will see in that Day. Now no one believes it!" + +God appointed David to fight the wars of Israel, and Solomon to build +the temple. Dr. Luther has had to do both. What wonder if the hand of +the soldier can sometimes be traced in the work of peace! + +Yet, why should I perplex myself about this? Soon, too soon, death will +come, and consecrate the virtues of our generation to our children, and +throw a softening veil over our mistakes. + +Even now that Dr. Luther is absent from us at Coburg, in the castle +there, how precious his letters are; and how doubly sacred the words he +preached to us last Sunday from the pulpit, now that to-morrow we are +not to hear him. + +He is placed in the castle at Coburg, in order to be nearer the Diet at +Augsburg, so as to aid Dr. Melancthon, who is there, with his counsel. +The Elector dare not trust the royal heart and straightforward spirit of +our Luther among the prudent diplomatists at the Diet. + +Mistress Luther is having a portrait taken of their little Magdalen, who +is now a year old, and especially dear to the Doctor, to send to him in +the fortress. + + + _June_, 1530. + +Letters have arrived from and about Dr. Luther. His father is dead--the +brave, persevering, self-denying, truthful old man, who had stamped so +much of his own character on his son. "It is meet I should mourn such a +parent," Luther writes, "who through the sweat of his brow had nurtured +and educated me, and made me what I am." He felt it keenly, especially +since he could not be with his father at the last; although he gives +thanks that he lived in these times of light, and departed strong in the +faith of Christ. Dr. Luther's secretary writes, however, that the +portrait of his little Magdalen comforts him much. He has hung it on the +wall opposite to the place where he sits at meals. + +Dr. Luther is now the eldest of his race. He stands in the foremost rank +of the generations slowly advancing to confront death. + +To-day I have been sitting with Mistress Luther in the garden behind the + +Augustei, under the shade of the pear-tree, where she so often sits +beside the Doctor. Our children were playing around us--her little +Hänschen with the boys, while the little Magdalen sat cooing like a dove +over some flowers, which she was pulling to pieces, on the grass at our +feet. + +She talked to me much about the Doctor; how dearly he loves the little +ones, and what lessons of divine love and wisdom he learns from their +little plays. He says often, that beautiful as all God's works are, +little children are the fairest of all; that the dear angels especially +watch over them. He is very tender with them, and says sometimes they +are better theologians than he is, for they trust God. Deeper prayers +and higher theology he never hopes to reach than the first the little +ones learn--the Lord's Prayer and the Catechism. Often, she said, he +says over the Catechism, to remind himself of all the treasures of faith +we possess. + +It is delightful too, she says, to listen to the heavenly theology he +draws from birds and leaves and flowers, and the commonest gifts of God +or events of life. At table, a plate of fruit will open to him a whole +volume of God's bounty, on which he will discourse. Or, taking a rose in +his hand, he will say, "A man who could make one rose like this would be +accounted most wonderful; and God scatters countless such flowers around +us! But the very infinity of his gifts makes us blind to them." + +And one evening, he said of a little bird, warbling its last little song +before it went to roost, "Ah, dear little bird! he has chosen his +shelter, and is quietly rocking himself to sleep, without a care for +to-morrow's lodging; calmly holding by his little twig, and leaving God +to think for him." + +In spring he loves to direct her attention to the little points and +tufts of life peeping everywhere from the brown earth or the bare +branches. "Who," he said, "that had never witnessed a spring-time would +have guessed, two months since, that these lifeless branches had +concealed within them all that hidden power of life? It will be thus +with us at the resurrection. God writes his gospel, not in the Bible +alone, but in trees, and flowers, and clouds, and stars." + +And thus, to Mistress Luther, that little garden, with his presence and +his discourse, has become like an illuminated Gospel and Psalter. + +I ventured to ask her some questions, and, among others, if she had ever +heard him speak of using a form of words in prayer. She said she had +once heard him say "we might use forms of words in private prayer until +the wings and feathers of our souls are grown, that we may soar freely +upward into the pure air of God's presence." But _his_ prayers, she +says, are sometimes like the trustful pleadings of his little boy +Hänschen with him; and sometimes like the wrestling of a giant in an +agony of conflict. + +She said, also, that she often thanks God for the Doctor's love of +music. When his mind and heart have been strained to the utmost, music +seems to be like a bath of pure fresh water to his spirit, bracing and +resting it at once. + +I indeed have myself heard him speak of this, when I have been present +at the meetings he has every week at his house for singing in parts. +"The devil," he says--"that lost spirit--cannot endure sacred songs of +joy. Our passions and impatiences, our complainings and our cryings, our +Alas! and our Woe is me! please him well; but our songs and psalms vex +him and grieve him sorely." + +Mistress Luther told me she had many an anxious hour about the Doctor's +health. He is often so sorely pressed with work and care; and he has +never recovered the weakening effects of his early fasts and conflicts. + +His tastes at table are very simple, his favourite dishes are herrings +and pease-soup. His habits are abstemious, and when engrossed with any +especial work, he would forget or go without his meals altogether if she +did not press him to take them. When writing his Commentary on the +Twenty-second Psalm, he shut himself up for three days with nothing but +bread and salt; until, at last, she had to send for a locksmith to break +open the door, when they found him absorbed in meditation. + +And yet, with all his deep thoughts and his wide cares, like a king's or +an archbishop's, he enters into his children's games as if he were a +boy; and never fails, if he is at a fair on his travels, to bring the +little ones home some gift for a fairing. + +She showed me a letter she had just received from him from Coburg, for +his little son Hänschen. She allowed me to copy it. It is written +thus:-- + + "Grace and peace in Christ to my heartily dear little son. + + "I see gladly that thou learnest well and prayest earnestly. Do + thus, my little son, and go on. When I come home I will bring + thee a beautiful fairing. I know a pleasant garden, wherein + many children walk about. They have little golden coats, and + pick up beautiful apples under the trees, and pears, cherries, + and plums. They dance and are merry, and have also beautiful + little ponies, with golden reins and silver saddles. Then I + asked the man whose the garden is, whose children those were. + He said, 'These are the children who love to pray, who learn + their lessons, and are good.' Then I said, 'Dear man, I also + have a little son; he is called Hänsichen Luther. Might not he + also come into the garden, that he might eat such apples and + pears, and ride on such beautiful little ponies, and play with + these children?' Then the man said, 'If he loves to pray, learn + his lessons, and is good, he also shall come into the + garden--Lippus and Jost also (the little sons of Melancthon and + Justus Jonas); and when they all come together, they also shall + have pipes, drums, lutes, and all kinds of music; and shall + dance, and shoot with little bows and arrows.' + + "And he showed me there a fair meadow in the garden, prepared + for dancing. There were many pipes of pure gold, drums, and + silver bows and arrows. But it was still early in the day, so + that the children had not had their breakfasts. Therefore I + could not wait for the dancing, and said to the man, 'Ah, dear + sir, I will go away at once, and write all this to my little + son Hänsichen, that he may be sure to pray and to learn well, + and be good, that he also may come into this garden. But he has + a dear aunt, Lena; he must bring her with him.' Then said the + man, 'Let it be so; go and write him thus.' + + "Therefore, my dear little son Hänsichen, learn thy lessons, + and pray with a cheerful heart; and tell all this to Lippus and + Justus too, that they also may learn their lessons and pray. So + shall you all come together into this garden. Herewith I + commend you to the Almighty God; and greet Aunt Lena, and give + her a kiss from me.--Thy dear father, + + "MARTIN LUTHER." + +Some who have seen this letter say it is too trifling for such serious +subjects. But heaven is not a grim and austere, but a most bright and +joyful place; and Dr. Luther is only telling the child in his own +childish language what a happy place it is. Does not God our heavenly +Father do even so with us? + +I should like to have seen Dr. Luther turn from his grave letters to +princes and doctors about the great Augsburg Confession, which they are +now preparing, to write these loving words to his little Hans. No wonder +"Catharine Lutherinn," "Doctoress Luther," "mea dominus Ketha," "my lord +Käthe," as he calls her, is a happy woman. Happy for Germany that the +Catechism in which our children learn the first elements of divine +truth, grew out of the fatherly heart of Luther, instead of being put +together by a Diet or a General Council. + +One more letter I have copied, because my children were so interested in +it. Dr. Luther finds at all times great delight in the songs of birds. +The letter I have copied was written on the 28th April to his friends +who meet around his table at home. + + "Grace and peace in Christ, dear sirs and friends! I have + received all your letters, and understand how things are going + on with you. That you, on the other hand, may understand how + things are going on here, I would have you know that we, + namely, I, Master Veit, and Cyriacus, are not going to the Diet + at Augsburg. We have, however, another Diet of our own here. + + "Just under our window there is a grove like a little forest, + where the choughs and crows have convened a diet, and there is + such a riding hither and thither, such an incessant tumult, day + and night, as if they were all merry and mad with drinking. + Young and old chatter together, until I wonder how their breath + can hold out so long. I should like to know if any of those + nobles and cavaliers are with you; it seems to me they must be + gathered here out of the whole world. + + "I have not yet seen their emperor; but their great people are + always strutting and prancing before our eyes, not, indeed, in + costly robes, but all simply clad in one uniform, all alike + black, all alike grey-eyed, and all singing one song, only with + the most amusing varieties between young and old, and great and + small. They are not careful to have a great palace and hall of + assembly, for their hall is vaulted with the beautiful, broad + sky, their floor is the field strewn with fair, green branches, + and their walls reach as far as the ends of the world. Neither + do they require steeds and armour; they have feathered wheels + with which they fly from shot and danger. They are, doubtless, + great and mighty lords, but what they are debating I do not yet + know. + + "As far, however, as I understand through an interpreter, they + are planning a great foray and campaign against the wheat, + barley, oats, and all kinds of grain, and many a knight will + win his spurs in this war, and many a brave deed will be done. + + "Thus we sit here in our Diet, and hear and listen with great + delight, and learn how the princes and lords, with all the + other estates of the empire, sing and live so merrily. But our + especial pleasure is to see how cavalierly they pace about, + whet their beaks, and furbish their armour, that they may win + glory and victory from wheat and oats. We wish them health and + wealth,--and that they may all at once be impaled on a quickset + hedge! + + "For I hold they are nothing better than sophists and Papists + with their preaching and writing; and I should like to have + these also before me in our assembly, that I might hear their + pleasant voices and sermons, and see what a useful people they + are to devour all that is on the face of the earth, and + afterwards chatter no one knows how long! + + "To-day we have heard the first nightingale; for they would not + trust April. We have had delightful weather here, no rain, + except a little yesterday. With you, perhaps, it is otherwise. + Herewith I commend you to God. Keep house well. Given from the + Diet of the grain-Turks, the 28th of April, anno 1530. + + "MARTINUS LUTHER." + +Yet, peaceful and at leisure as he seems, Gottfried says the whole of +Germany is leaning now once more on the strength of that faithful heart. + +The Roman diplomatists again and again have all but persuaded Melancthon +to yield everything for peace; and, but for the firm and faithful words +which issue from "this wilderness," as Luther calls the Coburg fortress, +Gottfried believes all might have gone wrong. Severely and mournfully +has Dr. Luther been constrained to write more than once to "Philip +Pusillanimity," demanding that at least he should not give up the +doctrine of justification by faith, and abandon all to the decision of +the bishops! + +It is faith which gives Luther this clearness of vision. "It is God's +word and cause," he writes, "therefore our prayer is certainly heard, +and already he has determined and prepared the help that shall help us. +This cannot fail. For he says, 'Can a woman forget her sucking child, +that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they +may forget, yet will I not forget thee. See, I have graven thee on the +palms of my hands.' I have lately seen two miracles," he continues; "the +first, as I was looking out of my window and saw the stars in heaven, +and all that beautiful vaulted roof of God, and yet saw no pillars on +which the Master Builder had fixed this vault; yet the heaven fell not, +but all that grand arch stood firm. Now, there are some who search for +such pillars, and want to touch and grasp them, and since they cannot, +they wonder and tremble as if the heaven must certainly fall, for no +other reason but because they cannot touch and grasp its pillars. If +they could lay hold on those, think they, then the heaven would stand +firm! + +"The second miracle was--I saw great clouds rolling over us, with such a +ponderous weight that they might be compared to a great ocean, and yet I +saw no foundation on which they rested or were based, nor any shore +which kept them back; yet they fell not on us, but frowned on us with a +stern countenance, and fled. But when they had passed by, then shone +forth both their foundation and our roof which had kept them back--the +rainbow! Truly a weak, thin, slight foundation and roof, which soon +melted away into the clouds, and was more like a shadowy prism, such as +we see through coloured glass, than a strong and firm foundation! so +that we might well distrust that feeble dyke which kept back that +terrible weight of waters. Yet we found, in fact, that this +unsubstantial prism could bear up the weight of waters, and that it +guards us safely. But there are some who look rather at the thickness +and massy weight of the waters and clouds, than at this thin, slight, +narrow bow of promise. They would like to _feel the strength_ of that +shadowy, evanescent arch, and because they cannot do this, they are ever +fearing that the clouds will bring back the deluge." + +Heavenly Father, since one man who trusts thy word can thus uphold a +nation, what could not thy word do for each of us if we would each of us +thus trust it, and Thee who speakest it. + + + + +XXXIII. + +Thekla's Story. + + + WITTEMBERG, 1540. + +The time I used to dread most of all in my life, after that great +bereavement which laid it waste, is come. I am in the monotonous level +of solitary middle age. The sunny heights of childhood, and even the +joyous breezy slopes of youth, are almost out of sight behind me; and +the snowy heights of reverend age, from which we can look over into the +promised land beyond, are almost as far before me. Other lives have +grown from the bubbling spring into the broad and placid river, while +mine is still the little narrow stream it was at first; only, creeping +slow and noiseless through the flats, instead of springing gladly from +rock to rock, making music wherever it came. Yet I am content; +absolutely, fully content. I am sure that my life also has been ordered +by the highest wisdom and love; and that (as far as my faithless heart +does not hinder it) God is leading me also on to the very highest and +best destiny for me. + +I did not always think so. I used to fear that not only would this +bereavement throw a shadow on my earthly life, but that it would stunt +and enfeeble my nature for ever; that missing all the sweet, ennobling +relationships of married life, even throughout the ages I should be but +an undeveloped, one-sided creature. + +But one day I was reading in Dr. Luther's German Bible the chapter about +the body of Christ, the twelfth of First Corinthians, and great comfort +came into my heart through it. I saw that we are not meant to be +separate atoms, each complete in itself, but members of a body, each +only complete through union with all the rest. And then I saw how +entirely unimportant it is in what place Christ shall set me in his +body; and how impossible it is for us to judge what he is training us +for, until the body is perfected and we see what we are to be in it. + +On the Düben Heath also, soon after, when I was walking home with Elsè's +Gretchen, the same lesson came to me in a parable, through a clump of +trees under the shade of which we were resting. Often, from a distance, +we had admired the beautiful symmetry of the group, and now, looking up, +I saw how imperfect every separate tree was, all leaning in various +directions, and all only developed on one side. If each tree had said, +"I am a beech tree, and I ought to throw out branches on every side, +like my brother standing alone on the heath," what would have become of +that beautiful clump? And looking up through the green interwoven leaves +to the blue sky I said,-- + +"Heavenly Father, thou art wise! I will doubt no more. Plant me where +thou wilt in thy garden, and let me grow as thou wilt! Thou wilt not let +me fail of my highest end." + +Dr. Luther also said many things which helped me from time to time, in +conversation or in his sermons. + +"The barley," he said, "must suffer much from man. First, it is cast +into the earth that it may decay. Then, when it is grown up and ripe, it +is cut and mown down. Then it is crushed and pressed, fermented and +brewed into beer. + +"Just such a martyr also is the linen or flax. When it is ripe it is +plucked, steeped in water, beaten, dried, hacked, spun, and woven into +linen, which again is torn and cut. Afterwards it is made into plaster +for sores, and used for binding up wounds. Then it becomes lint, is laid +under the stamping machines in the paper mill, and torn into small bits. +From this they make paper for writing and printing. + +"These creatures, and many others like them, which are of great use to +us, must thus suffer. Thus also must good, godly Christians suffer much +from the ungodly and wicked. Thus, however, the barley, wine, and corn +are ennobled; in man becoming flesh, and in the Christian man's flesh +entering into the heavenly kingdom." + +Often he speaks of the "dear, holy cross, a portion of which is given to +all Christians." + +"All the saints," he said once, when a little child of one of his +friends lay ill, "must drink of the bitter cup. Could Mary even, the +dear mother of our Lord, escape? All who are dear to him must suffer. +Christians conquer when they suffer; only when they rebel and resist are +they defeated and lose the day." + +He, indeed, knows what trial and temptation mean. Many a bitter cup has +he had to drink, he to whom the sins, and selfishness, and divisions of +Christians are personal sorrow and shame. It is therefore, no doubt, +that he knows so well how to sustain and comfort. Those, he says, who +are to be the bones and sinews of the Church must expect the hardest +blows. + +Well I remember his saying, when, on the 8th of August, 1529, before his +going to Coburg, he and his wife lay sick of a fever, while he suffered +also from sciatica, and many other ailments,-- + +"God has touched me sorely. I have been impatient; but God knows better +than I whereto it serves. _Our Lord God is like a printer who sets the +letters backwards, so that here we cannot read them. When we are printed +off yonder, in the life to come, we shall read all clear and +straightforward._ Meantime we must have patience." + +In other ways more than I can number he and his words have helped me. No +one seems to understand as he does what the devil is and does. It is the +_temptation_ in the sorrow which is the thing to be dreaded and guarded +against. This was what I did not understand at first when Bertrand died. +I thought I was rebellious, and dared not approach God till I ceased to +feel rebellious. I did not understand that the malignant one who tempted +me to rebel also tempted me to think God would not forgive. I had +thought before of affliction as a kind of sanctuary where naturally I +should feel God near. I had to learn that it is also night-time, even +"the hour of darkness," in which the prince of darkness draws near +unseen. As Luther says, "The devil torments us in the place where we are +most tender and weak, as in Paradise he fell not on Adam, but on Eve." + +Inexpressible was the relief to me when I learned who had been +tormenting me, and turned to Him who vanquished the tempter of old to +banish him now from me. For terrible as Dr. Luther knows that fallen +angel to be,--"the antithesis," as he said, "of the Ten Commandments," +who for thousands of years has been studying with an angel's +intellectual power, or how most effectually to distress and ruin +man,--he always reminds us that, nevertheless, the devil is a +vanquished foe, that the victory has not now to be won; that, bold as +the evil one is to assail and tempt the unguarded, a word or look of +faith will compel him to flee "like a beaten hound." It is this blending +of the sense of Satan's power to tempt, with the conviction of his +powerlessness to injure the believing heart, which has so often +sustained me in Dr. Luther's words. + +But it is not only thus that he has helped me. He presses on us often +the necessity of occupation. It is better, he says, to engage in the +humblest work, than to sit still alone and encounter the temptations of +Satan. "Oft in my temptations I have need to talk even with a child, in +order to expel such thoughts as the devil possesses me with; and this +teaches me not to boast as if of myself I were able to help myself, and +to subsist without the strength of Christ. I need one at times to help +me who in his whole body has not as much theology as I have in one +finger." "The human heart," he says, "is like a millstone in a mill: +when you put wheat under it, it turns, and grinds, and bruises the wheat +to flour; if you put no wheat it still grinds on, but then it is itself +it grinds and wears away. So the human heart, unless it be occupied with +some employment, leaves space for the devil, who wriggles himself in, +and brings with him a whole host of evil thoughts, temptations, +tribulations, which grind away the heart." + +After hearing him say this, I tried hard to find myself some occupation. +At first it seemed difficult. Elsè wanted little help with her children, +or only occasionally. At home the cares of poverty were over, and my +dear father and mother lived in comfort, without my aid. I used +discontentedly to wish sometimes that we were poor again, as in Elsè's +girlish days, that I might be needed, and really feel it of some use to +spin and embroider, instead of feeling that I only worked for the sake +of not being idle, and that no one would be the better for what I did. + +At other times I used to long to seclude myself from all the happy life +around, and half to reproach Dr. Luther in my heart for causing the +suppression of the convents. In a nunnery, at least, I thought I should +have been something definite and recognized, instead of the negative, +undeveloped creature, I felt myself to be, only distinguished from those +around by the absence of what made their lives real and happy. + +My mother's recovery from the plague helped to cure me of that, by +reminding me of the home blessings still left. I began, too, to confide +once more in God, and I was comforted by thinking of what my grandmother +said to me one day when I was a little girl, crying hopelessly over a +tangled skein and sobbing, "I shall never untangle it." "Wind, dear +child, _wind on_, inch by inch, undo each knot one by one, and the skein +will soon disentangle itself." So I resolved to wind on my little thread +of life day by day, and undo one little knot after another, until now, +indeed, the skein has disentangled itself. + +Few women, I think, have a life more full of love and interest than +mine. I have undertaken the care of a school for little girls, among +whom are two orphans, made fatherless by the peasants' war, who were +sent to us; and this also I owe to Dr. Luther. He has nothing more at +heart than the education of the young; nothing gives him more pain than +to see the covetousness which grudges funds for schools; and nothing +more joy than to see the little ones grow up in all good knowledge. As +he wrote to the Elector John from Coburg twelve years ago:-- + +"The merciful God shows himself indeed gracious in making his Word so +fruitful in your land. The tender little boys and maidens are so well +instructed in the Catechism and Scriptures, that my heart melts when I +see that young boys and girls can pray, believe, and speak better of God +and Christ than all the convents and schools could in the olden time. + +"Such youth in your grace's land are a fair Paradise, of which the like +is not in the world. It is as if God said, 'Courage, dear Duke John, I +commit to thee my noblest treasure, my pleasant Paradise; thou shalt be +father over it. For under thy guard and rule I place it, and give thee +the honour that thou shalt be my gardener and steward.' This is +assuredly true. It is even as if our Lord himself were your grace's +guest and ward, since his Word and his little ones are your perpetual +guests and wards." + +For a little while a lady, a friend of his wife, resided in his house in +order to commence such a school at Wittemberg for young girls; and now +it has become my charge. And often Dr. Luther comes in and lays his +hands on the heads of the little ones, and asks God to bless them, or +listens while they repeat the Catechism or the Holy Scriptures. + + + _December_ 25, 1542. + +Once more the Christmas tree has been planted in our homes at +Wittemberg. How many such happy Christian homes there are among us! Our +Elsè's, Justus Jonas', and his gentle, sympathizing wife, who, Dr. +Luther says, "always brings comfort in her kind pleasant countenance." +We all meet at Elsè's home on such occasions now. The voices of the +children are better than light to the blind eyes of my father, and my +mother renews her own maternal joys again in her grandchildren, without +the cares. + +But of all these homes, none is happier or more united than Dr. +Luther's. His child-like pleasure in little things makes every family +festival in his house so joyous; and the children's plays and pleasures, +as well as their little troubles, are to him a perpetual parable of the +heavenly family, and of our relationship to God. There are five children +in his family now; Hans, the first born; Magdalen, a lovely, loving girl +of thirteen; Paul, Martin, and Margaretha. + +How good it is for those who are bereaved and sorrowful that our +Christian festivals point forward and upward as well as backward; that +the eternal joy to which we are drawing ever nearer is linked to the +earthly joy which has passed away. Yes, the old heathen tree of life, +which that young green fir from the primeval forests of our land is said +to typify, has been christened into the Christmas tree. The old tree of +life was a tree of sorrow, and had its roots in the evanescent earth, +and at its base sat the mournful Destinies, ready to cut the thread of +human life. Nature ever renewing herself contrasted mournfully with the +human life that blooms but once. But our tree of life is a tree of joy, +and is rooted in the eternal Paradise of joy. The angels watch over it, +and it recalls the birth of the Second Man--the Lord from heaven--who is +not merely "a living soul, but a life-giving spirit." In it the +evanescence of Nature, immortal as she seems, is contrasted with the +true eternal life of mortal man. In the joy of the little ones, once +more, thank God, my whole heart seems to rejoice; for I also have my +face towards the dawn, and I can hear the fountain of life bubbling up +whichever way I turn. Only, _before_ me it is best and freshest! for it +is springing up to life everlasting. + + + _December_, 1542. + +A shadow has fallen on the peaceful home of Dr. Luther: Magdalen, the +unselfish, obedient, pious, loving child--the darling of her father's +heart--is dead; the first-born daughter, whose portrait, when she was a +year old, used to cheer and delight him at Coburg. + +On the 5th of this last September she was taken ill, and then Luther +wrote at once to his friend Marcus Crodel to send his son John from +Torgau, where he was studying, to see his sister. He wrote,-- + +"Grace and peace, my Marcus Crodel. I request that you will conceal from +my John what I am writing to you. My daughter Magdalen is literally +almost at the point of death--soon about to depart to her Father in +heaven, unless it should yet seem fit to God to spare her. But she +herself so sighs to see her brother, that I am constrained to send a +carriage to fetch him. They indeed loved one another greatly. May she +survive to his coming! I do what I can, lest afterwards the sense of +having neglected anything should torture me. Desire him, therefore, +without mentioning the cause, to return hither at once with all speed in +this carriage; hither,--where she will either sleep in the Lord or be +restored. Farewell in the Lord." + +Her brother came, but she was not restored. + +As she lay very ill, Doctor Martin said,-- + +"She is very dear to me; but, gracious God, if it is thy will to take +her hence, I am content to know that she will be with thee." + +And as she lay in the bed, he said to her,-- + +"Magdalenchen, my little daughter, thou wouldst like to stay with thy +father; and thou art content also to go to thy Father yonder." + +Said she, "Yes, dearest father; as God wills." + +Then said the father,-- + +"Thou darling child, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." + +Then he turned away and said,-- + +"She is very dear to me. If the flesh is so strong, what will the spirit +be?" + +And among other things he said,-- + +"For a thousand years God has given no bishop such great gifts as he has +given me; and we should rejoice in his gifts. I am angry with myself +that I cannot rejoice in my heart over her, nor give thanks; although +now and then I can sing a little song to our God, and thank him a little +for all this. But let us take courage; living or dying, we are the +Lord's. 'Sive vivimus, sive moremur, Domini sumus.' This is true, +whether we take 'Domini' in the nominative or the genitive: we are the +Lord's, and in him we are lords over death and life." + +Then said Master George Rörer,-- + +"I once heard your reverence say a thing which often comforts +me--namely, 'I have prayed our Lord God that he will give me a happy +departure when I journey hence. And he will do it; of that I feel sure. +At my latter end I shall yet speak with Christ my Lord, were it for ever +so brief a space.' I fear sometimes," continued Master Rörer, "that I +shall depart hence suddenly, in silence, without being able to speak a +word." + +Then said Dr. Martin Luther,-- + +"Living or dying, we are the Lord's. It is equally so whether you are +killed by falling down stairs, or were sitting and writing, and suddenly +should die. It would not injure me if I fell from a ladder and lay dead +at its foot; for the devil hates us grievously, and might even bring +about such a thing as that." + +When, at last, the little Magdalen lay at the point of death, her father +fell on his knees by her bed-side, wept bitterly and prayed that God +would receive her. Then she departed, and fell asleep in her father's +arms. Her mother was also in the room, but further off, on account of +her grief. This happened a little after nine o'clock on the Wednesday +after the 19th Sunday after Trinity, 1542. + +The doctor repeated often, as before said,-- + +"I would desire indeed to keep my daughter, if our Lord God would leave +her with me; for I love her very dearly. But His will be done; for +nothing can be better than that for her." + +Whilst she still lived, he said to her,-- + +"Dear daughter, thou hast also a Father in heaven: thou art going to +him." + +Then said Master Philip,-- + +"The love of parents is an image and illustration of the love of God, +engraven on the human heart. If, then, the love of God to the human race +is as great as that of parents to their children, it is indeed great and +fervent." + +When she was laid in the coffin, Doctor Martin said,-- + +"Thou darling Lenichen, how well it is with thee!" + +And as he gazed on her lying there, he said,-- + +"Ah, thou sweet Lenichen, thou shalt rise again, and shine like a star; +yes, like the sun!" + +They had made the coffin too narrow and too short, and he said,-- + +"The bed is too small for thee! I am indeed joyful in spirit, but after +the flesh I am very sad, this parting is so beyond measure trying. +Wonderful it is that I should know she is certainly at peace, and that +all is well with her, and yet should be so sad." + +And when the people who came to lay out the corpse, according to custom, +spoke to the doctor, and said they were sorry for his affliction, he +said,-- + +"You should rejoice. I have sent a saint to heaven; yes, a living saint! +May we have such a death! Such a death I would gladly die this very +hour." + +Then said one, "That is true indeed; yet every one would wish to keep +his own." + +Doctor Martin answered,-- + +"Flesh is flesh, and blood is blood. I am glad that she is yonder. There +is no sorrow but that of the flesh." + +To others who came he said,-- + +"Grieve not. I have sent a saint to heaven; yes, I have sent two such +thither!" alluding to his infant Elizabeth. + +As they were chanting by the corpse, "Lord, remember not our former +sins, which are of old," he said,-- + +"I say, O Lord, not our former sins only, nor only those of old, but our +present sins; for we are usurers, exactors, misers. Yea, the abomination +of the mass is still in the world!" + +When the coffin was closed, and she was buried, he said, "_There is +indeed a resurrection of the body._" + +And as they returned from the funeral, he said,-- + +"My daughter is now provided for in body and soul. We Christians have +nothing to complain of; we know it must be so. We are more certain of +eternal life than of anything else; for God who has promised it to us +for his dear Son's sake, can never lie. Two saints of my flesh our Lord +God has taken, but not of my blood. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the +kingdom." + +Among other things, he said,-- + +"We must take great care for our children, and especially for the poor +little maidens; we must not leave it to others to care for them. I have +no compassion on the boys. A lad can maintain himself wherever he is, if +he will only work; and if he will not work, he is a scoundrel. But the +poor maiden-kind must have a staff to lean on." + +And again,-- + +"I gave this daughter very willingly to our God. After the flesh, I +would indeed have wished to keep her longer with me; but since he has +taken her hence, I thank him." + +The night before Magdalen Luther died, her mother had a dream, in which +she saw two men clothed in fair raiment, beautiful and young, come and +lead her daughter away to her bridal. When, on the next morning, Philip +Melancthon came into the cloister, and asked her how her daughter was, +she told him her dream. + +But he was alarmed at it, and said to others,-- + +"Those young men are the dear angels who will come and lead this maiden +into the kingdom of heaven, to the true Bridal." + +And the same day she died. + +Some little time after her death, Dr. Martin Luther said,-- + +"If my daughter Magdalen could come to life again and bring with her to +me the Turkish kingdom, I would not have it. Oh, she is well cared for; +'Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur.' Who dies thus, certainly has +eternal life. I would that I, and my children, and ye all could thus all +depart; for evil days are coming. There is neither help nor counsel more +on earth, I see, until the Judgment Day. I hope, if God will, it will +not be long delayed; for covetousness and usury increase." + +And often at supper he repeated, "Et multipicata sunt mala in terris." + +He himself made this epitaph, and had it placed on his Magdalen's +tomb:-- + + "Dormio cum sanctis hic Magdaleni Lutheri + Filia, et hoc strato tecta quiesco meo, + Filia mortis eram peccati semine nata, + Sanguine sed vivo, Christe, redempta tuo."[13] + +[Footnote 13: A friend has translated it thus:-- + + I, Luther's daughter Magdalen, + Here slumber with the blest; + Upon this bed I lay my head, + And take my quiet rest. + + I was a child of death on earth, + In sin my life was given; + But on the tree Christ died for me, + And now I live in heaven.] + +In German,-- + + "Here sleep I, Lenichen, Dr. Luther's little daughter, + Rest with all the saints in my little bed; + I who was born in sins, + And must forever have been lost. + But now I live and all is well with me, + Lord Christ, redeemed with thy blood." + +Yet indeed, although he tries to cheer others, he laments long and +deeply himself, as many of his letters show. + +To Jonas he wrote,-- + + "I think you will have heard that my dearest daughter Magdalen + is born again to the eternal kingdom of Christ. But although I + and my wife ought to do nothing but give thanks, rejoicing in + so happy and blessed a departure, by which she has escaped the + power of the flesh, the world, the Turk, and the devil; yet + such is the strength of natural affection, that we cannot part + with her without sobs and groans of heart. They cleave to our + heart, they remain fixed in its depths--her face, her + words--the looks, living and dying, of that most dutiful and + obedient child; so that even the death of Christ (and what are + all deaths in comparison with that?) scarcely can efface her + death from our minds. Do thou, therefore, give thanks to God in + our stead. Wonder at the great work of God who thus glorifies + our flesh! She was, as thou knowest, gentle and sweet in + disposition, and was altogether lovely. Blessed be the Lord + Jesus Christ, who called and chose, and has thus magnified her! + I wish for myself and all mine, that we may attain to such a + death; yea, rather, to such a life, which only I ask from God, + the Father of all consolation and mercy." + +And again, to Jacob Probst, pastor at Bremen-- + + "My most dear child, Magdalen, has departed to her heavenly + Father, falling asleep full of faith in Christ. An indignant + horror against death softens my tears. I loved her vehemently. + But in _that day_ we shall be avenged on death, and on him who + is the author of death." + +And to Amsdorf-- + + "Thanks to thee for endeavouring to console me on the death of + my dearest daughter. I loved her not only for that she was my + flesh, but for her most placid and gentle spirit, ever so + dutiful to me. But now I rejoice that she is gone to live with + her heavenly Father, and is fallen into sweetest sleep until + that day. For the times are and will be worse and worse; and in + my heart I pray that to thee, and to all dear to me, may be + given such an hour of departure, and with such placid quiet, + truly to fall asleep in the Lord. '_The just are gathered, and + rest in their beds._' 'For verily the world is as a horrible + Sodom.'" + +And to Lauterbach-- + + "Thou writest well, that in this most evil age death (or more + truly, sleep) is to be desired by all. And although the + departure of that most dear child has, indeed, no little moved + me, yet I rejoice more that she, a daughter of the kingdom, is + snatched from the jaws of the devil and the world; so sweetly + did she fall asleep in Christ." + +So mournfully and tenderly he writes and speaks, the shadow of that +sorrow at the centre of his life overspreading the whole world with +darkness to him. Or rather, as he would say, the joy of that loving, +dutiful child's presence being withdrawn, he looks out from his cold and +darkened hearth, and sees the world as it is; the covetousness of the +rich; the just demands, yet insurrectionary attempts of the poor; the +war with the Turks without, the strife in the empire within; the fierce +animosities of impending religious war; the lukewarmness and divisions +among his friends. For many years God gave that feeling heart a refuge +from all these in the bright, unbroken circle of his home. But now the +next look to him seems beyond this life; to death, which unveils the +kingdom of truth and righteousness, and love, to each, one by one; or +still more, to the glorious Advent which will manifest it to all. Of +this he delights to speak. The end of the world, he feels sure, is near; +and he says all preachers should tell their people to pray for its +coming, as the beginning of the golden age. He said once--"O gracious +God, come soon again! I am waiting ever for the day--the spring morning, +when day and night are equal, and the clear, bright rose of that dawn +shall appear. From that glow of morning I imagine a thick, black cloud +will issue, forked with lightning, and then a crash, and heaven and +earth will fall. Praise be to God, who has taught us to long and look +for that day. In the Papacy, they sing-- + + 'Dies iræ, dies illa;' + +but we look forward to it with hope; and I trust it is not far distant." + +Yet he is no dreamer, listlessly clasping his hands in the night, and +watching for the dawn. He is of the day, a child of the light; and +calmly, and often cheerfully, he pursues his life of ceaseless toil for +others, considerately attending to the wants and pleasures of all, from +the least to the greatest; affectionately desirous to part with his +silver plate, rather than not give a generous reward to a faithful old +servant, who was retiring from his service; pleading the cause of the +helpless; writing letters of consolation to the humblest who need his +aid; caring for all the churches, yet steadily disciplining his children +when they need it, or ready to enter into any scheme for their pleasure. + + + WITTEMBERG, 1545. + +It seems as if Dr. Luther were as necessary to us now as when he gave +the first impulse to better things, by affixing his theses to the doors +of Wittemberg, or when the eyes of the nation centred on him at Worms. +In his quiet home he sits and holds the threads which guide so many +lives, and the destinies of so many lands. He has been often ailing +lately, and sometimes very seriously. The selfish luxury of the rich +burghers and nobles troubles him much. He almost forced his way one day +into the Elector's cabinet, to press on him the appropriation of some of +the confiscated church revenues to the payment of pastors and +schoolmasters; and earnestly, again and again, from the pulpit, does he +denounce covetousness. + +"All other vices," he says, "bring their pleasures; but the wretched +avaricious man is the slave of his goods, not their master; he enjoys +neither this world nor the next. Here he has purgatory, and there hell; +while faith and content bring rest to the soul here, and afterwards +bring the soul to heaven. For the avaricious lack what they have, as +well as what they have not." + +Never was a heart more free from selfish interests and aims than his. +His faith is always seeing the invisible God; and to him it seems the +most melancholy folly, as well as sin, that people should build their +nests in this forest, on all whose trees he sees "the forester's mark of +destruction." + +The tone of his preaching has often lately been reproachful and sad. + +Elsè's Gretchen, now a thoughtful maiden of three-and-twenty, said to me +the other day,-- + +"Aunt Thekla, why does Dr. Luther preach some times as if his preaching +had done no good? Have not many of the evil things he attacked been +removed? Is not the Bible in every home? Our mother says we cannot be +too thankful for living in these times, when we are taught the truth +about God, and are given a religion of trust and love, instead of one of +distrust and dread. Why does Dr. Luther often speak as if nothing had +been done?" + +And I could only say,-- + +"We see what has been done; but Dr. Luther only knows what he hoped to +do. He said one day--'If I had known at first that men were so hostile +to the Word of God, I should have held my peace. I imagined that they +sinned merely through ignorance.'" + +"I suppose, Gretchen," I said, "that he had before him the vision of the +whole of Christendom flocking to adore and serve his Lord, when once he +had shown them how good He is. _We_ see what Dr. Luther has done. _He_ +sees what he hoped, and contrasts it with what is left undone." + + + + +XXXIV. + +The Mother's Story. + + +I do not think there is another old man and woman in Christendom who +ought to be so thankful as my husband and I. + +No doubt all parents are inclined to look at the best side of their own +children; but with ours there is really no other side to look at, it +seems to me. Perhaps Elsè has sometimes a little too much of my anxious +mind; but even in her tender heart, as in all the others, there is a +large measure of her father's hopefulness. And then, although they have, +perhaps, none of them quite his inventive genius, yet that seems hardly +a matter of regret; because, as things go in the world, other people +seem so often, at the very goal, to step in and reap the fruit of these +inventions, just by adding some insignificant detail which makes the +invention work, and gives them the appearance of having been the real +discoverers. + +Not that I mean to murmur for one instant against the people who have +this little knack of just putting the finishing touch and making things +succeed; that also, as the house-father says, is God's gift, and +although it cannot certainly be compared to these great, lofty thoughts +and plans of my husband's, it has more current value in the world. Not, +again, that I would for an instant murmur at the world. We have all so +much more in it than we deserve (except, perhaps, my dearest husband, +who cares so little for its rewards!) It has been quite wonderful how +good every one has been to us. Gottfried Reichenbach, and all our +sons-in-law, are like sons to us; and certainly could not have prized +our daughters more if they had had the dowry of princesses! although I +must candidly say I think our dear daughters without a kreutzer of dowry +are worth a fortune to any man. I often wonder how it is they are such +housewives, and so sensible and wise in every way, when I never +considered myself at all a clever manager. To be sure their father's +conversation was always very improving; and my dear blessed mother was a +store-house of wisdom and experience. However, there is no accounting +for these things. God is wonderfully good in blessing the humblest +efforts to train up the little ones for him. We often think the poverty +of their early years was quite a school of patience and household +virtues for them all. Even Christopher and Thekla, who caused us more +anxiety at first than the others, are the very stay and joy of our old +age; which shows how little we can foresee what good things God is +preparing for us. + +How I used at one time to tremble for them both! It shocked Elsè and me +so grievously to see Christopher, as we thought, quite turning his back +on religion, after Fritz became a monk; and what a relief it was to see +him find in Dr. Luther's sermons and in the Bible the truth which bowed +his heart in reverence, yet left his character free to develop itself +without being compressed into a mould made for other characters. What a +relief it was to hear that he turned, not from religion, but from what +was false in the religion then taught, and to see him devoting himself +to his calling as a printer with a feeling as sacred as Fritz to his +work as a pastor! + +Then our Thekla, how anxious I was about her at one time! how eager to +take her training out of God's hands into my own, which I thought, in my +ignorance, might spare her fervent, enthusiastic, loving heart some +pain. + +I wanted to tame down and moderate everything in her by tender warnings +and wise precepts. I wanted her to love less vehemently, to rejoice with +more limitation, to grieve more moderately. I tried hard to compress her +character into a narrower mould. But God would not have it so. I can see +it all now. She was to love and rejoice, and then to weep and lament, +according to the full measure of her heart, that in the heights and +depths to which God led her, she might learn what she was to learn of +the heights and depths of the love which extends beyond all joy and +below all sorrow. Her character, instead of becoming dwarfed and +stunted, as my ignorant hand might have made it, was to be thus braced, +and strengthened, and rooted, that others might find shelter beneath her +sympathy and love, as so many do now. I would have weakened in order to +soften; God's providence has strengthened and expanded while softening, +and made her strong to endure and pity as well as strong to feel. + +No one can say what she is to us, the one left entirely to us, to whom +we are still the nearest and the dearest, who binds our years together +by the unbroken memory of her tender care, and makes us young in her +child-like love, and brings into our failing life the activity and +interest of mature age by her own life of active benevolence. + +Elsè and her household are the delight of our daily life; Eva and Fritz +are our most precious and consecrated treasures, and all the rest are +good and dear as children can be; but to all the rest we are the +grandmother and the grandfather. To Thekla we are "father" and "mother" +still, the shelter of her life and the home of her affections. Only, +sometimes my old anxious fears creep over me when I think what she will +do when we are gone. But I have no excuse for these now, with all those +promises of our Lord, and his words about the lilies and the birds, in +plain German in my Bible, and the very same lilies and birds preaching +to me in colours and songs as plain from the eaves and from the garden +outside my window. + +Never did any woman owe so much to Dr. Luther and the Reformation as I. +Christopher's religion; Fritz and Eva's marriage; Thekla's presence in +our home, instead of her being a nun in some convent-prison; all the +love of the last months my dear sister Agnes and I spent together before +her peaceful death; and the great weight of fear removed from my own +heart! + +And yet my timid, ease-loving nature, will sometimes shrink, not so much +from what has been done, as from the way in which it has been done. I +fancy a little more gentleness might have prevented so terrible a breach +between the new and the old religions; that the peasant war might have +been saved; and somehow or other (how, I cannot at all tell) the good +people on both sides might have been kept at one. For that there are +good people on both sides, nothing will ever make me doubt. Indeed, is +not one of our sons--our good and sober-minded Pollux--still in the old +Church? And can I doubt that he and his devout, affectionate little +wife, who visits the poor and nurses the sick, love God and try to serve +him? + +In truth, I cannot help half counting it among our mercies that we have +one son still adhering to the old religion; although my children, who +are wiser than I, do not think so; nor my husband, who is wiser than +they; nor Dr. Luther, who is, on the whole, I believe, wiser than any +one. Perhaps I should rather say, that great as the grief is to us and +the loss to him, I cannot help seeing some good in our Pollux remaining +as a link between us and the religion of our fathers. It seems to remind +us of the tie of our common creation and redemption, and our common +faith, however dim, in our Creator and Redeemer. It prevents our +thinking all Christendom which belongs to the old religion quite the +same as the pagans or the Turks; and it also helps a little to prevent +their thinking us such hopeless infidels. + +Besides, although they would not admit it, I feel sure that Dr. Luther +and the Reformation have taught Pollux and his wife many things. They +also have a German Bible; and although it is much more cumbrous than Dr. +Luther's, and, it seems to me, not half such genuine, hearty German, +still he and his wife can read it; and I sometimes trust we shall find +by-and-by we did not really differ so very much about our Saviour, +although we may have differed about Dr. Luther. + +Perhaps I am wrong, however, in thinking that great changes might have +been more quietly accomplished. Thekla says the spring must have its +thunder-storms as well as its sunshine and gentle showers, and that the +stone could not be rolled away from the sepulchre, nor the veil rent in +the holy place without an earthquake. + +Elsè's Gottfried says the devil would never suffer his lies about the +good and gracious God to be set aside without a battle; and that the +dear holy angels have mighty wars to wage, as well as silent watch to +keep by the cradles of the little ones. Only I cannot help wishing that +the Reformers, and even Dr. Luther himself, would follow the example of +the archangel Michael in not returning railing for railing. + +Of one thing, however, I am quite sure, whatever any one may say; and +that is that it is among our great mercies that our Atlantis married a +Swiss, so that through her we have a link with our brethren the +evangelical Christians who follow the Zwinglian Confession. I shall +always be thankful for the months her father and I passed under their +roof. If Dr. Luther could only know how they revere him for his noble +work, and how one they are with us and him in faith in Christ and +Christian love! + +I was a little perplexed at one time how it could be that such good men +should separate, until Thekla reminded me of that evil one who goes +about accusing God to us, and us to one another. + +On the other hand, some of the Zwinglians are severe on Dr. Luther for +his "compromise with Rome," and his "unscriptural doctrines," as some of +them call his teaching about the sacraments. + +These are things on which my head is not clear enough to reason. It is +always so much more natural to me to look out for points of agreement +than of difference; and it does seem to me, that deep below all the +differences good men often mean the same. Dr. Luther looks on holy +baptism in contrast with the monastic vows, and asserts the common glory +of the baptism and Christian profession which all Christians share, +against the exclusive claims of any section of priests or monks. And in +the holy Supper, it seems to me simply the certainty of the blessing, +and the reality of the presence of our Saviour in the sacrament, that he +is really vindicating, in his stand on the words, "This is my body." +Baptism represents to him the consecration and priesthood of all +Christians, to be defended against all narrow privileges of particular +orders; the holy Supper, the assured presence of Christ, to be defended +against all doubters. + +To the Swiss, on the other hand, the contrast is between faith and form, +letter and spirit. This is, at all events, what my husband thinks. + +I wish Dr. Luther would spend a few months with our Atlantis and her +Conrad. I shall always be thankful _we_ did. + +Lately, the tone of Dr. Luther's preaching has often been reproachful +and full of warning. These divisions between the evangelical Christians +distress him so much. Yet he himself, with that resolute will of his, +keeps them apart, as he would keep his children from poison, saying +severe and bitter things of the Zwinglians, which sometimes grieve me +much, because I know Conrad Winkelried's parish and Atlantis' home. + +Well, one thing is certain: if Dr. Luther had been like me, we should +have had no Reformation at all. And Dr. Luther and the Reformation have +brought peace to my heart and joy to my life, for which I would go +through any storms. Only, to leave our dear ones behind in the storms is +another thing! + +But our dear heavenly Father has not, indeed, called us to leave them +yet. When he does call us, he will give us the strength for that. And +then we shall see everything quite clearly, because we shall see our +Saviour quite clearly, as He is, know his love, and love him quite +perfectly. What that will be we know not yet! + +But I am quite persuaded that when we do really see our blessed Lord +face to face, and see all things in his light, we shall all be very much +surprised, and find we have something to unlearn, as well as infinitely +much to learn; not Pollux, and the Zwinglians, and I only, but Dr. +Philip Melancthon, and Dr. Luther, and all! + +For the Reformation, and even Dr. Luther's German Bible, have not taken +all the clouds away. Still, we see through a glass darkly. + +But they have taught us that there is nothing evil and dark behind to be +found out; only, much to be revealed which is too good for us yet to +understand, and too bright for us yet to see. + + + + +XXXV. + +Eva's Agnes's Story. + + + EISLEBEN, 1542. + +Aunt Elsè says no one in the world ought to present more thanksgivings +to God than Heinz and I, and I am sure she is right. + +In the first place we have the best father and mother in the world, so +that whenever from our earliest years they have spoken to us about our +Father in heaven, we have had just to think of what they were on earth +to us, and feel that all their love and goodness together are what God +is; only (if we can conceive such a thing) much more. We have only had +to _add_ to what they are, to learn what God is, not to take anything +away; to say to ourselves, as we think of our parents, so kind in +judging others, so loving, so true, God is like that--only the love is +greater and wiser than our father's, tenderer and more sympathizing than +our mother's (difficult as it is to imagine). And then there is just one +thing in which he is unlike. His power is unbounded. He can give to us +every blessing he sees it good to give. + +With such a father and mother on earth, and such a Father in heaven, and +with Heinz, how can I ever thank our God enough? + +And our mother is so young still! Our dear father said the other day, +"her hair has not a tinge of grey in it, but is as golden as our +Agnes's." And her face is so fair and sweet, and her voice so clear and +full in her own dear hymns, or in talking! Aunt Elsè says, it makes one +feel at rest to look at her, and that her voice always was the sweetest +in the world, something between church music and the cooing of a dove. +Aunt Elsè says also, that even as a child she had just the same way she +has now of seeing what you are thinking about--of _coming into_ your +heart, and making everything that is good in it feel it is understood, +and all that is bad in it feel detected and slink away. + +Our dear father does not, indeed, look so young; but I like men to look +as if they had been in the wars--as if their hearts had been well +ploughed and sown. And the grey in his hair, and the furrows on his +forehead--those two upright ones when he is thinking--and the firm +compression of his mouth, and the hollow on his cheek, seem to me quite +as beautiful in their way as our mother's placid brow, and the dear look +on her lips, like the dawn of a smile, as if the law of kindness had +moulded every curve. + +Then, in the second place (perhaps I ought to have said in the first,) +we have the "Catechism." And Aunt Elsè says we have no idea, Heinz and +I, what a blessing that is to us. We certainly did not always think it a +blessing when we were learning it. But I begin to understand it now, +especially since I have been staying at Wittemberg with Aunt Elsè, and +she has told me about the perplexities of her childhood and early youth. + +Always to have learned about God as the Father who "cares for us every +day"--gives us richly all things to enjoy, and "that all out of pure, +fatherly, divine love and goodness; and of the Lord Jesus Christ, that +he has redeemed me from all sin, from death, and from the power of the +devil, to be his own--redeemed me, not with gold and silver, but with +his holy, precious blood;" and of the Holy Spirit, that "he dwells with +us daily, calls us by his gospel, enlightens, and richly forgives;"--all +this, she says, is the greatest blessing any one can know. To have no +dark, suspicious thoughts of the good God, unconsciously drunk in from +infancy, to dash away from our hearts--Dr. Luther himself says we have +little idea what a gift that is to us young people of this generation. + +It used to be like listening to histories of dark days centuries ago, to +hear Aunt Elsè speak of her childhood at Eisenach, when Dr. Luther also +was a boy, and used to sing for bread at our good kinswoman Ursula +Cotta's door--when the monks and nuns from the many high-walled convents +used to walk demurely in their dark robes about the streets; and Aunt +Elsè used to tremble at the thought of heaven, because it might be like +a convent garden, and all the heavenly saints like Aunt Agnes. + +Our dear Great-Aunt Agnes, how impossible for us to understand her being +thus dreaded!--she who was the playmate of our childhood; and used to +spoil us, our mother said, by doing everything we asked, and making us +think she enjoyed being pulled about, and made a lion or a Turk of, as +much as we enjoyed it. How well I remember now the pang that came over +Heinz and me when we were told to speak and step softly, because she was +ill, and then taken for a few minutes in the day to sit quite still by +her bed-side with picture-books, because she loved to look at us, but +could not bear any noise. And at last the day when we were led in +solemnly, and she could look at us no more, but lay quite still and +white, while we placed our flowers on the bed, and we both felt it too +sacred and too much like being at church to cry--until our evening +prayer-time came, and our mother told us that Aunt Agnes did not need +our prayers any longer, because God had made her quite good and happy in +heaven. And Heinz said he wished God would take us all, and make us +quite good and happy with her. But I, when we were left in our cribs +alone, sobbed bitterly, and could not sleep. It seemed so terrible to +think Aunt Agnes did not want us any more, and that we could do nothing +more for her--she who had been so tenderly good to us! I was so afraid, +also, that we had not been kind enough to her, had teased her to play +with us, and made more noise than we ought; and that that was the reason +God had taken her away. Heinz could not understand that at all. He was +quite sure God was too kind; and, although he also cried, he soon fell +asleep. It was a great relief to me when our mother came round, as she +always did the last thing to see if we were asleep, and I could sob out +my troubles on her heart, and say-- + +"Will Aunt Agnes never want us any more?" + +"Yes, darling," said our mother; "she wants us now. She is waiting for +us all to come to her." + +"Then it was not because we teased her, and were noisy, she was taken +away? We did love her so very dearly! And can we do nothing for her +now?" + +Then she told me how Aunt Agnes had suffered much here, and that our +heavenly Father had taken her _home_, and that, although we could not do +anything for her now, we need not leave her name out of our nightly +prayers, because we could always say, "Thank God for taking dear Aunt +Agnes home!" + +And so two things were written on my heart that night, that there was a +place like home beyond the sky, where Aunt Agnes was waiting for us, +loving us quite as much as ever, with God who loved us more than any +one; and that we must be as kind as possible to people, and not give any +one a moment's pain, because a time may come when they will not need our +kindness any more. + +It is very difficult for me who always think of Aunt Agnes waiting for +us in heaven, with the wistful loving look she used to have when she lay +watching for Heinz and me to come and sit by her bed-side, to imagine +what different thoughts Aunt Elsè had about her when she was a nun. + +But Aunt Elsè says that she has no doubt that Heinz and I, with our +teasing, and our noise, and our love, were among the chief instruments +of her sanctification. Yes, those days of Aunt Elsè's childhood appear +almost as far away from us as the days of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, who +lived at the Wartburg, used to seem from Aunt Elsè. It is wonderful to +think what that miner's son, whom old John Reineck remembers carrying on +his shoulders to the school-house up the hill, here at Eisleben, has +done for us all. So completely that grim old time seems to have passed +away. There is not a monastery left in all Saxony, and the pastors are +all married, and schools are established in every town, where Dr. Luther +says the young lads and maidens hear more about God and Christianity +than the nuns and monks in all the convents had learned thirty years +ago. + +Not that all the boys and maidens are good as they ought to be. No; that +is too plain from what Heinz and I feel and know, and also from what our +dear father preaches in the pulpit on Sundays. Our mother says sometimes +she is afraid we of this generation shall grow up weak, and +self-indulgent, and ease-loving, unlike our fathers who had to fight for +every inch of truth they hold, with the world, the flesh, and the devil. + +But our dear father smiles gravely, and says, she need not fear. These +three enemies are not slain yet and will give the young generation +enough to do. Besides, the Pope is still reigning at Rome, and the +Emperor is even now threatening us with an army, to say nothing of the +Turks, and the Anabaptists, of whom Dr. Luther says so much. + +I knew very little of the world until two years ago, and not much, I am +afraid, of myself. But when I was about fifteen I went alone to stay +with Aunt Chriemnild and Aunt Elsè, and then I learned many things which +in learning troubled me not a little, but now that they are learned make +me happier than before, which our mother says is the way with most of +God's lessons. Before these visits I had never left home; and although +Heinz, who had been away, and was also naturally more thrown with other +people as a boy than I was, often told me I knew no more of actual life +than a baby, I never understood what he meant. + +I suppose I had always unconsciously thought our father and mother were +the centre of the world to every one as well as to us; and had just been +thankful for my lot in life, because I believed in all respects no one +else had anything so good; and entertained a quiet conviction that in +their hearts every one thought the same. And to find that to other +people our lot in life seemed pitiable and poor, was an immense surprise +to me, and no little grief! + +When we left our old home in the forest many years since, when Heinz and +I were quite children; and it only lingered in our memories as a kind of +Eden or fairy-land, where, amongst wild flowers, and green glades, and +singing birds, and streams, we made a home for all our dreams, not +questioning, however, in our hearts that our new home at Eisleben was +quite as excellent in its way. Have we not a garden behind the house +with several apple-trees, and a pond as large as any of our neighbours, +and an empty loft for wet days--the perfection of a loft--for telling +fairy tales in, or making experiments, or preparing surprises of +wonderful cabinet work with Heinz's tools? And has not our Eisleben +valley also its green and wooded hills, and in the forests around are +there not strange glows all night from the great miners' furnaces to +which those of the charcoal-burners in the Thuringian forest are mere +toys? And are there not, moreover, all kinds of wild caverns and pits +from which, at intervals, the miners come forth, grimy and independent, +and sing their wild songs in chorus as they come home from work? And is +not Eisleben Dr. Luther's birth-place? And have we not a high +grammar-school which Dr. Luther founded, and in which our dear father +teaches Latin? And do we not hear him preach once every Sunday? + +To me it always seemed, and seems still, that nothing can be nobler than +our dear father's office of telling the people the way to heaven on +Sundays, and teaching their children the way to be wise and good on +earth in the week. It was a great shock to me when I found every one did +not think the same. + +Not that every one was not always most kind to me; but it happened in +this way. + +One day some visitors had been at Uncle Ulrich's castle. They had +complimented me on my golden hair, which Heinz always says is the colour +of the princess' in the fairy tale. I went out at Aunt Chriemhild's +desire, feeling half shy and half flattered, to play with my cousins in +the forest. As I was sitting hidden among the trees, twining wreaths +from the forget-me-nots my cousins were gathering by the stream below, +these ladies passed again. I heard one of them say,-- + +"Yes, she is a well-mannered little thing for a schoolmaster's +daughter." + +"I cannot think whence a burgher maiden--the Cottas are all burghers, +are they not--should inherit those little white hands and those delicate +features," said the other. + +"Poor, too, doubtless, as they must be!" was the reply, "one would think +she had never had to work about the house, as no doubt she must." + +"Who was her grandfather?" + +"Only a printer at Wittemberg!" + +"Only a schoolmaster!" and "only a printer!" + +My whole heart rose against the scornful words. Was this what people +meant by paying compliments? Was this the estimate my father was held in +in the world--he, the noblest man in it, who was fit to be the Elector +or the Emperor? A bitter feeling came over me, which I thought was +affection and an aggrieved sense of justice. But love is scarcely so +bitter, or justice so fiery. + +I did not tell any one, nor did I shed a tear, but went on weaving my +forget-me-not wreaths, and forswore the wicked and hollow world. Had I +not promised to do so long since, through my godsponsers, at my baptism? +Now, I thought, I was learning what all that meant. + +At Aunt Elsè's, however, another experience awaited me. There was to be +a fair, and we were all to go in our best holiday dresses. My cousins +had rich Oriental jewels on their bodices; and although, as burgher +maidens, they might not, like my cousins at the castle, wear velvets, +they had jackets and dresses of the stiffest, richest silks, which Uncle +Reichenbach had sent for from Italy and the East. + +My stuff dress certainly looked plain beside them, but I did not care in +the least for that; my own dear mother and I had made it together; and +she had hunted up some old precious stores to make me a taffetas jacket, +which, as it was the most magnificent apparel I had ever possessed, we +had both looked at with much complacency. Nor did it seem to me in the +least less beautiful now. The touch of my mother's fingers had been on +it, as she smoothed it round me the evening before I came away. And Aunt +Elsè had said it was exactly like my mother. But my cousins were not +quite pleased, it was evident; especially Fritz and the elder boys. They +said nothing; but on the morning of the fête, a beautiful new dress, the +counterpart of my cousins', was laid at my bed-side before I awoke. + +I put it on with some pleasure, but, when I looked at myself in the +glass--it was very unreasonable--I could not bear it. It seemed a +reproach on my mother, and on my humble life and my dear, poor home at +Eisleben, and I sat down and cried bitterly, until a gentle knock at the +door aroused me; and Aunt Elsè came in, and found me sitting with tears +on my face and on the beautiful new dress, exceedingly ashamed of +myself. + +"Don't you like it, my child? It was our Fritz's thought. I was afraid +you might not be pleased." + +"My mother thought the old one good enough," I said in a very faltering +tone. "It was good enough for my home. I had better go home again." + +Aunt Elsè was carefully wiping away the tears from my dress, but at +these words she began to cry herself, and drew me to her heart, and said +it was exactly what she should have felt in her young days at Eisenach, +but that I must just wear the new dress to the fête, and then I need +never wear it again unless I liked; and that I was right in thinking +nothing half so good as my mother, and all she did, because nothing ever +was, or would be, she was sure. + +So we cried together, and were comforted; and I wore the green taffetas +to the fair. + +But when I came home again to Eisleben, I felt more ashamed of myself +than of the taffetas dress or of the flattering ladies at the Castle. +The dear, precious old home, in spite of all I could persuade myself to +the contrary, did look small and poor, and the furniture worn and old. +And yet I could see there new traces of care and welcome +everywhere--fresh rushes on the floors; a new white quilt on my little +bed, made, I knew, by my mother's hands. + +She knew very soon that I was feeling troubled about something, and soon +she knew it all, as I told her my bitter experiences of life. + +"Your father, 'only a schoolmaster!'" she said, "and you yourself +presented with a new taffetas dress! Are these all your grievances, +little Agnes?" + +"_All_, mother!" I exclaimed; "and _only_!" + +"Is your father anything else than a schoolmaster, Agnes?" she said. + +"I am not ashamed of that for an instant, mother," I said; "you could +not think it. I think it is much nobler to teach children than to hunt +foxes, and buy and sell bales of silk and wool. But the world seems to +me exceedingly hollow and crooked; and I never wish to see any more of +it. Oh, mother, do you think it was all nonsense in me?" + +"I think, my child, you have had an encounter with the world, the flesh, +and the devil; and I think they are no contemptible enemies. And I think +you have not left them behind." + +"But is not our father's calling nobler than any one's, and our home the +nicest in the world?" I said; "and Eisleben really as beautiful in its +way as the Thuringian forest, and as wise as Wittemberg?" + +"All callings may be noble," she said; "and the one God calls us to is +the noblest for us. Eisleben is not, I think, as beautiful as the old +forest-covered hills at Gersdorf; nor Luther's birth-place as great as +his dwelling-place, where he preaches and teaches, and sheds around him +the influence of his holy daily life. Other homes may be as good as +yours, dear child, though none can be so to you." + +And so I learned that what makes any calling noble is its being +commanded by God, and what makes anything good is its being given by +God; and that contentment consists not in persuading ourselves that our +things are the very best in the world, but in believing they are the +best for us, and giving God thanks for them. + +That was the way I began to learn to know the world. And also in that +way I began better to understand the Catechism, especially the part +about the Lord's Prayer, and that on the second article of the Creed, +where we learn of Him who suffered for our sins and redeemed us with his +holy precious blood. + +I have just returned from my second visit to Wittemberg, which was much +happier than my first--indeed, exceedingly happy. + +The great delight of my visit, however, has been seeing and hearing Dr. +Luther. His little daughter, Magdalen, three years younger than I am, +had died not long before, but that seemed only to make Dr. Luther kinder +than ever to all young maidens--"the poor maiden-kind," as he calls +them. + +His sermons seemed to me like a father talking to his children; and Aunt +Elsè says he repeats the Catechism often himself "to God" to cheer his +heart and strengthen himself--the great Dr. Martin Luther! + +I had heard so much of him, and always thought of him as the man nearest +God on earth, great with a majesty surpassing infinitely that of the +Elector or the Emperor. And now it was a great delight to see him in his +home, in the dark wainscoted room looking on his garden, and to see him +raise his head from his writing and smile kindly at us as he sat at the +great table in the broad window, with Mistress Luther sewing on a lower +seat beside him, and little Margaretha Luther, the youngest child, +quietly playing beside them, contented with a look now and than from her +father. + +I should like to have seen Magdalen Luther. She must have been such a +good and loving child. But that will be hereafter in heaven! + +I suppose my feeling for Dr. Luther is different from that of my mother +and father. They knew him during the conflict. We only know him as the +conqueror, with the palm, as it were, already in his hand. + +But my great friend at Wittemberg is Aunt Thekla. I think, on the whole, +there is no one I should more wish to be like. She understands one in +that strange way, without telling, like my mother. I think it is because +she has felt so much. Aunt Elsè told me of the terrible sorrow she had +when she was young. + +Our dear mother and father also had their great sorrows, although they +came to the end of their sorrow in this life, and Aunt Thekla will only +come to the end of hers in the other world. But it seems to have +consecrated them all, I think, in some peculiar way. They all, and Dr. +Luther also, make me think of the people who, they say, have the gift, +by striking on the ground, of discovering where the hidden springs lie +that others may know where to dig for the wells. Can sorrow only confer +this gift of knowing where to find the hidden springs in the heart? If +so, it must be worth while to suffer. Only there are just one or two +sorrows which it seems almost impossible to bear! + +But, as our mother says, our Saviour has all the gifts in His hands; and +"the greatest gift" of all (in whose hands the roughest tools can do the +finest work) "is _love_!" And that is just the gift every one of us may +have without limit. + + + + +XXXVI. + +Thekla's Story. + + + WITTEMBERG, 23d _January_, 1548. + +Dr. Luther has left Wittemberg to-day for Eisleben, his birth-place, to +settle a dispute between the Counts of Mansfeld concerning certain +rights of church patronage. + +He left in good spirits, intending to return in a few days. His three +sons, John, Martin, and Paul, went with him. Mistress Luther is anxious +and depressed about his departure, but we trust without especial cause, +although he has often of late been weak and suffering. + +The dullness and silence which to me always seem to settle down on +Wittemberg in his absence are increased now doubtless by this wintry +weather, and the rains and storms which have been swelling the rivers to +floods. He is, indeed, the true father and king of our little world; and +when he is with us all Germany and the world seem nearer us through his +wide-seeing mind and his heart that thrills to every touch of want or +sorrow throughout the world. + + + _February_. + +Mistress Luther has told me to-day that Dr. Luther said before he left +he could "lie down on his death-bed with joy if he could first see his +dear Lords of Mansfeld reconciled." She says also that he has just +concluded the Commentary on Genesis, on which he has been working these +ten years, with these words-- + +"_I am weak and can do no more. Pray God he may grant me a peaceful and +happy death._" + +She thinks his mind has been dwelling of late more than usual, even with +him, on death, and fears he feels some inward premonition or +presentiment of a speedy departure. + +So long he has spoken of death as a thing to be desired! Yet it always +makes our hearts ache to hear him do so. Of the Advent, as the end of +all evil and the beginning of the Kingdom, we can well bear to hear him +speak, but not of that which if the end of all evil to him, would seem +like the beginning of all sorrows to us. + +Now, however, Mistress Luther is somewhat comforted by his letters, +which are more cheerful than those she received during his absence last +year, when he counselled her to sell all their Wittemberg property, and +take refuge in her estate at Zöllsdorf, that he might know her safe out +of Wittemberg--that "haunt of selfishness and luxury"--before he died. + +His first letter since leaving Wittemberg this time is addressed-- + + "To my kind and dear Käthe Lutherin, at Wittemberg, grace and + peace in the Lord. + + "Dear Käthe,--To-day at half-past eight o'clock we reached + Halle, but have not yet arrived at Eisleben; for a great + anabaptist encountered us with water-floods and great blocks of + ice, which covered the land, and threatened to baptize us all + again. Neither could we return, on account of the Mulda. + Therefore we remain tranquilly here at Halle, between the two + streams. Not that we thirst for water to drink, but console + ourselves with good Torgau beer and Rhine wine, in case the + Saala should break out into a rage again. For we and our + servants, and the ferrymen, would not tempt God by venturing on + the water; for the devil is furious against us, and dwells in + the water-floods; and it is better to escape him than to + complain of him, nor is it necessary that we should become the + jest of the pope and his hosts. I could not have believed that + the Saala could have made such a brewing, bursting over the + causeway and all. Now no more; but pray for us and be pious. I + hold, hadst thou been here, thou hadst counselled us to do + precisely what we have done. So for once we should have taken + thy advice. Herewith I commend you to God. Amen. At Halle, on + the day of the Conversion of St. Paul. + + "MARTINUS LUTHER." + +Four other letters she has received, one dated on the 2d of February, +addressed-- + + "To my heartily beloved consort Katherin Lutherin, the + Zöllsdorfian doctoress, proprietress of the Saümarkt, and + whatever else she may be, grace and peace in Christ; and my old + poor (and, as know, powerless) love to thee! + + "Dear Käthe,--I became very weak on the road to Eisleben, for + my sins; although, wert thou here, thou wouldst have said it + was for the sins of the Jews. For near Eisleben we passed + through a village where many Jews reside, and it is true, as I + came through it, a cold wind came through my Baret (doctor's + hat), and my head, as if it would turn my brain to ice. + + "Thy sons left Mansfeld yesterday, because Hans von Jene so + humbly entreated them to accompany him. I know not what they + do. If it were cold, they might help me freeze here. Since, + however, it is warm again, they may do or suffer anything else + they like. Herewith I commend you and all the house to God, and + greet all our friends. Vigilia purificationis." + +And again-- + + EISLEBEN. + + "To the deeply learned lady Katherin, my gracious consort at + Wittemberg, grace and peace. + + "Dear Käthe,--We sit here and suffer ourselves to be tortured, + and would gladly be away; but that cannot be, I think, for a + week. Thou mayest say to Master Philip that he may correct his + exposition; for he has not yet rightly understood why the Lord + called riches thorns. Here is the school in which to learn + that" (_i. e._, the Mansfeld controversies about property). + "But it dawns on me that in the Holy Scriptures thorns are + always menaced with fire; therefore I have all the more + patience, hoping, with God's help, to bring some good out of it + all. It seems to me the devil laughs at us; but God laughs him + to scorn! Amen. Pray for us. The messenger hastes. On St. + Dorothea's day. M. L. (thy old lover)." + +Dr. Luther seems to be enjoying himself in his own simple hearty way, at +his old home. Nobles and burghers give him the most friendly welcome. + +The third letter Mistress Luther has received is full of playful tender +answers to her anxieties about him. + + "To my dear consort Katherin Lutherin, doctoress and + selftormentor at Wittemberg, my gracious lady, grace and peace + in the Lord. + + "Read thou, dear Käthe, the Gospel of John, and the smaller + Catechism, and then thou wilt say at once, 'All that in the + book is said of me.' For thou must needs take the cares of thy + God upon thee, as if He were not almighty, and could not create + ten Doctor Martins, if the one old Doctor Martin were drowned + in the Saala. Leave me in peace with thy cares I have a better + guardian than thou and all the angels. It is He who lay in the + manger, and was fondled on a maiden's breast; but who sitteth + also now on the right hand of God the Almighty Father. + Therefore be at peace." + +And again-- + + "To the saintly anxious lady, Katherin Lutherin, Doctorin + Zulsdorferin at Wittemberg, my gracious dear wife, grace and + peace in Christ. + + "Most saintly lady Doctoress,--We thank your ladyship kindly + for your great anxiety and care for us which prevented your + sleeping; for since the time that you had this care for us, a + fire nearly consumed us in our inn, close by my chamber door; + and yesterday (doubtless by the power of your care), a stone + almost fell on our head, and crushed us as in a mouse-trap. For + in our private chamber during more than two days, lime and + mortar crashed above us, until we sent for work-men, who only + touched the stone with two fingers, when it fell, as large as a + large pillow two hand-breadths wide. For all this we should + have to thank your anxiety; had not the dear holy angels been + guarding us also! I begin to be anxious that if your anxieties + do not cease, at last the earth may swallow us up, and all the + elements pursue us. Dost thou indeed teach the Catechism and + the creed? Do thou then pray and leave God to care, as it is + promised. 'Cast they burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain + thee.' + + "We would now gladly be free and journey homewards, if God + willed it so. Amen. Amen. Amen. On Scholastica's Day. The + willing servant of your holiness, + + "MARTIN LUTHER." + + + _February_ 17th. + +Good news for us all at Wittemberg! Mistress Luther has received a +letter from the doctor, dated the 14th February, announcing his speedy +return:-- + + "To my kind dear wife Katharin Lutherin von Bora, at + Wittemberg. + + "Grace and peace in the Lord, dear Käthe! We hope this week to + come home again, if God will. God has shown us great grace; for + the lords have arranged all through their referees, except two + or three articles--one of which is that Count Gebhard and Count + Albrecht should again become brothers, which I undertake + to-day, and will invite them to be my guests, that they may + speak to each other, for hitherto they have been dumb, and have + embittered one another with severe letters. + + "The young men are all in the best spirits, make excursions + with fools' bells on sledges--the young ladies also--and amuse + themselves together; and among them also Count Gebhard's son. + So we must understand God is _exauditor precum_. + + "I send to thee some game which the Countess Albrecht has + presented to me. She rejoices with all her heart at the peace. + Thy sons are still at Mansfeld. Jacob Luther will take good + care of them. We have food and drink here like noblemen, and we + are waited on well--too well, indeed--so that we might forget + you at Wittemberg. I have no ailments. + + "This thou canst show to Master Philip, to Doctor Pomer, and to + Doctor Creuzer. The report has reached this place that Doctor + Martin has been snatched away (_i. e._, by the devil), as they + say at Magdeburg and at Leipzig. Such fictions these countrymen + compose, who see as far as their noses. Some say the emperor is + thirty miles from this, at Soest, in Westphalia; some that the + Frenchman is captive, and also the Landgrave. But let _us_ sing + and say, we will wait what God the Lord will do.--Eisleben, on + the Sunday Valentini. M. LUTHER, D." + +So the work of peace-making is done, and Dr. Luther is to return to us +this week--long, we trust, to enjoy among us the peace-maker's +beatitude. + + + + +XXXVII. + +Fritz's Story. + + + EISLEBEN, 1546. + +It has been quite a festival day at Eisleben. The child who, sixty-three +years since, was born here to John Luther, the miner, returns to-day the +greatest man in the empire, to arbitrate in a family dispute of the +Counts of Mansfeld. + +As Eva and I watched him enter the town to-day from the door of our +humble happy home, she said,-- + +"He that is greatest among you shall be as he that doth serve." + +These ten last years of service have, however, aged him much! + +I could not conceal from myself that they had. There are traces of +suffering on the expressive face, and there is a touch of feebleness in +the form and step. + +"How is it," I said to Eva, "that Elsè or Thekla did not tell us of +this? He is certainly much feebler." + +"They are always with him," she said, "and we never see what Time is +doing, love; but only what he has done." + +Her words made me thoughtful. Could it be that such changes were passing +on us also, and that we were failing to observe them? + +When Dr. Luther and the throng had passed, we returned into the house, +and Eva resumed her knitting, while I recommenced the study of my +sermon; but secretly I raised my eyes from my books and surveyed her. If +time had indeed thus been changing that beloved form, it was better I +should know it, to treasure more the precious days he was so +treacherously stealing. + +Yet scarcely, with the severest scrutiny, could I detect the trace of +age or suffering on her face or form. The calm brow was as white and +calm as ever. The golden hair, smoothly braided under her white matronly +cap, was as free from grey as even our Agnes', who was flitting in and +out of the winter sunshine, busy with household work in the next room. +There was a roundness on the cheek, although, perhaps, its curve was a +little changed; and when she looked up, and met my eyes, was there not +the very same happy, child-like smile as ever, that seemed to overflow +from a world of sunshine within? + +"No!" I said; "Eva, thank God, I have not deluded myself! Time has not +stolen a march on you yet." + +"Think how I have been shielded, Fritz," she said. "What a sunny and +sheltered life mine has been, never encountering any storm except under +the shelter of such a home and such a love. But Dr. Luther has been so +long the one foremost and highest, on whose breast the first force of +every storm has burst." + +Just then our Heinz came in. + +"Your father is trying to prove I am not growing old," she said. + +"Who said such a thing of our mother?" asked Heinz, turning fiercely to +Agnes. + +"No one," I said; "but it startled me to see the change in Dr. Luther, +and I began to fear what changes might have been going on unobserved in +our own home." + +"Is Dr. Luther much changed?" said Heinz. "I think I never saw a nobler +face, so resolute and true, and with such a keen glance in his dark +eyes. He might have been one of the emperor's greatest generals--he +looks so like a veteran." + +"Is he not a veteran, Heinz?" said Eva. "Has he not fought all our +battles for us for years? What did you think of him, Agnes?" + +"I remember best the look he gave my father and you," she said. "His +face looked so full of kindness; I thought how happy he must make his +home." + +That evening was naturally a time, with Eva and me, for going over the +past. And how much of it is linked with Dr. Luther! That our dear home +exists at all is, through God, his work. And more even than that: the +freedom and peace of our hearts came to us chiefly at first through him. +All the past came back to me when I saw his face again; as if suddenly +flashed on me from a mirror. The days when he sang before Aunt Ursula +Cotta's door at Eisenach--when the voice which has since stirred all +Christendom to its depths sang carols for a piece of bread. Then the +gradual passing away of the outward trials of poverty, through his +father's prosperity and liberality--the brilliant prospects opening +before him at the university--his sudden, yet deliberate closing of all +those earthly schemes--the descent into the dark and bitter waters, +where he fought the fight for his age, and, all but sinking, found the +Hand that saved him, and came to the shore again on the right side; and +not alone, but upheld evermore by the hand that rescued him, and which +he has made known to the hearts of thousands. + +Then I seemed to see him stand before the emperor at Worms, in that day +when men did not know whether to wonder most at his gentleness or his +daring--in that hour which men thought was his hour of conflict, but +which was in truth his hour of triumph, after the real battle had been +fought and the real victory won. + +And now twenty years more had passed away; the Bible has been translated +by him into German, and is speaking in countless homes; homes hallowed +(and, in many instances, created) by his teaching. + +"What then," said Eva, "has been gained by his teaching and his work?" + +"The yoke of tradition, and of the Papacy, is broken," I said. "The +gospel is preached in England, and, with more or less result, throughout +Germany. In Denmark, an evangelical pastor has consecrated King +Christian III. In the low countries, and elsewhere, men and women have +been martyred, as in the primitive ages, for the faith. In France and in +Switzerland evangelical truth has been embraced by tens of thousands, +although not in Dr. Luther's form, nor only from his lips." + +"These are great results," she replied; "but they are external--at +least, we can only see the outside of them. What fruit is there in this +little world, around us at Eisleben, of whose heart we know something?" + +"The golden age is, indeed, not come," I said, "or the Counts of +Mansfeld would not be quarrelling about church patronage, and needing +Dr. Luther as a peace-maker. Nor would Dr. Luther need so continually to +warn the rich against avarice, and to denounce the selfishness which +spent thousands of florins to buy exemption from future punishment, but +grudges a few kreuzers to spread the glad tidings of the grace of God. +If covetousness is idolatry, it is too plain that the Reformation has, +with many, only changed the idol." + +"Yet," replied Eva, "it is certainly something to have the idol removed +from the Church to the market, to have it called by a despised instead +of by a hallowed name, and disguised in any rather than in sacred +vestments." + +Thus we came to the conclusion that the Reformation had done for us what +sunrise does. It had wakened life, and ripened real fruits of heaven in +many places, and it had revealed evil and noisome things in their true +forms. The world, the flesh and the devil remain unchanged; but it is +much to have learned that the world is not a certain definite region +outside the cloister, but an atmosphere to be guarded against as around +us everywhere; that the flesh is not the love of kindred or of nature, +but of _self in these_, and that the devil's most fiery dart is distrust +of God. For us personally, and ours, how infinitely much Dr. Luther has +done; and if for us and ours, how much for countless other hearts and +homes unknown to us! + + + _Monday_, _February_ 15, 1543. + +Dr. Luther administered the communion yesterday, and preached. It has +been a great help to have him going in and out among us. Four times he +has preached; it seems to us, with as much point and fervour as ever. +To-day, however, there was a deep solemnity about his words. His text +was in Matt. xi., "Fear not, therefore; for there is nothing covered +that shall not be revealed, and hid that shall not be known. What I tell +you in darkness, that speak ye in light; and what ye hear in the ear, +that preach ye on the house-tops. And fear not them which kill the body, +but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to +destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a +farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your +Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." He must have +felt feebler than he seemed, for he closed with the words-- + +"This, and much more, may be said from the passage; but I am too weak, +and _here we will close_." + +Eva seemed very grave all the rest of the day; and when I returned from +the school on this morning, she met me with an anxious face at the door, +and said-- + +"Is the doctor better?" + +"I have not heard that he is ill," I said. "He was engaged with the +arbitration again to-day." + +"I cannot get those words of his out of my head," she said; "they haunt +me--'_Here we will close_.' I cannot help thinking what it would be +never to hear that faithful voice again." + +"You are depressed, my love," I said, "at the thought of Dr. Luther's +leaving us this week. But by-and-by we will stay some little time at +Wittemberg, and hear him again there." + +"If God will!" she said gravely. "What God has given us, through him, +can never be taken away." + +I have inquired again about him, however, frequently to-day, but there +seems no cause for anxiety. He retired from the Great Hall where the +conferences and the meals take place, at eight o'clock; and this +evening, as often before during his visit, Dr. Jonas overheard him +praying aloud at the window of his chamber. + + + _Thursday, 18th February_. + +The worst--the very worst--has come to pass! The faithful voice is, +indeed, silenced to us on earth for ever. + +Here where the life began it has closed. He who, sixty-three years ago, +lay here a little helpless babe, lies here again a lifeless corpse. Yet +it is not with sixty-three years ago, but with three days since that we +feel the bitter contrast. Three days ago he was among us the counsellor, +the teacher, the messenger of God, and now that heart, so open, so +tender to sympathize with sorrows, and so strong to bear a nation's +burden, has ceased to beat. + +Yesterday it was observed that he was feeble and ailing. The Princes of +Anhalt and the Count Albert of Mansfeld, with Dr. Jonas and his other +friends, entreated him to rest in his own room during the morning. He +was not easily persuaded to spare himself, and probably would not have +yielded then, had he not felt that the work of reconciliation was +accomplished, in all save a few supplementary details. Much of the +forenoon, therefore, he reposed on a leathern couch in his room, +occasionally rising, with the restlessness of illness, and pacing the +room, or standing in the window praying, so that Dr. Jonas and +Coelius, who were in another part of the room, could hear him. He +dined, however, at noon, in the Great Hall, with those assembled there. +At dinner he said to some near him, "If I can, indeed, reconcile the +rulers of my birth-place with each other, and then, with God's +permission, accomplish the journey back to Wittemberg, I would go home +and lay myself down to sleep in my grave, and let the worms devour my +body." + +He was not one weakly to sigh for sleep before night; and we now know +too well from how deep a sense of bodily weariness and weakness that +wish sprang. Tension of heart and mind, and incessant work,--the toil of +a daily mechanical labourer, with the keen, continuous thought of the +highest thinker,--working as much as any drudging slave, and as +intensely as if all he did was his delight,--at sixty-three the strong, +peasant frame was worn out as most men's are at eighty, and he longed +for rest. + +In the afternoon he complained of painful pressure on the breast, and +requested that it might be rubbed with warm cloths. This relieved him a +little; and he went to supper again with his friends in the Great Hall. +At table he spoke much of eternity, and said he believed his own death +was near; yet his conversation was not only cheerful, but at times gay, +although it related chiefly to the future world. One near him asked +whether departed saints would recognize each other in heaven. He said, +Yes, he thought they would. + +When he left the supper-table he went to his room. + +In the night,--last night,--his two sons, Paul and Martin, thirteen and +fourteen years of age, sat up to watch with him, with Justus Jonas, +whose joys and sorrows he had shared through so many years. Coelius +and Aurifaber also were with him. The pain in the breast returned, and +again they tried rubbing him with hot cloths. Count Albert came, and the +Countess, with two physicians, and brought him some shavings from the +tusk of a sea-unicorn, deemed a sovereign remedy He took it, and slept +till ten. Then he awoke, and attempted once more to pace the room a +little; but he could not, and returned to bed. Then he slept again till +one. During those two or three hours of sleep, his host Albrecht, with +his wife, Ambrose, Jonas, and Luther's son, watched noiselessly beside +him, quietly keeping up the fire. Everything depended on how long he +slept, and how he woke. + +The first words he spoke when he awoke sent a shudder of apprehension +through their hearts. + +He complained of cold, and asked them to pile up more fire. Alas! the +chill was creeping over him which no effort of man could remove. + +Dr. Jonas asked him if he felt very weak. + +"Oh," he replied, "how I suffer! My dear Jonas, I think I shall die +here, at Eisleben, where I was born and baptized." + +His other friends were awakened, and brought in to his bed-side. + +Jonas spoke of the sweat on his brow as a hopeful sign, but Dr. Luther +answered-- + +"It is the cold sweat of death. I must yield up my spirit, for my +sickness increaseth." + +Then he prayed fervently, saying-- + +"Heavenly Father! everlasting and merciful God thou hast revealed to me +thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Him have I taught; Him have I +experienced; Him have I confessed; Him I love and adore as my beloved +Saviour, Sacrifice, and Redeemer--Him whom the godless persecute, +dishonour, and reproach. O heavenly Father, though I must resign my +body, and be borne away from this life, I know that I shall be with Him +for ever. Take my poor soul up to Thee!" + +Afterwards he took a little medicine, and, assuring his friends that he +was dying, said three times-- + +"Father, into thy hands do I commend my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me, +thou faithful God. Truly _God hath so loved the world_!" + +Then he lay quiet and motionless. Those around sought to rouse him, and +began to rub his chest and limbs, and spoke to him, but he made no +reply. Then Jonas and Coelius, for the solace of the many who had +received the truth from his lips, spoke aloud, and said-- + +"Venerable father, do you die trusting in Christ, and in the doctrine +you have constantly preached?" + +He answered by an audible and joyful "Yes!" + +That was his last word on earth. Then turning on his right side, he +seemed to fall peaceably asleep for a quarter of an hour. Once more hope +awoke in the hearts of his children and his friends; but the physician +told them it was no favourable symptom. + +A light was brought near his face; a death-like paleness was creeping +over it, and his hands and feet were becoming cold. + +Gently once more he sighed; and, with hands folded on his breast, +yielded up his spirit to God without a struggle. + +This was at four o'clock in the morning of the 18th of February. + +And now, in the house opposite the church where he was baptized, and +signed with the cross for the Christian warfare, Martin Luther lies--his +warfare accomplished, his weapons laid aside, his victory won--at rest +beneath the standard he has borne so nobly. In the place where his eyes +opened on this earthly life his spirit has awakened to the heavenly +life. Often he used to speak of death as the Christian's true birth, and +of this life as but a growing into the chrysalis-shell in which the +spirit lives till its being is developed, and it bursts the shell, casts +off the web, struggles into life, spreads its wings and sours up to God. + +To Eva and me it seems a strange, mysterious seal set on his faith, that +his birth-place and his place of death--the scene of his nativity to +earth and heaven--should be the same. + +We can only say, amidst irrepressible tears, those words often on his +lips, "O death! bitter to those whom thou leavest in life!" and "Fear +not, _God liveth still_." + + + + +XXXVIII. + +Elsè's Story. + + + _March_, 1546 + +It is all over. The beloved, revered form is with us again, but Luther +our Father, our pastor, our friend, will never be amongst us more. His +ceaseless toil and care for us all have worn him out,--the care which +wastes life more than sorrow,--care such as no man knew since the +apostle Paul, which only faith such as St. Paul's enabled him to sustain +so long. + +This morning his widow, his orphan sons and daughter, and many of the +students and citizens went out to the Eastern Gate of the city to meet +the funeral procession. Slowly it passed through the streets, so +crowded, yet so silent, to the city church where he used to preach. + +Fritz came with the procession from Eisleben, and Eva, with Heinz and +Agnes, are also with us, for it seemed a necessity to us all once more +to feel and see our beloved around us, now that death has shown us the +impotence of a nation's love to retain the life dearest and most needed +of all. + +Fritz has been telling us of that mournful funeral journey from +Eisleben. + +The Counts of Mansfeld, with more than fifty horsemen, and many princes, +counts, and barons, accompanied the coffin. In every village through +which they passed the church-bells tolled as if for the prince of the +land; at every city gate magistrates, clergy, young and old, matrons, +maidens, and little children, thronged to meet the procession, clothed +in mourning, and chanting funeral hymns?--German evangelical hymns of +hope and trust, such as he had taught them to sing. In the last church +in which it lay before reaching its final resting-place at Wittemberg, +the people gathered around it, and sang one of his own hymns, "I journey +hence in peace," with voices broken by sobs and floods of tears. + +Thus day and night the silent body was borne slowly through the +Thuringian land. The peasants once more remembered his faithful +affection for them, and everywhere, from village and hamlet, and from +every little group of cottages, weeping men and women pressed forward to +do honour to the poor remains of him they had so often misunderstood in +life. + +After Pastor Bugenhagen's funeral sermon from Luther's pulpit, +Melancthon spoke a few words beside the coffin in the city church. They +loved each other well. When Melancthon heard of his death he was most +deeply affected, and said in the lecture-room,-- + +"The doctrine of the forgiveness of sins and of faith in the Son of God, +has not been discovered by any human understanding, but has been +revealed unto us by God _through this man_ whom he has raised up." + +In the city church, beside the coffin, before the body was lowered into +its last resting-place near the pulpit where he preached, Dr. Melancthon +pronounced these words in Latin, which Caspar Creutziger immediately +translated into German,-- + +"Every one who truly knew him, must bear witness that he was a +benevolent, charitable man, gracious in all his discourse, kindly and +most worthy of love, and neither rash, passionate, self-willed, or ready +to take offence. And, nevertheless, there were also in him an +earnestness and courage in his words and bearing such as become a man +like him. His heart was true and faithful, and without falsehood. The +severity which he used against the foes of the doctrine in his writings +did not proceed from a quarrelsome or angry disposition, but from great +earnestness and zeal for the truth. He always showed a high courage and +manhood, and it was no little roar of the enemy which could appall him. +Menaces, dangers, and terror dismayed him not. So high and keen was his +understanding, that he alone in complicated, dark, and difficult affairs +soon perceived what was to be counselled and to be done. Neither, as +some think, was he regardless of authority, but diligently regarded the +mind and will of those with whom he had to do. His doctrine did not +consist in rebellious opinions made known with violence; it is rather an +interpretation of the divine will and of the true worship of God, an +explanation of the word of God, namely of the gospel of Christ. Now he +is united with the prophets of whom he loved to talk. Now they greet him +as their fellow-labourer, and with him praise the Lord who gathers and +preserves his Church. But we must retain a perpetual, undying +recollection of this our beloved father, and never let his memory fade +from our hearts." + +His effigy will be placed in the city church, but his living portrait is +enshrined in countless hearts. His monuments are the schools throughout +the land, every hallowed pastor's home, and above all, "the German Bible +for the German people!" + + + WITTEMBERG, _April_, 1547. + +We stand now in the foremost rank of the generations of our time. Our +father's house on earth has passed away for ever. Gently, not long after +Dr Luther's death, our gentle mother passed away, and our father entered +on the fulfilment of those never-failing hopes to which, since his +blindness, his buoyant heart has learned more and more to cling. + +Scarcely separated a year from each other, both in extreme old age, +surrounded by all dearest to them on earth, they fell asleep in Jesus. + +And now Fritz, who has an appointment at the university, lives in the +paternal house with his Eva and our Thekla, and the children. + +Of all our family I sometimes think Thekla's life is the most blessed. +In our evangelical church, also, I perceive, God by his providence makes +nuns; good women, whose wealth of love is poured out in the Church; +whose inner as well as whose outer circle is the family of God. How many +whom she has trained in the school and nursed in the seasons of +pestilence or adversity, live on earth to call her blessed, or live in +heaven to receive her into the everlasting habitations! + +And among the reasons why her life is so high and loving, no doubt one +is, that socially her position is one not of exaltation but of +lowliness. + +She has not replaced, by any conventional dignities of the cloister, +God's natural dignities of wife and mother. Through life hers has been +the _lowest_ place; therefore, among other reasons, I oft think in +heaven it may be the _highest_. But we shall not grudge it her, Eva and +Chriemhild and Atlantis and I. + +With what joy shall we see those meek and patient brows crowned with the +brightest crowns of glory and immortal joy! + +The little garden behind the Augustei has become a sacred place. +Luther's widow and children still live there. Those who knew him, and +therefore loved him best, find a sad pleasure in lingering under the +shadow of the trees which used to shelter him, beside the fountain and +the little fish-pond which he made, and the flowers he planted, and +recalling his words and his familiar ways; how he used to thank God for +the fish from the pond, and the vegetables sent to his table from the +garden; how he used to wonder at the providence of God, who fed the +sparrows and all the little birds, "which must cost him more in a year +than the revenue of the king of France;" how he rejoiced in the "dew, +that wonderful work of God," and the rose, which no artist could +imitate, and the voice of the birds. How living the narratives of the +Bible became when he spoke of them!--of the great apostle Paul whom he +so honoured, but pictured as "an insignificant-looking, meagre man, like +Philip Melancthon;" or of the Virgin Mary, "who must have been a high +and noble creature, a fair and gracious maiden, with a kind sweet +voice;" or of the lowly home at Nazareth, "where the Saviour of the +world was brought up as a little obedient child." + +And not one of us, with all his vehemence, could ever remember a jealous +or suspicious word, or a day of estrangement, so generous and trustful +was his nature. + +Often, also, came back to us the tones of that rich, true voice, and of +the lute or lyre, which used so frequently to sound from the +dwelling-room with the large window, at his friendly entertainments, or +in his more solitary hours. + +Then, in twilight hours of quiet, intimate converse, Mistress Luther can +recall to us the habits of his more inner home life--how in his +sicknesses he used to comfort her, and when she was weeping would say, +with irrepressible tears, "Dear Käthe, our children trust us, though +they cannot understand; so must we trust God. It is well if we do; all +comes from him." And his prayers morning and evening, and frequently at +meals, and at other times in the day--his devout repeating of the +Smaller Catechism "to God"--his frequent fervent utterance of the Lord's +prayer, or of psalms from the Psalter, which he always carried with him +as a pocket prayer-book. Or, at other times, she may speak reverently of +his hours of conflict, when his prayers became a tempest--a torrent of +vehement supplication--a wrestling with God, a son in agony at the feet +of a father. Or, again, of his sudden wakings in the night, to encounter +the unseen devil with fervent prayer, or scornful defiance, or words of +truth and faith. + +More than one among us knew what reason he had to believe in the +efficacy of prayer. Melancthon, especially, can never forget the day +when he lay at the point of death, half unconscious, with eyes growing +dim, and Luther came and exclaimed with dismay,-- + +"God save us! how successfully has the devil misused this mortal frame!" + +And then turning from the company towards the window, to pray, looking +up to the heavens, he came (as he himself said afterwards), "as a +mendicant and a suppliant to God, and pressed him with all the promises +of the Holy Scriptures he could recall; so that God must hear me, if +ever again I should trust his promises." + +After that prayer, he took Melancthon by the hand, and said, "Be of good +cheer, Philip, you will not die." And from that moment Melancthon began +to revive and recover consciousness, and was restored to health. + +Especially, however, we treasure all he said of death and the +resurrection, of heaven and the future world of righteousness and joy, +of which he so delighted to speak. A few of these sayings I may record +for my children. + +"In the Papacy, they made pilgrimages to the shrines of the saints--to +Rome, Jerusalem, St. Jago--to atone for sins. But now, we in faith can +make true pilgrimages which really please God. When we diligently read +the prophets, psalms, and evangelists, we journey towards God, not +through cities of the saints, but in our thoughts and hearts, and visit +the true Promised Land and Paradise of everlasting life. + +"The devil has sworn our death, but he will crack a deaf nut. The kernel +will be gone." + +He had so often been dangerously ill that the thought of death was very +familiar to him. In one of his sicknesses he said, "I know I shall not +live long. My brain is like a knife worn to the hilt; it can cut no +longer." + +"At Coburg I used to go about and seek for a quiet place where I might +be buried, and in the chapel under the cross I thought I could lie well. +But now I am worse than then. God grant me a happy end! I have no desire +to live longer." + +When asked if people could be saved under the Papacy who had never heard +his doctrine of the gospel, he said, "Many a monk have I seen, before +whom, on his death-bed, they held the crucifix, as was then the custom. +Through faith in His merits and passion, they may, indeed, have been +saved." + +"What is our sleep," he said, "but a kind of death? And what is death +itself but a night sleep? In sleep all weariness is laid aside, and we +become cheerful again, and rise in the morning fresh and well. So shall +we awake from our graves in the last day, as though we had only slept a +night, and bathe our eyes and rise fresh and well. + +"I shall rise," he said, "and converse with you again. This finger, on +which is this ring, shall be given to me again. All must be restored. +'God will create new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth +righteousness.' There all will be pure rapture and joy. Those heavens +and that earth will be no dry, barren sand. When a man is happy, a tree, +a nosegay, a flower, can give him gladness. Heaven and earth will be +renewed, and we who believe shall be everywhere _at home_. Here it is +not so; we are driven hither and thither, that we may have to sigh for +that heavenly fatherland." + +"When Christ causes the trumpet to peal at the last day, all will come +forth like the insects which in winter lie as dead, but when the sun +comes, awake to life again; or as the birds who lie all the winter +hidden in clefts of the rocks, or in hollow banks by the river sides, +yet live again in the spring." + +He said at another time, "Go into the garden, and ask the cherry-tree +how it is possible that from a dry, dead twig, can spring a little bud, +and from the bud can grow cherries. Go into the house and ask the matron +how it can be that from the eggs under the hen living chickens will come +forth. For if God does thus with cherries and birds, canst thou not +honour him by trusting that if he let the winter come over thee--suffer +thee to die and decay in the ground--he can also, in the true summer, +bring thee forth again from the earth, and awaken thee from the dead?" + +"O gracious God!" he exclaimed, "come quickly, come at last! I wait ever +for that day--that morning of spring!" + +And he waits for it still. Not now, indeed, on earth, "in what kind of +place we know not," as he said; "but most surely free from all grief and +pain, resting in peace and in the love and grace of God." + +We also wait for that Day of Redemption, still in the weak flesh and +amidst the storm and the conflict; but strong and peaceful in the truth +Martin Luther taught us, and in the God he trusted to the last. + + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Chronicles of the Schonberg-Cotta +Family, by Elizabeth Rundle Charles + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRONICLES OF THE *** + +***** This file should be named 36433-8.txt or 36433-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/4/3/36433/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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