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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/38544-h.zip b/38544-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..994a466 --- /dev/null +++ b/38544-h.zip diff --git a/38544-h/38544-h.htm b/38544-h/38544-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ede7fc7 --- /dev/null +++ b/38544-h/38544-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4192 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Life of Luther, by Gustav Just. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} +th { +font-size: .8em; +text-align: right; +} +td.tdl { +text-align: left; +padding-left: 1em; +} +td.tdr { +text-align: right; +vertical-align: top; +} +td.tdr2 { +text-align: right; +padding-left: 2em; +vertical-align: bottom; +} +td.tdc { +text-align: center; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Life of Luther, by Gustav Just + +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: Life of Luther + with several introductory and concluding chapters from + general church history + +Author: Gustav Just + +Release Date: January 10, 2012 [EBook #38544] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE OF LUTHER *** + + + + +Produced by Chuck Greif, Iris Schimandle, Peter Vachuska +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image01.jpg" width="400" height="496" alt="Dr. Martin Luther." title="Dr. Martin Luther." /> +<span class="caption">Dr. Martin Luther.</span> +</div> + + + + +<h1>LIFE OF LUTHER,</h1> + +<h3>WITH</h3> + +<h2>SEVERAL INTRODUCTORY AND CONCLUDING CHAPTERS FROM +GENERAL CHURCH HISTORY.</h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">By</span></h3> + +<h2>GUSTAV JUST.</h2> + +<p class="center">(Translated from the German by S. and H.)</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 125px;"> +<img src="images/image02.jpg" width="100" height="105" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="center">St. Louis, Mo.</p> + +<p class="center">CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE. +</p> + + + +<p class="center">Copyright, 1903,</p> + +<p class="center">by</p> + +<p class="center">CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE,</p> + +<p class="center">St. Louis, Mo. +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<table summary="Contents"> +<tr> +<th colspan="4" >PAGE</th> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><span class="smcap">Chapter</span></td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">I.</a></td> +<td class="tdl">The Christians of the First Century</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">II.</a></td> +<td class="tdl">The Persecutions</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">III.</a></td> +<td class="tdl">Constantine and the Spreading of Christianity in Germany</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">IV.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Popery and Monkery</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">V.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> The Forerunners of the Reformation</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">VI.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Luther's Childhood</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">VII.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Luther's Student Days</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">VIII.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Luther in the Cloister</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">IX.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Luther as Teacher</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">X.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Luther the Reformer</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_43">43</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">XI.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Luther the Mighty Warrior</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_49">49</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">XII.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Luther the Staunch Confessor</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">XIII.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> The Fanatics and the Peasants' War</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_64">64</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">XIV.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> The Colloquy at Marburg</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">XV.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> The Augsburg Confession</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_70">70</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">XVI.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Bible, Catechism, and Hymnbook</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">XVII.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Luther's Family Life</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">XVIII.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Luther's Last Days and Death</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">XIX.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> Afflictions of the Lutheran Church in Germany after the Reformation</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_95">95</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc">"</td> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">XX.</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> The Lutheran Church in America</td> +<td class="tdr2"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><span class="smcap">Motto</span>:</h3> + +<p class="center">Remember them which have the rule over you, who have +spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow +considering the end of their conversation.</p> + +<p class="center">Hebrews 13, 7.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>The Christians of the First Century.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. The Apostles of the Lord.</b> When our Lord and +Savior Jesus Christ bid farewell to His disciples on the +Mount of Olives, and ascended into heaven, He commanded +them to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued +with power from on high. In this power they were +to go forth into all the world and bear witness of that which +they had seen and heard. He said unto them: "But ye +shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon +you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, +and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost +part of the earth," Acts 1, 8.</p> + +<p>The disciples faithfully executed this command of the +Lord; for after the day of Pentecost upon which they had +received the Holy Ghost, they went forth and proclaimed +the Gospel of Christ crucified in Jerusalem, in Judaea, in +the surrounding countries, and in the whole world. They +baptized Jews and heathen, and everywhere founded Christian +congregations. But at once the word of the Lord was +fulfilled: "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute +you," John 15, 20. For the spreading of Christianity +aroused bitter enmity among Jews and Gentiles against the +disciples of the Lord. <i>James</i>, the brother of John, was the +first of the apostles to suffer martyrdom at Jerusalem. We +are told: "When the officer, who was to bring him into +court, saw how steadfastly James adhered to his faith in +Christ, he was so affected, that he confessed himself likewise +a Christian. Thus both of them were condemned.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +While they were being led +away he begged James +to forgive him, whereupon +the apostle replied, +'Peace be with thee,' and +kissed him." Hereupon +both were beheaded at +the command of Herod +Agrippa.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image03.jpg" width="400" height="438" alt="The Apostle Peter." title="The Apostle Peter." /> +<span class="caption">The Apostle Peter.</span> +</div> + +<p>When Herod saw that +this pleased the Jews, he +had <i>Peter</i> also apprehended +and cast into +prison, from which the +apostle was miraculously +delivered by an angel. Fearlessly he continued to preach +Christ and founded many congregations in Asia Minor. +The legend says that he was crucified under Emperor Nero +at Rome.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image04.jpg" width="400" height="446" alt="The Evangelist Matthew." title="The Evangelist Matthew." /> +<span class="caption">The Evangelist Matthew.</span> +</div> + +<p><i>James</i>, the Lord's brother, was bishop of the congregation +at Jerusalem. Because of his pious life, he was at first +highly esteemed among +the Jews. But finally he +also became an object of +their hatred. The legend +reports that the high priest +led him to the pinnacle +of the temple and there +commanded him to deny +Christ. When, however, +he boldly confessed his +Savior, he was hurled to +the ground below. Then +the enraged mob pressed +about him in order to stone<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +him to death, when he +cried out upon his knees, +"I implore Thee, God +Father, for them; for +they know not what +they do." Then a tanner +stepped up and killed +him with a club.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image05.jpg" width="400" height="423" alt="The Evangelist John." title="The Evangelist John." /> +<span class="caption">The Evangelist John.</span> +</div> + +<p><i>Philip</i> is said to have +perished in Phrygia, <i>Bartholomew</i> +in Asia Minor, +<i>Thomas</i> in India proper, +and <i>Andrew</i> in Scythia.</p> + +<p><i>John</i>, at first, labored +in Jerusalem, and later +became pastor of the congregation at Ephesus. For a time +he was banished to the Isle of Patmos, afterward, however, +he was permitted to return to Ephesus. When, because of +his advanced age, he could no longer preach nor walk, he +would have himself carried into the assembly and would +always address it in these +words, "Little children, +love one another." He +died a natural death, +nearly one hundred years +of age.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image06.jpg" width="400" height="438" alt="The Apostle Paul." title="The Apostle Paul." /> +<span class="caption">The Apostle Paul.</span> +</div> + +<p>Chief of all the apostles +was the apostle of the +Gentiles, <i>Paul</i>. Although +he did not belong to the +twelve disciples of the +Lord, he was, nevertheless, +directly called and +made a chosen vessel of +the Lord. Before his conversion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +his name was Saul, and he belonged to the strict +sect of the Pharisees. Being an enemy of the Lord's disciples, +he was gratified to see Stephen expire when stoned +to death by the Jews. Soon thereafter he himself became +a zealous persecutor of the Christians in Jerusalem, and +wished to continue his cruel work also in Damascus. But +on the way thither he was converted by the Lord and called +to be an apostle. Thenceforth he preached the Gospel of +the Savior of sinners, especially among the Gentiles, and +soon many Christian congregations arose also among them. +But he also shared the fate of the other apostles; he likewise +suffered death for the doctrine of Christ. About 61 A. D. +he was taken a prisoner to Rome. There he abode two +years. Chained to a soldier he preached the Gospel in that +city and wrote many letters to the congregations which had +been founded by him among the Gentiles. For a short +time he regained his liberty, but was imprisoned a second +time. In 67 or 68 A. D. he suffered martyrdom, being beheaded +under Nero.</p> + +<p><b>2. The First Christian Congregations.</b> "And they +continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, +and in breaking of bread, and in prayers," Acts 2, 42. +This, in a few words, is the picture which the "Acts of +the Apostles" paints of the first Christian congregation +at Jerusalem. The first Christians were diligent and attentive +hearers of God's Word. Thereby they grew in +knowledge and in the faith of the exalted Savior, and in +His power they defied all temptations and persecutions. +Through the Word they remained in communion with their +Head, Jesus Christ, and practiced intimate fellowship with +each other. This showed itself in breaking of bread, Holy +Communion, and in their united praying, praising, and +giving of thanks.</p> + +<p>How intense their love was for their Savior and their +brethren, we may see from the following words in the Acts:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart +and of one soul; neither said any of them that aught of the +things which he possessed was his own; but they had all +things common. Neither was there any among them that +lacked, for as many as were possessed of lands and houses +sold them and brought the prices of the things that were +sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet; and distribution +was made unto every man according as he had +need," Acts 4, 34. 35. They were ready to sacrifice life +itself for their Savior and for each other. After their Lord's +example they practiced charity towards their enemies, and +prayed for them. They obtained favor with God and man, +and the Lord added daily to the church such as should be +saved. For many Jews forsook their national faith and +joined the Christian congregation. True, some hypocrites +and false Christians were found among them, as the example +of Ananias and Sapphira plainly shows. As with +the congregation at Jerusalem, so with all other Christian +congregations of the first century the word of the apostles +was the only rule and guide of faith and life.</p> + +<p>The apostles were the first teachers of the congregations. +Together with the apostles the presbyters and elders, sometimes +also called bishops, presided over the congregations. +It was their duty to conduct divine services and watch over +faith and life of the congregations. They were assisted by +the deacons and almoners to whom was entrusted the care +for the poor and the sick. Sunday was chosen by the Christians +as their day of public worship because on this day the +Lord Jesus arose from the dead. At first the congregation +assembled at the homes of its members. It was only later +that churches were built for this purpose. At these services, +spiritual hymns and psalms were sung, portions of the Holy +Scriptures were read and explained, and prayers offered. +Holy Communion was celebrated every Sunday, and was +received by the entire congregation.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> + +<p>Strict discipline was practiced in the Christian congregation. +If anyone walked disorderly, he was admonished; +if, in spite of this, he continued impenitent, he was excluded +from the Christian congregation as a heathen and publican, +and not received again until he repented.</p> + +<p><b>3. The Destruction of Jerusalem.</b> At last the word +of Jesus was fulfilled: "For the day shall come upon thee, +that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compass +thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall +lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; +and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another: +because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." The +terrible judgment drew near! The cruel Emperor Nero at +that time ruled in Rome. Under him the Jews rebelled and +drove the Romans from their country. Nero sent his general +Vespasian to chastise the rebels. Victoriously he pressed +forward. Soon thereafter Nero died, and Vespasian was recalled +and himself elected emperor. His son Titus was to +complete the chastisement of the Jews. In the spring of +70 A. D. he marched against Jerusalem with an enormous +army and laid siege to the city. His demand that the Jews +surrender, in order to save their city and magnificent temple, +was rejected with scorn by the proud leaders. Titus at once +cast a trench about the city, and bombarded it by means of +catapults.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image07.jpg" width="400" height="595" alt="The Destruction of Jerusalem." title="The Destruction of Jerusalem." /> +<span class="caption">The Destruction of Jerusalem.</span> +</div> + +<p>The condition of the city was frightful. It happened to +be the time of the passover, and because of this festival more +than two millions of people had assembled in Jerusalem. +They were not at one among themselves; some were in +favor of surrendering to the Romans, others were determined +to resist to the last. The latter gained the ascendency, +and filled with ferocity and desperation they fought +against the Romans. No one dared even to speak of surrender, +because the leaders had forbidden it under penalty +of death. Soon frightful famine and much other misery<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +arose. Everything was eaten, even the most disgusting +things, as, for instance, the excrements of animals; yes, a +woman of noble birth killed and devoured her own child. +Epidemics broke out and carried off thousands. Because +the corpses could not be buried, they were thrown over the +walls and filled the trenches. Yet, in spite of this, the +Jews would not surrender. Then Titus took the city by +storm, and the Romans killed and slaughtered whatever +came in their way. The temple was defended by the Jews +with great stubbornness. Titus had commanded to preserve +this building, but a soldier threw a firebrand into it, +and soon the magnificent edifice was enveloped in flames. +The city of Jerusalem was laid even with the ground, according +to the word of the Lord: "Not one stone shall remain +upon another," Luke 19, 14.</p> + +<p>The siege had lasted four months, and in this time one +million of Jews had perished. The prisoners were led away, +some being compelled to fight with wild beasts in the arena, +others being sold into slavery.—But what had become of +the Christians? As the swallows forsake the house whose +walls the masons are tearing down, so the congregation of +the Lord had left Jerusalem before the siege, and had found +a refuge in the mountain village of Pella, on the Dead Sea, +on the other side of the river Jordan.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>The Persecutions.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. The Persecutions under Nero, Decius, and Diocletian.</b> +About the year 100 A. D. the apostles of the Lord +had all fallen asleep. The preaching of the Gospel, however, +had not ceased, but was carried on vigorously everywhere, +and now persecutions against the Christians arose +also among the heathen. They began already under <i>Nero</i>.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +In 64 A. D. this cruel tyrant set fire to Rome, the great +capital of the then known world, and amused himself with +the spectacle. The conflagration raged for six days, and +reduced the greater part of the city to ashes. In order to +shield himself against the wrath of the people, who accused +him of kindling the fire, he charged the hated Christians +with the crime. These were now forced to endure the most +excruciating torments and tortures. Many were sewed into +the skins of wild beasts, and then thrown to dogs who tore +them to pieces. Others were covered with wax and pitch, +placed in the imperial gardens and set afire, that as torches +they might illuminate the darkness of the night.</p> + +<p>One of the most severe persecutions occurred under +Emperor <i>Decius</i>. For nearly half a century the Christians +had lived in peace, but this peace had made many of them +secure and lukewarm. Origen, a noted teacher of the time, +complains: "Some attend church only on the high festivals, +and then, generally, only to pass away time. Some leave +the church as soon as the sermon is ended, without speaking +to the teachers or asking them questions; others do not listen +to a single word, but stand in some corner of the church +and chatter with each other." From this sinful security +they were aroused by the persecution bursting over them +like a sudden storm. The emperor issued a decree that the +Christians were to be forced by threats and tortures to sacrifice +to the heathen deities. Whoever refused to do this was +to suffer death. This terrible decree caused the greatest consternation +among the Christians. Many, especially of the +rich, readily ran to the altars and offered the required sacrifices. +Yes, so great was their fear of man that they denied +ever having been Christians at all. Others, in spite of tortures, +remained steadfast at first, but finally also denied +their faith. However, there were also such as remained +firm in the faith and praised God who considered them +worthy to suffer death for Christ's sake.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> + +<p>The last and most frightful of all persecutions began under +Emperor <i>Diocletian</i>. The churches of the Christians were +torn down, the collections of Holy Scriptures were burned, +and innumerable Christians were tortured to death. They +were left to starve in dungeons; they were forced with bare +feet to walk upon hot, burning coals, or sharp nails; they +were fastened to wooden machines by means of which their +limbs were torn from their bodies. The torturers tore their +flesh with iron nails, or covered them with honey, and laid +them bound into the sun that they might be stung to death +by the flies. But many Christians suffered these tortures +with great firmness and could not be forced to forsake Christ. +The executioners, finally, became weary, their swords grew +dull, and—the church of the Lord remained unconquerable.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image08.jpg" width="600" height="352" alt="Christians Suffering Death in the Circus." title="Christians Suffering Death in the Circus." /> +<span class="caption">Christians Suffering Death in the Circus.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>2. Ignatius.</b> Ignatius was a disciple of the apostles +and presided over a flourishing congregation at Antioch. +Emperor Trajan demanded of him to deny his Savior and +sacrifice to the gods. But he declared that the gods of the +heathen were vanities. He said, "There is but one God, +who has made heaven and earth, and one Christ, whose +kingdom is my inheritance." Because of this confession he +was taken to Rome and suffered martyrdom. He listened +to his death sentence with composure, even with joy; he +desired to depart and to be with Christ. He wrote concerning +his journey: "From Syria to Rome I fought with wild +beasts who became the more enraged the more benefits were +bestowed upon them. However, let them throw me into +the fire, let them nail me to the cross, let them tear my +limbs from my body—what is all that, if I may enjoy +Jesus!" How joyfully he met death can be seen from the +words he addressed to the Romans: "I am seeking Him +who died for us; He is my gain that has been preserved +for me. Let me follow the sufferings of my God; my love +is crucified; I long for the bread of God, for the flesh of +Jesus Christ." To the Christians who attempted to have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +him set at liberty he wrote: "Do not trouble yourselves on +my account; it is better for me to die for Christ's sake than +to rule over the kingdoms of this world. I am God's wheat, +and am to be ground by the wild beasts in order to become +pure bread. What of it if the beasts become my grave—thus +I trouble no one in my death." Upon his arrival in +Rome he was delivered to the Governor. A few days thereafter +he was thrown to the wild beasts, who fell upon him +and tore him to pieces, while the assembled heathen witnessed +the frightful spectacle with fiendish delight. His +remaining bones were gathered by his faithful servants and +laid to rest in Antioch.</p> + +<p><b>3. Polycarp.</b> He was a disciple of St. John, and, later +on, became bishop of Smyrna, in Asia Minor. Under Marcus +Aurelius he suffered martyrdom at the stake. Polycarp, +listening to the entreaties of his congregation, who would +gladly have saved him from his persecutors, fled to a country +seat. His abode was soon betrayed, and he was delivered +to his captors who found him engaged in prayer with several +friends. Noticing that the house was surrounded, he said, +"The Lord's will be done!" Thereupon he invited his enemies +in, received them in the most hospitable manner, and +asked them to grant him one hour for prayer. With so +much earnestness he prayed to his Savior that even the +heathen were touched by his devotion. He was led back +to the city on an ass. There he was at first kindly urged +to sacrifice to the gods, but he replied, "I will not follow +your advice." At sight of the aged man (he was ninety +years old) the Governor was touched and said to him, "Consider +your great age. Swear by the emperor, deny Christ, +and I will release you!" Polycarp exclaimed: "For eighty-six +years I have served Him, and He has done me no ill; +how can I now denounce my King and my Savior?" The +Governor said, "I will throw you to the wild beasts, or I +will force you by fire, if you do not change your mind!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +Polycarp replied, "You threaten me with the fire that burns +for a short time and is soon extinguished, because you do +not know the fire of the coming judgment which is in store +for the wicked. Why do you hesitate?" When hereupon +the herald in the arena announced, "Polycarp confesses +himself to be a Christian," the entire multitude cried, "To +the lions with Polycarp!" But he was condemned to die +at the stake, and at once the enraged people on all sides +gathered fagots for the burning. Polycarp now took off his +own clothes, loosed his own girdle, and even tried to take +off his own shoes. His prayer, not to nail him to the stake, +was granted. Firm and immovable he stood against the +erected pole and praised God with a loud voice. The pile +was kindled. But it is reported that the fire would not +touch this faithful witness of the Lord. The flames surrounded +him, as sails caught by the wind, and his body +shone like gold and silver that is being refined in the oven. +As his body was not consumed the executioner thrust his +sword into his breast, and the corpse fell into the fire. The +members of his sorrowing congregation piously gathered his +remains and interred them.</p> + +<p><b>4. Perpetua.</b> In the beginning of the third century +the Christians were fiercely persecuted in Northern Africa. +Among the prisoners at Carthage there was a young woman +of noble birth, Perpetua. She was the mother of a nursing +child. Her heathen father took the greatest pains to persuade +his daughter to forsake Christ. In pleading accents +he begged her, "My daughter, have pity upon my gray +hairs. Oh, pity your father, if I have ever been worthy of +this name! Take pity on your child which cannot survive +you. Can nothing move you, my daughter? If you perish +we will be disgraced before all men!" In saying this her +father kissed her hands and fell down at her feet. But Perpetua +did not deny the Lord; she remained firm and resisted +all temptations in the strength of Him whom we are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +to love more than father or mother. On the day before her +execution she celebrated the customary love feast with her +fellow prisoners, and to the gazing heathen she declared, +"Look straight into our faces, that you may know us on the +day of judgment!" Filled with consternation and shame, +many of the heathen walked away and were converted.—The +day of her deliverance approached; the fights with the +wild beasts began. Perpetua, together with her maid Felicitas, +was thrown to a wild cow, which at once tossed them +to the ground. To her brother who stood near she cried, +"Abide in the faith, love one another, and do not let my +sufferings frighten you!" Finally, she received the death +blow at the hands of a gladiator. Thus she entered into +glory, and received the crown of life at His hands to whom +she proved faithful unto death.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>Constantine and the Spreading of Christianity +in Germany.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Constantine.</b> After many anxious years a time of +refreshing peace finally came for the Christians. For by +God's wonderful providence a man kindly disposed toward +the Christians ascended the Roman throne. This was Emperor +Constantine. His father had already been a friend of +the Christians, and his mother had even accepted the faith. +After his father's death, Constantine was proclaimed Emperor +by the army. This was in the summer of 306. When, +in 312, he marched against Maxentius, who had disputed +his power in Italy, he called upon the God of the Christians +for help against his opponent. The opposing forces +met in the vicinity of Rome. While the sun was setting, it +is reported that Constantine saw in the heavens a cross bearing +the bright inscription: <i>In hoc signo vinces</i>, <i>i. e.</i>, "You<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +will conquer in this sign!" He at once had the eagles removed +from the standards, and had them replaced by the +sign of the cross. Hereupon his army marched from victory +to victory till the power of his enemy was completely +broken. And from this time Constantine became a zealous +protector of the Christian church. He published a law +permitting every Roman citizen to become a Christian. +He even went so far as to make the Christian religion the +religion of the state. He favored the Christians by appointing +them to high public offices. Sad to say, this increased +the number of those who accepted Christianity for the +sake of worldly gain. The church now, indeed, had rest +from without. But Satan tried to ruin it by false doctrine. +A bishop, named Arius, arose and taught: "Christ is not +true God, but only a creature." Constantine then called +a church council to assemble at Nice, in Asia Minor, in +325 A. D. Three hundred and eighteen bishops assembled +there with him. In the discussions which followed Athanasius, +a deacon, and afterwards bishop, of Alexandria, took +a most prominent part. With irresistible eloquence he +effected the overthrow of the false doctrine of Arius and the +victorious establishment of saving truth. Constantine died +on Pentecost Day, 337, having been baptized a short time +before. In compliance with his last wish he was buried in +the Church of the Apostles, at Constantinople.</p> + +<p><b>2. The Spreading of Christianity in Germany.</b> Now +the time had come when the light of saving truth was to +shine over Germany and dispel the night of heathenish +darkness. For some time already the Gospel had been +carried to Germany by Christian merchants and Roman +prisoners, and thus it came to pass that at isolated places +Christian congregations were founded; but the real spreading +of Christianity began in the sixth century through missionaries +from Ireland and England.—Among the first to +visit Germany was the Irish monk <i>Fridolin</i>. Together with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +his companions he arrived in the Black Forest among the +Alemanni. With visible success he preached the Gospel to +these children of the forest. He died in 550, and was succeeded +by <i>Columban</i>, who, together with twelve disciples, +brought the message of salvation in Christ to the inhabitants +of the present Alsatia. But meeting with much +opposition he fled to Switzerland, and then to Italy, where +he died in 615, a true Christian to the last.—His pupil +<i>Gallus</i> had remained in Switzerland and there had founded +the farfamed cloister St. Gallus. Here he labored with +signal blessing for the spreading of Christianity among the +Swiss and Suabian tribes, until, in 640, the Lord called +him to his reward.</p> + +<p>Besides these messengers of the faith others also preached +the Gospel in Germany, <i>Emeran</i> in Bavaria, <i>Kilian</i> in +Wuertemberg. The latter suffered martyrdom with his +followers in 685. Twenty years after Kilian's death the +English Presbyter <i>Willibrod</i>, with eleven assistants, went to +the Frisians. At first the heathen king Radbod offered +stubborn resistance, but in time he had Willibrod to baptize +his own son. And after the king's death the mission +work met with great success. Because of the multitude of +fish Willibrod could scarcely haul in the net. After fifty +years of faithful labor he died as bishop of Utrecht, in the +year 739. These and other missionaries were the real +apostles of Germany, and independent of Rome. Through +their labors congregations were founded and flourished +everywhere.</p> + +<p>Before long, however, a man came to Germany who +subjugated the German church to the Pope. This was +Winifred, also called <i>Boniface</i>. He carried on his work +mainly in Thuringia, Hessia, Bavaria, and Frisia. In 755, +together with his companions, he was slain by the heathen +Frisians. The most stubborn resistance to Christianity +was offered by the Saxons. Only after thirty years of continuous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +warfare were they finally conquered by Charles the +Great, and the Gospel gained a foothold amongst them.—Thus +the Gospel of Christ sped from people to people, and +in the year 1000 great numbers everywhere in Germany +confessed Christ Jesus and Him crucified.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>Popery and Monkery.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. The Origin of Popery.</b> When, in the course of +time, the Christian church continued to expand, it became +necessary for the larger congregations to engage more than +one pastor. An immediate consequence was that one of +them attained to higher eminence and was called the bishop +by preference. Great deference was especially paid to the +bishops of Rome, of Jerusalem, of Alexandria, of Antioch, +and of Constantinople. The smaller congregations frequently +sought their advice and requested their decision +in difficult matters. But the power and the authority of +the Roman bishops soon outstripped that of the rest. In +consequence of this they assumed a haughty demeanor, +exalted themselves above the other bishops, and, finally, +arrogated to themselves the position of supreme judges in +the Church of God, and grew very indignant if any one +dared to dispute their authority. They now claimed that +Peter had founded the congregation at Rome and had presided +over it for some time as its bishop; that he had been +the chief of the apostles, the authorized viceregent of Christ +upon earth, and that his successors, the bishops of Rome, +had inherited these powers from him. Although these arrogant +claims were by no means generally admitted, yet the +Roman bishop succeeded in enforcing his demands. He +was pleased to have himself called "<i>Papa</i>," or "Pope." +The Western bishops finally submitted and acknowledged +him to be the supreme head of the church. In the East,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +however, the bishop of Constantinople was accorded the +highest rank. Both bishops now fought for the supremacy +in the church, and as neither would submit to the other +a schism resulted. There arose the Roman Catholic and +the Greek Catholic church, and this division remains to +the present day.</p> + +<p>When, in 752, Pipin, the king of the Franks, presented +to the Pope a large territory in Central Italy, the Pope became +a temporal prince. From now on the Popes continually +sought to increase their temporal power and speak the +decisive word in the councils of the mighty of this earth. +The man who raised popery to the highest pinnacle of its +power was Pope Gregory VII, formerly a monk called Hildebrand, +the son of an artisan. In 1073 he ascended the +papal throne. He forbade the priests to marry, and demanded +that all bishops, who at that time were also temporal +princes, should receive their office and their possessions, +even their temporal power, not from their worldly +overlords, but from his hands. He asserted: "As the moon +receives its light from the sun, so emperors and princes receive +their power from the Pope. The Pope is the viceregent +of Christ upon earth, where the mighty of this world +owe him obedience; he alone has the right and the power +to appoint them to office, or to depose them." Gregory +died 1085. His successors accepted his principles. Thus +Innocent III demeaned himself as the absolute spiritual +lord and master over all Christian princes and kings, and +forced them to submit to his power. Then the word of +Holy Scriptures, concerning the Roman Popes, came to +pass, 2 Thess. 2, 4: "Who opposeth and exalteth himself +above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that +he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself +that he is God."</p> + +<p><b>2. The False Doctrines of Popery.</b> Sad, indeed, +grew the condition of the church under the Popes. Many<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +bishops and priests busied themselves more with worldly +affairs than with the Word of God and the welfare of the +church. The people were shamefully neglected. Generally +speaking, they had no schools, no books, and, especially, +no Bibles. There was scarcely any Christian knowledge, +for the Word of the Lord was hidden in those days. In +consequence of this the saddest ignorance prevailed everywhere +among the common people. Such being the conditions, +it was a small matter for Satan to sow his tares +among the wheat. With increasing frequency false doctrines +appeared in the church and displaced the Word of +God. For some time already mass had been celebrated +instead of Holy Communion. For the superstition had +arisen, that Christ was sacrificed anew by the priest when +mass was celebrated on the altar. This false doctrine was +supported by the other superstition that through his consecration +the priest changed the bread and the wine into +the real body and blood of Christ. Because they feared +that the blood of Christ might be spilled they denied the +cup to the laity, and thus mutilated the Lord's Supper.</p> + +<p>Early in its history popery invented the doctrine that +the departed souls went to purgatory, where, by intense +suffering, they might be cleansed from the dross of sin. +However, it was held that the Pope and the church had +the power to shorten these pangs of purgatory by reading +countless masses. Whoever paid enough money was told +that he need not remain long in purgatory. This proved +to be a profitable business for the Pope. For many rich +already in their lifetime set aside large sums of money to +pay for these masses.</p> + +<p>Indulgence was another false doctrine. The Popes +taught: The church possesses an inexhaustible treasure +in the merits of Christ and of the saints. On this the +Pope can draw at will for the benefit of the living and of +the dead, and with it forgive the sin of those who offer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +him therefor sufficient money, or other equivalents. In +the stead of Christ's suffering and merit, which becomes +ours alone through faith, they substituted mere human +works. Christ, our true Advocate, was thrust aside, and +the saints were called upon for their protection and intercessions. +The Virgin Mary, especially, became the refuge +in time of need, and this gave rise to the shameful +"mariolatry." Nor did idolatry stop here. Even pictures, +statues, and real or supposed relics of the saints were set +up for worship and adoration. Thus was fulfilled the word +of Scriptures, 2 Thess. 2, 10. 11: "Because they received +not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And +for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that +they should believe a lie."</p> + +<p><b>3. Life in the Monasteries.</b> Already in the time of +the great persecutions many Christians had fled into the +forests, caves, and among the cliffs in order to spend their +lives in pious meditation and devotion. When, in the time +after Constantine, the church grew more and more worldly, +the number of those increased who thought that they could +serve God better in quiet seclusion than amid the noise of +a corrupt world. These were the so-called hermits. As a +rule, they led a life of privations and self-inflicted tortures. +In time, numbers of them united and adopted certain rules +and laws by which their communities were governed. They +also lived in their own buildings, called cloisters. These +were generally built in inhospitable regions. Whoever +joined the order had to forsake all his worldly possessions, +and vow to lead a life of celibacy and of absolute obedience +to his superiors. These are the so-called monastic vows.</p> + +<p>This monastical life was regarded very highly by the +people, and all kinds of legacies added gradually to the +lands and riches of the cloisters. Their number increased +rapidly; and in the twelfth century there were thousands +of them. The monks were the most zealous and the most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +faithful tools of Antichrist, and everywhere endeavored to +spread the Pope's heresies. They incited the people to rebellion +against their lawful government and spied out and +persecuted those who would no longer submit to the Pope. +But it was above all the halo of false holiness which it possessed +in the eyes of the people that made monkery such +a curse to the church. Men, women, and children ran into +the cloister in order to be sure of eternal life; for the delusive +notion prevailed that man could justify himself before +God and be saved by his own works. And, at that, +they regarded the works commanded by God of little account, +esteeming their self-chosen, monkish practices of +the highest importance. Life in the monastery is, therefore, +condemned by the words of Christ: "In vain do they worship +me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>The Forerunners of the Reformation.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Peter Walden.</b> Peter Walden, who was a rich and +pious merchant of the twelfth century, lived in Lyons, an +important city in Southern France. One day he was sitting +at meal with his friends and conversing on the evils of the +time and the corruption of the church. Suddenly one of +his companions fell dead before their eyes. This occurrence +made a deep impression on Walden, and he sought +now, more than ever before, the one thing that is needful. +Through diligent reading and study of Holy Scriptures he +came to a knowledge of the truth, and his heart was filled +with heavenly comfort and joy. The deeper he entered into +the true meaning of the Holy Scriptures the more he recognized +the errors and the decay of the Roman Catholic church. +He saw that Christendom had departed from the true way +of salvation. He, therefore, felt constrained to bring the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +sweet Gospel of Christ to lost souls. In 1170 he sold all +his possessions and traveled through the country, teaching +and preaching. He had the four Gospels translated into +French and spread them among the people. The scattered +seed sprung up and bore rich fruit; for very soon thousands +wanted to hear of no other doctrine than the pure doctrine +of God's Word.</p> + +<p>Walden and his adherents, called Waldensians, taught: +"In all questions pertaining to our salvation we dare trust +no man or book, but must believe the Holy Scriptures only. +There is but one mediator; the saints must not be worshiped; +purgatory is a fable invented by men. There are +but two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper." +Their life conformed so well to their doctrine that King +Lewis of France exclaimed: "Truly, these heretics are +better than I and all my people!" The following is another +beautiful testimony for the Waldensians: "They lead a +purer life than other Christians. They do not swear, except +necessity demands it, and beware of taking God's +name in vain. They keep their promises faithfully; they +are truthful in their words and live peacefully together in +brotherly love."</p> + +<p>But the more their doctrine and life testified of their +faith, the more the hatred against them increased. Peter +Walden was forbidden to preach or explain the Scriptures, +and when, in spite of this, he continued to sow the seed of +the Word of God, he was excommunicated by the Pope. +He fled from one place to another, and everywhere proclaimed +the Gospel with signal blessing. His followers +were most cruelly persecuted by the Roman church, which +used every means to destroy them. About a million of +them were slain in continuous wars of persecution. Seven +thousand were slaughtered in a church at one time. A judge +in Spain had 10,000 of them burned alive and imprisoned +97,000 who perished enduring the most frightful tortures.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +But in spite of fire and sword they could not be extirpated, +and exist unto this day. Removed from the markets of the +world, and distant from the great highways, the descendants +of the Waldensians live in the unapproachable mountain +glens of Savoy and Piedmont.</p> + +<p><b>2. John Wyclif.</b> John Wyclif was Doctor and Professor +of Theology at the University of Oxford. He directed +his attacks chiefly against monkery, and unsparingly denounced +the idling, the begging, and the perversion of +religion by the monks. They therefore entered complaint +against him with the Archbishop, and Wyclif was deposed +from his chair at the university. From now on he testified +even more decidedly against the errors and abuses of popery. +He maintained: "The Roman church is not superior to the +other churches; Peter had no preeminence over the other +apostles, and the Pope, as far as his power to forgive sins +is concerned, is but the equal of every other pastor." He +spoke very emphatically against indulgence, against the +adoration of relics, and reproved the popular errors by +which the poor souls were deceived. Wyclif was now denounced +as a heretic at the court of the Pope, but his eloquent +and masterful defense at the trial procured his release. +He translated the Bible into English and taught pious men +to preach the Gospel to the people. He died in 1384 at +Lutterworth, where he had been pastor. His numerous +writings were spread by his followers throughout all Europe, +and especially Bohemia, where they bore rich fruit. But +the hatred against Wyclif did not cease with his death. In +compliance with an order of the Council of Constance, where +his doctrines were condemned, his bones were exhumed, +burned, and the ashes thrown into the river.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image09.jpg" width="400" height="575" alt="John Huss." title="John Huss." /> +<span class="caption">John Huss.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>3. John Huss.</b> Huss was born in 1369 at Hussinecz, +in Bohemia. Through reading the Holy Scriptures and the +writings of Wyclif he came to a knowledge of the truth and +boldly lifted his voice against the errors and abuses prevalent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +in the church. He preached against indulgences, +purgatory, and the ungodly life of the priests. Thereby he +became an object of hatred to the Pope. He was soon excommunicated +by the Pope, and when he continued to +preach in Prague, where he was pastor, and was supported +by that city, it was also placed under the ban. The churches +were closed, the bells were silent, the dead were denied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +Christian burial, Baptisms and marriages could only be +performed in the graveyards.</p> + +<p>Huss was cited to appear at the council to be held at +Constance. Although Emperor Sigismund promised him +safe-conduct, nevertheless Huss undertook the journey to +Constance foreboding no good. And indeed, in spite of the +safe-conduct, he was taken and thrown into a foul prison +immediately upon his arrival. When Sigismund expressed +his disapproval the monks told him that faith need not +be kept with a heretic. Huss defended himself before the +council with great steadfastness, and as he would not recant +he was condemned to die at the stake. He was deposed +from the priesthood and made an object of ridicule +and scorn. On his head was placed a paper cap painted +with numerous devils who were tormenting a poor sinner. +He was led out to execution, and on the way frequently +called upon the Savior for mercy. He was then chained to +an upright pole, and hay and straw, saturated with pitch, +were piled about him. Once more he was tempted to recant +and thus to save his life. But Huss remained faithful. +Now the flames surrounded him. The smoke curled above +him. "Christ, Thou Lamb of God, have mercy upon me!" +the faithful witness sang twice with a loud and clear voice. +But when he began the third verse, he was overcome by +smoke and flames and gave up the ghost. It is reported +that while at the stake he prophesied: "To-day you are +roasting a goose, but after a hundred years a swan will +come, which ye will not roast."</p> + +<p><b>4. Jerome Savonarola.</b> In Italy a man arose who +was to startle the proud Pope and his priests out of their +security. This was Jerome Savonarola. The misery and +the corruption in the church had driven him into the +cloister. Through the Word of God he learned the truth, +and then publicly denounced the depravity of his time. +He was an eloquent and passionate preacher. He cried<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +out: "Before long the sword of the Lord will come over +Italy and over all the earth, and then the church will be +renewed!" The Pope of that time lived in the grossest +vices. Rome was the hotbed of all sins and crimes. Savonarola +complained: "The poison is heaped up at Rome to +such an extent that it infects France, and Germany, and +all the world. Things have come to such a pass that we +must warn everyone against Rome. Rome has perverted +the whole of Scriptures!"</p> + +<p>By the Pope he was anathematized, and by the temporal +court condemned to die at the stake. With two of +his companions he was to be hanged on the gallows, and +then their corpses were to be burned. Savonarola entertained +the sure hope that judgment would come upon +Rome, and the Lord would renew the corrupt church. He +said: "Rome will not be able to quench this fire, and if it +is quenched God will light another; aye, it is kindled already +in many places, but they do not know it. Before +long the desolation and idolatry of the Roman Pope will +be reproved, and a teacher will be born whom no one can +resist." On Ascension Day, May 23, 1498, with cheerful +resignation, he met death at the hand of the hangman.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>Luther's Childhood.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Luther in the House of His Parents.</b> When +Savonarola breathed his last in the Market Place at Florence, +God had already chosen His servant who was to +destroy the tyranny of the Pope. The swan, prophesied +by Huss, appeared. For on November 10, 1483, a son had +been born to poor peasants in Eisleben, at the foot of the +Hartz Mountains. Already on the following day he was +baptized, and received the name Martin, in honor of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +saint to whom this day was sacred. His parents were +Hans and Margaret Luther. They came from the village +Moehra, having emigrated to Eisleben. When Martin was +six months old they moved to the neighboring town Mansfeld, +where his father hoped to support his family by working +in the mines. Luther said of his ancestors: "I am +the son of a peasant; my father, my grandfather, and my +great-grandfather were all industrious peasants. Later on +my father moved to Mansfeld, where he worked in the +mines." Again he said: "My parents, at first, were very +poor. My father was a poor miner, and my mother often +carried the wood upon her back in order to raise us children. +They endured many hardships for our sake."</p> + +<p>The child was a great joy to its parents, and they loved +it dearly. The father would often step to the cradle and +pray loud and fervently that God would grant grace to his +son that, mindful of his name, he might become a true +Luther and live a pure and sincere life. From earliest +childhood both parents trained their boy to fear God and +love all that is good. Parental discipline, however, was +most severe, and tended to make Luther a very timid +child. In later years he said: "My father once chastised +me so severely that I fled from him and avoided him until +he won me to himself again." And of his mother he said: +"For the sake of an insignificant nut my mother once +whipped me till the blood came. But their intentions +were the best." Luther at all times gratefully acknowledged +this.</p> + +<p><b>2. Luther at School.</b> Little Martin was not yet five +years of age when, followed by the prayers of his parents, +he was brought to the school at Mansfeld. This school +was situated upon a hillside, in the upper part of the city, +and quite a distance from the boy's home. In inclement +weather, when the road was bad, he was often carried +there by his father or by Nicolas Oemler. Here he zealously<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +learned the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the +Lord's Prayer; he was also instructed in reading, writing, +and the principles of Latin grammar. The school even +surpassed his home in the severity of its discipline. The +schoolmaster was one of those incapable men that treated +his children as hangmen and bailiffs treat their prisoners. +In one forenoon Luther received fifteen whippings. Such +tyrannical treatment filled him and his fellow pupils with +fear and timidity.</p> + +<p>The religious instruction which he received also served +to intimidate and terrify him. He scarcely learned more +than popish superstition and idolatry. True, at Christmas +time the church sang: "A Child so fair is born for us to-day," +but instead of the glad tidings: "Unto you is born +this day in the city of David a Savior," hell-fire was +preached in the school. Luther says: "From youth I was +trained to turn pale at the very mention of Christ's name, +for I was instructed to regard Him as a severe and angry +judge. We were all taught that we had to atone for our +own sins, and because we could not do this we were +directed to the saints in heaven and advised to invoke +dear Mother Mary to pacify the wrath of Christ and obtain +mercy for us."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>Luther's Student Days.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Luther in Magdeburg.</b> When Luther was fourteen +years of age he bade farewell to his parents and home +and, with his friend Hans Reinecke, went to Magdeburg; +for his father wished to give him a thorough education. +Having received no spending money from home, they +were forced to live upon the alms gathered on the way +from charitable hands. In Magdeburg Luther attended<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +the high school, a noted school of that day. But here, +as everywhere, the false doctrines of popery prevailed, +and the sweet comfort of the Gospel was not preached. +The poor pupils were directed to perform such works and +penances as the Roman church considered meritorious. +Luther relates the following incident as illustrating the +monastic sanctity of those days: "With these my eyes I +saw a Prince of Anhalt in a friar's cowl begging for bread +in the streets, and bending under the sack like an ass. +He looked like a specter, nothing but skin and bones. +Whoever saw him smacked with devotion and had to be +ashamed with his secular calling."—In bodily things also +little Martin had to endure much hardship. It is true, +lodge and shelter were supplied by the city, and the instruction, +given by the monks, was free of charge, but the +pupils themselves had to provide their support. Because +of his father's poverty Luther received but little assistance +from home and was compelled to sing for his daily bread +at the doors of the citizens. He relates the following story +of his experiences at that time: "During the Christmas +holidays we made excursions into the neighboring villages +and sang at the doors the Christmas carols in four parts in +order to obtain our living. At one time a peasant came +out of his house and called to us in a rough tone of voice, +'Boys, where are you?' This so terrified us that we scattered +in all directions. We were so frightened that we did +not notice the sausage in his hand, and it required no +little coaxing to recall us."</p> + +<p>While at Magdeburg Luther was taken sick with a +violent and distressing fever. Although he suffered great +thirst he was forbidden to drink water. But on a certain +Friday, when all had gone to church, his thirst became so +unendurable that he crept upon his hands and knees into +the kitchen, seized a vessel filled with fresh water, and +drank it with great relish. Then he dragged himself back<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +to his bed, went soundly to sleep, and when he awoke +the fever was gone.—Lack of support forced him to leave +Magdeburg at the end of the year.</p> + +<p><b>2. Luther in Eisenach.</b> After a short stay under the +parental roof Luther complied with the wish of his parents +and attended the high school at Eisenach. His mother +had many relatives there, and hoped that they would do +something for poor Martin. But these hopes were disappointed, +and, therefore, at Eisenach also he lived in +great poverty. Again he had to gain his daily bread by +singing and saying prayers before the houses. The gifts +so received were called particles, that is, crumbs. In after-years +Luther said: "I have also been such a beggar of +'particles,' taking my bread at the doors, especially in +Eisenach, my beloved city." At times, however, his poverty +so depressed him that he determined to return to his +parents and help his father in the mines. But at last God +graciously provided for him. For some time already his +earnest singing and praying had won for him the heart of +a pious matron, Frau Cotta. One day, therefore, when, +together with other scholars, he was again singing at her +door she took him into her house and gave him a place at +her table. Thus by God's wonderful providence he was +relieved of this care for his daily bread and could now joyfully +devote himself entirely to his studies. Luther never +forgot his benefactress, Mrs. Cotta, and in later years, +when her son studied at Wittenberg, he received him into +his house.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image10.jpg" width="400" height="502" alt="Frau Cotta Taking Luther into Her Home." title="Frau Cotta Taking Luther into Her Home." /> +<span class="caption">Frau Cotta Taking Luther into Her Home.</span> +</div> + +<p>Luther delighted in attending the Latin school at +Eisenach. He was especially fond of the principal of the +school, John Trebonius, who treated his scholars with the +greatest love and consideration. Upon entering the schoolroom +he would remove his academical cap, and did not +replace it till he had taken his seat at the desk. To the +other teachers he said, "Among these young pupils sit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +some of whom God may make our future mayors, chancellors, +learned doctors, and rulers. Although you do not +know them now, it is proper that you should honor them." +Luther outranked all his fellow pupils, and when, at one +time, the celebrated Professor Trutvetter of Erfurt visited +Eisenach Luther, being the most fluent Latin orator of the +school, was called upon to deliver the address of welcome.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +After the reception Trutvetter said to Trebonius, "Sir, you +have a good school here. It is in excellent condition. +Keep an eye on that Luther. There is something in that +boy. By all means, prepare him for the university and +send him to us at Erfurt." Thereupon he patted Luther +on the back and said, "My son, the Lord has bestowed +special gifts upon thee; use them faithfully in His service. +When thou art ready and wishest to come to us at Erfurt +remember that thou hast a good friend there, Doctor Jodocus +Trutvetter. Appeal to him, he will give thee a +friendly reception."</p> + +<p><b>3. Luther in Erfurt.</b> At the expiration of four years +Luther finished his studies at Eisenach and, in 1501, +seventeen years of age, he matriculated at the celebrated +university at Erfurt, where he found a fatherly friend in +Trutvetter. God had now so blessed his father's persevering +diligence and economy that Luther had to suffer no +want at Erfurt. In later years Luther said in praise of +his father: "He supported me at the University of Erfurt +with great love and fidelity, and by his arduous labor he +helped me to attain my present position." His father +wished Martin to become a jurist, wherefore Luther zealously +devoted himself to the study of jurisprudence. +Although he was naturally of a wide-awake and cheerful +disposition he, nevertheless, began his studies every morning +with fervent prayers and attendance at mass. His motto +was: Diligent prayer is the half of study. Here at Erfurt, +in the library, he found the book of all books, the Bible, +which he had never seen before. He was surprised to see +that it contained more than the Epistles and Gospels which +were usually read at church. While turning the leaves of +the Old Testament he happened upon the story of Samuel +and Hannah. He read it hurriedly with great interest and +joy, and wished that God might some day give him such a +book and make of him such a pious Samuel. This wish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +was abundantly fulfilled—it is true, after enduring manifold +tribulations and trials.</p> + +<p>While at the university Luther was seized with a severe +illness and he thought he was about to die. An old priest +came to see him and comforted him with these words: "My +dear bachelor, be of good cheer. You will not die of this +illness. God will yet make a great man of you, who will +comfort many people. For whom God loveth and whom +He would make a blessing to his fellow men, upon him He +early lays the cross; for in the school of affliction patient +people learn much." Luther, however, soon forgot this +comfort. Not long after this, while on a journey to his +home with a companion, and not far from Erfurt, he accidentally +ran his rapier, which after the custom of the students +hung at his side, into his leg, severing the main artery. +His friend hurried back to call a physician. In the mean +time Luther endeavored to stanch the flow of blood lying +on his back, compressing the wound. But the limb swelled +frightfully, and Luther, beset with mortal fear, cried out, +"Mary, help me!" In the following night the wound began +to bleed afresh, and again he called upon Mary only. Later +in life he said: "At that time, I would have died trusting +in Mary." Not long after, death suddenly robbed him of +a good friend, and this also tended to increase his melancholy. +In such periods of depression he would often exclaim, +"Oh, when wilt thou become really pious and atone +for thy sins, and obtain the grace of God?" With increasing +power he then heard a voice within him saying: Over +there rise the peaceful walls of the Augustinian cloister; +they are beckoning you and saying, Come to us! Here, +separated from the noise of the world, your trembling soul +will find rest and peace. What was he to do?—For the sake +of recreation Luther, in 1505, paid a visit to his parents. +Upon his return, in the vicinity of Erfurt, a terrible storm +suddenly broke upon him. The lightning, followed by a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +fearful crash of thunder, struck close beside him, and, overcome +and stunned, he fell to the ground, crying out, "Help, +dear St. Ann, I will immediately become a monk!" For it +was only in this manner that he hoped to appease God and +to find peace and rest for his soul.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>Luther in the Cloister.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Entrance into the Cloister.</b> Luther erroneously +felt himself bound in conscience to keep his vow, and +therefore, on July 15, 1505, once more invited his intimate +friends to meet him, in order to bid them farewell. They +passed the time with song and instrumental music. As +Luther seemed to be happy and in the best of spirits no +one dreamed of what was passing in his soul. But before +his friends parted from him he informed them of his intention. +At first they thought he was joking, and laughed +at him. But when Luther once more solemnly declared, +"To-day you see me, and never again," they urgently besought +him to give up his resolution. All their endeavors, +however, were in vain, Luther remained firm. On the evening +of the 17th of July, therefore, they weepingly escorted +him to the gate of the Augustinian cloister within whose +dark walls Luther now sought rest and peace for his soul. +When his father was subsequently asked to give his consent +he became very indignant that his son had entered the +cloister. On a later occasion, when Hans Luther paid his +son a visit at Erfurt and those about him praised his present +monastic state, the father said: "God grant that it may not be +a deception and Satanic illusion. Why, have you not heard +that parents should be obeyed, and that nothing should be +undertaken without their knowledge and advice?" After +some time, however, he was somewhat pacified by his friends +and said, "Let it pass; God grant that good may come of it."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image11.jpg" width="400" height="521" alt="Luther Entering the Cloister." title="Luther Entering the Cloister." /> +<span class="caption">Luther Entering the Cloister.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>2. Disappointments in the Cloister.</b> Luther was +scrupulously exact in the performance of every work and +penance prescribed by the cloister. He acted as doorkeeper, +set the clock, swept the church, yes, he was even compelled +to remove the human filth. The greatest hardship for him, +however, was to travel the streets of the city with a bag, +begging for alms. The monks told him, "It is begging, +not studying, that enriches the cloister." And yet Luther +found time for diligent study of the Bible. He learned to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +know the page and exact place of every verse of the +Scriptures, and he even committed to memory many passages +from the prophets, although he did not understand +them at that time. The prior of the cloister, Dr. John +Staupitz, came to love him, released him from menial +labors, and encouraged him to continue in the diligent +study of Holy Scriptures. Others thought different and +said to Luther, "Why, Brother Martin, what is the Bible! +You ought to read the old fathers, they have extracted the +substance of truth from the Bible. The Bible causes all +disturbances."</p> + +<p>Thus Luther soon learned that the piety of most monks +was nothing but pretense. In later years he wrote: "The +monks are a lazy, idle people. The greatest vanity is found +in the cloisters. They are servants of their bellies, and filthy +swine." But if others sought carnal lust in the cloister +Luther led a most rigid and holy life. In the simplicity +of his heart he sincerely worshiped the Pope. He regarded +Huss as a terrible heretic, and he considered the very +thought of him a great sin. And yet he could not resist +the temptation to read this heretic's sermons. He confessed: +"I really found so much in them that I was filled +with consternation at the thought that such a man had +been burned at the stake who could quote the Scriptures +with so much faith and power. But because his name was +held in such horrible execration I closed the book and went +away with a wounded heart."</p> + +<p>In 1507 Luther was ordained to the priesthood, which +made him very happy, for he supposed that now, as a +priest, he could please God with greater and more glorious +works. So thoroughly was Luther enslaved in the bondage +of popery. Who could break these fetters? By his +own works Luther endeavored to gain the grace of God. +Day and night he tortured and tormented himself with +fasting and prayers, with singing and studying, hard bedding,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +freezing, and vigils, with groanings and weepings. +He wanted to take heaven by storm. He could afterward +truthfully say: "It is true, I was a pious monk, and +if ever a monk could have gained heaven by his monkery +I would have gained it. If it had lasted any longer I +would have tortured myself to death with vigils, prayers, +reading, and other works." The peace of his soul, however, +which he had not found in the world he found just +as little in the cloister with all his works. Later on he +describes his condition at that time in the following words: +"Hangman and devil were in our hearts, and nothing +but fear, trembling, horror, and disquiet tortured us day +and night."</p> + +<p><b>3. Luther Finds Comfort.</b> Staupitz one day found +Luther in great distress of spirit and said to him, "Ah, you +do not know how salutary and necessary such trials are for +you; without them nothing good would become of you. +For God does not send them to you in vain. You will see +that He will use you for great things." At another time +Luther complained, "O my sin, my sin, my sin!" when +Staupitz told him, "Christ is the forgiveness for <span class="smcap">REAL</span> sins. +He is a <i>real</i> Savior and you are a <i>real</i> sinner. God has +sent His own Son and delivered Him up for us." When, +because of great anxiety for his sins, he became sick, an +old friar comforted him with these words, "I believe in the +forgiveness of sin," and explained these words to mean: +"It is not enough that you believe God forgives sins in +general, for the devils also believe that. You must believe +that your sins, your sins, your sins are forgiven. For man +is justified by grace through faith." So, even at that time, +a ray of light fell into Luther's soul benighted with the +darkness of popery, and from this time on his favorite +passage remained Romans 3, 28: "Therefore we conclude, +that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the +Law."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>Luther as Teacher.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Luther Called to the University of Wittenberg.</b> +After three years spent in this cloister Luther was called +upon the stage where his battle with popery was to be +fought. In 1502 Elector Frederick of Saxony had founded +the University of Wittenberg. He charged Staupitz with +the selection of learned and able men for this school. One +of those recommended for his learning and piety was the +well-known Augustinian monk Luther, who now became +professor at Wittenberg. As Staupitz urged him to remove +at once to Wittenberg, Luther did not even find time to bid +farewell to his friends at Erfurt. Moving caused him little +trouble, for a begging friar has few possessions. And thus, +on an autumn day of the year 1508, we see the pale and +emaciated form of the 25 year old monk traveling the road +from Erfurt and entering Wittenberg by the wooden bridge. +He hurried through the long street to the Augustinian cloister, +where he found shelter and lodging.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image12.jpg" width="400" height="479" alt="Elector Frederick the Wise." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Elector Frederick the Wise.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>2. Luther as Professor and Preacher.</b> In obedience +to his superiors Luther at first lectured on philosophy +although he would have preferred to teach theology. And +this wish of his heart was soon granted. Already in 1509 +he received permission to expound the Scriptures to the +students. With joyful devotion he gave himself up to the +study of the Bible and diligently searched for the ground +of salvation. And, indeed, he very soon created such a +sensation that Dr. Mellrichstadt exclaimed, "That monk +will confound all the doctors, and introduce a new doctrine, +and reform the whole Roman church, for he devotes himself +to the writings of the prophets and apostles, and stands +upon the Word of Jesus Christ." Thus God had led Luther +to the Scriptures, and he made them his guiding star. He +felt that they alone could give him what he sought: truth<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +and peace. Staupitz also tried to persuade him to preach, +but Luther at first lacked courage. Finally, however, he +consented and preached the Word of Christ in the little +chapel of the cloister. Its appearance was very similar to +the pictures which the artists paint of the stable at Bethlehem +in which Christ was born. In such a poor, little +church that man began to preach who was to thrill countless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +souls and point the way to true peace. Very soon citizens +and students gathered in such numbers to hear him +that the church could not hold them. He was then called +to the large parish church of Wittenberg, whose doors were +now thrown open to him. Here he had abundant opportunity +to preach the Word of Life in his powerful sermons +to many thousands of hearers.</p> + +<p><b>3. Luther in Rome.</b> By the study of the Bible and +diligent preparation for his sermons Luther steadily grew +in the knowledge of divine truth, and yet he was firmly +held in the bondage of popery. He still considered the +Pope the viceregent of Christ upon earth. When he was +therefore directed to visit Rome in the interest of his +order it filled his heart with greatest joy. For he hoped +by this visit to the holy (?) city to find rest and comfort +for his conscience. He had to make the journey on foot, +and he took the pilgrim staff in hand, and together with +a companion started out for Rome. They had no need of +money, for shelter and lodging they found in the cloisters +by the way. But Luther did not enjoy the journey, for +the words kept ringing in his ears: "The just shall live +by his faith." After a long journey through beautiful landscapes +the way finally wound about a hillock, and before +the eyes of the German monks lay the Roman plain where, +on the banks of the Tiber, appeared the resplendent houses, +churches, and fortresses of the city of Rome. How his heart +must have leaped when, in the radiant glow of the evening +sun, the city lay before him! He prostrated himself upon +the ground, lifted his hands, and exclaimed, "Hail, holy +Rome! Thrice holy because of the martyrs' blood that was +shed in thee!"—In Rome Luther devoutly sought to satisfy +the cravings of his heart. With what sincerity he went +about this we see from his own words: "In Rome I was +also such a crazy saint. I ran through all churches and +caverns, and believed every stinking lie that had been fabricated<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +there. I even regretted at the time that my father +and mother were still living, for I would have been so glad +to have redeemed them from purgatory with my masses +and other precious works and prayers." How revolting it +must have been for him to see the priests read mass with +such levity and get through hurry-skurry (<i>rips-raps</i>), as if +they were giving a puppet show! Luther relates: "Before +I reached the Gospel the priest beside me had finished his +mass and called to me, 'Hurry up! Come away! Give the +child back to its mother!'" So it happened that his faith +in Rome began to waver more and more, and God again +and again led him there where true comfort can be found. +The following is an example. On the Place of St. John's +there was a flight of stairs, called Pilate's Staircase, which +was said to be the same on which our Savior went up and +down before the palace of Pontius Pilate at Jerusalem. +Now, while Luther was crawling up these steps, hoping in +this way to reconcile God and atone for his sins, it seemed +to him as if a voice of thunder was crying in his ears, "The +just shall live by his faith!" Thus this passage more and +more became the light which revealed to him the true way +to heaven. This was his opinion of the so-called Holy City: +"No one believes what villainy and outrageous sins and +vices are practiced at Rome. You can convince no one that +such great abominations occur there, if he has not seen and +heard and experienced it himself." Thus Luther learned +to know popery itself in Rome, and was, therefore, the +better qualified to testify against it later on. He said: +"I would not for a thousand florins have missed seeing +Rome, for then I would always fear that I were wronging +the Pope and doing him an injustice; but now we speak +that which we have seen."</p> + +<p><b>4. Luther Is Made Doctor of Divinity.</b> After his return +to Wittenberg Luther took up his work with renewed +diligence. One day, while sitting with Staupitz under the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +great pear tree in the cloister garden, his superior took his +hand and said, "Brother Martin, I and all the brethren +have concluded that you ought to become Doctor of Divinity." +Luther was frightened and excused himself because +of his youth, his need of further study, and, also, because +of his weak and sickly body, and begged him to select +a man more qualified than he was. But when his paternal +friend continued to persuade him, he said, "Doctor +Staupitz, you will take my life; I will not stand it three +months." To this prophecy of approaching death Staupitz +playfully remarked, "In God's name! Our Lord has important +business on hand; He needs able men also in +heaven. Now, if you die you must be His councilor up +there." Finally, Luther submitted to the will of his superior +and, on the 18th of October, 1512, Dr. Carlstadt with +great solemnity bestowed upon him the degree of Doctor +of Divinity. How important this was Luther himself points +out when he says: "I, Doctor Martin, have been called +and forced to become a doctor without my choice, purely +from obedience. I had to accept the degree of doctor <i>and +to swear and vow allegiance to my beloved Holy Bible, to +preach it faithfully and purely</i>." Luther, later on, often +comforted himself with this vow, when the devil and the +world sought to terrify him because he had created such +a disturbance in Christendom.</p> + +<p>Luther now devoted himself entirely to the study of the +whole Bible, and by the power of the Holy Spirit he soon +learned to distinguish between the Law and the Gospel. +And it was only now that he clearly and fully understood +the passage: "The just shall live by his faith." With +great power he now confuted the error that man could +merit forgiveness of sins by his own good works, and be +justified before God by his own piety and civil righteousness. +On the contrary, he clearly and pointedly showed +that our sins are forgiven without any merit of our own,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +for Christ's sake only, and that we accept this gift by faith +alone. He proved that Scriptures alone can teach us to +believe right, to live a Christian life, and to die a blessed +death. Thus the light of the Gospel grew brighter and +brighter in Wittenberg, and, after the long night and darkness, +the eyes of many were opened. The beautiful close +of a letter which Luther wrote in 1516 to an Augustinian +monk is a proof of the clear knowledge, which he already +had at that time, of eternal and saving truth. It reads: +"My dear brother, learn to know Christ, the Crucified; +learn to sing to Him; and, despairing of thyself, say, +'Thou, Lord Jesus Christ, art my righteousness, but I am +Thy sin. Thou hast taken upon Thyself what is mine, and +hast given me what is Thine.' Meditate devoutly upon this +love of His, and thou wilt draw from it the sweetest comfort. +For if we could gain peace of conscience by our own works +and sufferings, why did He die? Therefore thou wilt find +peace in no other way but by confidently despairing of thyself +and thy works, and trusting in Him."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>Luther the Reformer.</h3> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image13.jpg" width="400" height="512" alt="John Tetzel Selling Indulgences." title="John Tetzel Selling Indulgences." /> +<span class="caption">John Tetzel Selling Indulgences.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>1. Papal Indulgences.</b> At that time the papal chair +was occupied by Leo X. What this Pope believed we may +gather from his words addressed to one of his bishops. +He exclaimed, "What an immense sum have we made +out of this fable about Christ!" Luther relates this of +him: "He would amuse himself by having two clowns +dispute before his table on the immortality of the soul. +The one took the positive, the other the negative side of +this question. The Pope said to him who defended the +proposition, 'Although you have adduced good reasons +and arguments, yet I agree with him who is of the opinion +that we die like the beasts; for your doctrine makes us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +melancholy and sad, but his gives us peace of mind!'" +In order to raise the necessary funds for his pleasures and +dissipations he published a general indulgence, pretending +that he needed money to complete the building of +St. Peter's at Rome. He commissioned Archbishop Albert +of Mayence to sell these indulgences in Germany. This<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +dignitary was also excessively fond of the pomp and pleasures +of life. He was to receive one-half the receipts of +these indulgences. Albert, again, engaged monks who were +to travel about Germany and sell the papal pardons.</p> + +<p>Chief among these pardon peddlers was John Tetzel. +He was a most impudent fellow who, because of his adulterous +life, had at one time been condemned to be drowned +in a sack. For his services he received 80 florins, together +with traveling expenses for himself and his servants, and +provender for three horses. These papal indulgences were +held in high esteem by the people, wherefore Tetzel was +everywhere given a pompous reception. Whenever he +entered a town the papal bull was carried before him upon +a gilded cloth. All the priests, monks, councilmen, schoolteachers, +scholars, men, and women went out in procession +with candles, flags, and songs to meet him. The +bells were tolled, the organs sounded, and Tetzel was accompanied +into the church, where a red cross was erected +bearing the Pope's coat of arms. In short, God Himself +could not have been given a grander reception. Once in +church, Tetzel eloquently extolled the miraculous power of +the papal indulgences. He preached: "Whoever buys a +pardon receives not only the forgiveness of his sins, but +shall also escape all punishment in this life and in purgatory." +The forgiveness for sacrilege and perjury was +sold for 9 ducats, adultery and witchcraft cost two. In +St. Annaberg he promised the poor miners, if they would +freely buy his indulgence the mountains round about the +city would become pure silver. The Pope, he claimed, +had more power than all the apostles and saints, even +more than the Virgin Mary herself; for all of these were +under Christ, while the Pope was equal to Christ. The red +cross with the papal arms erected in church was declared +to be as saving as the cross of Christ. Tetzel claimed to +have saved more souls with his indulgences than Peter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +with his sermons. He had a little rhyme which ran: "As +soon as the money rings in my chest, From purgatory the +soul finds rest." Furthermore, he proclaimed that the +grace offered by indulgences is the same grace by which +man is reconciled with God. According to his teaching +contrition, sorrow, or repentance for sin were unnecessary +if his indulgences were bought.</p> + +<p><b>2. Consequences of this Pardon-Mongery.</b> After +Tetzel had carried on his godless traffic at many places he +also came to Jueterbock, in the vicinity of Wittenberg. +Thither the people hurried from the whole neighborhood, +and even from Wittenberg they came in crowds to buy indulgences. +Luther relates: "At that time I was preacher +here in the cloister, a young doctor, full of fire and handy +at the Scriptures. Now, when great multitudes ran from +Wittenberg to buy indulgences at Jueterbock and Zerbst, +I began to preach very moderately that something better +could be done than buying indulgences; that he who repents +receives forgiveness of sins, gained by Christ's own +sacrifice and blood, and offered from pure grace, without +money, and sold for nothing." And when some of Luther's +parishioners stubbornly declared that they would not desist +from usury, adultery, and other sins, nor promise sincere +repentance and improvement, he refused to absolve +them. When they appealed to the indulgences which they +had bought from Tetzel, Luther answered them: "Except +ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," Luke 13, 3. He now +addressed an imploring petition to Albert of Mayence and +other bishops, to put a stop to Tetzel's blasphemous doings, +but met with no success. Tetzel himself threatened to accuse +Luther of heresy, and built a pile of fagots on which, +he said, all those should be burned who spoke against his +indulgences.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image14.jpg" width="400" height="414" alt="Luther Nailing His Ninety-five Theses to the Castle Church of Wittenberg." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Luther Nailing His Ninety-five Theses to the Castle Church of Wittenberg.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>3. The Ninety-Five Theses.</b> It was on the 31st of +October, 1517, when the bells ringing from the steeple of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +Castle Church at Wittenberg were calling the multitude +into the house of God. The crowds were gathering in the +long street, awaiting the beginning of the service which +usually preceded the festival of church dedication which +occurred on All Saints' Day. Suddenly a man hurriedly +pressed through the waiting multitude; lean and lank was +his body, and pale his countenance, but his eyes beamed +with life and fire. He stepped up to the door of the Castle +Church, drew a paper from his dark monk's cowl, and with +vigorous blows of the hammer nailed it to the church door.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +At first his action was noticed only by those standing +near by. When, however, one of the bystanders read the +superscription which, translated into English, reads: "Disputation +concerning the power of indulgences. Out of love +for the truth and with a sincere desire to bring it to light, +the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, +the Reverend Father Martin Luther presiding. Those who +cannot discuss the subject with us orally may do so in +writing. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!"—then +the cry was heard: "Up there! Read to us the +tidings of the wonderful document."</p> + +<blockquote><p class="center"><span class="smcap">Several of the Theses.</span></p> + +<p>1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ in saying: "Repent +ye," etc., intended that the whole life of His believers +should be repentance.</p> + +<p>32. Those who believe that through letters of pardon +they may be sure of their salvation will go to hell, together +with their teachers.</p> + +<p>36. Every Christian who truly repents of his sin has +complete remission of all pain and guilt, and it is his without +any letters of pardon.</p> + +<p>37. Every true Christian, living or dead, partakes of all +the benefits of Christ and of the Church. God gives him +this without letters of pardon.</p> + +<p>62. The true treasure of the Church is the holy Gospel +of the glory and grace of God.</p></blockquote> + +<p><b>4. The Effects of the Theses.</b> The action of the +Augustinian monk created everywhere the greatest excitement +among the people. Luther's theses spread with a +rapidity truly marvelous for that time. In fourteen days +they had passed through all Germany, and in four weeks +through all Christendom. Verily, it seemed as if the +angels themselves had been the messengers. The theses +were translated into other languages, and after four years<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +a pilgrim bought them in Jerusalem. Like distant rolling +thunder the mighty sentences echoed out into the lands +and announced to Rome the storm that was brewing in +Germany against popery. Luther had no idea that God +had destined them to accomplish such great things. For +innumerable souls they were as the sun rising after a long +and anxious night. They rejoiced as we rejoice at the light +of day; for they saw that in the light of this doctrine they +could attain to that peace with God and with their conscience +which they had sought in vain with painful toiling +in the commandments of the Roman church. In the name +of these souls old Doctor Fleck exclaimed, "Aha! He'll +do it! He is come for whom we have waited so long!" +Another confessed, "The time has come when the darkness +in churches and schools will be dispelled." And another +exulted, "Praise God, now they have found a man +who will give them so much toil and trouble that they will +let this poor man depart in peace." But, of course, there +were also timid souls who were filled with anxious concern +for Luther. The renowned Dr. Kranz, for instance, in Hamburg, +cried out, "Go to your cell, dear brother, and pray, +'Lord, have mercy upon me!'" and an old Low-German +clergyman said, "My dear Brother Martin, if you can storm +and annihilate purgatory and popish huckstering, then you +are indeed a great man!" But Luther, full of joyous courage +and faith, replied to all such timid souls, "Dear fathers, +if the work is not begun in God's name, it will soon come +to naught; but if it is begun in His name let Him take +care of it."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>Luther the Mighty Warrior.</h3> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image15.jpg" width="400" height="483" alt="Luther Before Cajetan." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Luther Before Cajetan.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>1. Luther Before Cajetan in Augsburg.</b> Pope Leo X +at first treated the affair with contempt, thinking that the +quarrel would soon die out. He once said, "Brother Martin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +has a fine head, and the whole dispute is nothing else than +an envious quarrel of the monks." At another time he +said, "A drunken German has written these theses; when +he sobers up he will think differently of the matter." But +when he noticed that his authority was endangered, because +many pious souls became attached to the true doctrine, he +summoned Luther to appear within sixty days in Rome,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +and give an account of his heresy. If Luther had obeyed, +he would hardly have escaped death or the dungeon, for +everyone knew that Rome was like the lion's cave into +which many prints of feet entered, but from which none +returned. But under the merciful guidance of God Elector +Frederick the Wise so arranged matters that Luther's case +was tried in Germany. For this purpose the Pope sent +Cardinal Cajetan to Augsburg, and in spite of all warnings +Luther also boldly repaired to that city. In Weimar a monk +said to him. "O my dear Doctor, I fear that you will not +be able to maintain your case before them, and they will +burn you at the stake." Luther answered, "They may do +it with nettles; but fire is too hot!" When Luther finally +arrived in Augsburg, weary and worn, he would have called +upon the cardinal immediately, but to this his friends were +opposed; they endeavored to obtain for him, first of all, +safe-conduct from the emperor. But three days passed before +he received it. In the meantime the servants of the +cardinal came and said, "The cardinal offers you every +favor. What do you fear? He is a very kind father." But +another whispered in his ear, "Don't believe it, he never +keeps his promise." The third day an emissary, by the +name of Urban, came to Luther and asked him why he +did not come to the cardinal who was waiting for him so +graciously. Luther told him that he was following the advice +of upright men who were all of the opinion that he +should not go there without the imperial safe-conduct. Evidently +vexed at this reply, Urban asked, "Do you think +that the elector will go to war on your account?" Luther +answered, "I do not ask that at all." Urban: "Where do +you intend to stay then?" Luther: "Beneath the heavens!" +Urban: "What would you do if you had the Pope and the +cardinals in your power?" Luther: "I would show them +every mark of respect!" When the safe-conduct finally +arrived Luther at once repaired to the cardinal, who abruptly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +demanded that he recant his errors. But Luther +declared, "I cannot recant, I cannot depart from the Scriptures." +After lengthy negotiations Cajetan sprang up in +anger and said, "Go, and let me not see you again, unless +you recant!" To Luther's friends the cardinal said, "I do +not wish to dispute with that beast any more, for he has +deep eyes and strange ideas in his head." Luther, however, +wrote to Wittenberg: "The cardinal is a poor theologian +or Christian, and as apt at divinity as an ass is at +music." On the 31st of October Luther returned safely to +Wittenberg.</p> + +<p><b>2. Luther Before Miltitz.</b> Rome would now have +preferred to excommunicate Luther, but for good reasons +it did not wish to offend the elector, who was determined +not to allow his professor to be condemned without proper +trial and refutation. The Pope therefore sent his chamberlain +Karl von Miltitz to the elector to present to him a consecrated +golden rose. By this means the elector was to +be made willing to assist Miltitz in his undertaking. But +when the latter arrived in Germany he noticed at once that +he would have to deal kindly with Luther if he wished to +retain the good will of the people. At the meeting which +occurred 1519 in Altenburg, Miltitz, therefore, treated +Luther with the greatest consideration: "Dear Martin, +I thought you were an old doctor who sat behind the +stove full of crotchety notions. But I see that you are +a young and vigorous man. Besides, you have a large +following, for on my journey I made inquiries to discover +what the people thought of you, and I noticed so much +that where there is one on the Pope's side there are three +on yours against the Pope. If I had an army of 25,000 +men I would not undertake to carry you out of Germany!" +With tears he begged Luther to help in restoring peace. +Luther consented to drop the controversy if his opponents +would do the same. After supping together they parted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +on the best of terms, Miltitz even embracing and kissing +Luther. Later on Luther saw through the deceit of the +Roman and called his kiss a Judas kiss and his tears +crocodile tears; for it was only his fear of Luther's following +that prevented him from executing his original plan +of carrying Luther to Rome in chains.</p> + +<p><b>3. Luther and Dr. Eck in Leipzig.</b> Dr. Eck, a violent +opponent of Luther, became involved in a dispute with +Dr. Carlstadt on several questions of Christian doctrine into +which Luther was also drawn. In 1519 these three men gathered +at Leipzig for a public disputation. At first Eck +disputed with Carlstadt on "Free Will," and then with +Luther on the supremacy of the Pope. Luther proved that +the church indeed needed a supreme head, but that Christ +is this head, and not the Pope, and that the power which +the Pope arrogates to himself conflicts with the Scriptures +and the history of the first three centuries. As Eck could +not maintain his position he accused Luther of Hussite +heresy. When Luther replied, "My dear Doctor, not all +of Huss' teachings are heretical," Eck flew into a passion, +and Duke George cried out, "The plague take it!" Then +they debated the question of purgatory, of indulgences, of +penances, and the allied doctrines. On the 16th of June +they closed the debate, and Luther returned joyfully to +Wittenberg. Eck, who had flattered himself that he would +triumph over Luther, had to leave in disgrace.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image16.jpg" width="400" height="363" alt="Luther Burning the Pope's Bull." title="Luther Burning the Pope's Bull." /> +<span class="caption">Luther Burning the Pope's Bull.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>4. The Bull of Excommunication.</b> Soon hereafter +Eck journeyed to Rome and persuaded the Pope to threaten +Luther with excommunication. And indeed! in 1520 the papal +bull appeared which began: "Arise, O Lord, judge +Thy cause, for a boar has broken into Thy vineyard, a wild +beast is destroying it." Luther's doctrine was condemned, +and his books were to be burned that his memory might +perish among Christians. He himself was commanded +to recant within sixty days, on pain of excommunication<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +as a heretic. As a dried limb is cut from the trunk of +the tree they threatened to cut Luther from the body of +Christ. Triumphantly Dr. Eck carried the bull about in +Germany. In Erfurt the students tore it to pieces and +threw it into the water, saying, "It is a <i>bulla</i> (bubble), so +let it swim upon the water." Luther wrote a pamphlet: +"Against the Bull of the Antichrist," and had it distributed +broadcast among the people. In it he said: "If the +Pope does not retract and condemn this bull, and punish +Dr. Eck besides, then no one is to doubt that the Pope is +God's enemy, Christ's persecutor, Christendom's destroyer, +and the true Antichrist." He wrote to a friend: "I am +much more courageous now, since I know that the Pope<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +has become manifest as the Antichrist and the chair of +Satan."</p> + +<p>And now when Luther even learned that in accordance +with this bull his writings had been burned in Louvaine, +Cologne, and also in Mayence, his purpose was fixed. On +the 10th of December he had the following announcement +published on the blackboard in Wittenberg: "Let him who +is filled with zeal for evangelical truth appear at nine o'clock +before the Church of the Holy Cross without the walls of +the city. There the ungodly books of the papal statutes +will be burned, because the enemies of the Gospel have +dared to burn the evangelical books of Dr. Martin Luther." +When the students read this notice they gathered in crowds +in the streets and marched out through the Elster Gate, +followed by many citizens. At nine o'clock Luther appeared +in company with many professors and scholars, who were +carrying books and pamphlets. A pile of fagots was erected. +Luther with his own hand laid upon it the papal books, +and one of the masters set fire to the pile. When the flames +leaped up Luther's firm hand threw in the papal bull, and +he cried, "Since thou hast offended the Holy One of God, +may everlasting fire consume thee!" On the next day he +said to his audience: "If with your whole heart you do not +renounce the kingdom of the Pope you cannot be saved." +In a pamphlet he pointed out the reasons which induced +him to take this step, and at the same time he called attention +to the impious statutes contained in the popish jurisprudence. +Some of these read: "The Pope and his associates +are not bound to obey God's commandments. Even +if the Pope were so wicked as to lead innumerable men to +hell, yet no one would have the right to reprove him."—On +the third of January, 1521, another bull appeared in which +the Pope excommunicated Luther and his adherents, whom +he called "Lutherans," and issued the interdict against, +every place where they resided.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3>Luther the Staunch Confessor.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Luther Cited to Appear at the Diet at Worms.</b> +In 1521 Charles V held his first diet at Worms. Among +other matters Luther's case was also to be discussed. The +elector therefore asked Luther whether he were willing to +appear at the diet. Luther answered: "If I am called, I +shall, as far as I am concerned, go there sick if I cannot go +there well, for I dare not doubt that God calls me when +my emperor calls. You may expect everything of me save +flight or recantation: I will not flee, much less will I recant. +May the Lord Jesus help me!" On the 26th of March the +imperial herald, Caspar Sturm, who was to act as Luther's +safe-conduct, arrived in Wittenberg and delivered to him +the emperor's citation according to which Luther was to +appear at the diet within twenty-one days. Friends reminded +Luther of the danger awaiting him, fearing that he +would be burned like Huss. But Luther replied: "And if +my enemies kindle a fire between Wittenberg and Worms +reaching up to heaven, yet will I appear in the name of the +Lord, step into the very mouth and between the great teeth +of the devil, confess Christ, and let Him have full sway." +Upon the journey Luther became dangerously ill; his enemies +also tried to keep him away from Worms. But filled +with faith and courage, he declared: "Christ liveth! Therefore +we will enter Worms in spite of the gates of hell, and +in defiance of the Prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2, 2). +And when even his friend Spalatin begged him not to go to +Worms Luther answered: "If there were as many devils in +Worms as there are tiles upon the roofs, yet I would enter it."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image17.jpg" width="400" height="326" alt="Luther's Entrance into Worms." title="Luther's Entrance into Worms." /> +<span class="caption">Luther's Entrance into Worms.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>2. Luther's Entrance into Worms.</b> On the 16th of +April, 1521, the watchman upon the cathedral spire at +Worms gave the trumpet signal, announcing the approach +of a cavalcade. At its head rode the herald wearing the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +imperial eagle on his breast. Luther, dressed in his monk's +cowl, followed in an open wagon surrounded by a great +number of stately horsemen, some of whom had joined him +on the way, while others had gone from Worms to meet +him. A surging mass of people gathered and pressed about +the wagon. In boundless joy men and women, old and +young cheered him, and blessed the day on which they had +been permitted to see the man who had dared to break the +fetters of the Pope, and to deliver poor Christianity from +his bondage. On stepping from his wagon at his lodging +place Luther said, "God will be with me!" On the same +day Luther received many of the counts and lords that +waited upon him late into the night. The Landgrave of +Hessia also came to see him. Upon leaving this nobleman +shook his hand and said, "If you are in the right, Doctor,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +may God help you!" The partisans of the Pope pressed +the emperor to do away with Luther and have him executed +like Huss. But Charles said, "A man must keep his +promise." Luther spent the night in prayer to strengthen +himself for the ordeal of appearing before the emperor and +the assembled diet.</p> + +<p><b>3. Luther Before the Diet.</b> Early the next morning +the marshal of the empire came to Luther and delivered +to him the imperial order to appear before the diet at four +o'clock that afternoon. The decisive hour was drawing +nigh in which this faithful witness of Jesus Christ was to +stand before the great and mighty of this earth, to profess +a good profession before many witnesses. At the time +specified Luther was escorted into the council chamber. +Immense crowds had gathered in the streets. Many of +them had even climbed on the roofs, in order to see the +monk, who, therefore, was forced to take his way through +hidden paths, gardens, and sheds, in order to reach the +assembly. When entering the hallway the celebrated old +General George von Frundsberg patted him on the shoulder +and said, "Monk, monk! you are now upon a road +the like of which I and many another captain have never +gone in our most desperate encounters; but if you are sincere +and sure of your cause go on in the name of God and +be of good cheer. God will not forsake you." Then the +door was opened, and Luther stood before the mighty of +this earth. Perhaps never before had there been such a +numerous and august assembly. The council chamber was +crowded, and about 5000 people had gathered in the vestibules, +upon the stairways, and at the windows.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image18.jpg" width="400" height="358" alt="Luther Before the Emperor and the Diet." title="Luther Before the Emperor and the Diet." /> +<span class="caption">Luther Before the Emperor and the Diet.</span> +</div> + +<p>The first question put to Luther was, whether he acknowledged +the books lying upon the bench to be his own, +and whether he would retract their contents, or abide by +their teachings. Luther could not be prepared to answer +this question, for the imperial citation had only mentioned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +a desire to be informed as to his doctrine and books. After +Luther had examined the title of all of the books he answered +the first question in the affirmative. As to the +second question, however, whether he would recant, he +declared that he could not answer this at once, since it +was a matter that concerned faith, salvation, and the Word +of God, the greatest treasure in heaven and on earth, on +which he must be careful not to speak unadvisedly. He +therefore asked the emperor to grant him time for reflection. +This request was granted, and the herald conducted +him back to his lodgings. On Thursday, April 18, he was +called again. He had to wait nearly two hours, wedged in +the throng, before he was admitted. When he finally entered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +the lights were already lit and the council chamber +brilliantly illuminated. He was now asked whether he +would defend his books, or recant. Luther replied at +length, declaring humbly but with great confidence and +firmness that by what he had written and taught in singleness +of heart he had sought only the glory of God and +the welfare and salvation of Christians. He cited the word +of Christ: "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil," +John 18, 23, and prayed that they convince and convict +him from the writings of the prophets and apostles. If +this were done he would at once be ready and willing to +retract every error, and be the first to cast his own books +into the fire. Hereupon the imperial spokesman addressed +him in harsh tones and told him that they wished a simple +and clear answer, whether or no he would recant. Distinctly +and plainly Luther then replied: "Since your Imperial +Majesty desires a clear, simple, and precise answer +I will give you one which has neither horns nor teeth: +Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, +or by patent, clear, and cogent reasons and arguments +(for I believe neither the Pope nor the councils alone, +since it is evident that they have often erred and contradicted +themselves), and because the passages adduced and +quoted by me have convinced and bound my conscience +in God's Word, therefore I cannot and will not recant, +since it is neither safe nor advisable to do anything against +conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise! God +help me! Amen."</p> + +<p>About eight o'clock in the evening the session was +closed, and two men led Luther away. While he was still +in the throng Duke Eric of Brunswick sent him a silver +flagon of Eimbeck beer, with the request that he would +refresh himself. Luther drank it and said, "As Duke Eric +has now remembered me, so may our Lord Jesus Christ +remember him in his last hour." At the same time Luther<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +was of good courage. When he arrived at his inn, where +many friends were awaiting him, he cried with lifted hands +and beaming face, "I am through! I am through!" He +also said, "If I had a thousand heads I would rather lose +everyone of them than recant." By the courageous and +steadfast confession of Luther many were won for his cause. +The emperor, however, exclaimed, "He will not make a +heretic of me!" But when the partisans of the Pope tried to +persuade the emperor to break his promise of safe-conduct +he said with great solemnity, "A man must keep his word, +and if faith is not found in all the world it ought to be found +with the German emperor." The elector said to Spalatin, +"O how well Martin conducted himself! What a beautiful +address he delivered both in German and Latin before the +emperor and all the estates. To me he appeared almost too +bold!" According to an order of the diet several more +attempts were made within the following days to induce +Luther to recant. Luther, however, remained steadfast, +and again and again requested, "Convince me from the +Scriptures," and appealed to the words of Gamaliel: "If +this counsel or this work be of men it will come to naught; +but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it."</p> + +<p><b>4. Luther's Homeward Journey.</b> Together with several +friends Luther, on the 26th of April, left Worms +after the emperor had again granted him safe-conduct for +twenty-one days. The imperial herald, Caspar Sturm, accompanied +him to Friedberg. At this place Luther dismissed +him with a letter to the emperor in which he returned +thanks for the safe-conduct. Although the emperor +had forbidden it, nevertheless Luther preached to large audiences +at Hersfeld and Eisenach. He also visited his relatives +in Moehra and preached there under a linden tree, +near the church. On the 4th of May he continued his journey, +his relatives accompanying him to the castle Altenstein. +There they separated. After a little while the wagon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +turned into a narrow pass. Suddenly armed horsemen +dashed out of the forest, fell upon the wagon, and amid +curses and threats commanded the driver to halt, and tore +Luther from his seat. Without molesting the others they +threw a mantle upon Luther, placed him upon a horse, and +led him in zigzag through the forest. It was nearly midnight +when the drawbridge of the Wartburg fell and the castle received +the weary horsemen within its protecting walls.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image19.jpg" width="400" height="337" alt="Luther Made Prisoner." title="Luther Made Prisoner." /> +<span class="caption">Luther Made Prisoner.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>5. Luther under the Ban.</b> A presentiment had told +Elector Frederick the Wise what would come, and therefore +he had sheltered the steadfast confessor from the brewing +storm. On the 26th of May already an imperial order +appeared which is known as the Edict of Worms. By it the +ban of the empire was proclaimed against Luther and all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +who would protect him. It declared: "Whereas Luther, +whom we had invited to appear before us at Worms, has +stubbornly retained his well-known heretical opinions, therefore, +with the unanimous consent of the electors, princes, and +estates of the empire, we have determined upon the execution +of the bull as a remedy against this poisonous pest, +and we now command everyone under pain of the imperial +ban from the 14th day of this month of May not to shelter, +house, nor give food or drink to aforesaid Luther, nor succor +him by deed or word, secretly or publicly, with help, adherence, +or assistance, but take him prisoner wherever you +may find him, and send him to us securely bound. Also, +to overpower his adherents, abettors, and followers, and +to appropriate to yourselves and keep their possessions. +Luther's poisonous books and writings are to be burned +and in every way annihilated."</p> + +<p><b>6. Opinions on Luther's Disappearance.</b> Luther's +sudden disappearance caused great excitement everywhere +in Germany. His friends mourned him as dead, murdered +by his enemies. His opponents rejoiced and spread the +lie that the devil had carried him off. A Roman Catholic +wrote to the Archbishop of Mayence: "We now have our +wish, we are rid of Luther; but the people are so aroused +that I fear we will hardly be able to save our lives unless +we hunt him with lighted torches and bring him back." +The celebrated painter Albrecht Duerer of Nuremberg, who +from the beginning had rejoiced at Luther's words as the +lark rejoices at the golden dawn of day, wrote in his diary: +"Whether he still lives, or whether they have murdered him, +I do not know; he has suffered this for the sake of Christian +truth, and because he reproved antichristian popery. +O God, if Luther is dead, who henceforth will purely preach +to us the holy Gospel?"</p> + +<p><b>7. Luther at the Wartburg.</b> While poor Christendom +mourned and wailed Luther sat upon the Wartburg<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +securely sheltered against the curses of the Pope and the +ban of the emperor. For ten months he dwelled there, +known as Knight George. In order not to be recognized he +had to lay aside his monk's cowl, let his beard grow, and +don the full dress of a knight. At first he was not even permitted +to study, that his books might not betray him. He +had to follow the knights and squires out into the forest, +over hill and dale, upon the chase, and to gather strawberries. +But wherever he went and wherever he stood he +thought of his beloved Wittenberg and the condition of the +church. Once at a hunt, when a poor little driven rabbit +ran into his sleeve and the hounds came and bit it to +death, he said, "Just so Pope and Satan rage, that they +may kill the saved souls and frustrate my endeavors." +In his quiet retreat he studied Holy Scriptures, wrote sermons +upon the Gospels, and translated the New Testament +into German.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<h3>The Fanatics and the Peasants' War.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Disturbances at Wittenberg.</b> The sound of the +glorious Gospel had gone out through all the lands. Satan +indeed had tried to suppress it in every way, by help of +Pope, emperor, and learned men, but it had spread only +the more. Then the devil chose another means to suppress +the truth by creating schisms and offenses in Luther's own +congregation. During Luther's absence the Augustinian +monks at Wittenberg had abolished the papal mass and +again introduced the right manner of celebrating Holy +Communion. But Dr. Karlstadt was not satisfied, and, besides, +the Reformation progressed too slowly for him. He +therefore instigated the students to break into the church +where the priests were reading mass and drive them and +the people out in the most brutal and violent manner.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +During the Christmas holidays they threw the images out +of the church and burned them. Then they demolished +the altars and crucifixes, abolished the candles, liturgy, +and ceremonies, and even rejected the use of chalice and +paten. Without preparation or announcement they went +to Holy Communion, and took the wafers with their own +hand. All this they did from sheer presumption, without +previously instructing the people nor caring whether the +weak were offended. Moreover, certain fanatics from +Zwickau came to Wittenberg who boasted that an audible +voice of God had called them to preach, and that they held +intimate conversation with God, and knew the future. +They especially raved against infant baptism, and declared +it to be of no avail. They demanded that everyone baptized +in his infancy must be baptized again. For this reason +these fanatics were also called Anabaptists.</p> + +<p><b>2. Luther's Return to Wittenberg.</b> Luther at first +tried to allay these disturbances by writings, but in vain. +Things grew worse. His congregation earnestly entreated +him in a letter to come to Wittenberg and check further +desolation. He decided to leave immediately and announced +this fact to his friends in a letter. Certain of victory, +he wrote: "I do not doubt that without a thrust of +sword or drop of blood we will easily quench these two +smoking fire brands." Thus Luther left the castle which +was to shelter him against the ban of the Pope and the +interdict of the emperor, and, contrary to the advice of the +elector, appeared again in the arena. In a letter he excused +himself to the elector and said: "If we would have +the Word of God, it must needs be that not only Hannas +and Caiphas rage, but that Judas also appear among the +apostles, and Satan among the sons of God. As to myself, +I know that if matters stood at Leipzig as they do at Wittenberg +I would ride into it even though for nine days it +rained nothing but Duke George's, and each one were nine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +times more furious than this one. I go to Wittenberg protected +by One higher than the elector. Yes, I would protect +your Electoral Grace more than you can protect me. +The sword cannot counsel nor help this cause; God alone +must help here, without all human care or aid. Therefore, +whoever believes most can here afford most protection."</p> + +<p><b>3. Luther's Sermons against the Fanatics.</b> On the +6th of March, 1522, Luther arrived in Wittenberg. For +eight days in succession he preached against the prevailing +nuisances, opposed the fanaticism of Karlstadt powerfully +with the Word of God, and restored the peace of the +church. He told his hearers that they had wanted the +fruit of faith, which is love and which patiently bears +the weakness of its neighbor, instructs him in meekness, +but does not snarl at and insult him. External improvements +are very well, but they must be introduced in due +order, without tumult or offenses, and not too hastily. +Again he says: "We must first gain the hearts of the +people, which is done by the Word of God, by preaching +the Gospel, and by convincing the people of their errors. +In this way the Word of God will gain the heart of one +man to-day, of another to-morrow. For with His Word +God takes the heart, and then you have gained the man. +The evil will die out and cease of itself." Karlstadt now +remained quiet for a few years, and the prophets from +Zwickau had to leave Wittenberg. Before going they +wrote a letter to Luther full of abuse and curses.</p> + +<p><b>4. The Origin of the Peasants' War.</b> The Anabaptists +now zealously spread the poison of their fanaticism +among the people. Karlstadt also began again to proclaim +his false doctrines. He maintained, infant baptism is wrong, +study is superfluous, every Christian is fit to be a pastor, +and that Christ's body and blood are not essentially present +in the Lord's Supper. At many places such pernicious +preaching caused the people to fall away from God's Word.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +Their chief spokesman was Thomas Muenzer. He attacked +Luther violently and boasted of himself, "The harvest is +ripening; I am hired of heaven for a penny a day, and am +sharpening my sickle for the reaping." He proclaimed a +visible kingdom of God and of Christ, the New Jerusalem, +where all earthly possession should be held in common. +He also preached rebellion against the government. To +check such disorder Luther himself traveled about and +preached to the people. But he was only partially successful. +In Orlamuende the rage of the people against him +was so great that he had to flee at once, while some cursed +after him, "Depart in the name of a thousand devils, and +may you break your neck before you get out of the city!"</p> + +<p><b>5. Luther's Sermon against the Revolting Peasants.</b> +The storm soon broke over Germany. In 1525 the flame +of rebellion spread through Franconia, along the Rhine, +and almost through all the German states. The peasants, +"a wretched people, everybody's drudge, burdened and +overloaded with tasks, taxes, tithes, and tributes, but on +that account by no means more pious, but a wild, treacherous, +uncivilized people," had banded together in a so-called +Christian union and demanded of the government the +granting of certain petitions. Some of these were: Every +congregation is to be permitted to choose its own pastor; +serfdom is to be abolished. Some of them demanded much +more: they wanted one government for the whole German +empire and the abolition of the minor princes. Luther declared +that many of their demands were just and fair, at the +same time, however, he told them how terribly they sinned +by rebelling. He said: "Bad and unjust government excuses +neither revolt nor sedition. Do not make your Christian +name a cloak for your impatient, rebellious, and unchristian +undertaking. Christians do not fight for themselves +with the sword and with guns, but with the cross and with +suffering, just as their Captain Christ did not use the sword,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +but hung upon the cross." And with the same severity +Luther also reproved the ungodly tyranny of the princes.</p> + +<p><b>6. The Outcome of the Peasants' War.</b> The flood +of rebellion could no longer be checked. The peasants +marched about, robbing, plundering, sacking, and murdering +wherever they came, destroying more than 200 castles +and many cloisters. Upon their enemies they took the most +bloody vengeance. In Weinsberg they impaled and cruelly +tortured 700 knights. Now Muenzer thought the time had +come for him also. He sent letters in every direction: +"Thomas Muenzer, servant of God with the sword of +Gideon, calls all good Christians to his banners, that with +him they may strike upon the princes like on an anvil, +'bing-bang!' and not allow their swords to cool from blood." +Multitudes of the people gathered about him. Then Luther +lifted his mighty voice for the last time, and advised +the government to make the ringleaders a last offer of a +peaceable compromise, and if this proved fruitless, to draw +the sword. The compromise was offered, but in vain. +Thereupon the princes took up the sword, and the peasants +were routed everywhere. The decisive battle was fought +at Frankenhausen. Muenzer encouraged his men to fight +valiantly against the tyrants. He cried, "Behold, God +gives us a sign that He is on our side. See the rainbow! +It announces to us the victory! If one of you falls in the +front ranks, he will rise again in the rear and fight anew. +I will catch all bullets in my sleeve." The battle began. +But when the peasants saw that the slain did not rise, and +that Thomas Muenzer caught no bullets in his sleeve, they +lost courage and fled. Five thousand remained on the field, +and three hundred were made prisoners and beheaded. The +braggart Muenzer was found in an attic of a house in +Frankenhausen where he had hidden, under a bed. He +was dragged out and taken to Muehlhausen, where he was +tortured and finally beheaded.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<h3>The Colloquy at Marburg.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Zwingli.</b> At the same time that Luther issued his +powerful theses against popery a man lived in Switzerland +whose eyes had also been opened to the corruption of the +church. This was Ulrich Zwingli, pastor at Zurich. He +also wished to help the church, but did not abide by the +pure Word of God. In many things he followed his own +reason. Assisted by the city council he changed the church +service at Zurich after his own fashion. The processions +were abolished. Pictures, crucifixes, and altars were removed +from the churches. Communion was celebrated in +both kinds. The bread was carried about the church upon +plates, and the wine in wooden chalices. Concerning Holy +Communion Zwingli taught that the breaking and eating of +the bread was a symbolic action. He maintained that the +words of Christ, "This is my body," meant nothing but, +"This represents my body." Of Baptism he likewise taught +erroneously. Here also he followed his reason. He would +not admit that the person baptized was in any way affected +by Baptism; Baptism was to him only an external sign of +membership among God's people. He taught many strange +things concerning Christ's work of redemption, and called +original sin a mere infirmity of human nature.</p> + +<p>Of these false doctrines the one concerning Holy Communion +spread rapidly and found many adherents. Earnestly +and fervently Luther waged war against this error both +in his sermons and in his writings. But the Zwinglians stubbornly +adhered to their error and pursued their own way.</p> + +<p><b>2. The Colloquy at Marburg.</b> In 1529 Landgrave +Philip of Hesse succeeded in arranging a colloquy between +the Lutherans and the Zwinglians. It occurred on the first, +second, and third of October, at Marburg. Before the doctrine +of the Lord's Supper was taken up several other articles +of faith were discussed. In these points the Zwinglians<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +accepted instruction and counsel. When, finally, the +doctrine of the Lord's Supper came to be discussed Luther +took a piece of chalk from his pocket and wrote these words +upon the table, "This is my body." These words were his +sure, firm ground, and upon it he determined to stand unmoved. +He demanded of his opponents to give all glory to +God, and to believe the pure, simple words of the Lord. +However, they clung to their opinion and cited especially +John 6, 63, where Christ says: "The flesh profiteth nothing." +Clearly and unmistakably Luther proved to them +that in this passage Christ does not speak of His <i>own</i>, but +of <i>our</i> flesh. It would also be an impious assertion, to say +that Christ's flesh profiteth nothing. Then they maintained: +"A body cannot at the same time be present at two +places; now the body of Christ sitteth in heaven, at the right +hand of the Father, consequently it could not be present, +upon earth in the sacrament." Luther replied: "Christ +has assumed the human nature, which, therefore, according +to the Scriptures, partakes of the divine attributes and glory. +Wherefore the human nature of Christ is omnipresent; +hence His body and blood is capable of being present in Holy +Communion." When Luther saw that his opponents grew +more stubborn in their opinion he closed the colloquy on +his part. With the words, "You have a different spirit from +ours," he refused the hand of fellowship offered him by +Zwingli. Already in 1531 Zwingli perished in the battle of +Kappel. The false doctrines, however, which he had spread +have remained to this day the doctrines of the Reformed +church.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<h3>The Augsburg Confession.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. The Drafting of the Confession.</b> In 1530 Charles V +assembled a diet at Augsburg. Contrary to common expectation +his proclamation was very friendly, saying that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +in this assembly all animosity was to be put aside and +everyone's views were to be heard in all love and kindness. +Elector John the Steadfast thereupon commissioned his +theologians to draw up a brief and clear summary of the +principal doctrines of evangelical truth, that he and his +party might be ready to confess their faith and their hope +in a clear and unmistakable manner. The theologians carried +out this order and drew up a document upon the basis +of 17 articles composed by Luther at an earlier date. In +April of 1530 Elector John, together with Luther, Melanchthon, +Spalatin, Jonas, and Agricola, started off for Augsburg +to fight a good fight. As the ban of the empire was +still in force against Luther, and the city of Augsburg had +protested against his coming, the elector had him taken to +the fortress Coburg, on the morning of the 23d of April, +that, in case of necessity, he might be near at hand. Luther +complied, although very unwillingly. In order not to +expose the elector to any danger the theologians requested +him also to remain away, and offered to go to Augsburg +alone and give an account of their teachings. But the +elector answered courageously, "God forbid that I should +be excluded from your company. I will confess my Lord +Christ with you." Catholic estates, both spiritual and temporal +lords, among them Dr. Eck and Faber, were traveling +the same road. In Augsburg Melanchthon again set to +work, and in agreement with Luther and the other confessors +completed the writing out of the confession. He then +sent a copy of it to Luther at Coburg for inspection. When +returning it Luther wrote: "I am well pleased with it, and +cannot see that I could improve or change it; nor would it +be proper for me to attempt this, for I cannot step so softly +and gently. Christ, our Lord, grant that it may bring forth +rich abundance of precious fruit. That is our hope and +prayer. Amen." This is the origin of the confession which +is known as the Augsburg Confession. It is a pure, correct,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +and irrefutable confession of the divine truths of Holy +Scripture. Therefore it is also the holy banner around +which all true Lutherans everywhere gather, and to this +day the Lutheran church acknowledges only those as its +members who accept the Unaltered Augsburg Confession +in all its articles, without any exception.</p> + +<p><b>2. Heroism of the Lutheran Princes.</b> Slowly the +emperor finally approached the city of Augsburg where +the assembled estates were expectantly waiting for him. +In great pomp he entered the city on the 15th of June, +followed by his brother Ferdinand and many other princes. +With amazement he at once noticed how great the contrast +had grown in the nine years between the Catholics and the +Protestants. For when at the entrance of the emperor the +papal legate blessed the princes and all others kneeled +down in the customary fashion the princes of Saxony and +Hesse remained standing. And when, on the same evening, +the emperor demanded of the evangelical princes that +on the following day they should take part in the great +Corpus Christi procession they declared that by their participation +they were not minded to encourage such human +ordinances which were evidently contrary to the Word of +God and the command of Christ. Upon this occasion Margrave +George of Brandenburg uttered these heroic words, +"Rather than deny my God and His Gospel I would kneel +here before your Imperial Majesty and have my head cut +from my body." The emperor graciously replied, "Dear +Prince, not head off! not head off!"</p> + +<p><b>3. Signing the Confession.</b> So the ever memorable +day, the 24th of June, approached, on which the little +band of Lutheran confessors were to confess the Lord +Christ before the emperor and the diet. On the evening +before Elector John invited his brethren in the faith to his +lodgings. At the upper end of a long table sat the elector. +He arose, and the rest followed him. In his hand was a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +roll of manuscript. He seized a pen and subscribed his +name with a firm hand. In doing so he said, "May Almighty +God grant us His grace continually that all may +redound to His glory and praise." In fervent words he admonished +those present to stand firm, saying, "All counsels +that are against God must fail, and the good cause +will, without doubt, finally triumph." Now the others +also signed the confession. After the Prince of Anhalt, a +right chivalrous lord, had signed he cried with flashing +eyes, "I have been in many a fray to please others, why +should I not saddle my horse, if it is necessary, in honor +of my Lord and Savior, and, sacrificing life and limb, +hurry into heavenly life to receive the eternal crown of +glory?" The meeting closed with a fervent prayer for +blessing and success on the coming day.</p> + +<p>Luther, in the mean time, remained at Coburg, but +in spirit he participated in the holy cause at Augsburg. +Every day he spent three hours in prayer for the victory +of the beloved Gospel. He was continually crying to God +to preserve the brethren in true faith and sound doctrine. +In hours of anxiety and trial he wrote on the walls of his +room with his own hands the precious words of the 118th +Psalm: "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works +of the Lord." He addressed many consoling letters to the +confessors in which he admonished them to constancy. +At this time there lived in his own heart that trust in God +which he had expressed in his heroic song, "A Mighty +Fortress is Our God."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image20.jpg" width="400" height="493" alt="Reading the Augsburg Confession." title="Reading the Augsburg Confession." /> +<span class="caption">Reading the Augsburg Confession.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>4. Submittal and Reception of the Confession.</b> On +Saturday, the 25th of June, 1530, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, +the diet assembled in the episcopal palace, where +the confession was to be read. The German emperor presided, +and the highest dignitaries of the Roman empire +had gathered to hear the confession. Then the evangelical +confessors arose cheerfully, and in their name the two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +electoral chancellors, Dr. Brueck and Dr. Baier, stepped +into the center of the room, the first with a Latin, the +latter with a German copy of the confession. When the +emperor demanded that the Latin copy should be read, +Elector John replied, "Upon German ground and soil it +is but fair to read and hear the German tongue." The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +emperor permitted it. And now Dr. Baier began to read +in a loud and audible voice, so that even the assembled +multitude without in the courtyard could plainly understand +every word of the confession. Everyone was deeply +touched by it. The learned Catholic Bishop of Augsburg +publicly admitted, "Everything that was read is the +pure, unadulterated, undeniable truth." Duke William +of Bavaria pressed the hand of Elector John in a friendly +manner and said to Dr. Eck, who was standing close by, +"I have been told something entirely different of Luther's +doctrine than I have now heard from their confession. +You have also assured me that their doctrine could be +refuted." Eck replied, "I would undertake to refute it +with the fathers, but not with the Scriptures." Thereupon +the duke rejoined, "I understand, then, that the Lutherans +sit entrenched in the Scriptures, and we are on the +outside." Luther wrote to one of his friends: "You have +confessed Christ and offered peace. You have worthily +engaged in the holy work of God as becometh the saints. +Now for once rejoice in the Lord also and be glad, ye +righteous. Look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption +draweth nigh." Spalatin said that such a confession +had not been made since the world exists. Mathesius +also aptly testifies, "There has not been a greater and +higher work and a more glorious testimony since the days +of the apostles than this at Augsburg before the whole +Roman empire." Very soon the confession was translated +in many different languages and spread in every land. +Thereby many received true information on the Lutheran +doctrine, recognized its entire agreement with Holy Scriptures +and with the doctrine of the Apostolic Church, and +joyfully accepted it as their own.</p> + +<p>At the emperor's command the papal theologians at +once drew up a paper in which they tried to refute the +Augsburg Confession. This document, called Confutation,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +proved to be such a miserable failure that it had to be returned +for revision. Melanchthon then wrote an excellent +defense of the confession, the Apology, which, however, the +emperor would neither receive nor permit to be read. He +simply declared the case to be closed, and said, "If the +evangelical princes will not submit, then I, the protector of +the Roman church, am not disposed to permit a schism of +the church in Germany."</p> + +<p>Before the close of the diet he issued a severe edict +which granted the evangelicals six months to consider matters +and commanded them, before the expiration of this +time, to return to the Catholic church. Thereupon the faithful +confessors declared that, because they had not received +a thorough refutation from the Word of God, they were determined +to abide by the faith of the prophets and apostles, +and everything else they would commend to the gracious will +of God. When taking leave of the emperor, Elector John, +rightly called the "Steadfast," spoke the memorable words, +"I am sure that the doctrine contained in the Confession +will stand even against the gates of hell." The emperor +answered, "Uncle, Uncle, I did not expect to hear such +words from your Grace. You will lose your electoral +crown and your life, and your subjects will perish, together +with their women and children."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<h3>Bible, Catechism, and Hymnbook.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Bible.</b> Among the many priceless treasures for +which all Christendom owes thanks, under God, to Luther, +the translation of the Bible into German is one of the +grandest and one of the most glorious. In the churches of +that time Latin Bibles were used exclusively. The people, +however, were not acquainted with them; for, in the first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +place, laymen could not read them, and, in the second +place, they were forbidden to read the Bible. In addition +to this, the Bibles of that time were far too expensive. An +ordinary Latin Bible cost 360 florins, and one nicely written +out by monks even brought 500 dollars. It is true, there +were German translations of the Bible even before Luther, +but they were so inexact, and composed in such poor German, +that the people could not use them. And yet, if +every Christian was to read and learn the Gospel which +Luther preached and proclaimed; if he was to convince himself +from the Scriptures of the errors of popery; if he was +effectively to arm himself against them; and if the Bible +was to make him wise unto salvation, then he had to have +it in his own language. Luther was long since convinced +of this and had, therefore, already translated the seven +Penitential Psalms. When, in 1521, the Wartburg sheltered +him against his enemies, he, for the first, undertook +the translation of the New Testament. He wrote: "Till +Easter I will remain here in seclusion. By that time I will +translate the Postil and New Testament into the people's +language. That is demanded by our friends." After completing +the work he wrote to Spalatin: "In my Patmos I +had translated not only the Gospel according to John, but +the entire New Testament. Now we are at it to polish the +whole, Philip and I; God willing, it will prove a fine +work." On the 21st of September, 1522, it appeared and +sold at 1½ florins. Although the book was proscribed in +many countries, the entire first edition was sold in a few +weeks. In the same year several new editions had to be +issued. Then Luther, with his friends, entered upon the +translation of the whole Bible. It was a most difficult task. +Luther said of it: "It frequently happened that we searched +and inquired fourteen days, aye, three or four weeks for a +single word, and yet, at times, did not find it." But God +permitted him to complete the great work upon which,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +amid countless battles and labors, his heart had been set +for many years. In 1534 the complete Bible appeared.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image21.jpg" width="400" height="522" alt="The Translation of the Bible." title="The Translation of the Bible." /> +<span class="caption">The Translation of the Bible.</span> +</div> + +<p>Great was the joy with which Luther's translation was +received at that time. Melanchthon exclaimed, "The German +Bible is one of the greatest miracles which God has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +worked through Dr. Martin Luther before the end of the +world." And Mathesius added, "For to an attentive Bible-reader +it seems indeed as if the Holy Spirit had spoken +through the mouth of the prophets and the apostles in our +German language." Now many thousand thirsting souls +could drink as often as they wished from that fountain +closed so long, and which offers pure, sweet, and truly +satisfying water. And they did it. Cochlaeus, a violent +opponent of Luther, writes: "Luther's New Testament has +been so multiplied by the printers and scattered in such +numbers that even tailors and shoemakers, aye, even women +and the simple who had learned to read only the German +on ginger cakes, read it with intense longing. Many carried +it about with them and learned it by heart, so that, in a few +months, they arrogantly began to dispute with priests and +monks on the faith and the Gospel. Indeed, even poor +women were found who engaged with learned doctors in +a debate, and thus it happened that in such conversations +Lutheran laymen could extemporaneously quote more Bible +passages than the monks and priests."</p> + +<p><b>2. Catechism.</b> Another treasure which God gave to +Christianity through Luther is the Small Catechism. In +order to inform himself on the condition of the churches +and schools Luther had early urged the elector to order a +general visitation of the churches. This visitation was held +with loving heart, but with open eyes, from 1527 to 1529. +In the vicinity of Wittenberg Luther and Melanchthon +traveled from city to city, from village to village, and inspected +churches and schools. They listened to the preachers +and examined the church members. They found things in +a sad condition. The people and the pastors lived in deep +spiritual ignorance, for under the rule of the Pope they had +received no proper instruction in religion. In a village near +Torgau the old pastor could scarcely recite the Lord's Prayer +and the Creed; in another place the peasants did not know<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +a single prayer and even refused to learn the Lord's Prayer. +Luther wrote: "Alas, what manifold misery I beheld! The +common people, especially in the villages, know nothing at +all of Christian doctrine; and many pastors are quite unfit +and incompetent to teach. Yet, all are called Christians, +have been baptized, and enjoy the use of the sacraments—although +they know neither the Lord's Prayer nor the Creed +nor the Ten Commandments, and live like the poor brutes +and irrational swine." The following example illustrates +how patiently Luther instructed such people. When, at one +time, he was examining the poor peasants on the Christian +Creed one of them, who had recited the First Article, being +asked the meaning of "Almighty," answered, "I don't +know!" Luther then said, "You are right, my dear man, +I and all the doctors do not know what God's power and +omnipotence is; but only believe that God is your dear and +faithful father who will, can, and knows how to help you and +your wife and children in every need."</p> + +<p>Such misery induced Luther, in 1529, to write the Small +Catechism for the instruction of poor Christendom. He +himself says: "The deplorable destitution which I recently +observed during a visitation of the churches has impelled +and constrained me to prepare this Catechism or 'Christian +Doctrine' in such a small and simple form." A learned +doctor writes of this excellent little book: "The Small Catechism +is the true Layman-Bible, which comprises the +whole contents of Christian doctrine which every Christian +must know for his salvation." Of all books in the world +perhaps no other can be found that teaches the whole counsel +of God for our salvation in such brief form and in such +clear and pointed language. A truly popular book, it has +cultivated the right understanding of the Gospel among the +common people and unto this day proved of inestimable +blessing. Very early Luther already could boast of the +fruits of his work. In the following year he wrote to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +elector: "How gracious is the merciful God in granting +such power and fruit to His Word in your country. You +have in your country the very best and most able pastors +and preachers, such as you can find in no other country of +the world, who live so faithfully, piously, and peaceably. +Tender youth, boys and girls, are growing up so well instructed +in the Catechism and the Scriptures, that it makes +me feel good to see how young lads and little girls can now +pray, believe, and speak better of God and of Christ than +formerly all institutes, cloisters, and schools."</p> + +<p><b>3. Hymns.</b> Another precious gift for which all Christians +should thank Luther is the collection of his incomparable +hymns and songs, so childlike and devout, so simple +and yet so powerful. When introducing the Lutheran order +of worship Luther took great pains that not only the pastors +and choristers, but also the congregations might sing their +hymns to God in heaven in their own mother's tongue. +However, there were very few German hymns at that time +fit to be used in divine worship. Luther, therefore, also +undertook this work, and, in 1524, the first hymnbook +appeared. It contained eight hymns set to music, four of +which Luther had composed. The first evangelical church-hymn +which Luther wrote was that glorious song, "Dear +Christians, One and All, Rejoice." In it, from his own +experience, he describes human misery, and then glorifies +God's work of salvation. Then followed, "O God of +Heaven, Look Down and See," and, "Out of the Depths +I Cry to Thee." Both of these hymns are cries for help +out of the depths of human misery in which the congregation +and every penitent Christian raises his voice to God on +high and is heard. Later on appeared hymns for the festive +seasons: "From Heaven Above to Earth I Come;" +"All Praise to Jesus' Hallowed Name;" "In Death's +Strong Grasp the Savior Lay;" "Now Do We Pray God +the Holy Ghost." Then, among many more: "Though in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +the Midst of Life We Be;" "In Peace and Joy I Now Depart." +Above all others towers his hymn of battle and +triumph, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."</p> + +<p>Especially powerful was the effect produced by Luther's +hymns in those days. The people never wearied +of singing them, and in very many places the Gospel +was introduced by the triumphant power of the Lutheran +hymns intonated by pious church members. The opponents +complained, "The people sing themselves into this +heretical church; Luther's hymns have misled more souls +than all his writings and sermons." In Brunswick a priest +complained to the duke that Lutheran hymns were sung +even in the court's chapel. The duke, though also very +bitter against Luther, asked, "What kind of hymns are +they? How do they read?" The priest answered, "Your +Grace, one of them is, 'May God Bestow on Us His Grace,'" +whereupon the duke rejoined, "Why, is the devil to bestow +his grace upon us? Who is to be gracious to us if not +God?" Concerning the effect of Luther's hymns a friend +writes: "I do not doubt that by the one little hymn of +Luther, 'Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice,' many +hundred Christians have received faith who never before +heard the name of Luther; but the noble, dear words of +this man so won their hearts that they had to accept the +truth."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<h3>Luther's Family Life.</h3> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image22.jpg" width="400" height="530" alt="Luther's Marriage with Katharine of Bora." title="Luther's Marriage with Katharine of Bora." /> +<span class="caption">Luther's Marriage with Katharine of Bora.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>1. Luther Enters Holy Matrimony.</b> According to +the Pope's doctrine all so-called religious, like the monks, +nuns, and priests, dare not marry. Luther, on the contrary, +proved from the Word of God that this doctrine is +false, that matrimony is God's institution and honorable +in all men. 'Tis true, of himself he declared: "I have no +disposition to marry, because I may daily expect death as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +a heretic." But many of his friends urgently requested +him for the sake of strengthening many weak hearts also +to enter holy matrimony and thus confirm his doctrine by +his action. His father also dearly wished to see his son<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +marry a pious wife. By God's help Luther was soon firmly +resolved by his own action to testify before the world his +own and the doctrine of Holy Scriptures that matrimony is +pleasing to God. He was of good courage and exclaimed, +"To spite the devil and to please my old father I will marry +my Kate before I die." And later on he said, "By my own +example I wished to confirm what I had taught, and because +many were so timid although the Gospel shone so +brightly God willed it and accomplished it."</p> + +<p>On the 13th of June, 1525, Luther invited his friends +Bugenhagen, Justus Jonas, Apel, and the painter Lucas +Cranach, together with the latter's wife, to supper, and in +their presence he entered holy matrimony with Katharine +of Bora. Justus Jonas informed Spalatin of this joyous occurrence +in these words: "Luther has married Katharine +of Bora; yesterday I was present at the marriage; my soul +was so deeply moved at the spectacle that I could not retain +my tears. Since it is now done and God has willed it +I sincerely wish this excellent and true man and dear father +in the Lord all happiness. God is wonderful in His works +and in His counsels."</p> + +<p><b>2. Training of the Children.</b> Luther's marriage with +Katharine of Bora was blessed with six children, who were +raised severely but piously. Luther enjoyed their company +and delighted to watch them at play. When little Martin +once played with a doll and in prattling said it was his +bride Luther remarked, "So sincere and without wickedness +and hypocrisy we would have been in paradise. Therefore +children are the loveliest starlings and dearest little +chatterboxes—they do and speak everything naturally and +in the simplicity of their hearts." When he saw the boys, +as children will do, quarrel and then again make peace, he +said, "Dear Lord, how pleasing to Thee is such life and +play of the children." When at one time they all with +beaming eyes and glad expectation stood about the table<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +on which the mother had placed peaches and other fruit, +he enjoyed the picture and said, "Whoever wishes to see +the picture of one rejoicing in hope, has here a true portrait. +O that we could look forward to judgment day with +such joyous hope." When Luther, at another time, visited +Melanchthon, he found him in his study surrounded by his +family. He was well pleased with this and said, "Dear +Brother Philip, I praise you for finding things with you as +they are with me at home, wife and children in your company. +I have also given my little Johnnie a ride upon my +knees to-day and carried my little Magdalene about upon +her pillow and pressed her to my heart." When Luther +returned home from a journey he never missed bringing +something along for his children. At the same time he was +very strict. At one time he would not allow his son John +to come into his presence for three days, until he begged +pardon for an offense. And when his mother interceded +for him Luther said, "I would rather have a dead than a +spoiled son." At another time he said, "I do not wish my +son John treated with too much leniency: he must be +punished and held to strict account." He was diligent in +teaching his older children the Catechism and prayed with +them the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord's +Prayer.</p> + +<p>How lovely he could speak with his children is shown +by the following letter, which he wrote when he was at +Coburg to his little son John, who was then four years of +age: "Grace and peace in Christ. My dear little son:—I +am very glad to know that you learn your lessons well, +and love to say your prayers. Keep on doing so, my little +boy, and when I come home I will bring you something +pretty from the fair. I know a beautiful garden, where +there are a great many children in fine little coats, and +they go under the trees and gather beautiful apples and +pears, cherries and plums; they sing and run about, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +are as happy as they can be. Sometimes they ride about +on nice little ponies, with golden bridles and silver saddles. +I asked the man whose garden it is, 'What little children +are these?' And he told me, 'They are little children who +love to pray and learn, and are good.' Then I said, 'My +dear sir, I have a little boy at home; his name is Johnny +Luther; would you let him come into the garden too, to eat +some of these nice apples and pears, and ride on these fine +little ponies, and play with these children?' The man +said, 'If he loves to say his prayers, and learn his lesson, +and is a good boy, he may come. And Philip and Jocelin +may come too; and when they are all together, they can +play upon the fife and drum and lute and all kinds of instruments, +and skip about and shoot with little crossbows.' +He then showed me a beautiful mossy place in the middle +of the garden, for them to skip about in, with a great many +golden fifes, and drums, and silver crossbows. The children +had not yet had their dinner, and I could not wait to +see them play, but I said to the man, 'My dear sir, I will +go away and write all about it to my little son, John, and +tell him to be fond of saying his prayers, and learn well, +and be good, so that he may come into the garden; but he +has an aunt, Lena, whom he must bring along with him.' +The man said, 'Very well, go write to him.' Now, my dear +little son, learn to love your lessons, and to say your +prayers, and tell Philip and Jocelin to do so too, that you +may all come to the garden. May God bless you. Give +Aunt Lena my love, and kiss her for me. A. D. 1530. Your +dear father, Martin Luther."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image23.jpg" width="400" height="495" alt="Luther at the Coffin of His Daughter Magdalene." title="Luther at the Coffin of His Daughter Magdalene." /> +<span class="caption">Luther at the Coffin of His Daughter Magdalene.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>3. The Death of Magdalene.</b> How dearly Luther +loved his children we can see from his pious and touching +conduct during the sickness and death of his little daughter +Magdalene. In the beginning of September, 1542, being +then in her fourteenth year, she became ill. When she was +now sick unto death she longed very much for her brother<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +John whom she loved most dearly. He was then at school +at Torgau. Luther at once sent a wagon there and wrote to +Rector Krodel that he should send John home for a few +days. John found his sister still alive. The disease tortured +the poor child for fourteen more days, and her father +suffered very much with her. When the hope of recovery +vanished more and more, Luther prayed, "Lord, I love,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +her very much and would like to keep her, but, dear Lord, +since it is Thy will to take her away, I am glad to know +that she will be with Thee." And when she lay a-dying he +said to her, "Magdalene, my dear little daughter, you would +like to remain with this your dear father, wouldn't you, but +also gladly go to that Father?" The child answered, "Yes, +dear father, as God wills!"</p> + +<p>She died in his arms on the evening of the 20th of September, +at nine o'clock. The mother was also in the same +room, but at a distance from the bed because of her great +sorrow. As she wept bitterly and was very sad Luther said +to her, "Dear Kate, consider where she is going! She fares +well indeed!" When they laid her in her coffin he said, +"You dear little Lena, how happy you are! You will rise +again and shine as the stars, yea, as the sun." To the bystanders +he said, "In the spirit, indeed, I rejoice, but according +to the flesh I am very sad. Such parting is very +painful. It is very strange—to know that she is in peace +and well off, and yet to be so sad!" The people who had +come to the funeral to express their sympathy he addressed +thus, "You ought to rejoice! I have sent a saint to heaven, +yes, a living saint. O that we had such a death! Such a +death I would accept this moment!" After the funeral +Luther said, "My daughter is now taken care of both as to +body and as to soul. We Christians have nothing to complain +of, we know that it must be thus. We have the +greatest assurance of eternal life; for God cannot lie who +has promised it to us through and for the sake of His Son." +Upon her grave he placed the following epitaph:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"I, Luther's daughter Magdalene, with the saints here sleep,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And covered calmly rest on this my couch of earth;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Daughter of death I was, born of the seed of sin,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But by Thy precious blood redeemed, O Christ! I live."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><b>4. Home Life and Charity.</b> Elector John gave Luther +the former cloister building as a residence. It was a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +large house with a beautiful garden, close to the walls of +the city. The narrow cloister cells were changed into large +rooms. Here Kate, now, went to housekeeping. She was +a faithful and saving housekeeper. Luther's income was +very small; he received a salary of 200 florins. Withal he +was very charitable toward the poor, and hospitable toward +his visitors. Hardly a week passed that he entertained no +guests. From all countries they came to Wittenberg, doctors +and students, to see the man face to face who had accomplished +such great things. Besides this, he was daily +visited by friends and students. It was, therefore, no easy +matter to manage the household with the meager salary. +But his friends took care that under God's blessing he suffered +no want, and Luther confessed: "I have a strange +housekeeping indeed! I use up more than I receive. +Although my salary is but 200 florins, yet every year I +must spend 500 for housekeeping and in the kitchen, not +to speak of the children, other luxuries, and alms. I am +entirely too awkward. The support of my needy relatives +and the daily calls of strangers make me poor. Yet I am +richer than all popish theologians, because I am content +with little and have a true wife."</p> + +<p>The following are a few examples of Luther's charity: +A student once came to him and complained with tears of +his need. As Luther had no money he took a silver cup +that was gilded within and said, "There, take that cup and +go home in God's name." His wife looked at him and +asked, "Are you going to give everything away?" Luther +pressed the cup together in his strong hand and said to the +student, "Quick, take it to the goldsmith, I do not need it." +At another time a poor man asked him for assistance. +Luther had no money, but took his children's savings and +gave them to him. When his wife reproached him he said, +"God is rich, He will give us more." A man exiled because +of his faith asked him for alms. Luther had but one dollar<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +(called "Joachim"), which he had carefully saved. Without +thinking long he opened his purse and called, "Joachim, +come out! The Savior is here!"</p> + +<p>Friends, students, doctors, and all kinds of admirers +often sat at Luther's table. The meal was generally simple, +but seasoned with serious and cheerful conversation. After +table he was fond of having a little music with his friends +and children. In praise of music he said: "Music is great +comfort to a sad person. It cheers and refreshes the heart +and fills it with contentment. It is half a schoolmaster and +makes the people softer, meeker, more modest, and more +reasonable. I have always loved music. Whoever knows +this art has a good nature and is fit for everything. Music +should by all means be taught in the schools. A schoolmaster +must be able to sing, or I will not look at him." +At another time he said: "Music is a gift and blessing of +God. Next to theology I give to music the first place and +highest honor."</p> + +<p><b>5. Luther's Opinion on His Wife and Holy Matrimony.</b> +Luther writes of his married life: "God willed it, +and, praise God, I have done well, for I have a pious and +true wife in which a man may confide; she spoils nothing." +In these words he lauds his Kate: "She has not only faithfully +nursed and cared for me as a pious wife, but she has +also waited upon me as a servant. The Lord repay her on +that day. I consider her more precious than the kingdom +of France, for she has been to me a good wife, given and +presented to me of God, as I was given to her. I love my +Kate, yes, I love her more than myself, that is certainly +true. I would rather die myself than have her and the +children die." In praise of marriage he says: "According +to God's Word there is no sweeter and dearer treasure upon +earth than holy matrimony, which He Himself has instituted, +and which He also preserves and has adorned and +blessed above all other estates."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +<h3>Luther's Last Days and Death.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. Luther's Presentiment of Death.</b> Eight days after +his last birthday, which he celebrated on the 10th of November +in the company of his friends, he finished his exposition +of Genesis and closed his lecture to the students +with these impressive words: "I am weak! I cannot continue; +pray God to grant me a blessed death." And he +wrote to a friend: "I am sick of this world, and the world is +sick of me; it will not be difficult for us to part, as a guest +quits his inn. Therefore I pray for a peaceful end, I am +ready to depart." At the close of his last sermon in Eisleben +the thoughts of his heart are expressed in this wish: +"May God give us grace that we gratefully accept His beloved +Word, increase and grow in the knowledge and faith +of His Son, and remain steadfast in the confession of His +holy Word unto our end! Amen."</p> + +<p><b>2. Luther's Journey to Eisleben.</b> In the beginning +of 1546 the counts of Mansfeld requested Luther to come +to Eisleben and settle a dispute which had arisen between +themselves and their subjects. Luther consented to go, +and, together with his three sons, on the 23d of January, he +set out on his last pilgrimage on this earth. In Halle he +visited his friend Dr. Jonas. While there he preached on +the conversion of Paul and praised the writings of this apostle +as the holy of holies. On the 28th of January, when crossing +the swollen Saale in a small boat, his life was in great +danger. Luther said to Jonas, "Dear Jonas, how it would +please the devil if I, Dr. Martin, with you and our guides, +would fall into the water and drown!" Not far from Eisleben +he became so weak that fears were entertained for his +life. But he soon regained his strength. In Eisleben Luther +preached several times, and took great pains to settle the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span>dispute between the counts and their subjects. When matters +were settled Luther began to think of returning home; +but God had decided otherwise.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image24.jpg" width="400" height="445" alt="Luther's Death." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Luther's Death.</span> +</div> + +<p><b>3. Luther's Illness and Death.</b> Already on the 17th of +February Luther could not attend the meetings because of +his increasing weakness. In accordance with the advice of +his friends and the counts he remained in his room and +rested. About eight o'clock in the evening he took his +medicine and lay down on his couch, saying, "If I could +sleep for half an hour I believe I would improve." He now +slept calmly till ten o'clock, when he awoke, arose, and went +into his bedroom. As he entered the room he said, "In the +name of God, I am going to bed. Into Thy hands I commend +my spirit; Thou hast redeemed me, Thou faithful +God." At one o'clock he awoke and said, "O Lord God, +I feel so bad! Ah, dear Dr. Jonas, I believe I shall die here +at Eisleben where I was born and baptized." Again he left +his bedroom and entered the sitting room, saying again, +"Into Thy hands I commend my spirit, Thou hast redeemed +me, Thou faithful God." When he was again resting +on his couch his friends hurried to his side, with Count +Albrecht, the countess, and two physicians. When, upon +repeated rubbings, he began to perspire freely Dr. Jonas +thought he was improving, but Luther answered, "No, it +is the cold sweat of death; I will give up my spirit, for the +sickness is increasing." Then he prayed thus: "O my +heavenly Father, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus +Christ, Thou God of all consolation! I thank Thee that +Thou hast revealed to me Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, in +whom I believe, whom I have preached and confessed, +whom I have loved and extolled, whom the wicked Pope +and the ungodly dishonor, persecute, and blaspheme. I pray +Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, receive my poor soul into Thy +hands. O heavenly Father, although I must quit this body +and be torn away from this life, I nevertheless know assuredly +that I shall be with Thee forever, and that no one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +can pluck me out of Thy hands." Then three times he repeated +the passage: "God so loved the world, that He gave +His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him +should not perish, but have everlasting life," John 3, 16, +and the words of the 68th Psalm: "He that is our God, is +the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the +issues of death." When the physician gave him a cordial +he took it and said, "I pass away; I shall yield up my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +spirit," after which he rapidly repeated these words three +times: "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit, +Thou hast redeemed me, Lord, Thou faithful God." Now +he lay quiet, when spoken to he did not answer. Dr. Jonas +called into his ear, "Reverend father, are you firmly determined +to die upon Christ and the doctrine you have +preached?" Loud and distinctly Luther answered, "Yes!" +Having said this he turned upon his side and fell asleep, +saved in the faith of his Redeemer, on the 18th of February, +1546, between two and three o'clock in the morning.</p> + +<p><b>4. Luther's Funeral.</b> The sad tidings of Luther's +death spread rapidly through town and country. A great +multitude of people of all classes gathered to view the previous +remains of the man who had again brought to light +the saving Word of God. When the news of Luther's death +reached Wittenberg and Melanchthon told the students, he +exclaimed, "Alas, he has been taken from us, the chariot +of Israel and the horsemen thereof, by whom the church +was guided in this last age of the world!" On the 19th day +of February the corpse was laid in a metallic coffin, borne +into the Castle Church of Eisleben, and placed before +the altar. On the following day Dr. Coelius preached an +excellent sermon, after which the corpse was carried in +solemn funeral procession to Wittenberg. With weeping +and wailing a countless multitude surrounded the hearse, +and in nearly every village the bells were tolled. When, +late at night, the funeral approached the gates of Halle the +clergy, the city council, the schools, and the citizens, together +with women and children, marched out to meet it +and escorted the corpse into the church. The service opened +with Luther's hymn, "Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee," +the weeping being heard more than the singing. On the +22d of February the funeral train reached Wittenberg. +Amid the tolling of the bells it moved toward the Castle +Church, the hearse being followed by Luther's widow, his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +four children, and other relatives. Then came the faculty, +the students, and the citizens. Dr. Bugenhagen preached +a comforting sermon, which was frequently interrupted by +his own tears and the weeping of his audience. At the +close Melanchthon delivered a Latin oration, after which the +corpse was lowered into the vault near the pulpit, where it +awaits the coming of the resurrection morn.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> + +<h3>Afflictions of the Lutheran Church in Germany +after the Reformation.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. The Smalcald War.</b> Already during the life of +Luther clouds of war had frequently arisen, threatening to +destroy the Lutheran church. But as long as Luther lived +the storm did not break. His prophecy was fulfilled: "I +have fervently prayed to God, and still beseech Him daily, +to check the evil counsels of the papists and permit no +war to come upon Germany while I live, and I am sure +that God has certainly heard my prayer, and I know that +as long as I live there will be no war in Germany. Now +when I am dead, rest and sleep do you also pray. I will +die before this calamity and misery come upon Germany." +Scarcely had Luther closed his eyes when the emperor and +the Pope thought the time had come again to strengthen +popery and oppress the Lutheran doctrine with the sword, +aye, completely to destroy it. The emperor accused the +Lutheran princes of disobedience because they would not +submit to the Edict of Augsburg, and declared the ban of +the empire against them. Soon thereafter he made war +upon them. The Lutherans also gathered an army for their +defense. Before the Elector John Frederick was aware of +it the emperor's army, led by a traitor, fell upon him.</p> + +<p>On the 24th of April, 1547, the battle was fought near +Muehlberg on the Elbe. The army of the Lutheran princes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +was defeated; 3000 remained upon the battlefield, and the +elector himself was taken prisoner. Not long thereafter he +was condemned to die. Only on condition that he surrender +his electoral crown and domain to the Lutheran +Duke Maurice of Saxony, who had joined the forces of the +emperor, was he to be pardoned. The elector gave up his +country without remonstrance, but he would not forsake +his faith. His high courage earned him the title, "The +Magnanimous." For when the emperor demanded that he +sign the resolutions of the Council of Trent in which the +Lutheran doctrine was condemned, he declared with indignation: +"I will abide steadfast in the doctrine and confession +which, together with my father and other princes, I confessed +at Augsburg, and rather give up country and people, +yea, and my head also, than forsake the Word of God."</p> + +<p>Thus the cause of the Lutheran confessors seemed to +be lost. But right in the midst of war's tumult and the +enemy's triumph sounded the word of the Lord: "Take +counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the +word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us," Is. 8, 10. +God helped wonderfully. Maurice of Saxony demanded of +the emperor the release of his father-in-law, Philip of Hesse. +When the emperor refused to do this Maurice turned against +him with his army and put him to flight. In 1555 the Peace +of Augsburg was signed. By it complete liberty of religion +and worship was guaranteed to the Lutherans for the future.</p> + +<p><b>2. Doctrinal Controversies.</b> Already in the days of +Luther fanatics had attempted to darken and displace the +true doctrine with diverse errors. After his death his prophetic +words were fulfilled: "I see it coming, if God does +not give us faithful pastors and ministers the devil will disrupt +the church by factious spirits, and will not leave off +nor cease till he has finished it. If the devil cannot do it +through the Pope and the emperor he will accomplish it +through those who now agree with us in doctrine. Therefore<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +pray God to let His Word remain with you, for abominable +things will happen. I know that after my departing shall +grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock."</p> + +<p>Scarcely had the faithful watchman and guardian been +gathered to his fathers when everywhere teachers and +preachers arose who departed from the truth of God's Word +and tried to set up their own false teachings. Thus some +taught: Good works are necessary unto salvation; others, +again, maintained: Not only are they unnecessary, but they +are harmful to our salvation. Again, it was taught that man +could prepare himself for grace, and assist in his conversion. +Others even secretly plotted to introduce the false doctrines +of the Reformed into the Lutheran church. Thus the bright +light which shone so brilliantly in Luther's days was in +danger of being obscured by the doctrines of men. But in +the midst of such confusion God had His faithful confessors. +After heated contests truth, by God's grace, obtained the +victory. In 1577, by the united labors of the faithful confessors, +the Form of Concord, the last confession of the +Lutheran church, was completed. In this confession the +Lutheran church renounces all error and demands of all its +members unity of doctrine and confession. The reestablished +unity of doctrine called forth loud rejoicing and +thanksgiving to God everywhere in Germany. In 1580 the +Book of Concord of the Lutheran church, containing also +the Form of Concord, appeared in print for the first time.</p> + +<p><b>3. The Thirty Years' War.</b> This good fortune and +peace of the Lutheran church did not last long. Satan +did not cease to attack her. For his purpose he especially +used the Jesuits, a new order of monks. These allied servants +of the Pope used every means to suppress the Lutheran +church. As advisers of princes, in the confessional, and +as teachers at the higher schools they fanned the flame of +hatred against the Lutherans, and their endeavors were not +in vain. Through them a war of thirty years began to rage in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +Germany. During the reign of Emperor Rudolph II the religious +peace guaranteed at Augsburg was broken repeatedly, +and the Lutherans were sorely oppressed. Finally, when +a Protestant church in Bohemia was forcibly closed and another +was even torn down, the storm broke loose. By it the +greater part of Germany was laid waste, and untold misery +was caused. Everywhere the evangelical princes were defeated, +and their cause seemed to be lost. The Pope and +his minions rejoiced.</p> + +<p>But in the hour of greatest distress help appeared in the +person of Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden. Everywhere +the people welcomed him. However, in his march of triumph +through Germany he met with a bloody death. On +the 6th of November, 1632, a battle was fought at Luetzen. +In the Swedish army the trumpeters played the hymn, +"A Mighty Fortress is Our God." Then the whole army +sang, "May God Bestow on us His Grace." Whereupon +the king cried, "Now at it! In the name of God! Jesus, +Jesus, Jesus, help us fight this day in honor of Thy holy +name!" The Swedes gained a glorious victory, but their +king, struck by a bullet, fell dying from his horse. Sixteen +years longer the deplorable war raged on. In 1648 the +long-desired peace was finally concluded. In it the Religious +Peace of Augsburg was again acknowledged and extended +to include the Reformed church. The Pope protested +violently, but in vain.</p> + +<p>It is true, conditions after the war were terrible in Germany, +also for the Lutheran church. But the chastenings +of the Lord strengthened the faith in His Word, and the +church flourished and prospered. Faithful pastors strengthened +the Christians by their sermons and their writings, +and everywhere the seed grew and brought fruit. It was +just in this time that pious poets made their harps resound +and sang their glorious hymns to the honor and praise +of God.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> + +<p><b>4. Rationalism and Unionism.</b> In no way had the +devil succeeded in smothering the Lutheran church in its +own blood or in destroying it by false doctrine. Again and +again courageous witnesses arose, and in loud and clear +words testified that man is justified and saved by grace +alone, for Christ's sake, through faith. At the end of the +seventeenth century, however, men arose in England who +craftily sought to abolish the Christian faith. These were +the so-called Deists, or Freethinkers. Their doctrine, at +first, passed from England to France, and then to Germany. +Human reason was to take the place of the Bible. Luther's +prophecy was fulfilled: "Until now you have heard the +true, faithful Word; now beware of your own thoughts and +your own wisdom. The devil will light the candle of reason +and deprive you of faith." Not the Scriptures, the +revelation of God, but human reason was to decide matters +of faith and salvation. Whatever did not agree with human +reason was simply to be rejected as superstition. Whoever +confessed his faith in the truths of the Bible was called an +obscurant. Those were sad times.</p> + +<p>In addition, the so-called "Union" in Germany, by +sacrificing the biblical truth, made the attempt to unite the +Lutheran and the Reformed churches into a mixed church, +which was called the Evangelical church. In this way the +ruin of the church of the pure Gospel was to be completed. +Faithful Lutherans who would not join in this apostasy +were violently persecuted, cast into prison, cruelly punished, +or compelled to emigrate into foreign countries, Australia or +America.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX.</h2> + +<h3>The Lutheran Church in America.</h3> + + +<p><b>1. The Mustard Seed.</b> When the Lutheran church +in Germany was in its prime it was transplanted also across +the waters, into the wilds of America. As early as 1638 the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +first Lutheran Swedes emigrated to America and founded +the first Lutheran congregation in the valley of the Delaware. +In 1650 the Dutch had also founded Lutheran +churches in the State of New York. The most important +of these churches was in the city of New York. It was +cruelly oppressed by the Reformed officials. The true Lutheran +confessors were frequently fined and imprisoned. +As soon as England, however, took possession of this +Dutch colony the Lutherans were granted liberty of conscience +and freedom of worship.</p> + +<p>On New Year's day, 1709, the first <i>German</i> Lutheran +congregation, with its pastor, Kocherthal, landed on the +coasts of America. They likewise settled in the State of +New York and founded several colonies on the banks of +the Hudson. The greatest number of Germans settled in +the State of Pennsylvania. Since 1742 their most zealous +pastor was Henry Melchior Muehlenberg. Together with +diligent colaborers he founded many congregations, which +afterwards united to form the Pennsylvania Synod. Since +1734 Lutheran Salzburgers were found in the Colony of +Georgia. Rationalism and fanaticism, however, made powerful +inroads also into this flourishing Lutheran church of +America. The time came when very few had any idea of +the nature of true Lutheranism.</p> + +<p>But the light was once more to shine in this land of the +West. In 1839 seven hundred Lutheran Saxons came to +America. They brought their pastors, candidates, and +teachers with them. After suffering severe persecution +they had left their old fatherland to live here, in this land +of liberty, in accordance with their most holy faith. A part +of them remained in St. Louis and founded a congregation +with a Christian school. The most of these faithful confessors +settled in Perry County, in the State of Missouri, +where they founded a number of colonies with congregations +and Christian schools. In the colony of Altenburg<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +a seminary was even erected for the education of ministers. +Since 1841 the congregation at St. Louis was served by +Carl Ferdinand William Walther as pastor and preacher. +This man has proved to be of inestimable blessing for the +Lutheran church of America. In 1844 he and his congregation +began to issue the <i>Lutheraner</i> in order to gather the +scattered Christians around the Word of God. This paper +was to be a powerful means to acquaint people with the +Lutheran doctrine and to defend it against all error. The +very first number was a trumpet that gave a distinct and +powerful sound. After reading it, the missionary Wyneken +joyfully exclaimed, "God be praised, there are more Lutherans +in America!" In the summer of 1838 he had come +to this country a candidate of the holy ministry, twenty-eight +years of age, in order to bring the Gospel to the scattered +Germans. In Germany he had read and heard of +their great spiritual need, and their misery had touched +Ids heart. After a short stay in Baltimore he traveled inland, +toward Ohio and Indiana. He came to the little town +of Fort Wayne, where he found a little congregation. Here +Wyneken preached several times, officiated at funerals, and +baptized. The people learned to love him, and called him +as their pastor. From here he journeyed to and fro, and, +undaunted by hardships, visited his scattered brethren of +the faith, brought them the Word of Life, and gathered +them into congregations. In the following years other Lutheran +pastors, some of them accompanied by their congregations, +also came to America. In this way the Lutheran +colonies of the Saginaw Valley were founded.</p> + +<p><b>2. The Tree.</b> In 1845 a number of likeminded pastors +met in conference at Cleveland, Ohio, to discuss the founding +of an orthodox Lutheran synod. In the following year +several of these pastors met in St. Louis in order to consult +with Walther and other Saxon pastors concerning the same +matter. On this occasion the draft of a synodical constitution<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +was carefully considered together with the local congregation. +This draft was later on submitted to an assembly +at Fort Wayne. Finally, in 1847, at Chicago, the German +Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other +States was founded. Walther was unanimously elected +president. The members of this synod had recognized that +the doctrine restored by Luther and contained in the confessions +of the Lutheran church is the true and pure doctrine +of the Word of God. Upon this foundation they resolved +to stand and in the future carry on together the work +of the Lord in this country. And to this day, by the grace +of God, they have remained true to this confession. They +accept God's revealed Word as the only source of knowledge +for doctrine and practice. And the heart of all their +teaching is the doctrine of justification of a poor sinner before +God, not through his own works and merit, but alone +through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. "God's Word and +Luther's doctrine pure shall through eternity endure," is +the watchword which the synod has not only written on its +<i>Lutheraner</i>, but which its members also dearly cherish in +their hearts.</p> + +<p>For the preparation and education of its pastors and +teachers the synod has, in the course of years, established +a large number of institutions. The first of these is the +Theological Seminary at St. Louis. In this institution +Dr. Walther labored with signal blessing as professor, and +through his lectures and his many writings became the +leader of teachers, pastors, and congregations. He died +in 1887. In Springfield the synod has its Supplementary +Theological Seminary, in which Prof. Craemer labored for +many years. The Seminary for Teachers is in Addison. +Its first director was the sainted Prof. Lindemann. The +preparatory institutions are in Fort Wayne, Milwaukee, +St. Paul, and at several other places. About sixty professors +teach at these institutions. Essentially the work of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +the synod is carried on in the same way as at the time of +the fathers. In the same manner as Wyneken missionaries +travel about visiting their scattered brethren in the faith +and gathering them into congregations. At the same time +with the congregation the parochial school is founded and +developed for the education of the children in the Catechism.</p> + +<p>In 1872 the Missouri Synod joined with other orthodox +synods, forming the Evangelical-Lutheran Synodical Conference. +At present this is composed of the synods of Missouri, +of Wisconsin, of Minnesota, of Michigan, and of the +English Evangelical-Lutheran Synod of Missouri and other +States. The synods of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan +have united to form a general synod and possess several +institutions for the education of pastors and teachers. Their +theological seminary is at Milwaukee. The Norwegian +Synod, which confesses the same faith, also has several +educational institutions. The English Synod at present +has colleges at Winfield, Kans., and Conover, N.C. All +these synods are indefatigable in the work of mission and +in the preservation of the pure doctrine.</p> + +<p>The mustard seed has become a tree, a tree whose +branches cover not only the states of the union and a great +part of British America, but whose twigs extend even to +South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia; a tree continually +growing new shoots beneath which birds of passage +from every province of Germany and from every country of +the world have found their home, and raise their hymns in +the most diverse melodies to the honor and praise, glory +and worship of the triune God. Everywhere, nearly all +over the globe, is sung: "Dear Christians, One and All, +Rejoice," and from countless lips Luther's hymn of battle +and triumph is heard, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God!"</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Life of Luther, by Gustav Just + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE OF LUTHER *** + +***** This file should be named 38544-h.htm or 38544-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/5/4/38544/ + +Produced by Chuck Greif, Iris Schimandle, Peter Vachuska +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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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: Life of Luther + with several introductory and concluding chapters from + general church history + +Author: Gustav Just + +Release Date: January 10, 2012 [EBook #38544] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE OF LUTHER *** + + + + +Produced by Chuck Greif, Iris Schimandle, Peter Vachuska +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Dr. Martin Luther.] + + + + +LIFE OF LUTHER, + +WITH + +SEVERAL INTRODUCTORY AND CONCLUDING CHAPTERS FROM +GENERAL CHURCH HISTORY. + +BY + +GUSTAV JUST. + +(Translated from the German by S. and H.) + +[Illustration] + +St. Louis, Mo. + +CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE. + + + + +Copyright, 1903, + +by + +CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE, + +St. Louis, Mo. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + CHAPTER I. The Christians of the First Century 1 + + " II. The Persecutions 8 + + " III. Constantine and the Spreading of Christianity in + Germany 14 + + " IV. Popery and Monkery 17 + + " V. The Forerunners of the Reformation 21 + + " VI. Luther's Childhood 26 + + " VII. Luther's Student Days 28 + + " VIII. Luther in the Cloister 34 + + " IX. Luther as Teacher 38 + + " X. Luther the Reformer 43 + + " XI. Luther the Mighty Warrior 49 + + " XII. Luther the Staunch Confessor 56 + + " XIII. The Fanatics and the Peasants' War 64 + + " XIV. The Colloquy at Marburg 69 + + " XV. The Augsburg Confession 70 + + " XVI. Bible, Catechism, and Hymnbook 76 + + " XVII. Luther's Family Life 82 + + " XVIII. Luther's Last Days and Death 91 + + " XIX. Afflictions of the Lutheran Church in Germany + after the Reformation 95 + + " XX. The Lutheran Church in America 99 + + + + +MOTTO: + +Remember them which have the rule over you, who have +spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow +considering the end of their conversation. + +Hebrews 13, 7. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +The Christians of the First Century. + + +1. THE APOSTLES OF THE LORD. When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ bid +farewell to His disciples on the Mount of Olives, and ascended into +heaven, He commanded them to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued +with power from on high. In this power they were to go forth into all +the world and bear witness of that which they had seen and heard. He +said unto them: "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is +come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and +in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the +earth," Acts 1, 8. + +The disciples faithfully executed this command of the Lord; for after +the day of Pentecost upon which they had received the Holy Ghost, they +went forth and proclaimed the Gospel of Christ crucified in Jerusalem, +in Judaea, in the surrounding countries, and in the whole world. They +baptized Jews and heathen, and everywhere founded Christian +congregations. But at once the word of the Lord was fulfilled: "If they +have persecuted me, they will also persecute you," John 15, 20. For the +spreading of Christianity aroused bitter enmity among Jews and Gentiles +against the disciples of the Lord. _James_, the brother of John, was the +first of the apostles to suffer martyrdom at Jerusalem. We are told: +"When the officer, who was to bring him into court, saw how steadfastly +James adhered to his faith in Christ, he was so affected, that he +confessed himself likewise a Christian. Thus both of them were +condemned. While they were being led away he begged James to forgive +him, whereupon the apostle replied, 'Peace be with thee,' and kissed +him." Hereupon both were beheaded at the command of Herod Agrippa. + +[Illustration: The Apostle Peter.] + +When Herod saw that this pleased the Jews, he had _Peter_ also +apprehended and cast into prison, from which the apostle was +miraculously delivered by an angel. Fearlessly he continued to preach +Christ and founded many congregations in Asia Minor. The legend says +that he was crucified under Emperor Nero at Rome. + +[Illustration: The Evangelist Matthew.] + +_James_, the Lord's brother, was bishop of the congregation at +Jerusalem. Because of his pious life, he was at first highly esteemed +among the Jews. But finally he also became an object of their hatred. +The legend reports that the high priest led him to the pinnacle of the +temple and there commanded him to deny Christ. When, however, he boldly +confessed his Savior, he was hurled to the ground below. Then the +enraged mob pressed about him in order to stone him to death, when he +cried out upon his knees, "I implore Thee, God Father, for them; for +they know not what they do." Then a tanner stepped up and killed him +with a club. + +[Illustration: The Evangelist John.] + +_Philip_ is said to have perished in Phrygia, _Bartholomew_ in Asia +Minor, _Thomas_ in India proper, and _Andrew_ in Scythia. + +_John_, at first, labored in Jerusalem, and later became pastor of the +congregation at Ephesus. For a time he was banished to the Isle of +Patmos, afterward, however, he was permitted to return to Ephesus. When, +because of his advanced age, he could no longer preach nor walk, he +would have himself carried into the assembly and would always address it +in these words, "Little children, love one another." He died a natural +death, nearly one hundred years of age. + +[Illustration: The Apostle Paul.] + +Chief of all the apostles was the apostle of the Gentiles, _Paul_. +Although he did not belong to the twelve disciples of the Lord, he was, +nevertheless, directly called and made a chosen vessel of the Lord. +Before his conversion his name was Saul, and he belonged to the strict +sect of the Pharisees. Being an enemy of the Lord's disciples, he was +gratified to see Stephen expire when stoned to death by the Jews. Soon +thereafter he himself became a zealous persecutor of the Christians in +Jerusalem, and wished to continue his cruel work also in Damascus. But +on the way thither he was converted by the Lord and called to be an +apostle. Thenceforth he preached the Gospel of the Savior of sinners, +especially among the Gentiles, and soon many Christian congregations +arose also among them. But he also shared the fate of the other +apostles; he likewise suffered death for the doctrine of Christ. About +61 A. D. he was taken a prisoner to Rome. There he abode two years. +Chained to a soldier he preached the Gospel in that city and wrote many +letters to the congregations which had been founded by him among the +Gentiles. For a short time he regained his liberty, but was imprisoned a +second time. In 67 or 68 A. D. he suffered martyrdom, being beheaded +under Nero. + +2. THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CONGREGATIONS. "And they continued steadfastly in +the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in +prayers," Acts 2, 42. This, in a few words, is the picture which the +"Acts of the Apostles" paints of the first Christian congregation at +Jerusalem. The first Christians were diligent and attentive hearers of +God's Word. Thereby they grew in knowledge and in the faith of the +exalted Savior, and in His power they defied all temptations and +persecutions. Through the Word they remained in communion with their +Head, Jesus Christ, and practiced intimate fellowship with each other. +This showed itself in breaking of bread, Holy Communion, and in their +united praying, praising, and giving of thanks. + +How intense their love was for their Savior and their brethren, we may +see from the following words in the Acts: "And the multitude of them +that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of +them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they +had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked, for +as many as were possessed of lands and houses sold them and brought the +prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' +feet; and distribution was made unto every man according as he had +need," Acts 4, 34. 35. They were ready to sacrifice life itself for +their Savior and for each other. After their Lord's example they +practiced charity towards their enemies, and prayed for them. They +obtained favor with God and man, and the Lord added daily to the church +such as should be saved. For many Jews forsook their national faith and +joined the Christian congregation. True, some hypocrites and false +Christians were found among them, as the example of Ananias and Sapphira +plainly shows. As with the congregation at Jerusalem, so with all other +Christian congregations of the first century the word of the apostles +was the only rule and guide of faith and life. + +The apostles were the first teachers of the congregations. Together with +the apostles the presbyters and elders, sometimes also called bishops, +presided over the congregations. It was their duty to conduct divine +services and watch over faith and life of the congregations. They were +assisted by the deacons and almoners to whom was entrusted the care for +the poor and the sick. Sunday was chosen by the Christians as their day +of public worship because on this day the Lord Jesus arose from the +dead. At first the congregation assembled at the homes of its members. +It was only later that churches were built for this purpose. At these +services, spiritual hymns and psalms were sung, portions of the Holy +Scriptures were read and explained, and prayers offered. Holy Communion +was celebrated every Sunday, and was received by the entire +congregation. + +Strict discipline was practiced in the Christian congregation. If anyone +walked disorderly, he was admonished; if, in spite of this, he continued +impenitent, he was excluded from the Christian congregation as a heathen +and publican, and not received again until he repented. + +3. THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM. At last the word of Jesus was +fulfilled: "For the day shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall +cast a trench about thee and compass thee round, and keep thee in on +every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children +within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another: +because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." The terrible +judgment drew near! The cruel Emperor Nero at that time ruled in Rome. +Under him the Jews rebelled and drove the Romans from their country. +Nero sent his general Vespasian to chastise the rebels. Victoriously he +pressed forward. Soon thereafter Nero died, and Vespasian was recalled +and himself elected emperor. His son Titus was to complete the +chastisement of the Jews. In the spring of 70 A. D. he marched against +Jerusalem with an enormous army and laid siege to the city. His demand +that the Jews surrender, in order to save their city and magnificent +temple, was rejected with scorn by the proud leaders. Titus at once cast +a trench about the city, and bombarded it by means of catapults. + +[Illustration: The Destruction of Jerusalem.] + +The condition of the city was frightful. It happened to be the time of +the passover, and because of this festival more than two millions of +people had assembled in Jerusalem. They were not at one among +themselves; some were in favor of surrendering to the Romans, others +were determined to resist to the last. The latter gained the ascendency, +and filled with ferocity and desperation they fought against the Romans. +No one dared even to speak of surrender, because the leaders had +forbidden it under penalty of death. Soon frightful famine and much +other misery arose. Everything was eaten, even the most disgusting +things, as, for instance, the excrements of animals; yes, a woman of +noble birth killed and devoured her own child. Epidemics broke out and +carried off thousands. Because the corpses could not be buried, they +were thrown over the walls and filled the trenches. Yet, in spite of +this, the Jews would not surrender. Then Titus took the city by storm, +and the Romans killed and slaughtered whatever came in their way. The +temple was defended by the Jews with great stubbornness. Titus had +commanded to preserve this building, but a soldier threw a firebrand +into it, and soon the magnificent edifice was enveloped in flames. The +city of Jerusalem was laid even with the ground, according to the word +of the Lord: "Not one stone shall remain upon another," Luke 19, 14. + +The siege had lasted four months, and in this time one million of Jews +had perished. The prisoners were led away, some being compelled to fight +with wild beasts in the arena, others being sold into slavery.--But what +had become of the Christians? As the swallows forsake the house whose +walls the masons are tearing down, so the congregation of the Lord had +left Jerusalem before the siege, and had found a refuge in the mountain +village of Pella, on the Dead Sea, on the other side of the river +Jordan. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +The Persecutions. + + +1. THE PERSECUTIONS UNDER NERO, DECIUS, AND DIOCLETIAN. About the year +100 A. D. the apostles of the Lord had all fallen asleep. The preaching +of the Gospel, however, had not ceased, but was carried on vigorously +everywhere, and now persecutions against the Christians arose also among +the heathen. They began already under _Nero_. In 64 A. D. this cruel +tyrant set fire to Rome, the great capital of the then known world, and +amused himself with the spectacle. The conflagration raged for six days, +and reduced the greater part of the city to ashes. In order to shield +himself against the wrath of the people, who accused him of kindling the +fire, he charged the hated Christians with the crime. These were now +forced to endure the most excruciating torments and tortures. Many were +sewed into the skins of wild beasts, and then thrown to dogs who tore +them to pieces. Others were covered with wax and pitch, placed in the +imperial gardens and set afire, that as torches they might illuminate +the darkness of the night. + +One of the most severe persecutions occurred under Emperor _Decius_. For +nearly half a century the Christians had lived in peace, but this peace +had made many of them secure and lukewarm. Origen, a noted teacher of +the time, complains: "Some attend church only on the high festivals, and +then, generally, only to pass away time. Some leave the church as soon +as the sermon is ended, without speaking to the teachers or asking them +questions; others do not listen to a single word, but stand in some +corner of the church and chatter with each other." From this sinful +security they were aroused by the persecution bursting over them like a +sudden storm. The emperor issued a decree that the Christians were to be +forced by threats and tortures to sacrifice to the heathen deities. +Whoever refused to do this was to suffer death. This terrible decree +caused the greatest consternation among the Christians. Many, especially +of the rich, readily ran to the altars and offered the required +sacrifices. Yes, so great was their fear of man that they denied ever +having been Christians at all. Others, in spite of tortures, remained +steadfast at first, but finally also denied their faith. However, there +were also such as remained firm in the faith and praised God who +considered them worthy to suffer death for Christ's sake. + +The last and most frightful of all persecutions began under Emperor +_Diocletian_. The churches of the Christians were torn down, the +collections of Holy Scriptures were burned, and innumerable Christians +were tortured to death. They were left to starve in dungeons; they were +forced with bare feet to walk upon hot, burning coals, or sharp nails; +they were fastened to wooden machines by means of which their limbs were +torn from their bodies. The torturers tore their flesh with iron nails, +or covered them with honey, and laid them bound into the sun that they +might be stung to death by the flies. But many Christians suffered these +tortures with great firmness and could not be forced to forsake Christ. +The executioners, finally, became weary, their swords grew dull, +and--the church of the Lord remained unconquerable. + +[Illustration: Christians Suffering Death in the Circus.] + +2. IGNATIUS. Ignatius was a disciple of the apostles and presided over a +flourishing congregation at Antioch. Emperor Trajan demanded of him to +deny his Savior and sacrifice to the gods. But he declared that the gods +of the heathen were vanities. He said, "There is but one God, who has +made heaven and earth, and one Christ, whose kingdom is my inheritance." +Because of this confession he was taken to Rome and suffered martyrdom. +He listened to his death sentence with composure, even with joy; he +desired to depart and to be with Christ. He wrote concerning his +journey: "From Syria to Rome I fought with wild beasts who became the +more enraged the more benefits were bestowed upon them. However, let +them throw me into the fire, let them nail me to the cross, let them +tear my limbs from my body--what is all that, if I may enjoy Jesus!" How +joyfully he met death can be seen from the words he addressed to the +Romans: "I am seeking Him who died for us; He is my gain that has been +preserved for me. Let me follow the sufferings of my God; my love is +crucified; I long for the bread of God, for the flesh of Jesus Christ." +To the Christians who attempted to have him set at liberty he wrote: +"Do not trouble yourselves on my account; it is better for me to die for +Christ's sake than to rule over the kingdoms of this world. I am God's +wheat, and am to be ground by the wild beasts in order to become pure +bread. What of it if the beasts become my grave--thus I trouble no one +in my death." Upon his arrival in Rome he was delivered to the Governor. +A few days thereafter he was thrown to the wild beasts, who fell upon +him and tore him to pieces, while the assembled heathen witnessed the +frightful spectacle with fiendish delight. His remaining bones were +gathered by his faithful servants and laid to rest in Antioch. + +3. POLYCARP. He was a disciple of St. John, and, later on, became bishop +of Smyrna, in Asia Minor. Under Marcus Aurelius he suffered martyrdom at +the stake. Polycarp, listening to the entreaties of his congregation, +who would gladly have saved him from his persecutors, fled to a country +seat. His abode was soon betrayed, and he was delivered to his captors +who found him engaged in prayer with several friends. Noticing that the +house was surrounded, he said, "The Lord's will be done!" Thereupon he +invited his enemies in, received them in the most hospitable manner, and +asked them to grant him one hour for prayer. With so much earnestness he +prayed to his Savior that even the heathen were touched by his devotion. +He was led back to the city on an ass. There he was at first kindly +urged to sacrifice to the gods, but he replied, "I will not follow your +advice." At sight of the aged man (he was ninety years old) the Governor +was touched and said to him, "Consider your great age. Swear by the +emperor, deny Christ, and I will release you!" Polycarp exclaimed: "For +eighty-six years I have served Him, and He has done me no ill; how can I +now denounce my King and my Savior?" The Governor said, "I will throw +you to the wild beasts, or I will force you by fire, if you do not +change your mind!" Polycarp replied, "You threaten me with the fire +that burns for a short time and is soon extinguished, because you do not +know the fire of the coming judgment which is in store for the wicked. +Why do you hesitate?" When hereupon the herald in the arena announced, +"Polycarp confesses himself to be a Christian," the entire multitude +cried, "To the lions with Polycarp!" But he was condemned to die at the +stake, and at once the enraged people on all sides gathered fagots for +the burning. Polycarp now took off his own clothes, loosed his own +girdle, and even tried to take off his own shoes. His prayer, not to +nail him to the stake, was granted. Firm and immovable he stood against +the erected pole and praised God with a loud voice. The pile was +kindled. But it is reported that the fire would not touch this faithful +witness of the Lord. The flames surrounded him, as sails caught by the +wind, and his body shone like gold and silver that is being refined in +the oven. As his body was not consumed the executioner thrust his sword +into his breast, and the corpse fell into the fire. The members of his +sorrowing congregation piously gathered his remains and interred them. + +4. PERPETUA. In the beginning of the third century the Christians were +fiercely persecuted in Northern Africa. Among the prisoners at Carthage +there was a young woman of noble birth, Perpetua. She was the mother of +a nursing child. Her heathen father took the greatest pains to persuade +his daughter to forsake Christ. In pleading accents he begged her, "My +daughter, have pity upon my gray hairs. Oh, pity your father, if I have +ever been worthy of this name! Take pity on your child which cannot +survive you. Can nothing move you, my daughter? If you perish we will be +disgraced before all men!" In saying this her father kissed her hands +and fell down at her feet. But Perpetua did not deny the Lord; she +remained firm and resisted all temptations in the strength of Him whom +we are to love more than father or mother. On the day before her +execution she celebrated the customary love feast with her fellow +prisoners, and to the gazing heathen she declared, "Look straight into +our faces, that you may know us on the day of judgment!" Filled with +consternation and shame, many of the heathen walked away and were +converted.--The day of her deliverance approached; the fights with the +wild beasts began. Perpetua, together with her maid Felicitas, was +thrown to a wild cow, which at once tossed them to the ground. To her +brother who stood near she cried, "Abide in the faith, love one another, +and do not let my sufferings frighten you!" Finally, she received the +death blow at the hands of a gladiator. Thus she entered into glory, and +received the crown of life at His hands to whom she proved faithful unto +death. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +Constantine and the Spreading of Christianity in Germany. + + +1. CONSTANTINE. After many anxious years a time of refreshing peace +finally came for the Christians. For by God's wonderful providence a man +kindly disposed toward the Christians ascended the Roman throne. This +was Emperor Constantine. His father had already been a friend of the +Christians, and his mother had even accepted the faith. After his +father's death, Constantine was proclaimed Emperor by the army. This was +in the summer of 306. When, in 312, he marched against Maxentius, who +had disputed his power in Italy, he called upon the God of the +Christians for help against his opponent. The opposing forces met in the +vicinity of Rome. While the sun was setting, it is reported that +Constantine saw in the heavens a cross bearing the bright inscription: +_In hoc signo vinces_, _i. e._, "You will conquer in this sign!" He at +once had the eagles removed from the standards, and had them replaced by +the sign of the cross. Hereupon his army marched from victory to victory +till the power of his enemy was completely broken. And from this time +Constantine became a zealous protector of the Christian church. He +published a law permitting every Roman citizen to become a Christian. He +even went so far as to make the Christian religion the religion of the +state. He favored the Christians by appointing them to high public +offices. Sad to say, this increased the number of those who accepted +Christianity for the sake of worldly gain. The church now, indeed, had +rest from without. But Satan tried to ruin it by false doctrine. A +bishop, named Arius, arose and taught: "Christ is not true God, but only +a creature." Constantine then called a church council to assemble at +Nice, in Asia Minor, in 325 A. D. Three hundred and eighteen bishops +assembled there with him. In the discussions which followed Athanasius, +a deacon, and afterwards bishop, of Alexandria, took a most prominent +part. With irresistible eloquence he effected the overthrow of the false +doctrine of Arius and the victorious establishment of saving truth. +Constantine died on Pentecost Day, 337, having been baptized a short +time before. In compliance with his last wish he was buried in the +Church of the Apostles, at Constantinople. + +2. THE SPREADING OF CHRISTIANITY IN GERMANY. Now the time had come when +the light of saving truth was to shine over Germany and dispel the night +of heathenish darkness. For some time already the Gospel had been +carried to Germany by Christian merchants and Roman prisoners, and thus +it came to pass that at isolated places Christian congregations were +founded; but the real spreading of Christianity began in the sixth +century through missionaries from Ireland and England.--Among the first +to visit Germany was the Irish monk _Fridolin_. Together with his +companions he arrived in the Black Forest among the Alemanni. With +visible success he preached the Gospel to these children of the forest. +He died in 550, and was succeeded by _Columban_, who, together with +twelve disciples, brought the message of salvation in Christ to the +inhabitants of the present Alsatia. But meeting with much opposition he +fled to Switzerland, and then to Italy, where he died in 615, a true +Christian to the last.--His pupil _Gallus_ had remained in Switzerland +and there had founded the farfamed cloister St. Gallus. Here he labored +with signal blessing for the spreading of Christianity among the Swiss +and Suabian tribes, until, in 640, the Lord called him to his reward. + +Besides these messengers of the faith others also preached the Gospel in +Germany, _Emeran_ in Bavaria, _Kilian_ in Wuertemberg. The latter +suffered martyrdom with his followers in 685. Twenty years after +Kilian's death the English Presbyter _Willibrod_, with eleven +assistants, went to the Frisians. At first the heathen king Radbod +offered stubborn resistance, but in time he had Willibrod to baptize his +own son. And after the king's death the mission work met with great +success. Because of the multitude of fish Willibrod could scarcely haul +in the net. After fifty years of faithful labor he died as bishop of +Utrecht, in the year 739. These and other missionaries were the real +apostles of Germany, and independent of Rome. Through their labors +congregations were founded and flourished everywhere. + +Before long, however, a man came to Germany who subjugated the German +church to the Pope. This was Winifred, also called _Boniface_. He +carried on his work mainly in Thuringia, Hessia, Bavaria, and Frisia. In +755, together with his companions, he was slain by the heathen Frisians. +The most stubborn resistance to Christianity was offered by the Saxons. +Only after thirty years of continuous warfare were they finally +conquered by Charles the Great, and the Gospel gained a foothold amongst +them.--Thus the Gospel of Christ sped from people to people, and in the +year 1000 great numbers everywhere in Germany confessed Christ Jesus and +Him crucified. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Popery and Monkery. + + +1. THE ORIGIN OF POPERY. When, in the course of time, the Christian +church continued to expand, it became necessary for the larger +congregations to engage more than one pastor. An immediate consequence +was that one of them attained to higher eminence and was called the +bishop by preference. Great deference was especially paid to the bishops +of Rome, of Jerusalem, of Alexandria, of Antioch, and of Constantinople. +The smaller congregations frequently sought their advice and requested +their decision in difficult matters. But the power and the authority of +the Roman bishops soon outstripped that of the rest. In consequence of +this they assumed a haughty demeanor, exalted themselves above the other +bishops, and, finally, arrogated to themselves the position of supreme +judges in the Church of God, and grew very indignant if any one dared to +dispute their authority. They now claimed that Peter had founded the +congregation at Rome and had presided over it for some time as its +bishop; that he had been the chief of the apostles, the authorized +viceregent of Christ upon earth, and that his successors, the bishops of +Rome, had inherited these powers from him. Although these arrogant +claims were by no means generally admitted, yet the Roman bishop +succeeded in enforcing his demands. He was pleased to have himself +called "_Papa_," or "Pope." The Western bishops finally submitted and +acknowledged him to be the supreme head of the church. In the East, +however, the bishop of Constantinople was accorded the highest rank. +Both bishops now fought for the supremacy in the church, and as neither +would submit to the other a schism resulted. There arose the Roman +Catholic and the Greek Catholic church, and this division remains to the +present day. + +When, in 752, Pipin, the king of the Franks, presented to the Pope a +large territory in Central Italy, the Pope became a temporal prince. +From now on the Popes continually sought to increase their temporal +power and speak the decisive word in the councils of the mighty of this +earth. The man who raised popery to the highest pinnacle of its power +was Pope Gregory VII, formerly a monk called Hildebrand, the son of an +artisan. In 1073 he ascended the papal throne. He forbade the priests to +marry, and demanded that all bishops, who at that time were also +temporal princes, should receive their office and their possessions, +even their temporal power, not from their worldly overlords, but from +his hands. He asserted: "As the moon receives its light from the sun, so +emperors and princes receive their power from the Pope. The Pope is the +viceregent of Christ upon earth, where the mighty of this world owe him +obedience; he alone has the right and the power to appoint them to +office, or to depose them." Gregory died 1085. His successors accepted +his principles. Thus Innocent III demeaned himself as the absolute +spiritual lord and master over all Christian princes and kings, and +forced them to submit to his power. Then the word of Holy Scriptures, +concerning the Roman Popes, came to pass, 2 Thess. 2, 4: "Who opposeth +and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; +so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he +is God." + +2. THE FALSE DOCTRINES OF POPERY. Sad, indeed, grew the condition of the +church under the Popes. Many bishops and priests busied themselves more +with worldly affairs than with the Word of God and the welfare of the +church. The people were shamefully neglected. Generally speaking, they +had no schools, no books, and, especially, no Bibles. There was scarcely +any Christian knowledge, for the Word of the Lord was hidden in those +days. In consequence of this the saddest ignorance prevailed everywhere +among the common people. Such being the conditions, it was a small +matter for Satan to sow his tares among the wheat. With increasing +frequency false doctrines appeared in the church and displaced the Word +of God. For some time already mass had been celebrated instead of Holy +Communion. For the superstition had arisen, that Christ was sacrificed +anew by the priest when mass was celebrated on the altar. This false +doctrine was supported by the other superstition that through his +consecration the priest changed the bread and the wine into the real +body and blood of Christ. Because they feared that the blood of Christ +might be spilled they denied the cup to the laity, and thus mutilated +the Lord's Supper. + +Early in its history popery invented the doctrine that the departed +souls went to purgatory, where, by intense suffering, they might be +cleansed from the dross of sin. However, it was held that the Pope and +the church had the power to shorten these pangs of purgatory by reading +countless masses. Whoever paid enough money was told that he need not +remain long in purgatory. This proved to be a profitable business for +the Pope. For many rich already in their lifetime set aside large sums +of money to pay for these masses. + +Indulgence was another false doctrine. The Popes taught: The church +possesses an inexhaustible treasure in the merits of Christ and of the +saints. On this the Pope can draw at will for the benefit of the living +and of the dead, and with it forgive the sin of those who offer him +therefor sufficient money, or other equivalents. In the stead of +Christ's suffering and merit, which becomes ours alone through faith, +they substituted mere human works. Christ, our true Advocate, was thrust +aside, and the saints were called upon for their protection and +intercessions. The Virgin Mary, especially, became the refuge in time of +need, and this gave rise to the shameful "mariolatry." Nor did idolatry +stop here. Even pictures, statues, and real or supposed relics of the +saints were set up for worship and adoration. Thus was fulfilled the +word of Scriptures, 2 Thess. 2, 10. 11: "Because they received not the +love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God +shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie." + +3. LIFE IN THE MONASTERIES. Already in the time of the great +persecutions many Christians had fled into the forests, caves, and among +the cliffs in order to spend their lives in pious meditation and +devotion. When, in the time after Constantine, the church grew more and +more worldly, the number of those increased who thought that they could +serve God better in quiet seclusion than amid the noise of a corrupt +world. These were the so-called hermits. As a rule, they led a life of +privations and self-inflicted tortures. In time, numbers of them united +and adopted certain rules and laws by which their communities were +governed. They also lived in their own buildings, called cloisters. +These were generally built in inhospitable regions. Whoever joined the +order had to forsake all his worldly possessions, and vow to lead a life +of celibacy and of absolute obedience to his superiors. These are the +so-called monastic vows. + +This monastical life was regarded very highly by the people, and all +kinds of legacies added gradually to the lands and riches of the +cloisters. Their number increased rapidly; and in the twelfth century +there were thousands of them. The monks were the most zealous and the +most faithful tools of Antichrist, and everywhere endeavored to spread +the Pope's heresies. They incited the people to rebellion against their +lawful government and spied out and persecuted those who would no longer +submit to the Pope. But it was above all the halo of false holiness +which it possessed in the eyes of the people that made monkery such a +curse to the church. Men, women, and children ran into the cloister in +order to be sure of eternal life; for the delusive notion prevailed that +man could justify himself before God and be saved by his own works. And, +at that, they regarded the works commanded by God of little account, +esteeming their self-chosen, monkish practices of the highest +importance. Life in the monastery is, therefore, condemned by the words +of Christ: "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the +commandments of men." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +The Forerunners of the Reformation. + + +1. PETER WALDEN. Peter Walden, who was a rich and pious merchant of the +twelfth century, lived in Lyons, an important city in Southern France. +One day he was sitting at meal with his friends and conversing on the +evils of the time and the corruption of the church. Suddenly one of his +companions fell dead before their eyes. This occurrence made a deep +impression on Walden, and he sought now, more than ever before, the one +thing that is needful. Through diligent reading and study of Holy +Scriptures he came to a knowledge of the truth, and his heart was filled +with heavenly comfort and joy. The deeper he entered into the true +meaning of the Holy Scriptures the more he recognized the errors and the +decay of the Roman Catholic church. He saw that Christendom had departed +from the true way of salvation. He, therefore, felt constrained to bring +the sweet Gospel of Christ to lost souls. In 1170 he sold all his +possessions and traveled through the country, teaching and preaching. He +had the four Gospels translated into French and spread them among the +people. The scattered seed sprung up and bore rich fruit; for very soon +thousands wanted to hear of no other doctrine than the pure doctrine of +God's Word. + +Walden and his adherents, called Waldensians, taught: "In all questions +pertaining to our salvation we dare trust no man or book, but must +believe the Holy Scriptures only. There is but one mediator; the saints +must not be worshiped; purgatory is a fable invented by men. There are +but two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper." Their life conformed +so well to their doctrine that King Lewis of France exclaimed: "Truly, +these heretics are better than I and all my people!" The following is +another beautiful testimony for the Waldensians: "They lead a purer life +than other Christians. They do not swear, except necessity demands it, +and beware of taking God's name in vain. They keep their promises +faithfully; they are truthful in their words and live peacefully +together in brotherly love." + +But the more their doctrine and life testified of their faith, the more +the hatred against them increased. Peter Walden was forbidden to preach +or explain the Scriptures, and when, in spite of this, he continued to +sow the seed of the Word of God, he was excommunicated by the Pope. He +fled from one place to another, and everywhere proclaimed the Gospel +with signal blessing. His followers were most cruelly persecuted by the +Roman church, which used every means to destroy them. About a million of +them were slain in continuous wars of persecution. Seven thousand were +slaughtered in a church at one time. A judge in Spain had 10,000 of them +burned alive and imprisoned 97,000 who perished enduring the most +frightful tortures. But in spite of fire and sword they could not be +extirpated, and exist unto this day. Removed from the markets of the +world, and distant from the great highways, the descendants of the +Waldensians live in the unapproachable mountain glens of Savoy and +Piedmont. + +2. JOHN WYCLIF. John Wyclif was Doctor and Professor of Theology at the +University of Oxford. He directed his attacks chiefly against monkery, +and unsparingly denounced the idling, the begging, and the perversion of +religion by the monks. They therefore entered complaint against him with +the Archbishop, and Wyclif was deposed from his chair at the university. +From now on he testified even more decidedly against the errors and +abuses of popery. He maintained: "The Roman church is not superior to +the other churches; Peter had no preeminence over the other apostles, +and the Pope, as far as his power to forgive sins is concerned, is but +the equal of every other pastor." He spoke very emphatically against +indulgence, against the adoration of relics, and reproved the popular +errors by which the poor souls were deceived. Wyclif was now denounced +as a heretic at the court of the Pope, but his eloquent and masterful +defense at the trial procured his release. He translated the Bible into +English and taught pious men to preach the Gospel to the people. He died +in 1384 at Lutterworth, where he had been pastor. His numerous writings +were spread by his followers throughout all Europe, and especially +Bohemia, where they bore rich fruit. But the hatred against Wyclif did +not cease with his death. In compliance with an order of the Council of +Constance, where his doctrines were condemned, his bones were exhumed, +burned, and the ashes thrown into the river. + +[Illustration: John Huss.] + +3. JOHN HUSS. Huss was born in 1369 at Hussinecz, in Bohemia. Through +reading the Holy Scriptures and the writings of Wyclif he came to a +knowledge of the truth and boldly lifted his voice against the errors +and abuses prevalent in the church. He preached against indulgences, +purgatory, and the ungodly life of the priests. Thereby he became an +object of hatred to the Pope. He was soon excommunicated by the Pope, +and when he continued to preach in Prague, where he was pastor, and was +supported by that city, it was also placed under the ban. The churches +were closed, the bells were silent, the dead were denied Christian +burial, Baptisms and marriages could only be performed in the +graveyards. + +Huss was cited to appear at the council to be held at Constance. +Although Emperor Sigismund promised him safe-conduct, nevertheless Huss +undertook the journey to Constance foreboding no good. And indeed, in +spite of the safe-conduct, he was taken and thrown into a foul prison +immediately upon his arrival. When Sigismund expressed his disapproval +the monks told him that faith need not be kept with a heretic. Huss +defended himself before the council with great steadfastness, and as he +would not recant he was condemned to die at the stake. He was deposed +from the priesthood and made an object of ridicule and scorn. On his +head was placed a paper cap painted with numerous devils who were +tormenting a poor sinner. He was led out to execution, and on the way +frequently called upon the Savior for mercy. He was then chained to an +upright pole, and hay and straw, saturated with pitch, were piled about +him. Once more he was tempted to recant and thus to save his life. But +Huss remained faithful. Now the flames surrounded him. The smoke curled +above him. "Christ, Thou Lamb of God, have mercy upon me!" the faithful +witness sang twice with a loud and clear voice. But when he began the +third verse, he was overcome by smoke and flames and gave up the ghost. +It is reported that while at the stake he prophesied: "To-day you are +roasting a goose, but after a hundred years a swan will come, which ye +will not roast." + +4. JEROME SAVONAROLA. In Italy a man arose who was to startle the proud +Pope and his priests out of their security. This was Jerome Savonarola. +The misery and the corruption in the church had driven him into the +cloister. Through the Word of God he learned the truth, and then +publicly denounced the depravity of his time. He was an eloquent and +passionate preacher. He cried out: "Before long the sword of the Lord +will come over Italy and over all the earth, and then the church will be +renewed!" The Pope of that time lived in the grossest vices. Rome was +the hotbed of all sins and crimes. Savonarola complained: "The poison is +heaped up at Rome to such an extent that it infects France, and Germany, +and all the world. Things have come to such a pass that we must warn +everyone against Rome. Rome has perverted the whole of Scriptures!" + +By the Pope he was anathematized, and by the temporal court condemned to +die at the stake. With two of his companions he was to be hanged on the +gallows, and then their corpses were to be burned. Savonarola +entertained the sure hope that judgment would come upon Rome, and the +Lord would renew the corrupt church. He said: "Rome will not be able to +quench this fire, and if it is quenched God will light another; aye, it +is kindled already in many places, but they do not know it. Before long +the desolation and idolatry of the Roman Pope will be reproved, and a +teacher will be born whom no one can resist." On Ascension Day, May 23, +1498, with cheerful resignation, he met death at the hand of the +hangman. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Luther's Childhood. + + +1. LUTHER IN THE HOUSE OF HIS PARENTS. When Savonarola breathed his last +in the Market Place at Florence, God had already chosen His servant who +was to destroy the tyranny of the Pope. The swan, prophesied by Huss, +appeared. For on November 10, 1483, a son had been born to poor peasants +in Eisleben, at the foot of the Hartz Mountains. Already on the +following day he was baptized, and received the name Martin, in honor of +the saint to whom this day was sacred. His parents were Hans and +Margaret Luther. They came from the village Moehra, having emigrated to +Eisleben. When Martin was six months old they moved to the neighboring +town Mansfeld, where his father hoped to support his family by working +in the mines. Luther said of his ancestors: "I am the son of a peasant; +my father, my grandfather, and my great-grandfather were all industrious +peasants. Later on my father moved to Mansfeld, where he worked in the +mines." Again he said: "My parents, at first, were very poor. My father +was a poor miner, and my mother often carried the wood upon her back in +order to raise us children. They endured many hardships for our sake." + +The child was a great joy to its parents, and they loved it dearly. The +father would often step to the cradle and pray loud and fervently that +God would grant grace to his son that, mindful of his name, he might +become a true Luther and live a pure and sincere life. From earliest +childhood both parents trained their boy to fear God and love all that +is good. Parental discipline, however, was most severe, and tended to +make Luther a very timid child. In later years he said: "My father once +chastised me so severely that I fled from him and avoided him until he +won me to himself again." And of his mother he said: "For the sake of an +insignificant nut my mother once whipped me till the blood came. But +their intentions were the best." Luther at all times gratefully +acknowledged this. + +2. LUTHER AT SCHOOL. Little Martin was not yet five years of age when, +followed by the prayers of his parents, he was brought to the school at +Mansfeld. This school was situated upon a hillside, in the upper part of +the city, and quite a distance from the boy's home. In inclement +weather, when the road was bad, he was often carried there by his father +or by Nicolas Oemler. Here he zealously learned the Ten Commandments, +the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer; he was also instructed in reading, +writing, and the principles of Latin grammar. The school even surpassed +his home in the severity of its discipline. The schoolmaster was one of +those incapable men that treated his children as hangmen and bailiffs +treat their prisoners. In one forenoon Luther received fifteen +whippings. Such tyrannical treatment filled him and his fellow pupils +with fear and timidity. + +The religious instruction which he received also served to intimidate +and terrify him. He scarcely learned more than popish superstition and +idolatry. True, at Christmas time the church sang: "A Child so fair is +born for us to-day," but instead of the glad tidings: "Unto you is born +this day in the city of David a Savior," hell-fire was preached in the +school. Luther says: "From youth I was trained to turn pale at the very +mention of Christ's name, for I was instructed to regard Him as a severe +and angry judge. We were all taught that we had to atone for our own +sins, and because we could not do this we were directed to the saints in +heaven and advised to invoke dear Mother Mary to pacify the wrath of +Christ and obtain mercy for us." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Luther's Student Days. + + +1. LUTHER IN MAGDEBURG. When Luther was fourteen years of age he bade +farewell to his parents and home and, with his friend Hans Reinecke, +went to Magdeburg; for his father wished to give him a thorough +education. Having received no spending money from home, they were forced +to live upon the alms gathered on the way from charitable hands. In +Magdeburg Luther attended the high school, a noted school of that day. +But here, as everywhere, the false doctrines of popery prevailed, and +the sweet comfort of the Gospel was not preached. The poor pupils were +directed to perform such works and penances as the Roman church +considered meritorious. Luther relates the following incident as +illustrating the monastic sanctity of those days: "With these my eyes I +saw a Prince of Anhalt in a friar's cowl begging for bread in the +streets, and bending under the sack like an ass. He looked like a +specter, nothing but skin and bones. Whoever saw him smacked with +devotion and had to be ashamed with his secular calling."--In bodily +things also little Martin had to endure much hardship. It is true, lodge +and shelter were supplied by the city, and the instruction, given by the +monks, was free of charge, but the pupils themselves had to provide +their support. Because of his father's poverty Luther received but +little assistance from home and was compelled to sing for his daily +bread at the doors of the citizens. He relates the following story of +his experiences at that time: "During the Christmas holidays we made +excursions into the neighboring villages and sang at the doors the +Christmas carols in four parts in order to obtain our living. At one +time a peasant came out of his house and called to us in a rough tone of +voice, 'Boys, where are you?' This so terrified us that we scattered in +all directions. We were so frightened that we did not notice the sausage +in his hand, and it required no little coaxing to recall us." + +While at Magdeburg Luther was taken sick with a violent and distressing +fever. Although he suffered great thirst he was forbidden to drink +water. But on a certain Friday, when all had gone to church, his thirst +became so unendurable that he crept upon his hands and knees into the +kitchen, seized a vessel filled with fresh water, and drank it with +great relish. Then he dragged himself back to his bed, went soundly to +sleep, and when he awoke the fever was gone.--Lack of support forced him +to leave Magdeburg at the end of the year. + +2. LUTHER IN EISENACH. After a short stay under the parental roof Luther +complied with the wish of his parents and attended the high school at +Eisenach. His mother had many relatives there, and hoped that they would +do something for poor Martin. But these hopes were disappointed, and, +therefore, at Eisenach also he lived in great poverty. Again he had to +gain his daily bread by singing and saying prayers before the houses. +The gifts so received were called particles, that is, crumbs. In +after-years Luther said: "I have also been such a beggar of 'particles,' +taking my bread at the doors, especially in Eisenach, my beloved city." +At times, however, his poverty so depressed him that he determined to +return to his parents and help his father in the mines. But at last God +graciously provided for him. For some time already his earnest singing +and praying had won for him the heart of a pious matron, Frau Cotta. One +day, therefore, when, together with other scholars, he was again singing +at her door she took him into her house and gave him a place at her +table. Thus by God's wonderful providence he was relieved of this care +for his daily bread and could now joyfully devote himself entirely to +his studies. Luther never forgot his benefactress, Mrs. Cotta, and in +later years, when her son studied at Wittenberg, he received him into +his house. + +[Illustration: Frau Cotta Taking Luther into Her Home.] + +Luther delighted in attending the Latin school at Eisenach. He was +especially fond of the principal of the school, John Trebonius, who +treated his scholars with the greatest love and consideration. Upon +entering the schoolroom he would remove his academical cap, and did not +replace it till he had taken his seat at the desk. To the other teachers +he said, "Among these young pupils sit some of whom God may make our +future mayors, chancellors, learned doctors, and rulers. Although you do +not know them now, it is proper that you should honor them." Luther +outranked all his fellow pupils, and when, at one time, the celebrated +Professor Trutvetter of Erfurt visited Eisenach Luther, being the most +fluent Latin orator of the school, was called upon to deliver the +address of welcome. After the reception Trutvetter said to Trebonius, +"Sir, you have a good school here. It is in excellent condition. Keep an +eye on that Luther. There is something in that boy. By all means, +prepare him for the university and send him to us at Erfurt." Thereupon +he patted Luther on the back and said, "My son, the Lord has bestowed +special gifts upon thee; use them faithfully in His service. When thou +art ready and wishest to come to us at Erfurt remember that thou hast a +good friend there, Doctor Jodocus Trutvetter. Appeal to him, he will +give thee a friendly reception." + +3. LUTHER IN ERFURT. At the expiration of four years Luther finished his +studies at Eisenach and, in 1501, seventeen years of age, he +matriculated at the celebrated university at Erfurt, where he found a +fatherly friend in Trutvetter. God had now so blessed his father's +persevering diligence and economy that Luther had to suffer no want at +Erfurt. In later years Luther said in praise of his father: "He +supported me at the University of Erfurt with great love and fidelity, +and by his arduous labor he helped me to attain my present position." +His father wished Martin to become a jurist, wherefore Luther zealously +devoted himself to the study of jurisprudence. Although he was naturally +of a wide-awake and cheerful disposition he, nevertheless, began his +studies every morning with fervent prayers and attendance at mass. His +motto was: Diligent prayer is the half of study. Here at Erfurt, in the +library, he found the book of all books, the Bible, which he had never +seen before. He was surprised to see that it contained more than the +Epistles and Gospels which were usually read at church. While turning +the leaves of the Old Testament he happened upon the story of Samuel and +Hannah. He read it hurriedly with great interest and joy, and wished +that God might some day give him such a book and make of him such a +pious Samuel. This wish was abundantly fulfilled--it is true, after +enduring manifold tribulations and trials. + +While at the university Luther was seized with a severe illness and he +thought he was about to die. An old priest came to see him and comforted +him with these words: "My dear bachelor, be of good cheer. You will not +die of this illness. God will yet make a great man of you, who will +comfort many people. For whom God loveth and whom He would make a +blessing to his fellow men, upon him He early lays the cross; for in the +school of affliction patient people learn much." Luther, however, soon +forgot this comfort. Not long after this, while on a journey to his home +with a companion, and not far from Erfurt, he accidentally ran his +rapier, which after the custom of the students hung at his side, into +his leg, severing the main artery. His friend hurried back to call a +physician. In the mean time Luther endeavored to stanch the flow of +blood lying on his back, compressing the wound. But the limb swelled +frightfully, and Luther, beset with mortal fear, cried out, "Mary, help +me!" In the following night the wound began to bleed afresh, and again +he called upon Mary only. Later in life he said: "At that time, I would +have died trusting in Mary." Not long after, death suddenly robbed him +of a good friend, and this also tended to increase his melancholy. In +such periods of depression he would often exclaim, "Oh, when wilt thou +become really pious and atone for thy sins, and obtain the grace of +God?" With increasing power he then heard a voice within him saying: +Over there rise the peaceful walls of the Augustinian cloister; they are +beckoning you and saying, Come to us! Here, separated from the noise of +the world, your trembling soul will find rest and peace. What was he to +do?--For the sake of recreation Luther, in 1505, paid a visit to his +parents. Upon his return, in the vicinity of Erfurt, a terrible storm +suddenly broke upon him. The lightning, followed by a fearful crash of +thunder, struck close beside him, and, overcome and stunned, he fell to +the ground, crying out, "Help, dear St. Ann, I will immediately become a +monk!" For it was only in this manner that he hoped to appease God and +to find peace and rest for his soul. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Luther in the Cloister. + + +1. ENTRANCE INTO THE CLOISTER. Luther erroneously felt himself bound in +conscience to keep his vow, and therefore, on July 15, 1505, once more +invited his intimate friends to meet him, in order to bid them farewell. +They passed the time with song and instrumental music. As Luther seemed +to be happy and in the best of spirits no one dreamed of what was +passing in his soul. But before his friends parted from him he informed +them of his intention. At first they thought he was joking, and laughed +at him. But when Luther once more solemnly declared, "To-day you see me, +and never again," they urgently besought him to give up his resolution. +All their endeavors, however, were in vain, Luther remained firm. On the +evening of the 17th of July, therefore, they weepingly escorted him to +the gate of the Augustinian cloister within whose dark walls Luther now +sought rest and peace for his soul. When his father was subsequently +asked to give his consent he became very indignant that his son had +entered the cloister. On a later occasion, when Hans Luther paid his son +a visit at Erfurt and those about him praised his present monastic +state, the father said: "God grant that it may not be a deception and +Satanic illusion. Why, have you not heard that parents should be obeyed, +and that nothing should be undertaken without their knowledge and +advice?" After some time, however, he was somewhat pacified by his +friends and said, "Let it pass; God grant that good may come of it." + +[Illustration: Luther Entering the Cloister.] + +2. DISAPPOINTMENTS IN THE CLOISTER. Luther was scrupulously exact in the +performance of every work and penance prescribed by the cloister. He +acted as doorkeeper, set the clock, swept the church, yes, he was even +compelled to remove the human filth. The greatest hardship for him, +however, was to travel the streets of the city with a bag, begging for +alms. The monks told him, "It is begging, not studying, that enriches +the cloister." And yet Luther found time for diligent study of the +Bible. He learned to know the page and exact place of every verse of +the Scriptures, and he even committed to memory many passages from the +prophets, although he did not understand them at that time. The prior of +the cloister, Dr. John Staupitz, came to love him, released him from +menial labors, and encouraged him to continue in the diligent study of +Holy Scriptures. Others thought different and said to Luther, "Why, +Brother Martin, what is the Bible! You ought to read the old fathers, +they have extracted the substance of truth from the Bible. The Bible +causes all disturbances." + +Thus Luther soon learned that the piety of most monks was nothing but +pretense. In later years he wrote: "The monks are a lazy, idle people. +The greatest vanity is found in the cloisters. They are servants of +their bellies, and filthy swine." But if others sought carnal lust in +the cloister Luther led a most rigid and holy life. In the simplicity of +his heart he sincerely worshiped the Pope. He regarded Huss as a +terrible heretic, and he considered the very thought of him a great sin. +And yet he could not resist the temptation to read this heretic's +sermons. He confessed: "I really found so much in them that I was filled +with consternation at the thought that such a man had been burned at the +stake who could quote the Scriptures with so much faith and power. But +because his name was held in such horrible execration I closed the book +and went away with a wounded heart." + +In 1507 Luther was ordained to the priesthood, which made him very +happy, for he supposed that now, as a priest, he could please God with +greater and more glorious works. So thoroughly was Luther enslaved in +the bondage of popery. Who could break these fetters? By his own works +Luther endeavored to gain the grace of God. Day and night he tortured +and tormented himself with fasting and prayers, with singing and +studying, hard bedding, freezing, and vigils, with groanings and +weepings. He wanted to take heaven by storm. He could afterward +truthfully say: "It is true, I was a pious monk, and if ever a monk +could have gained heaven by his monkery I would have gained it. If it +had lasted any longer I would have tortured myself to death with vigils, +prayers, reading, and other works." The peace of his soul, however, +which he had not found in the world he found just as little in the +cloister with all his works. Later on he describes his condition at that +time in the following words: "Hangman and devil were in our hearts, and +nothing but fear, trembling, horror, and disquiet tortured us day and +night." + +3. LUTHER FINDS COMFORT. Staupitz one day found Luther in great distress +of spirit and said to him, "Ah, you do not know how salutary and +necessary such trials are for you; without them nothing good would +become of you. For God does not send them to you in vain. You will see +that He will use you for great things." At another time Luther +complained, "O my sin, my sin, my sin!" when Staupitz told him, "Christ +is the forgiveness for REAL sins. He is a _real_ Savior and you are a +_real_ sinner. God has sent His own Son and delivered Him up for us." +When, because of great anxiety for his sins, he became sick, an old +friar comforted him with these words, "I believe in the forgiveness of +sin," and explained these words to mean: "It is not enough that you +believe God forgives sins in general, for the devils also believe that. +You must believe that your sins, your sins, your sins are forgiven. For +man is justified by grace through faith." So, even at that time, a ray +of light fell into Luther's soul benighted with the darkness of popery, +and from this time on his favorite passage remained Romans 3, 28: +"Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith without the +deeds of the Law." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +Luther as Teacher. + + +1. LUTHER CALLED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WITTENBERG. After three years +spent in this cloister Luther was called upon the stage where his battle +with popery was to be fought. In 1502 Elector Frederick of Saxony had +founded the University of Wittenberg. He charged Staupitz with the +selection of learned and able men for this school. One of those +recommended for his learning and piety was the well-known Augustinian +monk Luther, who now became professor at Wittenberg. As Staupitz urged +him to remove at once to Wittenberg, Luther did not even find time to +bid farewell to his friends at Erfurt. Moving caused him little trouble, +for a begging friar has few possessions. And thus, on an autumn day of +the year 1508, we see the pale and emaciated form of the 25 year old +monk traveling the road from Erfurt and entering Wittenberg by the +wooden bridge. He hurried through the long street to the Augustinian +cloister, where he found shelter and lodging. + +[Illustration: Elector Frederick the Wise.] + +2. LUTHER AS PROFESSOR AND PREACHER. In obedience to his superiors +Luther at first lectured on philosophy although he would have preferred +to teach theology. And this wish of his heart was soon granted. Already +in 1509 he received permission to expound the Scriptures to the +students. With joyful devotion he gave himself up to the study of the +Bible and diligently searched for the ground of salvation. And, indeed, +he very soon created such a sensation that Dr. Mellrichstadt exclaimed, +"That monk will confound all the doctors, and introduce a new doctrine, +and reform the whole Roman church, for he devotes himself to the +writings of the prophets and apostles, and stands upon the Word of Jesus +Christ." Thus God had led Luther to the Scriptures, and he made them his +guiding star. He felt that they alone could give him what he sought: +truth and peace. Staupitz also tried to persuade him to preach, but +Luther at first lacked courage. Finally, however, he consented and +preached the Word of Christ in the little chapel of the cloister. Its +appearance was very similar to the pictures which the artists paint of +the stable at Bethlehem in which Christ was born. In such a poor, little +church that man began to preach who was to thrill countless souls and +point the way to true peace. Very soon citizens and students gathered in +such numbers to hear him that the church could not hold them. He was +then called to the large parish church of Wittenberg, whose doors were +now thrown open to him. Here he had abundant opportunity to preach the +Word of Life in his powerful sermons to many thousands of hearers. + +3. LUTHER IN ROME. By the study of the Bible and diligent preparation +for his sermons Luther steadily grew in the knowledge of divine truth, +and yet he was firmly held in the bondage of popery. He still considered +the Pope the viceregent of Christ upon earth. When he was therefore +directed to visit Rome in the interest of his order it filled his heart +with greatest joy. For he hoped by this visit to the holy (?) city to +find rest and comfort for his conscience. He had to make the journey on +foot, and he took the pilgrim staff in hand, and together with a +companion started out for Rome. They had no need of money, for shelter +and lodging they found in the cloisters by the way. But Luther did not +enjoy the journey, for the words kept ringing in his ears: "The just +shall live by his faith." After a long journey through beautiful +landscapes the way finally wound about a hillock, and before the eyes of +the German monks lay the Roman plain where, on the banks of the Tiber, +appeared the resplendent houses, churches, and fortresses of the city of +Rome. How his heart must have leaped when, in the radiant glow of the +evening sun, the city lay before him! He prostrated himself upon the +ground, lifted his hands, and exclaimed, "Hail, holy Rome! Thrice holy +because of the martyrs' blood that was shed in thee!"--In Rome Luther +devoutly sought to satisfy the cravings of his heart. With what +sincerity he went about this we see from his own words: "In Rome I was +also such a crazy saint. I ran through all churches and caverns, and +believed every stinking lie that had been fabricated there. I even +regretted at the time that my father and mother were still living, for I +would have been so glad to have redeemed them from purgatory with my +masses and other precious works and prayers." How revolting it must have +been for him to see the priests read mass with such levity and get +through hurry-skurry (_rips-raps_), as if they were giving a puppet +show! Luther relates: "Before I reached the Gospel the priest beside me +had finished his mass and called to me, 'Hurry up! Come away! Give the +child back to its mother!'" So it happened that his faith in Rome began +to waver more and more, and God again and again led him there where true +comfort can be found. The following is an example. On the Place of St. +John's there was a flight of stairs, called Pilate's Staircase, which +was said to be the same on which our Savior went up and down before the +palace of Pontius Pilate at Jerusalem. Now, while Luther was crawling up +these steps, hoping in this way to reconcile God and atone for his sins, +it seemed to him as if a voice of thunder was crying in his ears, "The +just shall live by his faith!" Thus this passage more and more became +the light which revealed to him the true way to heaven. This was his +opinion of the so-called Holy City: "No one believes what villainy and +outrageous sins and vices are practiced at Rome. You can convince no one +that such great abominations occur there, if he has not seen and heard +and experienced it himself." Thus Luther learned to know popery itself +in Rome, and was, therefore, the better qualified to testify against it +later on. He said: "I would not for a thousand florins have missed +seeing Rome, for then I would always fear that I were wronging the Pope +and doing him an injustice; but now we speak that which we have seen." + +4. LUTHER IS MADE DOCTOR OF DIVINITY. After his return to Wittenberg +Luther took up his work with renewed diligence. One day, while sitting +with Staupitz under the great pear tree in the cloister garden, his +superior took his hand and said, "Brother Martin, I and all the brethren +have concluded that you ought to become Doctor of Divinity." Luther was +frightened and excused himself because of his youth, his need of further +study, and, also, because of his weak and sickly body, and begged him to +select a man more qualified than he was. But when his paternal friend +continued to persuade him, he said, "Doctor Staupitz, you will take my +life; I will not stand it three months." To this prophecy of approaching +death Staupitz playfully remarked, "In God's name! Our Lord has +important business on hand; He needs able men also in heaven. Now, if +you die you must be His councilor up there." Finally, Luther submitted +to the will of his superior and, on the 18th of October, 1512, Dr. +Carlstadt with great solemnity bestowed upon him the degree of Doctor of +Divinity. How important this was Luther himself points out when he says: +"I, Doctor Martin, have been called and forced to become a doctor +without my choice, purely from obedience. I had to accept the degree of +doctor _and to swear and vow allegiance to my beloved Holy Bible, to +preach it faithfully and purely_." Luther, later on, often comforted +himself with this vow, when the devil and the world sought to terrify +him because he had created such a disturbance in Christendom. + +Luther now devoted himself entirely to the study of the whole Bible, and +by the power of the Holy Spirit he soon learned to distinguish between +the Law and the Gospel. And it was only now that he clearly and fully +understood the passage: "The just shall live by his faith." With great +power he now confuted the error that man could merit forgiveness of sins +by his own good works, and be justified before God by his own piety and +civil righteousness. On the contrary, he clearly and pointedly showed +that our sins are forgiven without any merit of our own, for Christ's +sake only, and that we accept this gift by faith alone. He proved that +Scriptures alone can teach us to believe right, to live a Christian +life, and to die a blessed death. Thus the light of the Gospel grew +brighter and brighter in Wittenberg, and, after the long night and +darkness, the eyes of many were opened. The beautiful close of a letter +which Luther wrote in 1516 to an Augustinian monk is a proof of the +clear knowledge, which he already had at that time, of eternal and +saving truth. It reads: "My dear brother, learn to know Christ, the +Crucified; learn to sing to Him; and, despairing of thyself, say, 'Thou, +Lord Jesus Christ, art my righteousness, but I am Thy sin. Thou hast +taken upon Thyself what is mine, and hast given me what is Thine.' +Meditate devoutly upon this love of His, and thou wilt draw from it the +sweetest comfort. For if we could gain peace of conscience by our own +works and sufferings, why did He die? Therefore thou wilt find peace in +no other way but by confidently despairing of thyself and thy works, and +trusting in Him." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +Luther the Reformer. + + +[Illustration: John Tetzel Selling Indulgences.] + +1. PAPAL INDULGENCES. At that time the papal chair was occupied by Leo +X. What this Pope believed we may gather from his words addressed to one +of his bishops. He exclaimed, "What an immense sum have we made out of +this fable about Christ!" Luther relates this of him: "He would amuse +himself by having two clowns dispute before his table on the immortality +of the soul. The one took the positive, the other the negative side of +this question. The Pope said to him who defended the proposition, +'Although you have adduced good reasons and arguments, yet I agree with +him who is of the opinion that we die like the beasts; for your doctrine +makes us melancholy and sad, but his gives us peace of mind!'" In order +to raise the necessary funds for his pleasures and dissipations he +published a general indulgence, pretending that he needed money to +complete the building of St. Peter's at Rome. He commissioned Archbishop +Albert of Mayence to sell these indulgences in Germany. This dignitary +was also excessively fond of the pomp and pleasures of life. He was to +receive one-half the receipts of these indulgences. Albert, again, +engaged monks who were to travel about Germany and sell the papal +pardons. + +Chief among these pardon peddlers was John Tetzel. He was a most +impudent fellow who, because of his adulterous life, had at one time +been condemned to be drowned in a sack. For his services he received 80 +florins, together with traveling expenses for himself and his servants, +and provender for three horses. These papal indulgences were held in +high esteem by the people, wherefore Tetzel was everywhere given a +pompous reception. Whenever he entered a town the papal bull was carried +before him upon a gilded cloth. All the priests, monks, councilmen, +schoolteachers, scholars, men, and women went out in procession with +candles, flags, and songs to meet him. The bells were tolled, the organs +sounded, and Tetzel was accompanied into the church, where a red cross +was erected bearing the Pope's coat of arms. In short, God Himself could +not have been given a grander reception. Once in church, Tetzel +eloquently extolled the miraculous power of the papal indulgences. He +preached: "Whoever buys a pardon receives not only the forgiveness of +his sins, but shall also escape all punishment in this life and in +purgatory." The forgiveness for sacrilege and perjury was sold for 9 +ducats, adultery and witchcraft cost two. In St. Annaberg he promised +the poor miners, if they would freely buy his indulgence the mountains +round about the city would become pure silver. The Pope, he claimed, had +more power than all the apostles and saints, even more than the Virgin +Mary herself; for all of these were under Christ, while the Pope was +equal to Christ. The red cross with the papal arms erected in church was +declared to be as saving as the cross of Christ. Tetzel claimed to have +saved more souls with his indulgences than Peter with his sermons. He +had a little rhyme which ran: "As soon as the money rings in my chest, +From purgatory the soul finds rest." Furthermore, he proclaimed that the +grace offered by indulgences is the same grace by which man is +reconciled with God. According to his teaching contrition, sorrow, or +repentance for sin were unnecessary if his indulgences were bought. + +2. CONSEQUENCES OF THIS PARDON-MONGERY. After Tetzel had carried on his +godless traffic at many places he also came to Jueterbock, in the +vicinity of Wittenberg. Thither the people hurried from the whole +neighborhood, and even from Wittenberg they came in crowds to buy +indulgences. Luther relates: "At that time I was preacher here in the +cloister, a young doctor, full of fire and handy at the Scriptures. Now, +when great multitudes ran from Wittenberg to buy indulgences at +Jueterbock and Zerbst, I began to preach very moderately that something +better could be done than buying indulgences; that he who repents +receives forgiveness of sins, gained by Christ's own sacrifice and +blood, and offered from pure grace, without money, and sold for +nothing." And when some of Luther's parishioners stubbornly declared +that they would not desist from usury, adultery, and other sins, nor +promise sincere repentance and improvement, he refused to absolve them. +When they appealed to the indulgences which they had bought from Tetzel, +Luther answered them: "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," +Luke 13, 3. He now addressed an imploring petition to Albert of Mayence +and other bishops, to put a stop to Tetzel's blasphemous doings, but met +with no success. Tetzel himself threatened to accuse Luther of heresy, +and built a pile of fagots on which, he said, all those should be burned +who spoke against his indulgences. + +[Illustration: Luther Nailing His Ninety-five Theses to the Castle +Church of Wittenberg.] + +3. THE NINETY-FIVE THESES. It was on the 31st of October, 1517, when the +bells ringing from the steeple of the Castle Church at Wittenberg were +calling the multitude into the house of God. The crowds were gathering +in the long street, awaiting the beginning of the service which usually +preceded the festival of church dedication which occurred on All Saints' +Day. Suddenly a man hurriedly pressed through the waiting multitude; +lean and lank was his body, and pale his countenance, but his eyes +beamed with life and fire. He stepped up to the door of the Castle +Church, drew a paper from his dark monk's cowl, and with vigorous blows +of the hammer nailed it to the church door. At first his action was +noticed only by those standing near by. When, however, one of the +bystanders read the superscription which, translated into English, +reads: "Disputation concerning the power of indulgences. Out of love for +the truth and with a sincere desire to bring it to light, the following +propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, the Reverend Father Martin +Luther presiding. Those who cannot discuss the subject with us orally +may do so in writing. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!"--then +the cry was heard: "Up there! Read to us the tidings of the wonderful +document." + + SEVERAL OF THE THESES. + + 1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ in saying: "Repent ye," etc., + intended that the whole life of His believers should be repentance. + + 32. Those who believe that through letters of pardon they may be + sure of their salvation will go to hell, together with their + teachers. + + 36. Every Christian who truly repents of his sin has complete + remission of all pain and guilt, and it is his without any letters + of pardon. + + 37. Every true Christian, living or dead, partakes of all the + benefits of Christ and of the Church. God gives him this without + letters of pardon. + + 62. The true treasure of the Church is the holy Gospel of the glory + and grace of God. + +4. THE EFFECTS OF THE THESES. The action of the Augustinian monk created +everywhere the greatest excitement among the people. Luther's theses +spread with a rapidity truly marvelous for that time. In fourteen days +they had passed through all Germany, and in four weeks through all +Christendom. Verily, it seemed as if the angels themselves had been the +messengers. The theses were translated into other languages, and after +four years a pilgrim bought them in Jerusalem. Like distant rolling +thunder the mighty sentences echoed out into the lands and announced to +Rome the storm that was brewing in Germany against popery. Luther had no +idea that God had destined them to accomplish such great things. For +innumerable souls they were as the sun rising after a long and anxious +night. They rejoiced as we rejoice at the light of day; for they saw +that in the light of this doctrine they could attain to that peace with +God and with their conscience which they had sought in vain with painful +toiling in the commandments of the Roman church. In the name of these +souls old Doctor Fleck exclaimed, "Aha! He'll do it! He is come for whom +we have waited so long!" Another confessed, "The time has come when the +darkness in churches and schools will be dispelled." And another +exulted, "Praise God, now they have found a man who will give them so +much toil and trouble that they will let this poor man depart in peace." +But, of course, there were also timid souls who were filled with anxious +concern for Luther. The renowned Dr. Kranz, for instance, in Hamburg, +cried out, "Go to your cell, dear brother, and pray, 'Lord, have mercy +upon me!'" and an old Low-German clergyman said, "My dear Brother +Martin, if you can storm and annihilate purgatory and popish +huckstering, then you are indeed a great man!" But Luther, full of +joyous courage and faith, replied to all such timid souls, "Dear +fathers, if the work is not begun in God's name, it will soon come to +naught; but if it is begun in His name let Him take care of it." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +Luther the Mighty Warrior. + + +[Illustration: Luther Before Cajetan.] + +1. LUTHER BEFORE CAJETAN IN AUGSBURG. Pope Leo X at first treated the +affair with contempt, thinking that the quarrel would soon die out. He +once said, "Brother Martin has a fine head, and the whole dispute is +nothing else than an envious quarrel of the monks." At another time he +said, "A drunken German has written these theses; when he sobers up he +will think differently of the matter." But when he noticed that his +authority was endangered, because many pious souls became attached to +the true doctrine, he summoned Luther to appear within sixty days in +Rome, and give an account of his heresy. If Luther had obeyed, he would +hardly have escaped death or the dungeon, for everyone knew that Rome +was like the lion's cave into which many prints of feet entered, but +from which none returned. But under the merciful guidance of God Elector +Frederick the Wise so arranged matters that Luther's case was tried in +Germany. For this purpose the Pope sent Cardinal Cajetan to Augsburg, +and in spite of all warnings Luther also boldly repaired to that city. +In Weimar a monk said to him. "O my dear Doctor, I fear that you will +not be able to maintain your case before them, and they will burn you at +the stake." Luther answered, "They may do it with nettles; but fire is +too hot!" When Luther finally arrived in Augsburg, weary and worn, he +would have called upon the cardinal immediately, but to this his friends +were opposed; they endeavored to obtain for him, first of all, +safe-conduct from the emperor. But three days passed before he received +it. In the meantime the servants of the cardinal came and said, "The +cardinal offers you every favor. What do you fear? He is a very kind +father." But another whispered in his ear, "Don't believe it, he never +keeps his promise." The third day an emissary, by the name of Urban, +came to Luther and asked him why he did not come to the cardinal who was +waiting for him so graciously. Luther told him that he was following the +advice of upright men who were all of the opinion that he should not go +there without the imperial safe-conduct. Evidently vexed at this reply, +Urban asked, "Do you think that the elector will go to war on your +account?" Luther answered, "I do not ask that at all." Urban: "Where do +you intend to stay then?" Luther: "Beneath the heavens!" Urban: "What +would you do if you had the Pope and the cardinals in your power?" +Luther: "I would show them every mark of respect!" When the safe-conduct +finally arrived Luther at once repaired to the cardinal, who abruptly +demanded that he recant his errors. But Luther declared, "I cannot +recant, I cannot depart from the Scriptures." After lengthy negotiations +Cajetan sprang up in anger and said, "Go, and let me not see you again, +unless you recant!" To Luther's friends the cardinal said, "I do not +wish to dispute with that beast any more, for he has deep eyes and +strange ideas in his head." Luther, however, wrote to Wittenberg: "The +cardinal is a poor theologian or Christian, and as apt at divinity as an +ass is at music." On the 31st of October Luther returned safely to +Wittenberg. + +2. LUTHER BEFORE MILTITZ. Rome would now have preferred to excommunicate +Luther, but for good reasons it did not wish to offend the elector, who +was determined not to allow his professor to be condemned without proper +trial and refutation. The Pope therefore sent his chamberlain Karl von +Miltitz to the elector to present to him a consecrated golden rose. By +this means the elector was to be made willing to assist Miltitz in his +undertaking. But when the latter arrived in Germany he noticed at once +that he would have to deal kindly with Luther if he wished to retain the +good will of the people. At the meeting which occurred 1519 in +Altenburg, Miltitz, therefore, treated Luther with the greatest +consideration: "Dear Martin, I thought you were an old doctor who sat +behind the stove full of crotchety notions. But I see that you are a +young and vigorous man. Besides, you have a large following, for on my +journey I made inquiries to discover what the people thought of you, and +I noticed so much that where there is one on the Pope's side there are +three on yours against the Pope. If I had an army of 25,000 men I would +not undertake to carry you out of Germany!" With tears he begged Luther +to help in restoring peace. Luther consented to drop the controversy if +his opponents would do the same. After supping together they parted on +the best of terms, Miltitz even embracing and kissing Luther. Later on +Luther saw through the deceit of the Roman and called his kiss a Judas +kiss and his tears crocodile tears; for it was only his fear of Luther's +following that prevented him from executing his original plan of +carrying Luther to Rome in chains. + +3. LUTHER AND DR. ECK IN LEIPZIG. Dr. Eck, a violent opponent of Luther, +became involved in a dispute with Dr. Carlstadt on several questions of +Christian doctrine into which Luther was also drawn. In 1519 these three +men gathered at Leipzig for a public disputation. At first Eck disputed +with Carlstadt on "Free Will," and then with Luther on the supremacy of +the Pope. Luther proved that the church indeed needed a supreme head, +but that Christ is this head, and not the Pope, and that the power which +the Pope arrogates to himself conflicts with the Scriptures and the +history of the first three centuries. As Eck could not maintain his +position he accused Luther of Hussite heresy. When Luther replied, "My +dear Doctor, not all of Huss' teachings are heretical," Eck flew into a +passion, and Duke George cried out, "The plague take it!" Then they +debated the question of purgatory, of indulgences, of penances, and the +allied doctrines. On the 16th of June they closed the debate, and Luther +returned joyfully to Wittenberg. Eck, who had flattered himself that he +would triumph over Luther, had to leave in disgrace. + +[Illustration: Luther Burning the Pope's Bull.] + +4. THE BULL OF EXCOMMUNICATION. Soon hereafter Eck journeyed to Rome and +persuaded the Pope to threaten Luther with excommunication. And indeed! +in 1520 the papal bull appeared which began: "Arise, O Lord, judge Thy +cause, for a boar has broken into Thy vineyard, a wild beast is +destroying it." Luther's doctrine was condemned, and his books were to +be burned that his memory might perish among Christians. He himself was +commanded to recant within sixty days, on pain of excommunication as a +heretic. As a dried limb is cut from the trunk of the tree they +threatened to cut Luther from the body of Christ. Triumphantly Dr. Eck +carried the bull about in Germany. In Erfurt the students tore it to +pieces and threw it into the water, saying, "It is a _bulla_ (bubble), +so let it swim upon the water." Luther wrote a pamphlet: "Against the +Bull of the Antichrist," and had it distributed broadcast among the +people. In it he said: "If the Pope does not retract and condemn this +bull, and punish Dr. Eck besides, then no one is to doubt that the Pope +is God's enemy, Christ's persecutor, Christendom's destroyer, and the +true Antichrist." He wrote to a friend: "I am much more courageous now, +since I know that the Pope has become manifest as the Antichrist and +the chair of Satan." + +And now when Luther even learned that in accordance with this bull his +writings had been burned in Louvaine, Cologne, and also in Mayence, his +purpose was fixed. On the 10th of December he had the following +announcement published on the blackboard in Wittenberg: "Let him who is +filled with zeal for evangelical truth appear at nine o'clock before the +Church of the Holy Cross without the walls of the city. There the +ungodly books of the papal statutes will be burned, because the enemies +of the Gospel have dared to burn the evangelical books of Dr. Martin +Luther." When the students read this notice they gathered in crowds in +the streets and marched out through the Elster Gate, followed by many +citizens. At nine o'clock Luther appeared in company with many +professors and scholars, who were carrying books and pamphlets. A pile +of fagots was erected. Luther with his own hand laid upon it the papal +books, and one of the masters set fire to the pile. When the flames +leaped up Luther's firm hand threw in the papal bull, and he cried, +"Since thou hast offended the Holy One of God, may everlasting fire +consume thee!" On the next day he said to his audience: "If with your +whole heart you do not renounce the kingdom of the Pope you cannot be +saved." In a pamphlet he pointed out the reasons which induced him to +take this step, and at the same time he called attention to the impious +statutes contained in the popish jurisprudence. Some of these read: "The +Pope and his associates are not bound to obey God's commandments. Even +if the Pope were so wicked as to lead innumerable men to hell, yet no +one would have the right to reprove him."--On the third of January, +1521, another bull appeared in which the Pope excommunicated Luther and +his adherents, whom he called "Lutherans," and issued the interdict +against, every place where they resided. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +Luther the Staunch Confessor. + + +1. LUTHER CITED TO APPEAR AT THE DIET AT WORMS. In 1521 Charles V held +his first diet at Worms. Among other matters Luther's case was also to +be discussed. The elector therefore asked Luther whether he were willing +to appear at the diet. Luther answered: "If I am called, I shall, as far +as I am concerned, go there sick if I cannot go there well, for I dare +not doubt that God calls me when my emperor calls. You may expect +everything of me save flight or recantation: I will not flee, much less +will I recant. May the Lord Jesus help me!" On the 26th of March the +imperial herald, Caspar Sturm, who was to act as Luther's safe-conduct, +arrived in Wittenberg and delivered to him the emperor's citation +according to which Luther was to appear at the diet within twenty-one +days. Friends reminded Luther of the danger awaiting him, fearing that +he would be burned like Huss. But Luther replied: "And if my enemies +kindle a fire between Wittenberg and Worms reaching up to heaven, yet +will I appear in the name of the Lord, step into the very mouth and +between the great teeth of the devil, confess Christ, and let Him have +full sway." Upon the journey Luther became dangerously ill; his enemies +also tried to keep him away from Worms. But filled with faith and +courage, he declared: "Christ liveth! Therefore we will enter Worms in +spite of the gates of hell, and in defiance of the Prince of the power +of the air" (Eph. 2, 2). And when even his friend Spalatin begged him +not to go to Worms Luther answered: "If there were as many devils in +Worms as there are tiles upon the roofs, yet I would enter it." + +[Illustration: Luther's Entrance into Worms.] + +2. LUTHER'S ENTRANCE INTO WORMS. On the 16th of April, 1521, the +watchman upon the cathedral spire at Worms gave the trumpet signal, +announcing the approach of a cavalcade. At its head rode the herald +wearing the imperial eagle on his breast. Luther, dressed in his monk's +cowl, followed in an open wagon surrounded by a great number of stately +horsemen, some of whom had joined him on the way, while others had gone +from Worms to meet him. A surging mass of people gathered and pressed +about the wagon. In boundless joy men and women, old and young cheered +him, and blessed the day on which they had been permitted to see the man +who had dared to break the fetters of the Pope, and to deliver poor +Christianity from his bondage. On stepping from his wagon at his lodging +place Luther said, "God will be with me!" On the same day Luther +received many of the counts and lords that waited upon him late into the +night. The Landgrave of Hessia also came to see him. Upon leaving this +nobleman shook his hand and said, "If you are in the right, Doctor, may +God help you!" The partisans of the Pope pressed the emperor to do away +with Luther and have him executed like Huss. But Charles said, "A man +must keep his promise." Luther spent the night in prayer to strengthen +himself for the ordeal of appearing before the emperor and the assembled +diet. + +3. LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET. Early the next morning the marshal of the +empire came to Luther and delivered to him the imperial order to appear +before the diet at four o'clock that afternoon. The decisive hour was +drawing nigh in which this faithful witness of Jesus Christ was to stand +before the great and mighty of this earth, to profess a good profession +before many witnesses. At the time specified Luther was escorted into +the council chamber. Immense crowds had gathered in the streets. Many of +them had even climbed on the roofs, in order to see the monk, who, +therefore, was forced to take his way through hidden paths, gardens, and +sheds, in order to reach the assembly. When entering the hallway the +celebrated old General George von Frundsberg patted him on the shoulder +and said, "Monk, monk! you are now upon a road the like of which I and +many another captain have never gone in our most desperate encounters; +but if you are sincere and sure of your cause go on in the name of God +and be of good cheer. God will not forsake you." Then the door was +opened, and Luther stood before the mighty of this earth. Perhaps never +before had there been such a numerous and august assembly. The council +chamber was crowded, and about 5000 people had gathered in the +vestibules, upon the stairways, and at the windows. + +[Illustration: Luther Before the Emperor and the Diet.] + +The first question put to Luther was, whether he acknowledged the books +lying upon the bench to be his own, and whether he would retract their +contents, or abide by their teachings. Luther could not be prepared to +answer this question, for the imperial citation had only mentioned a +desire to be informed as to his doctrine and books. After Luther had +examined the title of all of the books he answered the first question in +the affirmative. As to the second question, however, whether he would +recant, he declared that he could not answer this at once, since it was +a matter that concerned faith, salvation, and the Word of God, the +greatest treasure in heaven and on earth, on which he must be careful +not to speak unadvisedly. He therefore asked the emperor to grant him +time for reflection. This request was granted, and the herald conducted +him back to his lodgings. On Thursday, April 18, he was called again. He +had to wait nearly two hours, wedged in the throng, before he was +admitted. When he finally entered the lights were already lit and the +council chamber brilliantly illuminated. He was now asked whether he +would defend his books, or recant. Luther replied at length, declaring +humbly but with great confidence and firmness that by what he had +written and taught in singleness of heart he had sought only the glory +of God and the welfare and salvation of Christians. He cited the word of +Christ: "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil," John 18, 23, +and prayed that they convince and convict him from the writings of the +prophets and apostles. If this were done he would at once be ready and +willing to retract every error, and be the first to cast his own books +into the fire. Hereupon the imperial spokesman addressed him in harsh +tones and told him that they wished a simple and clear answer, whether +or no he would recant. Distinctly and plainly Luther then replied: +"Since your Imperial Majesty desires a clear, simple, and precise answer +I will give you one which has neither horns nor teeth: Unless I am +convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, or by patent, clear, +and cogent reasons and arguments (for I believe neither the Pope nor the +councils alone, since it is evident that they have often erred and +contradicted themselves), and because the passages adduced and quoted by +me have convinced and bound my conscience in God's Word, therefore I +cannot and will not recant, since it is neither safe nor advisable to do +anything against conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise! God +help me! Amen." + +About eight o'clock in the evening the session was closed, and two men +led Luther away. While he was still in the throng Duke Eric of Brunswick +sent him a silver flagon of Eimbeck beer, with the request that he would +refresh himself. Luther drank it and said, "As Duke Eric has now +remembered me, so may our Lord Jesus Christ remember him in his last +hour." At the same time Luther was of good courage. When he arrived at +his inn, where many friends were awaiting him, he cried with lifted +hands and beaming face, "I am through! I am through!" He also said, "If +I had a thousand heads I would rather lose everyone of them than +recant." By the courageous and steadfast confession of Luther many were +won for his cause. The emperor, however, exclaimed, "He will not make a +heretic of me!" But when the partisans of the Pope tried to persuade the +emperor to break his promise of safe-conduct he said with great +solemnity, "A man must keep his word, and if faith is not found in all +the world it ought to be found with the German emperor." The elector +said to Spalatin, "O how well Martin conducted himself! What a beautiful +address he delivered both in German and Latin before the emperor and all +the estates. To me he appeared almost too bold!" According to an order +of the diet several more attempts were made within the following days to +induce Luther to recant. Luther, however, remained steadfast, and again +and again requested, "Convince me from the Scriptures," and appealed to +the words of Gamaliel: "If this counsel or this work be of men it will +come to naught; but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it." + +4. LUTHER'S HOMEWARD JOURNEY. Together with several friends Luther, on +the 26th of April, left Worms after the emperor had again granted him +safe-conduct for twenty-one days. The imperial herald, Caspar Sturm, +accompanied him to Friedberg. At this place Luther dismissed him with a +letter to the emperor in which he returned thanks for the safe-conduct. +Although the emperor had forbidden it, nevertheless Luther preached to +large audiences at Hersfeld and Eisenach. He also visited his relatives +in Moehra and preached there under a linden tree, near the church. On +the 4th of May he continued his journey, his relatives accompanying him +to the castle Altenstein. There they separated. After a little while the +wagon turned into a narrow pass. Suddenly armed horsemen dashed out of +the forest, fell upon the wagon, and amid curses and threats commanded +the driver to halt, and tore Luther from his seat. Without molesting the +others they threw a mantle upon Luther, placed him upon a horse, and led +him in zigzag through the forest. It was nearly midnight when the +drawbridge of the Wartburg fell and the castle received the weary +horsemen within its protecting walls. + +[Illustration: Luther Made Prisoner.] + +5. LUTHER UNDER THE BAN. A presentiment had told Elector Frederick the +Wise what would come, and therefore he had sheltered the steadfast +confessor from the brewing storm. On the 26th of May already an imperial +order appeared which is known as the Edict of Worms. By it the ban of +the empire was proclaimed against Luther and all who would protect him. +It declared: "Whereas Luther, whom we had invited to appear before us at +Worms, has stubbornly retained his well-known heretical opinions, +therefore, with the unanimous consent of the electors, princes, and +estates of the empire, we have determined upon the execution of the bull +as a remedy against this poisonous pest, and we now command everyone +under pain of the imperial ban from the 14th day of this month of May +not to shelter, house, nor give food or drink to aforesaid Luther, nor +succor him by deed or word, secretly or publicly, with help, adherence, +or assistance, but take him prisoner wherever you may find him, and send +him to us securely bound. Also, to overpower his adherents, abettors, +and followers, and to appropriate to yourselves and keep their +possessions. Luther's poisonous books and writings are to be burned and +in every way annihilated." + +6. OPINIONS ON LUTHER'S DISAPPEARANCE. Luther's sudden disappearance +caused great excitement everywhere in Germany. His friends mourned him +as dead, murdered by his enemies. His opponents rejoiced and spread the +lie that the devil had carried him off. A Roman Catholic wrote to the +Archbishop of Mayence: "We now have our wish, we are rid of Luther; but +the people are so aroused that I fear we will hardly be able to save our +lives unless we hunt him with lighted torches and bring him back." The +celebrated painter Albrecht Duerer of Nuremberg, who from the beginning +had rejoiced at Luther's words as the lark rejoices at the golden dawn +of day, wrote in his diary: "Whether he still lives, or whether they +have murdered him, I do not know; he has suffered this for the sake of +Christian truth, and because he reproved antichristian popery. O God, if +Luther is dead, who henceforth will purely preach to us the holy +Gospel?" + +7. LUTHER AT THE WARTBURG. While poor Christendom mourned and wailed +Luther sat upon the Wartburg securely sheltered against the curses of +the Pope and the ban of the emperor. For ten months he dwelled there, +known as Knight George. In order not to be recognized he had to lay +aside his monk's cowl, let his beard grow, and don the full dress of a +knight. At first he was not even permitted to study, that his books +might not betray him. He had to follow the knights and squires out into +the forest, over hill and dale, upon the chase, and to gather +strawberries. But wherever he went and wherever he stood he thought of +his beloved Wittenberg and the condition of the church. Once at a hunt, +when a poor little driven rabbit ran into his sleeve and the hounds came +and bit it to death, he said, "Just so Pope and Satan rage, that they +may kill the saved souls and frustrate my endeavors." In his quiet +retreat he studied Holy Scriptures, wrote sermons upon the Gospels, and +translated the New Testament into German. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +The Fanatics and the Peasants' War. + + +1. DISTURBANCES AT WITTENBERG. The sound of the glorious Gospel had gone +out through all the lands. Satan indeed had tried to suppress it in +every way, by help of Pope, emperor, and learned men, but it had spread +only the more. Then the devil chose another means to suppress the truth +by creating schisms and offenses in Luther's own congregation. During +Luther's absence the Augustinian monks at Wittenberg had abolished the +papal mass and again introduced the right manner of celebrating Holy +Communion. But Dr. Karlstadt was not satisfied, and, besides, the +Reformation progressed too slowly for him. He therefore instigated the +students to break into the church where the priests were reading mass +and drive them and the people out in the most brutal and violent +manner. During the Christmas holidays they threw the images out of the +church and burned them. Then they demolished the altars and crucifixes, +abolished the candles, liturgy, and ceremonies, and even rejected the +use of chalice and paten. Without preparation or announcement they went +to Holy Communion, and took the wafers with their own hand. All this +they did from sheer presumption, without previously instructing the +people nor caring whether the weak were offended. Moreover, certain +fanatics from Zwickau came to Wittenberg who boasted that an audible +voice of God had called them to preach, and that they held intimate +conversation with God, and knew the future. They especially raved +against infant baptism, and declared it to be of no avail. They demanded +that everyone baptized in his infancy must be baptized again. For this +reason these fanatics were also called Anabaptists. + +2. LUTHER'S RETURN TO WITTENBERG. Luther at first tried to allay these +disturbances by writings, but in vain. Things grew worse. His +congregation earnestly entreated him in a letter to come to Wittenberg +and check further desolation. He decided to leave immediately and +announced this fact to his friends in a letter. Certain of victory, he +wrote: "I do not doubt that without a thrust of sword or drop of blood +we will easily quench these two smoking fire brands." Thus Luther left +the castle which was to shelter him against the ban of the Pope and the +interdict of the emperor, and, contrary to the advice of the elector, +appeared again in the arena. In a letter he excused himself to the +elector and said: "If we would have the Word of God, it must needs be +that not only Hannas and Caiphas rage, but that Judas also appear among +the apostles, and Satan among the sons of God. As to myself, I know that +if matters stood at Leipzig as they do at Wittenberg I would ride into +it even though for nine days it rained nothing but Duke George's, and +each one were nine times more furious than this one. I go to Wittenberg +protected by One higher than the elector. Yes, I would protect your +Electoral Grace more than you can protect me. The sword cannot counsel +nor help this cause; God alone must help here, without all human care or +aid. Therefore, whoever believes most can here afford most protection." + +3. LUTHER'S SERMONS AGAINST THE FANATICS. On the 6th of March, 1522, +Luther arrived in Wittenberg. For eight days in succession he preached +against the prevailing nuisances, opposed the fanaticism of Karlstadt +powerfully with the Word of God, and restored the peace of the church. +He told his hearers that they had wanted the fruit of faith, which is +love and which patiently bears the weakness of its neighbor, instructs +him in meekness, but does not snarl at and insult him. External +improvements are very well, but they must be introduced in due order, +without tumult or offenses, and not too hastily. Again he says: "We must +first gain the hearts of the people, which is done by the Word of God, +by preaching the Gospel, and by convincing the people of their errors. +In this way the Word of God will gain the heart of one man to-day, of +another to-morrow. For with His Word God takes the heart, and then you +have gained the man. The evil will die out and cease of itself." +Karlstadt now remained quiet for a few years, and the prophets from +Zwickau had to leave Wittenberg. Before going they wrote a letter to +Luther full of abuse and curses. + +4. THE ORIGIN OF THE PEASANTS' WAR. The Anabaptists now zealously spread +the poison of their fanaticism among the people. Karlstadt also began +again to proclaim his false doctrines. He maintained, infant baptism is +wrong, study is superfluous, every Christian is fit to be a pastor, and +that Christ's body and blood are not essentially present in the Lord's +Supper. At many places such pernicious preaching caused the people to +fall away from God's Word. Their chief spokesman was Thomas Muenzer. He +attacked Luther violently and boasted of himself, "The harvest is +ripening; I am hired of heaven for a penny a day, and am sharpening my +sickle for the reaping." He proclaimed a visible kingdom of God and of +Christ, the New Jerusalem, where all earthly possession should be held +in common. He also preached rebellion against the government. To check +such disorder Luther himself traveled about and preached to the people. +But he was only partially successful. In Orlamuende the rage of the +people against him was so great that he had to flee at once, while some +cursed after him, "Depart in the name of a thousand devils, and may you +break your neck before you get out of the city!" + +5. LUTHER'S SERMON AGAINST THE REVOLTING PEASANTS. The storm soon broke +over Germany. In 1525 the flame of rebellion spread through Franconia, +along the Rhine, and almost through all the German states. The peasants, +"a wretched people, everybody's drudge, burdened and overloaded with +tasks, taxes, tithes, and tributes, but on that account by no means more +pious, but a wild, treacherous, uncivilized people," had banded together +in a so-called Christian union and demanded of the government the +granting of certain petitions. Some of these were: Every congregation is +to be permitted to choose its own pastor; serfdom is to be abolished. +Some of them demanded much more: they wanted one government for the +whole German empire and the abolition of the minor princes. Luther +declared that many of their demands were just and fair, at the same +time, however, he told them how terribly they sinned by rebelling. He +said: "Bad and unjust government excuses neither revolt nor sedition. Do +not make your Christian name a cloak for your impatient, rebellious, and +unchristian undertaking. Christians do not fight for themselves with the +sword and with guns, but with the cross and with suffering, just as +their Captain Christ did not use the sword, but hung upon the cross." +And with the same severity Luther also reproved the ungodly tyranny of +the princes. + +6. THE OUTCOME OF THE PEASANTS' WAR. The flood of rebellion could no +longer be checked. The peasants marched about, robbing, plundering, +sacking, and murdering wherever they came, destroying more than 200 +castles and many cloisters. Upon their enemies they took the most bloody +vengeance. In Weinsberg they impaled and cruelly tortured 700 knights. +Now Muenzer thought the time had come for him also. He sent letters in +every direction: "Thomas Muenzer, servant of God with the sword of +Gideon, calls all good Christians to his banners, that with him they may +strike upon the princes like on an anvil, 'bing-bang!' and not allow +their swords to cool from blood." Multitudes of the people gathered +about him. Then Luther lifted his mighty voice for the last time, and +advised the government to make the ringleaders a last offer of a +peaceable compromise, and if this proved fruitless, to draw the sword. +The compromise was offered, but in vain. Thereupon the princes took up +the sword, and the peasants were routed everywhere. The decisive battle +was fought at Frankenhausen. Muenzer encouraged his men to fight +valiantly against the tyrants. He cried, "Behold, God gives us a sign +that He is on our side. See the rainbow! It announces to us the victory! +If one of you falls in the front ranks, he will rise again in the rear +and fight anew. I will catch all bullets in my sleeve." The battle +began. But when the peasants saw that the slain did not rise, and that +Thomas Muenzer caught no bullets in his sleeve, they lost courage and +fled. Five thousand remained on the field, and three hundred were made +prisoners and beheaded. The braggart Muenzer was found in an attic of a +house in Frankenhausen where he had hidden, under a bed. He was dragged +out and taken to Muehlhausen, where he was tortured and finally +beheaded. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +The Colloquy at Marburg. + + +1. ZWINGLI. At the same time that Luther issued his powerful theses +against popery a man lived in Switzerland whose eyes had also been +opened to the corruption of the church. This was Ulrich Zwingli, pastor +at Zurich. He also wished to help the church, but did not abide by the +pure Word of God. In many things he followed his own reason. Assisted by +the city council he changed the church service at Zurich after his own +fashion. The processions were abolished. Pictures, crucifixes, and +altars were removed from the churches. Communion was celebrated in both +kinds. The bread was carried about the church upon plates, and the wine +in wooden chalices. Concerning Holy Communion Zwingli taught that the +breaking and eating of the bread was a symbolic action. He maintained +that the words of Christ, "This is my body," meant nothing but, "This +represents my body." Of Baptism he likewise taught erroneously. Here +also he followed his reason. He would not admit that the person baptized +was in any way affected by Baptism; Baptism was to him only an external +sign of membership among God's people. He taught many strange things +concerning Christ's work of redemption, and called original sin a mere +infirmity of human nature. + +Of these false doctrines the one concerning Holy Communion spread +rapidly and found many adherents. Earnestly and fervently Luther waged +war against this error both in his sermons and in his writings. But the +Zwinglians stubbornly adhered to their error and pursued their own way. + +2. THE COLLOQUY AT MARBURG. In 1529 Landgrave Philip of Hesse succeeded +in arranging a colloquy between the Lutherans and the Zwinglians. It +occurred on the first, second, and third of October, at Marburg. Before +the doctrine of the Lord's Supper was taken up several other articles of +faith were discussed. In these points the Zwinglians accepted +instruction and counsel. When, finally, the doctrine of the Lord's +Supper came to be discussed Luther took a piece of chalk from his pocket +and wrote these words upon the table, "This is my body." These words +were his sure, firm ground, and upon it he determined to stand unmoved. +He demanded of his opponents to give all glory to God, and to believe +the pure, simple words of the Lord. However, they clung to their opinion +and cited especially John 6, 63, where Christ says: "The flesh profiteth +nothing." Clearly and unmistakably Luther proved to them that in this +passage Christ does not speak of His _own_, but of _our_ flesh. It would +also be an impious assertion, to say that Christ's flesh profiteth +nothing. Then they maintained: "A body cannot at the same time be +present at two places; now the body of Christ sitteth in heaven, at the +right hand of the Father, consequently it could not be present, upon +earth in the sacrament." Luther replied: "Christ has assumed the human +nature, which, therefore, according to the Scriptures, partakes of the +divine attributes and glory. Wherefore the human nature of Christ is +omnipresent; hence His body and blood is capable of being present in +Holy Communion." When Luther saw that his opponents grew more stubborn +in their opinion he closed the colloquy on his part. With the words, +"You have a different spirit from ours," he refused the hand of +fellowship offered him by Zwingli. Already in 1531 Zwingli perished in +the battle of Kappel. The false doctrines, however, which he had spread +have remained to this day the doctrines of the Reformed church. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +The Augsburg Confession. + + +1. THE DRAFTING OF THE CONFESSION. In 1530 Charles V assembled a diet at +Augsburg. Contrary to common expectation his proclamation was very +friendly, saying that in this assembly all animosity was to be put +aside and everyone's views were to be heard in all love and kindness. +Elector John the Steadfast thereupon commissioned his theologians to +draw up a brief and clear summary of the principal doctrines of +evangelical truth, that he and his party might be ready to confess their +faith and their hope in a clear and unmistakable manner. The theologians +carried out this order and drew up a document upon the basis of 17 +articles composed by Luther at an earlier date. In April of 1530 Elector +John, together with Luther, Melanchthon, Spalatin, Jonas, and Agricola, +started off for Augsburg to fight a good fight. As the ban of the empire +was still in force against Luther, and the city of Augsburg had +protested against his coming, the elector had him taken to the fortress +Coburg, on the morning of the 23d of April, that, in case of necessity, +he might be near at hand. Luther complied, although very unwillingly. In +order not to expose the elector to any danger the theologians requested +him also to remain away, and offered to go to Augsburg alone and give an +account of their teachings. But the elector answered courageously, "God +forbid that I should be excluded from your company. I will confess my +Lord Christ with you." Catholic estates, both spiritual and temporal +lords, among them Dr. Eck and Faber, were traveling the same road. In +Augsburg Melanchthon again set to work, and in agreement with Luther and +the other confessors completed the writing out of the confession. He +then sent a copy of it to Luther at Coburg for inspection. When +returning it Luther wrote: "I am well pleased with it, and cannot see +that I could improve or change it; nor would it be proper for me to +attempt this, for I cannot step so softly and gently. Christ, our Lord, +grant that it may bring forth rich abundance of precious fruit. That is +our hope and prayer. Amen." This is the origin of the confession which +is known as the Augsburg Confession. It is a pure, correct, and +irrefutable confession of the divine truths of Holy Scripture. Therefore +it is also the holy banner around which all true Lutherans everywhere +gather, and to this day the Lutheran church acknowledges only those as +its members who accept the Unaltered Augsburg Confession in all its +articles, without any exception. + +2. HEROISM OF THE LUTHERAN PRINCES. Slowly the emperor finally +approached the city of Augsburg where the assembled estates were +expectantly waiting for him. In great pomp he entered the city on the +15th of June, followed by his brother Ferdinand and many other princes. +With amazement he at once noticed how great the contrast had grown in +the nine years between the Catholics and the Protestants. For when at +the entrance of the emperor the papal legate blessed the princes and all +others kneeled down in the customary fashion the princes of Saxony and +Hesse remained standing. And when, on the same evening, the emperor +demanded of the evangelical princes that on the following day they +should take part in the great Corpus Christi procession they declared +that by their participation they were not minded to encourage such human +ordinances which were evidently contrary to the Word of God and the +command of Christ. Upon this occasion Margrave George of Brandenburg +uttered these heroic words, "Rather than deny my God and His Gospel I +would kneel here before your Imperial Majesty and have my head cut from +my body." The emperor graciously replied, "Dear Prince, not head off! +not head off!" + +3. SIGNING THE CONFESSION. So the ever memorable day, the 24th of June, +approached, on which the little band of Lutheran confessors were to +confess the Lord Christ before the emperor and the diet. On the evening +before Elector John invited his brethren in the faith to his lodgings. +At the upper end of a long table sat the elector. He arose, and the rest +followed him. In his hand was a roll of manuscript. He seized a pen and +subscribed his name with a firm hand. In doing so he said, "May Almighty +God grant us His grace continually that all may redound to His glory and +praise." In fervent words he admonished those present to stand firm, +saying, "All counsels that are against God must fail, and the good cause +will, without doubt, finally triumph." Now the others also signed the +confession. After the Prince of Anhalt, a right chivalrous lord, had +signed he cried with flashing eyes, "I have been in many a fray to +please others, why should I not saddle my horse, if it is necessary, in +honor of my Lord and Savior, and, sacrificing life and limb, hurry into +heavenly life to receive the eternal crown of glory?" The meeting closed +with a fervent prayer for blessing and success on the coming day. + +Luther, in the mean time, remained at Coburg, but in spirit he +participated in the holy cause at Augsburg. Every day he spent three +hours in prayer for the victory of the beloved Gospel. He was +continually crying to God to preserve the brethren in true faith and +sound doctrine. In hours of anxiety and trial he wrote on the walls of +his room with his own hands the precious words of the 118th Psalm: "I +shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord." He +addressed many consoling letters to the confessors in which he +admonished them to constancy. At this time there lived in his own heart +that trust in God which he had expressed in his heroic song, "A Mighty +Fortress is Our God." + +[Illustration: Reading the Augsburg Confession.] + +4. SUBMITTAL AND RECEPTION OF THE CONFESSION. On Saturday, the 25th of +June, 1530, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the diet assembled in the +episcopal palace, where the confession was to be read. The German +emperor presided, and the highest dignitaries of the Roman empire had +gathered to hear the confession. Then the evangelical confessors arose +cheerfully, and in their name the two electoral chancellors, Dr. Brueck +and Dr. Baier, stepped into the center of the room, the first with a +Latin, the latter with a German copy of the confession. When the emperor +demanded that the Latin copy should be read, Elector John replied, "Upon +German ground and soil it is but fair to read and hear the German +tongue." The emperor permitted it. And now Dr. Baier began to read in a +loud and audible voice, so that even the assembled multitude without in +the courtyard could plainly understand every word of the confession. +Everyone was deeply touched by it. The learned Catholic Bishop of +Augsburg publicly admitted, "Everything that was read is the pure, +unadulterated, undeniable truth." Duke William of Bavaria pressed the +hand of Elector John in a friendly manner and said to Dr. Eck, who was +standing close by, "I have been told something entirely different of +Luther's doctrine than I have now heard from their confession. You have +also assured me that their doctrine could be refuted." Eck replied, "I +would undertake to refute it with the fathers, but not with the +Scriptures." Thereupon the duke rejoined, "I understand, then, that the +Lutherans sit entrenched in the Scriptures, and we are on the outside." +Luther wrote to one of his friends: "You have confessed Christ and +offered peace. You have worthily engaged in the holy work of God as +becometh the saints. Now for once rejoice in the Lord also and be glad, +ye righteous. Look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption +draweth nigh." Spalatin said that such a confession had not been made +since the world exists. Mathesius also aptly testifies, "There has not +been a greater and higher work and a more glorious testimony since the +days of the apostles than this at Augsburg before the whole Roman +empire." Very soon the confession was translated in many different +languages and spread in every land. Thereby many received true +information on the Lutheran doctrine, recognized its entire agreement +with Holy Scriptures and with the doctrine of the Apostolic Church, and +joyfully accepted it as their own. + +At the emperor's command the papal theologians at once drew up a paper +in which they tried to refute the Augsburg Confession. This document, +called Confutation, proved to be such a miserable failure that it had +to be returned for revision. Melanchthon then wrote an excellent defense +of the confession, the Apology, which, however, the emperor would +neither receive nor permit to be read. He simply declared the case to be +closed, and said, "If the evangelical princes will not submit, then I, +the protector of the Roman church, am not disposed to permit a schism of +the church in Germany." + +Before the close of the diet he issued a severe edict which granted the +evangelicals six months to consider matters and commanded them, before +the expiration of this time, to return to the Catholic church. Thereupon +the faithful confessors declared that, because they had not received a +thorough refutation from the Word of God, they were determined to abide +by the faith of the prophets and apostles, and everything else they +would commend to the gracious will of God. When taking leave of the +emperor, Elector John, rightly called the "Steadfast," spoke the +memorable words, "I am sure that the doctrine contained in the +Confession will stand even against the gates of hell." The emperor +answered, "Uncle, Uncle, I did not expect to hear such words from your +Grace. You will lose your electoral crown and your life, and your +subjects will perish, together with their women and children." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +Bible, Catechism, and Hymnbook. + + +1. BIBLE. Among the many priceless treasures for which all Christendom +owes thanks, under God, to Luther, the translation of the Bible into +German is one of the grandest and one of the most glorious. In the +churches of that time Latin Bibles were used exclusively. The people, +however, were not acquainted with them; for, in the first place, laymen +could not read them, and, in the second place, they were forbidden to +read the Bible. In addition to this, the Bibles of that time were far +too expensive. An ordinary Latin Bible cost 360 florins, and one nicely +written out by monks even brought 500 dollars. It is true, there were +German translations of the Bible even before Luther, but they were so +inexact, and composed in such poor German, that the people could not use +them. And yet, if every Christian was to read and learn the Gospel which +Luther preached and proclaimed; if he was to convince himself from the +Scriptures of the errors of popery; if he was effectively to arm himself +against them; and if the Bible was to make him wise unto salvation, then +he had to have it in his own language. Luther was long since convinced +of this and had, therefore, already translated the seven Penitential +Psalms. When, in 1521, the Wartburg sheltered him against his enemies, +he, for the first, undertook the translation of the New Testament. He +wrote: "Till Easter I will remain here in seclusion. By that time I will +translate the Postil and New Testament into the people's language. That +is demanded by our friends." After completing the work he wrote to +Spalatin: "In my Patmos I had translated not only the Gospel according +to John, but the entire New Testament. Now we are at it to polish the +whole, Philip and I; God willing, it will prove a fine work." On the +21st of September, 1522, it appeared and sold at 1-1/2 florins. Although +the book was proscribed in many countries, the entire first edition was +sold in a few weeks. In the same year several new editions had to be +issued. Then Luther, with his friends, entered upon the translation of +the whole Bible. It was a most difficult task. Luther said of it: "It +frequently happened that we searched and inquired fourteen days, aye, +three or four weeks for a single word, and yet, at times, did not find +it." But God permitted him to complete the great work upon which, amid +countless battles and labors, his heart had been set for many years. In +1534 the complete Bible appeared. + +[Illustration: The Translation of the Bible.] + +Great was the joy with which Luther's translation was received at that +time. Melanchthon exclaimed, "The German Bible is one of the greatest +miracles which God has worked through Dr. Martin Luther before the end +of the world." And Mathesius added, "For to an attentive Bible-reader it +seems indeed as if the Holy Spirit had spoken through the mouth of the +prophets and the apostles in our German language." Now many thousand +thirsting souls could drink as often as they wished from that fountain +closed so long, and which offers pure, sweet, and truly satisfying +water. And they did it. Cochlaeus, a violent opponent of Luther, writes: +"Luther's New Testament has been so multiplied by the printers and +scattered in such numbers that even tailors and shoemakers, aye, even +women and the simple who had learned to read only the German on ginger +cakes, read it with intense longing. Many carried it about with them and +learned it by heart, so that, in a few months, they arrogantly began to +dispute with priests and monks on the faith and the Gospel. Indeed, even +poor women were found who engaged with learned doctors in a debate, and +thus it happened that in such conversations Lutheran laymen could +extemporaneously quote more Bible passages than the monks and priests." + +2. CATECHISM. Another treasure which God gave to Christianity through +Luther is the Small Catechism. In order to inform himself on the +condition of the churches and schools Luther had early urged the elector +to order a general visitation of the churches. This visitation was held +with loving heart, but with open eyes, from 1527 to 1529. In the +vicinity of Wittenberg Luther and Melanchthon traveled from city to +city, from village to village, and inspected churches and schools. They +listened to the preachers and examined the church members. They found +things in a sad condition. The people and the pastors lived in deep +spiritual ignorance, for under the rule of the Pope they had received no +proper instruction in religion. In a village near Torgau the old pastor +could scarcely recite the Lord's Prayer and the Creed; in another place +the peasants did not know a single prayer and even refused to learn the +Lord's Prayer. Luther wrote: "Alas, what manifold misery I beheld! The +common people, especially in the villages, know nothing at all of +Christian doctrine; and many pastors are quite unfit and incompetent to +teach. Yet, all are called Christians, have been baptized, and enjoy the +use of the sacraments--although they know neither the Lord's Prayer nor +the Creed nor the Ten Commandments, and live like the poor brutes and +irrational swine." The following example illustrates how patiently +Luther instructed such people. When, at one time, he was examining the +poor peasants on the Christian Creed one of them, who had recited the +First Article, being asked the meaning of "Almighty," answered, "I don't +know!" Luther then said, "You are right, my dear man, I and all the +doctors do not know what God's power and omnipotence is; but only +believe that God is your dear and faithful father who will, can, and +knows how to help you and your wife and children in every need." + +Such misery induced Luther, in 1529, to write the Small Catechism for +the instruction of poor Christendom. He himself says: "The deplorable +destitution which I recently observed during a visitation of the +churches has impelled and constrained me to prepare this Catechism or +'Christian Doctrine' in such a small and simple form." A learned doctor +writes of this excellent little book: "The Small Catechism is the true +Layman-Bible, which comprises the whole contents of Christian doctrine +which every Christian must know for his salvation." Of all books in the +world perhaps no other can be found that teaches the whole counsel of +God for our salvation in such brief form and in such clear and pointed +language. A truly popular book, it has cultivated the right +understanding of the Gospel among the common people and unto this day +proved of inestimable blessing. Very early Luther already could boast of +the fruits of his work. In the following year he wrote to the elector: +"How gracious is the merciful God in granting such power and fruit to +His Word in your country. You have in your country the very best and +most able pastors and preachers, such as you can find in no other +country of the world, who live so faithfully, piously, and peaceably. +Tender youth, boys and girls, are growing up so well instructed in the +Catechism and the Scriptures, that it makes me feel good to see how +young lads and little girls can now pray, believe, and speak better of +God and of Christ than formerly all institutes, cloisters, and schools." + +3. HYMNS. Another precious gift for which all Christians should thank +Luther is the collection of his incomparable hymns and songs, so +childlike and devout, so simple and yet so powerful. When introducing +the Lutheran order of worship Luther took great pains that not only the +pastors and choristers, but also the congregations might sing their +hymns to God in heaven in their own mother's tongue. However, there were +very few German hymns at that time fit to be used in divine worship. +Luther, therefore, also undertook this work, and, in 1524, the first +hymnbook appeared. It contained eight hymns set to music, four of which +Luther had composed. The first evangelical church-hymn which Luther +wrote was that glorious song, "Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice." +In it, from his own experience, he describes human misery, and then +glorifies God's work of salvation. Then followed, "O God of Heaven, Look +Down and See," and, "Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee." Both of these +hymns are cries for help out of the depths of human misery in which the +congregation and every penitent Christian raises his voice to God on +high and is heard. Later on appeared hymns for the festive seasons: +"From Heaven Above to Earth I Come;" "All Praise to Jesus' Hallowed +Name;" "In Death's Strong Grasp the Savior Lay;" "Now Do We Pray God the +Holy Ghost." Then, among many more: "Though in the Midst of Life We +Be;" "In Peace and Joy I Now Depart." Above all others towers his hymn +of battle and triumph, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." + +Especially powerful was the effect produced by Luther's hymns in those +days. The people never wearied of singing them, and in very many places +the Gospel was introduced by the triumphant power of the Lutheran hymns +intonated by pious church members. The opponents complained, "The people +sing themselves into this heretical church; Luther's hymns have misled +more souls than all his writings and sermons." In Brunswick a priest +complained to the duke that Lutheran hymns were sung even in the court's +chapel. The duke, though also very bitter against Luther, asked, "What +kind of hymns are they? How do they read?" The priest answered, "Your +Grace, one of them is, 'May God Bestow on Us His Grace,'" whereupon the +duke rejoined, "Why, is the devil to bestow his grace upon us? Who is to +be gracious to us if not God?" Concerning the effect of Luther's hymns a +friend writes: "I do not doubt that by the one little hymn of Luther, +'Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice,' many hundred Christians have +received faith who never before heard the name of Luther; but the noble, +dear words of this man so won their hearts that they had to accept the +truth." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Luther's Family Life. + + +[Illustration: Luther's Marriage with Katharine of Bora.] + +1. LUTHER ENTERS HOLY MATRIMONY. According to the Pope's doctrine all +so-called religious, like the monks, nuns, and priests, dare not marry. +Luther, on the contrary, proved from the Word of God that this doctrine +is false, that matrimony is God's institution and honorable in all men. +'Tis true, of himself he declared: "I have no disposition to marry, +because I may daily expect death as a heretic." But many of his friends +urgently requested him for the sake of strengthening many weak hearts +also to enter holy matrimony and thus confirm his doctrine by his +action. His father also dearly wished to see his son marry a pious +wife. By God's help Luther was soon firmly resolved by his own action to +testify before the world his own and the doctrine of Holy Scriptures +that matrimony is pleasing to God. He was of good courage and exclaimed, +"To spite the devil and to please my old father I will marry my Kate +before I die." And later on he said, "By my own example I wished to +confirm what I had taught, and because many were so timid although the +Gospel shone so brightly God willed it and accomplished it." + +On the 13th of June, 1525, Luther invited his friends Bugenhagen, Justus +Jonas, Apel, and the painter Lucas Cranach, together with the latter's +wife, to supper, and in their presence he entered holy matrimony with +Katharine of Bora. Justus Jonas informed Spalatin of this joyous +occurrence in these words: "Luther has married Katharine of Bora; +yesterday I was present at the marriage; my soul was so deeply moved at +the spectacle that I could not retain my tears. Since it is now done and +God has willed it I sincerely wish this excellent and true man and dear +father in the Lord all happiness. God is wonderful in His works and in +His counsels." + +2. TRAINING OF THE CHILDREN. Luther's marriage with Katharine of Bora +was blessed with six children, who were raised severely but piously. +Luther enjoyed their company and delighted to watch them at play. When +little Martin once played with a doll and in prattling said it was his +bride Luther remarked, "So sincere and without wickedness and hypocrisy +we would have been in paradise. Therefore children are the loveliest +starlings and dearest little chatterboxes--they do and speak everything +naturally and in the simplicity of their hearts." When he saw the boys, +as children will do, quarrel and then again make peace, he said, "Dear +Lord, how pleasing to Thee is such life and play of the children." When +at one time they all with beaming eyes and glad expectation stood about +the table on which the mother had placed peaches and other fruit, he +enjoyed the picture and said, "Whoever wishes to see the picture of one +rejoicing in hope, has here a true portrait. O that we could look +forward to judgment day with such joyous hope." When Luther, at another +time, visited Melanchthon, he found him in his study surrounded by his +family. He was well pleased with this and said, "Dear Brother Philip, I +praise you for finding things with you as they are with me at home, wife +and children in your company. I have also given my little Johnnie a ride +upon my knees to-day and carried my little Magdalene about upon her +pillow and pressed her to my heart." When Luther returned home from a +journey he never missed bringing something along for his children. At +the same time he was very strict. At one time he would not allow his son +John to come into his presence for three days, until he begged pardon +for an offense. And when his mother interceded for him Luther said, "I +would rather have a dead than a spoiled son." At another time he said, +"I do not wish my son John treated with too much leniency: he must be +punished and held to strict account." He was diligent in teaching his +older children the Catechism and prayed with them the Ten Commandments, +the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer. + +How lovely he could speak with his children is shown by the following +letter, which he wrote when he was at Coburg to his little son John, who +was then four years of age: "Grace and peace in Christ. My dear little +son:--I am very glad to know that you learn your lessons well, and love +to say your prayers. Keep on doing so, my little boy, and when I come +home I will bring you something pretty from the fair. I know a beautiful +garden, where there are a great many children in fine little coats, and +they go under the trees and gather beautiful apples and pears, cherries +and plums; they sing and run about, and are as happy as they can be. +Sometimes they ride about on nice little ponies, with golden bridles and +silver saddles. I asked the man whose garden it is, 'What little +children are these?' And he told me, 'They are little children who love +to pray and learn, and are good.' Then I said, 'My dear sir, I have a +little boy at home; his name is Johnny Luther; would you let him come +into the garden too, to eat some of these nice apples and pears, and +ride on these fine little ponies, and play with these children?' The man +said, 'If he loves to say his prayers, and learn his lesson, and is a +good boy, he may come. And Philip and Jocelin may come too; and when +they are all together, they can play upon the fife and drum and lute and +all kinds of instruments, and skip about and shoot with little +crossbows.' He then showed me a beautiful mossy place in the middle of +the garden, for them to skip about in, with a great many golden fifes, +and drums, and silver crossbows. The children had not yet had their +dinner, and I could not wait to see them play, but I said to the man, +'My dear sir, I will go away and write all about it to my little son, +John, and tell him to be fond of saying his prayers, and learn well, and +be good, so that he may come into the garden; but he has an aunt, Lena, +whom he must bring along with him.' The man said, 'Very well, go write +to him.' Now, my dear little son, learn to love your lessons, and to say +your prayers, and tell Philip and Jocelin to do so too, that you may all +come to the garden. May God bless you. Give Aunt Lena my love, and kiss +her for me. A. D. 1530. Your dear father, Martin Luther." + +[Illustration: Luther at the Coffin of His Daughter Magdalene.] + +3. THE DEATH OF MAGDALENE. How dearly Luther loved his children we can +see from his pious and touching conduct during the sickness and death of +his little daughter Magdalene. In the beginning of September, 1542, +being then in her fourteenth year, she became ill. When she was now sick +unto death she longed very much for her brother John whom she loved +most dearly. He was then at school at Torgau. Luther at once sent a +wagon there and wrote to Rector Krodel that he should send John home for +a few days. John found his sister still alive. The disease tortured the +poor child for fourteen more days, and her father suffered very much +with her. When the hope of recovery vanished more and more, Luther +prayed, "Lord, I love, her very much and would like to keep her, but, +dear Lord, since it is Thy will to take her away, I am glad to know that +she will be with Thee." And when she lay a-dying he said to her, +"Magdalene, my dear little daughter, you would like to remain with this +your dear father, wouldn't you, but also gladly go to that Father?" The +child answered, "Yes, dear father, as God wills!" + +She died in his arms on the evening of the 20th of September, at nine +o'clock. The mother was also in the same room, but at a distance from +the bed because of her great sorrow. As she wept bitterly and was very +sad Luther said to her, "Dear Kate, consider where she is going! She +fares well indeed!" When they laid her in her coffin he said, "You dear +little Lena, how happy you are! You will rise again and shine as the +stars, yea, as the sun." To the bystanders he said, "In the spirit, +indeed, I rejoice, but according to the flesh I am very sad. Such +parting is very painful. It is very strange--to know that she is in +peace and well off, and yet to be so sad!" The people who had come to +the funeral to express their sympathy he addressed thus, "You ought to +rejoice! I have sent a saint to heaven, yes, a living saint. O that we +had such a death! Such a death I would accept this moment!" After the +funeral Luther said, "My daughter is now taken care of both as to body +and as to soul. We Christians have nothing to complain of, we know that +it must be thus. We have the greatest assurance of eternal life; for God +cannot lie who has promised it to us through and for the sake of His +Son." Upon her grave he placed the following epitaph: + + "I, Luther's daughter Magdalene, with the saints here sleep, + And covered calmly rest on this my couch of earth; + Daughter of death I was, born of the seed of sin, + But by Thy precious blood redeemed, O Christ! I live." + +4. HOME LIFE AND CHARITY. Elector John gave Luther the former cloister +building as a residence. It was a large house with a beautiful garden, +close to the walls of the city. The narrow cloister cells were changed +into large rooms. Here Kate, now, went to housekeeping. She was a +faithful and saving housekeeper. Luther's income was very small; he +received a salary of 200 florins. Withal he was very charitable toward +the poor, and hospitable toward his visitors. Hardly a week passed that +he entertained no guests. From all countries they came to Wittenberg, +doctors and students, to see the man face to face who had accomplished +such great things. Besides this, he was daily visited by friends and +students. It was, therefore, no easy matter to manage the household with +the meager salary. But his friends took care that under God's blessing +he suffered no want, and Luther confessed: "I have a strange +housekeeping indeed! I use up more than I receive. Although my salary is +but 200 florins, yet every year I must spend 500 for housekeeping and in +the kitchen, not to speak of the children, other luxuries, and alms. I +am entirely too awkward. The support of my needy relatives and the daily +calls of strangers make me poor. Yet I am richer than all popish +theologians, because I am content with little and have a true wife." + +The following are a few examples of Luther's charity: A student once +came to him and complained with tears of his need. As Luther had no +money he took a silver cup that was gilded within and said, "There, take +that cup and go home in God's name." His wife looked at him and asked, +"Are you going to give everything away?" Luther pressed the cup together +in his strong hand and said to the student, "Quick, take it to the +goldsmith, I do not need it." At another time a poor man asked him for +assistance. Luther had no money, but took his children's savings and +gave them to him. When his wife reproached him he said, "God is rich, He +will give us more." A man exiled because of his faith asked him for +alms. Luther had but one dollar (called "Joachim"), which he had +carefully saved. Without thinking long he opened his purse and called, +"Joachim, come out! The Savior is here!" + +Friends, students, doctors, and all kinds of admirers often sat at +Luther's table. The meal was generally simple, but seasoned with serious +and cheerful conversation. After table he was fond of having a little +music with his friends and children. In praise of music he said: "Music +is great comfort to a sad person. It cheers and refreshes the heart and +fills it with contentment. It is half a schoolmaster and makes the +people softer, meeker, more modest, and more reasonable. I have always +loved music. Whoever knows this art has a good nature and is fit for +everything. Music should by all means be taught in the schools. A +schoolmaster must be able to sing, or I will not look at him." At +another time he said: "Music is a gift and blessing of God. Next to +theology I give to music the first place and highest honor." + +5. LUTHER'S OPINION ON HIS WIFE AND HOLY MATRIMONY. Luther writes of his +married life: "God willed it, and, praise God, I have done well, for I +have a pious and true wife in which a man may confide; she spoils +nothing." In these words he lauds his Kate: "She has not only faithfully +nursed and cared for me as a pious wife, but she has also waited upon me +as a servant. The Lord repay her on that day. I consider her more +precious than the kingdom of France, for she has been to me a good wife, +given and presented to me of God, as I was given to her. I love my Kate, +yes, I love her more than myself, that is certainly true. I would rather +die myself than have her and the children die." In praise of marriage he +says: "According to God's Word there is no sweeter and dearer treasure +upon earth than holy matrimony, which He Himself has instituted, and +which He also preserves and has adorned and blessed above all other +estates." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Luther's Last Days and Death. + + +1. LUTHER'S PRESENTIMENT OF DEATH. Eight days after his last birthday, +which he celebrated on the 10th of November in the company of his +friends, he finished his exposition of Genesis and closed his lecture to +the students with these impressive words: "I am weak! I cannot continue; +pray God to grant me a blessed death." And he wrote to a friend: "I am +sick of this world, and the world is sick of me; it will not be +difficult for us to part, as a guest quits his inn. Therefore I pray for +a peaceful end, I am ready to depart." At the close of his last sermon +in Eisleben the thoughts of his heart are expressed in this wish: "May +God give us grace that we gratefully accept His beloved Word, increase +and grow in the knowledge and faith of His Son, and remain steadfast in +the confession of His holy Word unto our end! Amen." + +2. LUTHER'S JOURNEY TO EISLEBEN. In the beginning of 1546 the counts of +Mansfeld requested Luther to come to Eisleben and settle a dispute which +had arisen between themselves and their subjects. Luther consented to +go, and, together with his three sons, on the 23d of January, he set out +on his last pilgrimage on this earth. In Halle he visited his friend Dr. +Jonas. While there he preached on the conversion of Paul and praised the +writings of this apostle as the holy of holies. On the 28th of January, +when crossing the swollen Saale in a small boat, his life was in great +danger. Luther said to Jonas, "Dear Jonas, how it would please the devil +if I, Dr. Martin, with you and our guides, would fall into the water and +drown!" Not far from Eisleben he became so weak that fears were +entertained for his life. But he soon regained his strength. In Eisleben +Luther preached several times, and took great pains to settle the +dispute between the counts and their subjects. When matters were +settled Luther began to think of returning home; but God had decided +otherwise. + +[Illustration: Luther's Death.] + +3. LUTHER'S ILLNESS AND DEATH. Already on the 17th of February Luther +could not attend the meetings because of his increasing weakness. In +accordance with the advice of his friends and the counts he remained in +his room and rested. About eight o'clock in the evening he took his +medicine and lay down on his couch, saying, "If I could sleep for half +an hour I believe I would improve." He now slept calmly till ten +o'clock, when he awoke, arose, and went into his bedroom. As he entered +the room he said, "In the name of God, I am going to bed. Into Thy hands +I commend my spirit; Thou hast redeemed me, Thou faithful God." At one +o'clock he awoke and said, "O Lord God, I feel so bad! Ah, dear Dr. +Jonas, I believe I shall die here at Eisleben where I was born and +baptized." Again he left his bedroom and entered the sitting room, +saying again, "Into Thy hands I commend my spirit, Thou hast redeemed +me, Thou faithful God." When he was again resting on his couch his +friends hurried to his side, with Count Albrecht, the countess, and two +physicians. When, upon repeated rubbings, he began to perspire freely +Dr. Jonas thought he was improving, but Luther answered, "No, it is the +cold sweat of death; I will give up my spirit, for the sickness is +increasing." Then he prayed thus: "O my heavenly Father, the God and +Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thou God of all consolation! I thank +Thee that Thou hast revealed to me Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, in whom I +believe, whom I have preached and confessed, whom I have loved and +extolled, whom the wicked Pope and the ungodly dishonor, persecute, and +blaspheme. I pray Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, receive my poor soul into Thy +hands. O heavenly Father, although I must quit this body and be torn +away from this life, I nevertheless know assuredly that I shall be with +Thee forever, and that no one can pluck me out of Thy hands." Then +three times he repeated the passage: "God so loved the world, that He +gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not +perish, but have everlasting life," John 3, 16, and the words of the +68th Psalm: "He that is our God, is the God of salvation; and unto God +the Lord belong the issues of death." When the physician gave him a +cordial he took it and said, "I pass away; I shall yield up my spirit," +after which he rapidly repeated these words three times: "Father, into +Thy hands I commend my spirit, Thou hast redeemed me, Lord, Thou +faithful God." Now he lay quiet, when spoken to he did not answer. Dr. +Jonas called into his ear, "Reverend father, are you firmly determined +to die upon Christ and the doctrine you have preached?" Loud and +distinctly Luther answered, "Yes!" Having said this he turned upon his +side and fell asleep, saved in the faith of his Redeemer, on the 18th of +February, 1546, between two and three o'clock in the morning. + +4. LUTHER'S FUNERAL. The sad tidings of Luther's death spread rapidly +through town and country. A great multitude of people of all classes +gathered to view the previous remains of the man who had again brought +to light the saving Word of God. When the news of Luther's death reached +Wittenberg and Melanchthon told the students, he exclaimed, "Alas, he +has been taken from us, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof, +by whom the church was guided in this last age of the world!" On the +19th day of February the corpse was laid in a metallic coffin, borne +into the Castle Church of Eisleben, and placed before the altar. On the +following day Dr. Coelius preached an excellent sermon, after which the +corpse was carried in solemn funeral procession to Wittenberg. With +weeping and wailing a countless multitude surrounded the hearse, and in +nearly every village the bells were tolled. When, late at night, the +funeral approached the gates of Halle the clergy, the city council, the +schools, and the citizens, together with women and children, marched out +to meet it and escorted the corpse into the church. The service opened +with Luther's hymn, "Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee," the weeping being +heard more than the singing. On the 22d of February the funeral train +reached Wittenberg. Amid the tolling of the bells it moved toward the +Castle Church, the hearse being followed by Luther's widow, his four +children, and other relatives. Then came the faculty, the students, and +the citizens. Dr. Bugenhagen preached a comforting sermon, which was +frequently interrupted by his own tears and the weeping of his audience. +At the close Melanchthon delivered a Latin oration, after which the +corpse was lowered into the vault near the pulpit, where it awaits the +coming of the resurrection morn. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Afflictions of the Lutheran Church in Germany after the Reformation. + + +1. THE SMALCALD WAR. Already during the life of Luther clouds of war had +frequently arisen, threatening to destroy the Lutheran church. But as +long as Luther lived the storm did not break. His prophecy was +fulfilled: "I have fervently prayed to God, and still beseech Him daily, +to check the evil counsels of the papists and permit no war to come upon +Germany while I live, and I am sure that God has certainly heard my +prayer, and I know that as long as I live there will be no war in +Germany. Now when I am dead, rest and sleep do you also pray. I will die +before this calamity and misery come upon Germany." Scarcely had Luther +closed his eyes when the emperor and the Pope thought the time had come +again to strengthen popery and oppress the Lutheran doctrine with the +sword, aye, completely to destroy it. The emperor accused the Lutheran +princes of disobedience because they would not submit to the Edict of +Augsburg, and declared the ban of the empire against them. Soon +thereafter he made war upon them. The Lutherans also gathered an army +for their defense. Before the Elector John Frederick was aware of it the +emperor's army, led by a traitor, fell upon him. + +On the 24th of April, 1547, the battle was fought near Muehlberg on the +Elbe. The army of the Lutheran princes was defeated; 3000 remained +upon the battlefield, and the elector himself was taken prisoner. Not +long thereafter he was condemned to die. Only on condition that he +surrender his electoral crown and domain to the Lutheran Duke Maurice of +Saxony, who had joined the forces of the emperor, was he to be pardoned. +The elector gave up his country without remonstrance, but he would not +forsake his faith. His high courage earned him the title, "The +Magnanimous." For when the emperor demanded that he sign the resolutions +of the Council of Trent in which the Lutheran doctrine was condemned, he +declared with indignation: "I will abide steadfast in the doctrine and +confession which, together with my father and other princes, I confessed +at Augsburg, and rather give up country and people, yea, and my head +also, than forsake the Word of God." + +Thus the cause of the Lutheran confessors seemed to be lost. But right +in the midst of war's tumult and the enemy's triumph sounded the word of +the Lord: "Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the +word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us," Is. 8, 10. God helped +wonderfully. Maurice of Saxony demanded of the emperor the release of +his father-in-law, Philip of Hesse. When the emperor refused to do this +Maurice turned against him with his army and put him to flight. In 1555 +the Peace of Augsburg was signed. By it complete liberty of religion and +worship was guaranteed to the Lutherans for the future. + +2. DOCTRINAL CONTROVERSIES. Already in the days of Luther fanatics had +attempted to darken and displace the true doctrine with diverse errors. +After his death his prophetic words were fulfilled: "I see it coming, if +God does not give us faithful pastors and ministers the devil will +disrupt the church by factious spirits, and will not leave off nor cease +till he has finished it. If the devil cannot do it through the Pope and +the emperor he will accomplish it through those who now agree with us in +doctrine. Therefore pray God to let His Word remain with you, for +abominable things will happen. I know that after my departing shall +grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." + +Scarcely had the faithful watchman and guardian been gathered to his +fathers when everywhere teachers and preachers arose who departed from +the truth of God's Word and tried to set up their own false teachings. +Thus some taught: Good works are necessary unto salvation; others, +again, maintained: Not only are they unnecessary, but they are harmful +to our salvation. Again, it was taught that man could prepare himself +for grace, and assist in his conversion. Others even secretly plotted to +introduce the false doctrines of the Reformed into the Lutheran church. +Thus the bright light which shone so brilliantly in Luther's days was in +danger of being obscured by the doctrines of men. But in the midst of +such confusion God had His faithful confessors. After heated contests +truth, by God's grace, obtained the victory. In 1577, by the united +labors of the faithful confessors, the Form of Concord, the last +confession of the Lutheran church, was completed. In this confession the +Lutheran church renounces all error and demands of all its members unity +of doctrine and confession. The reestablished unity of doctrine called +forth loud rejoicing and thanksgiving to God everywhere in Germany. In +1580 the Book of Concord of the Lutheran church, containing also the +Form of Concord, appeared in print for the first time. + +3. THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR. This good fortune and peace of the Lutheran +church did not last long. Satan did not cease to attack her. For his +purpose he especially used the Jesuits, a new order of monks. These +allied servants of the Pope used every means to suppress the Lutheran +church. As advisers of princes, in the confessional, and as teachers at +the higher schools they fanned the flame of hatred against the +Lutherans, and their endeavors were not in vain. Through them a war of +thirty years began to rage in Germany. During the reign of Emperor +Rudolph II the religious peace guaranteed at Augsburg was broken +repeatedly, and the Lutherans were sorely oppressed. Finally, when a +Protestant church in Bohemia was forcibly closed and another was even +torn down, the storm broke loose. By it the greater part of Germany was +laid waste, and untold misery was caused. Everywhere the evangelical +princes were defeated, and their cause seemed to be lost. The Pope and +his minions rejoiced. + +But in the hour of greatest distress help appeared in the person of +Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden. Everywhere the people welcomed him. +However, in his march of triumph through Germany he met with a bloody +death. On the 6th of November, 1632, a battle was fought at Luetzen. In +the Swedish army the trumpeters played the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is +Our God." Then the whole army sang, "May God Bestow on us His Grace." +Whereupon the king cried, "Now at it! In the name of God! Jesus, Jesus, +Jesus, help us fight this day in honor of Thy holy name!" The Swedes +gained a glorious victory, but their king, struck by a bullet, fell +dying from his horse. Sixteen years longer the deplorable war raged on. +In 1648 the long-desired peace was finally concluded. In it the +Religious Peace of Augsburg was again acknowledged and extended to +include the Reformed church. The Pope protested violently, but in vain. + +It is true, conditions after the war were terrible in Germany, also for +the Lutheran church. But the chastenings of the Lord strengthened the +faith in His Word, and the church flourished and prospered. Faithful +pastors strengthened the Christians by their sermons and their writings, +and everywhere the seed grew and brought fruit. It was just in this time +that pious poets made their harps resound and sang their glorious hymns +to the honor and praise of God. + +4. RATIONALISM AND UNIONISM. In no way had the devil succeeded in +smothering the Lutheran church in its own blood or in destroying it by +false doctrine. Again and again courageous witnesses arose, and in loud +and clear words testified that man is justified and saved by grace +alone, for Christ's sake, through faith. At the end of the seventeenth +century, however, men arose in England who craftily sought to abolish +the Christian faith. These were the so-called Deists, or Freethinkers. +Their doctrine, at first, passed from England to France, and then to +Germany. Human reason was to take the place of the Bible. Luther's +prophecy was fulfilled: "Until now you have heard the true, faithful +Word; now beware of your own thoughts and your own wisdom. The devil +will light the candle of reason and deprive you of faith." Not the +Scriptures, the revelation of God, but human reason was to decide +matters of faith and salvation. Whatever did not agree with human reason +was simply to be rejected as superstition. Whoever confessed his faith +in the truths of the Bible was called an obscurant. Those were sad +times. + +In addition, the so-called "Union" in Germany, by sacrificing the +biblical truth, made the attempt to unite the Lutheran and the Reformed +churches into a mixed church, which was called the Evangelical church. +In this way the ruin of the church of the pure Gospel was to be +completed. Faithful Lutherans who would not join in this apostasy were +violently persecuted, cast into prison, cruelly punished, or compelled +to emigrate into foreign countries, Australia or America. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +The Lutheran Church in America. + + +1. THE MUSTARD SEED. When the Lutheran church in Germany was in its +prime it was transplanted also across the waters, into the wilds of +America. As early as 1638 the first Lutheran Swedes emigrated to +America and founded the first Lutheran congregation in the valley of the +Delaware. In 1650 the Dutch had also founded Lutheran churches in the +State of New York. The most important of these churches was in the city +of New York. It was cruelly oppressed by the Reformed officials. The +true Lutheran confessors were frequently fined and imprisoned. As soon +as England, however, took possession of this Dutch colony the Lutherans +were granted liberty of conscience and freedom of worship. + +On New Year's day, 1709, the first _German_ Lutheran congregation, with +its pastor, Kocherthal, landed on the coasts of America. They likewise +settled in the State of New York and founded several colonies on the +banks of the Hudson. The greatest number of Germans settled in the State +of Pennsylvania. Since 1742 their most zealous pastor was Henry Melchior +Muehlenberg. Together with diligent colaborers he founded many +congregations, which afterwards united to form the Pennsylvania Synod. +Since 1734 Lutheran Salzburgers were found in the Colony of Georgia. +Rationalism and fanaticism, however, made powerful inroads also into +this flourishing Lutheran church of America. The time came when very few +had any idea of the nature of true Lutheranism. + +But the light was once more to shine in this land of the West. In 1839 +seven hundred Lutheran Saxons came to America. They brought their +pastors, candidates, and teachers with them. After suffering severe +persecution they had left their old fatherland to live here, in this +land of liberty, in accordance with their most holy faith. A part of +them remained in St. Louis and founded a congregation with a Christian +school. The most of these faithful confessors settled in Perry County, +in the State of Missouri, where they founded a number of colonies with +congregations and Christian schools. In the colony of Altenburg a +seminary was even erected for the education of ministers. Since 1841 the +congregation at St. Louis was served by Carl Ferdinand William Walther +as pastor and preacher. This man has proved to be of inestimable +blessing for the Lutheran church of America. In 1844 he and his +congregation began to issue the _Lutheraner_ in order to gather the +scattered Christians around the Word of God. This paper was to be a +powerful means to acquaint people with the Lutheran doctrine and to +defend it against all error. The very first number was a trumpet that +gave a distinct and powerful sound. After reading it, the missionary +Wyneken joyfully exclaimed, "God be praised, there are more Lutherans in +America!" In the summer of 1838 he had come to this country a candidate +of the holy ministry, twenty-eight years of age, in order to bring the +Gospel to the scattered Germans. In Germany he had read and heard of +their great spiritual need, and their misery had touched Ids heart. +After a short stay in Baltimore he traveled inland, toward Ohio and +Indiana. He came to the little town of Fort Wayne, where he found a +little congregation. Here Wyneken preached several times, officiated at +funerals, and baptized. The people learned to love him, and called him +as their pastor. From here he journeyed to and fro, and, undaunted by +hardships, visited his scattered brethren of the faith, brought them the +Word of Life, and gathered them into congregations. In the following +years other Lutheran pastors, some of them accompanied by their +congregations, also came to America. In this way the Lutheran colonies +of the Saginaw Valley were founded. + +2. THE TREE. In 1845 a number of likeminded pastors met in conference at +Cleveland, Ohio, to discuss the founding of an orthodox Lutheran synod. +In the following year several of these pastors met in St. Louis in order +to consult with Walther and other Saxon pastors concerning the same +matter. On this occasion the draft of a synodical constitution was +carefully considered together with the local congregation. This draft +was later on submitted to an assembly at Fort Wayne. Finally, in 1847, +at Chicago, the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and +other States was founded. Walther was unanimously elected president. The +members of this synod had recognized that the doctrine restored by +Luther and contained in the confessions of the Lutheran church is the +true and pure doctrine of the Word of God. Upon this foundation they +resolved to stand and in the future carry on together the work of the +Lord in this country. And to this day, by the grace of God, they have +remained true to this confession. They accept God's revealed Word as the +only source of knowledge for doctrine and practice. And the heart of all +their teaching is the doctrine of justification of a poor sinner before +God, not through his own works and merit, but alone through faith in the +Lord Jesus Christ. "God's Word and Luther's doctrine pure shall through +eternity endure," is the watchword which the synod has not only written +on its _Lutheraner_, but which its members also dearly cherish in their +hearts. + +For the preparation and education of its pastors and teachers the synod +has, in the course of years, established a large number of institutions. +The first of these is the Theological Seminary at St. Louis. In this +institution Dr. Walther labored with signal blessing as professor, and +through his lectures and his many writings became the leader of +teachers, pastors, and congregations. He died in 1887. In Springfield +the synod has its Supplementary Theological Seminary, in which Prof. +Craemer labored for many years. The Seminary for Teachers is in Addison. +Its first director was the sainted Prof. Lindemann. The preparatory +institutions are in Fort Wayne, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and at several +other places. About sixty professors teach at these institutions. +Essentially the work of the synod is carried on in the same way as at +the time of the fathers. In the same manner as Wyneken missionaries +travel about visiting their scattered brethren in the faith and +gathering them into congregations. At the same time with the +congregation the parochial school is founded and developed for the +education of the children in the Catechism. + +In 1872 the Missouri Synod joined with other orthodox synods, forming +the Evangelical-Lutheran Synodical Conference. At present this is +composed of the synods of Missouri, of Wisconsin, of Minnesota, of +Michigan, and of the English Evangelical-Lutheran Synod of Missouri and +other States. The synods of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan have +united to form a general synod and possess several institutions for the +education of pastors and teachers. Their theological seminary is at +Milwaukee. The Norwegian Synod, which confesses the same faith, also has +several educational institutions. The English Synod at present has +colleges at Winfield, Kans., and Conover, N. C. All these synods are +indefatigable in the work of mission and in the preservation of the pure +doctrine. + +The mustard seed has become a tree, a tree whose branches cover not only +the states of the union and a great part of British America, but whose +twigs extend even to South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia; a tree +continually growing new shoots beneath which birds of passage from every +province of Germany and from every country of the world have found their +home, and raise their hymns in the most diverse melodies to the honor +and praise, glory and worship of the triune God. Everywhere, nearly all +over the globe, is sung: "Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice," and +from countless lips Luther's hymn of battle and triumph is heard, "A +Mighty Fortress is Our God!" + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Life of Luther, by Gustav Just + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE OF LUTHER *** + +***** This file should be named 38544.txt or 38544.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/5/4/38544/ + +Produced by Chuck Greif, Iris Schimandle, Peter Vachuska +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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