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diff --git a/old/56084-0.txt b/old/56084-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index ddf230a..0000000 --- a/old/56084-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2683 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Catharine de Bora, by John G. Morris - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Catharine de Bora - Social and Domestic Scenes in the Home of Luther - -Author: John G. Morris - -Release Date: November 30, 2017 [EBook #56084] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CATHARINE DE BORA *** - - - - -Produced by Turgut Dincer, Stephen Hutcheson, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -[Illustration: CATHARINE DE BORA, -_WIFE OF LUTHER_.] - - - - - CATHARINE DE BORA; - - - OR, - - Social and Domestic - SCENES IN THE - HOME OF LUTHER. - - BY - JOHN G. MORRIS, - TRANSLATOR OF “THE BLIND GIRL OF WITTENBERG,” AND PASTOR OF THE FIRST - LUTHERAN CHURCH OF BALTIMORE. - - PHILADELPHIA: - LINDSAY & BLAKISTON. - 1856. - - Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by - LINDSAY & BLAKISTON, - in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for - the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. - STEREOTYPED BY J. FAGAN PRINTED BY C. SHERMAN & SON. - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - Page - - CHAPTER I. - Clerical Celibacy—Luther—Bernhardi’s Marriage—Treatment of - Catharine De Bora—the Convent—Wealthy Nuns—Convent - Life—the Escape—Treatment of the Nuns—Florentine de - Oberweimer—Leonard Koppe—Luther’s Defence 9 - - CHAPTER II. - Luther’s Reflections—Example of the Apostles—Celibacy—Gregory - VII.—Luther’s Change of Mind—Luther’s Marriage—Character - of Catharine 27 - - CHAPTER III. - Wedding-Dinner—Melanchthon—Slanders 43 - - CHAPTER IV. - Luther’s Domestic Life—Character of Catharine—Perils of - Luther—Sickness—Death of his Parents—Private - Life—Catharine 52 - - CHAPTER V. - Income—Expenses—Hospitality—Charity—Diet—Afflictions— - Despondency—Journeys—Death 70 - - CHAPTER VI. - Catharine, a Widow—Her Support—Sufferings—Journeys—Death 84 - - CHAPTER VII. - Luther’s Children—Domestic Character—Catharine 94 - - CHAPTER VIII. - Character of Catharine 120 - - - - - PREFACE. - - -There are many interesting and characteristic incidents in the domestic -life of Luther which are not found in biographies of the great Reformer. -The character of his wife has not been portrayed in full, and who does -not wish to become better acquainted with a woman who mingled many a -drop of balsam in those numerous cups of sorrow which her celebrated -husband was compelled to drink? - -This little book is the result of extensive research, and exhibits facts -attested by the most reliable authorities, many of which will be new to -those of my readers who have not investigated this particular subject. - - J. G. M. - -Baltimore, June, 1856. - - - - - LUTHER AT HOME. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - Clerical Celibacy—Luther-Bernhardi’s Marriage—Treatment of Catharine - de Bora—the Convent—Wealthy Nuns—Convent Life—the Escape—Treatment of - the Nuns—Florentine de Oberweimer—Leonard Koppe—Luther’s Defence. - - -The celibacy of the clergy was one of the strongest pillars on which the -proud edifice of Romish power rested. It was a stupendous partition-wall -which separated the clergy from all other interests, and thus -consolidated the wide-spread authority of the Pope. It cut off the -secular clergy, as well as the monks, from all domestic ties. They -forgot father, mother, and friends. Political obligations to their -sovereign and country were disregarded, but the cord which bound them to -the interests of Rome was only the more tightly drawn. - -Superior purity was the presumed ground of the system, but a total -surrender of all rights, and complete submission to the will of the -Pope, were its legitimate results. He was regarded as the only parent of -the clergy—the only sovereign to whom they owed allegiance—the only -protector in whom they were to confide, and, as dutiful sons, obedient -subjects, and grateful beneficiaries, they were obliged to exert -themselves to the utmost to maintain his authority and extend his -dominion. Clerical celibacy was regarded not only as a duty, but as the -highest attainment in moral perfection. The system was introduced with -caution and maintained with sleepless vigilance and zeal. There were -some who saw its errors and disadvantages, and desired its abolition, -but their remonstrances were unheeded and their clamors silenced. - -That, however, which was considered impossible by the whole Christian -world, was accomplished by a single man, who himself had been a monk, -and whose first duty as such was a vow of celibacy! That man was Martin -Luther, Augustinian Monk, Doctor of Theology at the University of -Wittenberg, who, by his heroic conduct in relation to this subject, has -only added to the other inappreciable services he has rendered the -Church. It was he who was bold enough to abandon the monastic order, -and, in spite of the principles of the Church as they prevailed in that -age, _to enter the married state_. This adventurous step led to the -deliverance of a large portion of the clergy from the chain of Papal -power. From having been the slavish satellites of a foreign master in -Italy, they became patriotic subjects and useful men at home. - -Several years before, two friends of Luther, who were his noble -assistants in the work of the Reformation, Melanchthon and Carlstadt, -had written treatises against clerical celibacy. Their books on this -subject were equally as unexpected, and created as much excitement among -the clergy, as Luther’s Theses against Indulgences had done six years -before. - -Luther was not the first priest of those days who practically rejected -celibacy. As early as 1521, one of his friends and fellow-laborers, -Bernhardi, superintendent of the churches at Kemberg, had the boldness -to marry. He was the first ecclesiastic in Saxony who took this step, -and his wedding-day was long regarded as the _Pastors’ Emancipation -Day_; but Caspar Aquila, a priest residing near Augsburg, was married as -early as 1516, Jacob Knabe in 1518, and Nicolas Brunner in 1519. - -Luther was free from all participation in Bernhardi’s marriage, for at -that time he was a prisoner in Wartburg Castle, and the first -intelligence came so unexpectedly, that whilst he admired the courage of -his friend, he was very apprehensive it would occasion him and his cause -many severe trials. Not long after, Bernhardi’s metropolitan, the -Cardinal Archbishop Albert, of Mainz and Magdeburg, demanded of the -Elector of Saxony, Frederick the Wise, to send Bernhardi to Halle, to -answer for his presumptuous act. Frederick did not yield to the demand -of the Archbishop, and the latter professed to be satisfied with an -anonymous defence of Bernhardi. - -Luther himself sent a petition to Albert in behalf of the clergy who had -already married and of those who intended to marry. Subsequently, -however, Bernhardi suffered severely. When, in 1547, more than twenty -years after his nuptials, the Emperor Charles V. captured Wittenberg, -his savage Spaniards seized Bernhardi, and bound him fast to a table. -His wife rescued him from their murderous hands; but, soon after, others -laid hold of him, and after cruelly beating him, tied him to a horse and -dragged him to the camp at Torgau. A German officer, after much trouble, -had him liberated, and he finally, after unexampled suffering, reached -his family at Kemberg. A considerable number of priests followed the -example of Bernhardi. They were not deterred by the ban of the bishops, -nor by the fear of deposition and imprisonment. But all this would not -have created such immense excitement if Luther himself, to whom all eyes -were directed, had not resolved, by his own example, to strike a deadly -blow at priestly celibacy. - -Catharine de Bora, a nun of the celebrated Bernhardin or Cistercian -convent at Nimtschen, in Saxony, was the person whom Luther chose as his -wife. She was born on the 29th of January, 1499. There is no authentic -record of the place of her birth, and the history of her childhood is -wrapped in obscurity. It is only as the nun Catharine that we first -became acquainted with her. Her Romish calumniators (and no innocent -woman was ever more bitterly and cruelly defamed,) declare that her -parents compelled her to become a nun against her will, because they -were poor and could not support her, and particularly because her -conduct was so objectionable that her seclusion was necessary. As -regards the first, it is true; she was not wealthy when she became the -wife of Luther; but, if she had been compelled to enter the nunnery, it -is likely that Luther would have mentioned it as an additional -justification of her flight. Her objectionable morality is based by her -enemies on the fact of her escape, and hence the accusation has no -ground whatever. There is not a particle of proof to establish the -calumnious charge. - -This Convent was designated by the name of _The Throne of God_. It was -founded in 1250 by Henry the Illustrious. No trace of it remains at the -present day. In 1810-12 its ruins were removed to make room for the -erection of an edifice connected with a school for boys established at -that place. - -Most of the inmates of this Convent were of noble birth, for at that -day, as well as at present, it was the policy and interest of the Romish -clergy to induce as many ladies of high rank as possible to take the -veil, thereby rendering the profession respectable, and securing large -sums as entrance fees if they were wealthy, and all their patrimony -after their decease. - -It may seem strange that Catharine de Bora, who, according to her own -confession, was devout, industrious in the discharge of conventual -duties, and diligent in prayer, should have determined with eight other -“sisters” to escape from their prison. But when it is considered that -the convent was situated within the territory of the Elector Frederick -the Wise, who was Luther’s friend and patron—that Luther himself visited -a neighboring monastery at Grimma as Inspector—that in 1519, after the -dispute with Eck at Leipzig, he spent a few days in the town of -Nimtschen—that the principles of the Reformation had already made some -progress in that vicinity, and that several monasteries not far distant -had been abandoned—the circumstance is easily explained. It is scarcely -credible that amid the excitement of the times, no word of Luther’s -doctrine should have entered the convent halls, and that the stirring -events occurring around them should have been entirely concealed from -the unobtrusive occupants. Could not some of those courageous friends of -Luther, who afterwards, at his suggestion, effected the escape of the -nuns, have previously introduced some of Luther’s tracts into the -convent? He had at that time already written several small books against -the monastic life, and it is likely that some of these had been -clandestinely introduced, the perusal of which convinced these “sisters” -that their profession was not sanctioned by the Scriptures, and that it -was dangerous to their morals. They became so thoroughly assured of the -enormous error they had committed in thus secluding themselves from the -world, and were so heartily weary of the unnatural restraint imposed -upon them, that they earnestly besought their relatives to liberate them -for their souls’ sake! But these appeals were unheard, and now probably -the unhappy petitioners turned immediately to Luther. He not only -favored their resolution to escape, but selected his courageous friend, -Bernhard Koppe, a citizen of Torgau, to execute the project. Two other -citizens of the same place accompanied him on the adventure. - -George Spalatin, Court Chaplain and Secretary of the Elector, reports -that they fled from the convent on the night before Easter, April 4, -1523. There were nine of them in all. - -The accounts of the manner in which their rescue was effected, differ. -Some historians report that prudence required them to preserve the -strictest secrecy as long as they were traversing the territory of Duke -George, who was violently opposed to the Reformation, and hence they -were conveyed away in a covered wagon, and a few affirm, on the -authority of reliable documents, that they were concealed in casks. The -historians, however, agree that Koppe performed his part in the -enterprise with consummate courage and skill. It is very likely that the -nuns were aware of Koppe’s design, and held themselves in readiness at -the appointed time. Tradition tells us that they escaped through the -window of Catharine’s cell. To this day, they show at Nimtschen a -slipper which they say Catharine lost in the hurry of the flight. - -They arrived at Wittenberg on the 7th of April, under circumstances -calculated to excite the sympathy of every feeling heart. As they -deserted the convent against the will of their relatives, and most of -them probably being orphans, they did not know where to find shelter or -support. But Luther, who had advised their flight, and aided in -effecting it, kindly received them, and spared no pains to render their -condition comfortable. In a few but expressive words to Spalatin, he -announced their arrival and depicted their destitution. He thus writes -on the 10th of April: “These eloped nuns have come to me; they are in -destitute circumstances, but as very respectable citizens of Torgau have -brought them, there can be no suspicion entertained as to their moral -character. I sincerely pity their forlorn state, and particularly that -of the great number still confined in convents, who are going to ruin in -that condition of constrained and unnatural celibacy. * * * How -tyrannical and cruel,” continues Luther, “many parents and relatives of -these oppressed women in Germany are! But ye popes and bishops! who can -censure you with sufficient severity? who can sufficiently abominate -your wickedness and blindness for upholding these accursed institutions? -But this is not the place to speak at large on this subject. You ask, -dear Spalatin, what I intend to do with these nuns? I shall report these -facts to their relatives, so that they may provide for them. If they -should refuse, I shall look to some other persons, for several have -promised aid. Their names are Margaretta Staupitz, Elizabeth de Carnitz, -Eva Grossin, Eva Schönfield and her Sister Margaret, Lunette de Golis, -Margaret de Zeschau and her sister Catharine, and Catharine de Bora. -They are, indeed, objects worthy of compassion, and Christ will be -served by conferring favors on them.” - -As he could not afford to support them himself, he begged his friend to -solicit donations at court, that these fugitives might be supported for -several weeks. By that time he hoped to send them to their friends or -patrons. As Spalatin did not reply immediately, Luther wrote again, and -begged not to be forgotten. He added, “Yea, I even exhort the Prince to -send a contribution. I will keep it a profound secret, and tell no one -that he gave anything to these apostate nuns who have been rescued from -their prison.” - -There is no doubt that the Elector, who esteemed Luther highly, sent him -the desired relief. The pacific Prince only wished the fact of his -contribution to be kept secret, that he might not give the Romish -clergy, and particularly Duke George of Saxony, occasion for new -complaint. - -Luther’s intercessions in behalf of the nuns with their relatives seem -to have been fruitless, but the people of Wittenberg were liberal beyond -his expectations in their donations for their support. They were kindly -received into various families, and hospitably entertained. In this way -Philip Reichenbach, a magistrate of the city, became the protector or -foster-father of Catharine de Bora, who, by her virtuous and dignified -behavior, rendered herself worthy of his paternal benevolence. This is, -of itself, a sufficient refutation of the slanders of Romish writers, -who charge her with leading a dissolute life until her marriage with -Luther; for no city official, such as Reichenbach, would have hazarded -his own character by harboring a licentious woman. Neither would Dr. -Glacius and other eminent divines have sought her hand in marriage, as -they perseveringly did, nor would she have enjoyed the friendship and -confidence of Amsdorff and other professors of the University if she had -not sustained a character above suspicion. The epitaph on her tomb-stone -at Torgau commemorates her virtues in most exalted terms of eulogy, from -the time of her escape to her death. - -The flight of the nuns was itself an unusual event, but it became -immensely important, for extraordinary consequences resulted from it. -Pains were taken to conceal the bold step they had assumed, especially -from all other convents. But these exertions were useless; nuns at other -places heard what their more adventurous sisters at Nimtschen had dared -to do, and they also undertook to fly from their narrow, unwholesome -cells to breathe the pure air of heaven. The abbess and four other nuns -of the Benedictine convent at Zeitz; six at Sormitz; eight at Pentwitz, -and sixteen at Wiedenstadt, escaped in a short time. Luther’s enemies -now assailed him with ferocious malignity. They regarded him as the -author of all this enormous mischief, and tried to show that his work -was productive of nothing but unmitigated evil, because it occasioned -such abominable results as the flight of poor nuns from their convent -prisons. Luther replied to them very briefly; he represented the dark -side of the picture of conventual life, and narrated some striking facts -in illustration. He published the life of a nun, _Florentine de -Oberweimer_, who had escaped from a convent at Eisleben. “I was but six -years old,” she says, “when I was sent to the convent by my parents. -When I was eleven, without knowing or being asked whether I could or -would observe the rules, I was compelled to take the vow. When I was -fourteen, and I began to find out that this mode of life was against my -nature, and hence complained to the abbess, she told me that I must be -contented and should continue to be a nun no matter what I thought or -felt. I then wrote to the learned Dr. Luther and begged his advice: but -my letter was intercepted by my superiors, who immediately put me in -prison, where I remained four weeks and suffered much. The abbess then -put me under the bans. (Florentine then minutely describes the severe -treatment she received before the ban was dissolved.) After that, I -wrote to my relative, Caspar de Watzdorf, who loved the gospel truth, -and complained of my treatment. This also became known to the abbess, -and I cannot tell to strangers how shamefully I was abused by her and -others. _I was so violently beaten by her and four other persons that -they became completely exhausted._ She put me in prison again and -fastened my feet with iron chains,” &c., &c. - -In the dedication of this little book to the Duke of Mansfeld, in whose -dominions the convent was located, Luther wrote on the 2nd of March, -1524, “What are you about, ye princes and lords, that ye drive the -people to God whether they will or not? It is not your office nor in -your power. To outward obedience you may compel them, but God will -regard no vow that is not cheerfully and voluntarily kept. Hence, my -dear, gracious sirs, I have published this little narrative that all the -world may know _what conventual life is, and the devil’s folly thus be -made known_. There are princes and lords who are very indignant about -this affair, and it is no wonder. If they knew what I know, they would -perhaps honor me more for it, and contribute much more towards spreading -it abroad than I am doing.” - -But Luther was not the only one who was charged with being accessory to -the flight of these nuns. Leonard Koppe, as the chief instrument in -effecting their escape, was, perhaps, exposed to greater dangers and -persecutions than Luther, who was powerfully protected by his prince. -For although Koppe had formerly been a councillor and a government -auditor, yet he had reason to fear the worst treatment from the clergy -if his participation in the act should become generally known. Hence he -sought to conceal it: but Luther, who was a stranger to the fear of man, -and who, in all things, went to work openly and boldly, was of a -different opinion. Fully convinced that Koppe had performed a -meritorious act, of which he should not be ashamed, but rather boast, he -mentioned his name in a letter to Spalatin a few days after the escape -of the nuns; but he also deemed it prudent to write to Koppe and inspire -him with courage. “Be assured,” he writes, “that God has so ordained it, -and that it is not your work or counsel; never mind the clamor of those -who denounce it as a most wicked undertaking, and who do not believe it -was so ordered of God. Shame! shame! they will say; the fool, Leonard -Koppe, has suffered himself to be led by that cursed heretical monk, and -has aided nine nuns to fly from the convent at once and to violate their -vows. To this you will reply: ‘_This is indeed a strange way of keeping -the thing secret._ You are betraying me, and the whole convent of -Nimtschen will be up against me, or they will now hear that I have been -the robber.’ But my reasons for not keeping it secret are good: 1. That -it may be known that I did not advise it to be concealed; for what we -do, we do in and for God, and do not shun the light of day. Would to -heaven I could in this or some other way rescue all troubled consciences -and empty all convents! I would not be afraid to confess my own agency -in the business, nor that of all my assistants. Confidence in Jesus, -whose gospel is destroying the kingdom of Antichrist, would sustain me, -_even if it should cost me my life_. 2. I do it for the sake of the poor -nuns, and of their relatives, so that no one may be able to say they -were involuntarily abducted by wicked fellows, and thus be robbed of -their reputation. 3. To warn the nobility and pious gentry who have -children in convents to take them away themselves, so that no worse -thing befal them. You know that I _advised_ and _sanctioned_ the -enterprise; that you _executed_ it, and that the nuns _consented_ and -_earnestly desired_ it, and I will here briefly give the reasons for it -before God and the world. First, _The nuns themselves had before most -humbly solicited the help of their relatives and friends in effecting -their release; they gave them satisfactory reasons why such a life could -no longer be endured, for it interfered with their souls’ salvation, and -they promised to be faithful and dutiful children when they should be -released._ All this was positively denied to them, and they were -forsaken by all their relations. Hence they had the right, yea, were -compelled to relieve their burdened consciences, and save their souls by -seeking help from other quarters, and those who were in a position to -afford counsel and aid, were bound by Christian love to bestow them. -_Secondly_, It is not right that young girls should be locked up in -convents where there is no daily use made of the word of God, and where -the gospel is seldom or never heard, and where, of course, these girls -are exposed to the severest temptations. _Thirdly_, It is plain that a -person may be compelled to do before the world what is not cheerfully -done; but before God and in his service no one has a right to use -compulsion. _Fourthly_, Women were created for other purposes than to -spend a lazy and useless life in a convent.” - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - Luther’s Reflections—Example of the Apostles—Celibacy—Gregory - VII.—Luther’s Change of Mind—Luther’s Marriage—Character of Catharine. - - -All these preliminary steps were not unpremeditated by Luther. -Encouraged by the example of other clergymen who had married, he now -began seriously to reflect on the _propriety of clerical matrimony_. - -In these reflections he found no difficulty as regards the secular -clergy, that is, those who officiated as pastors of churches, because he -considered their office as divinely instituted, and he knew from history -that their celibacy was forced by the popes under the most cruel -oppression. For although Paul advised the Christians of Corinth to -remain unmarried during the season of persecution,[1] yet the first -teachers of Christianity, and even Peter and most of the other apostles, -were married men.[2] Besides, celibacy is no where regarded as a -meritorious condition in the New Testament. Christ himself distinctly -commends matrimonial affection and harmony, and Paul teaches that it is -better to lead a married, than an unchaste life.[3] 1 Cor. 7; 2, 9, 28. - -Notwithstanding all this, even during the first three centuries, a -peculiar merit began to be attached to celibacy. Many bishops, who were, -it is true, poorly enough supported, abstained from matrimony, or, if -they were married, separated from their wives. A second marriage was -particularly disapproved. But as yet there was no law on the subject, -and the celibacy of the bishops was far from being general. Many of them -were married men. It was only in the fourth century that it became a -general custom for the bishops to lead single lives, and several -councils held during this period, in this respect severely oppressed the -secular clergy. At the council of Nice, held in the year 325, the first -serious attempt was made to introduce celibacy, but the attempt failed -through the influence of Bishop Paphnutius, of Upper Thebes. From this -time, most of the bishops tried their utmost to prevent their secular -clergy from marrying. Some Popes, since the end of the fourth century, -such as Siricius, Innocent I., Gregory II., Nicolas I., and Leo IX. also -made attempts to restrain the priests. The predictions of Paul in 1 Tim. -4; 1, 3, were soon fulfilled. Scarcely had Gregory VII. arrived at the -papal dignity than he exerted all his influence to render the secular -clergy independent of the state, and this he thought could be best -accomplished through celibacy. The orders which he communicated to the -council held at Rome in 1074 in relation to this subject were very -severe; the married clergy were to be separated from their wives or be -deposed, and from that time forth no man was to be ordained to the -clerical office who would not bind himself to remain unmarried all his -life. The opposition to this severe regulation was strong. In Germany -they even committed violence on the papal ambassador, and openly -reproached the Pope as a heretic, who disregarded the plain instructions -of the Scriptures and introduced regulations which militated against -human nature and Divine Providence, and which would lead to the most -scandalous improprieties. When Archbishop Siegfried of Mainz held a -council at Erfurt, and communicated the commands of the Pope to the -secular clergy, the excitement was so great that he was in danger of his -life. The Archbishop of Passau did not fare better. At the council of -Worms, in 1076, Germans and French violently opposed the Pope, and -proclaimed him as a usurper of the papal sovereignty. At a meeting in -Pavia, the Italian bishops even _put this Pope under the ban_. - -Notwithstanding all this opposition, Gregory could not be turned from -his purpose. He executed his orders with all possible severity, and even -demanded of the princes to forbid those priests who would not obey him -from administering the sacraments or reading mass. Thus his unnatural -law triumphed in 1080, though not universally, for Urban II. felt -himself compelled in 1089 and 1095 to re-enact it, and it was reserved -for Innocent III. in 1215 more firmly to establish celibacy as a -disciplinary law, although, long before this, marriage had been declared -to be a _sacrament_. In his address in 1520 to his Imperial Majesty and -German nobility, Luther strenuously advocated the marriage of the -_secular_ clergy. - -He entertained different views, however, with regard to the _monastic_ -order, and he made their celibacy a subject of investigation at Wartburg -castle. Although, thought he, their office is not of divine appointment, -yet they had chosen it, and had consecrated themselves to God; in most -instances they had voluntarily assumed the vow, and hence were bound to -keep it. Melanchthon, who had married a short time before, and -Carlstadt, who followed his example a short time after, to Luther’s -great joy, had both advocated the marriage of the monastic clergy in -their writings, although not altogether with his approbation.[4] “Our -Wittenbergers even wish the monks to have wives!” thus he wrote to -Spalatin, August 6th, 1521, “_but they shall force no wife on me!_ I -wish Carlstadt’s book had more light and distinctness, for it contains -much talent and learning.”[5] - -But Luther’s penetrating mind soon discovered the truth. He communicated -his new-formed opinion to his father, and openly came out in favor of -the marriage of the monks. Although he now sturdily maintained this side -of the question, yet he did not at this time feel himself inclined to -matrimony. This was in the autumn of 1522. - -Two years after this (1524), when he heard of a report in circulation -that he was to be married, he thus wrote to Spalatin: “From the opinion -which I have hitherto had, and now have, it is probable I shall never -marry; not that I do not feel myself to be flesh and blood, for I am -neither wood nor stone, but I feel no inclination in that way.” Still, -he highly honored the married relation as an institution of God. Long -after this he wrote thus to his friend Stiefel: “I did not marry as -though I expected to live long, but to establish my doctrine by my -example, and to leave behind me a consolation for weak consciences.” “I -married also for the purpose of opposing the doctrine of Satan, and -putting to shame the scandalous immorality practised in the papacy, and -if I had no wife I would now marry even in my old age, just to honor the -divine institution and to pour contempt on the ungodly lives of so many -popish priests.” - -Luther’s mind gradually underwent a change. He now secretly resolved to -marry Catharine, who had already, as we shall see below, expressed a -tender feeling towards him. An intimation of his purpose we have in a -letter to his relative, Dr. John Ruhl, of May 4, 1525: “If I can manage -to spite the devil, I will marry Catharine before I die if I hear that -my enemies continue their reproaches.” From this it is evident that he -would not have married, at least at this time, if the clamor of his -enemies, the fear and weakness of his friends, and various other -circumstances, had not determined him to take the step. The generous and -public declaration of John the Constant[6] in favor of the Reformation, -as well as his own opposition to the celibacy of the clergy, and the -desire of gratifying the long-expressed wish of his father, hastened the -consummation of his design. “Thus,” says he, “I could no longer deny -this last act of obedience to my dear father, who earnestly entreated me -to marry.” Besides this, he wished to set an example to others around -him, for many whom he advised to marry had reproached him for writing -against monastic celibacy and yet not practising his own doctrine. - -In the meantime, he wrote frequently to his friends on this subject, and -what gratified him much in the prospect of his marriage was the chagrin -it would occasion the Romish party, and subsequent experience proved -that he was not disappointed in his hopes. - -Anxious as he was to consummate the event, yet his choice of Catharine -was not precipitate. It was only after he was assured of the superlative -excellence of her character that he offered her his hand. She conducted -herself in her lowly circumstances with such a reserved and womanly -dignity that he thought her to be somewhat prudish and proud, and it was -only after a more intimate acquaintance that he perceived her numerous -good qualities. “If I had felt a disposition to marry thirteen years -ago,” says he, “I would have preferred Eva Schönfield, who is now the -wife of Dr. Basilius. I did not love my Catharine at that time, for I -suspected her of being proud. But it has pleased God otherwise, and, -blessed be His name, all things have turned out well, for I have a -pious, faithful wife, as Solomon says, Prov. 31; 11, my heart doth -safely trust in her, and she contributes so much to my content and -manages my affairs so prudently, _that I have no need of spoil_, that -is, I have no temptation to envy the wealth of others or to prey upon my -neighbors.” - -Nor was she, on her part, in a hurry about giving her consent, but she -deliberated long. Though she was poor, yet she followed the inclination -of her heart. - -Before he thought of marrying her himself he recommended her to Jerome -S. Baumgartner, a Nurnberg Patrician, and a student of theology, who had -a very tender regard for Catharine, and to whom she was not altogether -indifferent. Luther wrote to him (Oct. 12, 1524,): “If you have made up -your mind to marry Catharine, you had better be in a hurry before -another takes her who is near at hand. She has not ceased to love you, -and I should be much gratified to see you marry her.” But his -recommendation was of no avail, probably because Baumgartner, after his -return home, was captivated by some other lady. The other suitor to whom -Luther alludes was Dr. Caspar Glacius, vicar of the Archdeaconate of the -Castle Church at Wittenberg. Luther favored his pretensions to her hand, -and this led her to complain to Amsdorff, Luther’s friend. She requested -him to induce Luther to cease his importunity in behalf of Glacius, for -whom she had no inclination whatever. She, however, honestly -acknowledged to Amsdorff she would not refuse an offer either from -himself or Luther. She was not mistaken in her estimate of Glacius, for -he was an ill-tempered man, who never was at peace with his -congregation, and was dismissed from his office in 1537. - -The marriage of a nun was, until that time, unheard of, and hence we -need not wonder that Luther’s enemies took every opportunity to -calumniate him as well as his intended wife. As Erasmus says, “It was at -that time an almost universal sentiment that the Antichrist would be the -son of a monk and a nun;” and he remarks in relation to this old saying, -“If this were true, the world has had thousands of Antichrists!” His -enemies knew too well how to make the most of this popular belief, but -they went still further, and charged him with all the misfortunes that -befel the country; the demolition of the convents in the Peasants’ War, -and other similar calamities, for they said that he inflamed the hatred -of the peasants against monastic life and the possessions of the clergy, -“And all this he did,” they affirmed, “that he might marry.” - -But many of his friends also disapproved of such an alliance. “Our wise -men are fiercely excited on the subject,” wrote Luther, after his -marriage, to Stiefel. “They must confess it is the work of God, but my -professional character, as well as that of the lady, blinds them and -makes them think and speak unkindly. But the Lord lives, who is greater -in us than he who is in the world, and there are more on my side than on -theirs.” - -It was perfectly in character with Luther not to delay the execution of -a purpose he had once formed. He was particularly opposed to -long-standing matrimonial engagements, and hence says, “I advise a -speedy marriage after a positive engagement; it is dangerous to postpone -the consummation, for Satan is ready to oppose many obstacles, by means -of slanderers, and sometimes the friends of both parties interfere. -Hence do not postpone the affair. If I had not married secretly, and -with the knowledge of but few friends, my marriage would have been -prevented, for my best friends exclaimed, ‘Do not take this one, but -another.’” Hence we are not surprised to learn that his final engagement -to Catharine and his marriage occurred on the same day. - -His friends did not maintain that he should not marry at all, but they -did not esteem it wise that one who had been a monk should marry a lady -who had been a nun. They feared that the step would retard the -Reformation among the common people, who did not look with indifference -on the violation of the vow of chastity.[7] But Luther thought -otherwise, and believed that by marrying a nun he would inflict a -terrible blow on the whole system of monasticism. - -The most minute attention was at that time paid to Luther’s doctrine and -conduct, and the most unimportant circumstances in his eventful life -were reported with the greatest care. We should hence suppose that the -precise date of his marriage would also be noted, and yet the reports -are very different. Melanchthon’s statement is the most reliable, for he -lived at that time in Wittenberg; he had daily intercourse with Luther, -and hence may be supposed to be intimately acquainted with his domestic -circumstances. In a letter to Camerarius (July 21, 1525,) he gives the -true date of Luther’s marriage: “As it may happen,” he writes, “that no -one will give you a correct account of Luther’s marriage, I have thought -it proper to inform you of the facts. On the 13th of June, 1525, he, -quite unexpectedly, married Catharine De Bora.” There is no good reason -to doubt Melanchthon’s report of the date, which is established by many -other witnesses, and hence it is unnecessary to refute those who give -other dates. - -Agreeably to these accounts, compared with others, it appears that -Luther on the Tuesday after Trinity, June 13, 1525, in order to avoid -all excitement, took with him John Bugenhagen (Pomeranius) pastor of the -City Church, Dr. John Apel, Professor of Canonical Law, and Louis -Cranach, Court Painter, Councillor, and Chamberlain, without the -knowledge of his other friends, and proceeded to the house of the -town-clerk, Reichenbach, with whom Catharine lived, and there, in the -presence of these three friends, he asked her consent in marriage. -Unexpected as this declaration was, yet she yielded to the solicitation -of her former deliverer and benefactor. Soon after, the Provost, Dr. -Justus Jonas, and the wife of Cranach, entered, and Luther was there -married in the presence of these four witnesses, Bugenhagen performing -the ceremony. Luther was forty-two years of age, and Catharine -twenty-seven. He did not even ask the consent of the Elector; but, as we -shall subsequently see, he sent him an humble request for some game to -supply his wedding dinner-table. - -Before the wedding, Luther offered the following prayer: “Heavenly -Father, inasmuch as thou hast honored me with the office of the -ministry, and wilt also that I should be honored as a husband and the -head of a family, grant me grace to govern my household in a godly and -Christian manner. Grant me wisdom and strength to direct and train all -the members of my family in the right way. Give them willing hearts and -pious dispositions to be obedient, and to follow in all things the -instructions of thy word. Amen.” - -The golden wedding-rings of Luther and his wife were probably not -exchanged on this evening, but afterwards. The celebrated artist, Albert -Dürer, of Nurnberg, made them at the order and expense of the Patrician -and Councillor von Pirckenheim. They are minutely described by some -writers, and exact representations of them are given in various curious -works. One of these rings has exchanged hands many times by gift, sale, -and inheritance. Numerous imitations of them have been made, and sold to -collectors of such articles. - -When, on the following day, the marriage of Luther became generally -known, the town council of Wittenberg sent him various articles, such as -are usually considered essential to wedding festivals of every age and -country. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - Wedding-Dinner—Melanchthon—Slanders. - - -Thus had Luther, actuated by the purest motives, suddenly and silently, -entered into this matrimonial alliance. Now it was no longer secret, and -in compliance with a custom common in that day he determined to invite a -number of his friends, in and out of Wittenberg, including his parents, -to a wedding-dinner. This was to occur on the 27th of June, two weeks -after his marriage. On that day also, he purposed to conduct his wife -publicly to his own residence at the Augustinian monastery. To his -absent friends he sent written invitations, seven of which are still -extant. But he was particularly desirous of having his parents, who -resided at Mansfeld, present on the occasion. He was anxious to show -them that he had finally gratified their most ardent wishes in -abandoning the monastic life and entering on matrimony. But he also -wished to make them personally acquainted with Catharine, and to receive -from them their parental blessing. They, with three or four others of -his friends, accepted the invitation. At this, as well at the other more -private festival on the day after his marriage, the town council of -Wittenberg expressed their highest respect for Luther by sending him -some essential contributions to his dinner. - -It may appear remarkable, at first sight, that Melanchthon, Luther’s -most intimate friend and inseparable companion, should not have been -present at this nor at the previous solemnity, nor even consulted by -Luther on the subject of his marriage. But he well knew the timidity and -excessive sensitiveness of Melanchthon. He knew that his friend was so -painfully concerned for his reputation and peace of mind, that though he -could not disapprove of the act, yet he would reprove him for the manner -and time, fearing the evil consequences that might result to the work of -the Reformation. Hence Luther did not consult Melanchthon, and even -avoided his company at this time. The whole circumstance occasioned much -painful anxiety to Melanchthon, not because he did not sanction the act -in itself, but because it would give the numerous enemies of Luther -fresh occasion for more bitter persecution and more virulent calumny. - -Although Luther had acted with great deliberation in this affair, making -it a subject of most fervent prayer, and hastening its consummation in -order only to avoid excitement, yet occasionally he sometimes seemed -deeply depressed on that very account, because in the opinion of many, -the whole transaction was calculated to injure his reputation. But -through the fraternal consolations of Melanchthon, he was soon restored -to his usual vivacity. He felt himself happy in the possession of -Catharine; for his marriage, instead of interfering with his numerous -professional engagements, only inspired him with renewed courage and -strength in the prosecution of his work. In many of his letters written -at this period, he expresses the most affectionate interest in his wife -and the most perfect satisfaction with his connubial state. - -It would, however, have been surprising if the enemies of Luther had -passed in silence his marriage with a former nun. The most outrageous -slanders and abominable falsehoods might have been anticipated. Their -hatred of the man who had shaken the pillars of their spiritual -despotism, was also to be vented against the woman whom he had chosen -for his wife. “See,” cried out these despicable slanderers, “see the -real design of his apostasy from the Catholic Church! It was only that -he might marry.” And yet Luther was not married until eight years after -he had taken the first step towards the Reformation. They loaded -Catharine with the most opprobrious and disgraceful epithets, and -endeavored to cover her husband with shame and contempt. But they did -not reflect that if Luther had been inclined to an irregular course of -life, he might more easily, with much less excitement and much less -censure too, have indulged his evil propensities as an unmarried monk -than as a married clergyman. Even King Henry VIII. and Duke George of -Saxony sent him letters most bitterly censuring his course. The language -of the royal slanderer of England is especially vulgar, and his -accusations are infamous. But his more recent enemies have not been less -virulent. Luther, in dealing such a terrible blow on their forefathers, -has fearfully wounded them also, and that wound will never heal. They -most dishonestly perverted his language, and endeavored to dishonor the -name of Catharine by the most wretchedly contrived and disgraceful -fables. The principal object of Luther’s enemies was to sever the -matrimonial bond which united him and his wife. They exerted all their -diabolical cunning to gain Catharine over by their machinations, and -induce her to separate herself from Luther in order to return to the -convent. Two young men, members of the University of Leipzig, were -employed to write _Eulogies on Monastic Life_, and send them to Luther -in the hope that they would fall into Catharine’s hands, and induce her, -as a penitent sinner, to resume the veil. But neither he nor his wife -honored these writings with much attention at that time. They were sent -back to their authors in not quite as good a condition as when received, -for the servants, without Luther’s knowledge, had taken special pains to -deface them. They accompanied the papers with the Latin word _asini_ -(asses), so ingeniously arranged in a square, that beginning in the -centre the same word could be read in forty different directions. Some -time after, Luther answered these writings and constructed several -amusing fables on them. The treatment of these eulogies by Luther and -his wife, and especially by the servants, created such an excitement in -Leipzig that Jerome Walther, a councillor, found it necessary to -communicate a full report of the whole transaction to the Court -Chancellor of Duke George. The infamous attempt, however, to separate -Luther and his wife signally failed. - -The great restorer of the true gospel doctrine might have lived in open -profligacy as a monk, and it would not probably have been noticed; but -to marry was an unpardonable sin. The acknowledged teachers of the -priests have laid down such doctrine as the following: Cardinal de -Campeggi has taught that “It is a greater sin for a priest to marry than -to lead an infamous life.” The Jesuit Coster taught that “Although a -priest who indulges the most unnatural appetite commits a great evil, -yet he sins still more if he marries;” and Cornelius à Lapide remarks, -“For those who have taken the vow of chastity, it is better that they -live unchastely than marry.” The men who taught such morals were the -opponents of Luther’s marriage. The most influential of his enemies at -this time was Erasmus, who, in the beginning did not disallow Luther’s -merits, but he was fond of ridicule and sarcasm. He slandered Catharine -most infamously, but eight months afterwards he had the magnanimity to -retract his false accusations. - -As we have already learned, Luther had determined to give a particular -wedding-festival especially for the sake of his own parents, but we have -no account of his having invited the parents of his wife. Every -unprejudiced reader will conclude that either her parents were -dissatisfied with her flight and marriage, or, what is more probable, -they were no longer living. For from the well-known letter of Luther to -Koppe, we cannot even with certainty conclude that her parents were -living at the time of her escape from the convent. He states that those -nine nuns had most earnestly implored their parents and _relatives_ to -deliver them from the prison, from which we presume that some of them -were orphans, and for this reason applied to their relations. But -Luther’s enemies still maintained that the parents of his wife were -living, but were of no account, and hence not mentioned at all. It is -likely that _poverty_ first moved them to place their daughter in a -convent early in life. Luther and some of his cotemporaries bear -testimony to the fact that she possessed no property. At one place he -thus expresses himself relative to the condition of her property, “As -thou gavest her to me, so I return her to thee again, O thou faithful -God, who richly aboundest in all things; support, sustain, and teach her -as thou hast supported, sustained, and taught me, thou Father of the -orphan and judge of the widow.” Even if she had taken property with her -into the convent, how could she have secured it in her flight? But when -Erasmus writes and says, “Luther has married a wife, a most beautiful -daughter of the celebrated family of Bora, but, as is said, without a -fortune,” this might also proceed from the dissatisfaction of her -relatives with her marriage and her flight from the convent. - -But though those enemies of Luther could not exactly show the humble -condition of his wife’s parents, others tried hard to throw doubt, at -least, on her _noble_ birth. They could not deny that her mother was -entitled to that distinction of rank, but they totally reject her -father’s claim to it, and because Luther does not mention him in his -writings, they draw the unsound conclusion that he must have belonged to -the very lowest class of society. Catharine’s honor would not in the -least have been periled even if her father had been of humble birth. But -the most unimportant circumstances were industriously used by Luther’s -enemies to degrade him; hence, they would not allow her distinguished -birth, although the plainest proofs of the fact were given. His -opponents sometimes contradicted each other. They all agreed in most -scandalously calumniating him, but in their accusations they sometimes -singularly differed, and often unintentionally wrote something which was -more honorable to Luther than injurious. Cochlaeus, for example, charges -it as the greatest sin of Luther “that he rescued from the convent nine -nuns, _who were all_ of _noble rank_, and, to the eternal disgrace of so -many distinguished families, led them away.” Could this deadly enemy of -Luther only have conjectured that some of his brethren of the faith ever -intended to assail Catharine’s birth, he would have been more careful -than to have spoken of _noble_ rank and _distinguished_ families. But -the testimony of one such cotemporary is proof sufficient of her noble -origin, and we need not stop to refute those who maintain that there -never even existed a _family_ of _de Bora_. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - Luther’s Domestic Life—Character of Catharine—Perils of - Luther—Sickness—Death of his Parents—Private Life—Catharine. - - -Luther led with Catharine a very peaceful and happy domestic life. It -would be doing him great injustice and placing him in the rank of common -men, to judge of his conjugal and domestic demeanor from his public -character. Here there was no trace of that severity and violence which -can only find an apology in the frequent insulting conduct of his -enemies, the unrefined spirit of the times, but, above all, in his -burning zeal for the glory of God and the truth of the Gospel. No! in -the circle of his family he was an affectionate husband and tender -father; kind and condescending to all his household, and benevolent to -the poor. In writing to Stiefel (Aug. 11, 1526), he playfully says: “My -rib, Kate, salutes you. She is well, with God’s help; she is amiable, -obedient, and obliging in all things to a greater degree than I could -have hoped for, thank heaven, so that I would not exchange my poverty -for the wealth of Crœsus.” When he had finished his commentary on the -Epistle to the Galatians, he cried out, “This is my letter to which I am -betrothed; it is my Katy von Bora!” On the 31st of August, 1538, he thus -writes to Bernard von Dohlen: “If I were a young man again, now since I -have experienced the wickedness of the world, if a queen were offered to -me after my Catharine, I would rather die than marry a second time.” “I -could not have a more _obedient_ wife unless I would have one hewn out -of stone.” Many such expressions occur in his table-talk. Among other -things, he says, “I hear that there are much greater faults and -occasions of disagreement among married people than I find in my wife. -This is an abundant reason that I should love and esteem her, because -she is _sincere_ and _upright_, as a _pious_ and _discreet_ wife should -be.” “I have a _pious_ and _faithful_ wife in whom the heart of her -husband doth safely trust.” Prov. 31; 11. “I value her more highly than -I would the whole kingdom of France and the sovereignty of Venice; for -God has given me a _pious_ wife.” “The best and most valuable gift of -God is a pious, affectionate, godly, domestic wife, with whom you can -live at peace, to whom you may entrust all that you possess; yea, your -very body and life.” - -But Catharine had in Luther not only an affectionate husband, but a man -who, on account of his enlightened understanding, his widespread -usefulness, and his undaunted heroism, deserved all the veneration he -received from all the truly pious of his generation. - -From this time forth, Catharine was totally and forever weaned from the -monastic life, and all the anxieties for the future which may have -distressed her on her first escape, had now vanished. Though Luther’s -worldly circumstances were not the most flourishing, yet he was aided by -the liberality of the princes and other noble-minded men to such an -extent, at least, that he did not absolutely suffer for the necessaries -of life.[8] In this respect, Catharine’s circumstances were much -improved. However, many dangers threatened the bold champion of truth, -right, and liberty, which were calculated to disturb the happy serenity -of his wife. He had several alarming attacks of sickness, which -occasioned her painful solicitude. In the first year of his marriage -some noblemen conspired against him because he effected the escape of -thirteen nuns out of a cloister in the territory of Duke George. He -himself acknowledges this in a letter to Stiefel, and says of it, “I -have chased away Satan from this booty of Christ.” Hence, with tears, -she entreated him not to leave Wittenberg at such a perilous time when -he was invited to the wedding of Spalatin, and he yielded. But he was -not accustomed to be alarmed at the thunder-clouds which rolled over -him. Even as early as 1526, he undertook a journey in company with -Catharine, and yet that was the time he had most to fear. But he was -never free from danger. In 1530, when his father was lying on his -death-bed, he dared not venture to visit him, but wrote an affecting -letter, stating that his friends positively forbade his leaving -Wittenberg, lest he might be murdered. A Jewish physician of Posen was -hired for two thousand golden guilders to poison him. In 1541 he was -waylaid by an assassin, but escaped. Notwithstanding his vigorous -constitution, which seemed to promise extreme old age, yet from early -youth he was subject to frequent severe attacks of sickness, and under -such circumstances we may well wonder, that besides his numerous -professional labors, he was able to prepare so many theological works, -to conduct so extensive a correspondence with men of every class of -society, and accomplish so many journeys, which must have consumed much -time.[9] His master-piece, The Translation of the Bible, was a work -which scarcely any learned man of the present day could have -accomplished in the same space of time, under similar circumstances. Let -it be remembered that the first time he ever saw the whole of the Bible -in the Latin language he was already twenty-two years of age; that he -had few of the preliminary aids essential to such a work, and that the -German language was at that time still very imperfect. In twenty-eight -years the translation of the whole Bible was finished and printed.[10] -He suffered most from hæmorrhoidal affections, the treatment of which -was little understood at that time. These attacks appeared mysterious to -him, and in his depression of mind occasioned by them, and in the -indulgence of a lively imagination, he ascribed the painful anxieties -which he felt, agreeably to the notions of that day, to the temptations -of the devil, who tried to hinder him in prosecuting his good work by -assuming various forms and appearances. Attacks of sickness, which were -in part the result of his severe fastings during his monastic life, were -aggravated by his extraordinary mental labors, by his sedentary habits, -and the numerous painful mortifications of spirit to which his -unconquerable love of the truth exposed him. Above all, it was the -unhappy sacramentarian controversy in 1525 which had the most injurious -influence on his health. Hence these corporeal sufferings could never be -entirely removed. Yet amid all his painful and melancholy hours -Catharine was to him a ministering angel. By her affectionate sympathy, -her tender nursing, and prudent accommodation to his whims, she greatly -relieved his bodily and mental sufferings. She had frequent occasion to -display these amiable qualities, for her husband had often recurring -attacks of sickness. To notice but a few instances, we will state that -as early as 1526 he suffered with hæmorrhoids, accompanied with severe -oppression of the breast. But it was particularly in 1527 that he was -attacked in a manner that brought him to the very borders of the grave. -In July, he was so suddenly and dangerously seized that his wife and -friends trembled for his life. But both of them displayed a greatness of -soul and dignity of deportment which were truly admirable. Christian -fortitude, perfect resignation to the will of God, and unshaken -confidence in an all-controlling Providence, animated them both in the -highest degree. They endured their present trials with pious submission, -and with comfortable security they anticipated future dangers. Luther -did not think that he would recover, but believed that he should have to -part with the wife whose husband he had been but two years. Catharine -was full of terrible apprehension of being left a poor widow and mother -of one child, without being able to count much on human aid, and having -no means of support. He was to leave the sacred work which he had begun, -and for which he would have sacrificed his all, and she was to be -dependent on the kindness of some real and many equivocal friends. Yet -Luther prayed with a submissive heart, and commended his wife to God’s -paternal care. “My loving and most benevolent Father! I thank thee from -my heart that it was thy will I should be poor on the earth, and hence I -can leave neither house, field, money, nor any other property, to my -wife and son. As thou hast given her to me, so I restore her to thee,” -&c. He also consoled his wife with these words; “My beloved Kate, I -beseech you to submit to God’s gracious will, if it should please him to -take me to Himself this time. You are my faithful wife, let the blind, -ungodly world say what it may. Let your conduct be governed by the word -of God, and hold fast to it, and thus you will have certain and constant -comfort against all the temptations and blasphemies of Satan.” When, at -his request, they brought his infant son to him, he said, “O you good, -poor little child! now I commend your beloved mother and you, poor -orphan, to my good and faithful God. _You have nothing_; but God, who is -the father of the orphan and the judge of the widow, will richly provide -for you.” Here he again turned to his wife, and said, “You know that, -excepting the silver cups, we have nothing.” These, and similar -expressions, awakened the most painful emotions in the heart of -Catharine, and yet she tried to conceal her grief, and to encourage him, -“My dear Doctor,” said she, “if it is God’s will, I would rather you -should be with Him than with me. But it is not only I and my child who -must be taken into account, and for whom your life would be valuable, -but there are many pious and Christian souls who have need of your -presence and services. Do not distress yourself about me; I commend you -to His divine will. I trust he will graciously preserve you.” Eight days -after, Luther recovered, to the great joy of his wife and all his -friends. - -Not long after, in the same year, a contagious disease broke out in -Wittenberg, which created so much alarm that the students precipitately -fled, and the University was transferred to Jena. The Elector, John the -Constant, advised Luther to repair to Jena also; but this main pillar of -the new-born church would not leave Wittenberg, although there were -cases of the contagion in his own family. Bugenhagen also remained at -the post of duty. Nov. 1, Luther wrote to Amsdorff, “My house is an -hospital. I begin to feel anxious about my wife, who is in a delicate -condition. My infant son has been sick these three days; he eats nothing -and is extremely unwell.” But these attacks were not contagious, and -their alarm soon subsided. In the following year, Luther suffered from a -pulmonary affection and constant headache. In 1532, he was so severely -attacked with vertigo that apoplexy was apprehended. He also -occasionally suffered from obstinate boils; in his later years, symptoms -of calculus were also apparent. In 1536, an affection of the hip-joint -confined him to bed a fortnight. But in 1537, Catharine had especial -occasion to display her affectionate solicitude, for her husband was -again brought to the very brink of the grave. During this year he was -commanded by John Frederick, Elector of Saxony, to proceed to Smalcald -on important church business. Although he suffered severely from -calculus, and the weather was extremely cold, he set out on his journey -on Feb. 1. But he had scarcely arrived at Smalcald, when the pains -increased to such an extent, to which an obstinate ischury was -super-added, that everybody was doubtful of his recovery. The Elector, -who was present, contributed everything in his power to his restoration. -He visited and consoled him. On his departure, he thus addressed him: -“If it should please God to take you away, be not concerned about your -wife and children. I will take them into my protection.” He recovered -sufficiently to enter on his journey home on the 26th. Dangerous as -travelling appeared to be under the circumstances, yet it was of -immediate service. On the way, he was relieved of the principal cause of -his intense suffering, and communicated the joyful event to his wife and -the sympathizing Melanchthon. To the former he wrote, “Yesterday I left -Smalcald. I was not well three days whilst there; in a word, I was dead, -and I had commended you and the children to God and my gracious Elector, -for I never expected to see you again; but God had mercy on me. Most -fervent prayers to God were offered for me, and many tears were shed on -my account. God heard these prayers, and last night I was relieved. I -now feel like a new-born man. Thank God for this; and let the dear -children, with Aunt Magdalena, thank the Heavenly Father, for you had -almost lost me, the earthly father. God performed wonders towards me -last night through the intercession of pious persons. This I also -ascribe to you, for I presume the Elector ordered word to be sent to you -that I was dying, so that you might come and speak to me, or at least -see me before I died. That is not necessary now, you may remain at home, -for God has so mercifully helped me that I expect soon to meet you -happily in our own house. To-day we are stopping at Gotha.” Something -similar to this he wrote to Melanchthon: but, unfortunately, he had a -relapse at Gotha, and anticipated death so certainly, that he requested -Bugenhagen to administer to him the Lord’s Supper. As soon as Catharine -heard of this she could be no longer restrained from setting out to meet -him. She remained with him all the time, and accompanied him home. Thus -Luther, for the present, had escaped all apparent dangers, but every -year, for the ensuing nine, he was attacked by some disease. Dysentery, -Rheumatism, fever, violent vertigo, and headache, painful cutaneous -eruptions, and pulmonary affections, embittered all his days. - -The affectionate sympathy, faithful watching, and tender nursing which -he received from his wife, not only on these occasions, but always when -bowed down under the immense weight of his other cares, moved him -deeply. He frequently alluded to it in the most touching language. On -his sick bed at Gotha, on Feb. 28, 1537, he commended Catharine, who had -enlivened twelve years of his life, to Bugenhagen, and bore this -favorable testimony to her character: “She has served me not only as a -wife, but with all the fidelity and industry of a servant.” Afterwards, -he said, “I inconsiderately look to Catharine and Melanchthon for -greater benefits than to Christ, and yet I know that neither they nor -any human being on earth can or will ever suffer for me as he has done.” -Soon after, he said, “How intensely I longed after my family when I was -lying at Smalcald, almost dead! I thought I should never see them again. -How painful the idea of separation was! I now believe that this natural -inclination and love which a man has for his wife, and children for -their parents, are most intense in dying persons.” In his last will, -(Jan. 6, 1542,) he said of her “that she had always been a pious and -faithful wife, and she always conducted herself handsomely and worthily, -as became a pious and faithful spouse.”[11] - -But Catharine’s love for her husband was extended also to his parents. -The most striking proof of this she gave, when, in Feb., 1530, Luther’s -father was lying very sick. She most heartily wished that he might be -conveyed to Wittenberg, where she could nurse him. “Dear Father,” wrote -Luther to him, “my brother Jacob has informed me that you are -dangerously sick. I wished most eagerly to go and see you, but my -friends dissuaded me from my purpose, fearing the danger to which I -would expose myself, for you know that the Peasants are so violently -opposed to me.[12] But it would rejoice me greatly if it were possible -for you and mother to come to us. My wife also, with tears, expresses -her desire that you should come. We will here nurse you most tenderly.” -But the father was unable to go, and died in a few months after, whilst -Luther was residing at Coburg, where he had concealed himself during the -diet of Augsburg. As soon as Catharine heard of the event, she was very -solicitous about the effect of the intelligence on her absent husband, -of whose affectionate attachment to his father she was well aware. She -wrote to him a letter full of consolation, and in order more effectually -to calm his troubled heart, she sent him a likeness of his favorite -child, Magdalena, at that time an infant of a year old. She was not -disappointed in her hopes. His secretary, Veit Dietrich, answered the -letter, and said, “You have done a good work in sending the likeness to -the doctor; he forgets many troublesome things in looking at it. He has -hung it on the wall opposite the table at which we dine. When he first -saw it, he did not recognize it. ‘Why,’ said he ‘Lena’s complexion is -dark!’ But now he is remarkably well pleased with it, and the more he -looks at it the better he likes it. * * * I pray you, do not be troubled -about the doctor; he is, thank heaven, well and in good spirits. For the -first two days he was much depressed respecting his father’s death, but -has now recovered his usual vivacity.” When, in the following year, -Luther’s pious mother was attacked with a dangerous sickness and his -numerous engagements did not allow him to visit her, he wrote her a -consolatory letter, the conclusion of which expresses in a very striking -manner the cordial affection which Catharine and her children -entertained for this excellent woman. “My wife and children are praying -for you. They weep and say, ‘Grandmother is very sick.’” She also died, -to Luther’s most profound regret, on June 30, 1531. - -It was not only in seasons of affliction and distress that Catharine -deeply sympathized with her husband. In times of prosperity and -rejoicing she equally displayed her interest, and was ever proud of his -growing reputation and of the honors conferred on him. - -These are proofs sufficient that their matrimonial life was happy; yet -the foulest slanders were heaped upon them by the enemies of the cause -of which Luther was now the acknowledged champion. - -Luther awarded to his wife the praise of unconditional obedience, and -agreeably to the custom of the times she always saluted him as _Herr -Doctor_. During the first years of his matrimonial life particularly, -when he had recovered from his attacks of melancholy, and his general -health had improved, he was almost always in excellent spirits. He -treated his domestics in the kindest manner, and his whole household was -conducted in a way which contributed to the happiness of every member. -He acceded to Catharine’s supreme control over the affairs of the -family, and never interfered, except when he deemed it absolutely -necessary. He often playfully addressed her as _Mrs. Doctor and -Professoress_, and sometimes as _Master Catharine_. All the world knew -that this was but the outpouring of a sportive disposition and an -affectionate heart. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - Income—Expenses—Hospitality—Charity—Diet—Afflictions—Despondency— - Journeys—Death. - - -Luther’s income was disproportionate to his expenses. He has often said -“that he gave more out than he took in.” His pay at this time amounted -to but 200 guilders, and his own family expenses to 500. Besides, he -aided his poor relatives, and was obliged to perform many expensive -journeys on business relating to the Reformation. His eminent position -in society often subjected him to invitations to assume the relation of -godfather, and this always levied contributions on his purse. He was -also obliged to make numerous marriage presents, and almost daily to -entertain strangers, which compelled him to keep a corresponding number -of servants. His expenses were so great that sometimes he was -embarrassed with considerable debts. He says, “I am unfit for -housekeeping; I am made quite poor by the necessary support of my -destitute relations and the daily demands of strangers.” In writing to -another friend, he says, “You know that I am quite oppressed by my large -domestic establishment, for through my thoughtlessness I have, during -this year, made debts to the amount of more than 100 guilders. I have -pledged three silver cups at one place for 50 guilders; but the Lord, -who chastises my folly, will deliver me. Hence it is that Cranach and -Aurifaber will no longer take me as security, for they observe that I -have an empty purse. I have given them my fourth cup for 12 guilders, -which they have loaned to Herrman. But why is it that my purse is so -completely exhausted—no, not quite exhausted; but why am I so deeply -immersed in debt? I believe that no one will charge me with parsimony, -avarice,” &c. He sometimes had the honor of entertaining persons of -exalted rank. Elizabeth, the sister of Christian II., King of Denmark, -who had fled from her husband on account of his cruel treatment of her -because she had abandoned popery, and the Duchess Ursula of Münsterberg, -an escaped nun, had often been his guests for upwards of three months at -a time, and it is no small matter for a poor man to entertain a -princess. Many monks and nuns who had escaped from convents had often -imposed themselves on his hospitality, and sometimes shamefully deceived -him. In 1537 he took into his house his relative and countryman, -Agricola, with his wife and family, and kept them for a long time, until -Luther procured a professorship for him. Luther’s five children were now -growing up, and their education was by no means neglected, and even the -fields which his wife owned, near Wittenberg and Zoldorf, demanded no -little outlay. To all this was superadded that peculiar disposition -which has, however, characterized many great minds, which is, a perfect -contempt of all earthly possessions. The grounds of this he sought and -found in the Bible. When with scorn he rejected all offers of gold and -dignities on condition of renouncing his faith, which his enemies made, -he did right; but it must be confessed that as a father of a family he -was too careless about their wants. Thus, when some one reminded him -that he might, at least, lay up a little property for his family, he -replied, “That I shall not do; for otherwise they will not trust to God -or their own exertions, but to their money.” Thus he presented all his -manuscripts to the printers, who were at that time also booksellers, and -when they offered him 400 guilders annually for the privilege of -printing and selling his books, he rejected the offer, and said, “I will -not sell the grace of God. I have enough.” Only occasionally he asked -for a copy of his books as a present to a friend. He charged no fee for -his lectures. “It was my intention,” said he, “after I was married, to -lecture for pay. But as God anticipated me, I have all my life sold no -copy of my books, nor read lectures for money. And if it please God, I -will carry this honor to the grave with me.” When the Elector, John the -Constant, in 1529, designed to honor him with a share in a productive -silver mine at Schneeberg as a compliment for his translation of the -Bible, he replied, “It much better becomes me to pay the amount of my -share with a _pater noster_, that the ores may continue productive and -the product may be well applied.” This he confirmed soon after, (Sept. -8, 1530,) with these words, “I have never taken a penny for my -translation, and never asked it.” And at another place he says, “If I -did not feel such a painful concern _for his sake who died for me_, the -whole world could not give me money enough to write a book or translate -any portion of the Bible. _I am not willing to be rewarded by the world -for my labor; the world is too poor for that!_” Melanchthon promised him -1000 guilders compensation if he would finish the translation of Æsop, -begun in 1530, and dedicate it to some great personage; but Luther -desired to labor exclusively for the diffusion of the Gospel, and write -theological works, for which he would receive no pay. Another friend -made him a present of 200 guilders, which he generously divided among -poor students. When, in 1529, Bugenhagen brought him a gift of 100 -guilders from a rich gentleman, he gave Melanchthon the half of it. As -early as 1520, he received a bequest of 150 guilders from Dr. Heinrich -Becke of Naumburg, and in 1521, a person named Marcus Schart presented -him with 50 guilders, which he divided with his prior, Breisger. When -the Elector, John the Steadfast, in 1542, ordered a tax to be levied to -raise money to carry on the war against the Turks, and exempted Luther’s -property, the latter would not consent to it, but for the sake of the -example had property to the amount of 610 guilders assessed.[13] Many -other similar instances of his remarkable disinterestedness, which, -however, were not always worthy of imitation, might be mentioned. He was -liberal and benevolent as even few rich men are, and hence it is that -his children received no large inheritance from him. Thus on one -occasion a very poor man applied to him for help. He had no money at -hand, and his wife was sick; but he took the donation which had been -made to his infant at its recent baptism, and gave it to the applicant. -The sick wife, who soon missed the money out of the savings-box, -expressed her displeasure, but Luther meekly replied, “God is rich; he -will provide in some other way.” - -At another time, a young man who had finished his studies, and was about -to leave Wittenberg, made a similar request. Luther was again destitute -of funds. With sincere sympathy he deplored his inability to aid the -youth; but when he observed his deep distress, his eye fell on a silver -cup which had been presented to him by the Elector. He looked -inquiringly at his wife; her countenance seemed to reply, no! But he -hastily snatched the cup and gave it to the student. The latter was much -astonished, and was unwilling to take it. Catharine also, by winks and -looks, intimated to her husband not to press the acceptance of it on the -stranger. But Luther, with a great effort, pressed the sides of the cup -together and gave it to the young man, saying, “I have no use for a -silver cup. Here, take it; carry it to a goldsmith, and keep all you can -get for it.” - -Luther was indebted to the punctuality, thrift, and economy of his wife, -for the small property in land, furniture, and books, which he left at -his death. She has been charged with parsimony as well as with a -multitude of other sins by Luther’s enemies, but there is no evidence to -sustain the accusation. If she was economical when her husband had no -guests in his house—which was not often the case—it rather redounded to -her credit, and arose from necessity. This course was pursued with his -sanction. He was always temperate in his diet. Sometimes, even when he -was in good health, he partook of no substantial food for four days -together. At other times a little bread and a herring sufficed for a -day; or, that he might study the more intensely, bread and salt -constituted his meal. Of course, at other times, he lived more -generously, but always within the bounds of moderation. - -Catharine not only sympathized most sincerely with her husband in all -his joys and sorrows, but she herself suffered severe afflictions, some -of which were calculated to fill a mother’s heart with inexpressible -anguish. Some of these have been already alluded to. In August, 1538, -they were both attacked with fever, and in July, 1539, they -providentially escaped a violent death. Luther had had a new cellar -constructed, which he went to inspect in company with his wife. They had -scarcely left the cellar, when the ground caved in with a terrible -crash. In loud thanksgivings to God they expressed their sense of this -miraculous deliverance. In January, 1540, Catharine was brought nigh to -death at the birth of a child. To Luther’s great joy, she gradually -recovered. The death of their second daughter, Magdalena, in 1542, at -the age of fourteen—the first, Elizabeth, had died in 1528—bowed her -heart deeply, and overwhelmed her with sorrow. Scarcely had the pious -sufferer endured these severe visitations with the resignation becoming -a true Christian, when she was called on to deplore the death of her -most intimate and valuable friend, the wife of Dr. Jonas. This -unexpected event was so much the more painful to Luther, inasmuch as -when in secret he reflected on his own departure out of this world, he -always reckoned on the wife of Dr. Jonas as the comforter of his widow -and children. - -In 1545, the three sons of Luther and his yet surviving daughter, -Margaretta, were all at the same time attacked with the measles, and the -latter also suffered in addition, from a severe and dangerous fever. - -About this time, Luther, very unexpectedly to his friends, determined to -leave Wittenberg. His strength was exhausted by disease, and by his -numerous literary labors. He was disappointed and chagrined also on -various accounts, and longed for repose. As soon as this became known, -Bugenhagen and others were sent to him on the part of the University and -the town, whose tears and entreaties prevailed on him to remain for the -present. But in July, 1545, he was bent on carrying out his -determination, and travelled in company with his eldest son, John, by -way of Löbnitz and Leipzig to Merseburg, where he visited Prince George, -of Anhalt, whom, on this occasion, he solemnly consecrated to the office -of Coadjutor of the Chapter of the Cathedral. During his stay in -Leipzig, he wrote (July 28), to his wife, “I should like to arrange it -so that it would not be necessary for me to return to Wittenberg. My -feelings are so alienated that I do not care any longer about being -there. I also wish that you would sell our house and other property. I -wish you would return the large house to my gracious master,[14] and it -would be better for you to settle at Zallsdorff whilst I yet live; for -after my death you will hardly find a support in Wittenberg, hence you -had better do it during my lifetime.” Catharine was extremely surprised -at this determination; but as her husband had enjoined it upon her to -inform Bugenhagen and Melanchthon of his purpose, and to request the -former to take leave of the congregation in his name, she, at least, -complied with this wish. But not so the University. As soon as the -members had learned the purport of his letter, they sent not only a copy -of it to the Elector, and a letter to his Grace, beseeching him to -influence Luther to return; but they and the town council also sent -Bugenhagen and Melanchthon, and some other deputies, as a committee to -see him. The Elector himself wrote to him, promising to render his -condition at Wittenberg more comfortable, and summoned him to appear at -his palace at Torgau for further conversation on the subject. Luther -instantly obeyed the summons, and appeared at Torgau. The Elector -persuaded him to return to Wittenberg. Sick and depressed in heart he -arrived there on the 18th of August, where he was received with open -arms by all his friends. - -But this gratification was of short duration for them and Catharine; for -in January, 1546, completely debilitated by the effects of protracted -sickness, he entered upon a journey of another character, from which, -alas! he never returned. His youngest sister, Dorothea, was married to -Paul Mackenrot, who was in the service of the Elector. The family of -Mackenrot possessed productive silver-mines in the duchy of Mansfeld, -which excited the envy of the dukes of Mansfeld, and led them to the -determination of securing to themselves the entire products of the -mines, for before they had received only the tenth and some other -perquisites. As soon as Luther heard of this unjust proceeding, he -undertook to maintain the rights of his brother-in-law, and in 1540 -wrote to Duke Albert on the subject; but his intercession was fruitless. -In 1542, he renewed his attempts, but without any favorable result. In -1545, he travelled to Eisleben and to Mansfeld on the same mission, but -all to no effect. Soon after, Luther was urgently entreated by the Dukes -themselves (of whom, Albert was a Protestant, and the other two, Philip -and John George, were still Catholics,) to appear personally at Eisleben -in order to settle this difficulty as well as some others existing among -them. Although his health was in a wretched condition, he promised to -go. After he had preached in Wittenberg, the last time, on January 17, -1546, he took leave of his friends, and on the 23d, he departed, -accompanied by his three sons; John, 19 years of age, Martin 14, and -Paul 13. He passed through Halle, where he visited his friend, Dr. -Jonas, at that time pastor in that city. Jonas accompanied him to -Eisleben; but as he approached that city, he was so exhausted that he -fainted, and they were apprehensive of his death; but he was conveyed to -a house where they rubbed him with warm cloths, and he was soon -restored. He arrived safe at Eisleben on the 28th, but a violent attack -was soon renewed. Catharine, who on the departure of her husband could -easily have anticipated these attacks, on having been informed of them -by the eldest son, John, who had been sent back, forwarded some remedies -from her own domestic medicine-chest, the good effects of which he had -often experienced. On the 1st and 6th of February he communicated to her -the state of his own health and of the affairs at Mansfeld, and -entreated her to lay aside any undue anxiety about himself. But he soon -expressed an intense desire to return home. He wrote to that effect on -the 10th, and again in a jocose style besought her not to be uneasy on -his account. But he was never to see her again. As he anticipated, he -was destined to die in the place of his birth.[15] Although he suffered -keenly from pulmonary affection, he not only preached four times, but -performed much other important business. But his end had come, and he -died on February 18, 1546, in the 63d year of his age. Dr. Jonas and the -court preacher at Mansfeld, Michel Coclius, who, with others, were -present at his death, immediately communicated the melancholy event to -the Elector, and requested his Grace to issue orders respecting the -funeral, as well as to have a letter of consolation written to his -bereaved widow. The intelligence was conveyed so rapidly to Torgau, that -the Elector, on the same evening of the day on which Luther died, -answered the letter, and gave immediate orders in relation to his -funeral. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - Catharine, a Widow—Her Support—Sufferings—Journeys—Death. - - -No one was more deeply distressed at his death than the mourning widow. -For more than twenty years she had lived with him in uninterrupted -harmony; had sought to alleviate his sufferings, and had shared his -joys; and she was not permitted to see him die nor minister to his last -wants! Even if he did die among friends, yet she was not there to smooth -his pillow and to perform those tender offices which an affectionate -wife alone knows how to do. When on the 22d of February the corpse was -conveyed to Wittenberg and deposited in the castle church, and all the -inhabitants of the city went to meet the melancholy procession, there -stood Catharine weeping, and with her children looked on her deceased -husband. - -She survived him nearly seven years, and cherished his memory most -affectionately. Though his enemies assailed him most virulently when he -was no longer present to defend himself, yet she never allowed her -affection to cool nor her interest in his work and reputation to abate. - -The black velvet cloth which had covered the funeral car came into the -possession of the widow, and for many years it was preserved among -Luther’s posterity as a valuable memento. Neither did the Elector forget -her. He wrote her a letter of condolence, in which he sought to comfort -her on the grounds of the happy death of her husband, and the secret, -wise councils of God. At the same time, he repeated his assurances of -his protection of her and her children. - -Although Luther had expressed a desire that Catharine should remove from -Wittenberg, fearing that after his death she might not be able to -support herself there, yet induced by good reasons, she resolved to -spend the remainder of her days in that place; for where could she -expect to find better friends than in Wittenberg? Bugenhagen, Cruciger, -Melanchthon, and others, were still living, who were her counsellors and -comforters; and Wittenberg was also the place where her sons had already -begun their education, and where they could most advantageously finish -it. - -Luther had, some time before his death, made ample provision, consisting -of various kinds of property, for his wife,[16] which she was to hold -independent of her children, in the event of her remaining a widow. In -the document conveying it to her he speaks of her in the most exalted -terms as a pious woman, a faithful wife, and an affectionate mother. The -property thus left was far from being sufficient to maintain the widow -and her children. The Elector of Saxony, agreeably to his promise, -contributed to her support. The dukes of Mansfeld and the King of -Denmark also liberally came to her help. The Elector, John Frederick, of -Saxony, who had already paid the funeral expenses, thus wrote to Dr. -Schurf, Professor of Medicine and Rector of the University: “And as we -have heard that the widow of the sainted Luther is in need of pecuniary -assistance, ... we send you by this messenger 100 gold Groschen for her -use.” He also wrote to Cruciger and Melanchthon, the guardians of the -children, to select a teacher for the two younger sons, Martin and Paul, -with whom they should also board. He directed that with regard to the -oldest son, John, they should wait six months longer, to ascertain -whether he was inclined or qualified to study a learned profession, and -if not, the Elector promised to give him employment in his palace as a -clerk or secretary.[17] To enable the guardians to execute his wishes -with regard to the children, the Elector sent them 2000 guilders. He -likewise afterwards sent the same sum to the widow. The dukes of -Mansfeld, for whose benefit Luther had undertaken many journeys and -suffered much trouble, were not behind; in the same year they -established a fund of 2000 guilders for the benefit of the widow and -children, from which they drew an annual interest of 100 guilders. Part -of the capital only was paid, for when Catharine died, in 1552, 1000 -guilders still stood to her credit. The year after Luther’s death, -Christian III., King of Denmark, transferred for her benefit 50 dollars, -the remainder of a sum which he had previously granted to Luther and -several of his friends. Catharine wrote to the King, expressing her -profound gratitude for this act of benevolence. - -But she was soon called on to experience additional sorrows. The -Smalcald War had already broken out in 1546, which brought desolation -into many peaceful and happy families. Catharine did not escape the -general calamity. The Elector, John Frederick, who would certainly have -done more for her, was taken prisoner at the battle of Muhlberg, April -24, 1547; Wittenberg was besieged on the 5th of May, and on the 25th, -Charles V., with his Spanish troops, entered the city as conqueror. All -the faithful subjects of the Elector, and many persons who had embraced -the doctrines of the Reformation, had left before the siege. The widow -of the Reformer, with her children, could not possibly remain behind. -She accompanied Dr. George Major, Professor of Theology, to Magdeburg, -and thence, sustained by the town council of Helmstadt, she went under -Melanchthon’s protection to Brunswick, from whence Dr. Major was to -conduct her to Copenhagen. Here she expected further protection and -support from the King of Denmark, as her illustrious benefactor, the -Elector of Saxony, could no longer assist her. But she did not proceed -farther than Gifhorn, near Brunswick; for a proclamation appeared -promising a safe return and the secure possession of their property to -all who had left the country. It seemed best to her, as well as to -Melanchthon, to return to the home she had abandoned. But her life, from -this period, was an unbroken series of sorrows. The assistance she had -formerly received from the liberality of the Elector was withdrawn; the -annual contribution of the King of Denmark—although he had promised -further help—had not been sent since 1548, and her small real estate was -loaded with taxes. It would have been difficult for her to support -herself and four children if she had not, some time subsequently, -mortgaged her little farm at Zillsdorff for 400 guilders, and pawned -some silver-ware for 600 guilders. She also rented out several rooms in -her house, as her husband had done, and boarded the occupants, and thus -she contrived to gain a meagre subsistence. - -In the beginning of the year 1548, she travelled with Melanchthon to -Leipzig, in order to solicit from the imperial assessor some diminution -of the oppressive war tax. Melanchthon also wrote to the King of -Denmark, entreating him to continue the annual contribution which he -made during Luther’s lifetime. Bugenhagen wrote similar letters to his -Majesty, begging him, for Luther’s sake, to come to the help of “the -poor widow and her children.” But as these repeated appeals were -fruitless, she herself wrote to him, October 6, 1550. In this letter, -she calls to his mind the services which her illustrious husband had -rendered to the cause of Christianity, and his Majesty’s former -liberality to him. In pathetic terms she represents her destitute -condition and the severity of the times, occasioned by the existing -wars. She says, “Your Imperial Majesty is the only king on earth to whom -we poor Christians can fly for protection, and God will doubtless richly -reward your Majesty for the kindness you have bestowed on poor Christian -preachers and their widows and children.” This letter did not -immediately produce the desired result. Two years afterwards, when most -sorely pressed by want, she repeated her entreaty, and wrote again. In -this letter she complains of her forsaken condition, and declares that -she had been more unkindly treated by professed friends than enemies. -She writes in a deeply desponding tone, and seems to be on the brink of -despair. Bugenhagen seconded this appeal to the King, and it was -successful; a contribution was received which relieved her immediate -wants and comforted her desponding heart. - -Luther’s exalted merits were not always recognized, at least, not in the -way in which they should have been. The widow of the man who conferred -favors on thousands at the expense of extraordinary self-sacrifice, -often pined in misery, and paid the severe penalty of his -disinterestedness and liberality. With much truth could it be said in a -discourse commemorative of her virtues: “During the war she wandered -from place to place with her orphan children, enduring the most trying -privations and perils, and, besides the numerous trials of her -widowhood, she also encountered much ingratitude from many, and she was -often shamefully deceived by those even from whom she had a right to -expect kindnesses on account of the inappreciable services of her -husband to the Church.” - -After the peace of Passau (July 31, 1552), security was re-established -for the Protestants, and the former elector of Saxony was restored to -liberty. - -About this time a contagious disease broke out in Wittenberg, and all -the members of the University removed to Torgau. Catharine also -determined to leave the place with her two younger sons, Martin and Paul -(John was studying at Konigsberg), and her only daughter, Margaret, was -to follow them a short time after. On the journey the horses became -unmanageable and ran away with the carriage. Catharine, more concerned -about the children than her own safety, and with the hope of -facilitating their escape, leaped out of the vehicle and fell violently -into a ditch full of water. This painful accident gave such a severe -shock to her system that she was conveyed to Torgau in a very weak -condition, where she took her bed and never left it alive. Her illness -increased from day to day, and soon assumed the decided character of -consumption. Two months after, December 20, 1552, she died in the 54th -year of her age. Her funeral was attended by an immense crowd of -persons. The professors, students, and citizens, united in -demonstrations of respect for the deceased widow of the illustrious -reformer. - -During the whole period of her sickness, she comforted herself with the -promises of God’s word. She heartily prayed for a peaceful departure out -of this vale of tears. She frequently commended the Church and her -children to the continued protection of God, and her daily supplication -was that the true doctrine, which the Lord had given to the world -through her deceased husband, might be transmitted uncorrupted to -posterity. - -A plain monument in the _city church_ of Torgau designates the place -where her remains repose. On the monument or tombstone there is a -recumbent statue, the size of life, with an open Bible pressed to the -heart. The inscription is, Anno 1552, den 20 December. Ist in Gott selig -entschlaffen alhier Zu Torgau Herrn D. Martin Luther’s Seligen -hinterlassene Wittwe Katharina von Bora. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - Luther’s Children—Domestic Character—Catharine. - - -Catharine had been the mother of six children, three sons and three -daughters. 1. _John_, born June 7, 1526; studied law, and became a civil -officer in the service of the Elector of Saxony; died October 27, 1575, -aged 50 years. 2. _Elizabeth_; born December 10, 1527, died August 3, -1528. 3. _Magdalena_; born May 4, 1529; died September 20, 1542, aged -14; 4. _Martin_; born November 7, 1531—studied theology; died March 3, -1565, aged 34. 5. _Paul_; born January 28, 1533—studied medicine, and -became court physician to the Elector of Saxony; died March 8, 1593, -aged 61 years. 6. _Margaret_; born December 17, 1534; died 1570, aged 36 -years. - -Luther was accustomed to say, “The more children we have, the more -happiness we enjoy. They are the loveliest fruits and bonds of the -domestic life.” He was never more happy than in the circle of his -family, and whoever saw him there forgot that he was the man who spoke -without fear or trembling with emperors, kings, and nobles. He was much -averse to noisy entertainments. “I lose too much time at such festal -gatherings with the citizens. I do not know what demon it is that -prevents me from abandoning them, and yet they do me much harm,” said -he. It was in the bosom of his family and in the company of a few select -friends in which he sought the most agreeable relaxation from the -burdensome cares of his life, and gathered fresh vigor for his arduous -labors. Surrounded by his wife and children, and by the side of his -intimate friends, as Spalatin, Bugenhagen, Cruciger, Melanchthon, and a -few others, he took part in the innocent amusements of life with a heart -full of gratitude to God, who favored him with these evening -relaxations. In 1543, he celebrated his 62d birthday, and invited -Melanchthon, Bugenhagen, Cruciger, George Major, and Eber; it was the -last time he celebrated that day. Subjects of solemn import came up for -conversation. Luther, in a prophetic spirit, said, “As long as I live, -with God’s help, there will be no danger, and Germany will continue -peaceful; but when I die, then pray! There will be really need of -prayer; our children shall have to grasp their weapons, and there will -be sad times for Germany. Hence, I say, pray diligently after my death.” -He then turned to Eber particularly, and said, “Your name is Paul; hence -be careful, after Paul’s example, to preserve and defend the doctrine of -that Apostle.” - -Luther was a man of a sociable disposition, always enjoying conversation -enlivened by wit and edifying anecdote. He excelled in spicy -conversation himself, and was the life of every circle of distinguished -men. But he especially found the sweetest enjoyment in conversation with -his wife and children, and often, too, from the innocent prattle of the -latter he derived no ordinary edification. When his heart was sad, he -would take one of them into his arms and tenderly caress it. Thus, on -more than one occasion, he took the youngest child, and, pressing it to -his bosom, with deep emotion exclaimed, “Ah! what a blessing these -little ones are, of which the vulgar and the obstinate are not worthy.” -On another occasion he said, “I am richer than all papal theologians in -the world, for I am contented with little. I have a wife and six -children, whom God has bestowed on me; such treasures the papistic -divines do not deserve.” Little Martin was once playing with a dog; -“See,” said Luther, who took a religious view of the most ordinary -circumstances, and thus also in social life he became the teacher of -those around him; “See,” said he, “this child preaches God’s word in its -actions; for God says, ‘Have, then, dominion over the fishes of the sea -and the beasts of the earth,’ for the dog suffers himself to be governed -by the child.” On one occasion, this same child was speaking of the -enjoyments of heaven, and said “In heaven, loaves of bread grow on the -trees.” The father replied with a smile, “The life of children is the -happiest and best of all, for they have no worldly cares; they know -nothing about fanatics and errorists in the church, and have only pure -thoughts and pleasant reflections.” He was amusing himself one day with -the child, and said, “We were all once in this same happy state of mind -in Eden; simple, upright, without guile or hypocrisy—we were sincere, -just as this child speaks of God, and in earnest.” - -At another time, he remarked that Martin afforded him special delight -because he was his youngest child. “We do not find such natural kindness -in old persons; it does not flow so freely and fully. That which is -colored or feigned loses our favor; it is not so impressive; it does not -afford as much pleasure as that which springs up naturally from the -heart. Hence children are the best playmates; they speak and do -everything sincerely and naturally. How Abraham’s heart must have beat,” -he continued, “when he was called on to sacrifice his son! I do not -think he told Sarah anything about it! I could contend with God if he -demanded anything similar of me.” Here the maternal feeling of Catharine -was roused, and she observed, “I cannot believe that God could demand of -parents the slaughter of their children.” He removed her objections by -reminding her of the greater sacrifice which God the Father made by -offering his own son as a ransom for our sins. - -Margaretta was once speaking to her father of Jesus, the angels, and -heaven. Deeply moved, he exclaimed, “Oh! how much better than ours is -the faith and life of children! The word which they hear they accept -with joy and without any doubts, and are happy. But we old fools have -painful anxieties, and dispute long. Well has Christ said, ‘Unless ye be -converted and become as little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of -heaven.’” Christmas, particularly, was a season of joyful festival in -Luther’s family. No annual fair, such as are to this day held in -Germany, passed by in which he did not purchase presents for his -children. With deep regret he wrote to his wife, when he was in Torgau, -in 1532, that he could find nothing in that town to buy for the little -ones at home. - -Vocal and instrumental music was a frequent source of family -entertainment, especially after supper. Luther himself accompanied it -with the flute or the lute, both of which he played skilfully. He often -invited accomplished singers, and thus held family concerts in his -house. When his time and the weather permitted, he repaired to what was -afterwards called _Luther’s Spring_, which he himself discovered, and -over which, after his marriage, he had a neat summer-house erected. He -spent many an hour of pleasant enjoyment in his garden, with his wife -engaged with her needle, and the children playing around him. Here he -often invited his friends to exhibit to them the luxuriant fruit of his -own cultivation. As the children increased in years, especially the -sons, he made them his companions. He took them with him on his numerous -journeys, and they accompanied him on his last and eventful tour to the -place of his birth, and, as it proved, the place of his death. That he -might enjoy the society of his wife as much as possible, he pursued his -labors with her at his side or invited her into his study. She often -copied his manuscripts for the press, and otherwise rendered aid in -writing. He communicated to her everything of special interest relating -to the progress of the Reformation not only orally when at home, but by -letter during his absence. He also frequently read aloud for her -entertainment, and sometimes even extracts from the books of his -opponents, such as Erasmus and others. He often gave her striking -passages of Scripture to commit to memory, such as Psalm 31, which was -particularly applicable to her condition after his death, just as though -he had anticipated it years before. She, on the other hand, often urged -him to the performance of pressing duties, especially answering letters. -Her participation in his affairs was kindly reciprocated by him. He -patiently listened to all her requests, and in his letters executed many -of her commissions. It was only when he desired to complete some work -which allowed no postponement that he dispensed with her presence. At -such times, he locked himself in his study for days, and ate nothing but -bread and salt, that he might, without interruption, pursue the work in -hand. This often occurred, and he would not allow himself to be -disturbed. On one occasion he had been thus locked up for three days; -she sought him everywhere—shed bitter tears—knocked at all the doors and -called him, but no one answered. She had the door opened by a locksmith, -and found her husband profoundly absorbed in the explanation of the 22d -Psalm. She was proceeding to reprimand him for occasioning such painful -anxiety, but he was impatient of the interruption to his studies, -pointed to the Bible, and said, “Do you think, then, that I am doing -anything bad? do you not know that I must work as long as it is day, for -the night cometh in which no man can work?” But his tone and look -sufficiently indicated to her that he was, after all, not unduly -excited. At his social assemblies, his walks for recreation, and short -excursions into the country, she was his inseparable companion as often -as circumstances permitted. When numerous business calls necessarily -compelled him to leave home, he wrote to her the most affectionate and -often the most humorous letters. - -The birth of his first child (June 7, 1526,) afforded him peculiar -gratification. He communicated the fact to many of his correspondents in -a strain of pleasant humor, and, of course, received their -congratulations in return. The child was baptized soon after birth by -Dr. Rörer, and named _John_ by the grandfather. Bugenhagen, Jonas, and -the painter, Cranach, senior, were his godfathers. From his earliest -years this boy excited the liveliest hopes in his parents on account of -his uncommon mental qualities, and it was he who gave occasion to the -preparation by the father of several excellent books for children. -Luther possessed the rare faculty of letting himself down to the -capacity of children without himself becoming a child. This son’s name -often occurs in the letters of Luther, and he is always mentioned as a -lad of uncommon promise and an agreeable plaything to his father and -mother. He thus writes to Hausman: “Besides this, there is nothing new, -except that my Lord has blessed my Kate and made her a present of a -healthy son. Thanks and praise for his unspeakable goodness. Mother and -child send their respects to you.” Sometime after he wrote to Spalatin, -“My little Hans salutes you. He is now teething, and begins to scold -everybody about him with the most amiable reproaches. Kate also wishes -you every blessing, and particularly that you also may have a little -Spalatin, who may teach you what she boasts of having learned from her -boy, viz: the joys of matrimonial life, of which the Pope and his -satellites are not worthy.” Luther’s friends were much attached to this -child on account of his amiable disposition, and sent him many presents -suitable to his age. When the boy was yet but four years old, his father -wrote to him the following letter: “Grace and peace in Christ, my -dearest little son. It pleases me much to hear that you love to learn -and to pray. Continue in this good way, my child; when I come home I -will bring you a beautiful present. I know where there is a beautiful -garden into which many children go. They wear gilded garments and gather -all manner of fruit from under the trees; they sing, leap, and are -happy. They also have beautiful little horses with golden bridles and -silver saddles. I asked the man who owns the garden what sort of -children they were. He replied, ‘They are children who love to pray, to -learn and serve God.’ Then I said, ‘My dear sir, I also have a son -called little Hans Luther; may he not also go into the garden, that he, -too, may eat these beautiful apples and pears, and ride these nice -horses and play with these good children?’ He answered, ‘Every little -boy who loves to pray and learn, and is good, may come into the garden, -Lippus and Jost[18] also, and if they all come together they shall also -have all sorts of musical instruments, and dance and shoot with little -crossbows.’ And he pointed out to me a meadow in the garden suited for a -children’s playground, and there were hanging golden instruments of -music and beautiful silver crossbows. But it was yet early, and the -children had not yet eaten their breakfast, hence I could not wait to -see the children dance and play, and I said to the man, ‘Ah, my dear -sir, I will go without delay and write all this to my beloved little -son, Hans, that he may diligently pray, learn well, and be pious, so -that he, too, may come into this garden; but he has a little sister, -Lehna, whom he must bring with him.’ Then the man said, ‘It must be so; -go and write to him.’ For this reason, dear son, learn and pray, and -tell Lippus and Jost also to do the same, and then you shall all go into -the garden. I commend you to God. Kiss Lehna for me. Your dear Father, -M. L., 1530.” - -The prudent discipline of the mother, exercised with tender earnestness, -gradually developed the moral and intellectual faculties of this youth -in an eminent degree, and this, combined with his religious and -scientific attainments, as subsequently displayed, afforded the father -unspeakable gratification. In his 15th year this youth received the most -honorable testimonial of his industry in study and general excellence of -character from John William, the second son of the Elector, John -Frederick, promising further encouragement and aid in the prosecution of -his studies. When he was properly qualified by preliminary attainments -to attend a higher school, he was sent to the Gymnasium at Torgau. -Afterwards, he studied law at Wittenberg and Konigsberg, and on his -return from his travels in various countries of Europe he was appointed -Court Councillor by John William, in which office he subsequently served -under the brother of the Elector. He was dismissed at his own request, -and entered the service of Duke Albert in Konigsberg, and died October -28, 1575, aged 49 years. - -His second child, Elizabeth, was born during the prevalence of the -contagious disease in Wittenberg before alluded to. She lived only nine -months, and Luther’s grief at her death was excessive. He thus writes to -Hausman: “Never could I have believed a parent’s heart could be so -tender towards children; seldom have I mourned so deeply. My sorrow is -like that of a woman.” - -The death of his third child, Magdalena, at the age of 14, was a severe -affliction. She was a girl of unusual promise; amiable, gifted, and -pious. Her complete resignation to the will of God—her vivid conception -of the doctrines of the Bible—her strong faith in the Saviour, and her -filial and religious virtues, distinguished her far above many of her -tender years. She was for a long time confined to bed, and she felt that -her end was rapidly drawing nigh. She ardently desired to see her -brother John, who was a student at the academy at Torgau. The father -gratified her wish, and despatched a messenger to summon the absent son -to the death-bed of his sister. Luther, as far as was possible, watched -by the side of the dying child. Although the trial was severe, his -patient submission to the will of God was characteristic of the man and -the Christian. “Alas!” sighed he, “I love this child most tenderly; but -O, God, as it is thy will to take her to thyself, I cheerfully resign -her into thy hands.” Then he advanced to the bed and spoke to the -suffering child, “Magdalena, my daughter, you would willingly remain -with your father on earth, and yet you also desire to go to your Father -in heaven.” On which she replied, “Yes, dearest father, just as it -pleases God.” He continued, “Dearest child, the spirit is willing, but -the flesh is weak.” Overcome by emotion, he turned away and said: “Oh! -how I love this suffering child! but if the flesh is now so strong, what -will then the spirit be!—well, whether we live or die, we are the -Lord’s.” When she was breathing her last, the mother, overwhelmed with -sorrow, retired from the couch; Luther threw himself on his knees, wept -convulsively, and implored God to release the child from suffering; he -then took her by the hand—and she died. The father at once had recourse -to the Scriptures to seek consolation for his grievous loss. He opened -the book, and the passage, Romans 14; 7, first arrested his attention: -“For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.” This -expressive passage was as a balsam to his wounded heart. When the body -was deposited in the coffin, he said, “Thou dear Magdalena! how happy -thou art! O, dear Magdalena, thou wilt rise again, and wilt shine like a -star, yea, like the sun.” But the coffin having been made too small, he -said, “This bed is too small for her, now that she is dead. I am indeed -joyful in the spirit, but after the flesh I am very sad; the flesh is -slow to come to the trial; this separation troubles us exceedingly; it -is a marvellous thing to know that she is certainly happy, and yet for -me to be so sad!” When the people came to attend the funeral, and, -according to custom, addressed the Doctor, and said that they sincerely -condoled with him in this affliction, he said, “You should rejoice: I -have sent a saint to heaven, yea, a living saint. O! if only such a -death were ours! such a death I would be willing to die this moment!” -When one said, “That is indeed true; yet we all wish to retain our -relatives,” Luther replied, “Flesh is flesh and blood is blood. I -rejoice that she has passed over; I experience no sadness but that of -the flesh.” Again, he said to others present, “Be not grieved, I have -sent a saint to heaven, yea, I have sent two.” When she was buried, he -said, “It is the resurrection of the flesh,” and when they returned from -the funeral, he said, “Now is my daughter provided for, both as to body -and soul. We Christians have no cause to complain; we know that it must -be thus. We are perfectly assured of eternal life; for God, who, through -his Son and for the sake of his Son, has promised it unto us, cannot -lie.” - -Throughout the whole of this trying event Luther showed all the -tenderness of an affectionate father, and all the resignation of a -Christian. - -His second son, Martin, was tenderly cherished by the father. He himself -feared that the child would be spoiled by too much affectionate -attention and favoritism. In reference to this, he said, “The love of -parents is always stronger for the younger than the elder children, and -the more they require the care and protection of the parents the more -dear are they to them. Thus, my Martin is now my dearest treasure, -because he demands more of my attention and solicitude. John and -Magdalena can walk and talk and can ask for what they want, and do not -require so much watchful nursing.” But afterwards, Luther’s anxieties -about him were very great. “He is rather a wild bird,” said he, “and he -occasions me much solicitude.” But Martin, who was not without talents, -studied theology, and it was only continued ill-health that prevented -him from publicly assuming the office of a preacher. He spent his life -in private teaching. In an obituary notice of him, it is said that “he -possessed such strong mental faculties and such striking oratorical -powers, as even to have excited the admiration of his father.” - -Of the third son, Paul, when yet a child, Luther thus spoke: “He is -destined to fight against the Turks,” alluding to the energy of -character then observed in him, and which was afterwards so strikingly -developed. And truly, this Paul, endowed as he was with unusual decision -and unshaken perseverance, was the most gifted of Luther’s sons, even if -he did not in all respects possess the heroic spirit of his father. He -was not only a zealous promoter of the science of Alchemy, so highly -prized at that day, but he was a distinguished chemist, and succeeded, -by his assiduous labors, in making many useful discoveries in Chemistry -and Medicine. He also possessed a thorough knowledge of ancient -languages. He was devoted with all his heart to the religious doctrines -which his father restored, and defended them with zeal and ability. He -was so strenuously attached to the orthodox system of theology, that he -once refused a very flattering call to the University of Jena on account -of the presumed heresies which the theologian, Victorine Striegel, had -promulgated at that seat of learning, and he soon afterwards received -the appointment of private physician to John Frederick II., at Gotha. In -1568 he served Joachim II., of Brandenburg, in the same capacity, by -whom he was elevated to the rank of Councillor, and richly rewarded. -Afterwards (1571), he was employed by the Elector, August, and his -successor, Christian I., at Dresden. The former not only honored him by -inviting him to be sponsor to his children, but also presented him with -a farm, which, however, never came into the possession of his family, -inasmuch as the subsequent times, during which the Calvinistic -Chancellor, Crell, held the helm of affairs, were not favorable to the -prosperity of the sternly Lutheran Paul Luther. This same Calvinistic -spirit, finally, was the occasion of his retiring into private life in -1590. He moved to Leipzig, where he died in 1593. At the baptism of this -son, Luther said, “I have named him Paul; for St. Paul has taught us -many great and glorious doctrines, and hence I have named my son after -him. God grant that he may have the gifts and grace of the great -Apostle! If it please God, I will send all my sons away from home! If -any one of them has a taste for the military profession, I will send him -to Field-Marshal Löser; if any one wishes to study, him I will send to -Jonas and Philip; if any one is inclined towards labor, him I will send -to a farmer.” But afterwards, when he became better acquainted with -their disposition, he changed his mind. “God forbid,” said he, “that my -sons should ever devote themselves to the study of the law; that would -be my last wish. John will be a theologian; Martin is good for nothing, -and about him I have great fears; Paul must fight against the Turks.” -But history teaches us that his wishes were not gratified. He himself -subsequently advised Paul to study medicine, and the example of John -induced all the educated sons of Luther’s children for several -generations to study law. - -The sixth child, Margaret, who entered into a happy matrimonial -alliance, was dangerously attacked with fever after the measles, from -which her brother suffered at the same time. Her father was much alarmed -about her condition, but comforted himself with the thought that she -would be taken out of this present evil world. She married George V. -Kuhlheim, a civil officer in the Prussian service, who was a pious man -and a most ardent admirer of Luther, and especially of his writings, of -which his favorite one was “Luther’s Exposition of the Book of Genesis.” -So profound was his reverence for the Reformer, that the fact was -thought worthy of being mentioned in the sermon preached at his funeral. -His youngest son must have inherited his father’s disposition and -character, for he always esteemed it the highest possible honor to be -“the grandson of the great Luther.” - -It is not known to what extent Catharine took part in the education of -her children; but a woman of her mild and amiable temper and strong -decision of character must have contributed much to the proper training -of her offspring. These prominent traits exercised a subduing influence -even on her husband; and Erasmus, who was at this time bitterly opposed -to him, says, “Since Luther’s marriage, he begins to be more mild, and -does not rave so fearfully with his pen as formerly.” Presuming this to -be true, it speaks well for the character of Catharine as a woman and a -wife. - -Luther not only employed special teachers for his children, but also -instructed them himself, notwithstanding his numerous other engagements. -He says, “Though I am a Doctor of Divinity, still I have not yet come -out of the school for children, and do not yet rightly understand the -ten commandments, the creed, and the Lord’s Prayer, but study them -daily, and recite the catechism with my little Hans and Magdalena.” For -years he superintended their instruction, diligently watching their -progress, and often giving them tasks to perform. But, above all, he was -solicitous about their religious and moral training, agreeably to his -own sound principle. The father must speak out of the children. The -proper instruction of children is their most direct way to heaven, and -hell is not more easily earned than by neglecting them! They were taught -to pray and to read the Scriptures and other devotional books in the -presence of the family. Particularly during their meals did he address -them in impressive, paternal admonitions. Morning and evening he -assembled his numerous family, house-teachers, guests, and domestics, to -worship. When it is elsewhere said that Luther “daily spent three hours -in private devotion,” it must be restricted to the period of the Diet of -Augsburg, when he was concealed at Coburg. - -Luther, during all his life, was a man of prayer. Although he was -opposed to mechanical formality in regard to special times and seasons, -as he had been taught in the church of Rome, yet he maintained a certain -order and regularity in the performance of this Christian duty. -Matthesius, one of his biographers, and a cotemporary, says, “Every -morning and evening, and often during meals, he engaged in prayer. -Besides this, he repeated the smaller catechism and read the Psalter. * -* * In all important undertakings, prayer was the beginning, middle, and -end.” - -“I hold,” says Luther, “my prayer to be stronger than Satan himself, and -if that were not the case it would long since have been quite different -with Luther. If I remit prayer a single day, I lose a large portion of -the fire of faith.” His writings contain many sparkling gems on the -subject of prayer. - -Fondly as he was attached to his children, yet he never showed a -culpable indifference to their errors, and, least of all, when they were -unruly or displayed anything like ingratitude or deception. On one -occasion when John, at twelve years of age, was guilty of a gross -impropriety, he would not allow him to come into his presence for three -days, and paid no regard to the intercessions of the tender mother and -of his intimate friends, Jonas and Cruciger, but forgave him only after -he had repented of his fault and humbly begged for pardon. He said, “I -would rather have a dead son than a rude and naughty living one. Paul -has not in vain said, ‘A bishop must be one who ruleth well his own -house, having his children in subjection, so that other people may be -edified, witnessing a good example, and not be offended.’ We ministers -are elevated to such a high position in order to set a good example to -others. But our uncivil children give offence to other people. Our boys -wish to take advantage of our position and privileges, and sin openly. -People do not inform me of the faults of mine, but conceal it from me. -The common saying is fulfilled, ‘We do not know the mischief done in our -own families; we only discover it when it has become the town-talk.’ -Hence we must chastise them, and not connive at their follies.” Once, -when he saw a youth of fine personal appearance and uncommon abilities, -but of corrupt morals, he exclaimed, “Ah! how much evil an over -indulgence occasions! Children are spoiled by allowing them too much -liberty; hence I shall not overlook the faults of my son John, nor shall -I be as familiar with him hereafter as with his little sister.” But -Luther, though he received from his father a severe training, and was -roughly treated at school, was too well acquainted with human nature not -to know that undue severity in all things created a cowardly, slavish -fear in the minds of some children, and obstinacy and dissimulation in -others. Hence he pursued the golden medium, and tried to accomplish his -purpose by kind and yet earnest admonitions. “I will not chastise Hans -too severely, or he will become shy of me and hate me,” said he. “We -must take care to teach the young, to find pleasure in that which is -good; for that which is forced out of them by stripes will not be -profitable, and, if this is carried to excess, they will only continue -good as long as they feel the lash. But by admonition and judicious -chastisement, they learn to fear God more than the rod. We must often -_stammer_ with children, and in all good things come down to a level -with them, that is, we must be tender, affectionate, and condescending, -and, if that is of no avail, then we may employ severity.” - -When he saw his wife or children suffering, his sympathizing heart often -found relief in tears. “I love my Catharine,” he would say, “I love her -more than I do myself. I would rather die myself than she and the -children should die.” It was only when the cause of religion was -concerned that the dearest object on earth was not too dear; for the -honor of religion and truth, he would have sacrificed wife and children. -Deeply penetrated with this sentiment, the magnanimous Reformer, when he -had already become the father of two children, could most cordially say, -in the spirit of Christ’s words, “Let them take my life, property, -reputation, children, and wife—let them all go—the kingdom of God is -still ours.” His heroic hymn, “Eine feste Burg ist unser Gott,”[19] -sufficiently shows his feelings on this subject. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - Character of Catharine. - - -It must be acknowledged that there is nothing remarkably striking in the -history of Catharine de Bora, considered apart from her relation to her -illustrious husband. She was distinguished by no extraordinary talents -or surprising act of heroism after her marriage; she has left no -literary monument to perpetuate her memory, nor any public institution -founded by her munificence. She was nothing more than the “virtuous” -woman so eloquently described by King Solomon in the last chapter of the -Book of Proverbs, but she was that in an eminent degree. A noble dignity -and a temperate self-reliance were the fundamental traits of her -character. Hence, though dependent on others for support, she possessed -sufficient independence of mind to reject several brilliant offers of -marriage, and showed herself worthy of Luther. Her resolution to -exchange the noiseless cloister for a life of honorable and useful -activity in the disturbed world without, displayed not only a noble -courage in the certain anticipation of poverty and persecution, but also -a strong confidence in God. It is more than probable that she read many -of Luther’s writings as soon as they appeared, not actuated by a blind -curiosity, but with a sincere desire to ascertain the truth, and to -derive from them instruction for heart and head. Afterwards, during her -married life, she took every opportunity of correcting and enlarging her -religious views. Although, as the result of the spirit of that age and -of her previous monastic training, she was not profoundly educated, yet -Luther esteemed her as a woman possessing a noble, dignified, -independent spirit, in whose feelings and opinions he found an echo of -his own. Pious, in the proper sense of the word, she found her highest -enjoyment in solitary communion with God, and those hours which she -devoted to the attentive reading of the Scriptures were always the most -happy. To this profitable exercise she was often exhorted by her -husband, and she followed his advice. Said she, “I hear a great deal of -the Scriptures, and read them diligently every day.” In writing to Jonas -on one occasion, Luther says, “She is a diligent reader of the Bible; -she shows deep earnestness in this duty.” She faithfully attended the -public means of grace also, and with her Christian brothers and sisters -worshipped God in the sanctuary. She was devotedly attached to the -doctrines of the Reformation, and one of her dying prayers was for their -preservation in purity to the end of time. She never neglected her -_domestic_ duties. To her husband, in all the relations of his active -life, she was the most affectionate companion; in his sickness, the most -faithful nurse; in his troubles, the most tender comforter: to her -children, she was a most gentle mother; in her household affairs she was -a model to all in regard to cleanliness, order, and neatness; to her -domestics and dependants, a condescending and indulgent mistress. She -was liberal without extravagance, economical without meanness, -hospitable without ostentation. Her questions and opinions, still -preserved in Luther’s writings, show a strong desire for mental -improvement, an enlightened understanding, a clear and dispassionate -penetration. This elevated, intellectual character of Catharine, -connected with her lofty independence and self-confidence, created a -distaste for the company of other less cultivated and less dignified -ladies, for the glory of her husband also encircled her head, and the -house of Luther was the central point of union of the distinguished men -of that day. Hence we need not wonder that, by the envious, she was -accused of pride. It is true, that now, after the lapse of three hundred -years, there may be many more refined and accomplished women than -Catharine was, for she was not distinguished for learning or science; -but none exceed her in that pious, Christian disposition which was so -forcibly expressed in her words and actions. Her lively temperament and -affectionate heart admirably qualified her to feel the warmest sympathy -in the diversified events of her husband’s life, and most kindly to -participate with him in his joys and sorrows. But above all, it was not -less her pious disposition than her persevering faith which identified -her so completely with himself! Whenever the opposition of the enemy -disturbed the quiet of the husband, Catharine never faltered for a -moment, and proceeded to administer consolation to his dejected heart. -During the prevalence of a contagious disease, in 1527, her confidence -in God was not unshaken, so that Luther could in truth write, “Catharine -is yet strong in the faith.” Also, as a widow, when she was subject to -attacks of sickness and adverse circumstances, her equanimity never -entirely failed. She was especially solicitous about her children, and -devoted all the energies of body and mind to their welfare. It cannot be -denied that Catharine partook of the common lot of mortals; she had her -faults and infirmities; but they are all overshadowed by those numerous -exalted virtues which are not always found united in one person of her -sex. She was a pattern of every domestic and Christian virtue; of -righteousness and good works to her generation, and may the daughters -and wives of the present day imitate her example, and profit by the -practical lessons which her life has taught! - -If she could make no pretensions to personal beauty, still she possessed -not a little that was attractive. She was of medium size, had an oval -face, a bright, sparkling eye, an expansive, serene forehead, a nose -rather small, lips a little protruding, and cheek-bones somewhat -prominent. Erasmus speaks of her as a woman of magnificent form and -extraordinary beauty; but Seckendorf says this is an extravagant picture -of her. The later opponents of Luther agree with Erasmus in representing -her as very beautiful, and falsely charge the Reformer as being -attracted only by her personal charms. Maimbourg says, “Among the nuns, -there was one named Catharine von Bora, whom Luther found to be very -beautiful, and whom, on that account, he loved.” Varillas and Bossuet -report, “That he married a nun of high rank and uncommon beauty.” -Chardon de la Rochette relates the following fact: “I have found the -likeness of Luther and his wife in a lumber-room in Orleans, where they -are in great danger of going to ruin. I will bet that there is no man -who would not wish to have so beautiful a wife as Catharine von Bora. It -is the first time that I have seen her picture, and it justifies the -opinion which Bossuet has expressed of her appearance. She has a noble, -expressive, and animated face.” But Luther himself says of her, “A wife -is sufficiently adorned and beautiful when she pleases her husband, whom -she ought to please.” - -Her likeness was frequently painted, and at various periods of her life, -by the distinguished artists of that age, such as Cranach, senior, -Cranach, junior, and Hans Holbein, junior. Cranach, senior, painted her -likeness in oil colors _sixteen times_, and the other artists mentioned, -several times each. Many of these original portraits are still to be -seen in the various picture galleries of Europe. There are extant more -than _forty_ different copper-plate and wood-engravings of her likeness. -It has also been transferred to porcelain-ware and other articles of -domestic use. A number of medals containing her likeness have been -struck to commemorate her virtues, and plaster casts of the bust of full -life size have also been made. All this shows the high esteem in which -she has ever been held by those who can appreciate exalted virtue and -genuine Christian character. - -As a proof of her artistic skill and her proficiency in ornamental -needle-work, even in that distant age, there is, to this day, exhibited -in the vestry-room of the cathedral at Merseburg, a blue satin surplice -which she embroidered for her husband, and which he wore on the occasion -of some great solemnity, and in the former University library at -Wittenberg, they still show a likeness of Luther, neatly and elegantly -worked in silk by Catharine. But these works will perish, whilst the -results of her faith, hope, and charity, will endure forever. - - - THE END. - - - - - FOOTNOTES - - -[1]1 Cor. 7; 7, 8, 26, 28. - -[2]1 Tim. 3; 2, 12. Tit. 1; 6. 1 Cor. 9; 5, 6. Matt. 8; 14. Mark 1; 1. - Luke 4; 38. - -[3]The passage 1 Cor. 9; 5, 6, speaks of Christian _married women_, who - accompanied the apostles on their travels. From this and other - passages it is undeniable that most of the apostles, and that, too, - during their apostleship, were married men. John probably lived - unmarried; and Paul seems to say the same of himself. 1 Cor. 7; 7, - 8, compare ch. 9; 5, 6. The idea that in Phil. 4; 3, he is speaking - of _his own_ wife, conflicts with the connection of the verse. - -[4]Melanchthon married (Nov. 25, 1520,) Anna Krappe, daughter of the - burgomaster of Wittenberg; Carlstadt, (Dec. 26, 1521,) Anna von - Michael. Soon after, he gave his reasons for this step in a letter - to the Elector, in which he says, “I have learned from the - Scriptures that there is no condition of life more pleasing to God, - more blessed and more consistent with Christian liberty than the - married state, if we live in it agreeably to God’s design.” Luther - highly approved of the measure. - -[5]He thus expressed himself in one of his tracts: “I hope I have come - so far _that by the grace of God I may remain as I am_, although I - have not yet got over the difficulty.” - -[6]His brother and predecessor, Frederick the Wise, had died May 5, - 1525. - -[7]Dr. Jerome Scurf, Professor of Theology at Wittenberg, among others, - said, “If this monk should marry, the whole world, yea, the devil - himself would laugh, and he would thereby spoil all his previous - works.” - -[8]His annual compensation did not amount to more than about $160, but - the Elector, John Frederick, supplied him with wheat, wood, free - house, clothes, &c. &c., to some extent. He inherited only 250 - guilders from his father. The King of Denmark, Christian III., gave - Luther towards the end of his days a pension of $50 a year. A man - who was executed for murder in Leipzig in 1537, with a vain hope - probably of reconciling heaven, bequeathed Luther $530, and - Melanchthon $300. - -[9]In 1529 he wrote to Link, “I am daily buried in books, so that - windows, chairs, benches, &c. &c., are full.” As early as 1516 he - said to Lang, “I have full employment for two secretaries. I do - scarcely anything all day but write letters.” - -[10]Luther was aided in this work by several of his learned friends, as - Melanchthon, Cruciger, Jonas, Bugenhagen, and others. He submitted - his work to their review, and adopted such alterations as his - judgment approved. Various sections or books were published from - time to time, until finally, in 1534, the complete Bible was - published. His work superseded all other previous translations, for - it excelled them all in fidelity, force, and distinctness; and even - now, 300 years after its appearance, with all the modern progress in - criticism and biblical interpretation, and the improvements of the - German language which are displayed in many more recent - translations, Luther’s Bible still maintains the ascendency in - private and public use. - -[11]Jerome Weller von Wolsdorff, Luther’s intimate friend, has said, “I - remember hearing Luther often say that he always regarded himself - extremely happy that God had given him such a prudent and thrifty - wife, who cherished him so tenderly in sickness, &c. Whenever Dr. - Luther was depressed, she, like a sensible wife, always consulting - his welfare, secretly invited Dr. Jonas to her table, so that he - might cheer him by his interesting conversation. She knew that no - one could so well entertain him as Dr. Jonas.” - -[12]This was during the Peasants’ War. - -[13]This property was obtained by gifts from the benevolent. - -[14]The Elector had presented him with a house. - -[15]He was born in Eisleben on the 10th of November, 1483. - -[16]All the property he ever owned was received from his father, his - friends, and the Elector. He never accumulated any by his own - savings. - -[17]This son, John, afterwards studied law at Wittenberg, and - subsequently filled responsible offices under several successive - Electors. - -[18]Sons of Melanchthon and Jonas. - -[19]See a translation in Hymn 907 of our Hymn-Book. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - ---Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook - is public-domain in the country of publication. - ---Corrected a few palpable typos. - ---In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by - _underscores_. - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Catharine de Bora, by John G. 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