3. Hymns. Another precious gift for which all Christians should thank Luther is the collection of his incomparable hymns and songs, so childlike and devout, so simple and yet so powerful. When introducing the Lutheran order of worship Luther took great pains that not only the pastors and choristers, but also the congregations might sing their hymns to God in heaven in their own mother’s tongue. However, there were very few German hymns at that time fit to be used in divine worship. Luther, therefore, also undertook this work, and, in 1524, the first hymnbook appeared. It contained eight hymns set to music, four of which Luther had composed. The first evangelical church-hymn which Luther wrote was that glorious song, “Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice.” In it, from his own experience, he describes human misery, and then glorifies God’s work of salvation. Then followed, “O God of Heaven, Look Down and See,” and, “Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee.” Both of these hymns are cries for help out of the depths of human misery in which the congregation and every penitent Christian raises his voice to God on high and is heard. Later on appeared hymns for the festive seasons: “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come;” “All Praise to Jesus’ Hallowed Name;” “In Death’s Strong Grasp the Savior Lay;” “Now Do We Pray God the Holy Ghost.” Then, among many more: “Though in the Midst of Life We Be;” “In Peace and Joy I Now Depart.” Above all others towers his hymn of battle and triumph, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”
Especially powerful was the effect produced by Luther’s hymns in those days. The people never wearied of singing them, and in very many places the Gospel was introduced by the triumphant power of the Lutheran hymns intonated by pious church members. The opponents complained, “The people sing themselves into this heretical church; Luther’s hymns have misled more souls than all his writings and sermons.” In Brunswick a priest complained to the duke that Lutheran hymns were sung even in the court’s chapel. The duke, though also very bitter against Luther, asked, “What kind of hymns are they? How do they read?” The priest answered, “Your Grace, one of them is, ‘May God Bestow on Us His Grace,’” whereupon the duke rejoined, “Why, is the devil to bestow his grace upon us? Who is to be gracious to us if not God?” Concerning the effect of Luther’s hymns a friend writes: “I do not doubt that by the one little hymn of Luther, ‘Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice,’ many hundred Christians have received faith who never before heard the name of Luther; but the noble, dear words of this man so won their hearts that they had to accept the truth.”
CHAPTER XVII.
Luther’s Family Life.
Luther’s Marriage with Katharine of Bora.
1. Luther Enters Holy Matrimony. According to the Pope’s doctrine all so-called religious, like the monks, nuns, and priests, dare not marry. Luther, on the contrary, proved from the Word of God that this doctrine is false, that matrimony is God’s institution and honorable in all men. ’Tis true, of himself he declared: “I have no disposition to marry, because I may daily expect death as a heretic.” But many of his friends urgently requested him for the sake of strengthening many weak hearts also to enter holy matrimony and thus confirm his doctrine by his action. His father also dearly wished to see his son marry a pious wife. By God’s help Luther was soon firmly resolved by his own action to testify before the world his own and the doctrine of Holy Scriptures that matrimony is pleasing to God. He was of good courage and exclaimed, “To spite the devil and to please my old father I will marry my Kate before I die.” And later on he said, “By my own example I wished to confirm what I had taught, and because many were so timid although the Gospel shone so brightly God willed it and accomplished it.”
On the 13th of June, 1525, Luther invited his friends Bugenhagen, Justus Jonas, Apel, and the painter Lucas Cranach, together with the latter’s wife, to supper, and in their presence he entered holy matrimony with Katharine of Bora. Justus Jonas informed Spalatin of this joyous occurrence in these words: “Luther has married Katharine of Bora; yesterday I was present at the marriage; my soul was so deeply moved at the spectacle that I could not retain my tears. Since it is now done and God has willed it I sincerely wish this excellent and true man and dear father in the Lord all happiness. God is wonderful in His works and in His counsels.”
2. Training of the Children. Luther’s marriage with Katharine of Bora was blessed with six children, who were raised severely but piously. Luther enjoyed their company and delighted to watch them at play. When little Martin once played with a doll and in prattling said it was his bride Luther remarked, “So sincere and without wickedness and hypocrisy we would have been in paradise. Therefore children are the loveliest starlings and dearest little chatterboxes — they do and speak everything naturally and in the simplicity of their hearts.” When he saw the boys, as children will do, quarrel and then again make peace, he said, “Dear Lord, how pleasing to Thee is such life and play of the children.” When at one time they all with beaming eyes and glad expectation stood about the table on which the mother had placed peaches and other fruit, he enjoyed the picture and said, “Whoever wishes to see the picture of one rejoicing in hope, has here a true portrait. O that we could look forward to judgment day with such joyous hope.” When Luther, at another time, visited Melanchthon, he found him in his study surrounded by his family. He was well pleased with this and said, “Dear Brother Philip, I praise you for finding things with you as they are with me at home, wife and children in your company. I have also given my little Johnnie a ride upon my knees to-day and carried my little Magdalene about upon her pillow and pressed her to my heart.” When Luther returned home from a journey he never missed bringing something along for his children. At the same time he was very strict. At one time he would not allow his son John to come into his presence for three days, until he begged pardon for an offense. And when his mother interceded for him Luther said, “I would rather have a dead than a spoiled son.” At another time he said, “I do not wish my son John treated with too much leniency: he must be punished and held to strict account.” He was diligent in teaching his older children the Catechism and prayed with them the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer.
How lovely he could speak with his children is shown by the following letter, which he wrote when he was at Coburg to his little son John, who was then four years of age: “Grace and peace in Christ. My dear little son: — I am very glad to know that you learn your lessons well, and love to say your prayers. Keep on doing so, my little boy, and when I come home I will bring you something pretty from the fair. I know a beautiful garden, where there are a great many children in fine little coats, and they go under the trees and gather beautiful apples and pears, cherries and plums; they sing and run about, and are as happy as they can be. Sometimes they ride about on nice little ponies, with golden bridles and silver saddles. I asked the man whose garden it is, ‘What little children are these?’ And he told me, ‘They are little children who love to pray and learn, and are good.’ Then I said, ‘My dear sir, I have a little boy at home; his name is Johnny Luther; would you let him come into the garden too, to eat some of these nice apples and pears, and ride on these fine little ponies, and play with these children?’ The man said, ‘If he loves to say his prayers, and learn his lesson, and is a good boy, he may come. And Philip and Jocelin may come too; and when they are all together, they can play upon the fife and drum and lute and all kinds of instruments, and skip about and shoot with little crossbows.’ He then showed me a beautiful mossy place in the middle of the garden, for them to skip about in, with a great many golden fifes, and drums, and silver crossbows. The children had not yet had their dinner, and I could not wait to see them play, but I said to the man, ‘My dear sir, I will go away and write all about it to my little son, John, and tell him to be fond of saying his prayers, and learn well, and be good, so that he may come into the garden; but he has an aunt, Lena, whom he must bring along with him.’ The man said, ‘Very well, go write to him.’ Now, my dear little son, learn to love your lessons, and to say your p
rayers, and tell Philip and Jocelin to do so too, that you may all come to the garden. May God bless you. Give Aunt Lena my love, and kiss her for me. A. D. 1530. Your dear father, Martin Luther.”
Luther at the Coffin of His Daughter Magdalene.
3. The Death of Magdalene. How dearly Luther loved his children we can see from his pious and touching conduct during the sickness and death of his little daughter Magdalene. In the beginning of September, 1542, being then in her fourteenth year, she became ill. When she was now sick unto death she longed very much for her brother John whom she loved most dearly. He was then at school at Torgau. Luther at once sent a wagon there and wrote to Rector Krodel that he should send John home for a few days. John found his sister still alive. The disease tortured the poor child for fourteen more days, and her father suffered very much with her. When the hope of recovery vanished more and more, Luther prayed, “Lord, I love, her very much and would like to keep her, but, dear Lord, since it is Thy will to take her away, I am glad to know that she will be with Thee.” And when she lay a-dying he said to her, “Magdalene, my dear little daughter, you would like to remain with this your dear father, wouldn’t you, but also gladly go to that Father?” The child answered, “Yes, dear father, as God wills!”
She died in his arms on the evening of the 20th of September, at nine o’clock. The mother was also in the same room, but at a distance from the bed because of her great sorrow. As she wept bitterly and was very sad Luther said to her, “Dear Kate, consider where she is going! She fares well indeed!” When they laid her in her coffin he said, “You dear little Lena, how happy you are! You will rise again and shine as the stars, yea, as the sun.” To the bystanders he said, “In the spirit, indeed, I rejoice, but according to the flesh I am very sad. Such parting is very painful. It is very strange — to know that she is in peace and well off, and yet to be so sad!” The people who had come to the funeral to express their sympathy he addressed thus, “You ought to rejoice! I have sent a saint to heaven, yes, a living saint. O that we had such a death! Such a death I would accept this moment!” After the funeral Luther said, “My daughter is now taken care of both as to body and as to soul. We Christians have nothing to complain of, we know that it must be thus. We have the greatest assurance of eternal life; for God cannot lie who has promised it to us through and for the sake of His Son.” Upon her grave he placed the following epitaph:
“I, Luther’s daughter Magdalene, with the saints here sleep,
And covered calmly rest on this my couch of earth;
Daughter of death I was, born of the seed of sin,
But by Thy precious blood redeemed, O Christ! I live.”
4. Home Life and Charity. Elector John gave Luther the former cloister building as a residence. It was a large house with a beautiful garden, close to the walls of the city. The narrow cloister cells were changed into large rooms. Here Kate, now, went to housekeeping. She was a faithful and saving housekeeper. Luther’s income was very small; he received a salary of 200 florins. Withal he was very charitable toward the poor, and hospitable toward his visitors. Hardly a week passed that he entertained no guests. From all countries they came to Wittenberg, doctors and students, to see the man face to face who had accomplished such great things. Besides this, he was daily visited by friends and students. It was, therefore, no easy matter to manage the household with the meager salary. But his friends took care that under God’s blessing he suffered no want, and Luther confessed: “I have a strange housekeeping indeed! I use up more than I receive. Although my salary is but 200 florins, yet every year I must spend 500 for housekeeping and in the kitchen, not to speak of the children, other luxuries, and alms. I am entirely too awkward. The support of my needy relatives and the daily calls of strangers make me poor. Yet I am richer than all popish theologians, because I am content with little and have a true wife.”
The following are a few examples of Luther’s charity: A student once came to him and complained with tears of his need. As Luther had no money he took a silver cup that was gilded within and said, “There, take that cup and go home in God’s name.” His wife looked at him and asked, “Are you going to give everything away?” Luther pressed the cup together in his strong hand and said to the student, “Quick, take it to the goldsmith, I do not need it.” At another time a poor man asked him for assistance. Luther had no money, but took his children’s savings and gave them to him. When his wife reproached him he said, “God is rich, He will give us more.” A man exiled because of his faith asked him for alms. Luther had but one dollar (called “Joachim”), which he had carefully saved. Without thinking long he opened his purse and called, “Joachim, come out! The Savior is here!”
Friends, students, doctors, and all kinds of admirers often sat at Luther’s table. The meal was generally simple, but seasoned with serious and cheerful conversation. After table he was fond of having a little music with his friends and children. In praise of music he said: “Music is great comfort to a sad person. It cheers and refreshes the heart and fills it with contentment. It is half a schoolmaster and makes the people softer, meeker, more modest, and more reasonable. I have always loved music. Whoever knows this art has a good nature and is fit for everything. Music should by all means be taught in the schools. A schoolmaster must be able to sing, or I will not look at him.” At another time he said: “Music is a gift and blessing of God. Next to theology I give to music the first place and highest honor.”
5. Luther’s Opinion on His Wife and Holy Matrimony. Luther writes of his married life: “God willed it, and, praise God, I have done well, for I have a pious and true wife in which a man may confide; she spoils nothing.” In these words he lauds his Kate: “She has not only faithfully nursed and cared for me as a pious wife, but she has also waited upon me as a servant. The Lord repay her on that day. I consider her more precious than the kingdom of France, for she has been to me a good wife, given and presented to me of God, as I was given to her. I love my Kate, yes, I love her more than myself, that is certainly true. I would rather die myself than have her and the children die.” In praise of marriage he says: “According to God’s Word there is no sweeter and dearer treasure upon earth than holy matrimony, which He Himself has instituted, and which He also preserves and has adorned and blessed above all other estates.”
CHAPTER XVIII.
Luther’s Last Days and Death.
1. LUTHER’S PRESENTIMENT of Death. Eight days after his last birthday, which he celebrated on the 10th of November in the company of his friends, he finished his exposition of Genesis and closed his lecture to the students with these impressive words: “I am weak! I cannot continue; pray God to grant me a blessed death.” And he wrote to a friend: “I am sick of this world, and the world is sick of me; it will not be difficult for us to part, as a guest quits his inn. Therefore I pray for a peaceful end, I am ready to depart.” At the close of his last sermon in Eisleben the thoughts of his heart are expressed in this wish: “May God give us grace that we gratefully accept His beloved Word, increase and grow in the knowledge and faith of His Son, and remain steadfast in the confession of His holy Word unto our end! Amen.”
2. Luther’s Journey to Eisleben. In the beginning of 1546 the counts of Mansfeld requested Luther to come to Eisleben and settle a dispute which had arisen between themselves and their subjects. Luther consented to go, and, together with his three sons, on the 23d of January, he set out on his last pilgrimage on this earth. In Halle he visited his friend Dr. Jonas. While there he preached on the conversion of Paul and praised the writings of this apostle as the holy of holies. On the 28th of January, when crossing the swollen Saale in a small boat, his life was in great danger. Luther said to Jonas, “Dear Jonas, how it would please the devil if I, Dr. Martin, with you and our guides, would fall into the water and drown!” Not far from Eisleben he became so weak that fears were entertained for his life. But he soon regained his strength. In Eisleben Luther preached several times, and took great pains to settle the dispute be
tween the counts and their subjects. When matters were settled Luther began to think of returning home; but God had decided otherwise.
Luther’s Death.
3. Luther’s Illness and Death. Already on the 17th of February Luther could not attend the meetings because of his increasing weakness. In accordance with the advice of his friends and the counts he remained in his room and rested. About eight o’clock in the evening he took his medicine and lay down on his couch, saying, “If I could sleep for half an hour I believe I would improve.” He now slept calmly till ten o’clock, when he awoke, arose, and went into his bedroom. As he entered the room he said, “In the name of God, I am going to bed. Into Thy hands I commend my spirit; Thou hast redeemed me, Thou faithful God.” At one o’clock he awoke and said, “O Lord God, I feel so bad! Ah, dear Dr. Jonas, I believe I shall die here at Eisleben where I was born and baptized.” Again he left his bedroom and entered the sitting room, saying again, “Into Thy hands I commend my spirit, Thou hast redeemed me, Thou faithful God.” When he was again resting on his couch his friends hurried to his side, with Count Albrecht, the countess, and two physicians. When, upon repeated rubbings, he began to perspire freely Dr. Jonas thought he was improving, but Luther answered, “No, it is the cold sweat of death; I will give up my spirit, for the sickness is increasing.” Then he prayed thus: “O my heavenly Father, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thou God of all consolation! I thank Thee that Thou hast revealed to me Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, in whom I believe, whom I have preached and confessed, whom I have loved and extolled, whom the wicked Pope and the ungodly dishonor, persecute, and blaspheme. I pray Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, receive my poor soul into Thy hands. O heavenly Father, although I must quit this body and be torn away from this life, I nevertheless know assuredly that I shall be with Thee forever, and that no one can pluck me out of Thy hands.” Then three times he repeated the passage: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” John 3, 16, and the words of the 68th Psalm: “He that is our God, is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues of death.” When the physician gave him a cordial he took it and said, “I pass away; I shall yield up my spirit,” after which he rapidly repeated these words three times: “Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit, Thou hast redeemed me, Lord, Thou faithful God.” Now he lay quiet, when spoken to he did not answer. Dr. Jonas called into his ear, “Reverend father, are you firmly determined to die upon Christ and the doctrine you have preached?” Loud and distinctly Luther answered, “Yes!” Having said this he turned upon his side and fell asleep, saved in the faith of his Redeemer, on the 18th of February, 1546, between two and three o’clock in the morning.
Collected Works of Martin Luther Page 911