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Life of Luther

<h3>Bible, Catechism, and Hymnbook.</h3> 1. Bible. Among the many priceless treasures for which all Christendom owes thanks, under God, to Luther, the translation of the Bible into German is one of the grandest and one of the most glorious. In the churches of that time Latin Bibles were used exclusively. The people, however, were not acquainted with them; for, in the first[77] place, laymen could not read them, and, in the second place, they were forbidden to read the Bible. In addition to this, the Bibles of that time were far too expensive. An ordinary Latin Bible cost 360 florins, and one nicely written out by monks even brought 500 dollars. It is true, there were German translations of the Bible even before Luther, but they were so inexact, and composed in such poor German, that the people could not use them. And yet, if every Christian was to read and learn the Gospel which Luther preached and proclaimed; if he was to convince himself from the Scriptures of the errors of popery; if he was effectively to arm himself against them; and if the Bible was to make him wise unto salvation, then he had to have it in his own language. Luther was long since convinced of this and had, therefore, already translated the seven Penitential Psalms. When, in 1521, the Wartburg sheltered him against his enemies, he, for the first, undertook the translation of the New Testament. He wrote: "Till Easter I will remain here in seclusion. By that time I will translate the Postil and New Testament into the people's language. That is demanded by our friends." After completing the work he wrote to Spalatin: "In my Patmos I had translated not only the Gospel according to John, but the entire New Testament. Now we are at it to polish the whole, Philip and I; God willing, it will prove a fine work." On the 21st of September, 1522, it appeared and sold at 1½ florins. Although the book was proscribed in many countries, the entire first edition was sold in a few weeks. In the same year several new editions had to be issued. Then Luther, with his friends, entered upon the translation of the whole Bible. It was a most difficult task. Luther said of it: "It frequently happened that we searched and inquired fourteen days, aye, three or four weeks for a single word, and yet, at times, did not find it." But God permitted him to complete the great work upon which,[78] amid countless battles and labors, his heart had been set for many years. In 1534 the complete Bible appeared. <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/image21.jpg" width-obs="400" height-obs="522" alt="The Translation of the Bible." title="The Translation of the Bible." /> The Translation of the Bible.</div> Great was the joy with which Luther's translation was received at that time. Melanchthon exclaimed, "The German Bible is one of the greatest miracles which God has[79] worked through Dr. Martin Luther before the end of the world." And Mathesius added, "For to an attentive Bible-reader it seems indeed as if the Holy Spirit had spoken through the mouth of the prophets and the apostles in our German language." Now many thousand thirsting souls could drink as often as they wished from that fountain closed so long, and which offers pure, sweet, and truly satisfying water. And they did it. Cochlaeus, a violent opponent of Luther, writes: "Luther's New Testament has been so multiplied by the printers and scattered in such numbers that even tailors and shoemakers, aye, even women and the simple who had learned to read only the German on ginger cakes, read it with intense longing. Many carried it about with them and learned it by heart, so that, in a few months, they arrogantly began to dispute with priests and monks on the faith and the Gospel. Indeed, even poor women were found who engaged with learned doctors in a debate, and thus it happened that in such conversations Lutheran laymen could extemporaneously quote more Bible passages than the monks and priests." 2. Catechism. Another treasure which God gave to Christianity through Luther is the Small Catechism. In order to inform himself on the condition of the churches and schools Luther had early urged the elector to order a general visitation of the churches. This visitation was held with loving heart, but with open eyes, from 1527 to 1529. In the vicinity of Wittenberg Luther and Melanchthon traveled from city to city, from village to village, and inspected churches and schools. They listened to the preachers and examined the church members. They found things in a sad condition. The people and the pastors lived in deep spiritual ignorance, for under the rule of the Pope they had received no proper instruction in religion. In a village near Torgau the old pastor could scarcely recite the Lord's Prayer and the Creed; in another place the peasants did not know[80] a single prayer and even refused to learn the Lord's Prayer. Luther wrote: "Alas, what manifold misery I beheld! The common people, especially in the villages, know nothing at all of Christian doctrine; and many pastors are quite unfit and incompetent to teach. Yet, all are called Christians, have been baptized, and enjoy the use of the sacraments—although they know neither the Lord's Prayer nor the Creed nor the Ten Commandments, and live like the poor brutes and irrational swine." The following example illustrates how patiently Luther instructed such people. When, at one time, he was examining the poor peasants on the Christian Creed one of them, who had recited the First Article, being asked the meaning of "Almighty," answered, "I don't know!" Luther then said, "You are right, my dear man, I and all the doctors do not know what God's power and omnipotence is; but only believe that God is your dear and faithful father who will, can, and knows how to help you and your wife and children in every need." Such misery induced Luther, in 1529, to write the Small Catechism for the instruction of poor Christendom. He himself says: "The deplorable destitution which I recently observed during a visitation of the churches has impelled and constrained me to prepare this Catechism or 'Christian Doctrine' in such a small and simple form." A learned doctor writes of this excellent little book: "The Small Catechism is the true Layman-Bible, which comprises the whole contents of Christian doctrine which every Christian must know for his salvation." Of all books in the world perhaps no other can be found that teaches the whole counsel of God for our salvation in such brief form and in such clear and pointed language. A truly popular book, it has cultivated the right understanding of the Gospel among the common people and unto this day proved of inestimable blessing. Very early Luther already could boast of the fruits of his work. In the following year he wrote to the[81] elector: "How gracious is the merciful God in granting such power and fruit to His Word in your country. You have in your country the very best and most able pastors and preachers, such as you can find in no other country of the world, who live so faithfully, piously, and peaceably. Tender youth, boys and girls, are growing up so well instructed in the Catechism and the Scriptures, that it makes me feel good to see how young lads and little girls can now pray, believe, and speak better of God and of Christ than formerly all institutes, cloisters, and schools." 3. Hymns. Another precious gift for which all Christians should thank Luther is the collection of his incomparable hymns and songs, so childlike and devout, so simple and yet so powerful. When introducing the Lutheran order of worship Luther took great pains that not only the pastors and choristers, but also the congregations might sing their hymns to God in heaven in their own mother's tongue. However, there were very few German hymns at that time fit to be used in divine worship. Luther, therefore, also undertook this work, and, in 1524, the first hymnbook appeared. It contained eight hymns set to music, four of which Luther had composed. The first evangelical church-hymn which Luther wrote was that glorious song, "Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice." In it, from his own experience, he describes human misery, and then glorifies God's work of salvation. Then followed, "O God of Heaven, Look Down and See," and, "Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee." Both of these hymns are cries for help out of the depths of human misery in which the congregation and every penitent Christian raises his voice to God on high and is heard. Later on appeared hymns for the festive seasons: "From Heaven Above to Earth I Come;" "All Praise to Jesus' Hallowed Name;" "In Death's Strong Grasp the Savior Lay;" "Now Do We Pray God the Holy Ghost." Then, among many more: "Though in[82] 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." <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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