Life of Luther

<h3>Luther's Last Days and Death.</h3> <p><b>1. Luther's Presentiment of Death.</b> Eight days after his last birthday, which he celebrated on the 10th of November in the company of his friends, he finished his exposition of Genesis and closed his lecture to the students with these impressive words: "I am weak! I cannot continue; pray God to grant me a blessed death." And he wrote to a friend: "I am sick of this world, and the world is sick of me; it will not be difficult for us to part, as a guest quits his inn. Therefore I pray for a peaceful end, I am ready to depart." At the close of his last sermon in Eisleben the thoughts of his heart are expressed in this wish: "May God give us grace that we gratefully accept His beloved Word, increase and grow in the knowledge and faith of His Son, and remain steadfast in the confession of His holy Word unto our end! Amen."</p> <p><b>2. Luther's Journey to Eisleben.</b> In the beginning of 1546 the counts of Mansfeld requested Luther to come to Eisleben and settle a dispute which had arisen between themselves and their subjects. Luther consented to go, and, together with his three sons, on the 23d of January, he set out on his last pilgrimage on this earth. In Halle he visited his friend Dr. Jonas. While there he preached on the conversion of Paul and praised the writings of this apostle as the holy of holies. On the 28th of January, when crossing the swollen Saale in a small boat, his life was in great danger. Luther said to Jonas, "Dear Jonas, how it would please the devil if I, Dr. Martin, with you and our guides, would fall into the water and drown!" Not far from Eisleben he became so weak that fears were entertained for his life. But he soon regained his strength. In Eisleben Luther preached several times, and took great pains to settle the <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</SPAN></span>dispute between the counts and their subjects. When matters were settled Luther began to think of returning home; but God had decided otherwise.</p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/image24.jpg" width-obs="400" height-obs="445" alt="Luther&#39;s Death." title="" /> <span class="caption">Luther&#39;s Death.</span></div> <p><b>3. Luther's Illness and Death.</b> Already on the 17th of February Luther could not attend the meetings because of his increasing weakness. In accordance with the advice of his friends and the counts he remained in his room and rested. About eight o'clock in the evening he took his medicine and lay down on his couch, saying, "If I could sleep for half an hour I believe I would improve." He now slept calmly till ten o'clock, when he awoke, arose, and went into his bedroom. As he entered the room he said, "In the name of God, I am going to bed. Into Thy hands I commend my spirit; Thou hast redeemed me, Thou faithful God." At one o'clock he awoke and said, "O Lord God, I feel so bad! Ah, dear Dr. Jonas, I believe I shall die here at Eisleben where I was born and baptized." Again he left his bedroom and entered the sitting room, saying again, "Into Thy hands I commend my spirit, Thou hast redeemed me, Thou faithful God." When he was again resting on his couch his friends hurried to his side, with Count Albrecht, the countess, and two physicians. When, upon repeated rubbings, he began to perspire freely Dr. Jonas thought he was improving, but Luther answered, "No, it is the cold sweat of death; I will give up my spirit, for the sickness is increasing." Then he prayed thus: "O my heavenly Father, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thou God of all consolation! I thank Thee that Thou hast revealed to me Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, in whom I believe, whom I have preached and confessed, whom I have loved and extolled, whom the wicked Pope and the ungodly dishonor, persecute, and blaspheme. I pray Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, receive my poor soul into Thy hands. O heavenly Father, although I must quit this body and be torn away from this life, I nevertheless know assuredly that I shall be with Thee forever, and that no one<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</SPAN></span> can pluck me out of Thy hands." Then three times he repeated the passage: "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John 3, 16, and the words of the 68th Psalm: "He that is our God, is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues of death." When the physician gave him a cordial he took it and said, "I pass away; I shall yield up my<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</SPAN></span> spirit," after which he rapidly repeated these words three times: "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit, Thou hast redeemed me, Lord, Thou faithful God." Now he lay quiet, when spoken to he did not answer. Dr. Jonas called into his ear, "Reverend father, are you firmly determined to die upon Christ and the doctrine you have preached?" Loud and distinctly Luther answered, "Yes!" Having said this he turned upon his side and fell asleep, saved in the faith of his Redeemer, on the 18th of February, 1546, between two and three o'clock in the morning.</p> <p><b>4. Luther's Funeral.</b> The sad tidings of Luther's death spread rapidly through town and country. A great multitude of people of all classes gathered to view the previous remains of the man who had again brought to light the saving Word of God. When the news of Luther's death reached Wittenberg and Melanchthon told the students, he exclaimed, "Alas, he has been taken from us, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof, by whom the church was guided in this last age of the world!" On the 19th day of February the corpse was laid in a metallic coffin, borne into the Castle Church of Eisleben, and placed before the altar. On the following day Dr. Coelius preached an excellent sermon, after which the corpse was carried in solemn funeral procession to Wittenberg. With weeping and wailing a countless multitude surrounded the hearse, and in nearly every village the bells were tolled. When, late at night, the funeral approached the gates of Halle the clergy, the city council, the schools, and the citizens, together with women and children, marched out to meet it and escorted the corpse into the church. The service opened with Luther's hymn, "Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee," the weeping being heard more than the singing. On the 22d of February the funeral train reached Wittenberg. Amid the tolling of the bells it moved toward the Castle Church, the hearse being followed by Luther's widow, his<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</SPAN></span> four children, and other relatives. Then came the faculty, the students, and the citizens. Dr. Bugenhagen preached a comforting sermon, which was frequently interrupted by his own tears and the weeping of his audience. At the close Melanchthon delivered a Latin oration, after which the corpse was lowered into the vault near the pulpit, where it awaits the coming of the resurrection morn.</p> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></SPAN>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />