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068 - 5 Luther Further Labors and Personal Character · Short History of the Christian Church

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  Speaker 1: Part three, Chapter five of Short History of the Christian
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  Speaker 1: Church by John Fletcher Hurst. The LibriVox recording is in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. Chapter five Luther Further Labors and Personal
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  Speaker 1: Character fifteen twenty to fifteen forty six. Luther was now
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  Speaker 1: compelled to pay the penalty of every great reformer. He
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  Speaker 1: had to shield his work from the errors of his friends. Karlstadt,
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  Speaker 1: a firm adherent of the Protestant cause, began to think
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  Speaker 1: that Luther did not go far enough. He declared that
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  Speaker 1: the Reformation was still tinged too strongly with Romanism, and
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  Speaker 1: at the head of a fanatical band, the Zwicken Prophets,
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  Speaker 1: he made a fierce fight against Luther. Luther wrote to
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  Speaker 1: them from his patmos in December fifteen twenty one, as follows.
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  Speaker 1: This business has been undertaken in a harum scarum fashion,
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  Speaker 1: with great rashness and violence. I do not like it
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  Speaker 1: at all, and that you may know it when it
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  Speaker 1: comes to the point. I shall not stand by you
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  Speaker 1: in this business. You have set about it without me,
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  Speaker 1: and so you may see how you can get out
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  Speaker 1: of it without me. Believe me, I know the devil
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  Speaker 1: well enough. It is he alone who has set out
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  Speaker 1: to bring disgrace on the word. The fanatics would tear
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  Speaker 1: down every reminder of Romanism, the ornamentation, pictures, and everything else,
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  Speaker 1: but the bare walls of the churches. They would make
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  Speaker 1: such a thorough work with Rome that not a trace
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  Speaker 1: would be left of the old order. They would destroy
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  Speaker 1: every work of Christian art, in sculpture or on canvas.
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  Speaker 1: Wherever found they turned profits and saw visions. Luther, from
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  Speaker 1: his watch tower, saw the danger that threatened the whole
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  Speaker 1: Protestant cause, and was ill at ease. He would stay
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  Speaker 1: no longer in the Vartburg. Duke George was ready to
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  Speaker 1: arrest him wherever he could be found at large, but
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  Speaker 1: Luther was willing to take the risk his true friend,
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  Speaker 1: the Elector, cautioned him of his danger from Duke George,
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  Speaker 1: but the reformer wrote back, one thing I can say
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  Speaker 1: for myself. If things are at Leipzig as they are
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  Speaker 1: in Wittenberg, I would still go there, even if it rained.
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  Speaker 1: Duke George's for nine days, and every one of them
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  Speaker 1: were nine times as fierce as he. He plainly told
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  Speaker 1: the anxious Elector that he did not want his protection,
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  Speaker 1: that there was no real protection in a ruler of
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  Speaker 1: such faith, and that he Luther would go under God's
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  Speaker 1: protection to Wittenberg. He kept his promise. On March third,
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  Speaker 1: fifteen twenty two, he left the Vartbourg and, proceeding without
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  Speaker 1: a guard, reached Wittenberg in safety. The condition of things
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  Speaker 1: was all alarming. The Zwicken prophets had frightened the reformers.
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  Speaker 1: Melanchthon was too weak in nerve to withstand their boldness.
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  Speaker 1: He could not resist them and trembled for the whole
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  Speaker 1: Protestant fabric. The prophets declared that they had received special
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  Speaker 1: revelations from God to go even further than religious reform,
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  Speaker 1: to resist all civil authority and set up a temporal kingdom.
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  Speaker 1: When Luther appeared in Wittenberg, it brought confidence to his
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  Speaker 1: friends and to Protestants. He was wise in every movement
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  Speaker 1: and did not even mention the names of the fanatics.
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  Speaker 1: For a week he publicly preached against them, but with
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  Speaker 1: consummate tact, and as a result they left the city
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  Speaker 1: a disorganized mass. The German peasantry had long been oppressed
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  Speaker 1: by the princes, and had several times risen in revolt
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  Speaker 1: in the years fourteen seventy six nine ninety one. Fourteen
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  Speaker 1: ninety eight and fifteen o three, they had rebelled against
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  Speaker 1: their rulers, but were overcome, and yet were kept down
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  Speaker 1: only by violent means. The peasantry saw in the present
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  Speaker 1: religious convulsion another opportunity for revolt. A league was formed
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  Speaker 1: in fifteen fourteen. By fifteen twenty four the insurrection broke
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  Speaker 1: out publicly, and by the spring of fifteen twenty five
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  Speaker 1: it was general. The peasants were largely in the Protestant interest.
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  Speaker 1: They pleaded the Bible as their justification in demanding liberty
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  Speaker 1: of conscience and freedom from civil oppression. Luther was now
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  Speaker 1: put upon trial in a new direction. He studied the
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  Speaker 1: matter closely, and then took the side of law and order,
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  Speaker 1: but in an address to the princes told them of
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  Speaker 1: the wrong of oppression and cautioned moderation in dealing with
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  Speaker 1: the fanatics. The peasants were full conquered, and their leader, Munzer,
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  Speaker 1: was beheaded. Luther now addressed himself more than ever to
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  Speaker 1: severe literary labors. He saw that his work needed consolidation.
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  Speaker 1: He must instruct the people who were looking to him
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  Speaker 1: for spiritual guidance. The Munster fanaticism was proof of the
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  Speaker 1: great need of Protestantism for the most judicious and safe instruction.
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  Speaker 1: So by pen and speech he wrought with prodigious vigor
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  Speaker 1: through the kindness of friends. His sermons and lectures were
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  Speaker 1: published immediately after delivery. They were robust in style and
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  Speaker 1: consisted of strong and often homely speech. The people read
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  Speaker 1: each word with the gladness that came from an immediate understanding.
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  Speaker 1: His translation of the Bible, the strongest and most nervous
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  Speaker 1: and comprehensible ever executed, went all over the land. His
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  Speaker 1: principle is translation was contained in his own words. For
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  Speaker 1: translating the Bible, we must have a pious, true, industrious
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  Speaker 1: reverend Christian, learned, experienced and disciplined heart. We must ask
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  Speaker 1: the mother in the house, the children in the alley,
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  Speaker 1: the common man in the marketplace how to speak German,
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  Speaker 1: and put the language they speak in his own jaws.
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  Speaker 1: As a specimen of Luther's care, that he might translate
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  Speaker 1: the Bible into a language which the people might understand,
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  Speaker 1: he had a butcher kill some sheep for him and
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  Speaker 1: tell him the names of every part, in order that
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  Speaker 1: he might translate accurately those parts of Leviticus relating to
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  Speaker 1: the Jewish sacrifices. He wrote his friend Spalatin a request
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  Speaker 1: to give him the names and minute descriptions of all
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  Speaker 1: the precious stones contained in Revelation twenty one as constituting
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  Speaker 1: the walls of the celestial city. Luther's works multiplied rapidly.
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  Speaker 1: About one hundred and twenty separate writings appeared from his pen.
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  Speaker 1: His smaller and larger catechisms became a household possession throughout
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  Speaker 1: German Protestantism. His thirty hymns were sung in palace and
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  Speaker 1: hut with equal joy. The favorites were his martial hymn,
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  Speaker 1: A mighty Fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing,
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  Speaker 1: his Christmas Hymn from Heaven above to Earth, I Come
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  Speaker 1: to bear good news to every home, his children's hymn,
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  Speaker 1: Sleep Well, my Dear, and the Hymn of Providence flung
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  Speaker 1: to the heedless winds or on the waters east. Luther's
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  Speaker 1: writings were born of the occasion. He saw deeply and
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  Speaker 1: felt intensely. He held himself ready to sing, or speak
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  Speaker 1: or write as he perceived a need and felt an inspiration.
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  Speaker 1: He thought in images, and all his works abound in
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  Speaker 1: striking pictures. To him, the Devil was no myth, but
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  Speaker 1: a visible creature whom his own eyes had seen all
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  Speaker 1: too frequently. Hence he frequently addressed him as mister or
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  Speaker 1: Madame Devil. Luther's commentaries were practical expositions, little space being
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  Speaker 1: given to philological discussions. It was his habit to present
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  Speaker 1: the argument of a book in a full introduction and
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  Speaker 1: in language that the uneducated could understand. His interpretations were
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  Speaker 1: crisp and strong declarations of the author's meaning. He gave
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  Speaker 1: conclusions and but little of the process by which he
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  Speaker 1: reached them. Luther's personal characteristics were of a very striking character.
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  Speaker 1: He was of ardent and impulsive nature, and called things
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  Speaker 1: by the first name that came to him. He was
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  Speaker 1: born for war, and yet was always sighing for peace.
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  Speaker 1: His element was the smoke and flame and violence of
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  Speaker 1: the hot battle field. Yet, strangely enough, he thought himself
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  Speaker 1: very mild in language. When a friend once expostulated with
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  Speaker 1: him on the harshness of his language against the papacy,
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  Speaker 1: he replied, in all seriousness, on the contrary, I complain that,
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  Speaker 1: alas I am too mild, I wish that I could
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  Speaker 1: breathe out lightning, and that every word were a thunderbolt,
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  Speaker 1: a hair splitting. Theologian once quoted to him Saint Augustine's
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  Speaker 1: reply to the question where God was before heaven was created,
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  Speaker 1: that he was in himself, and then asked the reformer
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  Speaker 1: what his answer would be. Luther replied, he was building
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  Speaker 1: hell for such idle, presumptuous, frivolous, and inquisitive spirits as you.
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  Speaker 1: His opinions were very decided concerning some physicians, A lack
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  Speaker 1: for him that depends on physic When I was sick
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  Speaker 1: at small called, the doctors made me take as much
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  Speaker 1: medicine as though I had been a great bull. Tis
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  Speaker 1: these wretches that people the graveyards, though able, cautious and
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  Speaker 1: experienced physicians, are the gift of God. Those without fear
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  Speaker 1: of God are mere homicides. I consider that exercise and
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  Speaker 1: change of air do more good than all their purgings
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  Speaker 1: and bleedings. When I feel indisposed, I generally managed to
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  Speaker 1: get around by a strict diet, going to bed early,
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  Speaker 1: and keeping my mind at rest in faith. Martin Luther
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  Speaker 1: was as fervent as any crusader in the heat of conflict.
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  Speaker 1: The time of prayer was his supreme hour. Every prayer
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  Speaker 1: was an importunity. He would not think of silence, much
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  Speaker 1: less refusal. He argued with God and showed him how
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  Speaker 1: unlike himself it would be not to grant his petitions.
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  Speaker 1: He caught hold of the very robe of the Master
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  Speaker 1: and would not let go. Or Rather, he violently grasped
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  Speaker 1: the divine arm with both hands and held it until
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  Speaker 1: his prayer was answered. He had the habit of recording
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  Speaker 1: his wants in the form of a catalog and taking
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  Speaker 1: them to God in order as petitions which God could
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  Speaker 1: hardly be true to his own honor if he failed
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  Speaker 1: to answer. He was overheard to offer the following prayer
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  Speaker 1: just before his appearance in the presence of the Council
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  Speaker 1: at worms Almighty, Everlasting God, How terrible this world is,
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  Speaker 1: how it would open its jaws to devour me, And
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  Speaker 1: how weak is my trust in thee O, Thou, my God,
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  Speaker 1: help me against all the wisdom of this world. Do
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  Speaker 1: thou the work? It is thine, not mine. I have
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  Speaker 1: nothing to bring me here, I have no controversy to maintain,
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  Speaker 1: not I with the great ones of the earth. I
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  Speaker 1: too would feign that my days should glide along, happy
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  Speaker 1: and calm. But this cause is thine. It is righteous,
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  Speaker 1: it is eternal. O Lord, help me, Thou that art faithful?
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  Speaker 1: Thou that art unchangeable. It is not in any man
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  Speaker 1: I trust, O God, my God. Dost thou not hear me?
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  Speaker 1: Art thou dead? No thou art hiding thyself, O Lord,
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  Speaker 1: my God, Where art thou come? Come? Thou hast chosen
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  Speaker 1: me for this work? I know it. Oh, then arise
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  Speaker 1: and work. Be thou on my side. For the sake
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  Speaker 1: of thy beloved son, Jesus Christ, who is my defense,
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  Speaker 1: my shield, and my fortress. I am ready ready to
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  Speaker 1: forsake life for thy truth, patient as a lamb, though
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  Speaker 1: the world should be full of demons, though my body
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  Speaker 1: should be stretched on the rack, cut into pieces, consumed
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  Speaker 1: to ashes, the soul is Thine. For this I have
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  Speaker 1: the assurance of Thy word. Amen, O God, help thou me. Amen.
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  Speaker 1: And then, as if in soliloquy, Amen Amen, that means yes, yes,
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  Speaker 1: this shall be done. When Luther saw the great need
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  Speaker 1: of sustaining and building up the people who were following
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  Speaker 1: his leadership, he devised wise plans for ecclesiastical organization. In
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  Speaker 1: fifteen twenty seven, he and Melancthon at the instance of
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  Speaker 1: the Elector, John drew up a plan of general visitation,
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  Speaker 1: an order of doctrine and service was established, Parochial schools
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  Speaker 1: were instituted, catechetical service was enjoined, and full arrangements made
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  Speaker 1: for a complete ecclesiastical life. At the Diet of Augsburg
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  Speaker 1: fifteen thirty, the Augsburg Confession, drawn up by Melancthen, was
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  Speaker 1: adopted for the Protestants of Germany. In the convention at
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  Speaker 1: Small Cauld, the Protestants formed a compact which was the
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  Speaker 1: basis of their subsequent civil and ecclesiastical unity. The theological
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  Speaker 1: standard of the Protestants was the Lowsi Theologici of Melancthon.
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  Speaker 1: Luther never undertook a systematic treatment of doctrine, but committed
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  Speaker 1: this work to his nearest friend Melancthon, who was a
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  Speaker 1: compliment to him in many other respects. Luther's private life
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  Speaker 1: was of a peace with his public career. His labors
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  Speaker 1: before the world drew all their inspiration from his pure
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  Speaker 1: and simple home life. In fifteen twenty five he married
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  Speaker 1: Catherine von Bora, a none of the Cloister of Nipchen,
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  Speaker 1: and henceforth his home became the center of his labours
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  Speaker 1: and the rallying place of friends. His children were his
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  Speaker 1: loving companions. In the intervals of his engrossing labors, he
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  Speaker 1: would sing, and, getting new inspiration, would again take up
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  Speaker 1: his pen. Walther, the Electoral chapel master, who was deputed
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  Speaker 1: to assist Luther in the arrangement of music for public worship,
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  Speaker 1: thus wrote of him, many a precious hour did he sing.
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  Speaker 1: I have often seen him the dear man become so
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  Speaker 1: happy and transported in spirit, that he could not get
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  Speaker 1: enough of it. He knew how to say wondrous things
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  Speaker 1: of music. Luther was especially fond of having the students
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  Speaker 1: visit him and sit at his table. He was always
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  Speaker 1: thinking of others and how he might instruct and comfort.
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  Speaker 1: His engrossing labors bore heavily upon him. His early acidic
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  Speaker 1: life left an impaired constitution which he was never able
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  Speaker 1: fully to restore. He went on a journey to assist
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  Speaker 1: in reconciling a difficulty between the Mansfield counts, and died
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  Speaker 1: from home, but in the place where he was born.
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  Speaker 1: He breathed his last after thanking God for the revelation
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  Speaker 1: of his son and for having given him the privilege
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  Speaker 1: of testifying for him before the World and the Pope
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  Speaker 1: end of chapter five,