Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-07-25
MARTIN LUTHER.

MARTIN LUTHER.
Perhaps the finest, richest, and most
generous species of character, is that !
which presents to the dainty the most re-
pulsive surface. Within the rough rind |
the feelings are preserved unsophisticated,
robust, and healthy. The m0li me tango !
re outside keeps off that insduous swarm !
! Of artificial sentimentalities which faint
and adulterate, and finally expeI all natur-
al and vigorous emotions from within us.
The idea of perfect man has always
been figured forth in our minds, by the
emblem Of the lion coming out of the
lamb, and the lamb coming out of the H.
on
! Of this description of character was
Luther. Nothing could exceed his sub
missiveness and humility, when a choice
was left him whether to be humble or
! daring: but when conscience spoke. no
other consideration was for moment at
! tended to, and he certainly did then shake
the forest in his magnificent ire. But if
we behold him one moment, to use his
own quotation from Scripture, "pouring
contempt upon princes" and highly rag
ing against the highest upon earth, we
see him the next in his familiar cores
pondence, poor, humble, afflicted man,
not pulled up with pride at the great
things he had accomplished, but rather
struck down by a sense of his own un-
worthiness. AS to his violence, it was
part Of his mission to be violent, and those
who lay it to his charge to be hlame-wor
thy, seem to US not to accuse him, but to
accuse providence. Not to have been vi
client, would to him nave been not to have
been in earnest. And here it must be OBJ
served that his violence was only verbal
it was merely the rousing voice to awak-
en- Europe from the lethargy Of ages.
But let US follow him into private life.
Here i, is that we shall best learn to ap-
preciate' him We will not dwell upon
!, his constant contentment in poverty, and
; his contempt for riches, because this is the
/, characteristic of almost all great men,
who are really worth more than gold can
procure them; but his long unbroken
friendship with Melancthon-a character
so opposite to his own, and in some re-
5 spects so superior, as he was the first to
: acknowledge himself, has always struck
US as proof that he possessed much
sweetness and gentleness of disposition.
Envy or Jealousy never interrupted for a
: moment the fraternal affection that sub
E sisted between these great men. Of those
: passions, indeed, Luther seems not to
have been susceptible. Neither did per,
J. sonal ambition come near him. Though
Il he had so many titles to it, he never claim
. ed the supremacy over his contemporary
J. Reformers. Notwithstanding the grea
: things he had performed, he gave himself
no air of grandeur or importance. He
q seemed to consider himself as a common
81 man among common men. He was DR.
:, Martin Luther, and nothing more. There
"a was simplicity and commences In hi:
u habits and conversation, which contrastet
70 wonderfully with the mighty revolution
le he brought about. This simplicity, w,
- were going to say, shows his native great
y ness; but we correct ourselves and add
&c that it exhibits that apostolic frame o
& mind, which all the messengers Of God
o. from Noses downwards, have displayed
ool Such men are moulded at once by tn
Is Hand that sends them The accidents o
o. this world have no power (as they hav'
e upon others),to change or modify thei
~ moral conformation. There is an one
x :, ness, wholeness, an uncompoundednes
~ of character in these elect instruments
d q on their moral frame is chiselled by thu
e. Divine finger one idea, and one onl Y
eej and that external to their earthly conJi
Z ton. Hence was begotten the simplicit.
= and homeliness of Luther 5 walk in life
: Had be acted the great man, he woult
IL have proved that he was not the apostle
: The rank, popular, coarse, and some
l,u what pleasant bearing which marked him
g. has made him the hero of the populac'
IS to this day in Germany. What is ais
= 81 rcmarkableain a man of his mdubltabi'
. and profound piety is, that he had no aus
- terity-BL GckaoOods Magazine.
ne ."DoS'T FORGET TO PRAY.o--Pay
rs son, writing to kinsInan, in an ImPor
We tant crisis of religious experience, re
Ir. In your present situation. and TO-
n some time to come, your greatest dlttlcul
an jty will be, to maintain the daily perform
ci- ance of closet duties. On your maintain
RI ing that part the fate of the whole batttl'
re viii turn This, your great adversar,
las well knows. He knows that ii he cal
,or beat out ofthe.closet, he shall have yo'
nd 10 hislown power. You will be IN To
is situation Of an army cut off from supple
are and feinforcements, and will be oblige
= either to capitalate. or to surrender az dis
M erection. He will. therefore, leave n
Ivy means untried to drive or draw you iror
/ IS the closet. And Il will be hard work