Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-07-24
Mistsll M.
TFrom the Boston Journal.]
THE HOMES OF MARTIN LUTaER,
THE FIELD OF LUTzEN N-INTEREsTINd NOTE;
VF TRAVEL.
LETTER FROM CARLETON"
EIsEyAou. GERMANY limo 9

LETTER FROM CARLETON"
EIsENAoH, Germany. June %.
To the Editor of The Boston Journal:
There are few routes of travel in Europe
of greater interest than that from Berlin
to the Rhine, through the ancient Thurin-
gia. 1t is the cradle of the Reformation ;
the home of Luther and Melancthon the
theatre OF great scenes in history. Sdch
characters as Wallenstcin, Gustavus Adol-
phus, Frederick the Great. Alexander uf
Russia and Napoleon. have taken part in
events of which Thuringia has been the
locality. The route is the direct highway
between Berlin and Paris, and along the
liuc lie the towns of Wittemberg. Leipsig,
Lutzen, Erfurt, jena and Eiscuach, red
letter places on the historic page. More
than this ; what child has not read Of the
robbers Of the Thuringian forest aud the
legends of the HaItz Mountains the sto.
ries of love and adventure of red cross
knights f.; of fair ladies' of warders blow
the bugle ON the walls of old castles, to
announce the arrival of royal retinues
Of warriors in armor scaling the heights
at dead of night and carrying off their
lady loves, kept in prison by brutal faith
ers /? There were such stories in the
current literature Of iaS Boyhood. This
is the locality, The pas. is not all a
dream; hut i; is reality, aud it is
quickening TO the pulse 10 walk over the
ground where great men have performed
glorious deeds and accomplished mighty
ends for the welfare of the human race
But in this letter can OILY give notes Of
travel, Of past events and Present scenes
wITTEMBERG.
Il don't see," said a gentleman in Ber-
lin, what can cali you to Wittemberg-
it is the dullest place in the world. No.
body but you Americans ever think of
going there" Germans comprehend far
less than Americans the greatness of the
Reformation, for out of that protest
against papal supremacy, three hundred
years ago, came American civilization.
Bunker Hill perhaps would never have
had place in history had it not been for
Luthers burning of the papal bull al
Wittemberg. There might have been NO
Fourth of July in America had he not
ono morning pinned paper upon the
door of one Of the Wittemberg churches.
Wittemberg is dull enough now, but three
centuries ago it was one of the liveliest
places in the world not from the cart
ing of merchandise, or the hum of indus.
try, but from the thiuking of two men
who lived here. Electors and princes
came to see them Kings wrote them let
ters !; Enperors listened to their teachings
The thinking of those two men set the
world spinning in new direction. 1t is
worth while to visit such spot
1t stands on the north bank of the riv-
er Elbe. The country around is dead
level of fields and meadows, long lines Of
.all Lombardy poplars making the road
ways. The railroad station is outside Of
the walls of the town, which are surroun-
ued by bitches flooded from the Elbe -
Before reaching the Elstcr gate we come
to an oak tree-thc spot where Luther
committed the Popes bull to the flames.
1t is young and vigorous. its leaves green
aud fresh, as if finding choice nourish-
ment in the soil fcrtil,zed by the ashes Of
such document, 1t is protected by a
fence, and the Wittembergers have plant.
ed the spot with roses and lilies. Pass
ing over the drawbridge and through a
narrow gateway, the first bUildlng we
come to on our left hand is the Uuiversi.
ty building. founded by the Elector Of
Saxony, in which Luther was professor
of theology and pbilosdPly. The Uni.
vcrsity is now removed to Halle. Shaks-
peare has made mention of it a5 the place
where Hamlet studied. Ike building is
now used by the Lutherans as a theology.
cal institution but to bring back the
scenes Of other days we must ill its
rooms with students not wholly devoted
to the study Of theology. Passing iDte
the courtyard of the University We come
to the building whitb was" anciently
Convent of the Augustines, aud which
was Luthcr's home at or his marriage. A
fountain pours its waters into ston'
trough, around which group of girls arr
playing. Another group are having
romp among the flower beds in the gar
den where Luther was accustomed to walk
and where u vine Of ivy, planted by hi
own hand. creeps up the wall. Iu ,L'
centre Of the court are posts aud bars fol
symnastic exercises, tor the uss NJ th,