The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-09-22
CORRESPoNDEN NOE.
Memories of Luther and the
Reformation.
EIsENAoH, GERMANY, Aug. 19, 6

E1sENAoH, GERMANY, Aug. 10, 80.
MeS8rS E'dStors,-Stopping for day
or so in this quaint little town of Eisen-
est with its Castle of Wartburg, both so
replete with memories of Luther and the
stirring times of the Reformation, per-
chance it might interest your readers to
hear of its picturesque surroundings, and
revive once more the memory of that
great reformer, who did more than any
other one man to break asunder the
shackles of Popish superstition, and re-
store to its pristine glory the pure doc
trine of salvation by faith in God alone.
Eisenach is prettily situated at the con-
fuence of the Nessa and H6rsel and was
once the most enterprising manufacturing
town between Leipzig and Frankfort
but now, sacrificing the practical to the
aesthetic, it seems to rely chiefly on its
propinquity to the Thuringian Forest,
with its winsome wales and glades; and
greatest of all to the grand Castle of Wart-
burg, towering so majestically on a neigh
boring hill, far above the din and noise
and "shrieking" of engines. eve unfor-
tunately selected an excellent hotel in all
other respects, just opposite the railroad
station; hence the constant torture to our
sensitive nerves.) Yesterday we so en-
joyed long drive through the green val
leys of the smiling Marienthal, and then
leaving our carriage, explored the inner
most recesses of the Annathal, Wolf
schlucht (Wolfs gorge) and Wilhelmsthal,
with It's overhanging rocks and velvety
moses, where the sunlight rarely enters,
except in little bits and patches; more
glorited as we saw it, on account of its
surrounding obscurity. Finally, by climb
ing more, we at last reached its summit
Hohen some (high sun)-rightly named
for just then the sun burst out in all it's
splendor, and opened to our eyes a grand
panorama of beauty, smiling, cultivated
meadows below and the great hills be-
yond; and past an opening purposely
cut through the forest glades, beautiful
vista OF Wartburg Castle-just like dis
tant picture with its emerald frame |
Happy device of the foresters, for far
above and beyond all other objects of in
terest hereabouts is this castle, with its
past history of fact and fiction, so strange
ly but gracefully blended. The first
afternoon of our arrival we performed
pilgrimage thitherward, just as soon as
we had shaken off some of the dust of
half days travel from Ems, that most
delightful and romantic of all German
watering places we have yet seen. Two
weeks and more we spent there, enjoying
its varied sceneries from the hill tops on
either side of the Lain that meanders so
gracefully through the meadows and the
town, besides visiting Lahnecke, Stolen
tels, Ehrenbreitstein, those grand old cas-
ties Of the Rhine, near by. Butjust now
About the Castle of wartburg.
The Grand Duke of Sachsen-W Weimar- Els
enach, recognizing the historical signif-
canoe OF the Wartburg, gave orders for its
restoration, and summoning German art
and skill, repaired it as nearly as posi-
BILE, after the pattern Of the olden time.
The origin Of its name German scholars
can easily trace, for its enterprising foun-
der, Ludwig the Leaper," said Wart
Berg on soJlSJ mir cine BaNrg werden.
l'Wait Hill, thou shalt become nv
Hold, land there is a picture in these
ancestral halls illustrative its beginning.
We were conducted by guide through
all the rooms, from the grand banquet
ing nall, once the scene Of the minstrel
contests OF the Bards of the middle ages
on to the chapel in which Luther often
preached during the many months Of his
enforced, but providental stay in this
fortress In the Landgraven-Zimmer
Landgrave's room) were pictures of
those who successfully held dominion
mere both sires and sons, whose separate
history the guide most faithfully record
eu, until we reached together land then
our attention was riveted, that Of Ludwig