Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-03-29
Luthsrs Marriage.

A friend in sending US German
scrap" says: SIT is sent by person
al friend from Frankford or the Mann.
attached to fair wood cut Of octave
page, from some serial, os suppose,
but the picture shows good composition
on the part of the artist. The group
has Luther and Catherine knesliRg. as
its central effect. As never studied the
German language Ito my great regret)
| have only arrived at the general sense
of the article. But this occurred to me
The description if even not Hea0 as to
facts, may still be new recast of an
old subject, and SO the scrap will pos
sess interest for all Lutherans."
The German scrap which our accom-
plished correspondent sent US, contains
an account of Luther's marriage, taken
from DIR. Koestlin's celebrated Life of
Luther. Although that book is in the
hands of many of our readers, and others
may soon procure it in English transla-
tions, and the facts given may be found
in other biographies of Luther, it may
interest some of our readers if we here
with furnish free translation:
when Catherine Won Bora escaped
from the convent she found home in
the house of Reichenbach, city clerk OF
Wittenberg, who treated her like ia
ther. Luther invited the painter Lucas
Kranach and his wife, DIR. opel, pro-
fessor of jurisprudence, Buge'hagen,
and Just,ls Jonas. to meet him at Reich
enbach's house. on the evening OF June
Is, 1925. Before these witnesses he was
married to Catherine. They were spe-
cially selected for this purpose from the
number of his friends. Bugenhagen and
Jonas were the foremost clergymen of
Wirttenberg; Kranach was one of its
most distinguished citizens, and promi-
nent ofice-bearers; DIR. APPEL, a professor
of law, and especially canon law, who
had accepted the Gospel, and who had
also married nun. 1t may be that
Kranach and his wife sustained special
relations to Catherine, and may have
had something to do with the betrothal.
Doubtless DIR. Bugenhagen called
upon Luther and Catherine to say yes
in the customary way, and then pro
nounced them man and wife. The ques-
ton was put in that ancient form which
occures in Luther's marriage service:
Hans will you have Grsta for your we'd
ded wife?' In regard to the rings which
were exchanged on this occasion we have
no certain data.
Upon the union thus formed solemn
blessing was pronounced in the church
at regular public service. This was
the way in which the church at that
time took full part when man and a
woman entered into state of matri-
mony. Luther's marriage therefore was
in strict conformity to the
usage of the church. A formal, public
festival was held on tine 9th |
Of June. so as to give an opportunity to
invited friends who lived at distance"
Here then We have first, the marriage |
in the house. by DR.. Bugenhagen; Sc
condly, the public recognition of it in,
and by the church, by solemn invoca-
tion and benediction. at a public service;
and thirdly, marriage festival, dinner.
supper. or reception, to which many
friends were invited.
Surely no one could say that DIR. Mar
tin Luther and Catherine Won Bora were |
not properly and fully married.