The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-04
MARTIN LUTHER.
How n Stroke of Lightning Induced him to
Become "a Monk.

lSscome "a monk.
Froude, in Contemporary Review.
Returning to Erfurt in the summer of 1905.
from visit to his family at Mansfield Luther
was overtaken by storm. The lightning
struck the ground before his feet; he fell
from his horse. Holy Anne" he cried to
the mother of the Virgin, Help me; l will
become a monk" Next day at Erfurt he re-
pented of his vow, Tor ne knew how it would
grieve his father; but his life had been spared;
he believed that the VOW had been head and
registered in heaven; and without waiting for
his resolution to be shaken, he sought and
found Ambulance in the Augustnian mon.
astery in the town. His career hitherto had
been so brilliant that the old Hans had
formed the brightest hopes Tor him. He was
bitterly disappointed, knowing, perhaps,
more of monks and monkdom than his
son. He consented, with sore heart, per
haps hoping that years experience and the
discipline OF the novitiate would cure a mo
mentary folly. The Augustnians owned no
property they lived on aims, and the young
Martin, to break his pride, was set to the low
est drudgery i'll the house, and was sent about
the town to beg. Luther, however, flung
himself with enthusiasm into the the Sc
verest penances. He tasted. he prayed. he
lay on the stones, he distracted his spiritual
adviser with the refinement OF his confessions
The common austerities failing, he took to
hair shirts and whips, and the brethren sup
posed that they had growing saint among
them. To himself these resources ayailed
nothing The temper which he hoped to
drive out of himself chung to him in spite of
all prescribed remedies. But still he perse-
vered; the novitiate ended, and he took the
VOWS aud became full monk and priest. His
father attended the ceremony. though in TO
pleasant humor. You learned men," he
said at the convent dinner, shave you never
read that a man should obey his father
and mother?" They told him his
son had received call from
heaven. pray God" the old man answered,
| ''it be not trick OF the devil. | must eat
and drink with you, but l would gladly be
gone" Two wears passed away. Luthur
| occupied himself with eagerly studying of
the Bible, but his reading would not pacify
| his restless conscienhousness The Vicar
general of the ORDER Father SJaupitz a
wise, open-minded man, saw him, heard his.
! confessions and understood them, He pre-
ceived that his mind was preying upon
itself, and that he required to DE taken out
of himself by active employment. The
Elector Frederick, Frederick the Wise, as
distinguished from his brother and his
nephew. had lately founded q university at
| Wittenberg a considerable town on the
Elbe. The Augustnians bad an an3itatet
house in Wittenberg and Staupit2 transformer
| Luther thither, to teach theology and phil
osophv. Luther was now twenty-five. and
there is gap OF two years in his history
| He must have observed and thought much
in these years or the finder would scarcely
have been kindled by the sparks which feii
upon it ~ the end OF them. The air OF Ger
many was growing thick with symptoms OF
storm.