The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-10-18
Martin Luther's Marriage.


IS q rule, might be married, but he
thought it far better that they should be
married; and the poor men and women
who were turned adrift on the breaking
up of the religious houses, he freely ad-
vised to marry without fear or scruple.
But still around VOW certain mag
ined sanctity persisted in adhering, and
when he was recommended to set an ex-
ample to others who were hesitating, he
considered, and his friend, Melancthon,
considered, that in his position, with so
many indignant eyes turned upon him,
he ought not to give occasion to his enc
my. Once, indeed, impatiently, he said
that marry he would to spite the devil.
But he had scarcely home to offer any
woman, and no leisure and no certainty
OF companionship. He was for
some years after the edict Of Worms in
constant expectation Of being executed
as hereto. he lived in the Angus
tinian convent at Wittenburg
but the monks had gone
and there were no revenues. He had no
income of his own; one suit of clothes
served him for two years; the elector at
the end of them gave him o piece OF
cloth for another. The publishers made
fortunes out of his writings, but he never
received form for them. So ill-at-
tended he was that for whole year his
bed was never made, and was widowed
with perspiration. II was tired out with
each days work, he said, "and lay down
and knew no more" But things we're
getting in order again in the electorate.
The parishes we're provided with pastors
on6 Tho NTH vpndoot vvo
Luther was professor at the university,
and the elector allowed him salary of
200 gulden Q year. Presents came from
other quarters, and he began to think
that it was not we'll for him to be slonel
In Wittenberg there was certain Cath
crime Won Bora, sixteen years younger
than he, who had been nun il . distant
convent. Her family we're noble, but
poor; they had provided for their dsugh.
ter by placing her in the cloister when
she was q child of nine; at sixteen
she had taken the vows; but
she detested the life into
which she had been forced. and when
the movement began she had applied to
her friends to take her out of it. The
friends would do nothing; but in April,
1923. she and nine others were released
by the people. As they we're starving,
Luther collected money to provide for
them, and Catherine Won Bora, being
then twenty four years old, came to Wit.
tenburg to reside with the Burgomaster,
Philip Reichenbach. Lnther did not at
6rst like her; she was not beautiful, and
hs thought that she was proud of her
birth and blood; but she was a simple,
sensible, shrewd, active woman; she, in
the sense in which Luther was, might
consider herself dedicated to God, and q
fit wife for religious reformer. Luth.
er's own father was most anxious that he
should marry, and in short time they
came to understand each other. So on
the 18th Of June, 1925, . month after
Munzer had been stamped ont at Frank
enhausen, little party was collected in
the Wittenburg Acknowledgements,
the town pastor. Prof. Jonas, Lucas
Cranseh. the painter, with his wife. and
Prof. Abel Of Bamberg. who had himself
married . nun; and in this preesnoe,
Martin Luther and Catherine Won Bora
became man and wife,. A. Froude, in
the Contemporary Review.