The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-09-13
Martin Luther's MARRIAGE.
In priesthood and monkery he b.

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ceased to believe. II the orders them
selves were unreal, the VOWS to repect
the rules of those orders might fairly be
held to the nuyatorv. Luther not only
held that the clergy, as 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 religious
houses, he had freely advised to marry
without fear or scruole. But still
around vow a certain imagined scantity
persisted III adhering, aud when he was
recommended to set an example to 9th.
ers who we're hesitatiny he considered.
and his friend, MeIancthor, considered,
that, in his position, and with so many
indignant eyes turned upon him, he
ought not to give occasion to the enemy.
Once, indeed. impstient|y he said that
marry he would to spite the devil. But
he had scarcely home to offer to any
woman, and no leisure and no certainty
Of companionship. He vas for some
years after the Edict Of Worms in con-
slant expectation of being executed as q
hereto. He still lived in the Augustin.
ian convent at Wittenberg: 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
The publishers made fortunes out of his
writings, but he never received flori
for them. So Unattended he was that
for whole year his bed was never
made, and was mildewed with perspira-
ton. II was tired out with EACH days
work." he said, ''and lay down and
knew no more" But things were get
ting into order again in the Electorate
The parishes were provided with Pas
tors, and the Pastors with modest wages.
Luther was Professor at the University,
and the Elector allowed him salary Of
0W gulden year. Presents came from
oth'r quarters, and he began to think
that It was not we'll for him to be alone,
In Wittenburg there was certain
Catherine Won Bora, Is years younger
than he, who had been nun in a dis
!ant convent. Her family were noble
but poor; they had provided for their
daughter by placing her in the cloister
when she was child of 9; at 16 she had
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 it. The friends would
do nothing; but in April, 1923. she and
nine others we're released by the peo-
pie. As they were starving, 'Luther
collected money to provide for them,
and tatherine Won Bora, being then "a
years old, came to Whittenberg to re-
side with the Burgomaster, Philip
Reichenbach, Luther did not at first
| like her; she was not beautiful, and he
thought 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 was fit
wife for religious reformer. Luther's
own father was most anxious that he
should marry, and in a short time they
came to understand each other. So on
the 18th of June, 1925, month after
Munzer had beer stamped out at
Frankenhausen, little party was COL
lected in the Whitenberg Cloister-
Bugenhagen, the town pastor, Prof.
Jonas. Lucas Cranach. (the painter,)
with his wife, and Prof. APPEL, of Bam-
berg, who had himself marriedla nun;
and in this presence Martin Luther
and Catherine Won Bora became man
and wife,. A. Froude, in the Contem.
porary Review.