Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-10-31
LUTHER'S LAST DAYS.
Graphic Description of His Do
meStic Habits and Personal
Traits.


Traits.
When Luther reached his last birth
day he was tired and sick at heart, and
sick in BODY. In the summer of 1545
he had wished to retire to his farm, but
Wittenberg could not spare him, and
he continued reguiarly Y to preach. His
sight be.an to fail. In January, 1916,
he began letter to friend, calling
himself "old, spent-worn, weary, cold,
end with but one eye to see with"
On the 28th of that month he under
took journey to Eisleben, where he
had been born, TO compose difference
between the Counts Mansfeldt. He
caught chill on the road, but he seem
ed to shake it off, and was able to at
tend to business. He had fallen into
the hands of lawyers, and the affair
went on but slowly. On the l4th OF
February lie preached, and, as it turn
ed out, for the last time, in Eisleben
church. An issue in the leg, artilicially
kept open to relieve his system, had
been allowed to heal for want of proper
attendance. He was weak and ex-
| hausted after the sermon. he felt the
end near and wished to be with his
family. ~ will go home," he said,
"and get into my coffin, and give the
worms a fat Doctor"
But wife and home he was never to
see again, and was to pass from off the
earth at the same spot where his eyes
were first opened to the light. On the
l7th he had sharp pain in his chest
1t went off, however He was at sup
per in the public room and talked with
his usual energy. He retired, went to
bed, slept, woke, prayed, slept again +;
then at midnight called his servant.
81 feel strangely" he said, 81 shall
stay here l shall meyer leave Eisleb-
en-" He grew restless, rose, moved
into an adjoining room and lay upon a
sofa. His two sons were with him,
with his friend Jonas "It is death, "
he said Il am going; Father into
Thy hands l commend my spirit"
Jonas asked him if he would still
stand by Christ and the doctrine which
be had preached. He said, yes"
He slept once more, breathing quietly,
but his feet grew cold. Between two
and three in the morning he died
The body lay in state for a day; a
likeness was taken of him before the
feature changed. A cast from the face
was taken afterwards; the athlete ex-
preston gone, the essential nature OF
him-grave, tender, majestic-taking
the place of it, as his own disturbed
life appears now when it is calmed
down into a memory. The elector,
John Frederick, hurried to see him
Counts Mansfeldt ended beside his
body the controversies which he had
come to compose. On the Goth he was
set on car to be carried back to Wit
tenberg, with an armed escort of caval-
ry. The people of Eisleben attended
him to the gates. The church bells
toiled in the villages along the road
Two days later be reached his last
resting place at Wittenberg. Melancth.
on cried after him as they laid him in
the grave, "My Father, my Father
The chariot of Israel and the horsemen
thereof"
His will, which is extremely charac'
teristic, had been drawn by himself
four years before He left his wife
well provided for, and because legaI
proceedings might be raised upon his
marriage, he committed her to the
special protection of the elector. Chill
dren, friends, servants, were all remem
bered
FINALLY" he said, "seeing | do not
use legal forms, | desire all men tc
take these words as mine. | am known
openly in heaven, on earth, and in he'll
also and | may be believed and trust,
ed better than any notary. To me q
poor, unworthy, miserable sinner, God
the Father of mercy, has entrusted the
gospel of his dear Son, and has made
me therein true and faithful. Through
my means many in this world have re-
ceived the gospel, and hold me as q
true teacher, despite of popes, en-
perors, kings, princes, priests, and all
the DEVILS wrath. Let them believe
me also in the small matter of my last
will and testimony, this being written
III my OWN udhuy "blIh OChOi " iDS iH
not known. Let it be understood that
here is the earnest, deliberate meaning
of Doctor Martin Luther, Gods notary
and witness in his gospel, confirmed by
his own hand and seal-January 6,
1912"
Nothing remains to be said. Phil
osophic historians tell rs that Luther
succeeded because he came in the full
ness of time, because forces were at
work which would have brought about
the same changes if he had never been
born. Some changes there might
have been, but not the same. The
forces computable by philosophy can
destroy, but cannot create. The false
spiritual despotism which dominated
Europe would have fallen from its own
hollowness. But lie may perish, and
no living belief may rise again out of
the ruins. A living belief can rise only
out of believing human saul, and that
any faith, any piety, is alive now in
Europe, even in the Roman church it.
self, whose insolent hypocrisy be
humbled into shame is due in large
measure to the poor miners son who
was born in Saxon village 400 years