The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-11

CASTLE CHURCH, "THE CRADLE OF THE RI
FORMATION" At wITTESBERG.

CASfLE CHtkth, NE 'hADhh VIZ '"H mn
FORMATION" At wTTTESBERG.
The E" Castle church." says the London
Dahl Ne,rs, which Is called the "Cradle
Of the Reformation" was erected In 1899,
but the original building exists no more.
In 1860, during the Seven Years War,
Wittenberg was besieged by the Aus
TRANS, and during a bombsrdment the
church and large part OF the city were
DESTROYED by fire. In ITO the present
building was erected on the old walls by
order OF Frederick the Great. The old
wooden doors, destroyed in 1850, on which
Luther had nailed the theses, were re-
placed in 1857 by Frederick William ~.
by double bronze doors ten feet high, bear
ing in Gothic characters the original Latin
text OF the ninety-five theses. In the in
terror Of the church the most interesting
object Is naturally the bronze slab mark
ing the reformer's grave. IL lies on the
southern side Of the middle aisle, and bears
the following inscription-plain and SIM
pie as the refofmer's life:
MARTIN Euteri. s. Theologiae ID. corpus h. J:
:. G. qui an. Christi MDXLVI. XII Cal Martii
Eyslel In patria $. m O.. c. v. ann LAiii' H. IL
d. "
n is certainly noticeable fact that this
Inscription does not coincide with the
usually accepted date Of Luther's birth.
II he really lived sixty-three years two
months and ten DAYS, rs stated on the slab,
he must have been born on December 8,
1882. as he died. beyond doubt, on Feoru-
ary rs. 1916. There has always been some
uncertainty as 10 Luther's birthday, even
his parents not being quite certain, as men
toned by Melancthon. The now generally
accepted date OF November 10, 1883, Is
based on statement by Lutber's brother
Jacob.
The old Augustine monastery. in which
Luther passed so many years OF his life.
even after renouncing his monkdom,
stands in the Collegienstrasse, and was
erected over five hundred years ago. The
Luther house, which forms part OF the an
cient building, is reached by crossing the
court. II was presented TO the reformer in
1926 by the Elector John, and has been
restored lately. Its front is decorated
with Luther's portrait, and the inscrip-
ton. "Hien le6te ind lriricte DR.. Martin
Luther, 1908 bis 49," The sandstone door
way, which was a present from his wife
Catharine, in 1910, bears on the right Luz
theirs escutcheon. and ON the left his bust
with the circumscription, .EtdtiS sue 81.
In SiientO ct Spe crit .tortitudo cestrd."
The chief point of interest In the house,
which now forms Luther museum, is the
reformer's study and day-room.
In small ante-cbamber some Interesting
relics are preserved in glass case:-Luther's
becr-goblet OF lockwood, hand-embroide-
rieS by Frau Catherine, and the fragments
of drinking-glass, thrown down and bro
ken by Peter the Great during his visit to
Witlenberg on being refused its posses
sion. The great Car also commemorated
his presence by writing his name with
chalk on the door, and this impe-
rial autograph has been preserved
for two centuries by being covered
with glass. Luther's study remains I'M
changed in its original condition; the huge
stove Of colored tiles, built after Luthers
own design, the great sIiding-table, the
window-benches, the carved ceiling-all
remain as if the proprietor had only just
stepped out. Other rooms in the house
contain a great number Of Luther relics
his betrothal- and wedding-rings, the eX-
celent portrait by the elder kranach, the
first specimens Of Luther's Bible in parts,
printed by Luft, at Wittenberg, medals
and pamphlets OF the Reformation. &c.
Unfortunately, this interesting collection
remains without descriptive catalogue.