The sun., 1883-10-28
MARTIN LUTHER,s LIFE
Some New and Interesting Facts About his
Parents and his Career,

Parents and his Career.
LEIPsIc, Oct. 2-Thc approaching fourth
centenary OF tho birth OF Martin Luther. which
is producing q crowd OF books and pamphlets.
has also brought to light q little volume Of
which there nre probably not more than half
dozen copies in existence II was published In
this city In the year 1852. and bears the title.
Lifo Of Hans Luther and Margarethe Linde-
m!inin. his Wife," 1t contains interesting in
formation concerning the Reformers parents
aud his early life that is not generally known.
and cannot he found In other books.
About the year 1916 there lived In M0hra q
village OF Saxe-Meningen. situated between
Salaungen and Eisenach. humble peasant
who afterward became miner He was Huns
Luther tho father OF Martin Luther. He en-
gagged as housekeeper Marguerite Llndemann
who belonged 10 one Of tho oldest families OF
Eisenach. aud married her about the year 1870
~ is nowhere recorded whn,1her ago was Mt the
time shr entered the bonds of matrimony. but
she was brought UP by hcr parents III the foar
OF God. and II, II good housekecrer." 80 thnt
to take al a hsr s wsdasa
VIE a!tnouIh she was but poor girl
e yG"nS cSBIS snSn after WSemoyed tS
thar Margarethe Luther. on Nov. 10. l4S3-W
being market day-had gone to Eisleben. now n
town of PRUSSIA Suxony. and that hcre she un:
eypectedly gave birth To II son, who was named
Martin. iIany ,en,s aiier the uroat reiorn,.r
had departed this life. there was erected on the
site o1 the humble house in which he was born
and which was destroyed by lire in 1859. IL free
houe for destitute orrhans:: This charitable
sml, to maintain its existence. until Frederick
Willinm III. King of Prussia. TOOK il under his
An ianss s%s the nrs:
seminary" now stands immediately in the
rear or tho old Luther house.
HE wife still lived in Mohra when their son
Msrn So M.s h2 ON the Sinsf n h4nd
to- 5Sn Manse az ha' time they had already
We Yer read the III lit,ie i, volume already reiorred
that they we're able to labor diligently. early
tlon rs u miner, while his wife went to the
noishborinE woods to gather fire wood. which
Msr,n tells lis that % W parents are had no easy ' ti@a s
Of it, and worked harder than people did when
he WAS man" We arc also informed BY him
OF whom they had a large number. 1t is gen
eraIly understood that Martin had one brother
na ns .,ers S sstsFs Hnt hS ReS,sr in
He makes distinct mention Of nine
brothers in lazy. the husbands Of his sisters.
our guide. the names Of only one brother and
four sisters are known viz. Jacob, Barbara.
of two of his brot hers who died with the plague
are not known. The education Of the children
davo!ved upon the mother who-Martin tells
MS had IL hard task TO perform as his father
had to be absent from home IL great deni.' In
later years the ie:ormer IMPRESSED his sa,istae.
ton at having been brought up under pluus
but severe discipline. although he mentions
that his mother. while her intentions were
best: sometines was too strict; she did not
know how to discriminate between the differ
ent characters OF her children. and often pun
ished those who deserved praise e. and an, vice
came for hnying taken a nut from the mantel
shell And when his nnrents fist took him to
schoolLhs was at that time So small m that his
teacher was particularly requested not to be too
lenient with Martin. This pedagogue made
single forenoon. Martin became timid. md
mentions tnat thts rough AM mnh;essryed
which was never entirely dispeed. and in Il
measure became the ri!us" Of his entering the
calls the German schools Of those days purKa-
tories. and the teRchsrS tyrants.
1t Is well known that his parents had to sui;
stand which the Reiorlner took and through
which Mt one time he became nm outlaw both
sons did not hesitate to calu,nniato his inther
and mother. and the slanderons tongues not
their hearts much pain and soreness. But they
bore their cross patiently. and found con
snati"n in III, the fnc. that men like Meanchon
son." In order 10 fully comprehend the trying
position they found themselves pnced In when
Pope. 1t must be borne in mind that they lived
IN an age Of darkness and superstition. and
hsr "t se r4nps r%" his sFSs "S that sfs hs
mother was sorely vexed and annoyed by a
given TO the black art. and that his mother had
70 do her utmost to gain the good will Of this
witch" so that she shonld not bewitch her
children Molancthon praised Margarethe Lu-
ther as woman upon whom all honest women
I.ir IN Anl han m hn nf Nnv ohar
who nj one time Ind carried lrswood home on
seated at the head Of the table. where the guests
As . proof that the Rcformer dcary loved hts
parents II is M stated that he dedIcated to his
Life. and also that he WAS mindful Of securing
,hsT =. Il hs X;
have Gretchen for Il thv welded vile =; wiz '"'1
Martin lnthers rH,rep9ts; r, ,9; were granted the
comfortable circumstances. Hans Luther In
,m" became , quite prominent citizen Of
naces. md wns several times elected member
OF the Town Council. His wife was no longer
,n,nmrelled to 60 to to the woods ip searrh Of kind
ed by children and Grnnhchillren and nnace
and happiness reicn"d in their hcm;:" This
Luther lost her husband md from that time
forth she was no longer tho same" The Re.
former relates how she Rrieved soray until
one month after her husband. June 80 1881
Martin was not rresen, at hcr bedside when she
hrenthcd her last =" Important duties which
dcvolved upon him did not permit nj his UNDER
taking a long Journey for tho purpose Of ses-
ing his beloved mother once more But he
did not neglect his duty asa good child. and
Tho beginning and conclusion OF this inter-
esting epistle read rs follows:
NV Dr,RIy Rxlovrp MorHrR: have received = let.
ter FROM brother Jacob nprri.ina me of your sick
and mn very sorry that cannot bc with Won Ier
-onnlly nsI wond lik. to be ~, My ihr Father
Spirt grart yon nrln happy and grn,.ful faith 40
that ths and all Rficton and srrve
a,hr conviction h, he .ptaks the ruth when Hs ssvs
Re Of good cheer, have overcome the world" here.
with recommend your body and ,onl 10 Ills mercv.
Some w.cp, some eat, saving, "Grnnimother 10 very
Your aTectionntr son. Dr. MARTIN LuTHIa
SATURDAY ATTER AsctssIOS 1881.
Jefferson " PretectionIst.
From ne Ndfiond, Republican.
The prohibiting duties W" lay on NIL articles