Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-12-31
LUrHER,s GREAT HYMN.
when He Wrote "Ein festc burg LIST
uuser GOtt.''


when He Wrote "Ein festc Burg LIST
uuser GOtt."
The Culver for January.
Luther was busily engaged in writing
and adapting hymns for the service of the
Church. In letter to friend at this
time, he says: 81 wish, after the example
of the prophets and ancient fathers of the
church, to make German psalms for the
people; that is to say, sacred hymns, so
that the word Of God may dwell among
the people by means of song Also" The
outcome of this wish was the publication,
in 1924, of the first Protestant hymn book,
under the title of 1.-THE Little Rock of
Sacred Songs" The work contained SO
German and five Latin hymns, and the
music was arranged for four voices by
Walther. II is worthy of note that in this
book the melody was, in the case of two
of the tunes, assigned to the highest
voice; whereas the universal custom had
hitherto been to give the air to the tenor.
In course of time the melody gradually
took possession of the highest voice, and
when the last edition of the hymn book
was issued, in 1868, it contained fifty
tunes thus arranged, in place of the two
which were included in the regular edi-
ton. The immediate popularity which
these Protestant hymns attained was i'm
mense, and soon many other collections
had to be issued to meet the public de-
mand for works of the kind.
The majority of the hymns in these col
lections were merely adaptations from
| previously existing works; few, how
| ever, were unquestionably the composition
| of Luther himself First among these few
must be named that celebrated national
hymn of German Protestants, "Ein feste
Burg" which we in England know
through the spirited translation of Miss
Winkworth, beginning
A sure stronghold, our God, is He.
This hymn is believed to have been writ.
ten by Luther when on his way to the
Diet Of Worms. Hither he had been sum.
moned by the German Emperor, and
others in high authority, to say whether
he would recant or not. His friends used
every endeavor TO dissuade him from
going. reminding him that John Huss
was burned to death under similar cir
oumstances. To one of these friends Lu,
ther wrote thus: "Were there as many
devils in Worms as there are tiles oil the
roofs, would go, and not be afraid. Il
Huss was burnt TO ashes the truth was mo-
burnt with him."
And so he went, fortifying himself dur
ing the journey by the composition Of
that noble hymn, by which alone hil
name would have been preserved to pos
terity. 1t very soon became favorite OF
the people, and formed what Heine very
aptly termed the "Marseillaise of the
Reformation" The hymn was sung ovei
the Reformer's grave, and the first line
was afterward cut on the tombstone. Thus
much regarding the hymn itself; but the
tune was also almost certainly composed
by Luther. We say 'almost certninly,'
for though it has been asserted positively
that he wrote the tune, it is but right tC
say that doubts have been raised on the
point. We cannot stay to discuss the
matter here; it must be sufficient to state
that the evidence is largely in favor OF
the Reformer having composed the tune.
The melody is certainly noble one, full
of the spirit of the words to which it was
adapted.