The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-30
Arhe Life and Letters of Martin

Arhe Life md Letters of Martin
Luther.,
BY Preserved Smith. Phi. n. Hough-
ton. Mifrin & Company. of Boston.
$3.50 net.
THIS thoroughly sound, scholarly and
interesting book has been classed
among the best biographies of the
great reformer.
Within the last score OF years n
large amount OF new material. bear
3ng upon Luther and his career has
come 10 light In the Libraries of
Europe. and upon this DR.. Smith who
has given many years to the study of
his subject. both at home and abroad,
has freely drawn. He tells the story
of Luther's epoch making career with
both fulness and vigor. with fine his
toric grasp. and with an unusual bio
graphic insight into the character of
his subject as a man. The book is
fully illustrated from rare pictures.
the frontispiece being a phptogravure
from the painting by Cranach, in pos
session OF Frau Geheimrepierungs rat
Richard Won kaufman at Berlin. The
autograph is taken from a letter
written by Luther to George Spalatin
In 1924.
Epochs in the life of Luther treated
OF hero begin with his childhood days
and student life. from 14SS TO 1905.
turn on his sudden decision to become
q monk, on his journey to Rome in
February of 1911. After this journey
Luther wrote: so great and bold is
tr,lNa sas. a ~
man, neither sin nor shame is feared
All good men who have seen Rome
bear witness to this; all bad ones come
back worse than before"
His appointment as professor of
divinity on October is. 1912 furnished
varied occupations which kept Luther
busy, according to & letter introduced
by his biographer. which describes
them.
The circumstances leading up to the
Indulgence controversy, the Leipsic
debate, the address to the German no.
bility. the burning OF the canon law
end the Pope's bull followed by the
Diet of Worms are the next biograph-
ical events Set down in order by DR..
Smith.
The Diet was held in 1924 On May
26 of that year. says DIR. Smith. the
Edict of Worms put Luther under the
ban OF tho e.lpire, forbade any to shell
ter him and commanded all, under
strong penalties, to give him up to
the auth 'rities. Luthers confinement
at Wartburg Castle, his return from
the castle at the time of the Witten-
borg revolution, his marriage TO Cath
arine Won Bora on Juno Is, 1925. Lu-
Tiers private life. his Intercourse with
Henry VIII. OF England, his corre-
pondence with Erasmus and the events
of the later years of his career COM
plete tho course OF his biography
which is in effect the history OF the
Reformation.
Notwithstanding Luthcrs bodily
Affections" writes DR.. Smith, never
once did he relax his enormous en-
orgy. The last years OF his life saw
the publication OF eleven books or
pamphlets, besides lectures and SER
mons at the university For the same
period there are cXtant more than
seventy letters. only part of his
correspondence"
An epiloguc contains an account of
the last years and death of Luther's
WIFE and an appendix cmbodics chron-
illogical tables. bibliography with ref
erences and documents of interest
There is also n very complete index.
The value of the book is at once ap-
parent. Tho interesting manner in
which 1t Is written and It's complete
ness in detail render il most accept
able and Instructive