CHAPTER VII.
Luther’s Children—Domestic Character—Catharine.
Catharine had been the mother of six children, three sons and three daughters. 1. John, born June 7, 1526; studied law, and became a civil officer in the service of the Elector of Saxony; died October 27, 1575, aged 50 years. 2. Elizabeth; born December 10, 1527, died August 3, 1528. 3. Magdalena; born May 4, 1529; died September 20, 1542, aged 14; 4. Martin; born November 7, 1531—studied theology; died March 3, 1565, aged 34. 5. Paul; born January 28, 1533—studied medicine, and became court physician to the Elector of Saxony; died March 8, 1593, aged 61 years. 6. Margaret; born December 17, 1534; died 1570, aged 36 years.
Luther was accustomed to say, “The more children we have, the more happiness we enjoy. They are the loveliest fruits and bonds of the domestic life.” He was never more happy than in the circle of his family, and whoever saw him there forgot that he was the man who spoke without fear or trembling with emperors, kings, and nobles. He was much averse to noisy entertainments. “I lose too much time at such festal gatherings with the citizens. I do not know what demon it is that prevents me from abandoning them, and yet they do me much harm,” said he. It was in the bosom of his family and in the company of a few select friends in which he sought the most agreeable relaxation from the burdensome cares of his life, and gathered fresh vigor for his arduous labors. Surrounded by his wife and children, and by the side of his intimate friends, as Spalatin, Bugenhagen, Cruciger, Melanchthon, and a few others, he took part in the innocent amusements of life with a heart full of gratitude to God, who favored him with these evening relaxations. In 1543, he celebrated his 62d birthday, and invited Melanchthon, Bugenhagen, Cruciger, George Major, and Eber; it was the last time he celebrated that day. Subjects of solemn import came up for conversation. Luther, in a prophetic spirit, said, “As long as I live, with God’s help, there will be no danger, and Germany will continue peaceful; but when I die, then pray! There will be really need of prayer; our children shall have to grasp their weapons, and there will be sad times for Germany. Hence, I say, pray diligently after my death.” He then turned to Eber particularly, and said, “Your name is Paul; hence be careful, after Paul’s example, to preserve and defend the doctrine of that Apostle.”
Luther was a man of a sociable disposition, always enjoying conversation enlivened by wit and edifying anecdote. He excelled in spicy conversation himself, and was the life of every circle of distinguished men. But he especially found the sweetest enjoyment in conversation with his wife and children, and often, too, from the innocent prattle of the latter he derived no ordinary edification. When his heart was sad, he would take one of them into his arms and tenderly caress it. Thus, on more than one occasion, he took the youngest child, and, pressing it to his bosom, with deep emotion exclaimed, “Ah! what a blessing these little ones are, of which the vulgar and the obstinate are not worthy.” On another occasion he said, “I am richer than all papal theologians in the world, for I am contented with little. I have a wife and six children, whom God has bestowed on me; such treasures the papistic divines do not deserve.” Little Martin was once playing with a dog; “See,” said Luther, who took a religious view of the most ordinary circumstances, and thus also in social life he became the teacher of those around him; “See,” said he, “this child preaches God’s word in its actions; for God says, ‘Have, then, dominion over the fishes of the sea and the beasts of the earth,’ for the dog suffers himself to be governed by the child.” On one occasion, this same child was speaking of the enjoyments of heaven, and said “In heaven, loaves of bread grow on the trees.” The father replied with a smile, “The life of children is the happiest and best of all, for they have no worldly cares; they know nothing about fanatics and errorists in the church, and have only pure thoughts and pleasant reflections.” He was amusing himself one day with the child, and said, “We were all once in this same happy state of mind in Eden; simple, upright, without guile or hypocrisy—we were sincere, just as this child speaks of God, and in earnest.”
At another time, he remarked that Martin afforded him special delight because he was his youngest child. “We do not find such natural kindness in old persons; it does not flow so freely and fully. That which is colored or feigned loses our favor; it is not so impressive; it does not afford as much pleasure as that which springs up naturally from the heart. Hence children are the best playmates; they speak and do everything sincerely and naturally. How Abraham’s heart must have beat,” he continued, “when he was called on to sacrifice his son! I do not think he told Sarah anything about it! I could contend with God if he demanded anything similar of me.” Here the maternal feeling of Catharine was roused, and she observed, “I cannot believe that God could demand of parents the slaughter of their children.” He removed her objections by reminding her of the greater sacrifice which God the Father made by offering his own son as a ransom for our sins.
Margaretta was once speaking to her father of Jesus, the angels, and heaven. Deeply moved, he exclaimed, “Oh! how much better than ours is the faith and life of children! The word which they hear they accept with joy and without any doubts, and are happy. But we old fools have painful anxieties, and dispute long. Well has Christ said, ‘Unless ye be converted and become as little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.’” Christmas, particularly, was a season of joyful festival in Luther’s family. No annual fair, such as are to this day held in Germany, passed by in which he did not purchase presents for his children. With deep regret he wrote to his wife, when he was in Torgau, in 1532, that he could find nothing in that town to buy for the little ones at home.
Vocal and instrumental music was a frequent source of family entertainment, especially after supper. Luther himself accompanied it with the flute or the lute, both of which he played skilfully. He often invited accomplished singers, and thus held family concerts in his house. When his time and the weather permitted, he repaired to what was afterwards called Luther’s Spring, which he himself discovered, and over which, after his marriage, he had a neat summer-house erected. He spent many an hour of pleasant enjoyment in his garden, with his wife engaged with her needle, and the children playing around him. Here he often invited his friends to exhibit to them the luxuriant fruit of his own cultivation. As the children increased in years, especially the sons, he made them his companions. He took them with him on his numerous journeys, and they accompanied him on his last and eventful tour to the place of his birth, and, as it proved, the place of his death. That he might enjoy the society of his wife as much as possible, he pursued his labors with her at his side or invited her into his study. She often copied his manuscripts for the press, and otherwise rendered aid in writing. He communicated to her everything of special interest relating to the progress of the Reformation not only orally when at home, but by letter during his absence. He also frequently read aloud for her entertainment, and sometimes even extracts from the books of his opponents, such as Erasmus and others. He often gave her striking passages of Scripture to commit to memory, such as Psalm 31, which was particularly applicable to her condition after his death, just as though he had anticipated it years before. She, on the other hand, often urged him to the performance of pressing duties, especially answering letters. Her participation in his affairs was kindly reciprocated by him. He patiently listened to all her requests, and in his letters executed many of her commissions. It was only when he desired to complete some work which allowed no postponement that he dispensed with her presence. At such times, he locked himself in his study for days, and ate nothing but bread and salt, that he might, without interruption, pursue the work in hand. This often occurred, and he would not allow himself to be disturbed. On one occasion he had been thus locked up for three days; she sought him everywhere—shed bitter tears—knocked at all the doors and called him, but no one answered. She had the door opened by a locksmith, and found her husband profoundly absorbed in the explanation of the 22d Psalm. She was proceeding to reprimand him for occasioning such painful anxiety, but he was impatient of the interruption to his studies, pointed to the Bible, and said, “Do you think, then, that I am doing anything bad? do you not know that I must work as long as it is day, for the night cometh in which no man can work?” But his tone and look sufficiently indicated to her that he was, after all, not unduly excited. At his social assemblies, his walks for recreation, and short excursions into the country, she was his inseparable companion as often as circumstances permitted. When numerous business calls necessarily compelled him to leave home, he wrote to her the most affectionate and often the most humorous letters.
The birth of his first child (June 7, 1526,) afforded him peculiar gratification. He communicated the fact to many of his correspondents in a strain of pleasant humor, and, of course, received their congratulations in return. The child was baptized soon after birth by Dr. Rörer, and named John by the grandfather. Bugenhagen, Jonas, and the painter, Cranach, senior, were his godfathers. From his earliest years this boy excited the liveliest hopes in his parents on account of his uncommon mental qualities, and it was he who gave occasion to the preparation by the father of several excellent books for children. Luther possessed the rare faculty of letting himself down to the capacity of children without himself becoming a child. This son’s name often occurs in the letters of Luther, and he is always mentioned as a lad of uncommon promise and an agreeable plaything to his father and mother. He thus writes to Hausman: “Besides this, there is nothing new, except that my Lord has blessed my Kate and made her a present of a healthy son. Thanks and praise for his unspeakable goodness. Mother and child send their respects to you.” Sometime after he wrote to Spalatin, “My little Hans salutes you. He is now teething, and begins to scold everybody about him with the most amiable reproaches. Kate also wishes you every blessing, and particularly that you also may have a little Spalatin, who may teach you what she boasts of having learned from her boy, viz: the joys of matrimonial life, of which the Pope and his satellites are not worthy.” Luther’s friends were much attached to this child on account of his amiable disposition, and sent him many presents suitable to his age. When the boy was yet but four years old, his father wrote to him the following letter: “Grace and peace in Christ, my dearest little son. It pleases me much to hear that you love to learn and to pray. Continue in this good way, my child; when I come home I will bring you a beautiful present. I know where there is a beautiful garden into which many children go. They wear gilded garments and gather all manner of fruit from under the trees; they sing, leap, and are happy. They also have beautiful little horses with golden bridles and silver saddles. I asked the man who owns the garden what sort of children they were. He replied, ‘They are children who love to pray, to learn and serve God.’ Then I said, ‘My dear sir, I also have a son called little Hans Luther; may he not also go into the garden, that he, too, may eat these beautiful apples and pears, and ride these nice horses and play with these good children?’ He answered, ‘Every little boy who loves to pray and learn, and is good, may come into the garden, Lippus and Jost[18] also, and if they all come together they shall also have all sorts of musical instruments, and dance and shoot with little crossbows.’ And he pointed out to me a meadow in the garden suited for a children’s playground, and there were hanging golden instruments of music and beautiful silver crossbows. But it was yet early, and the children had not yet eaten their breakfast, hence I could not wait to see the children dance and play, and I said to the man, ‘Ah, my dear sir, I will go without delay and write all this to my beloved little son, Hans, that he may diligently pray, learn well, and be pious, so that he, too, may come into this garden; but he has a little sister, Lehna, whom he must bring with him.’ Then the man said, ‘It must be so; go and write to him.’ For this reason, dear son, learn and pray, and tell Lippus and Jost also to do the same, and then you shall all go into the garden. I commend you to God. Kiss Lehna for me. Your dear Father, M. L., 1530.”
The prudent discipline of the mother, exercised with tender earnestness, gradually developed the moral and intellectual faculties of this youth in an eminent degree, and this, combined with his religious and scientific attainments, as subsequently displayed, afforded the father unspeakable gratification. In his 15th year this youth received the most honorable testimonial of his industry in study and general excellence of character from John William, the second son of the Elector, John Frederick, promising further encouragement and aid in the prosecution of his studies. When he was properly qualified by preliminary attainments to attend a higher school, he was sent to the Gymnasium at Torgau. Afterwards, he studied law at Wittenberg and Konigsberg, and on his return from his travels in various countries of Europe he was appointed Court Councillor by John William, in which office he subsequently served under the brother of the Elector. He was dismissed at his own request, and entered the service of Duke Albert in Konigsberg, and died October 28, 1575, aged 49 years.
His second child, Elizabeth, was born during the prevalence of the contagious disease in Wittenberg before alluded to. She lived only nine months, and Luther’s grief at her death was excessive. He thus writes to Hausman: “Never could I have believed a parent’s heart could be so tender towards children; seldom have I mourned so deeply. My sorrow is like that of a woman.”
The death of his third child, Magdalena, at the age of 14, was a severe affliction. She was a girl of unusual promise; amiable, gifted, and pious. Her complete resignation to the will of God—her vivid conception of the doctrines of the Bible—her strong faith in the Saviour, and her filial and religious virtues, distinguished her far above many of her tender years. She was for a long time confined to bed, and she felt that her end was rapidly drawing nigh. She ardently desired to see her brother John, who was a student at the academy at Torgau. The father gratified her wish, and despatched a messenger to summon the absent son to the death-bed of his sister. Luther, as far as was possible, watched by the side of the dying child. Although the trial was severe, his patient submission to the will of God was characteristic of the man and the Christian. “Alas!” sighed he, “I love this child most tenderly; but O, God, as it is thy will to take her to thyself, I cheerfully resign her into thy hands.” Then he advanced to the bed and spoke to the suffering child, “Magdalena, my daughter, you would willingly remain with your father on earth, and yet you also desire to go to your Father in heaven.” On which she replied, “Yes, dearest father, just as it pleases God.” He continued, “Dearest child, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Overcome by emotion, he turned away and said: “Oh! how I love this suffering child! but if the flesh is now so strong, what will then the spirit be!—well, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” When she was breathing her last, the mother, overwhelmed with sorrow, retired from the couch; Luther threw himself on his knees, wept convulsively, and implored God to release the child from suffering; he then took her by the hand—and she died. The father at once had recourse to the Scriptures to seek consolation for his grievous loss. He opened the book, and the passage, Romans 14; 7, first arrested his attention: “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.” This expressive passage was as a balsam to his wounded heart. When the body was deposited in the coffin, he said, “Thou dear Magdalena! how happy thou art! O, dear Magdalena, thou wilt rise again, and wilt shine like a star, yea, like the sun.” But the coffin having been made too small, he said, “This bed is too small for her, now that she is dead. I am indeed joyful in the spirit, but after the flesh I am very sad; the flesh is slow to come to the trial; this separation troubles us exceedingly; it is a marvellous thing to know that she is certainly happy, and yet for me to be so sad!” When the people came to attend the funeral, and, according to custom, addressed the Doctor, and said that they sincerely condoled with him in this affliction, he said, “You should rejoice: I have sent a saint to heaven, yea, a living saint. O! if only such a death were ours! such a death I would be willing to die this moment!” When one said, “That is indeed true; yet we all wish to retain our relatives,” Luther replied, “Flesh is flesh and blood is blood. I rejoice that she has passed over; I experience no sadness but that of the flesh.” Again, he said to others present, “Be not grieved, I have sent a saint to heaven, yea, I have sent two.” When she was buried, he said, “It is the resurrection of the flesh,” and when they returned from the funeral, he said, “Now is my daughter provided for, both as to body and soul. We Christians have no cause to complain; we know that it must be thus. We are perfectly assured of eternal life; for God, who, through his Son and for the sake of his Son, has promised it unto us, cannot lie.”
Throughout the whole of this trying event Luther showed all the tenderness of an affectionate father, and all the resignation of a Christian.
His second son, Martin, was tenderly cherished by the father. He himself feared that the child would be spoiled by too much affectionate attention and favoritism. In reference to this, he said, “The love of parents is always stronger for the younger than the elder children, and the more they require the care and protection of the parents the more dear are they to them. Thus, my Martin is now my dearest treasure, because he demands more of my attention and solicitude. John and Magdalena can walk and talk and can ask for what they want, and do not require so much watchful nursing.” But afterwards, Luther’s anxieties about him were very great. “He is rather a wild bird,” said he, “and he occasions me much solicitude.” But Martin, who was not without talents, studied theology, and it was only continued ill-health that prevented him from publicly assuming the office of a preacher. He spent his life in private teaching. In an obituary notice of him, it is said that “he possessed such strong mental faculties and such striking oratorical powers, as even to have excited the admiration of his father.”
Of the third son, Paul, when yet a child, Luther thus spoke: “He is destined to fight against the Turks,” alluding to the energy of character then observed in him, and which was afterwards so strikingly developed. And truly, this Paul, endowed as he was with unusual decision and unshaken perseverance, was the most gifted of Luther’s sons, even if he did not in all respects possess the heroic spirit of his father. He was not only a zealous promoter of the science of Alchemy, so highly prized at that day, but he was a distinguished chemist, and succeeded, by his assiduous labors, in making many useful discoveries in Chemistry and Medicine. He also possessed a thorough knowledge of ancient languages. He was devoted with all his heart to the religious doctrines which his father restored, and defended them with zeal and ability. He was so strenuously attached to the orthodox system of theology, that he once refused a very flattering call to the University of Jena on account of the presumed heresies which the theologian, Victorine Striegel, had promulgated at that seat of learning, and he soon afterwards received the appointment of private physician to John Frederick II., at Gotha. In 1568 he served Joachim II., of Brandenburg, in the same capacity, by whom he was elevated to the rank of Councillor, and richly rewarded. Afterwards (1571), he was employed by the Elector, August, and his successor, Christian I., at Dresden. The former not only honored him by inviting him to be sponsor to his children, but also presented him with a farm, which, however, never came into the possession of his family, inasmuch as the subsequent times, during which the Calvinistic Chancellor, Crell, held the helm of affairs, were not favorable to the prosperity of the sternly Lutheran Paul Luther. This same Calvinistic spirit, finally, was the occasion of his retiring into private life in 1590. He moved to Leipzig, where he died in 1593. At the baptism of this son, Luther said, “I have named him Paul; for St. Paul has taught us many great and glorious doctrines, and hence I have named my son after him. God grant that he may have the gifts and grace of the great Apostle! If it please God, I will send all my sons away from home! If any one of them has a taste for the military profession, I will send him to Field-Marshal Löser; if any one wishes to study, him I will send to Jonas and Philip; if any one is inclined towards labor, him I will send to a farmer.” But afterwards, when he became better acquainted with their disposition, he changed his mind. “God forbid,” said he, “that my sons should ever devote themselves to the study of the law; that would be my last wish. John will be a theologian; Martin is good for nothing, and about him I have great fears; Paul must fight against the Turks.” But history teaches us that his wishes were not gratified. He himself subsequently advised Paul to study medicine, and the example of John induced all the educated sons of Luther’s children for several generations to study law.
The sixth child, Margaret, who entered into a happy matrimonial alliance, was dangerously attacked with fever after the measles, from which her brother suffered at the same time. Her father was much alarmed about her condition, but comforted himself with the thought that she would be taken out of this present evil world. She married George V. Kuhlheim, a civil officer in the Prussian service, who was a pious man and a most ardent admirer of Luther, and especially of his writings, of which his favorite one was “Luther’s Exposition of the Book of Genesis.” So profound was his reverence for the Reformer, that the fact was thought worthy of being mentioned in the sermon preached at his funeral. His youngest son must have inherited his father’s disposition and character, for he always esteemed it the highest possible honor to be “the grandson of the great Luther.”
It is not known to what extent Catharine took part in the education of her children; but a woman of her mild and amiable temper and strong decision of character must have contributed much to the proper training of her offspring. These prominent traits exercised a subduing influence even on her husband; and Erasmus, who was at this time bitterly opposed to him, says, “Since Luther’s marriage, he begins to be more mild, and does not rave so fearfully with his pen as formerly.” Presuming this to be true, it speaks well for the character of Catharine as a woman and a wife.
Luther not only employed special teachers for his children, but also instructed them himself, notwithstanding his numerous other engagements. He says, “Though I am a Doctor of Divinity, still I have not yet come out of the school for children, and do not yet rightly understand the ten commandments, the creed, and the Lord’s Prayer, but study them daily, and recite the catechism with my little Hans and Magdalena.” For years he superintended their instruction, diligently watching their progress, and often giving them tasks to perform. But, above all, he was solicitous about their religious and moral training, agreeably to his own sound principle. The father must speak out of the children. The proper instruction of children is their most direct way to heaven, and hell is not more easily earned than by neglecting them! They were taught to pray and to read the Scriptures and other devotional books in the presence of the family. Particularly during their meals did he address them in impressive, paternal admonitions. Morning and evening he assembled his numerous family, house-teachers, guests, and domestics, to worship. When it is elsewhere said that Luther “daily spent three hours in private devotion,” it must be restricted to the period of the Diet of Augsburg, when he was concealed at Coburg.
Luther, during all his life, was a man of prayer. Although he was opposed to mechanical formality in regard to special times and seasons, as he had been taught in the church of Rome, yet he maintained a certain order and regularity in the performance of this Christian duty. Matthesius, one of his biographers, and a cotemporary, says, “Every morning and evening, and often during meals, he engaged in prayer. Besides this, he repeated the smaller catechism and read the Psalter. * * * In all important undertakings, prayer was the beginning, middle, and end.”
“I hold,” says Luther, “my prayer to be stronger than Satan himself, and if that were not the case it would long since have been quite different with Luther. If I remit prayer a single day, I lose a large portion of the fire of faith.” His writings contain many sparkling gems on the subject of prayer.
Fondly as he was attached to his children, yet he never showed a culpable indifference to their errors, and, least of all, when they were unruly or displayed anything like ingratitude or deception. On one occasion when John, at twelve years of age, was guilty of a gross impropriety, he would not allow him to come into his presence for three days, and paid no regard to the intercessions of the tender mother and of his intimate friends, Jonas and Cruciger, but forgave him only after he had repented of his fault and humbly begged for pardon. He said, “I would rather have a dead son than a rude and naughty living one. Paul has not in vain said, ‘A bishop must be one who ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection, so that other people may be edified, witnessing a good example, and not be offended.’ We ministers are elevated to such a high position in order to set a good example to others. But our uncivil children give offence to other people. Our boys wish to take advantage of our position and privileges, and sin openly. People do not inform me of the faults of mine, but conceal it from me. The common saying is fulfilled, ‘We do not know the mischief done in our own families; we only discover it when it has become the town-talk.’ Hence we must chastise them, and not connive at their follies.” Once, when he saw a youth of fine personal appearance and uncommon abilities, but of corrupt morals, he exclaimed, “Ah! how much evil an over indulgence occasions! Children are spoiled by allowing them too much liberty; hence I shall not overlook the faults of my son John, nor shall I be as familiar with him hereafter as with his little sister.” But Luther, though he received from his father a severe training, and was roughly treated at school, was too well acquainted with human nature not to know that undue severity in all things created a cowardly, slavish fear in the minds of some children, and obstinacy and dissimulation in others. Hence he pursued the golden medium, and tried to accomplish his purpose by kind and yet earnest admonitions. “I will not chastise Hans too severely, or he will become shy of me and hate me,” said he. “We must take care to teach the young, to find pleasure in that which is good; for that which is forced out of them by stripes will not be profitable, and, if this is carried to excess, they will only continue good as long as they feel the lash. But by admonition and judicious chastisement, they learn to fear God more than the rod. We must often stammer with children, and in all good things come down to a level with them, that is, we must be tender, affectionate, and condescending, and, if that is of no avail, then we may employ severity.”
When he saw his wife or children suffering, his sympathizing heart often found relief in tears. “I love my Catharine,” he would say, “I love her more than I do myself. I would rather die myself than she and the children should die.” It was only when the cause of religion was concerned that the dearest object on earth was not too dear; for the honor of religion and truth, he would have sacrificed wife and children. Deeply penetrated with this sentiment, the magnanimous Reformer, when he had already become the father of two children, could most cordially say, in the spirit of Christ’s words, “Let them take my life, property, reputation, children, and wife—let them all go—the kingdom of God is still ours.” His heroic hymn, “Eine feste Burg ist unser Gott,”[19] sufficiently shows his feelings on this subject.