The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1889, Page 38

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

Luther Translating the Bible.

In our picture we see Luther at work in his
room at the Wartburg. He was secretly taken
to the Wartburg castle as to a safe hiding
place, in the year 1521, by order of his friend,
the Elector of Saf&ny, who wished to save
him from the clutches of his enemies and to
protect him from the knife of the hired assassin.
Luther remained ten months at the Wartburg,
where he was known as Squire George. He
laid aside the garb of the monk, and allowed
his hair and his beard to remain unshorn and
unshaved. Whenever he went outside of the
castle, he had to gird on a sword and behave

like a knight, so that people might not know|

him.

During his stay at the Wartburg
Luther was not idle. His desire had
been to place the word of God into the
hands of the people. He therefore
devoted much of his time at the
Wartburg to the translation of the
New Testament. He bestowed so
much Jabor and zeal to this work that
he had finished it before he left the
Wartburg. After his return to Wit-
tenberg he reviewed the whole most
carefully with the help of his learned
friend Melanchthon. The first copy
was struck off on September 25th
1522. Soon three presses were em-
ployed, striking off 10,000 sheets every
day.

Whilst the New Testament was going
‘through the press, Luther began the
translation of the Old Testament. The
demand for the translation wasso urgent
that Luther could not wait until the
whole was completed before he pub-
lished. As one part was finished he
gave it to the press. In the year 1534
the work was completed, and in the
summer of that year the whole Bible, as
translated into German by Dr. Luther,
was printed and published. In a few months
a new edition had to be printed. OF this
work Melanchthon well said, ‘‘The German
Bible is one of the greatest wonders that God
has wrought, by the hand of Dr. Martin
Luther, before the end of the world.’”’ By his
translation of the Bible Luther brought the
word of God into the homes of the rich and
the poor. The people rejoiced and gladly read
and studied the precious Book. Cochlaeus, a
bitter enemy of the Reformation, in speaking
of Luther's translation of the New Testament,
says: ‘‘Copies of this New Testament have
been multiplied to an astonishing amount, so
that shoemakers, women and laymen of all

“classes read it, carry it about with them and
commit its contents to memory. As a result
‘of this they have within a few months become
80 bold that they. have dared to dispute about
faith, not only with Catholic laymen, but with
“priests and monks; yes, even with Masters
"and Doctors of Theology. At times it has even

happened that Lutheran laymen have been
able to quote off hand more passages of Script-
ure than the monks and priests themselves;
and Luther has long ago convinced his ad-
herents that they should not believe any doc-
trine that is not derived from the Holy Script-
ures. The most learned Catholic theologians
are now looked upon by the Lutherans as
ignorant in the Scriptures, and here and there
laymen have been heard to contradict the
theologians in the presence of the people, and
to charge them with preaching falsehoods and
things of man’s devising.’’—Thank God that
we still have an open Bible.

The Giving Alphabet.

FOR THOSE WHO DON’T BELIEVE IN MISSIONS.

All things come of Thee, and of Thine own
have we given Thee.—1 Chron. 24, 14.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,
that there may be meat in Mine house, and
prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of
Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of
heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there
shall not be room enough to receive it.—Mal.
3, 10.

Charge them that are rich in this world,...
that they do good, that they he rich in good
works, ready to distribute, willing to commu-
nicate.—1 Tim. 6, 17. 18. .

Do good unto all men, especially unto them
who are of the household of faith.—Gal. 6, 10.

Every man according as he purposeth in his
heart, so Jet him give, not grudgingly, or of

necessity.—2 Cor. 9, 7.

Freely ye have received, freely give.—Matth.
10, 8.

God loveth a cheerful giver.—2 Cor. 9, 7.

Honor the Lord with thy substance, and
with the first fruits of all thine increase. —
Prov. 8, 9.

If there be firat a willing mind, it is accepted
according to that a man hath, and not accord-
ing to that he hath not.—2 Cor. 8, 12.

Jesus said, It is more blessed to give than
to receive.—Acts 22, 35.

Knowing that whatsoever good thing any
man doeth, the same shall he receive of the
Lord, whether he be bond or free.—Eph. 6, 8.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon
earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and

where thieves break inand steal; but lay
up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust doth cor-
rupt, and where thieves do not break
through nor steal. —Matth. 6, 19. 20.

My little children, let us not love
in word, neither in tongue, but in deed
and in truth.—1 John 3, 18.

Now concerning the collection for
the saints, upon the first day of the
week let every one of you lay by him
in store as God hath prospered him.—_
1 Cor. 16, 1. 2.

Of all that thou shalt give me I will
surely give the tenth to Thee.—Gen..
28, 22.

Provide yourselves bags which wax
not old, a treasure in the heavens which
faileth not, where no thief approacheth,
neither moth corrupteth.—Luke 12, 33.

Quench not the spirit.—1 Thess.
5, 19. .

Render unto God the things that'are

- God’s. Matth. 22, 21.

See that ye abound in this grace
also.—2 Cor. 8, 7. ;

The silver is Mine, and ‘the gold
is Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts. —
Hag. 2, 8. ;

Unto whomsoever much is given, of him
shall be much required.—Luke 12, 48.

Vow and pray unto the Lord your God.—
Ps. 76, 11.

Whoso hath this world’s goods, and seeth his
brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels
of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love
of God in him?—1 John 3, 17.

Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though He was rich, yet for your sakes
He became poor, that ye through His poverty
might be rich.—2 Cor. 8, 9.

Zealous of good works.—Titus 2, 14.—H.

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Since the fall of man God has placed before
us but two perfect objects, the incarnate Word
and the written word, and the relation between
the two is most intimate and precious. The
former is everywhere revealed in the latter,
and he who reads a chapter in the Old Testa-

ment or the New, and does not find Christ there ~

has read it unintelligently.—J. H. B.

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