University of Halle-Wittenberg

Little Handel returned too late.

he learnt en route that his father had died on february eleventh sixteen ninety seven the principal obstacle in the way of his musical vocation had now disappeared but he had so profound a respect for his father's wishes that he forced himself to study law for many more years after having completed in due course his classes at the college he was entered for the faculty of law at the university of halle on february tenth seventeen o two five years after his father's death university life in halle at that time was of a revolting character but in spite of this an intense life of thought and religion was also to be found there the faculty of theology was the center of pietism the students devoted themselves to religious exercises which led to ecstasy handel independent as he always was kept clear of the brutal amusements just as he did of the mystic contemplation he was religious without being sentimental for the rest an artist could only listen to the pietists with difficulty for their religious devotion was too often oppressive to art even j s bach pietist at heart by his public acts declared himself opposed to the pietists who were on certain marked occasions inimical to music for a still stronger reason handel had no leaning towards mysticism religion was not his business law certainly was not However, he had for his master the most remarkable professor in Germany, Christian Thomasius, the advocate in the arraignment of witchcraft, the reformer of the teaching of law, who himself made a thorough study of German customs, who did not cease to make battle with the gross and stupid abuses of the universities with their spirit of caste, pedantry, ignorance, hypocrisy, and judicial and religious acerbity.

if such a training was not of the nature to retain handel it was certainly not the fault of the professor there were no more vital lessons in the whole of the germany of that day none which offered a more fruitful field of activity to a young man let us be sure that a beethoven would not have been insensible to them but handel was a pure musician he was music itself nothing else could occupy his thoughts Welcome to the family.

This is the story of the one.

End of chapter 8 CHAPTER IX.

LUTHER AS TEACHER I. LUTHER CALLED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WITTENBERG.

after three years spent in this cloister luther was called upon the stage where his battle with popery was to be fought in fifteen o two elector frederick of saxony had founded the university of wittenberg he charged staupitz with the selection of learned and able men for this school one of those recommended for his learning and piety was the well-known augustinian monk luther who now became professor at wittenberg as staupitz urged him to remove at once to wittenberg luther did not even find time to bid farewell to his friends at erfurt moving caused him little trouble for a begging friar has few possessions and thus on an autumn day of the year fifteen o eight we see the pale and emaciated form of the twenty-five-year-old monk travelling the road from erfurt and entering wittenberg by the wooden bridge He hurried through the long street to the Augustinian cloister, where he found shelter and lodging.

2. luther as professor and preacher in obedience to his superiors luther at first lectured on philosophy although he would have preferred to teach theology and this wish of his heart was soon granted already in fifteen o nine he received permission to expound the scriptures to the students with joyful devotion he gave himself up to the study of the bible and diligently searched for the ground of salvation and indeed he very soon created such a sensation that dr melrichstadt exclaimed that monk will confound all the doctors and introduce a new doctrine and reform the whole roman church for he devotes himself to the writings of the prophets and apostles and stands upon the word of jesus christ thus god had led luther to the scriptures and he made them his guiding star he felt that they alone could give him what he sought truth and peace staupitz also tried to persuade him to preach but luther at first lacked courage finally however he consented and preached the word of christ in the little chapel of the cloister its appearance was very similar to the pictures which the artists paint of the stable at bethlehem in which christ was born in such a poor little church that man began to preach who was to thrill countless souls and point the way to true peace very soon citizens and students gathered in such numbers to hear him that the church could not hold them he was then called to the large parish church of wittenberg whose doors were now thrown open to him here he had abundant opportunity to preach the word of life in his powerful sermons to many thousands of hearers three luther in rome by the study of the bible and diligent preparation for his sermons luther steadily grew in the knowledge of divine truth and yet he was firmly held in the bondage of popery he still considered the pope the vice-regent of christ upon earth when he was therefore directed to visit rome in the interest of his order it filled his heart with greatest joy for he hoped by this visit to the holy city to find rest and comfort for his conscience he had to make the journey on foot and he took the pilgrim staff in hand and together with a companion started out for rome they had no need of money for shelter and lodging they found in the cloisters by the way but luther did not enjoy the journey for the words kept ringing in his ears the just shall live by his faith after a long journey through beautiful landscapes the way finally wound about a hillock and before the eyes of the german monks lay the roman plain where on the banks of the tiber appeared the resplendent houses churches and fortresses of the city of rome how his heart must have leaped when in the radiant glow of the evening sun the city lay before him

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He studied jurisprudence at the University of Erfurt, where he later lectured on physics and ethics.

In 1505 he entered the Augustinian monastery at Erfurt, two years later was ordained priest, and in 1508 became professor of philosophy at the University of Wittenberg.

The starting point of Luther's career as a reformer was his posting on the church door of Wittenberg the 95 Theses on October 31, 1517.

These formed a passionate statement on the true nature of penitence and a protest against the sale of indulgences.

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INTRODUCTION martin luther died on the eighteenth of february fifteen forty six and the first publication of his table talk tisch threaden by his friend johann goldschmidt our father was in fifteen sixty six in a substantial folio the talk of luther was arranged according to its topics into eighty chapters each with a minute index of contents the whole work in a complete octavo edition published at stuttgart and leipzig in eighteen thirty six occupies one thousand three hundred ninety closely printed pages equivalent to two thousand seven hundred eighty pages or full fourteen volumes of this library the nearest approach to a complete and ungarbled translation into english was that of captain henry bell made in the reign of charles i under the circumstances set forth by himself but even that was not complete other english versions have subjected luther's opinions to serious manipulation nothing being added but anything being taken away that did not chance to agree with the editor's digestion even the folio of captain bell's translation from which these selections have been printed has been prepared for reprint by some preceding editor whose pen has been busy in revision of the passages he did mean to reprint in these selections every paragraph stands unabridged exactly as it was translated by captain bell and there has been no other purpose governing the choice of matter than a resolve to make it as true a presentiment as possible of luther's mind and character at least one other volume of selections from the table-talk of martin luther will be given in this library johann goldschmidt the auer faber and thereby true worker in gold who first gave luther's table-talk to the world was born in fifteen nineteen he was a disciple of luther thirty-six years younger than his master luther was born at eiseben in fourteen eighty three and his father a poor miner presently settled in mansfield the town in which goldschmidt afterward was born john goldschmidt was sent by count albrecht of mansfield in fifteen thirty seven to the university of wittenberg where luther had been made in fifteen o eight professor of philosophy and where on the thirty first of october fifteen seventeen he had nailed his ninety-five propositions against indulgences to the church door at the castle luther had completed his translation of the bible three years before johann goldschmidt went to wittenberg in fifteen forty goldschmidt was recalled from the university to act as tutor to count albrecht's children in fifteen forty four goldsmith was army chaplain with the troops from mansfield in the french war but in fifteen forty five he was sent back to wittenberg for special study of theology it was then that he attached himself to luther as his famulus and house-companion during the closing months of luther's life began already to collect from surrounding friends passages of his vigorous table-talk and remained with luther till the last having been present at his death in eisleben in fifteen forty six he then proceeded steadily with the collection of luther's sayings and opinions expressed among his friends he was army chaplain among the soldiers of johann friedrich of saxony he spent half a year also in a saxon prison he became in fifteen fifty one court preacher at weimar but in fifteen sixty two was deprived of his office and then devoted himself to the forming of an eiselben edition of those works of luther which had not already been collected in fifteen sixty six he was called to a pastorate at erfurt where he had many more troubles before his death auerfarber died on the eighteenth of november fifteen seventy five h m section one section two of selections from the table talk of martin luther THE TESTIMONY OF JOHANNES AUERFABER, DOCTOR AND DIVINITY CONCERNING LUTHER'S DIVINE DISCOURSES and whereas hitherto i have caused certain tomes of the books sermons writings and missives of luther to be printed at isaban so i have also now finished this tome of his discourses and have ordered the same to be printed which at the first were collected together out of the manuscripts of these divine discourses which that reverend father anthony lauterbach himself noted and wrote out of the holy mouth of luther and afterwards the same by me were collected into sure and certain loci communes or common places and distributed and whereas i johannes auerfaber in the years fifteen forty five and fifteen forty six before the death of the most famous divine luther was much with and about him and with all diligence writ and noted down many most excellent histories and acts and other most necessary and useful things which he related i have therefore set in order and brought the same also into this tome now forasmuch as very excellent declaration is made in this tome of all the articles and chief points of christian religion doctrine and faith and also therein are found necessary rules questions and answers many fair histories all sorts of learnings comforts advices prophecies warnings and admonitions i have therefore thought it a thing fitting to dedicate the same to your highness grace honours and worships c as special favours protectors and defenders of the doctrines which god through luther hath cleared again to the end that by diligent reading therein you may be president and give good examples to others to your subjects citizens c diligently to love to read to effect the same and to make good use thereof as being fragments that fell from luther's table and therewith may help to still to slake and to satisfy the spiritual hunger and thirst of the soul For these most profitable discourses of Luther, containing such high spiritual things, we should in no wise suffer to be lost, but worthily esteem thereof, whereout all manner of learning, joy, and comfort may be had and received.

Dr. Auerfaber, in his preface to the book, given at Eiselben, July 7th, 1569.

End of section 2 Section 3 of Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther.