An Incident in the Life of Luther (from the German) [pp. 362-364]

THE LADIEST REPOSITORY.
AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF
LUTHER.
FN the commencement of the sixteenth cen tury lived at the fine fortress of Erbach, in
the near Odenwald, a very honorable and
noble knighlt, Eberhard von Erbach. But most
prominent in his character was his almost fanatical piety, and hle had no remonstrance to utter
when the people called him the most faithful
son of the Church. To serve his Lord and
Savior with his all, even with his blood, seemed
to him the most noble aim of life, and he had
his good sword dedicated to the service of the
Holy Virgin.
It was in the Spring, in the year of I518, at
a late hour, when the pious Knight von Erbach,
with many of his retainers, halted before the
hotel "Zum Riesen," in Miltenberg, and expressed his desire to the hotel-keeper to stay
over night. Yet he entered with only one of
his servants into the hotel; the rest of them he
sent off with short and strict commands.
He demanded from the host a room, took his
evening meal silently, went early to bed and
sank deep in thoughlt, which sometimes would
come to utterance, showing the excited state
of his mind. Just intending to say his evening
prayer, he heard through the thin wooden wall
that separated him from the next room, a powerful song from a rich baritone voice. It was a
hloly evening hymn. Tile knitght understood
every word of the hymn; and the pious, Godinspired content of the same, the beautiful
melody, the expressive execution, and the masterly accompaniment on the guitar, delighted
and exalted the knight more and more. He
crossed himself and folded his hands, and when
the pious singer had finished a stanza, hlie would
fall in with a subdued "Amen!" When the
singer had finished the hymn, he added a short,
powerful prayer, in which hle recommended himself and all good men to the Holy Trinity, and
concluded with the prayer that God may open
the hearts of hardened sinners and erring men
to the rays of his charity.
The knight murmurs his "Amen! Amen!"
and feels himself exalted and inspired as he
had not been for a long time, and he falls asleep
with blessed feelings. With the first ray of the
morning sun he is awakened by the sounds of
the guitar, and a lively hymn from his neighbor.
O, how much was this song of thanks to the
Creator of the universe pervaded with the breath
of piety and true love of God! Involuntarily
the knight folds his hands, a soft sensation
comes over him, and repeats after each stanza,
"Amen! Amen!" And when the song ended,
he crosses himself piously, and rises to make
inquiries from the host.
"Who is my neighbor upstairs, that delighted
and refreshed me so much with his singing and
praying?"
"It is a priest, your Highness, of middle age,
and noble and venerable appearance, whose
name I do not know; he arrived yesterday
evening shortly before you, in a very modest
one-horse carriage, and intends soon to continue his journey; he has paid his bill and
already ordered his horse."
"Go and tell him that I wish to thank him
personally and verbally for the delight hlie has
given me by his beautiful songs of last night
and this morning; ask him to give me an interview for a few minutes only, as I am likewise
in great haste to get away on important matters. But tell him I must shake hands with
him by all means."
The knight followed the host and took the
door-latch out of his hand. The pious singer
stood before the good knight and responded to
his friendly greeting with the like heartiness.
He was a man of about thirty-five years, of
middle size, but strongly built in body; his
countenance was not what you call handsome,
but imposing, shlowing mildness, and yet strength
and decision. His large blue eye was very lively
and intelligent, his auburn hair lay around his
high forehead and the strong powerful neck. His
mouth seemed to speak before it opened. The
whole figure heightened the impression which
the Knight von Erbachl had already received by
his singing, so that he felt at once at home
with him.
"I come, venerable father, to give you my
heart-felt thanks for the enjoyment you have
given me," said the knight; "and although I
was told by the host that you are in haste to
continue your journey, and althlough I am in
haste myself, yet I must pray you to sing me
another such hymn. My soul is thirsty for the
spring of life that flows from yours."
He took his guitar and accompanied a hymn.
It was a hymn of such exalted beauty of faith,
that it dlid not miss its effect on th-e excited
soul of the pious knight. There he sat with
folded hands, occasionally lisping, "Amen!
Amen!" while tears were running down his
cheeks. When the stranger had finished his
song, the knight, overcome by emotion, stretched
his hands out to him, and both men, with closed
hands, looking at each other, formed a higher
union of souls, without words. Then the knight
said, "Your beautiful hymn puts a question in
my mind: what do you think of the teachings
of St. Augustine, that by our confession, works,
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