1848.] Opposition of Luther's Father. 523 in a cowl and with a shorn crown, he will reward me and bid me welcome." During the interval of two weeks, while he kept his design from his parents and from his fellow students, the Gotha manuscript says that he communicated it to Andrew Staffelstein, as the head of the university, and to a few pious females. Staffelstein advised him to join the Franciscan order, whose monastery had just been rebuilt in Erfurt, and went immediately with him to the cloister, lest a change should take place in Luther's mind. The teacher resorted also to flattery, no doubt with a good conscience, saying that of none of his pupils did he entertain higher hopes in respect to piety and goodness. When they were arrived at the cloister, the monks urged his connecting himself immediately with the order. Luther replied, that he must first make known his intention to his parents. But Staffelstein and the friars rejoined, that he must forsake father and mother and steal away to the cross of Christ. Whosoever putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back is not worthy of the kingdom of God. In this "monstrous unfriendliness," as Luther calls it, "savoring more of the wolf and the tyrant than of the Christian and the man,” the monks were only carrying out the principle which Jerome had taught them and which was the more weighty, being sanctioned by his great name. As quoted by Luther, in his Commentary on Gen. 43: 30, the words of that ancient father run thus: "Though thy father should lie before thy door weeping and lamenting, and thy mother should show the body that bore thee and the breasts that nursed thee, see that thou trample them under foot, and go onward straightway to Christ." By such perversion of Scripture and reason did the monks deprive many a parent of the society of his children. "That," says Luther again, "is the teaching of antichrist, and you may boldly tell him, he lies. Next to obedience to himself, before all things and above all things, God requireth obedience to parents.- A son or a daughter runs away from his father, and goes into a cloister against his will. The pope with his party of Herodians approves the act, and thus compels the people to tear in pieces a command of God in order to worship God." "Hadst thou known," it is said in the above-mentioned dedicatory epistle of Luther to his father, "that I was then in thy power, wouldst thou not, from thine authority as a father, have plucked me out of my cowl? Had I known it, I would not have attempted such a thing against thy will and knowledge, though I must suffer a thousand deaths." It seems, therefore, that Luther's mind was in a conflict between a sense of duty to his parents, 1 Comm. on John 15: 16. and a false persuasion of duty to his own soul and to God. Even the father was somewhat puzzled by the speciousness of the monastic logic. But the son made the former consideration yield to the latter, which the father always maintained was an error. We must not be surprised that such scruples were entertained in respect to the filial obligation of one who was about twenty-two years of age; for, not to mention that by law a son did not reach the age of majority till he was twenty-five years of age, filial obedience was, as in the patriarchal age, considered as due to an indefinite period of life. Luther, however, did not enter into the cloister of the Franciscans, but preferred that of the Augustinian Eremites. Undoubtedly his respect for Augustine, and for the literary and more elevated character of that order decided his choice. This took place about the middle of July, 1505. On the evening preceding, he invited his university friends to a social party. The hours passed away in lively conversation and song. Until near the close of that evening, according to Melanchthon, the guests had no intimation of what was to follow. When Luther announced his purpose to them, they enIdeavored to dissuade him from it. But it was all in vain. "Today," said he, "you see me; after this, you will see me no more." The very same night, or early on the following morning, he presented himself to the door of the convent, according to previous arrangement, and was admitted. His scholastic, classical and law books he gave to the booksellers; his master's ring, given when he took that degree, and his secular habits he sent to his parents. The only books which he retained were the two Roman poets, Virgil and Plautus, a circumstance that throws light upon the peculiarly susceptible and almost romantic character of his mind, no less than the festive hour with which he had the resolution to close his secular career. He informed his other friends and his parents by letter of the important step he had taken. The former, lamenting that such a man should be buried alive, as it were, almost beseiged the cloister, seeking for two successive days an interview with their friend. But the cloister door was bolted against them, and Luther was not to be seen by them for a month. Luther's father, probably, did not come immediately to the cloister, as some writers have asserted, confounding this occasion with that of his ordination as priest, but replied to his son's letter in a manner which showed the highest displeasure, withholding the respectful form of address (Ihr) which from the time the degree of master of arts was conferred, he had ever given him, and employing one (du) which was ordinarily given to children and servants. To human view, the course of Luther, in leaving the university and the 1848.] Commencement of his Cloister Life. 525 study of the law, and in entering a cloister, seems a most unfortunate one. The best years of his life, one would think, were thrown away upon solemn trifles. But, if we consider that, after a public education, an introverted life often contributes most to true greatness, by holding a man long at the very fountain head of thought and reflection, as was the case with Chrysostom, Augustine and many others, and'if, moreover, we consider that the false foundations of a system of error are often best understood by him who has made the most perfect trial of them, we shall conclude with Luther, "God ordered that I should become monk not without good reason, that, being taught by experience, I might take up my pen against the pope." Luther in the Cloister. 1. The novitiate-1505. The first act was that of assuming the dress of the novitiate. The solemn ceremonies of that occasion were settled by the rules of the order. The transaction was to take place in the presence of the whole assembly. The prior proposed to the candidate the question, whether he thought his strength was sufficient to bear the burdens about to be laid upon him, at the same time reminding him of the strictness of their discipline, and the renunciation of one's own will which was required. He referred to the plain living and clothing, the nightly vigils and daily toils, the mortifications of the flesh, the reproach attached to a state of poverty and mendicancy, the languor produced by fasting, and the tedium of solitude and other similar things which awaited him. The candidate replied, that with God's assistance, he would make the attempt. The prior said, we receive you then for a year on trial, and may God who has begun a good work in you, carry it on and perfect it. The whole assembly then cried, "Amen," and struck up the sacred song, Magne pater Augustine (Great father Augustine). Meanwhile the head was shorn, the secular robes laid aside, and the spiritual robes put on. The prior intimated to the individual that with these last he was also to put on the new man. He now kneeled down before the prior, responses were sung, and the divine blessing was invoked thus: May God who has converted this young man from the world, and prepared for him a mansion in heaven, grant that his daily walk may correspond with his calling, and that he may have occasion to be thankful for this day's decision, etc. Then the procession moved on, singing responses again, till they reached the choir, where they all prostrated themselves in prayer. The candidate was next conducted to the common hall of the cloister, where he received from the prior and all the brethren the fraternal kiss. He then bowed the knee again before the prior, who, after reminding him that he who persevereth to the end shall be saved, gave him over to the preceptor, whose duty it was to instruct him during his novitiate. The order of Augustinian Eremites, which originated about the middle of the thirteenth century, was said to have nearly 2,000 cloisters, besides 300 nunneries and more than 30,000 monks. It was reformed and organized anew at the council of Basle, in the fifteenth century. The celebrated Proles, who was at Magdeburg when Luther was there at school, was the second vicar after the reorganization, and in 1503 Staupitz was the fourth, who in the following year, that is, the year before Luther entered the cloister at Erfurt, gave to the order a new constitution. The abler men of this order, such as Proles and Staupitz, were led, by the study of the writings of Augustine, to entertain his views of the doctrine of divine grace and of justification by faith. The Augustinian friars were generally more retiring, studious and contemplative than the ambitious, gross and bigotted Dominicans and Franciscans. Hence Luther's preference of the order. According to the new rules laid down by Staupitz, the prior was to give to the novice a preceptor and guide, who should be learned, experienced and zealous for the interests of the order. It was the duty of this preceptor to initiate the novice into a knowledge of all the rules and regulations that had been established, to explain to him the system of worship to be observed, and the signs by which directions were silently given, to see that he was awaked by night to attend to all the vigils, that he observed at their proper times and places the prescribed bowings, genuflections and prostrations, that he did not neglect the silent prayers and private confessions, and that he made a proper use of the books, sacred utensils and garments. The novice was to converse with no one except in the presence of the preceptor or prior, never to dispute respecting the regulations, to take no notice of visitors, to drink only in a sitting posture and holding the cup with both hands, to walk with down-cast eyes, to bow low in receiving every gift, and to say, The Lord be praised in his gifts, to love poverty, avoid pleasure and subdue one's own will, to read the Scriptures diligently, and to listen to others eagerly and learn with avidity. Luther was so thoroughly drilled in all these practices, that he retained some of them, as a matter of habit, through life. “The young monks," says he, in referring to one of these practices, taught, when they received anything, if it were but a feather, to bow low and say, God be praised for everything he gives." 1848.] Luxurious Life of the Monks. 527 Trespasses were classified under the heads of small, great, greater, greatest. To the smaller belong the failing to go to church as soon as the sign is given, or forgetting to touch the ground instantly with the hand and to smite the breast, if in reading in the choir or in singing the least error is committed; looking about the house in time of service; making any disturbance in the dormitory or in the cell; desiring to sing or read otherwise than in the prescribed order; omitting prostration when giving thanks at the annunciation or christmas; forgetting the benediction in going out or coming in; neglecting to return books or garments to their proper places; dropping one's food, or spilling one's drink, or eating without saying grace, etc., etc. To great trespasses were reckoned contending with any one, reminding one of a former fault, breaking the prescribed silence or fasts, looking at females, or talking with them, except at the confessional or in brief replies, etc. Luther was at once put into subjection to all these trivial and often senseless laws. The good monks seemed to delight in teaching lessons of humility. With his studies, in which he was already too much distinguished for them, they were not at all pleased. He himself says, "As I came into the cloister, they said to me, it shall be with you as it was with us, put the sack around your neck." Again he says: "In Italy there is an order of Ignorants, who vow sacred ignorance. All orders might lay claim to that title, for that they give heed only to the words, but not to the sense of what they read or repeat. They say, if you do not know the meaning of the Scriptures and the prayers, Satan does and flees. The alpha and omega of the monks is to hate knowledge and study. If a brother is given to study, they straightway surmise that he wishes to bear rule over them." The Erfurt monks were not all of the most spiritual character. Luther says of the monks in general, that "for one fast they had three feasts. At the evening collation two cans of good beer and a little can of wine were given to each monk, besides spiced cakes and salted bread to stimulate their thirst. The poor brethren appeared like fiery angels." That Luther had in mind the monks at Erfurt is pretty evident from his saying that he had, in the papacy, never seen a proper fast; that "abstinence from meat" signified only to have the best of fish with the nicest seasoning, and good wine besides. They taught," says he, "that we should despise riches, vineyards and fields; and yet they seek after them most of all, and eat and drink the very best. One brother in the cloister could consume five biscuits, when one was enough for me." One doctor, in the cloister, had 66 |