ant because here too he set free the conscience of the
individual and put everywhere in the place of compulsion from without,
against which selfishness had defiantly rebelled, a self-control in
harmony with the spirit of the individual. How beautiful is his
conception of the necessity of training children by schooling,
especially in the ancient languages! How he recommends the
introduction of his beloved music into the schools! How large is his
vision when he advises the city-councils to establish public
libraries! And again, how conscientiously he tried, in matters of
betrothal and marriage, to protect the heart of the lovers against
stern parental authority! To be sure, his horizon is always bounded by
the letter of the Scriptures, but everywhere there sounds through his
sermons, his advice, his censure, the beautiful keynote of his German
nature, the necessity of liberty and discipline, of love and morality.
He had overthrown the old sacrament of marriage, but gave a higher,
nobler, freer form to the intimate relation of man and wife. He had
fought the clumsy monastery schools; and everywhere in town and
hamlet, wherever his influence was felt, there grew up better
educational institutions for the young. He had done away with the mass
and with Latin church music; he put in its place, for friends and foes
alike, regular preaching and German chorals.

As time advanced, it became ever more apparent that it was a necessity
for Luther to perceive God in every gracious, good and tender gift of
this world. In this sense he was always pious and always wise--when he
was out-of-doors, or among his friends, in innocent merriment, when he
teased his wife, or held his children in his arms. Before a
fruit-tree, which he saw hanging full of fruit, he rejoiced in its
splendor, and said, "If Adam had not fallen, we should have admired
all trees as we do this one." He took a large pear into his hands and
marveled: "See! Half a year ago this pear was deeper under ground than
it is long and broad, and lay at the very end of the roots. These
smallest and least observed creations are the greatest miracles. God
is in the humblest things of nature--a leaf or a blade of grass." Two
birds made their nest in the Doctor's garden and flew up in the
evening, often frightened by passers-by. He called to them, "Oh, you
dear birds! Don't fly away. I am very willing to have you here, if you
could only believe me. But just so we mortals have no faith