Guiding Lights; Lives of the Great and Good

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1876 Excerpt: ...to Frederick the Wise. He was not unlike Dr. Staupitz in character, being sensitive and retiring, and Luther's bravery and moral courage had a great charm for him. Spalatin had been a pastor among the Thuringian hills, entering into the quiet life of his peasant flock; and when the Elector brought him to his court and made him chaplain and tutor to his nephew, the sudden change in his life and habits was painful to him. He was still longing for the quiet and peace of his former existence, when Luther met him again, and tried to encourage him in his new work, and to lead him to value the greater field of influence which he might have in the court of the Elector. When the vicar-general's sympathy aided the poor harassed monk in the Erfurt convent, its influence did not stop there. It sent the monk out into the world to help thousands of others; and the words spoken in the cloister came to have a far greater influence than the speaker had ever dreamt. The words we speak and the acts we do to-day, that pass from our remembrance and seem so trifling at the time, are followed by good or evil results which we shall know hereafter; and we cannot tell how much of Luther's influence on the world might have been wanting, if the vicar-general had been less faithful in using the opportunities which came in his way. I should think that Luther, remembering his own perplexities and trials as a monk, must have been glad when a command came to him to take the post of Dr. Staupitz as vicar-general for eighteen months. The Doctor was required for other work; and Luther entered earnestly into the new occupation, and visited all the convents in his care, altering abuses, settling quarrels, and above all, trying to give to young monks the same help and guidance he had himself rec...